On Friday, Oct. 17, the Gallatin County Elections Department will begin mailing ballots for the Nov. 4, 2025 municipal elections to all active registered voters in cities and towns holding elections. 

This election will be conducted by mail only. No polling places open on Election Day.  

Municipal elections are being held in Bozeman, Belgrade, West Yellowstone, and the Belgrade School District. Only voters who reside within those boundaries will receive a ballot for this election. 

In total, more than 51,000 ballots will be mailed. Voters can expect ballots to arrive in mailboxes this weekend or early next week. Sample ballots are available at www.MyVoterPageMT.com.  

If you don’t receive your ballot by Wednesday, Oct. 22, contact the Gallatin County Elections Office right away to request a replacement or confirm your registration and eligibility.  

Voting Options 

Voters may return their ballots by mail or in person.  

If returning by mail, please send your ballot no later than Friday, Oct. 24 to ensure it arrives by the deadline. Ballots must be received, not postmarked, by 8 PM on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 4.  

In-person ballot drop-off is available at the following locations: 

• Gallatin County Elections Office – 311 W. Main St., room 210 in Bozeman  

• Belgrade City Hall – 91 E. Central Ave.  

• Belgrade School District Office – 312 N. Weaver St. 

• West Yellowstone Town Hall – 440 Yellowstone Ave.   

All locations are open Monday through Friday during regular business hours through Nov. 3, and from 7 AM to 8 PM on Election Day.  

Voters from any municipality may drop their ballots off at any of these sites.  

New Ballot Requirement 

A new Montana law (HB 719) now requires voters to include their birth year along with their signature when returning mail ballots. 

This year’s ballot includes a box for your four-digit birth year. 

If left blank, your ballot cannot be counted unless corrected by 5 PM on Nov. 5. The Elections Office will contact affected voters using information on file to help resolve this issue promptly.  

Track your ballot and check its status anytime at www.MyVoterPageMT.com.  

Voter Registration  

Gallatin County is currently in the late registration period for the Nov. 4 election.  

To register or update your registration (such as a name or address change), you must visit the Gallatin County Elections Office in person at the Gallatin County Courthouse, 311 W. Main St., Room 210 in Bozeman. Mailed or emailed registration cannot be accepted until after the election. 

Late registration is available through Election Day, except for a brief closure from noon on Monday, Nov. 3 until 7 AM on Election Day, when same-day registration resumes and continues until 8 PM.  

Check your registration status at www.MyVoterPageMT.com.   

If you have questions, please contact our office at gallatin.elections@gallatin.mt.gov or 406-582-3060. For more information, you can also visit www.GallatinVotes.com. 

The first thing that hits you in Sacramento is the air. It’s thicker, heavy, a little sweet. The kind of air that sticks to your skin after a while, full of river smell and warm wood and the faint tang of something green. You can almost taste it.

The city doesn’t push itself on you. It just waits. Lets you notice things one at a time. The light doesn’t hurry either. It slants through the trees like it’s got nowhere else to be. It stretches wide and low, with old neighborhoods under huge trees that look like they’ve seen everything. Oak. Elm. Sycamore. Their branches meet over the streets, shading the sidewalks in a way that feels generous. 

There’s no rush here. People walk slower. Cars move slower. Time seems to have a different rhythm.

Life Along the River

The rivers shape everything here. The Sacramento and the American run through the city like old veins, slow and steady, feeding the soil, the trees, the people. You can stand on a bridge and watch them twist together in the afternoon light, moving toward the Delta like they’ve been doing it forever.

The American River Parkway might be one of the best surprises in this town. It winds through the middle of everything, green and quiet, lined with trails and shady spots where people run, ride, or just sit still for a while. You can rent a bike near downtown and follow the path east.

If you keep following the water west, the air shifts. The trees thin out. The roads flatten. Past the Tower Bridge, you hit that open, low country where sunlight reflects off the river like it’s trying to blind you. You see docks, marinas, small boats drifting toward the Delta. Out there, time feels stretched. The noise of downtown fades, and all you get is space.

Neighborhoods With Personality

Every part of Sacramento has its own pulse. Midtown feels like a place that grew without permission and then decided to stay that way. The streets are lined with old homes—bungalows with paint peeling just enough to look interesting. Porches big enough for a chair and a coffee cup. Every block smells like trees and espresso.

Mornings start slow here. You hear the low thrum of a café grinder, the click of bicycle gears, dogs pulling at leashes. A few streets over, a farmers market sets up under white tents. Fresh peaches, tomatoes, flowers still wet from the field. Nobody’s rushing. People actually talk to each other.

