Letters to the Editor

By Bee Mailbag

The Bee publishes letters from readers across the Gallatin Valley. Letters are edited for length, never for truth, because we wouldn’t know where to start. The North 19th Parking Situation I …

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON VARIANCE APPLICATION NO. 26-444

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Bozeman Planning Department has received Variance Application No. 26-444 submitted by J. Everett “Ev” Kincaid, owner of Lot 7, Block 12, Original …

Chainsaw bought for mitigation only cut Christmas tree

Stihl MS 271. Bought last fall when smoke got thick. Felled one noble fir for living room. Rest of beetle-kill stand still standing. Starts second pull. Comes with chaps never worn and helmet with …

Botanical Garden native plant sale features sagebrush from Meadowlark Ridge

By Bee Staff Report

The Gallatin Valley Botanical Garden will offer 400 sagebrush starts salvaged from the Meadowlark Ridge subdivision site near Four Corners. Volunteers dug the plants Monday ahead of grading for phase …

Report of suspicious measuring on West Olive resolved

By Bee Staff Report

Officer responded to 1400 block of West Olive regarding resident measuring driveways with laser device. Homeowner reported concern about property line encroachment. Investigation determined individual …

Sabine "Sab" Moreau, 75

By Bee Staff Report

Sabine “Sab” Moreau arrived in Livingston from Willow Bunch, Saskatchewan in 1978, intending to stay six months at the grain elevator. She stayed thirty-five years, eventually running the …

Exhibit compares mountain views from twelve balconies

By Diane Wheatgrass

A new show at Cottonwood Gallery on North 19th presents twelve nearly identical oil paintings of Mount Baldy. Each canvas represents the view from a different unit at the Peak View condominiums, where …

Big Sky greenhouse opens with two distinct planting plans

By Bee Staff Report

The Big Sky Community Greenhouse opened last Tuesday at Town Center Park with a ribbon cutting attended by both populations who stood on opposite sides of the structure. The 30-by-60-foot hoop house …

Trail crew discovers nineteen single gloves on Sourdough no pairs

By Chuck Troutman

The Gallatin Valley Trail Crew completed its fall maintenance pass on Sourdough Trail Tuesday and reported the usual seasonal inventory. Nineteen single gloves. Zero pairs. The count includes five …

Former industrial building on North 19th lists as creative live-work suites

By Marla Escrow

A 12,000-square-foot warehouse at 1420 North 19th Avenue has been listed for lease as eighteen “creative live-work suites” starting at $3,200 per month. The building formerly housed …

Bozeman High Hawks open season with new concessions prices and old expectations

By Randy Pflug

The Bozeman High Hawks opened their season Friday night at Van Winkle Stadium with a 28-14 win over the Butte Bulldogs before a crowd that filled the home bleachers and spilled onto the track. Senior …

THE PARKING LOT AT HYALITE IS NOT A MEETING ROOM

By Tammy Switchback

It is becoming increasingly clear that many of our neighbors believe the Hyalite Canyon trailhead is a community center, a lounge, and a staging area for a complex game of social chess. On Tuesday, I …

Why Is There A Glass Elevator On My Street?

By Howard Benchpress

I was walking down North Wallace the other morning, headed to get a paper, when I realized I was lost. I have lived in this neighborhood since 2006, back when I bought my house for a perfectly normal …

Local family adopts full minimalism after moving into luxury storage unit

By Diane Wheatgrass

The Miller family, formerly of a three-bedroom ranch on the south side of Bozeman, has successfully transitioned to a more intentional way of life. Following a brief period of housing market …

Local official denied return to seat after office staring contest

By Bee Staff Report

Livingston fire chief dismissed following unauthorized slideshow on wind

By The Editorial Board

The City of Livingston announced this week that it has parted ways with Chief Silas Vane, who served as the head of the fire department for the last three years. The departure follows an external …

Letters to the Editor

By Bee Mailbag

The Bee publishes letters from readers across the Gallatin Valley. Letters are edited for length, never for truth, because we wouldn’t know where to start. The speed limit on Jackrabbit I am …

Why The Grocery Store Parking Lot Is The Best Place

By Rick Tailgate

People often tell me that my truck payment is “a looming financial event,” but I prefer to think of it as a subscription fee for the Bozeman lifestyle. If you can’t afford to park a diesel …

Why Is Everyone Driving Like It Is A Sunday In August?

By Dale Crankshaft

I left my driveway on Kagy at 8:15 a.m. sharp this morning, just as I have for the last twenty-one years. My route is simple: down the hill, over to 19th, and then a slow crawl toward the heart of …

Belgrade builds modest homes for people who actually work here

By Bee Staff Report

The Gallatin Valley has long struggled with the complex mathematical mystery of how a person who earns a paycheck in Bozeman can also afford to live in Bozeman. This week, the local Habitat for …

Judge stops local petition to ban invisible internet clouds

By Dr. Theodore Hypothesis

The expansion of regional infrastructure hit a bureaucratic snag this week when a local judge ruled that a grassroots effort to ban “data clouds” had missed its legal window. The petition, …

Traveling wellness coach arrested for repurposing weight loss injections

By Diane Wheatgrass

The delicate balance of the Gallatin Valley wellness community was briefly disrupted Tuesday when a traveling lifestyle consultant was apprehended outside the downtown Co-op. Authorities allege the …

Letters to the Editor

By Bee Mailbag

The Bee publishes letters from readers across the Gallatin Valley. Letters are edited for length, never for truth, because we wouldn’t know where to start. Traffic light timing at Jackrabbit I …

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT APPLICATION NO. 26-741

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Bozeman City Commission will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. in the City Commission Chambers, 121 North Rouse Avenue, to consider …

Will start your cold diesel while you find gloves

$20 per start. Block heater cord frozen since November. I have gloves. You have coffee. Transaction occurs in driveway darkness. No questions about my schedule. Text only. 406-555-0187

Bozeman Area Realtors host attainable housing tour of $900k duplexes

By Bee Staff Report

The Gallatin Valley Housing Partnership invites residents to tour the new Aspen Ridge collection, where three-bedroom duplexes start at $925,000 and qualify as workforce housing under the city’s …

Property line dispute on West Babcock involves kale bed

By Bee Staff Report

Officers responded to a reported encroachment on West Babcock where a fence post was allegedly installed three inches into an adjacent raised bed. The complainant stated the intrusion threatened …

Roscoe 'Ross' Abernathy, 74

By Bee Staff Report

Roscoe Abernathy knew every acre between the Jack Creek Bridge and the Interstate by what it used to grow. He could name the family that lost the quarter-section behind the Costco to a strip mall in …

