AGP Executive Report

Arts & Letters: Missoula author Nicholas Triolo’s “The Way Around” has been named Humanities Montana’s Great Reads selection and won a 2026 Reading the West award, drawing on spiritual journeys from Tibet to Butte. Youth & Music: Malta senior Oslo Stenberg earned a place in the statewide Star of Montana band, serving as first-chair alto saxophone at camp. Rural Life: Near Sutton, Jenny Thorson’s small dairy centers on close care for her cows and trust with customers. Education: A White Sulphur Springs mother says she spends up to $12,000 a year on therapies for her son with autism and apraxia, while homeschooling after losing confidence in local school support. Community & Culture: Great Falls marked Indigenous Peoples’ Day with two days of culture and community. In Livingston, protests over a film about immigration enforcement briefly halted filming before the permit was restored.

Ranching & Research: Montana State researchers received $1.5 million for a statewide study of adaptive grazing, with fieldwork planned for 2027 and 2028. Montana’s Media Habits: A new survey found 71% of Montanans now use social media for news, up from 34% in 2015, raising concerns about algorithm-driven feeds and less discussion of current events. Arts & Community: Whitehall’s volunteer-run Screams Come True haunted house opens Oct. 16; proceeds help preserve the historic Star Theatre and support local arts programs. Women in Agriculture: White Sulphur Springs-based Red Ants Pants is marking 20 years of workwear designed for women, alongside a broader mission to support women and communities in agriculture. Indigenous Culture: Indigenous Peoples’ Day brought powwows and community celebrations to Great Falls and Hardin, including traditional Indian relays. Wildlife for Families: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and the Montana Audubon Center will host a Bat-Stravaganza on Oct. 22.

Montana Politics: Gov. Greg Gianforte defended his recent India trade mission after online backlash, saying it could help expand markets for Montana crops and attract investment. President Trump is scheduled to visit Montana Wednesday to campaign for Republicans. Indigenous Culture: Indigenous Peoples’ Day brought community celebrations to Great Falls, including a two-day gathering, while Hardin marked the day with traditional Indian relays. Arts & Heritage: The C.M. Russell Museum is celebrating 100 years of preserving the cowboy artist’s legacy, and the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame has announced its 2027 inductees. Community & Well-Being: Bozeman schools and community groups are working together to help students stay warm this winter; University of Montana researchers are studying how conversations on trails may support well-being.

Indigenous Culture: Powwows in Missoula and a two-day celebration in Great Falls marked Indigenous Peoples’ Day with dance, storytelling, food and history. Red Lodge also hosted its first Neighboring Nations Indigenous Arts and Culture Festival. Montana Stories: Former Helena mayor Wilmot Collins is sharing his journey from Liberian refugee to public servant in a new book, hoping it inspires others and challenges misconceptions about refugees. Community Care: Bozeman schools expect about 500 students to need winter clothing this year and are collecting coats, boots and other essentials. Youth Voices: A University of Montana campaign invites students statewide to show what health looks like in their communities through art. Western Heritage: The Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame named its 2027 class, recognizing people for contributions to the state’s history and culture. Coming Up: Billings’ first Horror Con brings two days of horror fandom, costumes and attractions to MetraPark on Oct. 24–25.

School Community: Great Falls’ St. Patrick’s Academy was abruptly closed for the school year at back-to-school night, leaving families scrambling after leadership upheaval just days before classes were due to start. Indigenous Traditions: Indigenous Peoples Day brings events across Montana, while Hardin’s Indian relays celebrate a tradition rooted in the community. Film & Local Life: “Pawn Shop” resumed filming in Livingston under revised permit conditions after community concerns; actor Danny Trejo said he is pro-immigrant, not pro-ICE. Montana Heritage: The C.M. Russell Museum is marking 100 years of the artist’s legacy, and the Museum of the Rockies is bringing the state’s prehistoric past to life for National Fossil Day. Ranching & Community: A generations-old ranch in the Blackfoot Valley is connecting regenerative practices with food production, while Montana’s Sunburst football team has joined forces with players from Alberta to field a team.

Western Heritage: Red Lodge’s Klessens Ranch was named a 2026 Great Montana Ranches honoree, recognizing generations of ranch work, family and stewardship in the Beartooths. Learning to Hunt: A Glasgow resident writes about finally taking up hunting as an adult—and finding a mentor to teach him the stalking skills he’d always wanted to learn. Arts & History: Great Falls’ C.M. Russell Museum marked 100 years since the artist’s death with events celebrating his home, studio and lasting influence on Western art. Indigenous Tradition: Nearly 40 teams gathered in Hardin for Indian relay racing, a fast-paced sport and family tradition celebrated during Indigenous Peoples Day weekend. Ranching & Land: The multigenerational Mannix family ranch is linking regenerative grazing and soil care with the journey from pasture to plate. Film in Livingston: Production resumed on the Daily Wire movie Pawn Shop after local concerns over noise, security and access to a food pantry; actor Danny Trejo says he is pro-immigrant, not pro-ICE.

