Thursday, Nov. 4th, 2021

“Can the Griz” 2021 reduce parking tickets through canned goods

Bozeman Parking teams up with Gallatin Valley Food Bank to “Can the Griz” by reducing parking tickets through canned goods

Bozeman, MT— The City of Bozeman Parking Division is partnering with Gallatin Valley Food Bank to collect canned good donations in exchange for reduced parking citation fees from November 6-20. The program is a part of “Can the Griz,” an annual friendly, off-field competition between Montana State University and the University of Montana to see which school can collect the most donations for their local food bank.


How does the program work?
• Drop-off locations will be available from November 8-20 at the Bozeman City Hall Finance Department (121 N Rouse Ave) from 9 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. and 12:30– 3 p.m. Monday – Thursday and Friday from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
• Individuals with outstanding parking citations will be able to reduce their ticket by $2 for each can up to five cans, individuals who bring in five cans will get their citation reduced by half (the maximum amount that can be reduced.)
• Eligible citations include: overtime citations, parking garage citations, street maintenance citations, and Montana State University/Bozeman High School parking permit citations
• Tickets issued for safety violations will not be eligible to participate
• Citations issued in the last year (after November 21, 2020) are eligible for reduction
• Any can brought in will only apply to the base citation amount and cannot be applied toward late fees or collections fees

Bozeman Parking Manager Mike Veselik says, “The opportunity to support this great cause and give people a chance to get their tickets paid off seemed like a perfect match for Bozeman Parking. If you’ve got a parking ticket that’s collecting dust, don’t wait. Get it paid off for less and help us can the Griz!”


The program will be in place for the entire length of Can the Griz from November 6 -20 (City Hall drop off locations will open Monday November 8.) For more information on the Can the Griz Food Drive as well as a list of desirable items visit canthegriz.com

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Tuesday, Nov. 2nd, 2021

How to Host a Successful Virtual Event: 7 Tips

Virtual events are becoming all the more important, especially during a global pandemic, and there are some key advantages. Costs are lower, both for setup and attendee admission. People can interact from all across the globe without spending ludicrous amounts on hotels or flights. You may even be able to hire high demand speakers that don’t have the time to commit to an in-person event, and people that won’t be able to make in-person events can attend from their own homes.

Perhaps you’ve heard all about this but are not sure how to host one of your own? Fortunately, we’ve consolidated the most helpful tips on how to plan a successful virtual event. Let’s take a look!

1. Understanding your target audience

Before you begin planning, you will need to know your target audience like the back of your hand. Just like any marketing plan, the backbone lies with an understanding of your ideal customer. These are the sorts of questions that you need to ask yourself:

• How familiar are your audience with social media?
• What subject in your industry are your audience most interested in?
• What incentives do not respond to the best (e.g. sweepstakes, discount codes, competitions)?

Test the water and send out surveys to your audience, facilitating a discussion to acquire the data you need to plan. Don’t begin planning until you have a full grasp of your target audience.

2. Defining your format

Much like a conference, there are many flavors to virtual events. They can take the form of a single person presenting, or they could be more like a workshop or tradeshow. Whatever form your event will take, the key is to make it unique and something that stands out from your competitors.

Be crystal clear about what the audience will see, setting clear expectations about your event from the get-go. Will your audience be able to interact and ask live questions? Try to make use of this functionality as it will boost engagement. Are there cameras going to be on? If so, they will need to know this in advance. Will the event be high-level or tactical? Set the stage to make sure that the people registering, know exactly what they will get. By having a strong sense of purpose, you can also leverage the ‘why’ in promotional emails that remind those who are marked as attending as to why they signed up in the first place. Reminding a registrant will be valuable, refreshing their memory and increasing the likelihood that they will turn up.

3. Choose your platform

With all the live streaming services out there, which do you choose? There is no right answer to this question - it depends on your needs. In general, we’d recommend looking into services such as Facebook Livestream, Zoom, Periscope, and YouTube live. Most of these services offer free trials way can perform dry runs. To make use of these before your event - you should become familiar with the basic functionalities of your platform, and have the timeline down to a T.

