Helena, Mont. (June 23, 2022) – The Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts, an internationally renowned nonprofit creative center dedicated to the ceramic arts known as The Bray, has announced that Rebecca Harvey will be its new executive director, beginning July 1. The Bray worked with Arts Consulting Group, which specializes in national leadership searches for arts organizations, to conduct the international search. 

Harvey is a seasoned leader in arts education. Her career includes more than 25 years at The Ohio State University in numerous roles, including chair of the Department of Art, professor and chair of the senate steering committee. She also served at the Royal College of Art in London as head of programme, applied arts. Most recently, she has been director and professor at Ball State University’s School of Art. 

“Rebecca is wholly committed to collaborative, transparent and transformative leadership, always striving to create an environment where the community can thrive, and we believe she will bring an exciting, fresh perspective to The Bray,” said Steven Young Lee, director emeritus and special projects manager of The Bray. “With her extensive leadership experience at complex educational institutions, her passion for students and her commitment to the ceramic arts, she is the ideal person to lead us in our next phase of growth and vision, and we are honored to welcome Rebecca to The Bray.” 

“I am thrilled to be joining The Bray. I see my role as executive director as a way to take all of my skills and experiences, from boots-on-the-ground work to future planning, and help further evolve this storied organization,” said Harvey. “I am over the moon about the possibilities ahead—building upon The Bray’s tremendous history and continuing its essential work for an inclusive and collaborative future—and delighted to be able to center that conversation on all things ceramic.” 

Harvey received her MFA in Ceramics from Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., and her BFA from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. She has received international recognition for her artistic practice, including residencies in Dresden, Germany; Uppsala, Sweden; Jingdezhen, China; and Olafsfjordur, Iceland.

Harvey is replacing Steven Young Lee, who spent 15 years at the helm of The Bray as resident artistic director. Lee has now transitioned to the newly created roles of director emeritus and special projects manager. As director emeritus, Lee will help transition the management and artistic leadership of The Bray to Harvey, and will continue to help build the organization’s foundation and maintain relationships with key donors. As special projects manager, he will help establish innovative programs that further The Bray’s reach into diverse communities.

“We are immensely grateful to Steven Young Lee for his many years of steady and impactful leadership. During his tenure, he has guided The Bray through a period of exceptional growth and evolution,” said Sue Tirrell, board chair at The Bray. “With new leadership and the recent, transformative $15 million endowment by the Windgate Foundation, The Bray is at an exciting and pivotal moment in our 71-year history.”
 

About The Bray

The Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts, known as The Bray, is a public, nonprofit creative center solely dedicated to the ceramic arts. Founded in 1951 by brickmaker Archie Bray, the mission of The Bray is to enhance commitment to, and investment in, the ceramic arts. Located in Helena, Montana, near the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, the 26-acre former brickyard serves as a gathering place for emerging and professional ceramic artists. Its programs include an international artist-in-residence program, workshops and community classes, curated exhibitions, an on-site and virtual sales gallery, and a ceramic supply facility that provides “Bray Clay” and technical support to artists from around the world. The Bray | Bray Clay | Bray Gallery

Camper Stephanie prepares for a flight with Summit Aviation President, Ben Walton, during the company's annual Cancer Survivor Flight Camp.
Photo credit: Capture Now Studios

Belgrade, MT—June 23, 2022 – Summit Aviation is thrilled to announce the kickoff of our 8^th Annual Cancer Survivor Flight Camp June 27^th- July 1^st. Hosted in conjunction with local non-profit Eagle Mount Bozeman, the camp offers the unique opportunity for young cancer survivors to get into the cockpit and fulfill their dreams of flying while training with Summit Aviation’s Certified Flight Instructors as well as company owner, Ben Walton.
 
“The event is such a special experience,” says Walton, “All of our campers have missed out on fun or cool opportunities during their treatments, and some of them still deal with limitations from that to this day. This camp provides an incredible opportunity for those young cancer survivors to not only explore their love of aviation, but also boost their confidence and show them what they’re capable of. We’re really excited to celebrate our 8^th year of camp and I’m sure it will be the best yet.”
 
            The Flight Camp brings four young cancer survivors to Summit Aviation’s award-winning flight school in Belgrade, MT for a five-day immersive camp. This year’s campers include Parker, a Lymphoblastic Leukemia survivor, Brianna, an osteosarcoma survivor, Seamus, a non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma survivor and Quinn, a bone cancer survivor.
 
