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Wednesday, May. 6th, 2026

Bozeman Doc Series Wraps Up Its Eleventh Season


Thanks to everyone for coming out and being a part of the eleventh season of the Doc Series. It was another great year for docs, and we loved sharing some of the best with you.

If you missed some of the films, keep an eye out on streaming platforms in the coming months as most of them will start to be made available. And if you're looking for more great docs to check out, have a look at our ARCHIVE. It represents a collection of some truly excellent docs from the past eleven years - most of which can be found online now.

Keep an eye out for early-bird season pass and punch card sales starting in August and the announcements of the first films in Season Twelve's lineup in September. And we'll see you in October for opening night!

If you can't wait until fall to get your documentary fix...


This Wednesday, May 6th, at 6 pm at the Emerson Center, The Montana Plan presents a free showing of Dark Money, an award-winning documentary featured on PBS as part of the 31st season of POV.

A real-life political thriller, Dark Money examines one of the greatest present threats to American democracy: the influence of untraceable corporate money on our elections and elected officials. The film takes viewers to Montana—a frontline in the fight to preserve fair elections nationwide—to follow an intrepid local journalist working to expose the real-life impacts of the US Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision. Through this gripping story, DARK MONEY uncovers the shocking and vital truth of how American elections are bought and sold. This Sundance award-winning documentary is directed/produced by Kimberly Reed (PRODIGAL SONS) and produced by Katy Chevigny (E-TEAM).

The film will be followed by a panel discussion about how Montanans are fighting back with The Montana Plan, a bold citizen's initiative to ban corporate money, dark money, and billionaire money from Montana elections. Attendees will be able to sign the initiative and volunteer to help get it on the ballot.

Dark Money at the Emerson Cultural Center, Wednesday May 6 at 6 p.m., at no charge.

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6 Refrigeration Tips for Gallatin Valley Food Trucks


Gallatin Valley is the perfect place to be during the summer, especially if you have a food truck business. The landscape is breathtaking, and there are plenty of opportunities to showcase your culinary skills. Bozemanites are fun people who love festivals and outdoor events, so you’ll never lack clients. Whether you’re part of the Music on Main festival or participate in the CSCMT Food Truck Festival, Gallatin Valley offers plenty of opportunities for foodie entrepreneurs.

As long as you have your recipes and the right refrigeration system, your food truck can take your brand and business to new heights. We can’t help you with the recipes (those are entirely your responsibility), but we do have a few tips about proper refrigeration in food trucks:

1. Choose the Right Equipment

A food truck prepared to service all the events in the Gallatin Valley needs reliable refrigeration equipment that can withstand the challenges of life on the road. One such challenge is the heat.  In a food truck, the combination of summer sun on a metal shell and multiple cooking appliances (fryers, grills, ovens) can push internal temperatures to 100°F or higher. Under such conditions, you need a refrigeration unit with high-density polyurethane insulation and stainless steel.

Then, there’s the movement. Every time the truck moves, your fridge is subjected to constant vibration and jarring impacts from potholes or uneven roads. Vibration causes stress fractures in the joints, leading to slow leaks that are difficult to diagnose until the unit stops cooling entirely.

The best refrigeration unit for your food truck must withstand these challenges while making life a little easier for you. A reach-in unit like those from Empura uses vertical height, allowing you to store significantly more inventory. With the right unit, you can even go a full 10-hour shift without restocking.

In fact, Empura food prep equipment is a strong choice for mobile food service operations. As a Restaurant Supply brand, Empura reflects the level of quality and thoughtful design that goes into these units.

2. Install Dedicated Circuitry

Never daisy-chain your refrigeration with other appliances like blenders or heat lamps. The primary refrigeration unit must be on its own dedicated 15A or 20A circuit. Otherwise, voltage drops caused by other appliances cycling on can cause the fridge's sensitive electronic controllers to reset or fry.

It’s best to install an isolated ground receptacle (usually orange) for your refrigerator. These outlets have a dedicated ground path that is separated from the rest of the truck's metallic structure, ensuring the fridge’s electronics aren't affected by interference from other motors (like your vent hood fan).

3. Prevent Short-Cycles

When everyone is hungry and impatiently waiting for their food, your fridge’s door may open several dozen times per hour. Just like your father used to say when you were looking for snacks, this is not good for the unit.

The main issue is with the compressor. Frequent door opening, especially in a 100°F truck kitchen, causes the compressor to short-cycle (turning on and off rapidly), which kills the motor. But you can’t just ask people to wait until it’s safe to open the door again, right?

The trick is to install plastic strip curtains behind the fridge doors. They act as a thermal barrier, keeping the cold air inside even when the door is wide open during a rush.

4. High-Amperage Startup Management

Commercial refrigerators prefer stable, clean power from a municipal grid. Food trucks have no such luxury, as they rely on generators or shore power (extension cords). You need a generator that’s powerful enough to support your unit’s compressor.

Compressors require a massive surge of power to start. If your generator is already strained by a vent hood and an espresso machine, the fridge compressor may stall or burn out. To avoid such a tragic scenario, install a soft start kit. It smooths out the power demand, allowing the fridge to kick on without tripping your breakers or stalling the generator.

