All four Montana State University campuses have been named among the nation’s military-friendly schools by the website MilitaryFriendly.com for its 2017 compilation of schools that support student veterans.

MSU, MSU Billings, MSU Northern and Great Falls College all made the Military Friendly Schools list, which is published annually by Victory Media to help service members and their families select the best college, university or trade school to pursue the education or training they need for a civilian career. Victory Media is publisher of G.I. Jobs, STEM Jobs, Vetrepreneur and Military Spouse.

MSU was listed among large public universities, a category for institutions with more than 10,000 students. Additionally, MSU received a silver award in this category, one of only 26 large public universities to receive silver.

Great Falls College earned a bronze medal in the community college category.

MSU Billings and MSU Northern both met the qualifications for the military-friendly designation in the small public college category.

Brenda York, director of MSU’s Office of Disability, Re-entry and Veteran Services, said schools were held to a higher standard this year than in previous years to earn the military-friendly designation.

“We are honored to again receive recognition from Military Times, especially since the bar to earn a place on this list is raised higher each year,” she said.

To compile its list of military-friendly schools, Victory Media evaluated three public data sources to complete its survey, including information from the U.S. Departments of Education and Veteran Affairs, along with responses from the 1,700 schools that completed its survey. Of the schools that responded to the survey, 1,273 were awarded the “military friendly” designation.

Award-level ratings – Top 10, gold, silver and bronze -- were determined by the institution’s survey results and its ability to meet benchmarks for student retention, graduation, job placement, loan repayment, persistence and loan default rates for all students and, specifically, student veterans. This is the first year for the award levels, which were given to 541 schools of the 1,273 that were designated as military friendly.

“All of our award recipients set the standard for excellence,” said Daniel Nichols, chief product officer of Victory Media and head of Military Friendly development. “They offer exceptional examples of what it means not just to build a program that meets federal requirements, but one that serves the military and veteran community from classrooms to careers.”

Each year, staff in MSU’s DRV office work with nearly 600 student-veterans to help them coordinate their finances and get the support they need to succeed in school. The office helps veterans with GI Bill funding and other issues, such as housing and employment.

The office also coordinates scholarships available to veterans and/or their spouses. This year, MSU Veteran Services awarded more than $15,000 in scholarships at its annual veteran appreciation dinner in April.

Among the services MSU provides to veterans are a mentorship program, dedicated counselor, tutoring, priority registration and a veteran center for veterans and their spouses.

This latest designation by MilitaryFriendly.com is among several distinctions MSU has received this year for its commitment to veterans.

In November, Military Times magazine ranked MSU as No. 89 out of 130 four-year universities to make its Best for Vets: Colleges 2017 ranking. MSU was the only institution in Montana to make the list, which has been published in the print and online version of the magazine, as well as in the print and online versions of Air Force Times, Army Times, Marine Corps Times and Navy Times.

And in September, USA Today ranked MSU as No. 136 out of 1,427 best colleges and universities for veterans. The ranking placed MSU in the top 10 percent nationally and put it as the highest-ranked university in the state.

“MSU continues to strive to make veterans and their families feel supported through the many services we offer to help them succeed,” York said.

One of the more innovative semester-end projects has had the Montana State University community asking about the origins of the huge dumpster parked next to Montana Hall.
 
The dumpster houses a life-sized pop-up museum of a World War I trench, a final project for a public history course taught by Amanda Hendrix-Komoto, professor in the MSU Department of History and Philosophy in the College of Letters and Science. Students Samm Vankirk, a senior majoring in history from Linden, Washington, and his research partner and fellow history major, Ezekiel Snoozy, re-created a World War I trench inside the dumpster, which also served as a framework for poster presentations on Montanans during the wars that were designed by other members of the class.

 
“Because MSU is an engineering school, we wanted to do a project that demonstrated engineering during the wars,” said Vankirk, who is minoring in museum studies. Because it was virtually impossible to find a place on campus to dig a trench, Vankirk and Snoozy developed a concept of building a trench in a form that would allow visitors to walk through to experience life in a trench.

 
“At first we joked about it, but then some thought it was genius and others thought it was crazy… We thought we were building a trench in a small dumpster, not one this big,” Vankirk said. The City of Bozeman donated the dumpster for six days, determining the scale of the project.
 
