BOZEMAN – Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks staff, in cooperation with Montana State University, have begun the second year of tagging trout in the Big Hole, Beaverhead, Ruby and Madison rivers.

This effort is part of ongoing research aimed at understanding trout declines and fish health concerns in rivers in the upper Missouri River Basin. When anglers report these tags, it helps researchers better understand how environmental conditions and other factors contribute to population recruitment, survival and mortality of trout.  

“This is a great chance for anglers to take an active part in this research that will benefit the fishery,” said FWP Fisheries Manager Mike Duncan. “We need your help. Please report the tagged fish you catch.”

Each tag has a unique number and will be attached to the fish near the dorsal fin. Anglers who catch a tagged fish should use clippers to remove the tag as close to the skin as possible while minimizing handling time and exposure to air for the fish, then submit a report for each tagged fish they catch from the four rivers mentioned above. These reports will include information such as the tag number, date, location, condition of the fish, gear type used, and whether the angler released or harvested the fish.

A how-to video on this process is available on FWP’s website.

Anglers who submit reports may be eligible for rewards. Anglers who report blue tags will be entered into regular drawings for gear and fishing trips. Yellow tag reports are each worth $100.

Anglers may encounter fish that are still carrying tags from last year. These tags may be covered with a thin film of algae, making them less noticeable. However, the same reporting process and reward opportunities apply to these tags.

Anglers can submit reports by visiting mtcfru.org/msutag or by calling 406-994-2384.

Anglers and other river recreationists may also meet staff from MSU while on the river. These creel clerks will be interviewing recreationists as part of the research effort.

This research kicked off in 2024 after annual sampling in 2023 found fish numbers to be at or near historical lows in sections of the Big Hole, Beaverhead and Ruby rivers. Since then, FWP has been working closely with MSU to study fish mortality, recruitment and health.

To learn more about the cooperative research, click here.

BOZEMAN - One of the key functions of the County Attorney is to provide legal advice, much like general counsel, to the Gallatin County government, including the County Commission. In this role, County Attorney Audrey Cromwell identifies legal risks that can inform County decisions and equip the Gallatin County Commissioners to 1) work within the bounds of the law and 2) ensure the County is not exposed to unnecessary legal risk or costly litigation. 

The Gallatin County Sheriff’s office has recently proposed entering into an interlocal agreement with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain non-local undocumented immigrants at the Gallatin County Detention Center. The proposal to dedicate 10 beds to hold a potential 1,200 non-local ICE detainees annually, exposes Gallatin County to significant legal liability and compromises the County’s ability to serve its own community members. 

Under the Tenth Amendment, states and localities cannot be compelled to enforce federal immigration laws (Printz v. United States, 521 U.S. 898 (1997)) and any voluntary participation exposes those governments to legal risks when constitutional rights are infringed. The U.S. Constitution ensures that every person in the United States—regardless of immigration status— has the fundamental right to due process. Undocumented status is a federal civil enforcement, rather than criminal: ICE detainers and administrative warrants are issued for alleged civil violations of immigration law, not criminal charges and, as such, are not reviewed by a judge to determine if they are based on probable cause. The civil nature of these warrants coupled with the federal government’s current willingness to circumvent constitutional safeguards in the name of expediency has led to recent errors and documented violations of due process (See recent U.S. Supreme Court cases Noem v. Abrego Garcia, 145 S.Ct. 1017 (2025) decided April 10th, 2025 and A.A.R.P. and W.M.M. v. Trump, 24A1007, order issued April 19th, 2025). 

By entering into an interlocal agreement with ICE, detentions at the Gallatin County Detention Center later found to be unlawful could cost Gallatin County taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not millions, in litigation costs. In January 2025, Suffolk County in New York faced a federal class-action lawsuit concluding with the court finding the county’s detention practices of undocumented immigrants unlawful and the county responsible for up to $60 million in damages. Additionally, in Galarza v. Szalczyk, 745 F.3d 634 (3d Cir. 2014), a U.S. citizen was wrongfully held on a civil ICE detainer leading to significant damages against the local government. These and other cases indicate the significant risk associated with inadvertently participating in unlawful ICE detentions. 

The Gallatin County Sheriff’s Department’s assertion that under the proposed ICE contract, only undocumented immigrants charged with crimes would be housed at the County’s already overburdened facility, does not align with the realities of current ICE enforcement practices, which present a real possibility that individuals without criminal charges may be detained and sent to the Gallatin County Detention Facility. This recently occurred in Bigfork on March 4, 2025, where 17 immigrants were arrested at a job site and held solely on civil ICE detainers. 

Additionally, a commitment to house non-local detainees risks increasing resource expenditures and compromises the County’s capacity to serve its own community: all undocumented immigrants housed at the Gallatin County Detention Center, although purportedly held for brief 72-hour periods, would be subject to intake, housing protocols, security supervision, medical screening, and constitutionally mandated healthcare. If a detainee suffers a medical emergency or mental health crisis while at the Gallatin County Detention Facility—including suicide, injury, or death—the potential for Gallatin County to be held liable is significant. 

