BOZEMAN — Four Montana State University students performed with the Collegiate Honor Choir at the American Choral Directors Northwest Division Conference in Spokane, Washington, earlier this semester. 

Joseph Barrett, Rosalyn Black, Piper Butler and Jared Rosgaard were selected to perform with students from six other universities at the conference for choral music professionals, which ran Jan. 24–27. They applied for the choir last fall and were accepted as a quartet. 

The four MSU students joined about 200 other college students at the conference to perform “Chichester Psalms” by Leonard Bernstein, who was portrayed by Bradley Cooper in the 2023 film “Maestro.” 

Butler, a junior in the School of Music’s music education program, said the piece is about 20-minutes long, includes three movements and is rather difficult to sing. 

“Being a smaller group and a smaller college than the rest ... we knew we had to show up and perform really well,” Butler said. 

She said the four MSU students met to practice for about 90 minutes each week after their rehearsals with MSU’s Montanans choir, in which they serve in leadership roles. Kirk Aamot, Director of Choral Activities at MSU, helped the students prepare the music and accompanied them to the conference.  

"It's a great opportunity for these students to learn this important work and sing with university students from around the Northwest Region," Aamot said. 

However, getting to the conference proved difficult. Due to a flight delay, the MSU group missed the conference’s first day of rehearsals — a five-hour session. 

“The next day there was another rehearsal,” Butler said. “Since we put all that practice time in beforehand, we were still caught up.” 

A highlight for Butler and the other MSU participants was working under the direction of André Thomas, a world-renowned conductor and composer. Butler also attended Thomas’s master class on conducting. 

“I’m in the middle of all my conducting learning, so getting to add that on to what I am already learning was really beneficial,” said Butler, who plans to go into teaching after graduation. 

While in Spokane, the MSU students were able to walk around the city in their free time, explore the University of Gonzaga and meet with other students and industry professionals. 

Rosgaard, a sophomore majoring in music education, hopes to pursue a performance-based graduate degree and perform with an opera after graduating from MSU. He said he enjoyed talking with students from all over the region about different programs. 

“Being able to work with students all across the Northwest was a great experience — to see how they work and how their directors work,” he said. “It was a really good experience to be around talented singers and make connections.”

BOZEMAN  — The month of March is recognized as National Nutrition Month, promoting the importance of making informed food choices while developing healthier eating and physical activity habits.

“When talking about nutrition, instead of focusing on what you shouldn’t do or what’s bad for you, I try and focus on what you should do and make actionable recommendations,” says Morgan Rhinard, registered dietitian (RD), board-certified diabetes education specialist, and supervisor of inpatient clinical nutrition at Bozeman Health.

Rhinard says a few simple tips to keep in mind include choosing rotisserie chicken or canned tuna for something quick and convenient over heavily processed meats; eating 25-30 grams of fiber per day from food, not supplements; and focusing on unsaturated fats like fish, nuts and olive oil. Implementing small, feasible changes can make a big difference over time.

“And good news for coffee drinkers,” Rhinard shares, “when it comes to antioxidants, most people think of fruits and vegetables, but coffee is actually considered a good source as well!”
In the hospital setting, RDs can be found providing inpatient and outpatient care and working with hospital food services. Rhinard says National Nutrition Month also serves as an opportunity to highlight her profession, “For hospitalized patients, we most frequently provide services related to nutrition support, malnutrition treatment and diabetes care / education. We also provide medical nutrition therapy and education for any relevant medical diagnoses.”

Inpatient RDs must have extensive knowledge of all disease states and understand how to optimize nutrition status for high-acuity patients who have complex metabolic needs due to acute illness or injury.

“We monitor, assess and optimize nutrition status based on the patient’s current medical condition and nutritional needs. Meeting nutrition needs for critical care patients is significantly different compared to a healthy adult and involves adjusting the nutrition plan of care in response to changes in medications that have an impact on food and nutrition,” Rhinard continues.