5. Pre-Chill the Food

Never load room-temperature prep items or warm sauces directly into your truck's fridge. Loading warm items directly into a small reach-in can cause a thermal spike that may pose a food safety hazard. And the refrigeration equipment won’t be happy either. But you can’t let it cool down at truck temperature either. Instead, use a stationary commissary fridge to chill everything to 38°F(3°C) before loading. A food truck fridge is designed to maintain temperature, not to lower it rapidly.

6. Plan B on Stand-By

With all the vibrations, movement, and unstable power, mechanical failure of your unit is a matter of when, not if. And if your fridge manages to withstand all that, you never know when power might go out. The secret to your success? A solid plan B! Always keep a high-performance, rotationally molded cooler on the truck, pre-filled with ice packs. If the power goes out, you have a 4-hour window to move your most expensive proteins (scallops, wagyu, dairy) into the cooler to save your margins.

Enjoy Your Food Truck Adventure!

Now that you know how to choose the right refrigeration unit and how to protect it from the challenges of life on the road, you’re ready to conquer the food truck scene in Gallatin Valley. Get your recipes ready and start cooking!

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Monday, May. 4th, 2026

Made for Michelin: Gallatin College MSU graduate takes culinary talent overseas


BOZEMAN — Brandon Swenson had a limited grasp on the German language, but the applause he received from Michelin-star chefs in Munich last year needed no translation.  

As he soaked in the praise on his last day interning for the three-star Michelin restaurant JAN, however, his mind couldn’t help but wander to the scrap paper on his nightstand 5,000 miles away in Bozeman. 
It was a 7-week-old packing list. Scrawled at the bottom was a message of encouragement to himself, betraying his nervousness and excitement for pursuing his dreams abroad: “Knock ’em dead, baby.” 

“I was thinking back to that piece of paper like, ‘I did it,’” Swenson said. “I did it.” 

And his culinary career is just beginning. Swenson, a 25-year-old from Bozeman, is invited to return to JAN for three months this summer after graduating in May from the two-year culinary arts program atGallatin College Montana State University. 

The restaurant and its modern German cuisine hold the record for the second-fastest accumulation of three Michelin stars in the world, receiving the highest honor awarded to restaurants only six months after opening in 2023. While Swenson worked there in 2025, JAN’s stars were renewed for another year, and it was also the only German restaurant to be included in rankings for The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. 

Michelin kitchens attract only the most dedicated chefs — the ones who are willing to spend 13-hour days scrubbing the kitchen and preparing edible works of art, Swenson said.

With tweezers and a steady hand, he laid dainty purple flowers and peeled almonds atop glass orbs filled with caviar. He helped plate dozens of JAN’s signature caviar dish in the restaurant’s cold kitchen, as well as other appetizers and desserts. Each menu item is served within five minutes of completion and is part of a three-hour, 12-course dining experience. 

“It's all tweezer fever,” Swenson said. “It's so much tweezing, so many garnishes, so many intricate details. It was really hard the first week, but then, after a while, you get surgical.” 

Surrounded by a smattering of German conversation, of which he only caught every third word, it was like he was in his own world. The restaurant’s pastry chef often gave him a word or phrase of the day, however, like “behind” — hinter — or “Can you please repeat that” — Kannst du das wiederholen bitte. His efforts to learn the language and replicate JAN’s specific culinary style helped him earn the respect and friendship of his colleagues, he said.  

The ability to recreate dishes was a skill he picked up as a 16-year-old who helped care for a full house of five children, quickly absorbing books and videos to make shepherd’s pie and tilapia. At first, Swenson’s concoctions ranged from undercooked to burnt — time management was not on his radar. But he said he enjoyed the mental challenge. His experimentation continued in college, where he spends nearly 48 hours each week in the kitchen during the school year.
Swenson enrolled at Gallatin College MSU two years after earning his high school diploma, realizing he felt more at home behind a stove than in his stepfather’s construction company.  
The effort Gallatin College MSU students put into their craft is what they get out of the culinary program, said instructor Alex Hrabovsky. He believes Swenson’s drive to constantly improve his skills has allowed him to gain a deep understanding of flavors, textures and aesthetic appeal, making a lasting impression with a single bite of food.

“It shows that, even with very little financial backing, you can still achieve excellence through your own work and dedication to what it is that you have,” Hrabovsky said. “Have that dream. Move in that direction. It doesn’t matter what your background is.” 

Swenson was independent from his family at age 18, so Gallatin College MSU’s affordability was key in earning a degree that would demonstrate his employability to high-end restaurants. He was taught to be self-reliant, having been in foster care for a little over a year and joining four different families as a child before being adopted by his aunt.  

“It's you versus the world, essentially. That's the mentality I've had since I was 8,” he said. “But the lesson that I've come to recognize is that needing support from others is not a weakness. It's a strength.” 

