Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking public comment on a draft environmental assessment on a proposal for the annual release of pen-raised ring-necked pheasants on suitable state lands.

FWP has administered a pheasant release program since 1987, which has involved releasing pen-raised pheasants on private lands for population augmentation and increased hunting opportunities. In March of 2021, following legislative action and funding, a new pheasant release program was established to support recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R³) efforts in Montana. This new component of the program aims to engage youth in the sport of hunting, promote hunter success and provide additional hunting opportunities for hunters of all ages.

Under this legislation, FWP will continue to develop and implement this program and release up to 50,000 pheasants annually on any suitable and eligible state-owned lands. Some releases will occur a few days before the youth pheasant season opener to maximize the opportunity for youth hunters, and some releases could occur later in the months of October and November to increase hunting opportunities for hunters of all ages.

Pheasants released through the program are required to be stock from National Poultry Improvement Plan certified hatcheries that have tested negative for certain poultry diseases. Plans are underway for the State Prison in Deer Lodge to begin raising pheasants for this FWP program. FWP will provide funds for start-up costs for the prison to begin raising pheasants. The prison will provide pheasants only to FWP. If pheasants are not available from the prison in 2022, FWP may purchase birds from private producers.

In September 2021, the first season of this effort, FWP released 2,094 pheasants on seven WMAs in FWP Regions 3, 4, 5, and 7, prior to the youth pheasant season opener. The initial release resulted in good satisfaction for youth hunters who were hunting lands where birds were released.  

To view the EA and provide comment, go online. Comments can also be emailed to doneill@mt.gov or sent to Fish, Wildlife & Parks, P.O. Box 200701, Helena, MT 59620-0701, Attn: Deb O’Neill. Public comment will be accepted until Feb. 28.

Many in the Gallatin Valley community have seen or directly experienced the multi-faced work of local nonprofit HRDC. For over 45 years, HRDC has been committed to building a better community in the greater Bozeman area. Through transportation solutions, food and nutrition services, affordable housing, early childhood education, and financial coaching, HRDC plays a pivotal role in enhancing our hard-working neighbors’ quality of life.

In Fall 2021, HRDC took another step to better serve their community of clients, specifically Gallatin County’s growing Spanish-speaking population.


A new partnership with World Language Initiative (WLI), whose mission is to provide language & culture opportunities to all Montanans, provided 30 HRDC employees with Spanish language classes. Their shared goal is to better serve and communicate with Gallatin County’s growing Spanish-speaking population to create a more welcoming community.

WLI Spanish Educator Kristen Wolf says, "The work of the entire HRDC team is incredibly vital to our growing community, and I myself have benefitted from their programs in the past. It's a true honor to guide their staff in acquiring Spanish so they may best communicate with clients.”

Wolf has been a Spanish educator for 13 years, and received the Montana Language Teacher of The Year award in 2019. She currently works with WLI as their Lead Language Coach, offering professional development training to part-time language educators through WLI’s “Coaches Up!” program.

The new partnership between HRDC and WLI has allowed employees to use professional development hours to learn useful & practical Spanish skills in the workplace.

HRDC Strategic Planning Officer, Krista Dicomitis, shares that she loves how the beginning Spanish classes focus on how HRDC can best connect with customers through their native language. “It's extremely applicable to the work we do, because we're practicing specific terms and phrases we will use in everyday interactions,” says Dicomitis.

According to the Pew Hispanic Research Center, Montana has one of the fastest growing Latine populations in the nation, with an increase of 50% in 2019. BSD7 English Learner Coordinator, Ellen Guettler, says “The majority of these newcomers are from rural towns and frequently have low levels of formal education and literacy. Thus, Latine migrants living in new rural settlements such as Gallatin County face significant educational barriers and higher risks to their overall well-being.”

Both HRDC & WLI believe this rapid growth calls upon them to create a more welcoming and supportive community that attempts to connect with and provide services to English Learners in their native language. It has become especially important as newcomers navigate the many cultural differences they and their families face when adapting to a new country and community.

“Across the board, we HRDC employees have observed an increase in language barriers between us and some of our customers,” says HRDC employee, Jacqui Colt. “Kristen's Spanish class is really an excellent way to break down that barrier as best we can in a limited time…We are truly being provided with an excellent toolset to be able to ask and receive the critical information that makes the difference between communicating with our clients or not.”

WLI Spanish Classes at HRDC continue this spring serving 30 employees through both beginner and intermediate Spanish classes.

HRDC CEO, Heather Grenier, says “World Language Initiative has been a terrific partner for HRDC as we continue to expand our team's bilingual abilities. They were willing to adapt their educational approach to meet our needs and customize content to be reflective of everyday interactions for our team members. After just a handful of sessions, our team has been able to better navigate through initial interactions with our non-English speaking community members and for that, we are most grateful.”

