VIRGINIA CITY – A woman was injured Friday evening in a surprise close encounter with a moose in Virginia City.

The 66-year-old woman was walking her dogs along Cover Street when a cow moose charged at her from a patch of willow trees nearby. The woman suffered a fractured wrist during the encounter.

A game warden with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks assessed the area and spoke with the woman, who said the cow moose was accompanied by a yearling calf. FWP staff will monitor moose activity in this area, but no further management action is planned at this time.

Moose are common in southwest Montana and can be defensive and dangerous in surprise close encounters with people. This is especially true of cow moose with calves. Keep these precautions in mind to avoid negative encounters with moose:
• Be aware of your surroundings and be especially careful around creeks and in areas with dense brush.
• Travel in groups whenever possible and make casual noise to alert animals to your presence.
• If you encounter a moose, give it lots of space and don’t approach it. Always keep dogs under control.
• If a moose charges or chases you, take cover behind something solid, such as a tree.
• In some situations, bear spray has been known to be an effective defense tool in moose encounters.

Tinworks Arts has named the five artists as recipients of its 2021 Tinworks Artists Grant, which this year total $50,000. The grants are issued in support of contemporary art and craft in Montana and are aimed at nurturing the arts professions in the region. 
 
Tinworks Art received 115 applications making the grant highly competitive. Each grantee will receive a remunerative award of $10,000 each, a studio visit from the curatorial team, and a place in the public lecture series in Fall 2021. Each artist is required as part of the grant to participate in one outreach activity for K-12, or an underserved community of their choice.

Tinworks Art actively seeks to break down barriers that have historically excluded certain artists, art, and audiences from the important conversations that art provokes. This year, the grant focused on supporting Indigenous artists, emerging artists, and those working with endangered forms of knowledge. These grants were developed with the specific goal of removing hurdles to the profession, so the impact that a grant of this size might have on an artist’s career was also taken into account during selection.

The winning artists have been chosen for their demonstrated accomplishment as well as their potential for future work. The evaluators sought art that was attuned to the cultural moment, had a clear aesthetic point of view, as well as artists who made ambitious proposals.  
 
The 2021 Tinworks Artist Grantees (alpha by last name): 
 
Anne Appleby (Jefferson City, MT)
Anne Appleby was born in 1954 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and moved to Montana at age 17. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1977 from the University of Montana and embarked on a 15-year apprenticeship with an Ojibwe elder, learning to patiently and deeply observe nature. She would watch and then translate into color the cycles of leaves, stems, buds, fruit, and seeds, transforming nature’s fluid evolution into two-dimensional portraits. Her work is held in numerous collections around the world. For her project Ms. Appleby will be working, along with the staff of the Missoula Art Museum, on a retrospective catalog of her work that will help to frame it critically and historically.

 
Raven Halfmoon (Helena, MT)
Raven Halfmoon (Caddo Nation) is currently based in Helena, MT where she is an artist-in-residence at the Archie Bray Foundation for Ceramic Arts. Her work has been featured in multiple exhibitions throughout the U.S. as well as internationally, and was recently featured in Vogue. She is represented by Fritz + Kouri Gallery in Santa Fe, NM. For her project, Ms. Halfmoon has proposed a monumental sculptural piece, anchored in Caddo ceramic traditions, as a response to recent removals and reframing of public monuments. 

 
Tracy Linder (Molt, MT)
Tracy Linder lives in south central Montana where she continues to find source material for her installations such as bone, leather, seeds, leaves, grasses, often combined with resin and beeswax. Her work addresses our integral connection to the land, the sanctity of our food sources and the innate survival skills of all species. Yellowstone Art Museum presented a major mid-career retrospective of her work in the winter of 2020, entitled “Open Range” and her work has appeared in Sculpture Magazine.  Ms. Linder will be using her grant money to perform environmental upgrades to her studio for safer working conditions when constructing her installations.

 
Alayna Rasile (Bozeman, MT)
Alayna Rasile is a natural dyer and a handweaver who utilizes traditional craft forms and expertise that come from decades of studying fiber structures and engaging in hands-on material research with plant dyes. She is currently an instructor at Montana State University where she received her MFA. Ms. Rasile has proposed a project entitled Grand Prismatic Garden, a public dye garden as the site for a living art exhibition where she will approach the cultivation of a wide range of dye plants as a sculptural installation.

 
Paul Rowley (Somers, MT)
Paul Rowley was born in Seattle, Washington, is an enrolled member of the Tlingit and Haida tribes of Alaska, and a descendant of the Blackfeet and Cree of Montana. Paul received his MFA from Pacific University in creative writing and he weaves both contemporary and traditional objects using cedar bark, striving to make wearable art that reflects the rich traditions of the Pacific Northwest’s tribal history. Using his grant funds, Mr. Rowley will acquire space to make new work and to teach cedar harvesting and weaving in northwest Montana.

