Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks reminds landowners, watershed groups and others that this summer’s deadline to apply for Future Fisheries Improvement Program grants is May 31.

The goal of FWP's Future Fisheries Program is to restore rivers, streams and lakes to improve Montana’s wild fish habitat. Entities can receive funding for qualifying projects that benefit Montana's wild fish. Each project is assessed by an independent review panel and final funding decisions are made by the Fish and Wildlife Commission.

To learn more about the Future Fisheries Improvement Program, and to download the grant application form, go to the FFIP website at https://fwp.mt.gov/ffip, email FWPFFIP@mt.gov or call the program manager at 406-444-2432.

Completed Future Fisheries Improvement Program applications must be received on or before 11:59 p.m. on May 31 and should be sent electronically to FWPFFIP@mt.gov. Paper applications can be sent to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, Fisheries Habitat Bureau, P.O. Box 200701, Helena, MT 59620-0701.

Many people have had the following experience: you’re driving along, and if you’re not paying close attention, your vehicle might run over a pothole in the middle of the street. Maybe it’s enough to cause you to bounce up and down, and it does no further harm. A huge pothole can damage your car quite a bit, though, and it could injure you too.

You also might hit a pothole while you’re out on your bike. It can happen if you don’t have your eyes on the roadway, but you might also have little choice but to run over one if traffic surrounds you and it’s not safe to swerve out of the way.

You might have pothole accident questions. We’ll cover a few related topics right now.

You Must Be Careful When Trying to Aid Pothole Crash Victims

Let’s say you successfully avoided a big pothole, but another car didn’t. They struck the pothole and blew a tire, and when the driver gets out, you can see they’ve injured themselves. As a Good Samaritan, you decide to pull over, get out of your car, and help them.

That’s noble, but if you ever do this, you must be careful. Remember that you’re probably still in the middle of an active roadway. Cars will keep coming along, and if the drivers aren’t paying attention as carefully as they should be, they could hit either you or the damaged car because they’re going too fast and can’t stop in time.

If something like this happens, you may need to contact a vehicle or pedestrian pothole accident lawyer who can speak to you about your rights and what to do next to recover damages.

You Can Follow a Certain Protocol if a Pothole Injures You

If you’re the one who didn’t see the pothole or couldn’t avoid it, then try to pull your car over to the roadside and out of traffic’s flow if you can. If you were riding a bike or walking when you hit the pothole or fell into it, do the same thing.

Once you’re out of the way, you can call 911, assuming you have a smartphone with you. If you don’t, you can ask someone nearby to call for help on your behalf.

As you wait for assistance to arrive, you might see if you can get witness information, like names and phone numbers. Those witnesses will likely come in handy if you need to bring a lawsuit against an individual or entity who should have known about the pothole and fixed it.

Who is the Most Likely Pothole Accident Victim?

You usually think about cars as hitting potholes, but cyclists can encounter them as well. It’s also not inconceivable that a pedestrian could hit one. Some people walk or jog in the street if there is no sidewalk, as is the case on some major thoroughfares.

Whether you’re driving, cycling, or walking, though, a pothole can harm you, the vehicle you’re operating, or both. A deep pothole can cause a twisted ankle or a broken wrist. It can total a vehicle if you lose control after you hit it and run into a lamppost, a parked car, or some other inanimate object nearby.

Who Can You Sue if This Happens to You?

Liability if you hurt yourself or damage your vehicle after hitting a pothole is not always the easiest thing to determine. If you’re going to an establishment, such as a store, and you turn into their private driveway and hit a pothole there, you can usually bring a lawsuit against that store. Most reasonable people would expect that the store would repair their driveway and keep it hazard-free.

If you’re on a public street when you hit a pothole, and you hurt yourself or damage your car, you must sue the city or township since it happened when you were on public property. You’ll need to find a lawyer and talk to them about this to figure out how best to proceed.

What Else Can You Do if You See a Pothole While Driving?

If you see a pothole while driving, and you avoid hitting it, it’s always a good idea to note where it is and to contact someone to fix it. If it’s on a private driveway, you can contact the home or business’s owner. If it’s on a public street, you can call that town or city’s public works department and warn them.

Montana State University has been ranked among the best-performing universities in the United States by a global higher education analytics website.

According to international rankings organization QS, MSU is ranked between 201-250 in its second annual QS World University Rankings: USA. Last year MSU placed in the 250-300 group. Universities were evaluated on 17 metrics in four categories: employability; diversity and internationalization; learning experience; and research. Indicators include faculty gender diversity, proportion of undergraduate students receiving Pell grants, student ethnicity mix, academic reputation, number of Fulbright recipients and Pell grant student graduation rates.