Construction fence becomes poetry gallery on Main Street

By Diane Wheatgrass

The orange safety fencing around the former Miller property on Main Street has become an unexpected exhibition space. Someone began attaching laminated poems to the mesh panels last week, each secured …

Big Sky wildfire drill reveals two evacuation plans

By Bee Staff Report

Big Sky Fire Department conducted its annual community evacuation drill Saturday morning. The exercise was designed to test readiness across both Meadow Village and Mountain Village. Officials said …

Porcupine claims North 7th balcony landlord calls Fish Wildlife and Parks

By Chuck Troutman

A porcupine has established tenancy on a second-floor balcony at the Cottonwood Apartments on North 7th Avenue. The rodent arrived Tuesday evening and has shown no interest in the eviction notice …

Former propane depot on West Main lists as breathwork collective

By Marla Escrow

The Valley Propane building at 612 West Main Street has been listed for lease as a breathwork and cold plunge collective, according to a loopnet posting this week. The 4,200-square-foot industrial …

Running group carpools to M Trail from downtown coffee shop

By Randy Pflug

The Saturday morning run club met at Wild Crumb on West Main at 6:30 a.m. Fifteen runners laced their shoes beside parked Subarus and one lifted diesel. They loaded into four vehicles for the 0.7-mile …

WHY IS EVERYONE STOPPING AT THE GREEN LIGHT ON NINETEENTH

By Dale Crankshaft

I have driven North 19th Avenue every morning since 2003. It is a straight line, mostly, and I find comfort in the rhythm of the lights. However, lately, I have noticed a disturbing trend that defies …

Why Is The Grocery Store Offering Too Many Choices Now

By Lorraine Hubcap

I remember when shopping for a jar of pickles was a meditative experience. You walked into the store, you looked at the shelf, and you chose the one that was there. It was a partnership between the …

State committee decides school funding should probably exist for students

By Dr. Theodore Hypothesis

After thirteen months of rigorous, peer-reviewed deliberation held primarily in climate-controlled conference rooms in Helena, the Select Committee on Scholastic Fiscal Sustainability has finally …

County jail conference room chosen for community sensitivity seminar

By Bee Staff Report

The Gallatin County task force dedicated to fostering “Radical Empathy and Soft-Spoken Conflict Resolution” has officially announced the venue for their upcoming town hall. The meeting …

Bozeman adopts mystery benefactor to stock bookshelves with tax codes

By Dr. Theodore Hypothesis

The Gallatin Valley is experiencing a peculiar shift in early childhood literacy. While most toddlers in the region are typically treated to tales of hungry caterpillars or persistent engines, the …

Letters to the Editor

By Bee Mailbag

The Bee publishes letters from readers across the Gallatin Valley. Letters are edited for length, never for truth, because we wouldn’t know where to start. The North 19th construction dance I’ve …

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON ZONE MAP AMENDMENT APPLICATION NO. 26-437

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Bozeman Planning Division has received an application from Aspen Ridge Holdings, LLC, to amend the Official Zone Map for property located at 214 South Tracy …

MSR tent bought for Beartooths only set up in backyard

Two-person Hubba Hubba. Green. Set up once in backyard last June to test stakes. Mosquitoes were aggressive. Decided hotels have better insulation. Comes with footprint, rainfly, stuff sack, and the …

Gallatin Gateway Grange hosts simultaneous square dance & zoning variance hearing

By Bee Staff Report

The Grange Hall opens its doors at 6 p.m. for the monthly community square dance, which this month shares the calendar with a county planning board variance hearing for the 40-unit workforce housing …

Report of suspicious digging on West Cleveland determined to be garlic planting

By Bee Staff Report

Officer responded to 400 block of West Cleveland at 7:14 p.m. regarding report of unknown male digging in front yard with headlamp. Homeowner identified as resident planting hardneck garlic for …

Wyatt 'Wy' Driscoll, 73

By Bee Staff Report

Wyatt “Wy” Driscoll, 73, of Belgrade, died August 14 at his kitchen table with a cup of black coffee and the Billings Gazette folded to the sports page. He would have wanted it that way, …

Belgrade mural project invites residents to paint their commute

By Diane Wheatgrass

A new community mural unfurling along the side of the Belgrade Feed & Seed building asks valley commuters to depict their daily drive in whatever medium feels true. Organizers supplied brushes, …

Big Sky fundraiser sells Yellowstone Club passes everyone claims are for grandchildren

By Bee Staff Report

The Big Sky Community Foundation held its annual autumn fundraiser Saturday at the Meadow Village clubhouse. The big ticket item this year was a package of four day passes to the Yellowstone Club, …

Trail cameras capture more hikers than elk this August

By Chuck Troutman

Archery season opens in three weeks and the Bridger foothills are already blinking with infrared. Dale Pressler of Belgrade checked his camera on Sypes Canyon last Sunday and found three hundred …

Workforce housing listed for households earning six figures

By Marla Escrow

A new development on North 19th Avenue will offer 60 units designated as workforce housing starting at $2,650 per month for a one-bedroom. The project, called Bridger Commons, defines workforce …

Co-ed ultimate frisbee begins at former pasture on North 19th

By Randy Pflug

The discs flew straight over the new condo building on North 19th where alfalfa grew two summers ago. Eight teams took the painted lines at 6 p.m. sharp. The league runs Mondays through October. …

Why Is There No Salt In The Artisan Vinaigrette?

By Lorraine Hubcap

I have lived in this valley long enough to remember when a jar of pickles was just a jar of pickles. You didn’t need to consult a map of the farm or a list of the soil’s mineral content to enjoy …

Your Bluetooth Speaker Has No Business On The M Trail

By Tammy Switchback

I am writing this from the trailhead of the M, where the parking lot is currently vibrating—not from a tectonic shift, but from the bass of a portable speaker strapped to a daypack. It was 7:15 a.m. …

Residents concerned by campsite near popular downtown artisan creek

By Bee Staff Report

The stretch of Blacktail Creek that winds behind the new artisanal sourdough bakery and the yoga studio has recently seen an uptick in permanent, non-traditional residential interest. Several tents …

Judge pauses new mindfulness center near Four Corners hay field

By Bee Staff Report

Construction on the proposed Serenity Meadows Wellness and Forensic Facility, located just past the traffic circle at Four Corners, has been officially paused. A district court judge issued the …

New Bozeman elementary school water contains traces of artisanal minerals

By Dr. Theodore Hypothesis

Parents at the newly constructed elementary school on the edge of the Four Corners sprawl district were notified this week that routine testing has identified high levels of “advanced chemical …

Letters to the Editor

By Bee Mailbag

The Bee publishes letters from readers across the Gallatin Valley. Letters are edited for length, never for truth, because we wouldn’t know where to start. The North 19th Speed Situation I …