Gallatin County already participates in the federal 287(g) Warrant Service Officer (WSO) program, a robust, limited cooperation initiative that allows trained local law enforcement officers to perform certain functions of ICE officers. This collaboration ensures that undocumented individuals charged with crimes in Gallatin County are properly flagged and held for ICE. Gallatin County’s engagement with 287(g) preserves a clear distinction between criminal prosecution—the County’s statutory responsibility—and civil immigration enforcement, which remains a federal obligation. In the past year, only 1.4% of Gallatin County’s jail population consisted of individuals flagged for ICE holds, indicating that the current system effectively identifies and processes local cases without overburdening local resources or creating exposure to legal liability from broader, non-local, non-criminal immigration enforcement and detention activities. 

“Gallatin County’s participation in the federal 287(g) program—which ensures that undocumented individuals charged with a crime in Gallatin County are flagged and held for ICE—is extremely effective,” states County Attorney Audrey Cromwell. “Given constitutional concerns regarding due process, significant legal liability, and added strain on overburdened County resources, I have advised the Commission against entering into an additional interlocal agreement with ICE to detain non-local undocumented immigrants in the Gallatin County Detention Center. Nothing about this detention contract makes Gallatin County a safer place to live, work, or go to school—in fact, voluntarily becoming a detention center for ICE could not only expose the County to significant liability, but also damage relationships within our community, leading to lower rates of crime reporting, witness cooperation, and engagement with victim services.” 

The Downtown Bozeman Association is proud to present the 25th Annual Music on Main summer concert series this summer in Historic Downtown Bozeman. Music on Main will be located on Main Street from Rouse to Black Ave. The fun begins at 6:30 PM until 8:30 PM on Thursday evenings from July 3rd to August 7th. This event is hosted by the Downtown Bozeman Association and is free and open to the public.

Live bands, both local and touring, will be featured in this 6-week series. Music starts at 7 PM and lasts until 8:30 PM. The 2025 lineup, sponsors, and event policies are below:

July 3rd – Yam Haus
July 10th – Kalyn Beasley
July 17th – John Roberts y Pan Blanco
July 24th – The Dead & Down
July 31st – Neon Rainbow
August 7th – NOT.GREENDAY

Bring the kids from 6:30-8 PM to the Coca Cola “Kids’ Zone” on South Bozeman Avenue with inflatables other interactive activities provided by the Gallatin Area’s best Non-Profits. Grab a bite to eat from one of our many rotating food vendors, step into a few of the downtown stores that stay open late, and of course enjoy outstanding live music from popular local and nationally recognized bands!

This event is 100% funded by our business sponsorships – thank you to our sponsors!

Our Presenting Sponsors: 94.7 "The Moose", Bloom Montana, Element Bozeman, Kenyon Noble, Lehrkinds Coca Cola & Coors Light, Montana Kush, Pendleton Whiskey, Toyota

Our Gold Sponsors: Groundworks, Kimpton Armory Hotel, Little Stinkers, NBC Montana, Rocking R Bar

Our Silver Sponsors: Open Range, Pure Dispensary

Our Bronze Sponsors: Bridgercare, First Security Bank, Pub 317, Sign Solutions, Sweet Pea Festival

And, our Friends of Music on Main: Outside Bozeman, Double Dogs Cannabis

We’re still looking for great organizations to help support MoM through sponsorship! Please reach out to info@downtownbozeman.org if interested.

The Downtown Bozeman Association, the City of Bozeman, and the Bozeman Police Department would also like to remind the public of the rules and regulations regarding the Open Container Waiver for the 2025 Music on Main summer concert series:

The Open Container Waiver allows for anyone over the age of 21 to have an open container of alcohol within the "event area" purchased by one of the licensed beverage establishments within the "event area" ONLY. The "event area" includes; Main Street from Black to Rouse Avenues and side-streets to the alleys during the Music on Main event from 6-9 PM on Thursday nights from July 3rd – August 7th, 2025 ONLY. Anyone with an open container outside of these perimeters before 6 PM or after 9 PM will be subject to a $100 open container ticket issued by the City of Bozeman.

There are also NO glass containers, NO pets, NO coolers, and NO smoking allowed in the event area. Music on Main is a Smoke and Vapor-free Event! For assistance quitting tobacco contact 1-800-QUIT-NOW.

For more information, please visit downtownbozeman.org/mom contact the Downtown Bozeman Partnership office at 406-586-4008.

DENVER – The Western Landowners Alliance applauds the formation of the bipartisan public lands caucus to protect our public lands. Better management of our public lands is a shared priority across party lines and fence lines in the West. Western Landowners Alliance members steward tens of millions of acres of private and public land, and recognize the challenges facing federal land management and budgets. We are also acutely aware of the nation’s real housing deficit. However, disposal of federal land is not a practical solution to either problem.