Tinworks Art would like to extend our deepest appreciation to the team of evaluators who lent their time and expertise to this process.

The Downtown Bozeman Partnership is excited to officially announce Ellie Staley as the Executive Director. Prior to becoming the Executive Director, Ellie Staley has most recently been the Assistant Director for the Downtown Bozeman Partnership since 2006. After growing up in Omaha, Nebraska and receiving her bachelor’s degree in Biology and Environmental Science at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, she moved to Bozeman in 2000. 

Ellie has over 20 years of event coordinating, sales, and management experience at several established local businesses in addition to her work managing the membership, events and marketing for the Downtown Bozeman Association, the 501c6 non-profit arm of the Partnership. She has a deep love for the Downtown Bozeman community and through her passion and hard work, continues to play an important leadership role in the Bozeman community through creative collaborations with small businesses, property owners, the City of Bozeman and beyond. Ellie is also committed to supporting social infrastructure as well as advocating for accessibility to the arts and culture.

From Ellie: "I am very excited to take on this new challenge that is beyond my scope of work over the last 14 years with events, membership, and marketing to take on some of the larger issues we are facing in Downtown and across our community. We have a wonderful organizational base within the Downtown Bozeman Partnership with over 85 years of support, 5 amazing staff members, over 21 active volunteer board members and hundreds of involved and passionate stakeholders, business owners, community members and more. I am ready to work with all of these groups and YOU to ensure we make the best decisions for our downtown community heading into the future!"

The Downtown Bozeman Association and over 25 participating downtown restaurants, pubs and cafes are excited to bring you Downtown Bozeman Restaurant Week April 19-25. This 7-day event will be filled with good eats and drinks, off-menu specials, exclusive dining experiences and chances to win some amazing prizes from our sponsors.

Start planning your date night, birthday dinner, employee appreciation brunch, or whatever excuse you need to dine in Downtown Bozeman because our amazing businesses are ready to serve you.

A list of participating establishments for the 2021 Downtown Bozeman Restaurant Week can be found below. You can find this list, as well as all the specials and fun to be found, will ALL be available online at www.downtownbozeman.org/restaurantweek2021 and by using the Restaurant Week QR code soon to be sprinkled around downtown. This will help you plan your attack for the week! Please note, event hours and specials will vary depending on the business.

Snag a Downtown Bozeman Restaurant Week Punch Card from any participating business. Fill out your contact information and take this card with you to FIVE different participating restaurants, order from their special Restaurant Week Menu and ask your server to PUNCH your card. Once you've collected five different punches, leave it at the location of your last punch or drop it in the drop box at 222 E Main, Suite 302! These will be collected the week after Restaurant Week and put into a drawing for some amazing prizes from our sponsors.

Whether you're a breakfast fanatic or someone who never skips dessert, we're sure you'll find something to tickle your taste buds at Downtown Bozeman Restaurant Week.

Participating Restaurants: 
Bacchus Pub
Backcountry Burger Bar
Blend 
Bozeman Spirits Distillery
Copper Whiskey Bar
El Camino Bar
Fabers Bakery and Deli
Fielding's
Fresco Cafe, Inc.
Genuine Ice Cream
little star diner
Lockhorn Cider House
Mackenzie River Pizza
Montana Ale Works
Nina's Tacos & Tequila
Open Range Restaurant
Plonk
Sidewall Pizza Company
Smoke, Fire and Coal
Squire House
Steep Mountain Tea House
Sweet Chili Asian Bistro
Ted's MT Grill
The Nova Cafe
Tune Up
Urban Kitchen
Wildrye Distilling

ATTENTION Bozeman and Beyond: PLEASE plan to enjoy Downtown Bozeman Restaurant throughout the week and NOT just one night! If you intend to enjoy Restaurant Week in-person by dining in anytime between April 19-25, remember to follow all safety guidelines in place by the Health Department and each individual business.

Downtown Bozeman Restaurant Week will go on rain or shine and is FREE to the public! Visit www.downtownbozeman.org or call 406-586-4008 for more information! Life is Downtown…

Montana’s spring male turkey season opens April 10. Turkey hunters can purchase a turkey license for a general area at FWP offices, license providers or online. The application deadline for western Montana’s spring gobbler season permits has passed.

The 2021 spring turkey season regulations, with details on turkey hunting in the general area, are available at FWP offices, license providers and online at fwp.mt.gov.