Vankirk and Snoozy re-created the trench using materials and tools common during the first world war, including wood, sand and wire. Vankirk said he and Snoozy scavenged most of the supplies for the project, save for the nails used to construct the wooden walls. Photos of Montanans in World War I trenches, and explanations, are posted inside the trench. He said that the weather during the pop-up museum added another experiential dimension to the project.

 
“The elements were just like this – it was cold,” he said.
 
Posters of other groups’ projects featuring Montanans during the wars are attached to the outside of the dumpster, including narratives of  Montana Native Americans and Hutterites during the wars; as well as posters about the roles of prominent Montanans during the war including Jeannette Rankin, Montana’s Congressional representative and noted pacifist during both world wars; Montana Senator Burton K. Wheeler; and the story of the death of Nelson Story IV during World War II and the resulting memorial at Big Sky’s Soldiers Chapel.

 
In all, Hendrix-Komoto said there were about 20 students in six groups who worked on the public history project. All students were encouraged to research secondary sources and archives in developing their projects.
 
“I encouraged students to think outside the box, but I was thinking about a table in the library,” Hendrix-Komoto said, adding even she was wowed with the classes’ creativity.
 
Joey Morrison, a junior majoring in history from Miles City, said the pop-up museum concept generated a lot of interest in the subject.
 
“We’ve definitely had a lot of people wondering what this was doing next to Montana Hall,” he said.
 
Vankirk said it took about two months to get approval to develop the dumpster museum project and 20 hours of work in the cold to build the museum. He said in all, about 11 volunteers helped him and Snoozy re-create the trench in biting Montana winter temperatures.
 
Vankirk said the pop-up museum is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. until Dec. 14, when the project will be closed and then removed.
 
MSU graduate history student Amanda Hardin shares more information about the project in an online interview that can be found on the History Graduate Student Association at MSU’s webpage.
 
A virtual tour can also be found on YouTube at: Trench Pop-Up Museum Virtual Tour.

Tippet Rise Art Center has announced the dates and selected highlights of its next concert season, July 7 through September 17, 2017. The Art Center, which opened in June 2016, is located on a 10,260-acre working ranch in the foothills of the Beartooth Mountains and celebrates the union of land, art, architecture and music, presenting concerts by world-renowned musicians and large-scale contemporary sculpture. Building on a successful inaugural year, and responding to demand from both the local public and visitors from around the world, Tippet Rise has added another four weekends to the season and several Sunday performances.

 
A limited number of tickets for performances will go on sale online beginning March 1, 2017, with additional tickets being released for purchase throughout the spring. The schedule will feature a mix of new and returning artists, including the Tippet Rise debut of pianist Natasha Paremski in a solo recital including Chopin’s Mazurkas and Chopin’s 4th Scherzo as well as a performance with the Escher String Quartet, also in their Tippet Rise debut. Returning artists include pianist Yevgeny Sudbin, performing Medtner’s Sonata tragica, as well as Liszt’s Harmonies du Soir, and violinist Caroline Goulding, who will play several concerts including a three-part performance featuring Enescu’s Impressions from Childhood, Dvorak’s romantic pieces and Schumann’s Sonata in D minor no. 2. The season will also include a new work by Aaron Jay Kernis to be performed by Pedja Muzijevic, as the first premiere to result from a three-year commissioning program. (Subsequent Kernis premieres will be a work for the Borromeo Quartet, in 2018, and a piece for small chamber ensemble and voice, in 2019.)

 
Performances will take place both indoors and out. The 150-seat Olivier Music Barn, inspired by the powerful performance spaces where Haydn and Mozart imagined their works would be performed, serves as Tippet Rise’s primary concert venue. Pre-concert lectures will take place at the Tiara, a 100-seat acoustic shell without walls.  Outdoor performances at sculptural structures and sculptures (Domo by Ensamble Studio and Satellite No. 5: Pioneer by Stephen Talasnik) will provide audiences with an unparalleled opportunity to experience music with 360° views of the rolling hills.

