Bozeman Celebrity Dog BaconBit, the Queen of Cactus Records & Gifts in downtown Bozeman, passed away at the age of 12 ½ on Monday, June 14th 2021.

BaconBit was best known as the greeter at and unofficial mascot for Cactus Records, where she spent the majority of days during her life. Despite spending a great deal of time sleeping on the job (often obstructing customer’s ability to navigate the store) – especially later in life - she was considered by locals and tourists alike to be their favorite Cactus Records employee.

She was also known as an ambassador at SLAM (Support Local Artists and Musicians) festivals, and sometime usher at many live music performances at Live from the Divide (where she was often invited to be on stage with performing musicians).

Her favorite holiday was Record Store Day and she was very happy that she felt well enough to briefly attend 2021 Record Store Day “Drops #1” 2 days before her death. The celebration of Record Store Day “Drops #2” on July 17th at Cactus Records & Gifts will be held in her honor.

When not working, BaconBit’s favorite past times included hiking the Bozeman area’s countless dog parks and trails (though her favorite was Beehive Basin in Big Sky), laying down in cool mountain streams, going to live concert events, riding in the car, listening to and collecting vinyl records, playing with other dogs, and sleeping. Most of all, though, she loved meeting people, which made her such a natural in her position as greeter at Cactus Records.

She is survived by her sister Bumbles The Dog (formerly known as Bumbles The Puppy), her father Mike “Bueno” Good, and a slew of current and former coworkers and customers at Cactus Records, who made up her very large family, each member of which loved her dearly.

She was, in short, “The Best Lady,” and she will be missed by many.

Commemorative BaconBit Prayer Candles can be purchased at Cactus Records & Gifts, located at 29 W. Main in downtown Bozeman, and soon to be available on the web. As per BaconBit’s request, $1 of each BaconBit Prayer Candle sold will be donated to Heart of the Valley Animal Shelter.

Low flows, high water temperatures reach closure criteria  

TWIN BRIDGES – A full fishing closure is in effect once again for a portion of the lower Ruby River due to low flows and high water temperatures.  

The closure extends about 14 miles, from the Duncan District Road crossing downstream to the confluence with the Beaverhead River. This is the second time this year a fishing closure has been implemented in this section of the Ruby River.  
Flows in the Ruby River at a U.S. Geological Survey gauge near Twin Bridges dipped below 20 cubic feet per second on June 16, well below the fifth percentile of historic daily flows for that date, which is 45 cubic feet per second. Water temperatures also exceeded 73 degrees for three consecutive days from June 13 to 15.  

These flow and temperature values meet the established criteria for closing this portion of the river to fishing. Low flows and high water temperatures have been driven primarily by very low snowpack, water supply and inflows to the river. Dry conditions are expected to continue throughout the summer. 

Closures of this nature are designed to protect fish that become more susceptible to disease and mortality when conditions, such as low flows and high water temperatures, combine with additional stressors.  

This is especially expedient this year as recent fish surveys found low numbers of trout in the lower Ruby River. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks biologists estimate there are about 191 fish per mile at the upper end of the closure area, which has a long-term average of about 700 fish per mile. At the lower end, there are an estimated 31 fish per mile, compared to a long-term average of about 800 fish per mile.  

“From a fisheries perspective, we’re at historically low trout abundances in the lower Ruby,” said Matt Jaeger, FWP’s Hydropower, Native Species and Beaverhead-Ruby Program Manager. “So that, in combination with poor snowpack and low precipitation leading to low flows and high temperatures, is why we feel an angling closure is warranted.” 

Ruby River water users are also taking steps to keep flows above 20 cubic feet per second, in accordance with the Ruby Valley Users Drought Management Plan. Stored water users have taken a 15 percent reduction in allocated water, and decreed water users have taken a voluntary 10 percent reduction in allocated water, according to Bill Wood, the Dam Tender for the Ruby River Water Users Association.  

“We’re trying to balance the needs of users who rely on water from the Ruby while maintaining flow levels that fish need,” Wood said. “Water levels at Ruby River Reservoir peaked at 93 percent of capacity this year, which is the first time since 2003 that the dam didn’t spill.” 

The section of the Ruby River between Duncan District Road and the confluence with the Beaverhead River will remain closed to fishing until daily average flows exceed 40 cubic feet per second for seven consecutive days, or until Oct. 15, 2021. 

Perhaps the biggest benefit of borrowing money in the form of a home equity loan is its flexibility. Typically used to cover large, long-term expenses, the cash this loan provides you borrowed against the equity value of your home can be significant depending on your financial health and how much equity you have built up.