A supportive kitchen is especially important at Gallatin College MSU, where students work with peers of all experience levels and styles in class and at Thyme Bistro, Hrabovsky said. As part of the on-campus restaurant, students run their own kitchen and design a full menu for about 60 people every Friday from February to April in Hannon Hall’s dining room.  

Swenson’s first-year menu featured pinwheels of pork mince wrapped in Swiss rolls and bacon, sitting on whipped mascarpone and goat cheese. He said the restaurant provided him with the building blocks for the business side of the food industry, such as managerial skills and calculating purchasing costs. 

The experience marked another step toward his “plan A” of taking over a European restaurant once he gains Michelin kitchen experience across countries like France, Belgium and Denmark. But first, he will return to Germany’s JAN in May.  

“I’m itching to see the front door and just walk right in,” he said.

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Saturday, May. 2nd, 2026

Crawford Fellows present new methods of conserving, managing wildlife habitat

BOZEMAN — Butterflies can be “wicked fast,” Kaylee Guajardo Sullivan discovered three summers ago.  

The second-year master’s student who studies statistics at Montana State University recalled swinging her butterfly net and sprinting across a field in Glacier National Park. Surveying the insects in 23 locations was part of a research effort assessing change in butterfly species diversity from nearly 40 years ago to present day, and she is determining the best way to model the data accurately. 

A statistician may seem like an unlikely addition to wildlife habitat research, but Guajardo Sullivan is one of 57 graduate students at MSU pursuing such interdisciplinary work. The students share a common goal: to study how humans can better protect and manage their environment to support wildlife.  

“If you’re driven and you want something, this is a school that’s going to support you,” said Guajardo Sullivan, who is originally from Chicago and has lived in Montana for nearly six years. “I have no words, only gratitude.” 

This gratitude, she said, is for Kathy Crawford and her late husband, Thomas H. “Tim” Crawford, creators of the Crawford Wildlife Habitat Graduate Fellowship for graduate students and the Crawford Wildlife Habitat Scholarships for undergraduates, which will begin supporting students in the fall. The $30 million gift, awarded to MSU in 2025, is the largest scholarship endowment in the university’s history. 

On April 16, Kathy Crawford and MSU’s Graduate School celebrated the Crawford Fellows with a research showcase, organized by graduate assistant Kade Woolverton. 

“It’s exactly what I had hoped for,” Crawford said. “The enthusiasm is huge for taking care of wildlife habitat, and I’m overwhelmed with appreciation for what the students are doing.” 
Denali Stetson, a second-year master’s student from Corvallis who studies animal and range sciences, presented research on stream characteristics that are the most suitable for beaver colony reintroduction in Montana. 

The U.S. Forest Service has pursued reintroduction initiatives since the 1980s to combat disease and trapping that plagued Montana’s beaver populations. Stetson analyzed a 40-year data set on 11 stream sites across the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, Custer Gallatin National Forest and Yellowstone National Park. She found that beavers are likely to remain near streams that are meandering, have lower slopes and have an average width-to-depth ratio.  

She will continue the research in the fall before graduating in December with what will be her second degree from MSU, the first being a bachelor’s in fish and wildlife management that she earned as a Hilleman Scholar, a program for Montana residents who demonstrate academic and leadership potential. 

“I have always known I wanted to be a wildlife biologist, but actually finding a master’s project and continuing my education means a lot,” she said.  

Sundas Iftikar, a second-year doctoral student studying computer science, said continuing her education was made possible, in part, by the Crawford fellowship. As an international student from Attock, Pakistan, visa restrictions prevent her from finding employment off campus during the school year.  

“I was able to focus on my research without the stress of, ‘How can I manage my rent? How can I manage my debt?’” she said. 

Iftikar studies how unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs, can help detect wildfires earlier and prevent the loss of life, ecosystems and property in the U.S. Traditional fire detection technology is unsuitable for large spaces because it experiences delays in dense areas, has limited range and is sensitive to factors like dust that cause false alarms.  

Her research team is training and testing UAV technology, integrated with machine learning algorithms, using more than 48,000 images of wildfires. The images are rotated, cropped or flipped to test the detection models’ intelligence. Iftikar will spend the next three years at MSU working with larger and more diverse wildfire datasets, with potential to explore thermal drone sensors and artificial intelligence-generated weather predictions.  

Another research endeavor presented at the showcase studied how livestock managers can better use their land to feed beef cattle in Montana. Housed in the Department of Animal and Range Sciences, the study covers nearly 11,000 acres between the Madison River and MSU’s Red Bluff Research Ranch in Norris, and researchers followed hundreds of beef cattle over six years of winter grazing. 

Noah Davis helped complete the project as a doctoral student last semester and is now an assistant professor of grazing ecology and management at MSU. He studied changes in forage protein and fiber availability, as well as how livestock interact with the plants they graze. Researchers also gave protein supplements to 318 cattle along their grazing paths and, using GPS collars, tracked how cattle traveled further and grazed less after receiving the supplement.  
“Understanding how animals use the landscape, disturb the landscape and how we can manipulate that is critical,” said Davis, who is from Ventura, California, and has lived in Bozeman for 12 years. 