Each day begins with a flight over Montana’s beautiful landscapes, followed by themed lunches donated by various local restaurants and grocery stores, ground courses by Summit’s instructors, and behind-the-scenes private airport tours. The week culminates in a “graduation flight” to Driggs, Idaho, during which campers get a bird’s eye view of the majestic Yellowstone National Park and Grand Tetons.
 
This program would not be able to be a soaring success without the generosity of Flight Camp’s many donors. Sponsors donate both monetarily and through needed food and supplies to make the Flight Camp come to fruition. This year’s donors include Jet Aviation, River Bend Threads, Bozeman Yellowstone Airport Fire Station & Maintenance Crew, Embraer, Warbirds Café, Town & Country Foods, New Day Bakery, Rise and Shine Café & Bakery, Jersey Mike’s Subs, Roost Fried Chicken, McKenzie River Pizza Co., Albertsons, Montana 99s, Rocky Mountain Surgical Center, Billings Clinic and our many individual donors. Thank you to everyone who has helped to make this camp possible! Without your generosity and passion for this community, our Cancer Survivor Flight Camp would remain grounded.
 
About Summit Aviation
Founded in 2001, Summit Aviation, Inc. is a comprehensive aviation center specializing in aircraft sales, charter operations, aircraft management, and pilot training with retention.  The company is one of the Northwest’s premier charter operators, the official flight training provider for Gallatin College MSU’s aviation program and has become a leader in the general aviation safety community.

WHITEHALL – More events are coming up in July as part of Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park’s summer speaker series.

A full list of this summer’s events at the Caverns can be found at fwp.mt.gov/stateparks/lewis-and-clark-caverns.

July 1 through 4

On Friday, July 1, the park will welcome Franco Littlelight to speak about Native American History. Littlelight’s presentation will begin at 8 p.m. in the campground amphitheater.

Join park ranger Ramona Radonich on Saturday, July 2, for a closer look at the skulls of several animals that live in the park. This presentation will be at 8 p.m. in the campground amphitheater. It has been said that form follows function, and a study of skulls gives credence to this statement. In this talk, visitors will discover what different forms of skulls can teach about how animals function. Visitors will have the opportunity to look straight up the nose of a bear skull and deep into the eye orbits of a cougar. Visitors will also have the opportunity to touch the furs that protect these animals.

On Sunday, July 3, park ranger Radonich will lead a hike and discussion on some of the park’s smallest wildlife: insects. While all bugs are insects, not all insects are bugs, Radonich says. Visitors will learn why this is and much more about the park’s six-legged critters. This program will begin at 1 p.m. at the main visitor center.

On Monday, July 4, park ranger Radonich will teach an orienteering course. Come learn how to use a compass, then set out on a course to see if you can find your way home again. Compasses will be provided for those who do not have one. This program will begin at 9 a.m. at the main visitor center.

Planning your visit

Ranger Ramona almost never cancels a program. If visitors come, she will do the program. If the weather is bad, she will simply move the program to a sheltered area. For evening programs, notification of a change in location due to weather will be posted on the signboard at the amphitheater entrance 30 minutes before the program starts.

Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park is about 15 miles southeast of Whitehall, along Montana Highway 2. For more information about the park, please visit stateparks.mt.gov/lewis-and-clark-caverns or call 406-287-3541.

HELENA – Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, in close consultation with Park and Stillwater county officials, is re-opening the closed sections of the Yellowstone River to recreation on Thursday.

However, river levels continue to be high and at potentially dangerous levels. Several FWP sites along the river are closed or have restricted access while crews assess and repair these sites. FWP is actively assessing local impacts at sites along the Yellowstone River and its tributaries and will re-open or remove restrictions as soon as conditions are safe. Visitors can find the latest information on closures and restrictions on the FWP website.

“The conditions continue to be hazardous, and so we encourage people to exercise an abundance of caution when around the river,” said FWP Director Hank Worsech. “Our staff is working hard to get sites back open for the public.”

Though the Yellowstone River opens tomorrow, in Stillwater County closures are still in place for the Stillwater River, West Rosebud Creek from Rosebud Isle Fishing Access Site to the confluence of Rosebud Creek, and Rosebud Creek to the confluence with the Stillwater.

Even though FWP sites in these areas may be opening soon, visitors should be prepared to encounter impacts from the flooding, including soft or rough roads, flooding debris, and flood-impacted latrines.