The Basics
Before you consider how you can use this loan, you should have a firm grasp on the facts of the actual loan and process itself. Although there is a considerable amount of flexibility there will still be qualifications you need to meet and steps you need to take. Factors like your credit score, debt-to-income ratio, and a documented ability to pay back your loan are three great examples of qualifying pieces of the process. You can review a guide that includes everything you need to know about taking out a home equity loan so you can use what you have built up in the most efficient and beneficial way. You should expect about a 30–45-day period between when you close on this loan and when you receive the funds so factor that timeline into your plans when you are determining what you will use it for, and when you will begin the application process.

Debt Management
For people whose biggest goal is debt management, a home equity loan can be a favorable solution. This lump sum loan can allow for you to either pay off a singular large debt or consolidate several debts into a more manageable monthly format. If the interest rates are more favorable on your home equity loan than they are with your existing debts that using one to pay off the other will save you more money in the long run by allowing you to apply more of your payment towards principle and less towards interest.

Home Renovations
It is extremely common for homeowners to tap into their homes value to add even more value via a renovation or remodel. Depending on the size of your intended project your personal savings might not be the most economical way to fund it, and credit cards typically carry high interest rates making them a less desirable choice as well. Take some time to learn about smart ways to use your home equity for remodeling so that you have a frame of reference when you set your project budget, as well as when you discuss your intentions during the application process.

College Expenses
Tapping into your home’s equity is a great way to help cover the expenses of college, namely tuition payments. Since it is uncommon that the college student themselves will be the homeowner with the available equity to receive the loan, this scenario is a partnership typically between parents who wish to assist in the financial burden of college and their children. It is essential that every hopeful student develop a plan for college that includes paying for it. A home equity loan provides the borrower with a lump sum of cash so you will also need to plan for how that cash will be allocated and managed through the student’s overall college lifespan.

The ELM Opens This September

Musicians and music lovers alike are eager for the return of live music. For Bozeman, Montana,  it’s coming back in the form of an exciting new music venue!

The ELM will be located on the corner of South 7th Avenue and Short Street in Bozeman’s up-and-coming Midtown District. The ELM aims to be the best venue of its size in the Western US, with best-in-class sound and production, excellent sightlines, and efficient customer circulation throughout the building.

The two-story, 1,100 capacity concert venue will open its doors on Sept. 3, 2021, with a performance from eight-time Grammy nominee Death Cab for Cutie. 

Tickets for the grand opening and initial lineup of events will go on sale this Friday, June 18, and will be available online only at logjampresents.com starting at 10 AM MT.
 

“Bozeman, we can’t wait to play a show to break in The Elm for the beautiful venue's grand opening this September!  Get your tickets and we’ll see you there!”

- Death Cab for Cutie

The City of Bozeman has placed third overall in the “Best of the Best” Water Taste Test through the American Water Works Association (AWWA). This is the second time Bozeman has placed third in this nationwide recognition of commitment to quality and flavor characteristics.
 
Water Treatment Plan Superintendent Jill Miller says, “The Water Treatment Plant, along with the Water & Sewer Department, take great pride in producing excellent quality water and maintaining that quality throughout the distribution system until delivery to our customers’ taps.”
 
Superintendent Miller adds, “This achievement means a lot. Being recognized as one of the best tasting waters in the country is a reflection of the hard work and dedication of personnel in both departments.”
 
The full press release from AWWA can be found at: https://www.awwa.org/AWWA-Articles/massachusetts-water-resources-authority-wins-best-of-the-best-water-taste-test

After postponing a tour stop last year in Bozeman due to the pandemic, country music star Kenny Chesney announced today that he will now play Bobcat Stadium on Saturday, July 9, 2022.

Montana State University is one of 19 stops on the performer’s Here and Now 2022 Stadium Tour, which begins April 23 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, and ends Aug. 26-27 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Accompanying acts will be announced at a later date.

“When we hit pause on our 2020 tour, I never thought we would go much past the fall, let alone into 2021,” Chesney said in the tour announcement. He added that changing COVID-19 protocols and concerns over fans not being able to attend sold-out shows prompted the decision to delay the original 2020 tour.

“After a lot of work on a lot of people’s parts, a lot of cooperation from the folks at the stadiums, the places we’re coming and the teams we share those venues with, we’re ready to announce the Here and Now 2022 Stadium Tour,” he said.

Tickets purchased for the original date of Chesney’s tour stop at Bobcat Stadium will be honored for the rescheduled 2022 concert, which starts that evening at 6 p.m.

Customers who are unable to make the new date will be able to request a refund until July 16, 2021. Customers can email bto@montana.edu or call 406-994-2287.