RDs are an integral part of the interdisciplinary inpatient care team at Bozeman Health, and in general, hospitals who include RDs in their care teams have improved patient outcomes.
Rhinard shares that if she could give one piece of advice to those interested in making a positive change it would be, “Be honest about your motivation for making the change and then write it down to revisit when things get tough. People are far more successful with behavioral change when they set their own goals, and an RD can provide expert guidance to help you reach those goals.”

To reach the Bozeman Health Diabetes & Nutrition Center, call 406-414-5331.

BOZEMAN — Applications are being accepted for the $100K Venture Competition hosted by Montana State University’s Jake Jabs College of Business and Entrepreneurship and the MSU Blackstone LaunchPad.

The competition provides entrepreneurs an opportunity to present their business ventures, receive feedback and compete for startup funding. The deadline for applications is Sunday, April 7.

The annual event is open to all undergraduate and graduate students from Montana University System-affiliated campuses, as well as MUS faculty and staff and alumni who graduated within the past 10 years from an MUS campus. The final round of the competition, where competitors present their business plans to a panel of judges, will start at 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 24, in Inspiration Hall in Norm Asbjornson Hall on the Montana State campus. The event is free and open to the public.

Ventures that received first, second or third place prizes in previous MSU $50K or $75K Venture Competitions are not eligible to participate. In addition, ventures that have received venture capital or angel funding are not eligible, but ventures that have received funding from an MUS institution or the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs or similar grants may participate.

The event’s purse grew to $100,000 this year, up from $75,000. In addition to the monetary support for the top performers, all participants gain access to and receive feedback from entrepreneurs, investors, mentors and a panel of judges with extensive entrepreneurial experience.

Applications and competition information can be found at montana.edu/business/venture-competition/.

Questions about the MSU $100K Venture Competition may be directed to 406-994-4383 or info@msulaunchpad.org.

The Jake Jabs College of Business and Entrepreneurship offers four undergraduate options of study – accounting,finance, management and marketing – as well as five minors - accounting; business administration; entrepreneurship and small business management; finance; and international business. It also offers a master of professional accountancy degree, master of science in innovation and management, a business certificate and an entrepreneurship certificate.

MSU’s Blackstone LaunchPad helps MSU students succeed in entrepreneurship and in their careers. Open to students, faculty and alumni in all majors, the campus-based LaunchPad provides mentoring, opportunities for participants to grow their networks and resources to help their businesses succeed. For more information, visit montana.edu/launchpad/.

BOZEMAN — Montana State University’s Mark and Robyn Jones College of Nursing is getting new buildings on each of its five campuses, which are in Billings, Bozeman, Great Falls, Kalispell and Missoula, to further its mission of educating nurses to meet the state’s health care needs. 

MSU broke ground in Great Falls last November, and groundbreaking ceremonies have been scheduled this spring in the other four cities. 

“These new buildings will provide students with a better learning experience and allow us to enroll more students to help meet the nursing shortage in Montana,” said Sarah Shannon, dean of the nursing college. 

Currently, the nursing college operates out of leased buildings in Billings, Great Falls, Kalispell and Missoula. The new, MSU-owned buildings will feature modern classrooms and labs  as well as study and break areas, according to Shannon. 

Construction of the buildings will be covered by a portion of the historic $101 million philanthropic investment made to MSU in 2021 by Mark and Robyn Jones. 

The land for four of the building sites was donated by health care partners — Billings Clinic and Intermountain Health St. Vincent Regional Hospital in Billings, Benefis Health System in Great Falls, Community Medical Center in Missoula and Logan Health in Kalispell. The Bozeman building will be constructed on the MSU campus. 

MSU administrators, including Shannon and MSU President Waded Cruzado, will attend each of the ceremonies and make remarks, as will representatives from each of the health care partners. 

The time, dates and locations of the four groundbreaking ceremonies, which are open to the public, are listed below: 

Missoula 

1-2:30 p.m. Friday, April 5 — Community Medical Center, 2825 Fort Missoula Road.