Universities receive points for each category, and each institution’s overall score is the average of the four, out of 100.

MSU was ranked No.1 in the state of Montana and performed among the top 769 considered institutions nationally in the QS US University Rankings. Driving MSU’s rise in the ranking this year were a strong showing in “learning experience,” with a score of 50.9, and a top 150 ranking in “research.”

MSU was ranked in the doctoral university classification, which includes institutions designated as doctoral universities by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. To fall into that category, institutions must have awarded at least 20 research/scholarship doctoral degrees during the year, or at least 30 professional practice doctoral degrees in at least two programs.

The largest university in Montana, MSU provides undergraduate and graduate students with opportunities to engage in hands-on research with world-class scientists and researchers. MSU is a national leader in producing winners of the Goldwater Scholarship, the nation’s premier award for undergraduates in math and science fields. MSU students have also earned other prestigious scholarships, including Rhodes Scholarships, Truman Scholarships, Udall scholarships and Boren awards, among others.

MSU offers more than 225 academic options within its colleges and programs. The university is designated as R1 in the Carnegie Classification for "very high research activity," making it one of only 131 nationwide in that category and the only one in the five-state region of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming and North and South Dakota — and one of only two nationally also classified as Very High Undergraduate enrollment. For seven years in a row, MSU’s research expenditures have topped $100 million.

QS Quacquarelli Symonds provides services, analytics and insight to the global higher education sector to boost educational achievement, international mobility and career development.

Montana State University’s Western Transportation Institute is promoting the GoGallatin Commuter Challenge for two weeks in May as part of its Gallatin Commuter Project. The friendly competition encourages individuals and teams associated with businesses and organizations in Bozeman and the surrounding areas to log miles biking, walking, taking public transportation or carpooling.

The challenge, known as the “GoGallatin Challenge,” starts on May 10 and ends on May 21, which is national Bike to Work Day.

The challenge aims to promote active, sustainable and healthy forms of transportation.

“Biking, walking, running and rolling on a skateboard, rollerblades, scooters and more, provide many different benefits, including getting fresh air, having fun, burning calories, reducing stress, saving money and reducing your environmental impact,” said Matthew Madsen, research associate with the Western Transportation Institute. “This year, we are promoting all forms of commuting, as well as encouraging people to ‘get up and go.’”

The challenge is open to anyone working or living in the Gallatin Valley, and there is no cost to enter. Workplace teams can win team trophies by encouraging the highest percentage of employees at their workplace to log their trips. Individual participants are also welcome to participate and will be eligible to win prizes from local businesses.

For the purposes of the challenge, a one-way journey to or from work, the grocery store, or for another utilitarian reason made by bike, bus, foot, carpool, or other sustainable transportation method counts as a trip. Also this year, any bike ride, walk, run or roll solely for exercise that lasts for at least 20 minutes counts as a trip.

Registration is now open on the GoGallatin website. For more information or to register, visit gogallatin.org/#/challenges/607a1d7335db1f489f0337e1 or email gallatincommute@montana.edu.

Bozeman, MT—The City of Bozeman is inviting input from community members on the needs that exist in our community to ensure that all are able to thrive, no matter their race, identity, or life circumstance. A community survey has been launched as a part of the Equity Indicators Project, an effort to measure equity and access to resources in our community. The survey takes 5-10 minutes to complete and is available in English and Spanish at www.bozeman.net/equityandinclusion. The survey will be open until Friday, May 28th. 

Survey questions are focused on rating the level of need for resources, services, and opportunities to improve access to housing, transportation and public health and safety to support the needs and quality of life for all people in our community. The survey also asks respondents to provide information on their identity, including race & ethnicity, ability, and gender identity. These factors are essential in understanding how people’s identity and life circumstances relate to their needs and perceptions around equity in the Bozeman area. 

“This is a really essential step to define and quantify what equity looks like in our community,” says City Manager Jeff Mihelich, “We are excited for this opportunity to learn from the data and listen to the experiences and stories in our community around race and identity.”   

The Equity Indicators project utilizes local and national data sources as well as community input to create a set of equity indicators to inform how Bozeman can address gaps in services and access to resources in the community. These specific and trackable measurements will show the variation in outcomes and experiences between a community average and a given identity or characteristic (race, ethnicity, gender identity, physical or mental ability.) The equity indicators will be publicly available for all to see and for community partners and the City of Bozeman to use as a baseline to track progress in addressing gaps over time. 