Chesney has released 19 studio albums since his debut album in 1994, 15 of which have been certified gold or higher by the Recording Industry Association of America. He has sold over 30 million albums worldwide and has had 30 No. 1 singles on the U.S. country charts, including “She’s Got It All,” “When the Sun Goes Down,” “The Boys of Fall” and “Get Along.”

He is one of the most popular touring acts in country music and has played nearly 200 stadium shows, which are regularly sold out. Chesney is an eight-time Entertainer of the Year award winner – four times awarded by the Country Music Association and four by the Academy of Country Music. 

“Confirming the new date for Kenny Chesney to play Bobcat Stadium in 2022 is a huge step as we emerge from the pandemic,” said Duane Morris, senior director of MSU Auxiliary Services. “An epic night like this at Bobcat Stadium with a performer of this magnitude will remind us how much we value live music and entertainment in our lives.”

“Like it does for everyone, the idea of music, live music, fills me up,” Chesney said. “Nothing is so in the moment, so completely alive. I want to start 2022 with the awesome rush that embodies everything playing for No Shoes Nation is. We’re calling the tour Here and Now 2022 because when we get together, there is only the present — and it’s so electric and good, I know I don’t want it to end. I just want to be 100% there with all of you.”

Thanks to an innovative piece of technology, researchers at Montana State University are now able to conduct scientific exploration at a whole new level — a very, very small one.

Last month, MSU powered up the second ultra-high resolution cryogenic transfer electron microscope, or cryo-TEM, in the northern Rocky Mountain region. The microscope, which was built in the Czech Republic before being partially disassembled and shipped to Bozeman, has the capability to create high-resolution and three-dimensional images on a cellular level with more clarity than any other tool.

It is the only TEM at any university in Montana, Idaho, Wyoming or the Dakotas. The only other such microscope in the region is at the National Institutes of Health’s Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Hamilton.

“This microscope is capable of really high-resolution imaging, down to a tenth of a nanometer, which we call an angstrom,” said Martin Lawrence, a professor in Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in MSU’s College of Letters and Science and the facility director of MSU’s Cryo-Electron Microscopy Laboratory, also called the Cryo-EM Lab. An angstrom is a unit of measurement so small it is chiefly used for wavelengths of light.

“This addition to our array of research infrastructure offers new and exciting opportunities into a variety of fields here at MSU,” said Jason Carter, vice president for research, economic development and graduate education. “It will serve as a resource for scientists both across the MSU community and in the wider world of academia.”

The microscope is so sensitive, said Lawrence, that its lenses are suspended on air cushions to avoid even the tiniest vibrations, which can distort the resulting images.

“At those kinds of resolutions, if you have even a little bit of shaking it’s going to blur the image, just like if you’re trying to hold a camera steady,” Lawrence said. “If you have changes in temperature, you’ll have very minor contractions or expansions that will shift things. Acoustic waves and even foot traffic can cause vibrations that can be a problem.”

That’s why MSU undertook a full remodel of the Cryo-EM Lab to accommodate the new microscope, which included an expansion of the space to fit the 8-foot cube-shaped chamber that houses it, which contains a shaft that reaches from floor to ceiling. The project totaled $3.8 million including the cost of the microscope, paid for with funding from the National Science Foundation, Murdock Charitable Trust and MSU’s Office of Research, Economic Development and Graduate Education.

From the time the microscope arrived in January, it took nearly eight weeks reassemble it. Along with the microscope, the Cryo-EM lab now has an entire room dedicated to the computers that take the images captured by the TEM — as many as 100,000, up to 50 per second — and stitch them into a 3-D model of something normally invisible to the naked eye.

Its uses are incredibly broad, according to Lawrence. It lets scientists see with unprecedented clarity individual proteins within cells and examine structures previously illustrated by grainy, black and white images. The TEM is particularly useful in virology, allowing researchers to get a clear enough view to identify exactly how viruses infect their hosts.

One recent project used TEM technology to explore viruses that inhabit Yellowstone National Park’s hot springs. For years, researchers had known such viruses existed and that they infected the single-celled organisms that live in thermal features. But because scientists didn’t have a clear image of what the viruses looked like, it couldn’t be said for certain exactly how they latched onto their hosts.

Thanks to the TEMs at other institutions, researchers now know the Yellowstone viruses’ cellular structures looks relatively similar to the now-recognizable SARS-CoV-2 virus, with tiny spikes that allow it to attach to its host organism. By taking thousands of images, each at a slightly different angle, and averaging them, TEM technology allows scientists to unlock new insights about some of the world’s smallest organisms.