Many studies like these are making important strides in the conservation field, but they lack outlets to share information with the public, said Timothy Mooring, a second-year student in the Science and Natural History Filmmaking program. Mooring, who is from San Diego, aims to bridge this gap with two short films he presented at the showcase, both featuring the Zambian Carnivore Programme. 

He shadowed the program’s Greater Liuwa Ecosystem branch in western Zambia, which tracks wildebeest migration patterns and where the animals avoid human contact. He said this information will inform conservation efforts that protect areas key to wildebeest passage, a necessity given the animal is a vital food source for Zambian predators.  

Mooring said he was awestruck by the environment his mother described when he was a child — she was born in Zambia and moved to the U.S. at age 26 — and the conservationists’ passion that emanated from the screen.  

“I would finish interviewing someone, and sometimes I would cry,” Mooring said. “I couldn’t believe how inspiring some of these stories and the research were.”  

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First-generation student Kayla Fuller wins ‘life-changing’ scholarship to continue accounting education

BOZEMAN — When Montana State University junior Kayla Fuller heard news that she won a $15,000 national accounting scholarship, allowing her to pursue a master’s degree when she would have otherwise been unable to do so, two words came to mind.  

“Life-changing. This scholarship is genuinely life-changing to me,” said Fuller, who is majoring in accounting and marketing with a minor in finance in MSU’s Jake Jabs College of Business and Entrepreneurship. She is also a first-generation student, meaning she is the first person in her immediate family to pursue higher education.  

Fuller, who is from Pine, Colorado, received the scholarship from the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board in April. The money is designated for tuition for students pursuing a future career in accounting.  

Earlier in April, Fuller said she was on the phone with her mom discussing her career options, given the expense of a master’s degree. If she could not afford it, Fuller planned to work full time at an accounting firm and study for the certified public accountant exam independently, but that is less ideal than a graduate program, she said. In Montana, a one-year master’s program reduces the work experience hours required to sit for the exam, and it carries the benefit of institutional support and guidance from faculty.  

A master’s program “will allow me to put more time into studying for my CPA exam as I try to become the most knowledgeable financial professional that I can be,” Fuller said. 

Upon completion of her bachelor’s degree, Fuller now plans to stay at MSU and apply for the Master of Professional Accountancy program, or MPAc. She said she is thrilled to remain in Bozeman and continue working with some of the same professors who have taught her already. 
“Kayla displays high ethical standards, focusing on independence, acting fairly and with professional skepticism, carefully questioning assumptions and being thorough,” said Angela Woodland, the accounting professor who administered the award. “She knows when to ask for guidance or a second opinion to ensure decisions are correct.” 

Fuller, who has always been drawn to studying business, said she became interested in accounting after taking an introductory class with assistant professor Brad Kamreth. She found the accounting field spanned areas she was interested in, and she also appreciated the job security. According to university data, MSU’s MPAc program routinely boasts a 100% job placement rate for its graduates.  

This summer, Fuller will intern as a credit analyst for Opportunity Bank in Bozeman. She landed the opportunity thanks to Jabs Networking Night and the Bracken Center at MSU, which prepared her for networking and interviewing, and helped hone her resume. 

“I’m eternally grateful for Jabs,” Fuller said. “I think the classes, professors and all the resources available have really set me up for success.”  

Fuller has also been an involved student outside of the business college. She is a Western Undergraduate Exchange Scholar, one of the most prestigious merit-based scholarships offered by MSU, earned a CABLE scholarship her freshman year and is a current TRIO Scholar, a designated support system for first-generation and low-income students.  

Additionally, she is a regular member of Cats Catholic, is president of MSU’s Backcountry Squatters chapter – a space for women and nonbinary athletes pursuing outdoor recreation activities – and works as the communications director for the university’s student government, the Associated Students of MSU. Outside of school, she enjoys mountain biking, climbing, swing dancing and generally being outside. For the past three summers, she has worked as a multi-sport instructor and last summer as assistant director for a Colorado-based outdoor education company, Avid4 Adventure.  

“I just feel super blessed to have this opportunity,” Fuller said. “I’m so excited to be able to continue my education and hopefully contribute to the accounting world.”  

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Thursday, Apr. 30th, 2026

How to Choose a Home in Bozeman That Works for You Long Term

Buying a home in Bozeman takes a little more thought than it once did. Prices remain high, demand stays steady, and the area continues to attract people who want a different pace of life. That has changed the conversation for many buyers. It is no longer only about finding a home that works today. It is about finding one that will still feel like the right choice a few years from now.

That shift has made homeownership feel more intentional. Buyers are looking beyond square footage and price range and thinking about how a property will support their lives over time. A home that fits now should still offer comfort, stability, and room to adapt if routines or priorities change.

Looking ahead does not have to make the process feel overwhelming. It simply helps you make a clearer decision and gives you more options for the future. 

Start With the Way You Actually Live

Before you think about resale value or future plans, take a close look at your everyday life. Bozeman offers a wide range of neighborhoods, each with its own feel, pace, and access to the outdoors. The best fit often starts with a basic question: what do you want daily life to look like?