More information about World Language Initiative’s Spanish classes for businesses and other organizations can be obtained by contacting Kristina Allison, WLI Program Manager, at info@wlimt.org

HELENA – The Fish and Wildlife Commission will meet Friday, Jan. 28, to review the wolf hunting and trapping seasons in FWP Region 3 as required by the decision the commission made on wolf regulations during its August meeting.

The meeting Jan. 28 will be streamed live on the FWP website; there will be opportunity for public comment on any commission action. The meeting time is tentatively set for 1:30.

The commission established harvest thresholds in each of FWP’s administrative regions, which total 450 statewide. If harvest meets any of these thresholds, the commission will convene to revisit the regulations and potentially adjust the season structure.

As wolf harvest in Region 3, which is generally comprised of southwest Montana, nears its threshold, the commission will discuss potential next steps and may act on some of them at this meeting. The Region 3 threshold is 82 wolves; as of Wednesday morning, the harvest for Region 3 is 74 wolves.

Those interested in up-to-date information on the status of Montana’s wolf harvest can view FWP’s wolf dashboard, which  shows the number of wolves harvested by region and wolf management unit (WMU). The dashboard is updated multiple times per day. 

For all wolf hunting and trapping regulations and information, visit FWP's wolf webpage. 

BOZEMAN – A study published this month by researchers at Montana State University shows black holes in a new light. Instead of acting as a destructive cosmic force, at least one black hole appears to be helping to form new stars.

Published in the Jan. 20 issue of the journal Nature, the study examines Henize 2–10, a dwarf galaxy 30 million light-years from Earth in the southern constellation Pyxis, whose core contains a massive black hole with a mass of approximately one million Suns. The relatively tiny galaxy contains less than a tenth the number of stars found in our own Milky Way galaxy.

With data from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, authors Zachary Schutte, a graduate student, andAmy Reines, an assistant professor, both in the Department of Physics in MSU’s College of Letters and Science and the eXtreme Gravity Institute at MSU, found that the black hole  in Henize 2–10 is expelling ionized gases in a long filament.

Outflowing material traveling at about 1 million miles per hour is striking an area of dense gases about 230  light-years away from the black hole, where many stars have been recently formed.

“From the beginning I knew something unusual and special was happening in Henize 2–10, and now Hubble has provided a very clear picture of the connection between the black hole and a neighboring star forming region,” Reines said in a NASA press release.

In many larger galaxies, central massive black holes produce jets of radiation moving near the speed of light. Any gas clouds caught in the path would be heated beyond their ability to form new stars. But the authors say that the outflow from the black hole in the dwarf galaxy Henize 2–10 is much slower and gentler, and observations indicate that it’s actively helping star formation instead of hindering it.

“At only 30 million light-years away, Henize 2–10 is close enough that Hubble was able to capture both images and spectroscopic evidence of a black hole outflow very clearly. The additional surprise was that, rather than suppressing star formation, the outflow was triggering the birth of new stars,” Schutte told NASA.

Reines has been searching the skies for black holes for a decade. As a graduate student at the University of Virginia, she found evidence that Henize 2–10 was home to a massive black hole, which at the time ran contrary to the general theories about dwarf galaxies.

Her findings were published in Nature in 2011, and her discoveries have energized the search for black holes in dwarf galaxies, as she and other scientists attempt to discover how these massive black holes form. Dwarf galaxies like Henize 2–10 can offer clues to massive black hole formation that larger galaxies cannot, since they haven’t undergone as much growth as giant galaxies like the Milky Way. They may offer a glimpse of what black holes were like in the early universe.

In addition to the Nature publication, Reines also published an article on Jan. 21 in the journal Nature Astronomy where she discusses the current state of studies into massive black holes in dwarf galaxies, as well as future prospects for the field.

The eXtreme Gravity Institute at MSU brings together physicists and astronomers to study phenomena where the forces of gravity are so strong, they blur the separation between space and time, such as the big bang, neutron stars and black holes.

For many, enjoying a glass of ice-cold beer is a great way to end a long day. It’s also a crowd favorite during gatherings and events. Anywhere in the world, beer is known to be one of the most popular alcoholic drinks. Many countries have their unique blend and taste that create a distinction for their local beer.