Now, all that exploration can be done in-house at MSU, Lawrence said. Plus, when combined with the subzero technology MSU’s Cryo-EM Lab is known for, the microscope will allow materials scientists, biologists, virologists and other researchers to examine organic materials in a more natural state.

That’s because electron microscopes like TEM produce images by shooting a beam of electrons directly at a sample. This can quickly destroy organic matter like plants, making it much more difficult to see their natural makeup on a molecular level.

But the Cryo-EM Lab has a tool called a plunge freezer that uses liquid propane or ethane to freeze samples so quickly that their molecules don’t have time to reorganize into the crystal structures generally associated with freezing. Instead, their molecules trapped exactly as they were when they plunged into the freezer in a glassy form called vitreous ice.

In addition to facilitating projects across nearly a dozen departments and centers at MSU, Lawrence said the TEM will serve as a resource to scientists across the region. Researchers from other universities have already begun sending samples to put the technology to use.

“It will hugely benefit this campus and I’m glad we’ll be able to make it available to other people,” he said.

On June 13, 2021, officers of the Bozeman Police Department were asked to check the welfare of a male whom the caller had recently been unable to contact. Officers went to an address in the 100 block of N 9th Street in Bozeman to check on the welfare of the 79-year-old male. After not receiving a response, they entered the residence and ultimately found a male, later identified Steven Jay Kilwein, deceased on the floor.

The initial investigation indicated the death may have been the result of a construction accident. However, the continued investigation and an autopsy, conducted on June 15, indicated the death was the result of a criminal act.

At this time, it appears the suspect was known to the victim and that this was not a random act. It does not appear there is a general public safety concern.

Although no arrests have been made at this time, detectives are actively investigating the incident and have developed a possible suspect. Anyone with additional information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact Detective Ben King at 406-582-2035, Crimestoppers at 406-586-1131 or email crimetips@bozeman.net. Information leading to an arrest in this case may be eligible for a Crime Stopper’s reward.

Known as Trout U for its proximity to premier angling and its leadership in fisheries research and education, Montana State University has now teamed up with fly fishing industry leader Simms to offer a new line of apparel.

Under a licensing agreement for the Trout U brand, which MSU trademarked in 2007 to represent the multifaceted ways the native fish is integrated into university life, Bozeman-based Simms will begin making Trout U hats and shirts, including products made of the company's performance Bugstopper and Solarflex fabrics.

"Students come from all around the country to fish our Blue Ribbon rivers and conduct hands-on fisheries research," said Julie Kipfer, MSU's director of marketing. "This partnership with Simms is one more way that MSU students and their families can connect with that experience while showing their Montana State pride."

In recent years, MSU students with majors ranging from ecology to engineering have worked with faculty to study fish behavior, map streambeds and design fish-passage structures, all with an aim of improving native fish habitat on iconic rivers such as the Big Hole and Yellowstone. MSU has a history of working with agencies such as Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks on fisheries issues such as whirling disease management. And the MSU Library is home to the Trout and Salmonid Collection, part of an MSU effort to create the world’s largest and most comprehensive research center for trout-related information.

Simms, which relocated to the Bozeman area in 1993, developed a reputation for high-quality, innovative products after developing the first-ever breathable waders, which it still makes at its Bozeman facility. The company designs and manufactures a variety of fly fishing products and has more than 180 employees.

"Simms is very excited about our partnership with MSU on Trout U. This partnership gives us an opportunity to deepen our roots with MSU community members who are passionate about angling and our home waters," said Trevor Walz, sales manager at Simms. "Our local waters are vital, not only to our business and the local economy but also to the health and well-being of thousands upon thousands who utilize the incredible resources we are so fortunate to have in our own backyard."

The Simms Trout U products will be sold at the MSU Bookstore. Like other MSU-branded merchandise, sales of these products generate royalties for MSU. According to Kipfer, MSU hopes to expand distribution to other retail outlets in the future.

“We're always looking for ways to strategically partner with local manufacturers to bring in products whose sales can help lower the cost of course materials for MSU students," said Chad Schreier, MSU Bookstore CEO. "This is a core component of our mission, and we are excited to expand the already popular line of Simms products to include the new Trout U line for all members of the MSU community."

For more information about Trout U, visit: https://www.montana.edu/bobcatspirit/troutu/,

When Montana State University volcanologist Madison Myers considered her application for the National Science Foundation’s CAREER grant, she didn’t want to deviate from her research into the Yellowstone volcanic system and the unsolved mysteries of the most recent supereruption.