 
To expand public access to its artistic program, Tippet Rise has now released several specially produced short films and concerts from its inaugural season on the Tippet Rise website, with additional videos to be made available in the coming weeks. Videos include Tchaikovsky Piano Competition Laureate George Li performing Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2; an artist spotlight interview with pianist Jenny Chen; short documentary films of artists Patrick Dougherty and Stephen Talasnik, who created site-specific works for the center; and two videos highlighting the artwork at Tippet Rise, including one featuring the sculpture Stainless Stealer by Alexander Calder, on loan from the Smithsonian Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, with an original score by the young French composer, Julien Brocal.

 
Tippet Rise Art Center is closed for the winter season, though it is playing host to several community events and screenings, among them a performance of Hamlet by Montana Shakespeare in the Schools that took place in early December. The Adrian Brinkerhoff Foundation will sponsor poetry throughout the summer season, inserted in the everyday life of the Art Center, with specific readings by actors and poets to be announced in the spring.

 
Tippet Rise Art Center will reopen to the public in late June, before the start of the summer music series, for daily visits on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays with prior registration. Visitors can explore the ranch via 3.5 miles of hiking and biking trails, with an additional 3.5 miles being added this winter and spring. Electric shuttles are also offered to guests on a regular schedule to each of the sculpture sites.

 
About Tippet Rise Art Center
Tippet Rise Art Center is located in Fishtail, Montana at the foot of the Beartooth Mountains. Set on a 10,260-acre working sheep and cattle ranch, Tippet Rise is anchored in the belief that art, music, architecture, and nature are inextricably linked in the human experience. Each makes the others more powerful. The Art Center features musical performance spaces indoors and out, with programs that seek to create memorable experiences for performers and audience members alike. Tippet Rise also exhibits large-scale outdoor sculptures and other works by some of the world’s foremost artists and architects. Many are site-specific compositions, aiming to transcend the boundaries of art, nature, and architecture. Artworks set within the landscape include several sculptural structures by the innovative Ensamble Studio, the internationally renowned sculptor Mark di Suvero, and two site-specific works including Satellite No. 5: Pioneer by Stephen Talasnik and Daydreams by Patrick Dougherty as well as two works by Alexander Calder on loan from the Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden: Two Discs (1965) and Stainless Stealer (1966).                   

 
As an institution founded to serve its neighbors in Montana as much as visiting musicians, artists, and audiences, Tippet Rise develops and supports year-round education programs in schools at the K-12 level, local colleges and universities, and other organizations.
 
Getting to Tippet Rise Art Center
Located in Stillwater County, Tippet Rise is approximately one hour southwest of Billings, two hours southeast of Bozeman, and two-and-a-half hours north of Yellowstone National Park. It is served by two major airports: Billings Logan International Airport and Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport.

 
Access and Tickets
Tippet Rise is open to visitors from late June to mid-September on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am to 6pm with prior registration. Concerts are priced at $10, and are free for guests 18 and under. Tickets will go on sale on March 1, 2017.
 
For more information about Tippet Rise, please visit www.tippetrise.org

Slumberland Furniture & Greater Gallatin United Way Provide Area Families with Donation of Children’s Beds this December.  Since 1993, Slumberland Furniture has been working to provide families with new beds during the holiday season through their annual Making Homes for Holidays program.  With the help of charity, such as Greater Gallatin United Way and industry partners, Slumberland has donated more than 20,000 new mattresses and box springs to families.  This year, Slumberland of Bozeman has approximately 40 beds to donate to families. Families are being contacted through Greater Gallatin United Way kidsLINK Program, Gallatin Early Childhood Community Council and other GGUW partners.

Getting a restful night’s sleep is one of the foundational blocks for a healthy lifestyle and a critical component in the growth and development of children. Sleep affects day-to-day functions and not getting enough can hinder a child’s optimal alertness. Children ages 5 to 12 need approximately 10 to 11 hours of sleep each night to perform and function to their full potential.  Children need sleep so that they can:

Pay better attention and concentrate in school.
Fight sickness and stay healthy.
Maintain a good mood/behavior.  
Remember things they have learned
Develop and grow properly.
Families in need who would like to request a bed should call 406.587.2194 and ask for Karen or visit www.greatergallatinunitedway.org/form/slumberland-gguw-holiday-bed-donation

Missoula-based promoter Logjam Presents (recently formed by the owners of The Wilma and Top Hat Lounge) and the KettleHouse Brewing Company have announced the development of The KettleHouse Amphitheater a new 4,000-capacity amphitheater along the Blackfoot River in Bonner, Montana. The new venue will operate under the name KettleHouse Amphitheater and is slated to be completed by May of 2017. The KettleHouse Amphitheater will be located on the old Bonner Mill site adjacent to the recently completed state-of-the-art KettleHouse brewery.