For some buyers, living close to downtown is the priority. They want to be near restaurants, shops, events, and the places they visit most often. For others, the better fit is a quieter area with more space, less traffic, and easier access to trails or open land. Commute times, school options, and winter driving conditions can all shape how a home feels after the initial excitement fades.

It also helps to be honest about how much space you really need. A larger home can be appealing, but it also brings more upkeep, more expense, and more to manage throughout the year. A smaller home that fits your routine may feel easier to maintain and more comfortable in the long run.

When a home suits the way you already live, it has a better chance of continuing to work as life gets busier.

Think Past the First Few Years

It is easy to focus on immediate needs, especially in a market where decisions can feel urgent. Still, the strongest home purchases usually come from thinking a little further ahead.

Jobs change. Families grow. Priorities shift. A layout that feels ideal now may feel limiting later if it does not leave room for a home office, guests, storage, or a different daily rhythm. Even details that seem small at first, like yard size, stairs, or an extra room, can matter more with time.

The same goes for how long you expect to stay. Even if you think you may move eventually, it helps to choose a home that will continue to appeal to future buyers or still serve a purpose in your next chapter. A property with flexibility tends to give you more confidence from the start.You do not need to predict every turn your life may take. You just want a home that leaves room for change.

Location Shapes Long-Term Value

Where you buy matters just as much as what you buy. In Bozeman, location influences everything from your daily routine to long-term value as the city continues to grow and shift.

Some buyers are drawn to neighborhoods near downtown and established community spaces. Others care more about access to trails, quieter streets, or a little more room to spread out. Schools, nearby amenities, and future development can all affect whether an area continues to feel like a good fit over time.

It is worth paying attention to neighborhoods that show steady appeal without losing the qualities that made them attractive in the first place. A location with lasting draw often makes ownership feel more secure, whether you plan to stay for years or move on later.

A good location does more than meet your needs today. It keeps making sense as your life and the community around you continue to evolve.

Planning for Flexibility Down the Road

One of the most valuable things a home can offer is flexibility. Even if you plan to stay for a while, it helps to choose a property that gives you options if your plans change.

Some homeowners relocate for work or family and decide to keep the home rather than sell right away. Others reach a point where renting it out makes sense for a season. That may not be part of your plan today, but it is still worth thinking about while you are buying.

Once you start considering future rental use, financing starts to matter in a different way.  Not every property works well as a future rental, and not every loan makes that transition equally smooth. For buyers who want to keep that option open, it can help to look into the best lenders for rental property and get a clearer sense of which financing options may support that kind of long-term flexibility.

Thinking ahead like this does not commit you to one path. It simply makes it easier to adjust if your circumstances change.

Understanding the Financial Side of Ownership

A home’s price is only one part of the picture. Over time, the full cost of ownership shows up through property taxes, insurance, maintenance, utilities, and the repairs that tend to arrive when you least expect them. In Bozeman, winter can add another layer of wear and expense.

That is why it helps to look at the full financial picture early. Buyers who plan for monthly costs, upkeep, and a repair reserve often feel more comfortable once the purchase is behind them. A little preparation at the beginning can spare you a lot of stress later.

For a broader look at the expenses of homeownership, this guide to the costs of buying a home offers useful context.

A home that fits your finances realistically is much more likely to remain the right fit over time.

Making a Choice That Still Feels Right Later

The best home purchase is rarely about finding something perfect. It is about finding something that fits your life, your priorities, and the future you can reasonably see ahead.

When you weigh daily livability, flexibility, location, and the real cost of ownership, the decision becomes clearer. You are not only buying for the version of life you are living today. You are choosing a home that can continue to support you over the next several years.

For a more local perspective on building a life here, putting down roots in Bozeman offers a helpful companion read. 

Conclusion

Buying a home in Bozeman is a meaningful decision, and it usually works best when you think about both the present and the future. The right home should support the way you live now while still giving you room to adjust as life changes.

That does not mean having every detail figured out from day one. It means choosing with intention, leaving space for flexibility, and trusting that a thoughtful decision today can continue to serve you well later.

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Wednesday, Apr. 29th, 2026

During annual event at Montana State, students consider history through new lens

A student answers questions from judges on her poster board as Montana State University hosts the annual National History Day in Montana state contest Saturday, April 25, 2026, in Bozeman, Mont. MSU photo by Colter Peterson

BOZEMAN — The Cold War. Musicians Coleman Hawkins and Louis Armstrong. Sputnik. The Greensboro sit-ins during the Civil Rights Movement. These were just a few of the people and historical events students highlighted during the state contest for National History Day in Montana, a project-based learning program for middle and high school students from across the state. The annual event – which is affiliated with National History Day, a nonprofit education organization – was held on Saturday at Montana State University.

For the approximately 180 participating students, the National History Day in Montana state contest was an opportunity to see and share history through a new lens. The event encouraged students to consider whose stories are told, remembered and carried forward.

Hailey Hancock, assistant teaching professor in the MSU Department of Education and one of the event’s organizers, invited participants to reflect on which historical perspectives are shared and which are not.

