AGP Executive Report

Right-to-try in Montana: A new state “right-to-try” model is drawing biotech interest by letting people access certain therapies after Phase I trials, raising hopes for faster access and fears that industry influence could steer medical decisions. Wildlife & outdoor life: FWP will release about 2,500 pheasants statewide ahead of the Sept. 19–20 youth hunting weekend, plus a Glasgow Hunter Education Field Day for ages 12–17. Community safety & healing: A Flathead Valley survivor-turned-counselor is pushing sexual abuse prevention education for younger students, building local partnerships to start earlier. Local governance: Helena City Commission delayed a federal Homeland Security grant after public testimony warned it could pull the city into immigration enforcement. Culture & travel: Historic Hotels of America named its 2026 Top 25 road-trip hotels list, and Montana’s new Yellowstone Forever specialty license plate supports park projects. Public lands: BLM Montana/Dakotas is inviting volunteers for National Public Lands Day events across the state. Education & health: Narcan kits in Montana schools are credited with helping curb overdoses two years in, and MSU is partnering with ZooMontana to educate future conservationists.

School Safety & Opioids: Montana officials say Narcan kits placed in middle and high schools are already being used, two years after the DOJ rollout aimed at reversing fentanyl overdoses. Local Culture & Outdoors: A new Montana specialty license plate featuring Yellowstone’s Grand Prismatic Spring will benefit Yellowstone Forever, tying state pride to park conservation and youth programs. Privacy & Politics: Montana Senate candidate Seth Bodnar escalated the fight over Flock Safety cameras by blasting one in a campaign ad, spotlighting growing concerns about surveillance and digital monitoring. Education & Pay: WalletHub ranks Montana near the bottom for teachers, adding pressure to address pay, spending, and working conditions. Accessibility in the Arts: Billings Studio Theatre is now streaming performances to hearing aids and devices after a local audiology clinic donated an Auracast system. Community & Learning: MSU launched “Be Here with Brick” to help students reduce smartphone distractions and create more intentional, face-to-face moments. Montana History & Identity: A new Montana Heritage Center in Helena includes a “smudge room” designed for members of tribal nations to enter museum spaces safely.

Foster Care Crisis: Montana’s foster care system has about twice as many kids as there are families able to take them in, leaving more children waiting and more parents stuck in a maze of uncertainty. Community & Housing: Billings trailer park residents are organizing a tenant union after sharp lot-rent hikes threaten basic needs, with organizers saying a win could ripple statewide. Wildlife & Fishing: Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is moving toward an emergency catch-and-kill order for brown trout in the upper Flathead River as part of broader fishing regulation changes. Education & Culture: A Montana lawsuit tied to Indian Education for All is nearing final approval, with plaintiffs pushing for real accountability in how Native history and culture are taught. AI in Montana Schools: Montana Tech named its first chief artificial intelligence officer to guide campus use, while a separate debate argues schools should teach—not screen every child for mental illness. Outdoors & Heritage: Flathead Audubon hosts a migrating-birds talk in Kalispell, spotlighting the West Valley’s wildlife and the farmers who help sustain it. Local Governance: Voters in a county commissioner race are weighing data center concerns, budget limits, and partisan polarization. Public Health & Rights: A federal judge ruled the Constitution doesn’t guarantee a right to safe drinking water, raising alarms for communities trying to hold agencies accountable.

Tenant Rights in Billings: Residents at Golden Meadows Trailer Park are forming a tenant union and planning a rally after sharp lot-rent hikes strain fixed incomes. Public Lands & Wildlife: The Pryor Mountains’ dangerous abandoned uranium mines have been closed after reclamation work, including bat-friendly closure gates and fencing. Native Education Accountability: A Montana lawsuit tied to the Indian Education for All mandate is moving toward final approval, with plaintiffs alleging misused and unaccounted funds. Local Governance & Campaign Rules: A Montana Plan piece explains how I-194 would limit corporate treasury spending on local levy ballot issues, shifting support to individuals. Community & Culture Calendar: Great Falls is lining up history programming, a Holocaust exhibition, and Oktoberfest events, including a Sept. 19 talk on a Polish family’s survival. Arts & Learning: Montana State University opens Gianforte Hall for computing and arts programs, adding new space for education and creativity. Obituaries: Several Montana community members were remembered this week, including Russell “Gene” Benner, Myrna Rae Cady, and Beverly Joy Townsend.