According to Nick Checota, owner of Logjam Presents, “With the beauty of the Blackfoot River as a backdrop, the new KettleHouse Amphitheater will create one of the most amazing entertainment experiences in the United States. We are very excited about the opportunity to provide our community the ability to experience great music in an iconic Montana setting.”

Co-founder of KettleHouse Brewing Company, Tim O’Leary, also expressed his enthusiasm for the new venue. According to O’Leary, “The new KettleHouse Amphitheater will enhance the KettleHouse brand and extend our commitment to creating a unique Montana experience that celebrates the combination of great craft beer with the amazing natural resources of our state.”

The new KettleHouse Amphitheater will be the latest addition in the ongoing revitalization of the old Stimson Lumber Mill operation. “Logjam and KettleHouse see this as an opportunity to integrate a community space into the site. The mill redevelopment and rejuvenation is a great success story for Bonner and is something that we are excited to be a part of,” says Checota. Based on historic photos, approximately sixty years ago this portion of the site was filled in with wood debris from mill operations. According to Checota, “The new amphitheater will restore this portion of the mill site to its original state and transform it into a magical place where the people of Montana can enjoy great music and great beer in an amazing setting.”

Logjam Presents, the current promoter and manager of Missoula venues The Wilma and Top Hat Lounge, will invest significant funds in the development of the KettleHouse Amphitheater. Logjam Presents will serve as the exclusive promoter and manager for the new collaborative venue.

Opening a Montana medical care savings account by Dec. 31 to help with medical expenses not covered by a health insurance policy or flexible spending account can help individuals save on taxes, according to Marsha Goetting, a family economics specialist with Montana State University Extension.

“Up to $3,000 of a deposit into the account, per taxpayer, is deductible from an individual’s 2016 Montana adjusted gross income, thus reducing taxes,” Goetting said.

"This tax advantage does not apply to your federal income taxes, however, and should not be confused with the Federal Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) or Federal Flexible Spending Plans (FSAs)," she said.

To establish a medical care savings account, individuals should contact their financial institution, such as a bank, savings bank or credit union, Goetting said. She added that a Montanan with taxable income over $17,400 could save about $207 in state income taxes by depositing the maximum $3,000 in a Montana medical care savings account.

"It doesn't matter if you have already paid your 2016 medical bills either by check, credit or debit card," said Goetting. "You can add up those eligible expenses, make a deposit by Dec. 31 of this year and reimburse yourself from your Montana MSA as late as Jan. 15, 2017."

The key word is “paid,” Goetting said.

“You can reimburse yourself for paid eligible medical expenses as late as Jan. 15, 2017. But if you haven't yet paid those bills because your health insurance company hasn't sorted out what it will pay and what you still owe, you still can reimburse yourself for those 2016 expenses after Jan. 15, 2017.”

The amount available to reduce an individual’s Montana income is the total deposited, not the amount used for medical expenses during the tax year, Goetting noted.

“For example, if you deposited $3,000 in an MSA but only used $100 for eligible medical expenses during 2016, you still get to reduce your income for Montana income tax purposes by $3,000. The remaining $2,900 is available for paying medical expenses in future years.”

A married couple who individually establish medical savings accounts can receive a $6,000 deduction if they file a joint Montana income tax return, Goetting said.  The couple will then save about $414 on their state income taxes. However, joint medical savings accounts are not allowed.

Medical care savings account amounts held in the name of a husband or wife can be used to pay the medical bills of either spouse or their dependent children, Goetting said.

“For example, if a husband had $6,000 in medical expenses during 2016, $3,000 from his own MSA and $3,000 from his wife's MSA could be used for his bills,” Goetting said.