4. Choosing a host

Special consideration needs to be placed on who will host the event. If you think of yourself as a prominent public speaker, you can take the lead. It’s not uncommon for many companies to hire a professional speaker, or choose in-house members of staff who have had presentation experience - the kind that can respond at the spur of the moment to unexpected events. After all, there are a lot of things that can go wrong with live streaming such as poor connectivity or technical issues.

Whoever will be hosting the event, should speak clearly and respond to queries through social media and any relevant tech channels. The audience needs to feel a personal connection with direct eye contact, so get them comfortable looking directly into the camera. Anybody can spot script reading from a mile away!

5. Marketing your event

Your marketing plan shouldn’t differ from that of any face-to-face event. We recommend using social media to get the hype out well in advance of the event. Make use of all the channels to provide information, entice people to register, and create engaging content that can be shared amongst people. Perhaps you can make use of channels such as Snapchat or Instagram to show viewers where the event will take place? You could link to the biography of the speaker, a tutorial video on how to access the event on the day, or even use this as an opportunity to share content that will complement the event’s topic such as an e-book or infographic. Make use of all the tools available to build brand recognition.

6. Choose your venue

You may be thinking what this means considering virtual events are online - “can’t I just host it from my bedroom with a background screen?”. While this is certainly an option for a budget event, you should make a virtual event look just how an in-person event would. People want to feel like they’re in a real-life space and feel a personal connection. Consider hiring a space that you can fill with basics such as audiovisual equipment and a podium. Your camera should be zooming in and out, giving your audience a good view of your background. If you’re a bit strapped for cash, at least decorate your room as best you can to fit the theme of the event, avoiding the need to hide in front of a cheesy and cheap-looking background screen.

7. Choosing a date and time

One great thing about virtual events is that geographical concerns are a non-issue. However, people can become complacent and not turn up because nothing is constraining them to attend. The best times to host are generally the weekends and early evenings, but it is an inexact science.

Time zones are critical and more relevant than ever, so research your target audience and think about where they are located. How many overseas followers do have? If the majority are overseas, in what time zone? Are you looking to conquer a particular market? Which one, and what time zone represents it? Gather information from your audience to suggest when people are most available. You could send out surveys or emails to collect data. If you are contacting people in a time zone that would not suit them, ask them how likely they would be considering certain times. As a last resort, suggest that you can always upload a recording of the event on a channel such as YouTube.

Virtual events are different because people can log off at any time at their convenience. Attendees are also more likely to get bored or notice “dead time”, given that they are most likely watching from their own home. The event itself should be kept as short as possible to focus your audience’s attention. Practice makes perfect - get everything down to an efficient format and make sure everything runs smoothly.

Conclusion

Now that you read our article, we hope that you can host a successful virtual event that engages and connects your audience to your company. Be sure to boost engagement by offering a range of interactive elements, responding quickly to queries, offering excellent speakers, and having everything run smoothly. Once you’ve got a great plan in place, round it all off with a tech-savvy social media campaign that gets the word out. Last but not least, practice until perfect. Good luck and all the best!

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Monday, Nov. 1st, 2021

Sage Lodge Welcomes Ben Jones as Executive Chef


PRAY, Montana (November 1, 2021)
– Sage Lodge, an outdoors-focused Montana resort located 30 miles north of Yellowstone National Park and managed by Columbia Hospitality, is excited to announce the selection of Ben Jones as its new executive chef. The lodge, which opened in 2018 and has a long-standing partnership with Sage Fly Fishing, continues to solidify its reputation as one of the state’s premier lodging properties, ranking in the top one percent in the world in Tripadvisor’s “2021 Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best” awards.

In his new role, Jones will create and implement the culinary vision for the property, which includes the on-site restaurants The Grill at Sage Lodge and the Fireside Room, as well as meetings and events.

