On August 31, the Upper Deer Creek Riparian Habitat and Access Restoration project will begin upstream of the Deer Creek trailhead in Gallatin Canyon. The Gallatin River Task Force, the Custer Gallatin National Forest, and Montana Trout Unlimited are partnering to revegetate riparian habitat, stabilize eroded streambanks, build a user access trail system, develop a formalized parking area, and construct sustainable boat launches.

“This will be the second large-scale project to restore the ecological health of the river and improve river access,” said Emily O’Connor, Conservation Manager at the Gallatin River Task Force. “This location was selected as a priority due to the broad range and volume of use the site receives, as well as the severe natural-resource damage.”

During construction, much of the access site will be closed to vehicles. (See attached map for details.) Once complete, the site will contain sustainable river access points, an accessible fishing platform, improved parking, and 1,414 feet of sustainable user trails. Work is expected to be completed around Halloween, with additional vegetation planting occurring in spring 2021 with the help of volunteers.

The Upper Deer Creek project is part of an ongoing effort led by the Gallatin River Task Force to reduce the level of nutrients and sediment entering the Gallatin River. These restoration projects also enhance riparian vegetation that provides shade to keep water temperatures down and restore habitat for fish.

New Zealand mudsnails were detected at Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks’ Bluewater Fish Hatchery on Tuesday, Aug. 18. This is the first time FWP has detected mudsnails in a state fish hatchery.

The Bluewater Fish Hatchery, located near Bridger in southcentral Montana, is a trout hatchery and is the third largest production facility in the state. Its primary purpose is stocking sport fish into urban ponds, reservoirs and other public waters.

New Zealand mudsnails are an aquatic invasive species. It was first discovered in Montana in 1995 in the Madison River above Hebgen Lake Reservoir. Since then, New Zealand mudsnails have been detected in several major river drainages across the State.

All hatcheries in Montana are inspected annually for AIS and fish pathogens. The mudsnails at Bluewater Fish Hatchery were detected during the hatchery’s annual inspection.

Because of the detection, no fish will leave or be received at the Bluewater hatchery until further analysis and an investigation is complete. FWP staff are working on a containment and mitigation strategy. Testing results will be available next week to help determine the full extent of the infestation.

FWP will be looking at where the hatchery’s fish have been stocked this year and investigate whether the stocking has spread New Zealand mudsnails to any state waters.

The closest New Zealand mudsnail infestation to the hatchery is Bluewater Creek, which the hatchery drains into.

Creativity is all about finding new ways of solving problems and handling situations. It requires constant cultivation so that nothing can be left to pure luck. Creativity does not fall from the sky just like that. The creative process involves many aspects, from the unique idea to the unusual concept.

When it comes to writing, creativity is mainly defined as the innovative use of imagination to create an interesting and engaging piece of paper. Whenever you write, you’re creating something, but your level of innovation might not always be high enough to perform quality writing. Some days your muse is with you, letting you create masterpieces. But the other days, your muse is gone, leaving you in pursuit of “creativity”. 

Being often labeled as something innate, creativity is actually a skill that can be developed in smart ways. The easiest one will be to ask a professional essay writer for help. By referring to a pro essay writing service, you will get a creative essay you can use as a template for your individual writing. A more complicated way will be to do all the writing on your own by going beyond your capabilities. If you are unable to come up with fresh ideas, here are 5 simple ways to boost your creativity:

Take notes
Creativity is not something you can keep under control. You ask why? The thing is, you never know when a good idea will pop into your head. Usually, it happens at the most inopportune times (while taking a shower or doing sports). No matter how unimportant those ideas may seem to you, you still should keep track of them. 

You never know which idea is going to come to fruition. Creativity is not just about being original, it’s also about making associations in an unusual and even unexpected way. It’s about connecting things or subjects that are seemingly interrelated. By keeping track of your ideas, you can use them whenever you feel like. So, it is highly recommended to keep a notebook and pen next to you all the time.