“I like the idea of a grant supporting what you’re actually doing,” said Myers, an assistant professor in the Department of Earth Sciences in the College of Letters and Science at MSU. “If this is something important to me, I’m just going to do it and hope the funding works out eventually.”

It did. This month, the National Science Foundation awarded Myers a five-year, $638,000 CAREER grant, considered one of the most prestigious early career grants for researchers.

"Dr. Myers is a remarkable scientist and so worthy of this prestigious award," said Michael Babcock, head of the Earth Sciences department. "The project will not only advance our understanding of the Yellowstone volcanic system but also emphasizes her strong commitment to student inclusivity and accessibility. Providing opportunities for students to engage in field research and work with an outstanding scientist like Dr. Myers embodies the values of our land-grant mission.”

The grant will fund research into the magma storage and eruption that created the Lava Creek Tuff formation and the Yellowstone Caldera, research which, she notes, will open field opportunities to dozens of students each year.

“All of these people get to have these cool field experiences,” Myers said. “Hopefully that engages them and helps them figure out whether they want to continue in geology or Earth sciences in general.”

Incorporating real-life training for students into the grant was important for Myers, especially with eyes toward inclusivity and accessibility. Over the five-year lifetime of the grant, she will integrate Native American perspectives into a volcanology course she teaches on campus and lead a volunteer program with shorter learning experiences in Yellowstone for those who may not be willing or able to sign on for a full semester.

“There are different ways to be a geologist,” Myers said.

As evidenced by its geysers and other formations, Yellowstone is a stable but active volcanic system. To study the history of that system, researchers like Myers look at formations of tuff, a type of rock created when expelled ash from volcanic activity is heated or compressed.

Most of the research into the Yellowstone volcano is based on tuff from the Huckleberry Ridge eruption, the oldest of just two supereruptions in the area’s history. For an eruption to be a supereruption, as defined by the volcanic explosivity index, the volcano must emit more than 1,000 cubic kilometers of material.

According to the National Park Service, the Huckleberry Ridge eruption 2.1 million years ago “coated 5,790 square miles with ash, as far away as Missouri. The total volcanic material ejected is estimated to have been 6,000 times the volume of material ejected during the 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens.”

Unlike Mt. St. Helens, which exploded from a single large magma chamber, the Huckleberry Ridge tuff seems to have originated from small pockets under the Earth’s crust, each with a different depth and its own chemistry.

“Huckleberry was interesting because there was evidence of a slow start with weeks to months of pulses of material coming out from separate chambers rather than big ones,” said Myers, who studied the eruption as part of her doctoral research at the University of Oregon. “The whole eruption was kind of like this. There were these time breaks where it paused and you have these discrete magma sources. It seems like it came out chaotically.”

Studies of the Huckleberry Ridge Tuff in Yellowstone provided one of the first examples of this type of magma storage in a volcanic system. Now Myers wants to know if the most recent supereruption 640,000 years ago, the Lava Creek, occurred in a similar fashion and if the separate, smaller chambers of magma may contribute to the stability of the active volcanic system.

“Is this just the way Yellowstone does it?” asked Myers, who facilitated MSU’s membership to the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory in 2020. “And how might that inform the way magma accumulates today? Are there still these pods that are very isolated from each other underneath?”

Much of what is known of the Lava Creek tuff is based on mapping done by the U.S. Geological Survey in the 1960s and 1970s. The maps outline where remnants of the eruption ended up and where they likely came from. Further study is centered on a handful of outcrops around the edge of the caldera where lobes of hot gassy ash solidified.

“The tuff is a massive thing that covers most of the park and part of Idaho,” Myers said. “Those four or five outcrops are telling you a small piece of a large puzzle. It could take a lifetime to learn the whole puzzle.”

At the beginning of June, Myers and her team headed to an outcrop that is supposed to be part of the most recent supereruption of the Yellowstone volcanic system, but that classification didn’t sit well with Myers.

“It had a different kind of texture. It had different materials in it,” she said. “There’s either more variation in this than we understand, or this actually part of the oldest eruption which is mis-mapped.”

Her team will use argon dating to test the minerals in the outcrop to determine if the area is instead part of the first supereruption. Myers and her team will couple field observations and chemical analysis of each exposed area of the Lava Creek Tuff to establish likely boundaries and a timeline for the eruption.

“I’m hoping in five years we know a good deal, but we’re not going to know everything. There’s no way,” Myers said. “But can we lay a foundation to then ask another set of questions that allows us to learn even more?”

According to Myers, a deeper understanding of the system, how it works and how it is triggered will ultimately help recognize signs of unrest in Yellowstone and similar volcanoes.