South of downtown, Land Park slows things down even more. Wide lawns, the hum of the zoo, big houses that look like they were built when nobody had to worry about space. Kids play in the street until the sky fades. You can hear the echo of baseball games drifting over the trees.

Every wall seems to carry art. Some of it new and bold. Some faded and flaking, like a memory no one wants to paint over. The city wears its creativity quietly, but you can feel it everywhere.

A City That Eats Close to Home

Food here tells the story of the land it comes from. The surrounding valley is rich with produce, and that abundance shows up in markets, menus, and the way people talk about meals. The farm-to-fork movement isn’t a trend, it’s everyday life.

Sacramento is full of cozy cafés, intimate wine bars, and lively dining rooms, where comfort and refinement sit side by side. Those seeking a more intimate experience or hosting a larger group can enjoy private dining at a restaurant, offering a special setting for quiet gatherings or festive celebrations.

Every meal feels connected to something close: orchards out in the Delta, fields in Capa Valley, vines climbing along the river road. The food is fresh, yes, but it’s more than that. It’s familiar. Comfort and refinement sitting side by side, the way they should.

Evenings that Don’t End When the Sun Drops

When the sun sets, the city doesn’t quiet down. It exhales. You can feel it standing near the river when the sky starts to dim. The air holds its warmth. The water picks up the last of the light and turns gold, then blue, then black.

Downtown hums in its own way at night. Some evenings, that hum turns into a roar when the Sacramento Kings are playing. You can hear it blocks away from Golden 1 Center, the shouts, the echo of the announcer’s voice spilling out through the streets. 

Bars fill early, purple jerseys everywhere, people leaning over tables watching the game like it matters more than anything. For a few hours, the whole city seems to move in sync.

When the final buzzer fades, the energy doesn’t vanish. Music drifts out of open doors. The smell of grilled food mixes with the river air. People gather in courtyards, on patios, under trees strung with lights. The laughter feels easy, unplanned.

If you walk long enough, you’ll stumble into a small gallery where someone’s showing work that looks like it was painted yesterday. The city makes room for things like that. It doesn’t polish them too much.

By the time you circle back to the river, the frogs have started. Boats knock gently against the docks. Somewhere, a train passes and fades. It’s a sound that sits low in your chest. Familiar in a way you can’t explain.

It’s not quiet like the mountains, but it gives the same peace.

A Familiar Kind of West

What stays with you after a few days here isn’t the skyline or the landmarks. It’s the feeling that people still look up when they talk. That the city knows what enough looks like.

If you come from Montana, that makes sense. The two places share something that doesn’t need to be named. Space. Honesty. A sense that things worth having don’t have to shout.

Sacramento doesn’t need to be dramatic. It has its beauty layered in. Trees so tall you can’t see the tops. Rivers that move like they’ve got nothing to prove. The sky turns soft when the day ends.

You start to move slower without meaning to. You stop checking your phone. You watch the light shift through branches and feel okay just standing there.

By the time you leave, you might realize the West isn’t one thing. It’s not just peaks and dust and sky that never ends. It’s also rivers and shade and towns that know how to rest.

Somewhere, someone’s setting a table in a courtyard. Plates, wine glasses, candles. The sound of voices mixing with crickets. The river keeps moving. The night stretches on.

And for a while, you stay there too.

BOZEMAN — Elena Silverman gently placed her award-winning model in the recycling bin at Montana State University’s Cheever Hall.

Laser cut and dotted with human-like figurines to emphasize scale, the chipboard building represented months of 3D modeling, presentations and critiques during her final semester in MSU’s environmental design program before graduating in May.

At the time, Silverman didn’t know her design was one of 10 selected from 1,300 submissions around the world in a student competition hosted by the American Institute of Architects Committee on the Environment and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture. The student from Chico, California, could only think about her new beginning in MSU’s Master of Architecture program this fall and making room for younger students to cover Cheever Hall with their designs.

Thirty minutes later, Silverman received a message from assistant teaching professor Eric Watson, who taught her senior studio course.

“I get an e-mail saying, ‘Wait, save your model. Save everything. You just won,’” she said. “So I sprinted back over to Cheever, praying that nothing destroyed it so I could still archive it. I was so ecstatic.”

Silverman’s project, which was submitted to the AIA COTE competition’s upper-level category, received an award on Sept. 23 alongside nine projects in both upper-level and foundation-level groups. It is the fifth design from MSU to win an award since 2017. The awardees’ designs implemented sustainable materials and systems that adapted to climate change and addressed social and environmental issues.