Ranching & Land: A multigenerational Mannix family ranch in the Blackfoot Valley is putting regenerative agriculture into practice, focusing on healthier soil and working with the land. Montana Courts: Voters will decide whether to protect nonpartisan judicial elections in the state constitution as political pressure over Supreme Court races grows. Arts & Community: Filming of Pawn Shop has resumed in Livingston under revised permit conditions after local concerns; Danny Trejo says his role doesn’t mean he supports ICE. Indigenous Traditions: Hardin’s Indigenous Peoples Day celebration drew nearly 40 Indian relay teams, with riders carrying on a family-rooted tradition. History & Science: The Museum of the Rockies marked National Fossil Day with hands-on activities, while Great Falls’ C.M. Russell Museum celebrated the artist’s legacy with events at his former home and studio. Education: MSU’s free Dyslexia and Innovation Symposium is set for Oct. 22; registration is required.

Indigenous Traditions: Nearly 40 teams brought Indian relay racing to Hardin for an Indigenous Peoples Day celebration of horsemanship, family and tradition. For Crow rider Tristan Birdinground, the sport is a family legacy. Montana History: The Museum of the Rockies marked National Fossil Day with hands-on activities and a chance to explore the state’s prehistoric past. In Great Falls, the C.M. Russell Museum celebrated a century of the artist’s legacy with music, games and tours of his home and studio. Community Life: The Nate Chute Foundation is launching its first formal volunteer program to expand mental-health outreach in the Flathead Valley, where winter darkness can worsen depression. Film Controversy: Actor Danny Trejo says he is “pro-immigrant” and “not pro-ICE” amid backlash over his role in Pawn Shop, filmed in Livingston. Production resumed under revised permit rules after local concerns about noise, safety and access to a food pantry.

Mental Health: The Nate Chute Foundation is launching its first formal volunteer program in November, expanding suicide-prevention and mental-health outreach in the Flathead Valley. Billings Food & Drink: Senmai, a new downtown cafe, is bringing matcha, Thai tea and Vietnamese coffee to the local scene. Missoula Community: The first Pink Breakfast honored breast cancer survivors and highlighted support services, including financial help from Chicks n Chaps. Livingston Film Debate: Filming of Pawn Shop, a controversial Daily Wire production, has resumed under revised permit conditions after local protests; actor Danny Trejo says he is pro-immigrant, not pro-ICE. Arts & Local Finds: Montana PBS documentary Jonnie is headed for national distribution, while Billings shoppers looking to stretch their budgets have 15 local thrift stores to explore.

Film Controversy: Actor Danny Trejo says he is “pro-immigrant” and “not pro-ICE” after backlash over his role in Pawn Shop, filming in Livingston. The production resumed under revised permit conditions, including keeping the local food pantry accessible. Community Health: Missoula’s first Pink Breakfast honored nearly 20 breast cancer survivors and highlighted support from local nonprofit Chicks n Chaps. Food & Drink: Billings entrepreneur Victoria Keutla is bringing matcha, Thai tea and Vietnamese coffee to downtown with Senmai, a cafe born from her love of Seattle’s café culture. Arts & Outdoors: Great Falls won Montana Main Street’s inaugural flower-planter competition, while Dawson County students explored conservation, wildlife and outdoor skills at a hands-on learning day. Live Music: KettleHouse Amphitheater has already announced 2027 shows, including Leon Bridges with Kokoroko and Remi Wolf with Annabelle Dinda.

Land & Wildlife: Montana has opened 2027 grants of up to $75,000 for noxious-weed research, education and management as invasive plants continue to spread. FWP also confirmed freshwater jellyfish near Canyon Ferry Reservoir; they pose little apparent harm but are nonnative. Indigenous Remembrance: Two Eagle River School students and staff walked through Pablo on Orange Shirt Day, honoring children taken from their families and supporting survivors of boarding schools. Montana History: New artifacts in the Beartooth Mountains suggest Clovis people lived at high elevations near Yellowstone about 13,000 years ago, challenging assumptions about the region’s icy past. Arts & Culture: Montana PBS’s documentary “Jonnie,” about Billings-raised champion bull rider Jonnie Jonckowski, is now streaming free for six weeks and will air on PBS stations nationwide. Red Lodge’s classical concert series returns Oct. 27, and Glendive hosts a free Watoto Children’s Choir concert Oct. 15. Community Loss: Montana’s firefighting community is mourning helicopter pilots Ryan Cutter and Greg King, who died in a crash while fighting a Yosemite wildfire after helping battle fires in northwest Montana.