Montana Education & Native History: A Montana lawsuit over the “Indian Education for All” mandate is nearing final approval, with plaintiffs saying funding and classroom accountability have been uneven. Local Governance & Civic Life: Flathead Valley Community College is hosting public forums for presidential search finalists, giving community members a direct chance to ask questions. Community & Environment: Flathead Audubon’s Sept. 14 talk in Kalispell spotlights migrating birds in the West Valley, with potluck and a silent auction. Public Health & Rights: A federal judge ruled the Constitution doesn’t guarantee a right to safe drinking water, a decision that could reshape how communities sue over contamination. Culture & Memory: Great Falls’ History Museum is set to host “John Kunz: Journey to Freedom” and a Holocaust exhibit, plus Oktoberfest events later in September. Sports & Community Talk: Oregon State’s season chatter turns sharper after a home-opener loss to Texas Tech, with players pushing back on “moral victories.” Montana Outdoors & Wildlife: Glendive’s “Battle of the Cans” is teaming up with Trash Dash for autumn cleanup week, with schools competing to raise funds through aluminum recycling.

Water Rights in Court: A federal judge ruled the Constitution doesn’t guarantee a right to safe drinking water, limiting lawsuits over contaminated wells and pushing fixes toward legislation and regulation. Native Education Accountability: In Montana, a settlement tied to Indian Education for All is nearing final approval, with plaintiffs saying funding was misused and demanding stronger oversight in how schools teach Indigenous history and culture. Repatriation News: Mesa Verde National Park plans to return thousands of sacred Native American objects and remains, marking its biggest repatriation effort on record. Montana Community Calendar: Great Falls is gearing up for museum talks, a Holocaust exhibition, and Oktoberfest events. Local Culture & Youth: Glendive’s GROW is teaming up with Recycle Montana for Trash Dash and the Battle of the Cans, with schools earning cash for aluminum collections. Education & Leadership: Flathead Valley Community College is hosting public forums with presidential search finalists. Remembering 9/11: Montana marked 25 years since the attacks with a Capitol ceremony honoring victims and first responders. Public Safety & Privacy: A report describes federal agents using bank records to generate arrest leads without warrants, raising concerns about surveillance and due process.

Public Art & Identity: Teresa Baker’s new bronze-and-enamel sculpture “Abundant” was added to the West Bend Riverwalk, drawing on Mandan and Hidatsa basket-weaving roots. Local Schools & Community: Lewistown’s Fergus High School turns 40 as voters get a bond proposal to update facilities and protect student “skillsets and facilities.” Higher Ed Leadership: Flathead Valley Community College kicks off presidential finalist forums next week, giving the public a chance to meet four candidates. Montana Remembers 9/11: A Montana Capitol ceremony marked 25 years since Sept. 11 with prayers, a moment of silence, and a wreath-laying honoring first responders and victims. Native Repatriation: Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes bring home three children’s remains from the Carlisle Indian Industrial School, marking a long-awaited return with grief and joy. Science & Montana: A fossil feather preserved in dinosaur poop was discovered in northeastern Montana and may help explain why birds survived the mass extinction. Culture & Food: Kalispell’s Ceres Bakery gets a spotlight through a storytelling bootcamp profile of owner Hannah Bjornson, turning challenges into sweet treats. Agriculture Learning: “Field To Table” brings hundreds of students to hands-on stations, including a bee-focused lesson and lip balm made from beeswax.

9/11 Remembrance in Montana: Montanans gathered at the State Capitol for a 25-years-later ceremony hosted by the Department of Justice, with prayers, a moment of silence, and a wreath-laying tribute to first responders and victims. Native Repatriation: Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes marked a historic homecoming as three children were repatriated from the Carlisle Indian Industrial School era and reburied in Montana. Forest Access & Recreation: The U.S. Forest Service is weighing changes to rules governing motorized use in national forests, a shift that could reshape how locals recreate on public lands. Local Politics & Accountability: A former Windsor mayor was ordered to pay $12.6 million after a jury found he sexually assaulted seven women, following years of allegations and a suspended criminal case. Montana Senate Race Watch: A new poll shows Kurt Alme leading Seth Bodnar by eight points, with other candidates trailing. Science & Montana Ties: A fossil feather found in dinosaur poop from northeastern Montana may help explain why birds survived the mass extinction. Community & Culture: A Southwest Montana Native Community PowWow returns to the Butte Civic Center with dance, drumming, and a suicide-awareness run/walk.