Bozeman 

3-4:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 9 — Montana State University, southeast corner of West Grant Street and South 11th Avenue.

Billings 

2-3:30 p.m. Thursday, April 11 — Billings Clinic/Intermountain Health St. Vincent Regional Hospital, 1042 N. 29th St. 

Kalispell 

11-12:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 23 — Logan Health, northeast corner of Windward Way and Heritage Way.

Each year more than 100 students graduate with a Bachelor of Nursing degree from MSU, ready to work as registered nurses. About 80% of those graduates stay in Montana to work in the state's understaffed health care industry. 

The Mark and Robyn Jones College of Nursing offers bachelor’s, accelerated bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral-level nursing education programs to produce nurses, nurse leaders, nurse educators and nurse practitioners for Montana. Great Falls was the first location where upper division, clinical nursing education was offered, followed by the establishment of the Billings nursing campus in 1939, Missoula campus in 1976, and Kalispell campus in 2002. While nursing majors have taken pre-requisite courses in Bozeman at MSU since 1937, upper division or clinical nursing education was first offered at the Bozeman campus in 2004.   

Montana State is the largest producer of registered nurses in Montana and the sole provider of doctoral nurse practitioner education in the state. More information is available at montana.edu/nursing/.

MISSOULA - Rachel Markovich, of Missoula, is launching a new non-profit organization. Named VEO Guardians, this charitable initiative comes as a response to the pressing need for assistance for families grappling with Very Early Onset Inflammatory Bowel Disease (VEO-IBD). The organization aims to aid families in securing immediate medical treatment by covering costs upfront, as they deal with the challenging process of ongoing insurance denials and appeals.

VEO Guardians was founded by parents who have experienced firsthand the complexities and struggles associated with securing timely and appropriate medical care for children undergoing treatment for VEO-IBD.

Markovich’s son, now 3 years old, was diagnosed with VEO-IBD at 22 months. After enduring symptoms since nine months old, they spent more than a year searching for a diagnosis. Following an ER visit due to a high fever, suspected bowel perforation and emergency surgery they met with a pediatric GI specialist, underwent a grueling day of preparation for a colonoscopy and endoscopy and ultimately received a VEO IBD UC diagnosis. Following were numerous medical procedures and a stay at Seattle Children's Hospital.

Markovich’s son has not required hospitalization for the past year, prompting her to seek change for families facing similar challenges. “This grace of my son’s health has led me to want to change the future for children and families in similar circumstances,” said Markovich. “Instead of the endless hours families face trying to get insurance approval for medication, our charity will pay upfront for their child to receive treatment immediately.”

Throughout this journey, Markovich connected with other Montana families who were confronting similar challenging circumstances. Among them were:

Lindsay Warner, Whitefish, MT
Kelly King, Hamilton, MT
United by their shared experiences, they collectively dedicated themselves to supporting others facing similar trials.

"Every child deserves access to timely treatment and compassionate support," said Markovich. "Through our organization, we aim to alleviate the burden of medical costs and lengthy timelines so that children facing VEO-IBD can access the care they need immediately to thrive."

VEO Guardians will work closely with Pediatric GI Specialists to facilitate communication and support between patients and the organization through the VEO-IBD diagnosis and treatment process. By providing assistance with navigating insurance appeals and denials, VEO Guardians seeks to ensure that children receive the vital biologics and infusions necessary for their treatment without unnecessary delays.

A launch celebration and fundraising event will be held April 5th at the Wilma Theater in Missoula. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit https://www.veoguardians.com.

Last year, the Montana Department of Revenue (DOR) concluded that for tax year 2023, 77.9 mills would be sufficient to meet the budgetary requirements of the State School Equalization Funds rather than 95 mills, which have been billed in previous years. The property tax bill you received from Gallatin County in November reflected that reduction.  