There are also many types of beer to choose from that feature varying levels of darkness and depth in flavor, though most of them fall under the ale or lager category. Aside from this, there are recipes from around the globe that showcase different ways to alter its flavor and serve it creatively. If you’re a beer lover and you want to try other ways to enjoy your favorite drink, here are a few suggestions:

1. Use A Beer Snorkel
If you want to spice things up at a party, you can try using a beer snorkel as a fun way to enjoy this classic drink. A beer snorkel could be an interesting drinking experience especially for first-timers since this equipment allows you to finish a whole bottle in a matter of seconds. This is made possible by the snorkel’s unique design that allows air to flow into the bottle and helps the liquid come out quicker. To liven up the party further, you can invite some of your guests to a beer-drinking game and see who can finish their drink first.

2. Turn Beer Into Slushie
A glass of beer can become even more refreshing when turned into a slushie. To make one, you’ll need to pour a bottle of beer on an ice tray and freeze it completely. Then, put the frozen beer into a blender and crush the cubes until you achieve the desired texture. You can also add citrus flavors such as lemon or orange juice and some sweetener for a pleasant balance of flavors.

3. Make Beer Gelatin Shots
Another fun way to enjoy your favorite beer is by making beer gelatin shots. This is ideal especially if you’re entertaining guests as each shot looks festive and indulgent. The colorful assembly is reminiscent of desserts, but the beer flavor will surely be a pleasant surprise for your guests. It’s also easy to prepare and only needs a few ingredients which makes it an ideal party treat.

To make them, you’ll need powdered gelatin and sugar to mix with the beer. When the gelatin sets, you can garnish it with whipped cream and lime wedges. Depending on what you have in your bar counter, you can also add a splash of tequila or vodka to the cream or the gelatin before it sets.

4. Pair Dark Beer With Ice Cream
Dark beer, such as stout and porter, have deep and bold flavors with a hint of sweetness that closely resembles coffee or chocolate. This is why many use dark beer types to pair with ice cream in creating a beer float. To make one, you only need to pour dark beer into a glass and top it with ice cream.

For the ice cream flavors, the most popularly used are vanilla, chocolate, or mocha. However, you’re free to use any flavor provided that it’s not too tart or citrusy. Also, you can add ice to your beer float as you like.

5. Make A Spicy Drink
If you’d like a refreshing drink perfect for summer, you can consider making a savory beer drink. A michelada is a popular Mexican cocktail that combines beer with hot and savory components. This drink makes an interesting treat especially for first-timers as it includes different types of hot sauces, spices, tomato sauce, lime, and salt. Other variations use soy sauce and other condiments commonly used for cooking. Reminiscent of the Bloody Mary cocktail, a michelada is also considered a recovery drink that could help ease discomfort from a hangover.

Conclusion
Beer is a popular drink because it’s easy to serve and pair with many snacks and dishes. Given this, there’s no harm in trying other ways to enjoy its flavors. This party favorite can be transformed in various ways and combined with many ingredients to give it an interesting twist. As such, you can consider enhancing its flavors using other liquor and food items that you haven’t tried before.

As with all other food combinations, however, it’s best to check whether the flavors will complement or clash with one another. For instance, beer isn’t commonly paired with wine, soda, and energy drinks because of the high acid content which creates an unpleasant flavor.

Due to a rise in COVID-19 cases, Montana Shakespeare in the Parks has postponed its upcoming winter tour of “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) (Revised).”

Ticket holders will receive a full refund from their point of purchase. New show dates will be announced at a later time. More information can be found at shakespeareintheparks.org/. For questions contact Kimberly Helms at 406-994-3944.

“It is absolutely with a heavy heart to have to announce the postponing of our winter tour performances,” said Kevin Asselin, executive artistic director of MSIP. “We never, ever want to disappoint our beloved audiences because sharing our passion for Shakespeare and enriching and engaging our communities is at the core of who we are and what we do.”

MSIP is an outreach program of the MSU College of Arts and Architecture.

Nothing beats the fun of regularly taking picnics with your kids, spouse, or loved ones. For starters, being out there on a sunny afternoon gives you all a good dose of fresh air and the sun’s vitamin D. It also lets you break from your everyday routine as you relax, ward off stress, bond, and have a good time with the people close to you.


Now, if you live in Bozeman or are visiting from nearby, you’re in luck because you will never run out of places to enjoy the outdoors on a picnic. However, your picnic will hardly be anywhere perfect without the following essential items.

Essentials You Shouldn’t Miss In a Bozeman Picnic

1. A Picnic Blanket

One of the first things you shouldn’t forget to bring to a Bozeman picnic is a blanket. This is especially if your picnicking location doesn’t have arranged picnic tables and benches. After all, much of the fun in picnicking is experienced when seated down on the green grass feeling the breeze and enjoying the sun. A sizable blanket also allows you to spread and safely place your refreshments and other belongings for the picnic. For the best results, consider the picnic blanket types that come with a waterproof lining in case the grass or ground is wet.