Mental Health & Youth Support: Montana’s suicide crisis and rural barriers to care are driving fresh calls for better, safer help—while a new youth crisis resource, Youth Homes’ therapeutic shelter, aims to give kids a place to land when things fall apart. Teacher Shortage: Schools across the state are still grappling with a troubling educator shortage tied to pay, workload, and limited support. Public Safety & Wildlife: FWP is hosting a Hunter Education Field Day in Glasgow for ages 12–17, and Montana sealed 20 abandoned uranium mine hazards in the Pryor Mountains with bat-friendly gates to protect wildlife access. Justice & Community: The Montana Innocence Project is seeking a new trial for a Kalispell man convicted in his wife’s 2020 murder, arguing pretrial rulings blocked a fair defense. Immigration & Families: A Johnson County family says an ICE worksite arrest split them after 18 days in detention. Environment & Local Life: CSKT elders held an Elder Wellness Fair in Pablo, and the Tribes oppose a proposed opencut gravel pit near Pablo over water and community impacts. Education & Local Economy: A new Montana Institute of Esthetics is opening in Butte to fill the training gap left by a long-running beauty school closure. State Budget Watch: New financial data breaks down where Montana’s general fund went in FY26, with education and health and human services leading spending.

Indigenous Water & Land Fight: The CSKT is opposing a proposed 32-acre opencut gravel pit in Pablo, warning the Harding Pit could harm shallow groundwater, nearby homes, and water/sewer infrastructure, and that the permit application doesn’t adequately address local aquifer conditions. Community Health on the Rez: CSKT hosted its 2026 Elder Wellness Fair at Salish Kootenai College, with screenings, diabetes education, fitness demos, bison stew, and resource booths for elders and families. Native Pride in Sports: South Dakota and Eastern Washington will feature Indigenous-language helmet decals in a Sept. 12 matchup, including Lakota and Salish phrases tied to Native communities and translation work. Montana History Spotlight: A Prairie County Museum deep-dive is reviving the story of Ellenore Bridenstine, Montana’s first woman state senator, who entered the Senate in 1945 and later documented her experience. Public Safety: Montana officials are warning fentanyl is increasingly showing up as powder, with variable purity raising overdose risk, and they’re pushing prevention efforts aimed at kids. Local Culture & Arts: In Lincoln, artists are building new sculptures “in the wild,” using local materials and fire-informed ideas to create art that supports the surrounding landscape. 9/11 Remembered: Montana coverage continues marking the 25th anniversary with personal reflections and community remembrance.

Faith & Climate: A new push links climate action with religious stewardship, arguing faith communities can add hope and momentum to the climate movement. Voting Rights Fight: Kentucky AG Russell Coleman joined other attorneys general asking the U.S. Supreme Court to protect states’ power to require proof of citizenship to vote and to remove noncitizens from rolls quickly. Native History in Schools: A settlement in a long-running case says Montana schools must provide “authentic instruction” on tribal nations and Native history and culture. Maternal Health Alarm: A ProPublica analysis finds ectopic pregnancy deaths nearly doubled since 2020, with abortion restrictions flagged as a major concern. Education Watch: Montana schools face tougher standards under a revamped accountability framework focused on math/reading, attendance, and graduation. Local Schools Staffing: Wolf Point School District says changing OPI rules are making it harder to use Emergency Authorization of Employment instructors. Arts & Learning: Ronan High teacher Lauren Feese attended the Folger Teaching Shakespeare Institute, bringing intensive Shakespeare training back to Montana classrooms. Community & Culture: Bozeman’s Planned Parenthood says it’s opening a new clinic, expanding access to care. Montana Outdoors: A Wolf Point music teacher starts the year excited to grow choir and band programs, with plans for music festivals.

Public Safety: The FBI doubled the reward to $20,000 for Ronald Scott Watson, wanted for a 2020 arson attack on Atlanta’s ICE building; authorities say he may be in Montana and could be disguising his appearance. Health & Community: Montana State University Extension’s Mobile Memory Café is bringing free dementia education to Augusta Senior Center on Sept. 16, with practical brain-health tips and caregiving resources. Culture & Arts: Billings Symphony is adding a new Billings Symphony Youth Chorale (grades 9+), with rehearsals starting Sept. 14 and a first performance set for Dec. 8. Local Growth: Planned Parenthood of Montana is expanding to Bozeman, with renovations underway and a planned summer 2027 opening to offer a wider range of reproductive and gender-affirming care. Mental Health: Rural Resilience marked 988 Day in Park County, highlighting rural suicide prevention and access to the 988 hotline. Education & Heritage: Montana schools must teach Native history after a lawsuit settlement, with the state’s Indian Education for All program now required to show stronger statewide compliance. Arts Funding: Montana Community Foundation announced 2026 William B. Pratt Fund grants supporting traditional and folk art, plus media arts, including a Métis Heritage Festival in Choteau. Outdoors & Tradition: FWP is listing multiple in-person Hunter Education courses across south-central Montana, including a Big Timber session starting Sept. 21. Workforce & Broadband: 3 Rivers Communications named Tim Riley as CEO, continuing its push for rural connectivity in Montana.