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON ZONE MAP AMENDMENT APPLICATION NO. 26-882

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Bozeman Planning Department has received Zone Map Amendment Application No. 26-882, submitted by Bridger Peaks Development LLC, requesting reclassification of …

E-bike bought for commute now only climbs Bridger Drive

Rad Power RadCity purchased April. Rode to Co-op twice. Realized Bridger Drive is a hill not a suggestion. Now leans against 2015 Outback in garage. Battery holds charge. Includes helmet never worn. …

Four Corners grange hosts rural skills showcase featuring tractor restoration

By Bee Staff Report

The Four Corners Grange opens its doors Saturday for the third annual Rural Skills Showcase, where longtime valley residents demonstrate tractor restoration, fence repair, and wifi troubleshooting for …

Report of suspicious package on East Lamme determined to be CSA delivery

By Bee Staff Report

Officer responded to 400 block of East Lamme regarding cardboard box left on porch with no visible shipping label. Resident reported unfamiliar packaging and unusual vegetable smell. Investigation …

Shirley Ann Blackfeather, 76

By Bee Staff Report

Shirley Ann Blackfeather passed quietly on August 12, 2026, at her home on South 8th Avenue, where she had lived since 1987. She worked the circulation desk at MSU’s Renne Library for forty-one …

Slow walking meditation embraces Main Street traffic pace

By Diane Wheatgrass

A small group gathered at the corner of Main and Rouse at 5 p.m. Thursday for what organizer Mara Linden called a “commuter communion.” The practice involves walking one block every seven …

Big Sky homeowners association newsletter prints two distinct event calendars

By Bee Staff Report

The Big Sky Owners Association distributed its autumn newsletter last week, and residents immediately noticed the document appeared to have been printed on two different printers. One side advertised …

Moose establishes residence in Bridger Canyon driveway

By Chuck Troutman

A bull moose has taken up residence in the circular driveway of the Henderson place on Bridger Canyon Road. He arrived Tuesday afternoon, bedded down in the ornamental grasses, and has not left. The …

Belgrade farm supply building sells for curated rural aesthetic studio campus

By Marla Escrow

The former Gallatin Valley Farm Supply building on East Main Street in Belgrade sold last week for $3.8 million to a Bozeman-based investment group calling itself Homestead Collective LLC. The …

Thursday night broomball league begins at Gallatin Ice

By Randy Pflug

The Thursday night broomball league dropped its first puck at Gallatin Ice last week. Twelve teams took the rink in sneakers and hockey helmets, chasing a blue ball the size of a grapefruit. The ice …

The Disappearance Of The Gravel Parking Lot

By Phyllis Grainbelt

I drove past the corner of Mendenhall yesterday and noticed that the gravel lot where the community used to leave their trucks is now a four-story structure with glass railings. It is a very nice …

The Official Start Of Winter Should Be Negotiated By The City

By Meredith Coldsnap

It is currently November, and the sky is playing a cruel game of “Is It Or Isn’t It A Blizzard?” I personally own fourteen high-quality fleece jackets, all of which are currently gathering dust …

Wilsall dinner guests trade store-bought groceries for local moss

By Diane Wheatgrass

The inaugural Feral Feast took place this past Saturday in a repurposed barn just outside of Wilsall. The event invited local residents to reconnect with their ancestral roots by consuming items that …

Vintage mobile home park replaced by luxury mountain yurt village

By Diane Wheatgrass

The Whispering Pines mobile home park, a quiet staple of the Four Corners landscape for nearly fifty years, is officially transitioning into its next life. Starting this week, several of the original …

Rideshare drivers find artisanal nails scattered across airport parking lot

By Bee Staff Report

The gravel lot just north of the airport terminal has long been a place of quiet transition for those waiting to pick up visitors from the coast. Lately, however, the commute has become a bit more …

Letters to the Editor

By Bee Mailbag

The Bee publishes letters from readers across the Gallatin Valley. Letters are edited for length, never for truth, because we wouldn’t know where to start. The North 19th construction rhythm …

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON ZONE MAP AMENDMENT APPLICATION NO. 26-279

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Bozeman Planning Division has received Zone Map Amendment Application No. 26-279 submitted by Willson Avenue Holdings LLC, a Montana limited liability company, …

Yeti cooler only held Co-op kombucha

Purchased new for backcountry trips that never happened. Three seasons of grocery runs to the Co-op on North 19th. Holds eighteen cans of kombucha perfectly. Never seen a bear. Asking what i paid …

Sourdough Flats HOA reviews landscaping rules for yards sodded in June

By Bee Staff Report

The Sourdough Flats Homeowners Association will meet Thursday to review landscaping guidelines for front yards sodded in June. The covenant requires native grasses but allows Kentucky bluegrass with …

Mavis 'Mav' O'Connell, 79

By Bee Staff Report

Mavis “Mav” O’Connell was born in Livingston on March 14, 1947, in the house her grandfather built from railroad ties and stubbornness. She never left, not even for college, though …

Gallery hosts moon charging for artworks absorbing commuter anxiety

By Diane Wheatgrass

The Interim Space Gallery on North 7th held its first lunar recharge ceremony Saturday evening, inviting the public to witness paintings and sculptures release accumulated stress from fourteen months …

Big Sky composting program launches with two distinct bins

By Bee Staff Report

Big Sky’s new community composting program opened Monday at the Meadow Village drop-off site with two separate collection bins. One bin is labeled “Food Scraps.” The other is labeled …

Multi-use trail users develop elaborate yield choreography at Sourdough

By Chuck Troutman

The Sourdough Trail system has developed a yield protocol that resembles interpretive dance more than standard right-of-way rules. Hikers step aside for mountain bikers who stop for trail runners who …

Four Corners industrial building lists as artisan production suites

By Marla Escrow

The former Spruce Mill Distribution building on Jackrabbit Lane has been listed for lease as 14 artisan production suites ranging from 800 to 2,400 square feet. Asking rates start at $28 per square …

Bobcats kicker practices while elk graze end zone

By Randy Pflug

The elk have been coming to the practice field for three weeks now. A cow and two calves, sometimes a spike bull, grazing the north end zone between the uprights like they own the place. Which, …

Why Is There A Glass Elevator On My Street?