Try Freewriting
Freewriting is considered one of the most popular tools for writers. While it doesn’t work for professionals hired by creative writing services anymore, it can be super effective for you. This approach is based on the idea of making your subconscious respond. How does it work? All you need to do is to relax and start writing everything that comes into your head for ten minutes. While writing, do not think about possible mistakes. Just keep writing until the time is out. Don’t worry about the content, even if it looks ridiculous. By letting your ideas flow, you make your subconscious expose what’s hiding beneath the surface of your brain.

Proceed with Mind-mapping
Mind-mapping is an outline in a drawing format. The benefit of this tool is an opportunity to develop your own style without following someone else’s steps. To proceed with this technique, you will need a set of colored pens and a piece of paper. Then, you will start writing the keywords and add images related to a particular topic you need to write about. This needs to be done in the format of a mind map. If it is too hard for you to catch the concept, you can use one of the mobile apps allowing you to create mind maps in an online format. When your outline is ready, you can use it as a plan for further writing.

Do a Monotask
Being preoccupied with many other things, you can hardly focus on any kind of creative work. This scenario often happens to students who have to juggle multiple tasks at once. Throughout the creative process, it is best to not interrupt yourself because you won’t be able to express all your ideas orderly. Even if you have 10 minutes to write at a time, you should stay totally focused on writing and no external factors should distract you. Even if you feel overwhelmed with other things, give yourself a small rest to clear your head. Stepping away from the keyboard for some time can really enhance the level of your creativity. In fact, when you’re completely stuck, you can ask an online essay service for assistance. This can be a reasonable solution to the problem when you cannot concentrate on anything.

Do Some Brainstorming
When it comes to brainstorming, the main rule is that there are no bad ideas. When you have a particular topic, you should use every piece of mind. Whether you write a budget plan or a character analysis, write down every idea on a white board or paper. Eventually, you will be surprised by what comes out. Once the ideas start flowing, the process goes faster. If you leave your writing and come back to it in a few hours, you will continue expanding your ideas. You should give up on the idea that you don’t have time for those games. Rather than being a time-waster, brainstorming will turn out to be a time-saver for you.

The Bottom Line
Creativity is the first step toward better writing, efficient time management, and drastic business or academic success. Whether you use an essay service or do writing on your own, you will need to use your creativity anyway. The above-mentioned tips will serve as a starting point for you on the way to becoming a creative and productive writer.

Recreationists who use the lower Madison River on Aug. 25 may see a temporary increase in turbidity, or murkiness, between the confluence of Cherry Creek and Black’s Ford Fishing Access Site. 

On that day, the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) will remove a beaver dam on Cherry Creek, a tributary to the Madison River. The dam is being removed so that it does not further undermine the Highway 84 bridge, which is just upstream from the dam. 

Most of the sediment and debris associated with the dam will also be removed. However, these activities will likely increase the turbidity in the river between Cherry Creek and Black’s Ford during excavation and potentially following any rain events shortly thereafter. 

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks will work with MDT to minimize disturbance to the riparian area and the Madison River and to restore vegetation, as necessary.  

As schools balance in-person and distance learning, MontanaPBS will launch a fall Learn at Home curriculum of educational programming and provide corresponding free digital resources, all intended to support families and educators during the COVID-19 pandemic. The new schedule begins Sept. 8 and continues through Dec. 18.

As part of its efforts, MontanaPBS will dedicate its daytime weekday schedule to educational programming provided by MontanaPBS and the Montana Office of Public Instruction that is aligned with Montana state school standards. The 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekday schedule includes specific blocks of time for pre-kindergarten through eighth grade levels and covers subjects including language arts, social studies, science and math. The regular MontanaPBS primetime schedule is not affected by this change.

“We have spent our summer learning from and reflecting on our spring Learn at Home initiative so we could bring back an even better version of the program this fall," said Nikki Vradenburg, director of education at MontanaPBS. “We’re very honored to provide educators and families around the state with free online and over-the-air resources to support their learning endeavors this fall, in whatever form that takes.”

MontanaPBS has curated corresponding free digital content for the Learn at Home programming to better support teachers navigating this new learning environment. Aligned to the same Montana content standards and topic areas as the broadcast service, MontanaPBS has created and shared the following free resources for teachers:

• Distance learning webpage: MontanaPBS has published a webpage that will include the weekly broadcast schedules (with embedded links in each PDF that point to free digital resources), as well as articles and activities created and/or vetted by the MontanaPBS education team, other public media organizations and other trusted education partners. Visit montanapbs.org/learnathome.