“I am very impressed by and excited to work with the team here in the breathtaking Paradise Valley,” said Jones. “I look forward to developing a culture of team and guest focus that is above any other, and I can’t wait to further enhance and expand our cuisine offerings and make this the premier culinary workplace in Montana.”

Jones’ experiences span more than 20 years. He started his career as chef de cuisine at the Peninsula Hotel in Chicago and worked his way up to becoming the executive chef at both The Resort at Paws Up in Greenough, Montana and more recently at Alderbrook Resort and Spa in Union, Washington. In these roles, Jones gained extensive experience with regional culinary operations, including bolstering culinary events and programming, controlling budgets and creating systems to maintain staff retention and guest satisfaction.

Jones has also participated in key events, including as guest chef for the 2016 James Beard House event; published recipes in the Smoke and Fire cookbook; and hosted the James Beard Boot Camp on sustainability and food waste. He is also the founder of and chef at Open Hearth Private Chef and Catering LLC, a private-chef and custom-catering company, alongside his wife and partner, Michelle Byerly.

In his new role as executive chef, Jones looks forward to developing and mentoring his team, being creative with food preservation, sourcing and highlighting local ingredients year-round, bolstering The Grill’s dry-age room program, developing culinary event programming and maintaining the consistency and quality of the culinary offerings at the property.

Jones is originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico, and has a degree in culinary arts from Nelson Polytechnic in Nelson, New Zealand. In his free time, he keeps himself busy with an assortment of activities, including volunteering at food banks, splitting firewood, weightlifting, reading, writing poetry, studying wine, cheesemaking, making charcuterie, and horseback and bike riding with his wife and three children.

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Kenny Chesney Gears Up for HERE AND NOW 2022

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – “When we realized we weren’t getting to spend 2020 with No Shoes Nation, I never thought it would be three years until I would see my most favorite people in the world,” says eight-time Entertainer of the Year Kenny Chesney ahead of his Here And Now 2022 stadium tour presented by Blue Chair Bay Rum and fueled by MARATHON, set to launch April 23 at Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium. “My favorite place in the world is anywhere we all come together. They come strong. They get loud. They love the music. But most importantly, they live life – every second – for all its worth! They inspire me, and I want to get out there and get going, creating the greatest night of the summer every time we hit the stage.

“Putting this line-up together has been awesome,” Chesney continues. “We’ve got Dan + Shay, who continue to set records with their music and have been burning it up on their own headlining tour this year. We have an old favorite, who just keep getting better, Old Dominion – it’s almost like it wouldn’t be a stadium show without them! – and one of my newest friends in Carly Pearce, whose so

"Chesney, the only Country artist on Pollstar’s Top Touring Artists of the Decade, wanted to bring the people who come out every summer the very best show possible. It meant a lot of mixing, matching and sorting potential line-ups to arrive at this group that will keep people feeling good and give them several different performances throughout the evening.

Starting with Pearce, a current CMA Female Vocalist and Album of the Year nominee, the show kicks off with a woman who honed her skills as a teen doing five shows a day at Dollywood and has since topped the charts at Country radio. Following Pearce is No Shoes Nation favorites Old Dominion, the reigning four-time ACM and three-time CMA Vocal Group of the Year, as the momentum just keeps building. Rounding out the opening sets are Dan + Shay, the duo who have shattered streaming records and created their own lane of soul meets smooth Country with hits such as “10,000 Hours,” “Speechless” and “Tequila,” as they take their power of positive energy to new levels.

“No matter who you are,” Chesney says, “someone who’s been coming since the very beginning or is curious what the fuss is all about, I wanted to give No Shoes Nation the best lineup of music that’s gonna give them the kind of celebratory night we all deserve after waiting so long.”

Kicking off April 23 in Tampa, Fla. at Raymond James Stadium, Chesney will play 21 stadium concerts, finishing Here And Now 2022 with what has almost become a No Shoes Nation tradition: a double-play at New England’s Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on August 26 and 27. All current ticketholders remain in their original seats at each stadium.