By Howard Benchpress

I was walking my dog past the little 1920s bungalow that sits on the corner of my block yesterday. It is a sturdy house, painted a sensible shade of cream, and I have always felt it looked like a nice …

Why Your Bluetooth Speaker Has No Place On The M

By Tammy Switchback

Last Tuesday, while ascending the M Trail, I was treated to a high-fidelity rendition of a popular synth-pop anthem emanating from the backpack of a hiker thirty yards ahead. I am sure the gentleman, …

Local volunteer event requires background checks for complimentary glitter glue

By Bee Staff Report

The annual “Community Supplies for Bright Futures” event, held in the parking lot of a former tractor dealership near North 7th, was interrupted last Tuesday by a series of unexpected …

Local toddler wins contest to detonate new luxury condo project

By Bee Staff Report

Spicy pepper alert issued for local artisanal taco enthusiasts

By Diane Wheatgrass

The Gallatin Valley health department has issued a gentle advisory this week following reports of five diners feeling “decidedly unaligned” after eating jalapeños at a pop-up taco stand …

Letters to the Editor

By Bee Mailbag

The Bee publishes letters from readers across the Gallatin Valley. Letters are edited for length, never for truth, because we wouldn’t know where to start. Regarding the new “Luxury” …

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON ZONE MAP AMENDMENT APPLICATION NO. 26-356

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Bozeman Planning Department has received Application No. 26-356, submitted by Bridger Peak Development LLC, requesting a Zone Map Amendment for Parcel No. …

Pellet stove bought for winter never installed

Harman P68 bought November 2025 for cozy evenings. Still in crate beside wood stove that works fine. Includes forty bags premium pellets stored dry in garage. Manual unread. Wife says return window …

Slow growth coalition meets at new apartment clubhouse

By Bee Staff Report

The Gallatin Valley Slow Growth Coalition holds its quarterly gathering in the community room at Bridger View Commons, the 240-unit luxury complex that opened in March on the former hay field north of …

Report of stolen tomatoes on South 6th determined to be deer

By Bee Staff Report

Officer responded to 400 block of South 6th Avenue at 7:14 a.m. regarding missing heirloom tomatoes from raised beds. Complainant reported approximately twelve Brandywine and Cherokee Purple varieties …

Dale Pendergrass, 67

By Bee Staff Report

Dale Pendergrass, 67, died peacefully on August 3 at his home on North 19th Avenue. He arrived in Bozeman in 1994 with a U-Haul and a job at the MSU physical plant, and he never left. He liked to say …

Bozeman slow art series invites hour-long viewing of single works

By Diane Wheatgrass

The Still Point Gallery on West Main introduced a new monthly series this week called Slow Looking, where visitors spend sixty minutes with one painting. No phones, no conversation, just a chair and …

Big Sky community garage sale reveals two distinct economies

By Bee Staff Report

The Big Sky Community Organization hosted its first valley-wide garage sale Saturday at the Town Center parking lot. Organizers hoped the event would foster connection between the area’s …

County designates official trailhead at longtime pullout

By Chuck Troutman

Gallatin County installed a brown metal sign at the Bear Creek pullout Tuesday. The pullout has held exactly four Subarus and a dusty Tacoma since the Clinton administration. The sign reads …

West Main machine shop becomes heritage fabrication collective

By Marla Escrow

The building at 317 West Main housed Bozeman Machine & Tool for thirty-four years. The shop repaired combine headers, fabricated irrigation fittings, and kept a coffee pot on for anyone who walked …

Adult rec tackle football begins on former barley field

By Randy Pflug

The Gallatin Valley Tackle League kicked off Saturday at the complex off Gooch Hill Road where barley grew two seasons ago. Eight teams. Full pads. One chain crew that argues every spot. Randy Pflug …

Why Are We Building Tiny Houses Inside Of Bigger Houses?

By Howard Benchpress

I was walking past a construction site on North Rouse the other day, and I stopped to look at the framing. They are putting up a structure that looks like a very large, very expensive shoebox. It is …

If We Must Have Roundabouts They Need To Be Bigger

By Gerald Fencepost

I have lived in Belgrade since 1991, and I have seen a lot of pavement poured in the name of progress. Lately, it seems like the city planners have fallen in love with the roundabout. I am not against …

Twenty-one acres near MSU listed for bargain price of eight million

By Dr. Theodore Hypothesis

The sprawling parcel of dirt located adjacent to the Montana State University campus has officially been listed for $8.95 million. The property, which currently features a very brave gopher and …

Local energy board member demands to keep office despite unpaid nap

By Dr. Theodore Hypothesis

The Gallatin County regulatory landscape grew significantly quieter this week, or perhaps louder depending on your stance regarding administrative stillness. Commissioner Arthur Pringle has officially …

Local politician receives prestigious trophy for standing near elk

By Bee Staff Report

Letters to the Editor

By Bee Mailbag

The Bee publishes letters from readers across the Gallatin Valley. Letters are edited for length, never for truth, because we wouldn’t know where to start. The aggressive pace of North 19th I am …

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON ZONE MAP AMENDMENT APPLICATION NO. 26-611

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Bozeman Planning Division has received an application for a Zone Map Amendment from R-1 Single Family Residential to C-4 Central Business District for the …

Truck topper fits Tacoma you sold comes with spiders

ARE fiberglass cap good condition. Locks work. Interior light works. Some scratches from branches. Spider community established respectful. Fits 2016 to 2023 short bed. You haul it. Cash or venison. …

Four Corners Grange hosts rural character celebration at strip mall opening

By Bee Staff Report

The Four Corners Grange invites valley residents to honor the area’s agricultural heritage during the grand opening of Prairie Sky Commercial Center this Saturday. The program includes a tractor …

Report of suspicious vehicle on Bridger Canyon Road resolved

By Bee Staff Report

Caller reported a dark sedan parked at pullout near mile marker 4 for approximately three hours with occupant inside. Officer made contact; driver stated they were a software engineer from California …

Winifred "Winnie" O'Malley, 80

By Bee Staff Report

Winifred “Winnie” O’Malley was born in the farmhouse on Jackrabbit Lane when it was still gravel and the nearest stoplight was an hour away. She died August 5 at her kitchen table …

Community theater stages zoning hearing in commission chambers

By Diane Wheatgrass

The Bozeman Community Players opened their latest production Thursday night in the City Commission chambers on Rouse Avenue. “Zoning Variance: A Drama in Three Acts” runs through Saturday …

Big Sky community tool library opens with parallel inventories

By Bee Staff Report

The Big Sky Community Tool Library celebrated its grand opening Saturday in the former ski-rental space beside the Meadow Village post office. Volunteers cut a measuring tape instead of a ribbon, …

Late August summit panic grips valley hikers

By Chuck Troutman

The calendar turned to August 21 and the valley collectively realized it had only bagged three peaks since Memorial Day. The self-imposed quota was twelve. Twelve felt reasonable in April when the …

Belgrade saddle shop fits custom chaps for remote founders

By Marla Escrow

Calder’s Western Wear has occupied the same storefront on Broadway since 1962. The building sold in 2019 for $420,000. The lease tripled last January. Hank Calder, 71, still arrives at 6:30 a.m. …

Thursday night spikeball league begins at Bogert Park

By Randy Pflug

The nets went up Tuesday beside the new pickleball courts where tennis courts used to be. By Wednesday afternoon three sets had already been stolen and replaced with duct-taped frames from a garage in …

WHY WE MUST PROTECT THE DOWNTOWN SIDEWALK CRACKS

By Phyllis Grainbelt

I was walking down Main Street yesterday, enjoying the way the wind tries to push you toward the curb, when I tripped. It was a perfectly good crack in the concrete, deep enough to catch a boot heel …

Why Is The Artisan Bread Section Now Requiring A Credit Check?