Hunters should remember that when transporting a spring turkey in the state on Montana, one leg and foot must be naturally attached for evidence of sex. Montana law requires landowner permission for hunting on all private land. 

FWP also reminds spring turkey hunters that all Upland Game Bird Enhancement Program enrollments are currently closed and only open during the fall hunting season. Similarly, most Block Management Areas are also closed, but some remain open for spring turkey and spring bear opportunities. No shed hunting, hiking or other recreations are allowed on these properties without landowner permission. Be sure to check the FWP website for dates and locations these properties open.

The spring black bear hunting season starts April 15.

Hunters need to be aware that black bears must be presented for in-person inspection and tagging within 10 days of harvest. The hide and skull must be presented in a condition that allows full inspection and tooth collection (i.e. unfrozen). For local tagging information, contact the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks office nearest to you.

Three Black Bear Management Units have quotas and mandatory 48-hour reporting: Units 510, 520, and 700. When the quota is reached or approached in each of these districts, the black bear season in that district will close.

It's important to know the difference between grizzly bears and black bears. Black bear hunters in Montana are required to pass the Bear Identification test to obtain a black bear license. Montana's Bear Identification Program is intended to prevent the killing of grizzly bears as a result of mistaken identity by hunters.

For more information on black bear hunting, visit https://fwp.mt.gov/hunt/regulations/black-bear.

Sweet Pea Festival is celebrating its 44th Festival! The past 44 years have brought about many great changes to our organization and its annual events. Growing from the initial idea in 1977 of a community's desire to celebrate the arts, Sweet Pea has taken great strides to bring a unique arts festival to the Bozeman community. This year, our juried art show will once again be hosted by our longtime sponsor ERA Landmark, at their Main Street Location. This exhibit will highlight great artists from our state. There will be cash awards to First ($500), Second ($250), and Third ($125) place winners. Click  to apply.

DEADLINE TO APPLY: JUNE 4
Show Dates: July 9 - August 8
ERA Landmark
9 E. Main St.
Opening Reception July 9 ArtWalk

image from pexels

There are always risks when you take to the roads, and with six million auto accidents occurring in the US every single year, it's clear to see that those risks are very real. They can become even worse after dark, as the odds of encountering a reckless or under-the-influence driver are even higher, and visibility can be more difficult too.

Still, a lot of people find themselves driving after dark. Many people like to go out in the evenings to clubs and bars, for example, while others work late shifts and need to get to and from their jobs in nighttime conditions, and there are many other situations where you might find yourself driving at night as well. This guide will cover some top tips to help you stay safe.

Be Extra Vigilant
Vigilance is one of the most important skills for any driver to master. You have to be alert, attentive and focused on your surroundings as you drive in order to spot possible threats or hazards and then take the appropriate action to avoid them, and this can truly be the “make or break” factor when it comes to staying safe or getting into an accident, especially at night.

You have to be particularly vigilant in the evenings, as the conditions can make accidents much more likely to occur. People tend to be more likely to speed or break the rules after dark, as they may feel that they're less likely to be spotted or caught, and there's also a higher chance of encountering drunk drivers too.

Make Use of Your Lights and Mirrors
Obviously, one of the big problems with driving after dark is the fact that visibility levels can be reduced. Many places have streetlights and other sources of light to illuminate the roads, but it can still be much harder to see the road ahead of you and the area around you, which means that hazards and dangers can simply spring out of nowhere, totally unexpected and raising the risk of terrible auto accidents occurring.

Use your car's own headlights to lighten up the path ahead of you, watching closely for road signs, hazards, and, if you're in the city, looking over to the sidewalks too to check for any pedestrians who might be about to step out into the road. It's also recommended to make consistent use of your mirrors to watch the sides and rear of your vehicle for any other cars nearby.

Watch Out for Drunk Drivers
As stated earlier, the odds of encountering drunk drivers after dark is higher than in the daytime. This is logical, as many people tend to drink in the evenings, after work, and this is when bars start to open up and fill up with people. Even though we're all aware of the risks of drunk driving, countless Americans admit to getting behind the wheel after a drink or several.

If you cross these drivers on the road, their slow reaction and poor decision-making could put you in danger, so try to watch out for them. There are many red flags and warning signs you can rely on to alert you to a drunk driver. These drivers will often swerve left and right, change speed randomly, react slowly to traffic light changes, and fail to use mirrors and signals too.

Never Drive Under the Influence
We've just spoken about the dangers of drunk driving, and it's important to always remember the risks you can face if you choose to get behind the wheel after drinking. Alcohol impairs so many of the key skills you need to drive safely, from your ability to spot and recognize hazards to your hand-eye coordination, which is necessary for controlling the steering wheel and keeping yourself safe.