To celebrate the news of the Here And Now 2022 lineup, the 19 stadium shows already announced are getting “Five Day Party Pricing,” to honor those fans who normally attend multiple shows each summer with limited discounted tickets at multiple price points igniting the Here And Now 2022 summer. To make it super-easy, no codes, no clubs, no special sign-ups and prices will already reflect any discounts. Just look for the price that fits your party now through Nov. 5.

“Let’s make this simple!” Chesney says. “It’s been a long time. No Shoes Nation moves around, shows up in lots of cities. So, to say thank you for being the most awesome people in the world, I thought this was a way to recognize the people who do more than one or two stadiums each summer!”

In addition to the previously announced stadium shows, Chesney has also added dates at Charlotte, N.C.’s Bank of America Stadium and Columbus, Ohio’s Historic Crew Stadium. Tickets to the newly announced Charlotte show go on sale to the general public on Friday, Nov. 12 at 10 a.m. local time, with on sale details for Columbus TBA.

American Express® Card Members can purchase Charlotte tickets before the general public beginning Wednesday, Nov. 3 at 10 a.m. local time through Thursday, Nov. 11 at 10 p.m. local time.

Here And Now 2022 presented by Blue Chair Bay Rum and fueled by MARATHON picks up where one of contemporary music’s greatest love affairs left off. Having sold over a million tickets every year since 2002, Chesney is ready to get back out there – and he’s bringing a few of his very best musical friends with him.

For more information and to purchase tickets to all dates, visit www.KennyChesney.com.

July 9***        Bobcat Stadium             without Dan & Shay                     Bozeman, Mont.

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Why Freelancing Isn't Always Good


Nowadays, many people in the world work as freelancers. Of course, this is convenient these days, because representatives of far from all professions want to get to the office every day. It takes a lot of time that can be spent on work or leisure. Many companies are now not recruiting permanent employees, but place orders for the freelance market. For example, bloggers' copywriters always work online. This is a very important profession now because, thanks to interesting posts, they do not have to buy Instagram followers. In this article, you will find out why this format is not always beneficial and safe.

What problems do freelancers face?
One of the main problems with this format of work is its unreliability. Unfortunately, to this day, many workers are faced with scammers who give the task in order to subsequently receive it and not pay for it. Of course, there are many freelance services with which you can conclude a secure contract between the customer and the contractor, but such services always take a commission.

Sometimes you can find a commission of 9% or even more. In addition, such platforms take a commission for depositing and withdrawing funds. Consequently, for an inexpensive order, the performer can get even less money. This is extremely disadvantageous.

However, many owners of Instagram accounts order writing posts or design pictures on such exchanges. It benefits them because they don't buy followers on Instagram thanks to the beautifully designed profile, but they still spend a lot of money to pay for their safe deal.
Another important disadvantage is that most freelancers do not have formal employment contracts with companies. As a rule, they often work with different customers and do not stay with one. This can be convenient if you prefer to have an unstable schedule and travel often, but the earnings will not be constant. Those who often change customers periodically have moments when they cannot find new orders and do not receive a salary.

How to find a way out of the situation
If you work as a freelancer and do not plan to get a job in a company, then it cannot be said that this is the wrong choice. However, you should monitor the safety of your transactions and work only with trusted customers. For example, you can find out about some companies or entrepreneurs from your friends.

Also, try to always ask for prepayment for every order. As a rule, honest customers agree to a 50% prepayment. If he does not agree to such a condition, you should think about whether it is worth cooperating with this person.

You can try to work with freelance services to protect yourself from unscrupulous customers but try to find a platform with a lower commission. The service will keep the money until the employee hands over the job. After that, the customer will check and accept the order, and only at this moment, the payment will go to the employee's account.

We hope this article will help you in the future. Good luck!

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Sunday, Oct. 31st, 2021

Hiking with the help of ABC Watches (Altimeter, Barometer, Compass)


These devices, which go by the abbreviation "ABC," combine an altimeter, barometer, and compass into one convenient gadget. Going for a hike in the woods? A reliable ABC watch will keep you informed and secure on your travels.