• Digital media collections: View and download full resource collections on PBS LearningMedia that correspond with the TV broadcast schedule. Collections include curated media and lesson plans, which are sorted by grade level and subject area. Visit montana.pbslearningmedia.org.

• Unplugged learning menus: MontanaPBS created learning menus for kindergarten through 12th grade students to be used for home learning. All of the learning menus feature activities that do not require technology or an internet connection. These menus can be downloaded from the distance learning webpage at montanapbs.org/learnathome.

The spirit of Montana comes alive in downtown Bozeman’s new dining and entertainment concepts as Fielding’s and Tune Up open on August 18. Together with Sky Shed, which is slated to open later this summer, the dining and entertainment concepts create three lively, social experiences in one location. Fielding’s modern, upscale dining and Tune Up’s standout drinks, savory snacks and rock n’ roll energy will give locals and travelers alike two unique experiences to sip and sample. Under the leadership of Executive Chef Mark Musial, the restaurants and lounges will be the centerpieces of the guest experience at the new Kimpton Armory Hotel, also opening on August 18 in Bozeman’s historic National Guard Armory building.

Fielding’s – Casual Upscale Dining with American Fare

Fielding’s sets the bar for dining with modern American cuisine inspired by Montana’s landscape and bountiful resources. Conveniently located on the main level of the hotel just off of West Mendenhall Street, Fielding's is the namesake of prolific Bozeman architect Fred Fielding Willson, who designed the original Armory building in 1941. Montana’s local flavors will be infused into every menu selection thanks to partnerships with local farmers and ranchers such as Wickens Ranch and Daniels Meats & Sausages. Intentional ingredients are paired with attention to detail when it comes to signature menu selections such as pan-seared Sweet Potato Gnocchi with brown butter and fresh sage, as well as Lamb Shoulder Navarin presented with pomme puree and French petit poix, which is a medley of vegetables including peas, fava beans and pearl onions.

Chef Musial’s Angry Trout is bound to get people talking from its preparation to presentation. A delicious take of the state’s famous fish, this unique dish offers a deboned trout braised with white wine and lardons, presented with the tail coming out the fish’s mouth. The dish is finished with brown butter sauce with cauliflower, capers, lemon, pine nuts and parsley.

Beverage Manager Matthew Betts and his team have created a cocktail menu for Fielding’s that will inspire conversation with creative selections like the Romeo and Secret Garden. The Romeo is a spirit forward, Larceny bourbon based drink with Campari and Averna Amaro. The Secret Garden integrates the restaurant’s house-made strawberry-balsamic gastrique with elder flower liqueur, basil and lemon. The restaurant also will offer an extensive, New World focused wine program.

Fielding’s initially will offer breakfast and dinner service, as well as in-room dining for Kimpton Armory Hotel guests.

Tune Up – Basement Bar & Live Music Venue

Tune Up is located in the basement of the Kimpton Armory Hotel, but it's far from a speakeasy. The cozy whiskey and beer bar is located in the space where the Armory band used to practice and will pay homage to its musical roots with regularly scheduled live performances. The bar features a library of whiskey that ranges from locally made Bozeman favorites to rare and hard to find spirits. Tune Up also will offer a wide range of craft beers from Montana microbreweries including hometown Bozeman Brewing Company. Classic and creative cocktails also don the menu from the Poms of Wrath to the Light My Fire, a sweet and spicy concoction that brings all the elements of a good concert in one glass. The cocktail features house infused pineapple-habanero George Dickel Rye Whiskey, Demerara Sugar, Peychauds Bitters and served in a rocks glass over a large ice ball.

Tune Up’s rock and roll spirit is evident in the bar’s clubby, semi-private Rebel Room. The snug nook tucked away by the stage offers an escape within the space and celebrates music pioneers with locally painted portraits of greats including Johnny Cash, Janis Joplin, Bob Dylan and Prince.