Therefore, with limited exceptions, Western Landowners Alliance does not support the sale of federally managed public lands. We do support voluntary, equitable land exchanges to resolve checker boarding and inholding issues in the interest of both parties. We believe the integrity of the Federal Land Policy Management Act (FLPMA) needs to be maintained and that public lands should be managed in accordance with the multiple-use mandate contained therein.

Multiple use lands are a shared natural heritage, essential to meeting current and future natural resource needs. Public lands provide for timber, grazing, energy, water, wildlife and recreation. These resources become ever more valuable and important with a growing population and the competition for diminishing natural resources around the world. The conversion of public lands to urban development, and the attendant loss of the many resources they supply, is a direct threat to national prosperity and national security. The nation’s housing needs can be met through better land use planning that reduces sprawl, confronts water resource limitations, and tempers real estate speculation.

Sustained public investment in public lands is essential. At the same time, the current federal lands management system is hamstrung with regulations, staffing issues, budget shortfalls, stakeholder conflict and litigation. The solution is not to dispose of federal lands and natural resources but to improve their management in collaboration with states, local communities and affected stakeholders. Partnership-based approaches such as Good Neighbor Authority, stewardship contracting, and the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program have repeatedly demonstrated the success and positive outcomes that result from strong collaborative approaches. These efforts have led to reduced bureaucracy, red-tape, litigation and costs. Federal policies and investments should focus first and foremost on strengthening these approaches and the capacities of federal, state, local and private partners to participate.

On April 29, 2025, at approximately 1402 hours, the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a deceased individual in the Moffit Gulch area. Deputies and emergency medical personnel arrived on scene and confirmed the presence of a deceased adult female.

The individual has been identified as Lisa Gillette, a resident of Bozeman, Montana. Her next of kin have been notified.

At this time, no foul play is suspected. However, the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office and the Gallatin County Coroner’s Office will continue to investigate the matter until the cause and manner of death are determined.

The Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office extends its deepest condolences to the family and friends of Ms. Gillette during this difficult time.

Thirteen local projects aimed at enhancing parks, trails, and outdoor access just got a boost from Gallatin County. On Tuesday, April 29, the County Commission unanimously approved $1,099,016 in funding through the voter-approved Open Lands Program to support community-driven improvements across the region. 

The projects, which span Bozeman, Belgrade, Three Forks, West Yellowstone, Four Corners, Big Sky, Bridger Canyon, Gallatin Canyon, and beyond, will enhance trails, parks, river access, and public lands enjoyed by residents and visitors alike. 

Among the funded efforts is a new 6.25-mile natural surface mountain bike trail to be built in collaboration by the Southwest Montana Mountain Bike Association/The Dirt Concern, Bridger Bowl, and Crosscut Mountain Sports Center. The $100,000 awarded by the county will help support phase one of the project. 

Other projects receiving funding include: 

• City of Bozeman – Construction of a splash pad at Story Mill Community Park – $100,000 

• Gallatin River Task Force – Parking improvements for Hebgen River Access – $100,000 

• City of Belgrade – Mayfair Meadows bike park construction – $100,000 

• Headwaters Trail System – Trail surface and pedestrian bridge maintenance – $100,000 

• Trout Unlimited – Mandeville Creek restoration – $90,000 

• Gallatin Valley Land Trust – Sunset Hills all-abilities trail enhancements – $100,000 

• HRDC – Construction of pedestrian pathway through the Gallatin County Rest Home site – $99,998 

• Monforton School Foundation – Monforton Elementary School playground restoration – $12,110 

• Downtown Business Partnership – Construction of the I-Ho Pomeroy Peace Park – $75,000 

• Bridger Ski Foundation – Winter trails grooming and enhancement – $100,000 

• Grow Wild – Weed management, trailhead signage, and firewise landscaping in Gallatin Canyon – $34,100 

• Gallatin County – Sypes Canyon trailhead improvements – $76,808 

“I’m very pleased that the slate of projects hits all corners of our community,” said Gallatin County Commissioner Jennifer Boyer. “This really reflects our community and the diversity of users and needs.” 

Funding for these projects comes from Gallatin County’s Open Space Levy, which voters approved in 2018. The levy is projected to generate over $4.36 million in 2025. While most of the funds support conservation easements for private landowners, the County Commission designated $1.09 million this year for “other eligible projects”—including land acquisition, capital improvements, and maintenance work that furthers the levy’s goals. 

This year, a record 19 project proposals were submitted, totaling over $1.5 million in funding requests. The Gallatin County Open Lands Board reviewed and scored each proposal before recommending the final slate of projects to the Commission. 

More information on the funded projects, including applications, scores, and supporting materials, is available on the Commission’s agenda.