However, Governor Gianforte sued Missoula County, which eventually resulted in a ruling from the Montana Supreme Court that authorized DOR to levy the maximum mill amount regardless of the budget. Gallatin County has thus been directed to collect the full 95 mills, and second-half tax bill have been amended accordingly.  

The Gallatin County Treasurer’s Office mailed these amended second-half tax bills to property owners on Friday, March 22. Property owners can expect to see these arrive in their mailboxes soon. 

Property owners should disregard the second-half payment due on original bills, sent late last year, and pay the amount that comes with the amended bills instead. Do not pay both.  

Folks who paid the full year’s taxes in December will still need to pay the amount indicated on this bill. These additional tax collections mandated by the Governor’s Office will be sent to the State of Montana and not to any local jurisdictions.  

Second half property taxes are due May 31.  

If you pay your property taxes through your mortgage, please verify with your lender that they will handle paying this amended bill. 

Property owners can also view amended bills online at https://itax.gallatin.mt.gov.  

If you have questions about your bill, please contact the Gallatin County Treasurer’s Office by phone at 406-582-3033, by email at treasurer@gallatin.mt.gov, or in person at the Gallatin County Courthouse located at 311 W. Main St. in downtown Bozeman. 

Property tax information, including bills and history, can also be found at https://itax.gallatin.mt.gov. 

Moving day can be both exciting and overwhelming. It marks the culmination of weeks or even months of planning and preparation, but it can also be a source of stress and anxiety. However, with careful organization and attention to detail, you can ensure that your moving day goes smoothly and without a hitch. In this article, we'll explore ten essential tips to help you have a stress-free moving day.

Plan Ahead: The key to a successful moving day is careful planning. Create a detailed moving schedule that outlines all the tasks that need to be completed before, during, and after the move. Make sure to include important details such as the time for the arrival of the moving truck, the schedule for loading and unloading, and any other logistical considerations.

Pack Strategically: Proper packing is crucial for a smooth moving day. Pack your belongings in sturdy boxes, making sure to label each box with its contents and the room it belongs in. Keep essential items, such as medications, important documents, and a change of clothes, in a separate box or suitcase that you'll keep with you during the move.

Confirm Details with Your Moving Company: If you're using a professional moving company, confirm all the details of your move with them in advance. Make sure they have the correct address for both your old and new homes, as well as any special instructions or requirements you may have. It's also a good idea to exchange contact information with the movers so you can stay in touch throughout the day.

Prepare Your Home: Before the movers arrive, take some time to prepare your home for the move. Clear pathways and remove any obstacles that could impede the movers' progress. If possible, reserve a parking spot for the moving truck near your home to make loading and unloading easier.

Stay Organized: Keep all your moving-related documents, such as contracts, moving estimates, and contact information, in one place. This will make it easier to access important information as needed throughout the day. Use a clipboard or folder to keep everything organized and easily accessible.

Stay Hydrated and Well-Fed: Moving day can be physically demanding, so make sure to stay hydrated and well-fed throughout the day. Keep a cooler stocked with water, snacks, and easy-to-eat meals to keep you fueled and energized. Taking regular breaks to rest and refuel will help you stay focused and alert.

Communicate with Your Movers: Effective communication is essential on moving day. Stay in touch with your movers and keep them informed of any changes or developments that may arise. If you have specific instructions or concerns, don't hesitate to communicate them to the movers so they can accommodate your needs.

Take Care of Your Pets: Moving can be stressful for pets, so make sure to take extra care of them on moving day. Keep them confined to a safe and secure area away from the hustle and bustle of the move. Provide them with food, water, and familiar comforts to help reduce their anxiety.

Inspect Your Belongings Before Loading: Before your belongings are loaded onto the moving truck, take some time to inspect them for any damage or signs of wear and tear. Make a note of any pre-existing damage and take photographs for your records. This will help you identify any new damage that may occur during the move.

Stay Positive and Flexible: Finally, remember to stay positive and flexible throughout the moving process. Unexpected challenges may arise, but maintaining a positive attitude and a sense of flexibility will help you navigate them with ease. Keep your eye on the end goal – settling into your new home – and remember that the challenges of moving day are temporary.