Tune Up’s food menu is concise, featuring hearty bar snacks, apt for sharing and snacking yet ample enough to make a meal. Featured items include the Turned-Up Poutine with house cut fries topped with braised beef cheeks and bordelaise with cheese curds and double smoked bacon. Signature selections include the 12-Hour Onion Dip, Pickle Chips and Curds, Spiced Carrots and the Crispy Chicken Sando covered in crushed cornflakes, deep fried and then served with spicy kim-chi cream cheese spread, house pickles and cilantro.

Tune Up offers Happy Hour specials Monday through Friday from 5-6 p.m. and Thursday and Friday from 4-5 p.m. Happy Hour will feature $1 off all drafts, $5 Happy Hour white and red wines, $7 Old Fashion and $8 Beer & Blast, a tall boy can of beer and the bartender’s choice of whiskey. Menus specials and small bites also will be served.

Tune Up also offers hospitality industry special on Sunday and Monday nights with $10 burger and beer special as well as $8 Beer & Blast.

Sky Shed – Rooftop Lounge & Pool with a View

Opening later this summer, Sky Shed rooftop lounge and pool promises to be an elevated social experience where guests can soak up the scene and enjoy boozy delights and light bites all year long. Set nine stories above Bozeman’s historic downtown, Sky Shed’s unique indoor and outdoor spaces transform with the seasons, perfect for basking in the sun or getting cozy by the fire.

Sky Shed’s extensive cocktail program will showcase a creative collection of drinks with flirty garnishes. Local breweries support the beer program, while the carefully curated collection of rosé and sparkling rounds out the elegant wine list. Sample Rosé all day on Sundays with $20 bottles or visit the Sky Shed mid-week for Golden Hour happy hour special from 4-5 p.m. Monday through Friday including $1 off all draft and cocktails as well as $7 house wines by the glass.

Chef Musial’s Sky Shed kitchen will offer a breadth of compelling, sharable bites inspired by the expansive, light-filled space. The dishes will be full of fresh flavors, diverse and colorful in culinary style which create a celebratory culture to be enjoyed alongside the enviable views. Signature menu selections will include Korean Meatballs, Tail Style Chicken Salas, Bao Buns and the Korean Hanger Steak which is an experience itself. The hanger steak is marinated in Tamari and sesame with onions and apple juice before being seared and sliced. The steak is served with pickled ginger, kimchi, green onions and Yuzu Kosho.

All restaurants and lounges will open with enhanced health and cleaning protocols as part of Kimpton’s Clean Promise, which balances the need for providing guests with an exceptional travel experience while taking extra precautions to protect their well-being. The initiative ensures guestrooms and all public spaces will be thoroughly disinfected, physical distancing will be encouraged and single-use gloves and face coverings will be available for guests. For more information, please visit Kimpton’s Clean Promise website.

For more information on the Kimpton Armory Hotel, please visit www.armoryhotelbzn.com or follow the hotel on Instagram and Facebook @armoryhotel

ABOUT KIMPTON ARMORY HOTEL

The restaurants and lounges are part of the new Kimpton Armory Hotel experience. Filled with rich history and modern amenities, the 122-room Kimpton Armory Hotel is encircled by the Northern Rocky Mountain Range in the center of downtown Bozeman, Montana. Located in a historic 1941 landmark National Guard Armory building, the hotel offers a timeless expression of Art Deco design with a unique pedigree and remarkable architecture. A comprehensive restoration and addition of a new tower pay tribute to the natural panorama and history of the building while introducing modern amenities. The Kimpton Armory Hotel is the ultimate home base for outdoor adventure, from fishing and hiking to skiing and beyond with an ideal location near celebrated landmarks including Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks.

ABOUT KIMPTON RESTAURANTS

Kimpton manages over 80 distinctive restaurants, bars and lounges across major metropolitan cities, resort destinations and up-and-coming markets in the United States, Caribbean and Europe. Helmed by renowned chefs and skilled bartenders, each Kimpton restaurant and bar is an original, from the cuisine concept to the craft cocktails to the décor and ambiance, such as Custom Neon Signs, creating a truly immersive experience for guests. Set in warm and welcoming spaces, Kimpton’s restaurants and bars are a gathering place in the communities and reflect the local flavors of each location. For more information, visit www.KimptonHotels.com/dine.   