Planned Parenthood Expansion: Planned Parenthood of Montana says a new Bozeman clinic is under renovation for summer 2027, aiming to bring reproductive care closer to home for the growing Gallatin County area. Reproductive Health Pressure: A ProPublica analysis finds ectopic pregnancy deaths nearly doubled from 2020–2025, with abortion bans contributing to dangerous delays in care. Bear Safety, Community Action: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks in Kalispell is running a fruit donation drive to reduce bear attractants as “Bear Aware Month” ramps up. Education & Accountability: Montana Superintendent Susie Hedalen announced updated school accountability standards for 2026–2027, with more weight on math/ELA, attendance, early literacy, and graduation readiness. Local Culture & Learning: MSU Billings student Lisa Blomquist is working to turn the historic Adams Hotel in Lavina into a cultural center for artists and musicians. Civic Life Calendar: Community events run Sept. 9–12, plus more listings through mid-September. Rural Legacy: Writers on the Range spotlights Wendell Berry’s lifelong focus on rural land, community, and protest.

Labor & Community: Picket lines held steady as a strike enters its first days at Sibanye’s Stillwater operations, with negotiations focused on an incentive dispute and East Boulder Mine still under a separate agreement. Conservation & Outdoors: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks in Kalispell is taking fruit donations to reduce bear attractants, aiming to curb fall conflicts as bears seek extra calories. Education & Accountability: Montana schools are rolling out updated accountability standards for 2026-2027, emphasizing math/ELA, attendance, early literacy, graduation, and college/career readiness. Arts & Local Culture: An MSU Billings student is working to turn the historic Adams Hotel in Lavina into a regional cultural center for artists and musicians. Reproductive Health Access: Planned Parenthood of Montana says a Bozeman clinic opening in summer 2027 will provide procedural abortion services, expanding options for patients who currently travel. Wildlife Awareness: September marks Montana’s “Bear Aware Month,” with groups urging residents to secure trash, fruit, and pet food to prevent human-bear conflicts. Faith & Community Tensions: A pastor apologized for Sundance-related comments, but protesters outside a church near Arapahoe say they’re not convinced.

Missoula Greek Fest: Missoula’s annual Greekfest returns Sept. 18–20 at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church (301 S. 6th St. W.), with Greek food and pastries, dancing, live music, church tours, a kid zone, and raffles—plus fellowship for anyone who wants a taste of Greek culture. 9/11 in Montana: A new look at how states teach 9/11 in schools spotlights what Montana families and educators can expect, while Billings’ Montana State University Billings 9/11 memorial story centers on a community-built steel I-beam and the meaning of remembering close to home. Labor Day, Montana-style: In Bozeman, a Workers Over Billionaires gathering put cost of living and worker concerns front and center; in Great Falls, union members marked Labor Day with a picnic celebrating the history of organizing and the push for fair wages and safer work. Outdoor mental health: Redside Foundation is expanding support for West’s outdoor guides, addressing loneliness, depression, substance use, and suicide risk. Arts & culture: A Missoula mural project is underway to celebrate Bitterroot Salish camas dig-and-bake traditions, supported by local arts funding and the Montana Natural History Center.

Arts & Education: Missoula artist Amanda Browder is seeking brightly colored fabric donations and volunteers for a community textile installation at UM and the historic Brunswick Building, aiming to turn students into “stewards” of the work. Indigenous Culture: A new Missoula mural, “Sx̣elí x̣èct u Ql̓epm” (Camas Dig & Bake), is taking shape at the Montana Natural History Center to spotlight Bitterroot Salish camas traditions as a living practice. Community & Labor: Great Falls union workers marked Labor Day with a picnic at Montana ExpoPark, tying today’s workplace rights to decades of organizing. Campus Life: Taylor students began moving into Gentile Hall as the newest dorm opens, with construction continuing on parts of the building through fall. Music & Storytelling: Jessica Lynn, in Nepal with the U.S. Embassy’s Arts & Music Envoy program, discussed discovering Nepali music and building sustainable careers in music. Outdoors & Trails: The Continental Divide Trail Coalition brought Trailfest to Steamboat, celebrating the CDT’s Montana-to-New Mexico connection and local trail community partnerships.