ABC altimeter watches - Key features

For those unfamiliar, an altimeter monitors changes in air pressure whereas a barometer estimates the height attained during a voyage. As you would expect, both of these techniques are critical for trekkers who wish to keep track of their progress while also avoiding severe weather.

These are, of course, just the fundamental characteristics of the most basic ABC watch accessible. According to Superwatches, many ABC watches come with a long number of features that are impossible to enumerate. Temperature sensors, lap timers, automatic time zone change, backlights, and enhanced altitude visualization maps are all popular features on these devices nowadays.

Potential purchasers should be aware that finding a fully working ABC watch that isn't too bulky is challenging. Many of the most useful components weigh six ounces or more, making them feel noticeably heavier on the wrist.

ABC altimeter watches from reputable brands

Suunto and Casio ABC watches now dominate the market because they provide a broad variety of extra functions. Garmin, on the other hand, has lately made a strong push into the high-end market by introducing solar-powered ABC watches with improved GPS features.

Check out the Garmin ABC Watches, which are widely regarded as among the finest multi-sport altimeter watches available. Based on both the Fenix 5X and Fenix 6 range, the new Fenix 7 will have links to GPS and GLONASS satellites for the most precise position tracking, thanks to its full ABC functionality.

In addition, this little gadget has advanced topographical mapping for trekking, climbing, and other outdoor activities.

Top 5 ABC watches

1. Fenix 6X from Garmin
Although the Garmin Fenix 6X is expensive, you get what you paid for. To begin with, it is the greatest multisport altimeter smartwatch available. This device has all ABC features as well as a heart rate monitor, GPS, and GLONASS satellite capabilities. In-screen topographical mapping is included on the Fenix 6X, which is useful for navigation.

For activities such as trekking and climbing, the contour lines provide comprehensive information. It's a tough, reliable timepiece that you can rely on. It also performs and looks great — it's purpose-built for outdoor use and is one of the finest smartwatches on the market.

2. Casio Pro Trek PRW-6000Y-1A
Casio's Pro Trek line of watches has always been known for being tough and long-lasting. However, a lack of flair has been a typical drawback. Usually, they're fashioned of clumsy plastics. Finally, Casio addresses this with the PRW-6000Y-1A, which is undoubtedly Casio's best-looking watch.

3. Suunto CoreThis is a less expensive choice that may be used as a daily multisport watch. It can tell you the time of dawn and sunset in 400+ places, as well as the change in pressure due to daylight decrease and a 7-day altitude record for hikers.

4. Suunto 9 Peak/Baro
Suunto's flagship ABC watches are the Suunto 9 Baro and Suunto 9 Peak, which are available at a higher price point. The battery life is the finest feature of these gadgets (which is lithium-ion). You may choose how often the GPS feature checks your position, which can have a big influence on how rapidly the battery drains.

Other features like the compass, gyro, and accelerometer will compensate for the lack of GPS tracking on the Baro 9. This provides a precise image of the position, speed, and distance.

5. Garmin Instinct GPS
This Garmin product has a classic design on the outside but has all the technology you could desire on the inside. The Instinct GPS, which was released in late 2018, is ideal for hikers and trail runners. It includes a complete ABS system, as well as GPS navigation, and is housed in a tough body.

A heart rate monitor and specialized activity modes for cycling, trekking, and open water swimming are among the fitness features. The Instinct Solar model, which is newer and has a longer battery life, is also an option.

Conclusion

The watches on this list will undoubtedly do the job if you're seeking an ABC watch and like navigation. You may get a solar version of some of them, which will offer you more battery life, which will be useful when using GPS.

The ABC watch collection continues to develop, and more models are on the way. Check out the Fenix 7, which is set to be launched this year, as well as other ABC/Altimeter watches from manufacturers like Suunto and Casio.

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cc-TDI researcher and father Andy Woods publishes new Wilms' tumor research findings

Beaverton, OR: cc-TDI researcher and father, and former Bozemanite Andy Woods publishes new Wilms’ tumor research findings in honor of his daughter thanks to generous foundation and community crowdfunding support.