In addition to the community survey, input is being compiled through stakeholder interviews, facilitated focus groups with local organizations and community groups, as well as through two community forums – the first being held virtually on May 26th. More information on the project and opportunities for engagement are atwww.bozeman.net/equityandinclusion

The free series of online events will showcase cultural and natural highlights of the Continental Divide region

GOLDEN, Colo. (April, 2021) –  From April 22nd to May 21st, the Continental Divide Trail Coalition will hold its seventh annual, and second virtual, Trail Days event series. This celebration of the CDT community will feature panel discussions and Q&As, a huge gear giveaway, and conclude with an intimate and wide-ranging concert in celebration of the Continental Divide. 

While Continental Divide Trail Days is normally hosted during a long weekend in Silver City, New Mexico, CDTC is excited to host the second online celebration this year, engaging trail supporters and community members all across the globe. The offerings for fun and educational discussions will demonstrate some of the unique aspects of the CDT.

Each event will start at 6:00pm MST and last for approximately one hour. All events are open to the public and free to attend. No registration is necessary, but the below Facebook events may be used for reminders. All sessions will be streamed on our Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/ContinentalDivideTrailCoalition

More information on all events can be found at: https://continentaldividetrail.org/traildays

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Thursday, April 22th, 6:00 pm MST

The CDT as a Sacred Landscape

Xicana youth climate activist Esperanza Soledad Garcia will share her experience growing up along the Continental Divide in northern New Mexico, her family’s cultural practice of maintaining pre-colonial acequias, and her poetry inspired by a multigenerational connection to the Divide.

https://www.facebook.com/events/476301223492260/

Thursday, April 29th, 6:00 pm MST

Lions, Tigers, and Bears: Big Animals of the CDT

Join wildlife biologist Sergio Avila and wildlife photographer George Bumann as they discuss the habits and habitats of megafauna along the Continental Divide.

https://www.facebook.com/events/759603274740628/

Thursday, May 6th, 6:00 pm MST

Stories from the Trail: Long-distance Traveler Panel and Q&A

Our panel discussion will cover a lot of ground as we chat about the highs, lows, and PUDs (Pointless Ups and Downs) of long-distance traveling. Bring your questions for the Q&A at the end! Our panelists include: Patricia “Blackpacker” Cameron, founder of the Colorado Blackpackers, Tyler “The Prodigy” Lau, Gillian “Thru-Rider” Larson, The Strawbridge Family

https://www.facebook.com/events/1128544234277769/

Thursday, May 13th, 6:00 pm MST

Hike the Divide: Where the Trail and Climate Intersect

Filmmaker Connor DeVane, Navajo environmental activist Kendra Pinto, and Madeleine Carey of Wild Earth Guardians will discuss and discuss the impact of climate change on the Continental Divide, as well as the new film Hike the Divide. A selection of the film will be available to the public earlier in the week!

https://www.facebook.com/events/473134077345498/

Friday, May 21st, 6:00 pm MST

Far and Wide: Songs for the Divide

From all across the country, musicians will be sharing their songs to celebrate public lands and the Continental Divide Trail. Please join us on Facebook Live (no Facebook account required) for an eclectic, inspiring musical evening. Stay tuned to find out our complete line up of musicians from near and far.

https://www.facebook.com/events/185487833413514/

GEAR GIVEAWAY

As part of our celebration, CDTC and our partners will give away over $3,600 worth of prizes, including outdoors gear, clothing, and provisions. The contest may be entered for free by submitting an email address, or a supporter may gain 5 additional entries by becoming a CDTC member with a donation of $35.00 or more. More information on prizes, sponsors, and rules for participation can be found here: https://continentaldividetrail.org/trail-days-2021/#gear

About the Continental Divide Trail

The CDT is one of the world’s premiere long-distance trails, stretching 3,100 miles from Mexico to Canada along the Continental Divide. Designated by Congress in 1978, the CDT is the highest, most challenging and most remote of the 11 National Scenic Trails. It provides recreational opportunities ranging from hiking to horseback riding to hunting for thousands of visitors each year. While 95% of the CDT is located on public land, approximately 150 miles are still in need of protection. 

In honor of World Migratory Bird Day, which is May 8, staff from Montana WILD and Montana Discovery Foundation will host two virtual bird trivia events using the platform Zoom. Be prepared to have your bird knowledge tested.

The first event, which is May 4 at 7 p.m., will be kid-friendly and great for the whole family.

The second event is for adults and is on May 6 at 7 p.m.

Each event will consist of three rounds, and participants will have the opportunity to virtually meet a Raptor Ambassador from the Montana WILD Wildlife Center between each round.  

Space is limited to 15 teams per event. To register and to receive the Zoom link, contact Corie Rice at corie.rice@mt.gov or 406-444-9941.