By Lorraine Hubcap

Last Tuesday, I walked into my usual grocery store to pick up a loaf of sourdough. I have been buying bread at this location since 1994, back when you could park your truck anywhere on the lot and the …

County judge denies petition to ban cloud storage from Bridger Mountains

By Dr. Theodore Hypothesis

A legal effort to stop the construction of a new “data center” near the base of the Bridger Mountains came to a quiet, administrative halt this Tuesday. A local resident had been gathering signatures …

Montana fwp enforcement hires new chief to manage bear etiquette

By Chuck Troutman

The Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks department has officially welcomed a new chief of enforcement. The agency hopes this leadership change will help standardize the unspoken rules governing how our …

Local ballot initiative blocked after signatures deemed too blurry

By Dr. Theodore Hypothesis

The grassroots effort to regulate the proposed Quantum Data Haven in our valley has hit a procedural snag. Last Tuesday, the county commission office returned 4,500 signatures to the organizers of …

Letters to the Editor

By Bee Mailbag

The Bee publishes letters from readers across the Gallatin Valley. Letters are edited for length, never for truth, because we wouldn’t know where to start. The North 19th Speed Situation I am …

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON ZONE MAP AMENDMENT APPLICATION NO. 26-948

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Bozeman Planning Department has received an application from Aspen Ridge Holdings, LLC, to amend the Official Zone Map for property located at 1420 West Babcock …

Will water your Kentucky bluegrass while you pretend it's native

Sprinkler system installed 2019. Knows every zone. Will not judge the non-native turf. Cash or venison accepted. 406-555-0187

Bozeman library hosts introduction to winter for august arrivals

By Bee Staff Report

The Bozeman Public Library West Wing welcomes new residents and returning students for a practical overview of the season that begins in roughly twelve weeks. Topics include driveway etiquette during …

Report of suspicious person in alley determined to be owner recycling

By Bee Staff Report

Officer responded to 200 block of South Tracy Avenue at 2:22 p.m. regarding a male subject observed loading cardboard boxes into a hatchback. Subject identified as proprietor of downtown establishment …

Hiroshi "Hiro" Tanaka, 78

By Bee Staff Report

He arrived in a Datsun B210 with a master’s degree in civil engineering and four hundred dollars. That was 1974. The mountains held him, the fishing kept him, the quiet convinced him to stay. …

Basement concert series lowers volume after condo complaints on Main Street

By Diane Wheatgrass

The Subterranean Sessions, a weekly experimental music series held in the below-grade rehearsal space beneath the former army surplus store, announced Tuesday that all amplifiers must now remain below …

Big Sky community fire pit sees little use

By Bee Staff Report

The new propane fire pit at Town Center Park was supposed to be a gathering place. The Chamber bought it with resort tax funds last spring. It sits on a concrete pad near the stage where the summer …

New Triple Tree connector sparks polite trail debate

By Chuck Troutman

The new Triple Tree connector opened last week. It links the upper and lower loops with three miles of fresh dirt. By Tuesday the cairns had appeared at the overlook. Someone built a bench from a …

West Main veterinary clinic becomes canine wellness collective with membership tiers

By Marla Escrow

The former Bridger Animal Clinic at 1420 West Main Street has sold for $1.8 million to a Bozeman LLC registered last month. Dr. Helen Prather ran the practice there for 31 years before retiring in …

Bobcats offensive line reviews film in cooled facility

By Randy Pflug

The offensive line met in the film room Tuesday morning while the new indoor facility’s climate control hummed steady at sixty-eight degrees. Coach Hank Moseley pointed at the screen with a …

Why A Seven-Hundred-Dollar Monthly Parking Pass Is A Bargain

By Rick Tailgate

I heard a lot of grumbling at the trailhead yesterday about the new residential parking permits downtown. People were saying that paying seven hundred dollars a month to keep their trucks near their …

The North 19th Roundabout Needs A Left-Hand Turn Lane

By Gerald Fencepost

People keep telling me that roundabouts are designed to keep things moving. They say the flow is circular and natural, like a creek bed. I say a creek bed doesn’t have three lifted trucks from …

Local students turn porch rock collecting into luxury lifestyle brand

By Bee Staff Report

It started as a simple effort to pay for an extra semester of parking permits at MSU. Caleb Vane and his roommate, Jaxon Miller, noticed that the gravel in the driveway of their rental unit was …

Smokey skies lead to rise in artisanal lung-cleansing pop-ups

By Diane Wheatgrass

The amber haze currently settling over the Gallatin Valley has led to a noticeable uptick in foot traffic at the downtown wellness collective. While some residents have opted to simply stay indoors, …

Senate hopefuls debate bridge placement while parking spots vanish

By Bee Staff Report

The downtown corridor saw an unusual amount of activity this Saturday as Senate candidates Arthur Pringle and Beatrice Vane met for a “listening session” held entirely within a single marked parking …

Letters to the Editor

By Bee Mailbag

The Bee publishes letters from readers across the Gallatin Valley. Letters are edited for length, never for truth, because we wouldn’t know where to start. The North 19th existential crisis I’ve …

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON VARIANCE APPLICATION NO. 26-673

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Bozeman Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. in the Commission Chambers, 121 North Rouse Avenue, to consider …

2012 Subaru Outback runs on hope and synthetic oil

2012 Outback, 187k miles. Check engine light has personality. New timing belt, old CV boots. Heater works when it wants. Perfect for someone who believes character builds resilience. $3,200 obo. Call …

Public comment session reviews roundabout installed in July

By Bee Staff Report

The city’s transportation department hosts a public comment session on the newly completed roundabout at the intersection of Oak Street and Cottonwood Drive. The roundabout opened to traffic in …

Report of suspicious activity at community garden determined to be early harvest

By Bee Staff Report

Officer responded to Bogert Park community garden at 6:15 a.m. regarding a person with a headlamp and basket moving between raised beds. Caller reported someone stealing vegetables in the dark. …