Wilms’ tumor is the most common form of kidney cancer in pediatrics, affecting approximately 500 children per year in North America. “Children with Wilms’ tumors driven by a gene called MYCN, particularly those with anaplastic (or unfavorable) histology, tend to fare more poorly than those without MYCN abnormalities. MYCN has been notoriously challenging to block,” said Michael Ortiz, MD, Assistant Attending at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and co-author on the study. “Our rigorous investigation used a focused drug screen and found that BRD4 inhibition was a promising novel approach to target MYCN driven Wilms’ tumors. These findings were then validated in a large cohort of cell line and patient derived xenograft Wilms tumor models with encouraging results worthy of consideration in future clinical studies.”

The study was led by cc-TDI researcher Andy Woods and was inspired by his daughter, an anaplastic Wilms’ tumor survivor. “Stellablue was diagnosed with Wilms tumor when she was just 4 years old. For me,” Andy says, “the thought of losing our daughter threw me into super-Dad mode, I wanted to fight this as hard as we could, no matter what we had to do.” What Andy decided to do was a bit extraordinary. “I recognized that we needed more-promising treatment options for children like Stella and it became my goal to make this a reality. I poured over scientific journals, spending all of my free time learning the language of science and cancer, looking for research which might be promising for Wilms’ tumor.” Andy was hooked. He had become passionate about children with cancer, science, and cancer research. And while Andy’s daughter has since made a full recovery, he has made it his mission to continue studying Wilms’ tumor in Stella’s honor.

“What makes these results exciting is that MYCN has not been targeted in Wilms’ tumor before,” Andy says. “Our study potentially provides the pre-clinical rationale for a new therapeutic approach in Wilms’ tumor.” The article, Bromodomain 4 inhibition leads to MYCN downregulation in Wilms’ tumor will be published in the December 2021 issue of Pediatric Blood & Cancer. An online ahead of print link may be found at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pbc.29401.


“Andy’s story is unique, being the father of an anaplastic Wilms’ tumor survivor and coming from the background of being a college-educated stone and tile mason,” comments Charles Keller MD, cc-TDI’s founder and Andy’s mentor. “The often-fatal prognosis for his daughter moved Andy to understand cancer biology and then to enter the field of cancer research, ultimately studying his daughter’s type of cancer (and emerging as a published world expert). From our initial meeting to his position today as a Senior Research Associate at cc-TDI, Andy has displayed a high level of determination and dedication to making a difference not only for his daughter, but also for the many other children who suffer from pediatric cancer. In my 21 years of training high school students, college students, medical students, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows, Andy ranks in the top 0.0001% for grit.”

For more information regarding this study or Andy’s research, please contact Erika at erika@cc-tdi.org.

This scientific study was sponsored by a significant number of pediatric foundations and the Wilms’ tumor community at large. Using a jigsaw approach to funding, this research was made possible thanks to the generous support from the following foundations, community partners and crowdfunding support. Thank you to the

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About cc-TDI: The Children’s Cancer Therapy Development Institute (cc-TDI), (www.cc-tdi.org) is a non- profit biotech organization whose mission is to translate scientific discovery into clinical trials by understanding and providing new disease-specific treatment options for children with cancer. cc-TDI’s research team of biologists and biomedical engineers, work closely to identify targets on cancer cells and provide evidence-based testing for the selection of new drugs to be used in childhood cancer phase I and phase II clinical trials.

cc-TDI Media Contact: Erika Ellis, Communications Lead (erika@cc-tdi.org). Social media: Facebook and Twitter @cctdilab, Instagram @cctdi, LinkedIn @Children’s Cancer Therapy Development Institute.

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Children’s Festival of the Book Brings Celebrated Authors to Online Event, Book Signing

The Children's Festival of the Book returns to Bozeman for a 13th year this November. Presented by the Bozeman Public Library, the event features nationally renowned authors and illustrators in addition to regional writers. It is the only festival in Montana dedicated exclusively to children’s books and childhood literacy.