Passive systems, which include energy-saving techniques such as orienting windows to capture natural heat from the sun, are a central focus of students’ undergraduate curriculum. Buildings account for 75% of the electricity and 40% of the total energy used in the U.S., contributing to 36% of the country’s total carbon emissions, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

“What sustainability really means is ‘Let's do less.’ But what I ask the students is, ‘How can we do more?’” Watson said. “And how can we do more in a way that gives back? How do we not just use less energy, but think about a building that might give back to the power grid? How do we think about a building that would be water positive and cleans water before it returns to our aquifers?”

Silverman’s design, titled the Center for Information and Collaboration, incorporated low-energy systems for heat, water and ventilation into a multi-story educational space. The building’s footprint is next to Cheever Hall and features a sunken library, gallery spaces for architecture students, a 300-seat auditorium, community conference rooms and an underground parking lot. The building was designed for students of all disciplines to mingle during the school year, with open spaces for community members to use during off seasons.

Silverman created several iterations of the design in the 3D modeling program Revit after receiving feedback from faculty members and practicing architects in class, which met three times a week for four hours. During critiques throughout her undergraduate experience, Silverman said her perfectionist tendencies had to take a backseat. She learned to keep in mind that a project is never finished, and architects should strive for constant improvement.

Watson believes Silverman’s mindset is one of her greatest strengths. He said her approach to design emphasizes the importance of students making daily progress in their work, with each class building on the last.
“I always tell students to come to class with a beginner's mindset. Don't approach a project with the assumed idea of what it should look like because it’s something you should discover,” he said. “I think Elena is great at discovering the design. She is curious, and she continues to not just push herself, but push others with her ability to work hard.”

Silverman’s knack for architecture began in high school, where she developed an interest in art and geometry. While on a tour of MSU’s Cheever Hall with the School of Architecture’s director, she gazed at student projects lining the walls and said MSU immediately felt personal. She also grew up skiing competitively, and Bozeman’s easy access to the slopes was front of mind.

During her undergraduate years at MSU, she discovered a passion for designing educational and commercial spaces, much like her award-winning model. With MSU’s emphasis on large-scale projects, Silverman said she became confident in her ability to tackle buildings with complex mechanical and structural systems.

That confidence propelled her toward an internship for SMA Architecture and Design, a Montana-based firm with a Bozeman office, after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in May. She helped shape Revit models, interior design and construction documents for a new elementary school in Belgrade that is an ongoing project.

Now starting her three-semester master’s program at MSU, Silverman will work as a graduate teaching assistant and begin a new project — featuring a nature-based academy for middle schoolers — in her comprehensive studio course. She hopes to stay in Montana after graduation and pursue educational and commercial design.

“I think my brain never turns off from this creative energy thing, so being able to express that in design school is so fun,” she said. “It's a little bit liberating in a way. Especially for such big projects, every day you're able to be innovative and add new things into your project that makes it special or one-of-a-kind.”

BILLINGS – The general antelope hunting season opened Saturday, Oct. 11. Much of the region experienced mild weather Saturday, with cooler temperatures and precipitation Sunday. FWP operated game check stations in Big Timber, Broadview and Billings on both Saturday and Sunday for the opening weekend.

Broadview and Billings stations both saw above average hunter numbers for the weekend with success similar to last year, while hunter numbers and success at the Big Timber station were well below average.

The youth deer hunt is this Thursday, Oct. 16, and Friday, Oct. 17. These two early days of deer hunting are open to legally licensed hunters aged 12-15 who have completed hunter education and properly certified and legally licensed apprentice hunters aged 10-15. All regulations apply. For more information on youth hunting in Montana, visit: fwp.mt.gov/hunt/youth.

All hunters are required to stop at game check stations, regardless of success. No biological check stations will operate this weekend, Oct. 18-19. In south-central Montana, check stations in Billings, Lavina, Columbus and Big Timber will operate on both Saturday, Oct. 25, and Sunday, Oct. 26, for the opening weekend of the general deer and elk season. The general antelope season is open until Nov. 9.

Hunting regulations for deer, elk and antelope are available online here.

Big Timber Check Station

Hunter success was highest at the Big Timber check station at 57 percent. Over the weekend, 157 hunters visited the check station, which is down slightly from opening weekend last year and well below the long-term average of 281 hunters. This was the only check station in the region with a decrease in hunters compared to opening weekend of 2024.

FWP staff checked 88 antelope—67 males and 21 females—at this check station, which is well below the long-term average of 157. Five of the checked males had horns 14 inches or longer, which is significantly lower than the thirteen of this size class checked last year over opening weekend.

Fifty upland bird hunters also visited this check station over the weekend, a slight increase from last year’s forty-three.