During the last year, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks offered hunter and bowhunter education classes online due to COVID concerns. Since last spring, more than 17,000 Montanans completed the online courses, which is nearly double the number of students in a typical year.

“The biggest increase we saw was among adult bowhunter education students,” said FWP outdoor skills and safety supervisor Wayde Cooperider. “It seems the online courses were popular with our students.”

Because of the popularity of the online classes and to meet customer expectations for a diverse offering of hunter and bowhunter education courses, FWP will continue to offer online courses for students turning age 12 and older, with the option of an in-person field day. Students will also have the choice of in-person courses taught by certified volunteer instructors.

In-person classes will be scheduled to start after June 1, depending on interest, venue availability and COVID-protocols. These in-person classes will include a field day. More information about these classes will be available soon.

“Volunteer instructors are the cornerstone of hunter and bowhunter education in Montana,” Cooperider said. “We will continue to emphasize the value of in-person instruction and field days and look to work with our instructors at ways we can add value for students to this part of our courses.”

FWP’s online course is certified by the International Hunter Education Association. To sign up for online hunter ed or for in-person classes when they become available, visit online at fwp.mt.gov/hunt/education.

On Friday April 30th from 12 – 1 PM the City of Bozeman Parks & Recreation Department - Forestry Division will host a tree planting event in Bozeman to celebrate Arbor Day. The celebration will kick off with planting street trees along S 20th Street between Babcock and Dickerson and marks the start of the City’s planting season.

This year’s event centers around planting street trees in an area of Bozeman that is noticeably devoid of trees along the roadway. Volunteers will plant, stake, mulch, and install watering bags to establish the new trees.
 
The Forestry Division is partnering with the Gallatin Watershed Council (GWC) for this project. In preparation for the event, GWC staff surveyed local residents to gauge interest in tree planting and helped to recruit volunteers.
 
Forestry Division Manager Alex Nordquest says, “Both of our organizations recognize the benefits urban trees provide to local water quality. New trees also provide clean air and wildlife habitat.”
 
Nordquest adds, “Our goal in Forestry is to maintain and grow a diverse urban forest here in Bozeman. The opportunity to plant trees where none were before is not only good for our tree health, it also enhances this area for all who live and walk nearby.”
 
This Arbor Day celebrates the 27th year that Bozeman has been recognized as a Tree City USA. Last year, more than 2,500 cities achieved the title of Tree City USA with a combined population of 150 million.

Montana State University Extension has recently revised one of its MontGuide fact sheets relating to how a life estate can be a useful estate planning tool.

According to Joel Schumacher, MSU Extension economics associate specialist, a life estate exists during the life of a specific person, also known as a life tenant. The life tenant keeps the use and the possession of the property held in the life estate for the duration of their life, but another party actually owns the property. That owner is known as the remainderman.

“Although the remainderman is the owner of the property, the remainderman cannot have possession until the life tenant dies,” said MontGuide co-author Marsha Goetting, MSU Extension family economics specialist. “The life tenant has exclusive possession rights to the property, including the right to exclude others from using it.”

Types of families that could benefit from the use of a life estate include:

• Farm and ranch families for ensuring real property passes to specific children, but only after the death of the surviving parent.
• Remarried couples with children from a prior marriage to provide a home for the surviving spouse during their lifetime, while ensuring the home passes to specific children when the second spouse dies.
• Couples who want certain real properties to eventually pass to a charity or nonprofit, but only after the passing of the surviving spouse.
• Parents and their adult children who want to protect a home’s value from costs of a nursing home, assisted living or home care.

For example, a couple signed a quitclaim deed transferring their home to their adult children for $1, an amount less than the market value of the home. The quitclaim deed included a provision saying the parents “retain the right to use and occupy the property during their lifetimes.” This wording sets up a joint life estate for them and makes their children the remaindermen.

Because the children did not pay the market value for the home, the parents have made a gift of the difference between the market value and $1. The transfer of the property by the parents to the children is a gift under Medicaid eligibility rules. If the gift occurs within the five years prior to the parent applying for Medicaid benefits, the parent will be ineligible for Medicaid benefits for a certain number of months or years based on the value of the gifts. Goetting and Schumacher said this is because of the federal five-year look back rule on gifts.

“Before granting or keeping a life estate interest either through your estate plan or by a separate agreement, discuss the legal consequences with an attorney,” Goetting said. “Consider assets, family situation and personal preferences carefully to ensure a life estate fits with your overall estate plan.”

More information about life estates can be found at https://store.msuextension.org/Products/Life-Estate-A-Useful-Estate-Planning-Tool__MT200510HR.aspx. Paper copies are also available at local county and reservation Extension offices.