This year’s event brings children’s author Chris Barton and author/illustrator Don Tate, as well as local author Janet Fox, to select school classrooms on Friday, November 12. The featured guests will also be available for a book signing and book sales at the Bozeman Public Library on Saturday, November 13. Registration is required for the book signing. For details, visit https://www.bozemanlibrary.org/services/for/kids/children-s-festival-of-the-book.

Because of COVID-19, the festival will be structured differently from previous years. The
visiting authors will film “Live from the Library” presentations that will be made available to
all elementary classrooms on Friday, November 12. The general public will also have access to
those presentations on the Library website until Friday, November 19. All who love children’s
books are invited!

Books can be purchased for signing on the day of the event at the Library. They are also
available any time prior to the event at the Country Bookshelf or at
www.countrybookshelf.com. A portion of book sales supports the Children's Festival of the
Book.

In keeping with the Bozeman Public Library policy, we strongly encourage masks and social
distancing while visiting the Library.

The Festival is made possible by the Bozeman Public Library Foundation, Humanities
Montana, Country Bookshelf, MSU College of Education, Health and Human Development,
Magpie Guesthouse, Audrey Haight, Jane and Bill Quinn, and others who value the
importance of children’s writers and illustrators.

For more information, please call the Children's Desk at 582-2404.

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Thursday, Oct. 28th, 2021

TravelStorysGPS Soars to New Heights with Launching Its Milestone 200th Tour

TravelStorysGPS Soars to New Heights with Launching Its Milestone 200th Tour
Jackson Hole-based mobile technology company TravelStorysGPS is celebrating the launch of its 200th geolocated audio tour, which is dedicated to female champions of land conservation. The company now hosts the largest library of curated, geolocated U.S. audio tours on a professionally maintained platform, TravelStorys™.

TravelStorysGPS founder and CEO Story Clark states, “This is a momentous milestone for our company. We started with the goal, the dream really, of connecting travelers everywhere to the fascinating and inspiring stories that communities and landscapes have to tell. As stories are the currency of memory, we wanted to fill travelers’ memories with great stories about the places they visit.”

What began as a Girl Scouts project for a young Princeton, New Jersey, resident, Madeleine Freundlich, to help to protect the land in her area evolved into this beautifully crafted mobile audio tour telling the stories of the passionate women who came before her. The Women in Conservation tour guides listeners through a 220-acre preserve protected by D&R Greenway Land Trust, sharing stories of more than a dozen women who have had a profound impact on our global landscape, including women's suffrage advocate Marjory Stoneman Douglas, who helped to establish Everglades National Park, Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai, who pioneered the Green Belt Movement in Africa, and Story Clark herself.

Clark has dedicated her life to land conservation and helping national parks and nonprofit organizations raise funding and awareness to further their own missions. She launched TravelStorysGPS in 2013 with its debut tour from Jackson to Teton Pass, soon followed by a second tour in Grand Teton National Park. Since then, the TravelStorys tour library has grown to 200 tours nationwide and internationally, including more than 60 in the Mountain West region—with many more on the way. The TravelStorysGPS team specializes in providing expert, one-on-one guidance and support throughout the entire tour-building process, ensuring high-quality, customized products that engage, educate and entertain its users.

TravelStorysGPS's mission is connecting people to places in a memorable way by combining history and exploration in its presentation of stories that offer invaluable insights about the lands they are seeing in real time—hands-free. Visitors and locals alike can download the TravelStorys app for free to serve as their guide to the world around them and enjoy tours on location or remotely.

TravelStorysGPS is a female-owned and -led software-as-a-service company and Best Mobile AppAwards 2018 April winner for best mobile app design. Not only was the tech company  founded by a woman, but it is also run by a team of strong, resourceful women, who build outstanding rapport with their clients and have a genuine love and connection to the land. “What better way to commemorate our women-led company than by honoring important women in the land conservation sector,” says Clark.