Catarina 'Cat' Mendoza, 70

By Bee Staff Report

Catarina Mendoza arrived in Bozeman in 1992 for a nursing job at the hospital and stayed for the mountains, which she insisted were “just like Jalisco, only colder.” She worked the night …

Storytelling night at Valley Feed draws standing room crowd

By Diane Wheatgrass

The hay bales were stacked high against the back wall of Valley Feed on Tuesday evening, leaving just enough room for fifty folding chairs and a microphone stand. By 6:30 p.m. the aisle was full too, …

Big Sky parking permit program sparks local definition debate

By Bee Staff Report

Big Sky Resort announced a new local preference parking program for the Town Center lot this week, reserving forty spaces for vehicles displaying a verified local permit. The program was designed to …

E-bike demo day at Bozeman Creek draws curious hikers and skeptics

By Chuck Troutman

A fleet of pedal-assist mountain bikes lined the Bozeman Creek trailhead Saturday morning beside Subarus, a lifted diesel, and one bicycle built before the Berlin Wall fell. Representatives from three …

Four Corners self storage adds pickleball court for tenants

By Marla Escrow

Four Corners Self Storage on Jackrabbit Lane has added a regulation pickleball court between Building C and the RV covered parking. Owner Dale Henthorn said the court came from tenant feedback. …

Thursday night rec basketball league tips off at Emerson Center

By Randy Pflug

The Thursday night rec basketball league tipped off at the Emerson Center gym last night with eight teams and a waiting list of twelve. The league runs ten weeks, single elimination playoffs, and a …

THE CURRENT MID-NOVEMBER SUNSHINE IS A PERSONAL AFFRONT

By Meredith Coldsnap

It is currently fifty-two degrees in November, and frankly, I do not trust it. I own fourteen fleece jackets for a reason, and not one of them is being utilized because the atmosphere refuses to …

Why We Must Support The Twenty-Dollar Breakfast Burrito

By Rick Tailgate

I keep hearing people complain about the price of a breakfast burrito downtown. Honestly, I think those folks are missing the big picture. When I pay twenty-two dollars for eggs, chorizo, and a …

Local alpaca dispute leads to extended wait for animal control

By Bee Staff Report

The quiet peace of a mid-afternoon Tuesday was briefly punctured on the outskirts of Four Corners when a disagreement between two neighborhood alpacas escalated into a full-scale staring contest. The …

Lawmakers sue for right to stay on ballot near Four Corners

By Bee Staff Report

Downtown copper mascot removed to make room for luxury viewing deck

By Bee Staff Report

Early Tuesday morning, the bronze statue of “Old Pete,” which has graced the top of the historic mercantile building on Main Street for sixty years, was lowered to the pavement by a crane. The process …

Letters to the Editor

By Bee Mailbag

The Bee publishes letters from readers across the Gallatin Valley. Letters are edited for length, never for truth, because we wouldn’t know where to start. The North 19th Parking Situation I …

NOTICE OF SUBDIVISION APPLICATION NO. 26-112

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Summit Ridge Development, LLC has filed a subdivision application (No. 26-112) for a 14.3-acre parcel situated at the northeast corner of North 19th Avenue and Oak Street, …

Season pass for Bridger Bowl used three times

Bought pass in November. Skied opening day. Work got busy. Car died. Pass transfers at ticket window. Cash only. Look for the Subaru with the cracked windshield. I will be wearing the blue beanie.

Residents since 2019 host what Bozeman used to be storytelling night

By Bee Staff Report

The Bozeman Old-Timers Collective (est. 2021) invites anyone who remembers when the Co-op had a bulk bin aisle and Bridger Bowl didn’t need a reservation system to share memories at the Pinecone …

Report of unauthorized fire pit on West Koch resolved

By Bee Staff Report

Officer responded to 1400 block of West Koch at 8:47 p.m. regarding reported unauthorized fire pit. Located permitted propane fire table on residential patio. Homeowner produced valid city burn permit …

Celestina 'Tina' Okonkwo, 72

By Bee Staff Report

Celestina “Tina” Okonkwo, 72, of Belgrade, died peacefully at home on August 3, 2026. She was born March 12, 1954, in Enugu, Nigeria, and arrived in the Gallatin Valley in 1989 with a …

Nature journaling group meets weekly at Hyalite Canyon

By Diane Wheatgrass

A small circle of notebook carriers has been gathering at the Hyalite Reservoir trailhead every Tuesday since June. They arrive around 9 a.m. with camp stools, watercolor tins, and the kind of focused …

New Meadow Village bakery serves tourists not locals

By Bee Staff Report

A new artisan bakery opened last week in the Meadow Village center. Crumb & Crown offers sourdough loaves at twelve dollars and croissants that require a membership to pre-order. The owner, a …

Hyalite trailhead develops picnic culture hikers occasionally hike

By Chuck Troutman

The Hyalite Canyon trailhead parking lot has evolved into a high-altitude social club with optional hiking attached, according to regulars who arrive before dawn to claim prime tailgate real estate. …

Belgrade coffee roaster opens Main Street cafe charging eight dollars a cup

By Marla Escrow

Summit Roasting Company signed a five-year lease at 112 East Main Street last Tuesday. The space previously housed a vintage typewriter repair shop that paid $1,800 per month. Summit will pay $6,200. …

MSU rodeo team opens fall practice at fairgrounds

By Randy Pflug

The Montana State rodeo team began fall practice Tuesday at the Gallatin County Fairgrounds arena, where the chutes have not moved since 1972 but the property lines have. A four-story apartment …

WHY ARE WE ALLOWING LEFT TURNS ON MAIN STREET?