In closing, while moving day can bring its share of challenges, it also marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter in your life. By implementing these ten essential tips, you can navigate the process with greater ease and confidence. Remember to stay organized, communicate effectively, and maintain a positive attitude throughout the day. With careful planning and preparation, you'll soon be settling into your new home and embracing the opportunities that lie ahead. Here's to a smooth and stress-free moving day, and to the adventures that await in your new surroundings!

BOZEMAN – Additional Hunter Education classes have been scheduled in several locations throughout southwestern Montana. Many of these classes are or will soon be open for registration.

All in-person classes are free. Students must be at least 10 years old to take a Hunter Education classroom course. Students must be at least 11 years old to take a Bowhunter Education course.

The following Hunter Education classroom courses are scheduled in the region:

• Twin Bridges: starting March 25
• Whitehall: starting April 3
• Butte: starting April 8
• Bozeman: starting April 8
• West Yellowstone: starting April 13
• Dillon: starting April 22
• Logan: starting May 6
• Helena: starting May 17
• West Yellowstone: starting June 10
• Logan: starting July 15
• Livingston: starting Aug. 1

A Bowhunter Education classroom courses is scheduled in Twin Bridges starting April 8. Bowhunter Education classes in Butte and Ennis are also being planned but have not yet been finalized.

Students ages 12 through 17 who take Hunter or Bowhunter Education online are required to pass an in-person field day. There will be a field day for online Hunter Education students in Logan on April 20.

Hunter and Bowhunter Education courses are being planned in other areas. FWP’s website will be updated periodically as classes are arranged. To see what classes are available or to sign up, visit fwp.mt.gov/hunt/education.

Hunter, Bowhunter and Trapper Education classes are taught by skilled volunteer instructors, offering hands-on learning experiences and opportunities for students to ask questions of experienced instructors. Students learn how to handle firearms and archery equipment safely, basic survival skills, hunting ethics, wildlife management, game identification, landowner-hunter relations, and Montana hunting laws and regulations.

Montana law requires that anyone born after Jan. 1, 1985, complete a Hunter Education class or qualify as a youth apprentice hunter before purchasing a Montana hunting license. All first-time bowhunters must complete a Bowhunter Education course or show proof of a prior year’s archery license from another state or province.

Montana State University assistant professor Eric Sproles, left, and graduate student Briana Whitehead, are pictured Wednesday, March 20, 2024, in Bozeman, Montana. They have begun testing new methods of measuring snowpack levels with a grant from the Bureau of Reclamation. MSU photo by Colter Peterson

BOZEMAN – With a nearly $1 million grant from the federal Bureau of Reclamation, snow and water scientists at Montana State University have begun testing new methods of measuring snowpack levels with the goal of improving water forecasting for drought, flood and irrigation management in the U.S.

Eric Sproles, assistant professor in MSU’s Department of Earth Sciences in the College of Letters and Science, said the MSU-led project is one of 15 similar proposals funded by the bureau’s Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program to evaluate advanced snow-monitoring technologies for water supply forecasting and it’s the only one with fieldwork based in Montana’s Upper Missouri Headwaters basin, from which water for irrigation and other uses flows downstream to significantly populated areas.

That work will be conducted over three years by Sproles and Briana Whitehead, an earth sciences doctoral student who holds a master’s degree from MSU’s Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences. Scientists at Syracuse University and the University of Texas, who are partners on the grant, will assist with collecting and analyzing the data.

“We’re testing a lot of new approaches to measure snowpack to see if and how much we improve streamflow predictions,” Sproles said. “We’re looking at new ways to better measure snowpack across the western U.S.”