“I also encourage you to reflect on the lessons you have learned,” Hancock said in remarks to students at the event. “Think about how you have grown academically and personally from this experience. We’re so happy you’re here.”

This year’s National History Day in Montana state contest included a keynote lecture, “The Journey of York: A Living History Experience,” given by author and performer Hasan Davis. During the keynote, Davis shared a first-person historical interpretation of York, an enslaved man who was a member of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Davis and his son Malcolm Davis also co-facilitated an interactive intergenerational story lab workshop.

Hancock said the contest is the pinnacle of National History Day in Montana. Some students began their research at the beginning of the school year, and for many the state contest was the last time they presented it to a large audience. To participate, students in grades 6–12 choose a historical topic related to an annual theme, develop an original historical argument and conduct research using primary and secondary sources. Contestants can complete projects individually or with a group, and the final presentation can be in one of five formats: documentary, exhibit, paper, performance or website. This year’s contest theme is “Revolution, Reaction and Reform.” 
Prior to the state competition, students may participate in school-wide contests or community competitions, then a regional contest. In addition to the statewide contest held Saturday at MSU, Montana regional contests were held this year in Kalispell, Helena and Dickinson, North Dakota.

On Saturday in the senior individual performance category, Thomas Johnson, a sophomore at Jefferson High School in Boulder, performed “Wobblies in the Woods: War, Work and the Fight for Reform in Montana’s Timber Camps.” After the performance, two judges praised the stories Johnson shared and the props he used, including newspaper articles he found. They also learned about how he chose the topic and where he did his research.

In another contest category called senior documentary, juniors Alivia Snyder and Kloe Svoboda from Victor shared a film they created about the Pentagon Papers, “American Coverup: How the Freedom of Press Sparked Revolution, Reaction and Reformation,” and answered questions from four judges.

During that questioning, Snyder and Svoboda reflected on what the theme meant to them, the challenges they faced in creating the documentary and the insights they gained from tackling the project.

“There were two big challenges,” Snyder said. “Working in a team means that one person wants one thing, one person wants another thing. We had to find a way to merge our ideas and come up with something we both thought was good.”

She noted they also faced challenges dealing with technology issues and websites where they were searching for information. For example, during a shutdown of the federal government over the winter, some sites where they had planned to conduct research, such as the website for the National Archives, were not available. 

In an interview after their presentation, Snyder and Svoboda both encouraged future National History Day in Montana participants to carefully consider their choice of topic.
“Find a topic that really interests you,” Svoboda said. “It feels less like homework that way.”
“When you’re doing a project, focus on having fun,” Snyder added. “You have to have fun.”
The top two projects in each category at the April 25 state contest will have the opportunity to compete at the national contest, set for June 14-18 at the University of Maryland.
National History Day in Montana is sponsored by MSU’s Department of Education and the Montana Historical Society. Co-coordinators are Hancock and Melissa Hibbard, interpretive historian with the Montana Historical Society.

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Tuesday, Apr. 28th, 2026

European Holiday Tradition: Blown Glass Christmas Ornaments

Christmas is a favorite holiday in Europe, when some people enjoy the time spent with family and friends, others - giving and receiving gifts, but mainly it’s the time when families gather to celebrate the real meaning of Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ. The season is a magical time, filled with traditions, and one of these is decorating the Christmas tree and the home. There are plenty of options when it comes to decorations, but some of the best are fine blown glass Christmas ornaments for your Christmas tree.
Holiday Traditions                   

In the lead-up to Christmas, special holiday markets appear throughout Europe. These get you into the holiday spirit and give you a feeling of old-world charm. Wooden stalls display an array of hand-carved wooden ornaments and nativity scenes, glass Christmas ornaments, wreaths, aromatic candles, and gifts. There are smells of roasting chestnuts, mulled wine, and hot cocoa. Fairy lights twinkle, and sometimes there is Santa Claus for the children to visit.

Early December is the time to decorate your home for the season. Decorations don't only give you a feel-good factor, but they tell a story. The color scheme you choose, the type of ornaments, and the amount of decorations you have all give an insight into your personality. Glass ornaments, for example, exude elegance and tradition so maybe you are sophisticated.

In Europe, children receive their gifts on different days. In Germany, for example, the ‘Nikolaus’ or Saint Nicholas brings gifts on December 6th. In Eastern Europe, presents are given on Christmas Eve. In Poland, it is Father Christmas who brings gifts, while in the Czech Republic, it is Jesus Christ. In the UK, Father Christmas leaves presents on Christmas Eve to be opened on Christmas Day. In Greece, St Basil brings gifts during the night of New Year's Eve to be opened on the morning of the New Year. In Spain, children receive their presents on January 6th, the day the Three Kings delivered their gifts to the baby Jesus.

Another important Christmas tradition is the celebratory meal on Christmas Eve, yet different European countries have differing customs when it comes to the specifics of this meal. In Poland, for example, they have a 12-course meal on Christmas Eve. In Italy, fish dishes are the traditional meal on Christmas Eve. In other countries, such as the UK, the celebratory meal is held on Christmas Day.