In an effort to promote science, technology, engineering and mathematics education, members of Montana State University Academic Technology and Outreach recently distributed 500 NASA science kits to students on the Blackfeet Reservation.

The kits were created in partnership with Blackfeet Community College and through a Northwest Earth and Space Science Pipeline grant from NASA. Jamie Cornish, outreach specialist for ATO, said the kits are a tool for teaching children about space science and encouraging them to get outdoors after months spent learning from home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Because of the COVID emergency, schools all over the state had to go online. In some parts of Montana, the internet connection can be iffy, and a lot of families don’t have Wi-Fi in their homes, so students were doing packets of worksheets,” Cornish said. “Everything began to feel like homework, so kids were less engaged in learning. These kits are a nice way to get kids away from screens and to get them excited about space science.”

The kit’s theme is inspired by the NASA Mars 2020 mission, which launched in July with a rover called Perseverance. The rover will seek signs of life on Mars and collect rock and soil samples. Each kit includes eight “missions” with an accompanying activity. Some lessons in the kit include collecting rock specimens; using a bug box to gather and examine “signs of life” in their neighborhoods; and using an astronomical calendar to watch for celestial events.

The kits also include a list of local teachers whom interested students can contact to join NASA robotics teams in the fall. Each year, ATO hosts a NASA robotics competition for Montana students. Details for the next challenge will be released this fall.

Cornish said that an exciting aspect of these kits is how they blend Western science with traditional Blackfeet science. For instance, the geology rock collecting mission incorporates Blackfeet words for different geological terms, and the astronomical calendar also includes traditional stories of stars, phases of the moon and more.

“We started talking to educators and key stakeholders in the Blackfeet tribe with whom we have been doing research on whether blending Native and Western science improves students' learning outcomes,” Cornish said. “This was a great opportunity to connect students with their culture.”

Cornish added that ATO hopes to replicate this program collaborating with other tribes in the state during the fall semester.

Montana State University announced today that it has appointed a physician and an emergency operations professional to lead its next phase of response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Kathy Jutila, director of MSU’s Division of Health Sciences, will serve as the campus coordinator for COVID-19 testing and contact tracing focused on students. Hayley Gerow, who currently serves as MSU’s director of emergency management, will work with Jutila as deputy campus coordinator.

The assignments come after last Friday’s announcement by Montana Gov. Steve Bullock that the campuses of the Montana University System will receive up to $20 million to assist in their efforts to slow the spread of the virus. MSU will receive roughly $6.5 million from the package.

“Dr. Jutila and Hayley Gerow are the right people for this task,” said MSU President Waded Cruzado, who made the appointments. “They understand we need to move rapidly, and they have the experience and credibility on campus to make that happen.”

Jutila and Gerow will focus their initial efforts on testing and contact tracing.

“Bolstering our ability to make sure every student who shows symptoms is tested promptly and those test results are returned in a timely manner is extremely important in our efforts to slow the spread of the virus,” Jutila said. “Determining if a symptomatic person has the virus allows them to isolate themselves so they don’t spread it further.”

Complementing symptomatic testing is contact tracing, whereby close contacts of those testing positive are identified and then told to self-quarantine. A close contact is defined as anyone who spent 15 continuous minutes within 6 feet of an infected person.

MSU will be hiring three to five staff members dedicated to contact tracing. Those staff will be trained by the Gallatin City-County Health Department and remain in close coordination with the department using its software and reporting protocols.

“I can’t stress enough how important it will be for students to cooperate with our contact tracing efforts,” Jutila said. “We’re all in this together. To slow the spread of the virus we need to be able to reach close contacts and have them self-quarantine. It’s a critical part to the success of public health, not just for MSU but for the county, state and nation.”

Jutila has served as the director of MSU’s Division of Health Sciences since 2015. She also mentors physicians in training through the WWAMI Medical Education Program, which serves the states of Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho. Her medical expertise is in internal medicine and cardiovascular disease.

Gerow has been MSU’s director of emergency management since 2017. Previously she served for six years as an emergency manager in the U.S. Air Force, specializing in natural and human-made disasters. She has a bachelor’s degree in emergency administration and planning.