Eligible expenses include medical and dental insurance premiums, long-term care insurance, dental care (including orthodontists), eyeglasses or contacts or prescription drugs that are paid during the year. Not covered are medical-related bills that have been already covered by a supplemental, primary or self-insured plan.

Goetting said that Montana generally accepts as eligible expenses any that are listed in the IRS 502 Publication, "Medical and Dental Expenses," which is on the Web at www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p502.pdf.

An MSU Extension MontGuide can help individuals decide if they would benefit from a Montana medical care savings account. The publication (MontGuide 199817 HR) is free if picked up from a local MSU County Extension office. Or, it can be downloaded for free from the Web at http://msuextension.org/publications/FamilyFinancialManagement/MT199817HR.pdf.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is advising hunters to wait to consume snow geese harvested after Nov. 28 in the Butte and Dillon areas. Instead, FWP recommends hunters process and freeze birds at this time and do not eat them until the Department knows how or if this event has affected the edible portions of the birds.

Montana Resources and Atlantic Richfield Company officials (responsible for the Berkeley Pit mine) are asking members of the public who find living or dead snow geese to contact Butte-Silver Bow animal control at (406) 497-6527.  After hours, contact Montana Resources directly at (406) 496-3233.

At a time when app-driven ride sharing services are all the rage across the U.S., and with Uber making headlines locally with its latest launch, a new transportation service is rolling out in our community that offers extra assistance to those who need help getting around.

First Choice Transportation, a division of First Choice Home Health, is now offering non-emergency transportation service in Gallatin County including Livingston, Belgrade, Manhattan, Three Forks and Big Sky. First Choice Transportation offers personalized, convenient car rides for seniors and those in need of extra assistance, for example people who use a walker, cane, crutches, or foldable wheelchair.

“As Gallatin County continues to grow there is an increased need beyond the public bus, shuttle, and taxis for a transportation service that provides a customized level of care and attention to its clients,” says Norm Dreyer, owner of First Choice Transportation. “We are in the business of serving seniors and those with an injury or illness so offering customized car rides to the community is a natural extension of the compassionate and top quality care we already provide.”

All First Choice Transportation drivers hold CPR certifications and are trained to provide minimal to moderate transfer assistance for clients who need an extra hand. Drivers greet a client at the door of their pick-up location, then assist him or her to the car if necessary, by hand or using additional tools like lifts or carriers; they then help the client get settled safely inside or at the door of their destination.

Clients no longer have to wait for a scheduled shuttle service or use a taxi. Drivers can transport clients to doctor appointments, urgent care clinics, grocery store, errands, and pick up from the hospital emergency room. No distance is too far. Rates are comparable to a taxi service, and there is no additional charge for wait times 5 minutes or less.

Call First Choice Transportation at 406-551-2273 to learn more about our transportation service. Visit FirstChoiceMontana.com to learn more about our home health care, private duty nursing, personal care, and companion services in the Gallatin Valley.

The Bozeman Police Department is happy to announce that all law enforcement agencies throughout the Gallatin Valley have come together to help less fortunate children enjoy Christmas.  The Bozeman Police Department, along with the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office, the Montana State University Police Department, the Belgrade Police Department, the Manhattan Police Department, and the Montana Highway Patrol have come together to help children by participating in “Shop with a Cop” on Saturday, December 10.  

 
Children from local elementary schools are chosen by school staff to participate in this event.  Each child is matched with a law enforcement officer who takes them shopping at Target to buy gifts for the child and their family.
 
After shopping with the children, officers bring them downtown Bozeman to wrap the presents and enjoy pizza donated by Tarantino’s Pizza.

Generous support for this event comes from Target, Tarantino’s Pizza, donations from the officer’s associations from each agency, the Bozeman Police Foundation, and donations from the public.   
 
This is a great chance for these kids to experience a positive one-on-one interaction with law enforcement officers in their area.  All of the agencies are excited about this opportunity to share the holiday spirit and provide a happier holiday season to these children.
 
This is the second year that numerous law enforcement agencies have joined the Bozeman Police Department in coming together as a team to serve more children.
 
Those interested in donating to this great event may contact the Bozeman Police Foundation or drop off a donation at any law enforcement agency.
 
Media Contacts:  Community Resource Officer Mike Bachich: 582-2969
Captain Jim Veltkamp: 582-2238