Montana

A westside Bozeman restaurant located in The Market complex announced this week via their social media that they were closing their doors after five years in business, and the new owners would be rebranding the bar and restaurant.

It's incredibly easy. Parts of Montana are already a tinderbox for so many topics - housing, urban camping, politics, cost of living, etc. Throw in a chain restaurant with a significant political, religious, and social slant and you've got yourself an old fashioned screaming match.

Montana is obviously a big place, so it takes a lot of resources to cover such a vast territory. There are over 280 fire departments across the state, with the vast majority (80%+) being completely volunteer. No matter if they're career or volunteer, one of the most loved assets of fire departments? The fire stations themselves.

You have to pay to play in Montana. Play outdoors, that is. The toys, the gear, the vehicles, the activities, the permits, and everything else you might need to pursue Montana's outdoor adventures can get VERY expensive.

There are mountains all over the place in Montana - we all know that. But even I was surprised to learn just how many distinct mountain ranges there are across the state, with even more 'sub' ranges. It's a pretty impressive number.

Finding the best bagels in Montana can be tough. Not only because people have different passions for what is an "authentic" bagel, but because there really are various origins and versions of this classic, carb-loaded favorite. Bagels are a worldly thing, not just a New York thing.

Government shutdowns are very confusing events, and it's not always exactly clear what happens with things like National Parks. Different things have happened during different government shutdowns over the years. Not all shutdowns are the same. Administrations have important decisions to make about actually locking the gates.

Bozeman residents are on the move - but they're trying very hard to stay IN Montana. Some people can't afford housing in the Bozeman area, others are simply not interested in the rapid growth that has taken over the Gallatin Valley.

It's becoming more difficult to keep up with how large Montana's cities have become, mostly because they keep growing at an impressive rate. There was a time where Montana license plate numbers would immediately let you know what county the car was from - the first number reflected the county size, in order, decades ago.

Saturday, September 23rd will be one of the coolest nights of music that has graced Bozeman. That's a hefty statement but it's true when we're talking about the songs of Local Natives, and they'll be here this Saturday night at The ELM on North 7th.

If you're craving something musically different than just about everything else on the planet, Tallest Man On Earth is something you need to see and hear. Beautiful, interesting, immensely intricate, a bit folksy, and perhaps in several languages - boring it is NOT.

Having bears show up in Bozeman city limits is nothing new, but it's a bit surprising that it still happens as much as it does. Sprawling growth, more people, more subdivisions - you'd think there might be too much in between the center of town and the mountains. Well, they're still totally comfortable wandering into the center of town and here's proof.