For decades, he explained, snowpack has been measured by antifreeze-filled bladders known as “snow pillows,” which are placed on the ground at elevations where the average annual snowpack accumulates. The pressure of the snow on the pillows is recorded and transmitted via telemetry to the Natural Resources Conservation Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which operates the SNOTEL monitoring and reporting system. While snow pillows continue to operate and provide meaningful water resource data, this project looks to identify and test newer technologies to augment the existing SNOTEL network, Sproles said.

MSU’s project will evaluate emerging sensor technologies that measure snow water using gamma and cosmic rays, which are naturally occurring energy sources that become muffled or attenuated by snowpack. The sensors will measure the degree of attenuation, and scientists will run a series of calculations on those data to determine snow water measurements.

The testing is taking place at the Tenderfoot Creek Experimental Forest in central Montana, where stream gauges are already in place to measure snowmelt runoff. The team recently placed a permanently mounted cosmic ray sensor in the forest, which will continuously transmit real-time data.

“And while the snow pillow measures only several square feet, the cosmic ray sensor will measure approximately 22 acres – it will give us a much better representation at hourly intervals,” Sproles said.

By contrast, tests also will be performed with a drone-mounted gamma ray sensor capable of measuring hundreds of acres at a time, but only while the drone is in the air.

The team will test another drone-borne sensor with light detection and ranging, or lidar, technology. Sproles explained it will measure snow depths at a very high resolution – every 4 square inches – and be able to differentiate snow depth in proximity to various landscape features like trees and meadows.

“We will compare the snow-pillow method with these new approaches to see if and how much we improve streamflow predictions,” Sproles said. “We’ll see which is better, and how much water is coming out at the end.”

He noted that average snowpack elevations are rising under current climate trends, and that some of the technologies being tested by the MSU team will be able to access those higher elevations more easily than is possible with current methods.

A Bureau of Reclamation fact sheet on the Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program states that the agency seeks to develop a portfolio of complementary technologies to enhance snow monitoring and water supply forecasts.

“We’re trying to improve SNOTEL, not replace it,” explained Whitehead, who has worked for USDA/NRCS as a geographic information specialist and soil conservationist in the Bozeman region since 2019 and plans to conduct her doctoral research on the project.

She said her longtime interest in water resources was strengthened when she served with the Peace Corps in Ghana from 2014 to 2016.

“I saw first-hand how water resources can impact subsistence farming, soil health and agroforestry,” she said.

In the Upper Missouri Headwaters, Sproles added, it’s equally important that people recognize the importance of snow.

“Snow is a resource – snow is water,” he said. “What’s really important about these projects is we’re hoping to advise and better inform water resource management.”

Bozeman – The Gallatin County Fairgrounds is excited to announce the next step in the ‘Fairgrounds Future’ Master Planning process with the opening of the online public sentiment survey. This is the second part of the initial public engagement for this large-scale project that began with focus groups and an open house at the fairgrounds in late February/early March of this year.

The fairgrounds asks that people limit survey responses to one per person, but to please share the link widely to anyone who would like to offer feedback and be a part of this exciting process. The survey will be online at GallatinCountyFairgrounds.com or using this link between March 21 and April 29.

The purpose of the ‘Fairgrounds Future’ Master Planning Project is to update the fairgrounds facility so that it can better serve the community of Gallatin County year-round. “There are so many wonderful memories that have been made on these grounds,” said Caitlin Quisenberry, Fairgrounds Director, “but many of the buildings on site are in a state of disrepair or too small to be able to fully serve the population of user groups anymore.”

The feedback from this survey will be used to guide the vision for future improvements and development on the fairgrounds property, located in northeast Bozeman. “At the end of this project, we’ll see some new and improved spaces that honor our current users and community while also welcoming some new ones. This survey will be helpful in understanding how best to do that,” said Quisenberry.

The Gallatin County Fairgrounds is a department of the Gallatin County Government and hosts the annual Big Sky Country State Fair in July. This project is not related to the annual fair or its programming, but rather the year-round facilities and their users. The fair will continue to be hosted at the fairgrounds every year, but it might see some impacts from this project during the different phases on construction.