Broadview Check Station

The Broadview check station saw the highest number of hunters but the lowest success rate for the region, a trend consistent with recent years. Of the 237 hunters that visited this check station, only 27 percent had harvested big game. Hunter numbers were above the long-term average of 205 for the weekend.  

Sixty-one total harvested antelope were checked at the Broadview station. Of these, 48 antelope were males and 7 of these males had horns 14 inches or larger, an increase from 2 last year.  

FWP staff also checked 32 bird hunters at the Broadview check station, which is consistent with the number of bird hunters at this check station in recent years. Two mule deer and one elk were also checked at the Broadview check station over the weekend.

Billings Check Station

The Billings check station had the fewest number of hunters in the region over the weekend at 153. However, this was the highest number of hunters at the Billings check station for the same weekend since 2015.

Hunter success was similar to last year at 41 percent. Of the 63 harvested antelope that came through this check station, 49 were males and 14 were females.

In addition to antelope hunters, FWP staff at the Billings check station checked 19 upland bird hunters and 3 waterfowl hunters who reported mixed success.

The 11th annual Bozeman's Choice Reader's Poll is your chance to put a stamp of approval on all things Bozeman. Voting for Bozeman's Choice 2026 Continues Through Nov 6.

The Top 3 vote getters for each question are printed in an annual guide available at key Bozeman locations year-round for locals and visitors to find Gallatin Valley Favorites voted by locals.

Good luck, and thank you for voting!

On June 17, 2025, the Gallatin County Commission adopted the County’s first Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Action Plan, marking a major milestone in efforts to improve transportation safety for all roadway users. The Action Plan identified four primary safety focus areas—run-off-the-road crashes, intersection crashes, high-risk behaviors, and driver age—and provided countywide strategies to reduce serious and fatal crashes. 

As a secondary phase to the Action Plan, the county has conducted a supplemental planning process to take a closer look at high-risk locations and community priorities identified during the Action Plan. Draft reports from this process are now available online for public review and comment through November 15, 2025 at GallatinCountySS4A.com. 

“This supplemental effort builds on the foundation of the Action Plan by diving deeper into specific corridors and safety issues where community concerns and crash data intersect,” said Scott Randall, Consultant Project Manager. “By taking the next step in planning for improvements at these priority locations, Gallatin County can prepare actionable projects that will be more competitive for future funding opportunities.” 

The draft reports address five focus areas: 

• Run-Off-the-Road Crashes: Field reviews were conducted at the county’s highest-risk curves to develop tailored countermeasures such as signing, delineation, vegetation clearing, and long-term realignment strategies. 

• Non-Motorist Safety: Projects from the county’s transportation plan were prioritized to help guide implementation of walking and biking facilities. The prioritization framework considered connectivity, anticipated demand, safety risk, and cost-effectiveness. 

• Love Lane / East Valley Center Road: An Intersection Control Evaluation (ICE) was conducted to compare various alternatives to address safety and traffic needs. A roundabout was identified as the preferred long-term solution, with potential interim options also considered. 

• Baxter Lane Corridor: A planning-level assessment was conducted to examine the feasibility of expanding Baxter Lane to a three-lane cross-section with multimodal facilities. Short-term safety enhancements were also explored. 

• Gooch Hill Road Corridor: A detailed review of this high-crash corridor resulted in recommendations for curve treatments, intersection upgrades, and eventual partial corridor reconstruction to respond to growth. 

The public is encouraged to review the reports and share feedback by November 15, 2025. Comments will help refine recommendations before final adoption.  

About the SS4A Program 

The Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program is a nationwide initiative launched by the U.S. Department of Transportation to reduce roadway fatalities and serious injuries. With its Action Plan adopted, Gallatin County is now eligible to pursue federal funding for implementing both countywide strategies and site-specific projects identified through supplemental planning. 

Share Feedback 

Feedback can be submitted at any time through the website or by contacting the consultant project manager, Scott Randall, via email at srandall@rpa-eng.com, by phone at 406-447-5005, or by mail at 3147 Saddle Drive, Helena, MT 59601. 

For more information or to review the draft reports, visit GallatinCountySS4A.com. 

There is a particular thrill in opening a package whose contents promise both luxury and intrigue. A Wagyu box arrives not merely as a shipment of beef but as an experience wrapped in expectation. The presentation itself often heightens the senses: the gentle chill of the insulated packaging, the rich aroma released as each layer is unveiled, the glint of marbling that hints at a sumptuous meal ahead. For enthusiasts of fine dining, this ritual is as much about storytelling as it is about taste. The element of surprise is not just in what you receive but in how it makes you feel as the lid comes off.