The Montana Department of Environmental Quality, Montana Department of Health and Human Services, and FWP are advising recreationists to use extreme caution around floodwaters due to the potential exposure to bacteria such as E. coli. The recommendations are to avoid contact with floodwaters for two weeks after the flood. (See press release.)

Waters continue to be high elsewhere in the state as well, including areas of western and northwest Montana. For the latest restrictions and closures, please go to the FWP website.

Data is one of the most significant challenges that companies face in the modern world. In today's digital age, data has become one of the most valuable assets that a company can have. Every interaction and decision creates data that could be used to drive forward things like analytics, customer profiles, and marketing. In addition, data-driven decisions can make companies stand out and help improve their systems.

Data is a challenge to so many companies because put simply, it is easy to create, but it’s hard to aggregate and then use. There’s a lot that goes into making data available and useful for a company. The most common way businesses overcome this dilemma is through the modern data stack. Taking data from a silo that remains inaccessible or unusable, the data stack puts that data in a warehouse and makes it available.

However, while the data warehouse has long been the solution to a silo, the problem is that businesses are finding that even though their data has gone through ETL, their warehouses have taken on similar characteristics to silos. So, regardless of the fact that it’s transformed and loaded into a warehouse, it comes down to the human resources and skill to access that data and make it available to the various company departments that need to use it.

This is where dbt Cloud comes into the picture in a powerful way that helps alleviate your data team's stress and leverage their time for your company’s success. If you have been wondering what the key features of dbt Cloud are and if it’s worth the price point, here is everything you need to know.

What is dbt Cloud?

The modern data stack is the milk and honey of any company’s data integration. How the stack works and the ease of access it has across a company can bring many powerful benefits. Accessing data and pushing it out to different departments takes a lot of skill, time, and knowledge. Data teams, especially smaller ones, can often get bogged down by tedious tasks that take them away from worthwhile projects.

This is where dbt Cloud wants to make a difference. Designed as a SaaS, this tool is designed to increase efficiency in your team by limiting distractions and leveraging their time wisely. It does this through key features designed to complement the data stack. Here are some of the key features that dbt Cloud offers.

Easy Orchestration

Effective, easy orchestration is the number one way that you can free up your data team to focus their time away from tedious, time-consuming jobs. Orchestration is a team's ability to automate processes and run things on a schedule. This product has a few key features, such as notifying you of problems before merging into the main, that can save you time and stress later down the line. While larger, more robust teams may need an orchestration tool like Dagster, Airflow, or Prefect, dbt Cloud offers competent, easy-to-use orchestration for small teams.

Query With Ease

dbt Cloud’s main features are its integrated development environment or IDE. This helps to streamline live query results and decrease stress. With this feature, you can create your query, send it to your data warehouse, and see results from one browser. This helps minimize distractions and steam line a process that could bog down your data team.

Document Viewer

Out of the box, there is a native document viewer that is designed to show your team the size, stage, and dependencies of the projects you are working on. Access to this kind of documentation site allows democratizing of your documents so your entire team can have access. In addition, because the site is secure and viewer accounts are free, you can create accessible information without worrying about security and deployment logistics.  

Price Point

So how much will this SaaS tool cost your team? Is it worth the cost if you are looking for a way of complimenting your data stack in meaningful and impactful ways that move your team forward? The good news is that this tool is very affordable and gives you a massive bang for your buck.

There are three tiers of pricing, with the first tier being free to single developers, which is very generous in product features. After that, the second tier goes up to $50 per developer seat a month. While this tool is aimed at helping small to midsized businesses, it can complement and improve any data stack. You have to contact enterprise-sized companies to get special pricing, but they do offer this option.

On June 18, 2022, at 7:10 pm Gallatin County Dispatch received multiple calls from several residents along the Gallatin River who had watched an empty 14-foot raft go by their homes. While investigating, a deputy came across two other individuals who were kayaking but appeared to be stranded on the west side of the river near mile marker 59.  One member of the party had flipped their kayak and was able to get to shore, but was cliffed out and unable to get to the other side of the river.

Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue volunteers from the Valley and Big Sky Sections responded to mile marker 59 where the kayakers were waiting for assistance. On the way to the second scenario, a SAR Command unit spotted the first party, out of the river and near their raft.  Search and Rescue made contact with this group of floaters and once it was determined all parties were safe and not in need of medical attention, the volunteer continued on to help with the second mission.