By Dale Crankshaft

I have driven down Main Street every morning since 2003. It is a simple, rhythmic experience that defines the character of a person’s day. You go straight, you observe the speed limit, and you arrive. …

WHY THE ARTISAN PICKLE JARS AT THE CO-OP ARE A THREAT

By Lorraine Hubcap

I have lived in this valley long enough to remember when a jar of pickles was a humble, reliable neighbor. You went to the store, you bought a jar of spears that looked like they had been through a …

Local clinic tracks patient symptoms to optimize outdoor gear ads

By Dr. Theodore Hypothesis

The intersection of medical privacy and high-end outdoor retail took a curious turn this week. Several residents have reported that their recent visits to the urgent care clinic on North 19th were …

Political ads sharing phone numbers confuse local cattle ranchers

By Bee Staff Report

The recent influx of political text messages has caused a stir in the Gallatin Valley, particularly among those who still believe a phone is something you hold against your ear while standing on the …

Local llama dispute highlights gaps in city animal containment strategy

By Bee Staff Report

The tranquility of the neighborhood near Rose Park was briefly interrupted Saturday afternoon when a llama, identified by locals as “Barnaby,” allegedly attempted to share a patio lunch …

Letters to the Editor

By Bee Mailbag

The Bee publishes letters from readers across the Gallatin Valley. Letters are edited for length, never for truth, because we wouldn’t know where to start. The North 19th traffic rhythm I’ve …

NOTICE OF ZONE MAP AMENDMENT APPLICATION NO. 26-501

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Bozeman Planning Department has received an application for a Zone Map Amendment (Application No. 26-501) submitted by Summit Ridge Development, LLC, to …

Kayak bought for Madison River only floated Hyalite once

Yellow Perception 12-foot sit-on-top. Bought new spring 2025 for Madison floats. Put in at Hyalite Reservoir once in June. Wind came up. Spent two hours paddling in circles. Realized I hate wind. …

Bozeman Creek homeowners association reviews rental rules for units already listed

By Bee Staff Report

The association will hear public comment on a proposed short-term rental restriction drafted after three units in the development appeared on vacation rental platforms last week. Board president Linda …

Report of suspicious person on M Trail determined to be runner stretching

By Bee Staff Report

Officer responded to report of individual behaving erratically near trailhead at 7:15 a.m. Subject observed contorting body into unusual positions while making labored breathing sounds. Investigation …

Joaquin 'Jack' Rivera, 64

By Bee Staff Report

Joaquin “Jack” Rivera arrived in Bozeman in March of 2003 with a tool belt, a beat-up Subaru, and a plan to stay six months. He was still here twenty-three years later, which he attributed …

Arts incubator opens in former feed warehouse on North 19th

By Diane Wheatgrass

The new Creative Roots Arts Incubator held its soft opening Thursday in the renovated Harrington Feed building on North 19th. The space features exposed timber beams, radiant floor heating, and a …

New Big Sky lift serves runs both populations avoid

By Bee Staff Report

Big Sky Resort unveiled the Lone Peak Express this week, a high-speed quad accessing north-facing terrain that neither the Mountain Village crowd nor the Meadow Village regulars have skied in recent …

North 19th trailhead fills with cars from three blocks away

By Chuck Troutman

The North 19th Trailhead parking lot reached capacity by 7:15 AM Sunday. Most vehicles displayed Bozeman address stickers. Several displayed bike racks holding bikes that cost more than the cars. …

Private locals club opens on Main Street with ten thousand initiation

By Marla Escrow

The Ridge Club opened Tuesday in the former First Security Bank building at 217 East Main. The three-story brick building sold in March for $3.8 million to Ridge Club LLC, a Delaware entity registered …

Adult rec soccer league kicks off at former sheep pasture

By Randy Pflug

The Midvalley Strikers took the field Monday evening at the new Four Corners complex, where fescue and clover grew knee-high this time last year. The league expanded to eight teams after a waitlist …

YOUR RETRACTABLE DOG LEASH IS A PUBLIC SAFETY CRISIS

By Tammy Switchback

I moved here in 2019, right when the community was at its peak of authentic outdoor culture. Back then, we all used fixed-length leashes, because we understood that a mountain trail is a place of …

The Four-Way Stop On Main Is A Constitutional Crisis

By Dale Crankshaft

I have driven down Main Street every morning at 8:15 a.m. for the last twenty-one years. It is a ritual that provides structure to a world that feels increasingly loose at the hinges. Recently, …

Cattle rustling fears rise as beef prices hit luxury status

By Chuck Troutman

The price of a prime ribeye has reached such heights that local ranchers are starting to treat their herds like high-security assets. While most people in the Gallatin Valley are concerned about the …

Rain predicted to disrupt local air quality improvement efforts

By Chuck Troutman

The Gallatin Valley is bracing for a significant meteorological event this Thursday, as forecasters expect the arrival of actual liquid precipitation. For the past several weeks, the horizon has been …

Local angler retires after catching every fish in the Gallatin

By Chuck Troutman

Gary Hops, a man who has spent more time standing in the Gallatin River than on dry land since 1974, announced his retirement this Tuesday. He says his work here is essentially finished because, as he …

Letters to the Editor

By Bee Mailbag

The Bee publishes letters from readers across the Gallatin Valley. Letters are edited for length, never for truth, because we wouldn’t know where to start. The sidewalk to nowhere I am writing …

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON ZONE MAP AMENDMENT APPLICATION NO. 26-406

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Bozeman City Commission will hold a public hearing on Monday, September 14, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. in the Commission Chambers at 121 North Rouse Avenue to consider Zone Map …

Paddleboard — inflated once now holds Christmas decorations

Bought for Hyalite last August. Wind picked up every time. Tried Madison in June. Current too strong. Excellent garage sculpture. Holds three bins of ornaments securely. $300 or best offer. Dave …

Annual trail etiquette potluck addresses e-bikes on new paths

By Bee Staff Report

The Friends of Lower Bridger Trails hosts its fifth annual Share the Path potluck Thursday at the Bridger Creek Trailhead Pavilion. Organizers will review updated signage installed in June and …

Report of aggressive wildlife on Peets Hill determined to be goldendoodle

By Bee Staff Report

Caller reported large canine displaying threatening behavior toward hikers near summit. Responding officer located animal romping with tennis ball, tail wagging at 90 beats per minute. Owner …

Vera Satterfield, 82

By Bee Staff Report

Vera Satterfield arrived in Livingston in 1978 with a typewriter, a dog named Buster, and the conviction that the wind was a personal challenge. She covered school board meetings for the Livingston …

Gallery series translates zoning code into felt experience

By Diane Wheatgrass

The Interim Space Gallery on North 19th opened its newest series Thursday evening, inviting attendees to sit with the physical sensations of municipal land-use policy. Curator Mara Hensley arranged …

Anonymous Yellowstone Club application appears on community bulletin board

By Bee Staff Report

A folded membership inquiry for the Yellowstone Club was discovered Tuesday morning pinned beside a lost cat notice and a flyer for beginner pickleball at the Big Sky post office. The application …

Hyalite trailhead hosts competitive breakfast scene before sunrise

By Chuck Troutman

The parking lot at Hyalite Trailhead resembles a dispersed camping festival by 4:45 AM. Subaru tailgates unfold into portable kitchens complete with French presses, cast iron skillets, and …

Belgrade auto repair lease triples near new luxury complex

By Marla Escrow

The owner of Belgrade Transmission on West Central Avenue said his monthly lease will increase from $2,800 to $9,500 when the current term ends in October. The building sits across the street from the …