The History of Blown Glass Christmas Ornaments                               
16th - 17th Centuries

In the 16th century, the Germans decorated trees outside with fruit and nuts in the lead-up to Christmas. However, in 1605, a fir tree was first brought indoors and decorated with such things as paper roses and candles. This custom spread quickly throughout Germany and then around the world, making Christmas trees one of the most international traditions, which is not really tied to the religious meaning of Christmas.

Around this time, glass Christmas ornaments were first produced in the small town of Lauscha, well-known for glass-blowing. Initially, the designs were simple, such as fruit and nuts.

The 19th Century

Glass ornaments came into their own when a German glass artisan, Hans Greiner, started to create intricately designed and hollow glass baubles in the 1840s. The first ones were coated inside with toxic mercury or lead, which gave a beautiful and reflective shine but were dangerous to health. Later, for the same effect, the insides of the baubles were silvered with a mix of silver nitrate and sugar water.

Up to this point, the Christmas tree was only a German tradition, but Queen Victoria of Great Britain popularized it, and the tradition later spread it throughout Europe and globally. In 1846, an illustration of Queen Victoria and her family admiring a Christmas tree was published, immediately making it popular with the British public.

Late 19th - 21st Centuries

In the late 19th century, the retailer, F. W. Woolworth from the United States, started to import German glass ornaments, making them popular outside Europe.

However, the Industrial Revolution brought mass production of many products, and this affected the creation of

Christmas ornaments. They were now made in bulk out of tin, paper, and, in particular, plastic. Tinsel was invented in Germany, first made out of silver and later out of tin.

However, after many years of cheap plastic ornaments, people have started to appreciate the hand-made quality of days gone by. Plastic is being replaced with blown glass ornaments, which, although more expensive, are elegant and add a touch of sophistication to a room. Italy is well-known for producing blown glass, and Murano glass ornaments have become popular. Hand-made Christmas decorations are appreciated because they have been created by artisans who love their work and will spend hours making a bauble for your Christmas tree, one which you can pass down to your children.

What is Special About Glass Christmas Ornaments?

When you place your first handmade glass ornament on your tree, you will realise what you have been missing with plastic baubles. Each one that you buy has a history. It has been lovingly created, often using techniques going back centuries, and by skilled glassblowers. Because these decorations are unique, they can become treasured keepsakes, representing important moments in your life. You can even buy them to celebrate significant events, like your baby's first Christmas.

Glass decorations have a beauty that is timeless. Many created a century ago will still be relevant today, and ones made now will stand the test of time.

These decorations are also versatile. They come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and colors, so you should be able to find ones that suit your decor and style. This lets you create a personalized Christmas tree, one that reflects your tastes and style preferences.

While they seem delicate, glass ornaments can be used year after year, and, if looked after properly, they can become fine family keepsakes. Each bauble can hold a lifetime of history.

Glass has a translucent nature, allowing light to pass through. When translated into a Christmas decoration, it creates a captivating mix of shadow and light on your tree, something that can't be achieved with plastic baubles. It is a tiny work of art, showcasing the holiday season and adding sophistication to your festive decor. Glass is also reflective and makes your Christmas tree sparkle.

Popular Types of Blown Glass Ornaments

Blown glass Christmas ornaments, including those created on the island of Murano, are made in different shapes and sizes to suit your decor, style, and the impression you want to make.

The most common ornaments are globes or balls. They are classic, and many have intricate designs representing the holiday season. Their many different sizes allow you to put them on either small or large trees.

Figural ornaments are also popular. Among others, they could be angels, Santa Claus, or snowmen. They often come in bright colors so they stand out, adding a light-hearted vibe to your Christmas tree. They are especially popular with children who often love to hear stories built around the characters.

Icicles are long, thin decorations resembling real icicles. They add a shimmering touch to your tree while depicting a winter scene.

Teardrops are, as the name suggests, teardrop-shaped. They are elegant and refined, often with detailed designs. Because of their shape, they reflect light beautifully.

Snowflakes are popular glass ornaments that look like the real thing but magnified. They have intricate and symmetrical designs and add a hint of winter fascination to your Christmas tree. Mix them with icicles for a seasonal wonderland.

Place a glass star on your Christmas tree to represent the Star of Bethlehem. Stars are often placed at the top of the tree, depicting the true meaning of Christmas, that is, the birth of Christ.

Dangle ornaments hang from a central point with elements that sway, adding a fun aspect to your tree. Other types of blown glass Christmas ornaments include candy canes and bells.

Glass ornaments are rooted in the past, but are more than relevant today. They are elegant, sophisticated, and have the ability to evoke a nostalgic feeling of Christmases past. Although originating in Germany, they are now produced all over the world, including Murano. Italian blown glass ornaments are particularly special with their bright colors, variety of shapes and sizes, and the skill of highly trained artisans.