The kayakers were able to swim/paddle to the roadside of the bank where deputies and Search and Rescue volunteers acted as downstream safety and were waiting to assist with throw bags. Both kayakers were uninjured and ultimately they were given a courtesy ride to their vehicle.

Sheriff Dan Springer would like to remind recreationists that even experienced individuals can have unexpected events. Thank you to the concerned citizens who reported this incident, it is always a rule of thumb that if you see something, say something.  Should you lose your vessel, please contact the non-emergency line (406-582-2100) as soon as possible so we do not send resources where they are not needed.

Photos courtesy of Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office.

If you're thinking of trying cannabis for the first time, congratulations! You're about to embark on a new and exciting adventure. However, while people of all ages and lifestyles can enjoy cannabis, it's important to know how to have a safe and enjoyable first-time experience. So, here are five tips to help you get started.

Take It Slow

The big mistake many people make, especially those who consume cannabis for the first time, is consuming a lot at once. The main reason why many people think it is necessary to do this is that there is this misconception that you won’t get high when you consume for the first time. This misconception is because people who have never smoked before don’t know how to smoke don’t inhale the cannabis smoke properly.

Regardless, there is no rush when consuming cannabis for the first time. If you consume too much too quickly, you will have a bad trip. This is usually categorized by increased levels of anxiety and paranoia, something that you are definitely going to want to avoid.

Consumption Methods and Effects

The next thing you have to do to have a great first-time cannabis experience would be to choose the best cannabis consumption method for this situation. Of course, this is only possible if you understand the differences between the consumption methods and their effects. Some of the most popular consumption methods are dry herb vaporizers, edibles, bongs, joints, one-hitters, dab rigs, and more.

Consumption methods matter because different consumption methods have different durations of effects. For example, if you were to consume cannabis with a dry herb vaporizer, the duration of effects will be slightly less than that if you were to smoke it. However, the high will be much smoother, averaging around 2 hours. Conversely, if you consume an edible, you should be prepared to experience the intoxicating effects of cannabis for around 6 to 8 hours.

Clear the Day

Many people assume a cannabis high is very similar to being drunk. This is not the case at all, and if you are under this impression, you'll be surprised. So, the best thing you can do for yourself is to clear the day and ensure that you don't have anything important that needs to be done since, chances are, you probably won't get around to doing it. You should also absolutely avoid driving at all costs.

Get Snacks and Put on a Series

If you truly want to enjoy your day when consuming cannabis for the first time, you should prepare for the occasion. One way that you can prepare is by getting snacks. Something that happens when you consume cannabis is you get what's called the munchies. For some reason or another, smoking cannabis makes you very hungry, so preparing a few snacks would be a great idea.

More than this, you will probably want to do nothing more than lay down. A great way to experience the high would be to put on your favorite series or watch a movie you haven't seen before. In all honesty, there's nothing quite like it.

Choose the Best Strain

Finally, the last thing you should do if you want to have a great first-time cannabis experience is to choose the best strain to consume. Two strains are the most common, Sativa and Indica; Indica will leave you feeling extremely relaxed and lazy, whereas Sativa will make you feel slightly more energized and creative.

More than this, different cannabis strains have different levels of THC. If this is your first time-consuming cannabis, then you will want to know how much THC is in the specific strain you are consuming since this will determine how much you will need to consume.

You can dream it; you can brew it. With the recent rise of craft breweries, many people are getting the chance to open their breweries. But what if you’re a less experienced brewer and don’t know where to begin? If this sounds like you, read on to learn everything you need to know about opening your brewery.

Working on your terms is a great way to improve as a brewer. It’s also an exciting opportunity that not everyone can take advantage of.

Owning your own brewing business can be challenging at times, but with the right planning and hard work, there's no reason why you can't succeed.

What Does it Take to Open a Brewery, and What Are the Costs Involved?

If you’re thinking about starting a brewery of your own, you’ll need to decide first on what kind of brewery you’d like to open.

There are many different types of breweries, and depending on your preferences, you may choose to open a brewery that brews lagers, pilsners, American-style light lagers, or American-imported dark ales.

The costs of opening a brewery can vary greatly depending on several factors, such as the type of beer you plan to brew, the equipment you will be using, and the location of your brewery. Once you’ve determined what you want, it’s best to start looking into the feasibility of opening a brewery.

How Do You Come Up With a Beer Recipe that Will be Successful in the MarketPlace?