In many ways, each Wagyu box is curated like an invitation to a private tasting. The unknown cuts and special inclusions transform a routine delivery into a moment of discovery. That feeling of having something rare and exquisite arrive at your doorstep is what makes these boxes irresistible to gourmands. It is more than dinner preparation; it is theater at home, a fusion of anticipation and satisfaction that plays out in the quiet of one’s own kitchen.

The Curators Behind the Cuts

Every Wagyu box tells a story that begins far from the dining table. Behind each selection is a network of butchers, ranchers, and curators whose expertise determines the caliber of the meat. The choice of cuts, from ribeye to tenderloin, reflects not just availability but a deliberate vision of how the recipient’s experience will unfold. This human touch is crucial because it elevates the product from being just premium beef to becoming a narrative-driven gift.

Among these curators, certain brands have emerged as tastemakers for those who seek excellence. One notable example is Destination Wagyu, a premium e-commerce brand committed to sourcing the pinnacle of Wagyu beef across the United States, and its tailored subscription services that offer curated deliveries with unmatched marbling and tenderness. By partnering with renowned suppliers such as Miyazaki and Kagoshima, Destination Wagyu ensures that each box delivers a dining experience defined by quality and sophistication. This approach appeals to customers who value not just what they eat but how it is presented and delivered.

Beyond the Marbling: Hidden Gems

The marvel of a Wagyu box lies not only in its prime cuts but also in its unexpected inclusions. Many boxes feature specialty items like bone marrow butter, artisanal salts, or rare seasoning blends sourced from around the globe. These extras transform a simple meal into an elevated culinary experience and often serve as the linchpin of the surprise factor. They hint at a thoughtfulness that transcends the main course and enriches the entire cooking journey.

Such hidden gems encourage culinary creativity at home. A chef may experiment with seasoning a Wagyu strip steak using a newly discovered smoked sea salt or prepare a rustic broth with included soup bones. These discoveries turn an ordinary dinner plan into a weekend-long exploration of flavors. They reflect a growing trend among premium food brands: the desire to create not just meals but memorable experiences that extend beyond the plate.

The Theater of Taste at Home

A Wagyu box often doubles as a stage for at-home performances of fine dining. Cooking premium Wagyu transforms the ordinary kitchen into a theater of aroma, sound, and texture, where each sizzle and caramelized edge draws a silent applause. This performance invites both the seasoned home cook and the curious beginner to step into the role of chef with newfound confidence.

Such culinary theater owes its charm to the balance between craftsmanship and accessibility. By providing not just the beef but also accompanying instructions or recipes, many Wagyu box brands empower their customers to execute restaurant-level dishes. This not only enhances the surprise factor but also creates a lasting sense of achievement for those preparing the meal.

Tradition Meets Modern Indulgence

Wagyu beef has centuries-old roots in Japan, with each lineage carrying stories of meticulous care and heritage breeding. The concept of the Wagyu box cleverly blends these traditions with the convenience and flair of modern e-commerce. Receiving such a box feels like a bridge between the reverence of ancient practices and the immediacy of contemporary luxury.

In today’s culture of experiential gifting, the Wagyu box stands out as both a nod to heritage and a symbol of refined taste. The traditional marbling techniques, the stringent grading systems, and the ceremonial respect for the cattle’s lineage all add layers of cultural significance to the otherwise simple act of cooking dinner. This historical weight enriches the surprise, giving depth to what would otherwise be merely a premium cut of beef.

Elevating the Gift-Giving Game

The Wagyu box has become a favored choice among those who wish to impress in their gifting. Unlike predictable gift cards or champagne bottles, it conveys effort and discernment. Each box, with its curated selection and elegant presentation, signals to the recipient that they are being celebrated in a truly distinctive way.

Corporate gifting has also embraced the Wagyu box as a tool for forging meaningful connections. A carefully chosen subscription can extend gratitude beyond a single occasion, turning every delivery into a reminder of the relationship. This recurring delight reshapes traditional notions of gifting, where surprise is renewed with every box that arrives.

The Future of Culinary Surprises

As more consumers embrace the culture of premium food experiences at home, the Wagyu box is poised to evolve further. Future iterations might include augmented reality cooking guides, collaborations with celebrity chefs, or seasonal themes that heighten the element of discovery. The allure of surprise will remain central, continually reinvented to captivate a growing audience.

Ultimately, the Wagyu box exemplifies how a simple product can transform into an ongoing narrative of taste and anticipation. Its surprise elements, whether a rare cut, a new seasoning, or an unexpected side dish, invite customers to savor not just what they eat but the journey leading up to it. The legacy of the Wagyu box lies in its power to make every meal feel like a well-kept secret waiting to be unveiled.