“Our mission is to pair the greatest communication tool of our time—the smartphone—with the greatest communication tool of all time—storytelling—to enrich the on-site and remote traveler’s experience,” Clark adds. “Storytelling is the captivating and enduring way that we entertain and communicate best with each other and learn about places. I wanted to use mobile app technology as a portal to, rather than a barrier from, connecting us to great places. Even if a listener never gets out of their car, they will now be able to connect with the land in a meaningful and unique way.”

About TravelStorysGPS: TravelStorysGPS LLC is a mission-driven mobile app development company based in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, transforming cultural interpretation and enjoyment of places into accessible and memorable experiences. TravelStorysGPS leverages fun facts and the power of storytelling to forge a real-time connection to place. For publishers, TravelStorysGPS meets the communication and outreach needs of charitable organizations, public agencies, and businesses through the latest developments in location-based storytelling and delivery. Learn more at travelstorys.com and download and explore the TravelStorys app for free on the App Store and Google Play Store.

About D&R Greenway Land Trust: D&R Greenway Land Trust is an accredited nonprofit that has reached a new milestone of over 21,000 acres of land preserved throughout central New Jersey since 1989. By protecting land in perpetuity and creating public trails, it gives everyone the opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors. The land trust’s preserved farms and community gardens provide local organic food for residents of the region—including those most in need. Through strategic land conservation and stewardship, D&R Greenway combats climate change, protects birds and wildlife, and ensures clean drinking water for future generations. D&R Greenway's mission is centered on connecting land with people from all walks of life.

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Billings, MT Case Becomes True Crime Podcast | 'An Absurd Result'


Mopac Audio - a subsidiary of the leading, independent Austin-based production company Megalomedia - today announced a new true crime podcast, “An Absurd Result.” In this seven-part series, host and University of Montana journalism professor Jule Banville unravels the shocking case of assault survivor Linda Tokarski Glantz and wrongfully convicted Jimmy Bromgard. Available October 27th on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts, “An Absurd Result” will feature first-hand stories and experiences from both Glantz and Bromgard alongside Banville's deep research and interviews of those involved, including more recent developments revealed in the series. Listeners can hear the official trailer now.

“What happened with Linda is that she changed. She went from never talking openly about what happened to her, even through all the twists, to answering every question and wanting listeners of this podcast to know everything,” says host Jule Banville, who met Linda in 2015 and has been thinking about how to tell her story ever since.

“An Absurd Result” chronicles the fallout after a Billings, Montana, home invasion and sexual assault. In 1987, a man broke into Linda’s house through a bathroom window. She was 8. There were seven home during the attack, but the man left without being caught. The investigation led to a rushed conviction of 18-year old Jimmy Bromgard, who had a minor criminal history. After serving nearly 15 years in prison, Bromgard was exonerated through the Innocence Project. Twelve years after he walked out, a new sample in the criminal DNA database hit on someone else arrested on a drug charge. The podcast investigates the problems with prosecuting a man whose DNA explicitly places him in Linda’s bedroom during the assault.

“Mopac Audio wants to give listeners compelling podcasts as told by the people who are most closely connected to the stories. In this case, we are immensely proud of Linda’s courage and resilience as well as Jule’s indefatigable work,” states Jonathan Beal, General Manager of Mopac Audio. “Together they have combined to deliver a series that will both rivet audiences and hopefully compel the legal system to close a glaring loophole.”

The podcast investigates how this shocking crime and its legal twists expose larger problems in the criminal justice system, specifically when the push to test the backlog of rape kits meets states’ laws and the statutes of limitation for their case. It illustrates what happens when an old case with new evidence goes through the legal system, and how a solvable crime with irrefutable evidence can fall through the cracks.

Building on Mopac’s growing success in the true crime space, “An Absurd Result" follows its highly successful podcast “LISK: Long Island Serial Killer.” The release of this new true crime podcast continues Mopac’s promise to deliver high quality audio content that focuses on in-depth narratives and storytelling. Mopac was created as a subsidiary of Megalomedia, whose mission is to impact and inspire lives by seizing ordinary moments of people discovering a way to improve their reality and strive to do good for those around them.

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