It's simply not worth the risk to drink and drive, and the statistics prove this point, showing that thousands of people die every single year in drunk driving-related accidents. So don't let yourself make that same mistake. If you're planning to go to the bar with friends or family, have a designated driver or make use of other transportation options like taxis and rideshare services to help you get home safely when the night is over.

Final Word
Driving after dark can feel quite daunting, especially in big city environments where drunk drivers and reckless drivers are common. Keep these tips in mind the next time you're navigating the roads at night time in order to keep yourself, and those around you safe.

Talk to a college student long enough and eventually, you’ll hear the same complaints: College courses require too many essays. Essays are too hard. Essays take too long. Essays are boring. Nevertheless, essays are an inescapable facet of academic life, and students develop increasingly creative ways to try to get out of writing them. Consider just some of the ways students try to avoid writing a full essay:
        • They will use deceptive fonts or increase the spaces between letters or around the margins to make a paper look longer.
        • They will submit intentionally corrupt files or files in an unreadable format to try to gain extra time to work on a paper.
        • They will fake illness or the death of a family member to extend the deadline, something instructors jokingly refer to as “dead grandmother syndrome.” A joke paper published decades ago tongue-in-cheek reported that an essay deadline was the leading cause of mortality for grandparents, sometimes leading a student to lose up to half a dozen grandparents apiece over the course of their college careers.

And, of course, the most popular way students try to avoid essays is by purchasing cheap papers from online essay writing services. This raises an interesting question: Is it ethical to buy an essay online? In this article, we’ll look into what happens when you buy essays online and whether it’s ethical to do so.

Why Students Buy Essays from Online Services

So why do students buy essays online instead of writing their own? There are many reasons, but three of the most common are:
• a lack of confidence in their own writing skills;
• a lack of time to complete the work;
• personal obligations, challenges, and crises that prevent them from engaging in  
   learning activities.

More often than not, students are buying essays as a way to compensate for problems and challenges in their own life, not because they are lazy. This problem, however, has been exacerbated by changes in how colleges assign work.

Colleges and universities have made two changes in recent decades that have increased the number of essays students are writing. The first involves disability accommodations. Because assignments must now be inclusive for all students, college essays have become the default assignment type so instructors can avoid the extra work of creating alternative assignments for students who are unable to participate in more creative projects. Essays are generally recognized as accessible and do not require alternatives in most cases. The second change is the rise of rubric grading. To prevent grade disputes from escalating, assignments are now graded on strict criteria, and once again, essays became the default assignment because they require minimal additional work to create new grading rubrics and their rubrics can be standardized across a college to ensure fairness—and minimal disputes.

The Legality Question

Before we can examine the ethics of buying essays online, it’s best to first ask whether it’s legal to do so. Many students are concerned about whether hiring a writer to produce an essay for them is safe and legit. The good news is that it is completely legal to hire someone to write an essay for you. Under the First Amendment, writing a paper falls under free speech and as such is not regulated by the government or subject to legal restrictions. It is completely legal to hire someone to write a paper and for that person to write on any topic, including the assignment you were given in your college course.

This is the legal basis for professional writing services offered by companies like WriteMyPaperHub, from which each and every student can easily and quickly buy essay online written by academic experts in accordance with paper specifications. When you place an order with a company like this, you are exercising your free speech rights, and so are the writers who work with students to develop custom essays that show how a professional would answer your essay question. Actually addressing such academic services is a rather affordable solution available 24/7 online.

The Ethical Issue in Buying Essays

The harder question to answer is whether buying a paper is ethical. If you ask most instructors, the answer will clearly be no. They do not want students buying a paper and turning it in as their own work. That is a clear violation of academic honesty policies. But what about less clear-cut situations, where students use papers as a guide to help them with their work or to aid them in structuring, organizing, and developing their papers, or for finding research. In these cases, it can indeed be ethical to buy a paper, just as it is ethical to seek help from a tutor, writing coach, or T.A to help you understand an assignment and do your best on it.

The key issues revolve around intention, borrowing, and acknowledgment. First: Are you intending to copy or deceive with the paper that you purchased? If yes, you are in ethical hot water. If not, then you are on the path to using a paper appropriately. Second, are you borrowing directly from the paper that you purchased, by copying language, structure, ideas, or information? The less you borrow directly from the paper, the more solid the ethical footing that you are on. Finally, are you acknowledging your source? Most legit essay companies will provide instructions to show you how to document your use of a paper and cite it on your own as you would any other source.

If you follow the rules and use a model paper judiciously as a way to help you develop your own work, then you are more likely to stay on the right side of the ethical line.