There are many different ways to go about this. One method is to head to a local brewery and chat with the brewers. Talking to the brewers can be your next best thing if you’re not a professional brewer and don’t know the ins and outs of beer production.

Ask them what beer they brew and what styles they are most successful with, and then use that data to go from there. You’ll need to know the ideal strength for your beer, the most important feature you’d like to see in your beer, and how you can incorporate that into your recipe.

What kind of Marketing and Advertising Should You Do
to Get Your Brand Out There?

You can use many methods to get your beer out in the marketplace. The only way to go if you want to gain traction with the masses and find customers is to release a great beer. One way to do this is through social media.

You can follow your favorite social media accounts and then repost your beer whenever you have a new beer release. This is the best way to get your beer out there and get potential customers to discover your products. You can even look into streaming your beer on YouTube to get the word out faster.

How Do You Handle the Distribution and Sales of Your Beer Products?

This is where you get to put your spin on it; you can either choose to do it the traditional way or go with an on-site model. Traditional distribution methods involve buying a barrel of beer, bringing it to a Liquor Control Board (LCLB) store, and selling it to consumers there.

This is the slow, complicated and expensive way to go. On the other hand, on-site distribution lets you sell directly to consumers at your location. This is much more efficient and quicker. It also allows you to avoid paying brokerage fees and bottlenecks that traditional distribution methods cause.

How to Price Your Beer

There are a few things you need to consider when pricing your beer. The first is market size. What is the market size for your product in your location? If you’re unsure, you can check out Untappd for more insight.

Once you have the market size, you can use that number as a guide for setting your beer price. Now, with market size in mind, you need to decide how much money you would like to make per barrel.

You can look into buying a custom brew system and running your small-batch brewery. This will save you time and money and provide you with a much more personalized experience than purchasing a commodity system.

Starting a brewery business is a great idea; you should consider it. However, you must ensure that you are prepared for the challenges ahead. You’ll want to start with a clear business plan and financial projections. After that, you’ll want to do your research on the industry and find out what it will take to start your own brewery business.

HELENA – Following conversations with officials in Stillwater County, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has closed to recreation the Yellowstone River in Stillwater County, the Stillwater River, and West Rosebud Creek from Rosebud Isle Fishing Access Site to the confluence of Rosebud Creek and Rosebud Creek to the confluence with the Stillwater.

FWP, working with Stillwater County, moved to close the rivers to recreation due to many hazards, including downed powerlines, exposed pipelines, and structures that may still collapse into the river as erosion continues. In addition, county emergency and rescue resources are already at capacity. The county and FWP will continue to monitor conditions and work to open these areas to recreation again as quickly as possible.

Following is a list of sites that are also closed due to flood damage, leaving the sites unsafe:

• Absaroka FAS
• Buffalo Jump FAS
• Castle Rock FAS
• Cliff Swallow FAS
• Fireman's Point FAS
• Jeffrey's Landing FAS
• Moraine FAS
• Swinging Bridge FAS
• White Bird FAS
• Rosebud Isle FAS
• Holmgren Ranch FAS
• Indian Fort FAS

Closures will be strictly enforced.

Refer to the FWP website for a current list of closures and restrictions. Site closures in other areas of the state may be put in place as flooding occurs. FWP will work to reopen closed areas as soon as conditions allow.

Flooding poses significant safety hazards, especially to recreationists. High water levels and related river hazards can appear and evolve without warning including bank collapses, debris jams, as well as exposed and dangerous infrastructure. Recreationists can avoid accidents and injury to themselves and others by observing all safety closures and avoiding other areas with high flows.

HELENA – Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking public comment on shooting range grant proposals. Public comments will be accepted through Friday July 15, at 5pm.

Montana's Shooting Range Grant Program, administered by FWP, provides funding to non-profit shooting clubs, organizations, local governments and school districts to build and improve public shooting ranges throughout the state.

The program received proposals from:

• Billings Rod and Gun Club
• West Yellowstone Ski Education Foundation
• Thompson Falls Trap Club 
• Helena Trap Club
• Prickly Pear Sportsmen’s Association
• Gallatin Sporting Clays 
• Whittecar Rifle and Pistol Range

More information about the proposals, including an environmental assessment for each one, is available at https://fwp.mt.gov/news/public-notices.

Comments can be mailed to: Montana FWP, Attn: Seth McArthur, P.O. Box 200701, Helena, MT 59620-0701; or emailed to: fwp.shootingranges@mt.gov.