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Friday, Apr. 24th, 2026

Montana State senior Erika Hardy completes year of service with Gallatin Valley YMCA


BOZEMAN — At Montana State University, senior Erika Hardy fully committed herself to a slate of extracurricular activities. From her consulting internship to holding leadership roles in several clubs to finding the best trivia nights in Bozeman with her friends, she has approached her college experience with equal parts energy and enthusiasm.  

This spring, just weeks away from commencement, Hardy added another achievement — completing her term of service as a Boardroom Bobcat.  

Originally from Lehi, Utah, Hardy is set to graduate in May with a major in finance and a minor in international business, programs both housed in MSU’s Jake Jabs College of Business and Entrepreneurship.  During her time in the business college, Hardy served as a Jabs Ambassador, planning college-wide events and mentoring first and second year students; supported the Finance Club as its vice president; and steered the financial decisions of the Women in Business Club as its treasurer.  

She was also one of 17 students in the Boardroom Bobcats program, an initiative of the MSU Leadership Institute that connects service-driven students with a local nonprofit, where they serve as non-voting board members for a full academic year. The program began in 2016, and nearly 100 students have participated since.  

Hardy was paired with the Gallatin Valley YMCA for her year of service. She was recommended to the program by her friend Emily Fettig in the Women in Business Club, who participated in Boardroom Bobcats last academic year.  

Hardy thought the experience would be a good way to get more involved in community service while also broadening her experience beyond business-focused activities. 

“We don’t often discuss nonprofit operations in my typical business classes,” Hardy said. “So, I thought (Boardroom Bobcats) would be a good way to get involved and learn more about that world.” 

At the YMCA, Hardy was able to use her education in finance to help the nonprofit. For example, she worked on using financial models to make future financial projections, which are used to inform critical business decisions.  

Beyond that, Hardy provided input and a student perspective for event planning and budgeting decisions during the nonprofit's bimonthly board meetings. Because only one board member, the CEO, is paid, and the rest are volunteers, Hardy helped out wherever she was needed, filling in volunteer gaps and assisting with tasks when outside help was unavailable.  

Her experience culminated into volunteering at the YCMA’s 5K Color Run on April 25, which is the organization's largest fundraiser of the year.  

Hardy said that overall, her biggest takeaway was feeling inspired by the volunteers and their work-life balance. There are so many people deeply involved in the YCMA, she said, pouring in time and effort without compensation while also balancing full-time jobs and families. Seeing people she admired be able to do both made her feel like she could do the same in the future.  
Upon graduating, Hardy hopes to find a job in the finance field. She currently serves as a project coordinator intern at the consulting group Profitable Ideas Exchange and she plans to continue that internship and remain in Bozeman through the summer.  

As she enters this next chapter, Hardy is focused on continuing to collect the experiences and skills that interest her while trusting they will ultimately lead to her next opportunity. Being flexible and open-minded are traits that her MSU business professors strongly emphasized, she said, noting how many of them took nontraditional career paths to academia.  

“Erika’s experience with the YMCA is a great example of what happens when students have the opportunity to apply what they’re learning in real community contexts,” said Sienna George, director of the MSU Leadership Institute. “Her experience in Boardroom Bobcats shows how students gain direct insight into the nonprofit sector while developing the skills they carry forward into their future careers.” 

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Wednesday, Apr. 22nd, 2026

Belgrade and Gallatin County Plan Transition of Planning and Development Review in “Donut” Area on July 1

The City of Belgrade and Gallatin County are working together to transition who is responsible for land use planning in the 4.5-mile area surrounding Belgrade city limits. Beginning July 1, 2026, Gallatin County will assume planning and development review responsibilities in that area, often called the “Belgrade Donut.”

Both the city and county are coordinating closely to make the transition as smooth as possible. This includes sharing information, aligning planning efforts, and continuing public outreach so that community members remain informed and involved.

This transition, initiated by Belgrade, will shift planning and development review within this area to Gallatin County, allowing the City of Belgrade to focus its resources on meeting new requirements under the Montana Land Use Planning Act (MLUPA).

The City of Belgrade will continue to process complete applications received prior to July 1. However, to provide greater continuity in review, applicants with subdivision or buildings for lease or rent proposals who have not yet submitted are encouraged to wait and submit directly to Gallatin County after July 1. Gallatin County will begin offering pre-submittal meetings for projects in the Belgrade Donut area starting May 1.

This jurisdiction change will include Gallatin County extending its growth policy to encompass the Belgrade Donut. While the City of Belgrade’s planning documents will be updated to comply with the requirements of MLUPA.

Public input remains an important part of this process. Feedback gathered during recent outreach efforts will continue to inform planning efforts. Additional opportunities for public involvement are planned as both jurisdictions update their policies.

The County Commission will discuss the transition and related planning efforts during their regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, May 12 at 9 a.m. at the Gallatin County Courthouse at 311 W. Main St., third floor Community Room, With a virtual option available. Community members are encouraged to attend and stay involved.

For questions, please contact either jurisdiction at the following:

To receive updates, community members can visit www.envisiongallatin.com for Gallatin County projects or www.BeHeardBelgrade.com for City of Belgrade initiatives.

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