2. Sunscreen 

With an average of more than 300 days of sunshine per year, Bozeman is known to be Montana’s sunniest city. This is perhaps one of the reasons why it ranks top in the best places to live in the state of Montana. All the same, the last thing you want is to come home with sunburns after a nice picnic, so be sure to pack some sunscreen.

3. A Picnic Basket, Carrier, or Cooler 

This one is almost obvious, but sometimes it’s easy to forget for a first-timer in picnicking. Some people prefer backpacks or totes, but picnic baskets are especially great for romantic picnics. Depending on the kind of food and drinks you’ll be carrying, a cooler is sometimes considered more appropriate.

4. Corkscrew or Bottle Opener

If you’re planning to have some wine or pop some champagne during your picnic, you want to make sure you have a way to open the cork. This means bringing a corkscrew but for those who prefer having some beers or soda, a bottle opener will come in handy. Also, remember to pack a knife, some disposable plates, spoons, and so forth if you plan on having a home-cooked meal.

5. A Hot Flask 

If you’re going to picnic on a chilly day, you might need a warm drink instead of wine or cold beverages. A thermos flask lets you bring hot water so you can make instant coffee, chocolate, or tea. When it comes to making hot water, the Fellow Stagg Kettle collection at Ssense has a range of electric and stovetop kettle options you might be interested in. Most of these allow you to boil water in roughly a minute or less.

6. Bug Spray 

Like most other places around Montana, bugs are expected during a Bozeman picnic. These creepy bugs of Montana may range from spiders to biting and stinging insects. Carrying some bug spray or insect repellant can be a great way to protect yourself and your loved one/s.

7. Wipes or Paper Towels and Trash Bag 

Depending on the type of meal you’ll be taking on your picnic, some wet wipes or paper towels can come in handy. They help in wiping out messes after eating outdoors or even cleaning the picnic table, food containers, as well as your hands before the meal and afterward. A trash bag will also help ensure you don’t leave the environment littered. From Lindley Park to Kirk Park, Cooper Park, and Valley Unit Park, Bozeman is home to tens of local picnic-friendly parks. It also hosts a whole range of awesome outdoor places where you can have incredibly special picnic moments with your loved ones. To make the experience complete, now you know what to pack when heading to a picnic in Bozeman.  

Every year, people make resolutions that never really see the light of day. This time, things could be different, especially if you choose a specific area of your lifestyle that could use improvement and focus on doing something about it. People who accomplish their New Year's goals tend to focus on just one specific task instead of multiple, undefined aims.

This year, consider taking on a targeted, self-improvement goal like getting fit for better long-term health, earning a college degree in a field in a subject that interests you, reducing stress levels through meditation, or moving to a place that's always been on your mental radar. Fortunately, there are many exciting choices. Here are the top selections that seem to deliver the best results for people who want to make their everyday lives more enjoyable and rewarding.

Get Fit

Health clubs enjoy a surge of applicants every January. Unfortunately, the enthusiasm tends to die down as a large number of participants lose their commitment with each passing month. Instead of relying on a club, consider working out at home on a regular schedule that fits your work and life routine. Always consult your doctor before beginning a new exercise program, and remember to start slowly. Success is closely connected with consistency, so don't feel you need to work out every day. Most working adults discover that three or four days per week does the trick.

Earn a College Degree

Getting a college diploma is at the top of many lists of resolutions. People know the practical value of a degree for advancing a career. Likewise, having a framed certificate on your office wall is a status symbol in many fields where only college graduates get promoted to higher levels of an organization. Financing an education can be challenging, but millions of prospective students find scholarship money that pays for some or all of their expenses. Consider using a search and application platform to identify relevant scholarships for your field of study quickly. The platforms are free to use and give you a chance to get money to support your educational goals going forward.

Learn Meditation

Meditation is not about religion or faith-based pursuits unless you want it to be. Instead, many people use simple mediation and relaxation techniques to reduce everyday stress. Many excellent online tutorials teach the essentials of meditation, and most are free. Try to find instructional resources designed for beginners and that focus on non-religious forms of meditation. You could even add meditation to an entire self-care daily routine. Perhaps meditation, followed by an herbal tea and a hot shower, for example.

Move

In some cases, the geographic cure can work wonders. The human brain can approach burn out faster when there is no change of scenery. Just be sure to do an honest self-assessment, so you know you're not simply running away from a personal problem. Instead, view moving as a way to make new friends, start a new career, take advantage of a thriving real estate market, and explore a city or region. A tip is to always find worthwhile work in the target location before quitting your current job or putting your home on the market. If moving is your resolution, start preparing with job searches, hunting for a new home, and making connections that will make the transition easier.