Arts & Music: Red Lodge’s Classical Music Concert Series returns Oct. 27 at Harper Hall, opening with Baroque Music Montana. The four-concert season spans Baroque music to Piazzolla, with performances through May. Community Events: Glendive hosts the Watoto Children’s Choir on Oct. 15 for a free concert—the group’s only Montana stop. Missoula’s Montana Drag Wrestling brings a Halloween-themed show to the ZACC on Oct. 10. Film & Community: A controversial Daily Wire movie shoot has resumed in Livingston after residents raised concerns about street closures, gunfire and a scene resembling Renee Good’s killing. Outdoor Access: A $100,000 state grant has funded accessible parking, a new loop trail and interpretive signs at Missoula’s Rattlesnake Reservoir Park Preserve.

Public Art: Glendive’s vacant grain elevator is becoming what’s expected to be Montana’s largest mural, drawing residents to watch the transformation. Film & Community: Livingston officials reinstated a permit for the controversial “Pawn Shop” production with new conditions; local tourism leaders hope the dispute won’t deter future filmmakers. Literacy & Education: Montana’s Imagination Library has mailed one million free books to children statewide. A new Fort Peck Community College–UM agreement also lets students complete a business bachelor’s degree online after earning an associate degree in Poplar or Wolf Point. Fall Traditions: Missoula’s Germanfest added Montana’s steinholding championship to its annual mix of music, food and games. Outdoor Learning: FWP and the Montana Audubon Center will host a free, family-friendly Bat-Stravaganza in Billings on Oct. 22. Cost of Living: Montana had the nation’s largest annual increase in the income a single adult needs to live comfortably, up 8.6%, according to a new study.

Film & Community: Livingston officials have allowed the Daily Wire’s “Pawn Shop” to resume filming under new conditions after protests and concerns about safety, disruption and the town’s reputation as a film destination. Public Art: In Glendive, artists are turning a grain elevator into what is expected to be Montana’s largest mural, drawing residents to watch its progress. Western Heritage: A tombstone believed stolen from Little Bighorn Battlefield more than 40 years ago was found inside a Libby home’s wall and returned in a ceremony. Indigenous Culture: Glendive students marked Indigenous Peoples Day with songs, drums and history; Billings’ Western Heritage Center will host First Nations Plains Cree author J. Hoolihan Clayton for a talk on her novels about the American West. Arts & Outdoors: University of Montana alumnus Nicholas Triolo was named its 2027 visiting writer in environmental studies, while free, family-friendly bat events are coming up in Billings and Miles City.

Montana’s Fishing Legacy: “A River Runs Through It” turns 50, and its influence still ripples through the state’s fishing culture, from guided trips and clubs to new anglers. Arts & Culture: Livingston photographer Tom Murphy, known for documenting Yellowstone and the Greater Yellowstone region, is Park County’s 2027 Artist Laureate. Outdoor Learning: Missouri Breaks rangers are inviting fourth-grade classes to free presentations that connect students with public lands, wildlife and regional history. Indigenous Education: Glendive students heard songs, drumming and lessons from tribal representatives at a districtwide assembly, highlighting Native nations as living communities shaping Montana today. Local Talent: Montana-raised country singer Trevor Panczak is set to perform in Malta on Oct. 26. Small-Town Business: Whitefish-founded HURRAW! has grown from a homemade lip balm project into an international brand while keeping production in Montana.

Voting Rights & Elections: As midterms near, rights groups are helping voters navigate barriers like ID rules, registration hurdles, limited drop boxes, and fear of intimidation—especially for minority and immigrant voters. Local Governance & Community Safety: North county fire chiefs are building a mental health support network for volunteer firefighters, aiming to reduce burnout and untreated PTSD, depression, and anxiety. Culture & Education: Arrowhead School in Paradise Valley won a $225,000 grant for on-site staff housing and a licensed childcare center to help recruit and retain educators. Indigenous Community: Great Falls Public Schools will host a community powwow at Charles M. Russell School on Nov. 14, with registration starting at 8:30 a.m. Montana Politics & Rights: Op-eds debate Amendment 81 and the push for more political influence in Montana courts, while election administrators explain how they handle pressure and keep voting running. Film, Free Speech & Food Access: Livingston residents and a local food pantry say a Daily Wire “Pawn Shop” production is disrupting access to essential aid, even as production resumes under revised permits. Arts & History: Wyoming’s State Archives speaker series spotlights commercial artist Edgar Church, tracing how his work shaped Mountain West telephone directory culture.