Sunday soccer league kicks off at former ranch

By Randy Pflug

The Midvalley Sunday Soccer League began its fall season yesterday on a patch of grass that held cattle until June. The field sits behind the new storage unit complex on Gooch Hill Road, where the …

Why The Grocery Store Layout Changes Are A Moral Failing

By Lorraine Hubcap

I walked into the North 7th grocery store on Tuesday, intending to purchase my usual supply of garlic dills and a bag of flour. For fifteen years, the pickles were located in Aisle 4, nestled …

Why The Five-Dollar Ski Parking Fee Is A Moral Outrage

By Rick Tailgate

I checked my bank account this morning and saw a notification for a five-dollar parking fee at the hill. It feels like we are losing the soul of the valley, one handful of change at a time. I’ve skied …

Bank donates artisanal fire prevention kits to Four Corners residents

By Bee Staff Report

The financial landscape of the Gallatin Valley shifted this week as a prominent bank announced a new community relief initiative. Recognizing the growing intersection between rising property values …

Manhattan potato festival honors century of burning starch

By Bee Staff Report

The town of Manhattan is bracing for a dual celebration this weekend that has left some locals wondering if it is better to be well-fed or well-protected. The fire department is marking its 120th …

School supply costs force local families to embrace minimalist learning

By Bee Staff Report

Letters to the Editor

By Bee Mailbag

The Bee publishes letters from readers across the Gallatin Valley. Letters are edited for length, never for truth, because we wouldn’t know where to start. The North 19th Mirage I drove from …

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON VARIANCE APPLICATION NO. 26-834

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Bozeman Board of Adjustment will hold a public hearing on August 26, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. in the Commission Chambers, 121 North Rouse Avenue, to consider Variance …

Will listen to startup pitch while pouring latte

Barista at downtown shop. Ten years experience nodding at terms like disrupt and scalable. Your oat milk latte comes with genuine interest in your blockchain solution for elk migration. No equity …

Hyalite friends group trains ambassadors for lightly used trail

By Bee Staff Report

The Friends of Hyalite host their annual trailhead ambassador training Saturday at the Middle Creek guard station. Volunteers will learn to greet the two or three hikers who arrive before noon, answer …

Report of suspicious photographer on West Kagy determined to be county assessor

By Bee Staff Report

Caller reported individual photographing residences along West Kagy Boulevard at approximately 0945 hours. Subject described as middle-aged male in high-visibility vest operating tablet device. …

Anneliese 'Annie' Koenig, 85

By Bee Staff Report

Anneliese ‘Annie’ Koenig, 85, died peacefully at home on August 3. She was born in a farmhouse outside Manhattan in 1941, the daughter of Volga German parents who spoke Russian at the …

Former alignment shop becomes integrative arts space on North 19th

By Diane Wheatgrass

A former wheel alignment shop on North 19th has reopened as Stillpoint, an integrative arts space where visual art, sound healing, and somatic movement share the same concrete floor. The building …

Yellowstone Club hosts community open house both Big Skys attend separately

By Bee Staff Report

The Yellowstone Club opened its gates Saturday for what staff called a community listening session. Members of the club’s new outreach committee served huckleberry scones and pour-over coffee in …

Locals begin winter rituals while August heat lingers

By Chuck Troutman

The temperature hit ninety-two degrees at the Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport on Thursday. Inside Basecamp Bozeman on North Seventh, the tune bench is already booked through September. …

Developer proposes micro-units near campus starting at nineteen hundred

By Marla Escrow

A Colorado-based development group has filed plans for a four-story building on West College Street containing forty-two units averaging three hundred square feet each. The project, branded Basecamp …

Thursday night cornhole league begins at Hyalite Brewing

By Randy Pflug

The bags hit the boards with a sound somewhere between a thud and a whisper. Fifty-two teams. Twenty-six courts painted on the parking lot asphalt behind Hyalite Brewing. The league runs eight weeks, …

THE ARTISANAL PICKLE JAR LID IS A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY

By Lorraine Hubcap

I have lived in this valley long enough to remember when a pickle was simply a cucumber that had spent some quality time in a brine bath. It was a humble, sour endeavor. You opened the jar, you ate …

WHY IS THE SUN LUNCHING AT THE OFFICE AGAIN?

By Meredith Coldsnap

It is currently 4:15 in the afternoon, and the sky looks like it belongs in a Victorian coal-mining accident. I understand that the earth rotates and the planet tilts—I took geography—but this does …

Educators convene to discuss safety regarding rogue elk intrusions

By Dr. Theodore Hypothesis

The annual Symposium on Unscheduled Ungulate Presence concluded this Tuesday in a rented banquet hall off North 19th. Teachers from across the Gallatin Valley assembled to share data regarding the …

Bozeman families trade rustic cabins for affordable grade school supplies

By Bee Staff Report

The annual ritual of preparing children for the classroom has returned to the Gallatin Valley. While students are excited to reunite with friends, parents are finding that the price of a three-ring …

Aerial silks yoga gains popularity in new Four Corners warehouse

By Diane Wheatgrass

NOTICE OF ZONE MAP AMENDMENT APPLICATION NO. 26-724

Notice is hereby given that 19th & Olive LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, has filed an application with the City of Bozeman Planning Division requesting a Zone Map Amendment for the …

Firewood seasoned two years mostly pine some regrets

Firewood — seasoned two years, mostly pine, some regrets. $200 per cord. Pickup only, bring gloves. I loaded it myself so you know it’s honest. 406-555-0147

Neighborhood character workshop reviews duplexes replacing cottages

By Bee Staff Report

The Hawthorne Preservation Alliance hosts a community conversation on maintaining the historic fabric of the West Babcock district. Organizers will present renderings of the fourplexes recently …

Report of mountain lion on Peets Hill determined to be large tabby

By Bee Staff Report

Caller reported a tan cougar crouched near the M Trail switchback at 6:14 a.m. Officers located a fifteen-pound orange tabby named Barnaby stalking a ground squirrel. The cat’s owner, reached by …

Ingrid 'Inge' Solberg, 78

By Bee Staff Report

Ingrid Solberg arrived in the Gallatin Valley in 1987 with a Volvo station wagon, two young children, and a job at the Community Food Co-op that she kept for thirty-two years. She watched the parking …

Artist documents Bridger Mountains views lost to North 19th development

By Diane Wheatgrass

First Friday attendees gathered at Sightline Gallery on North 19th last week for “Vanishing Vistas,” a series of watercolors by Mara Hensley documenting mountain sightlines that no longer …

Big Sky adopts bear-resistant trash cans both populations ignore differently

By Bee Staff Report

The Big Sky Community Organization approved a new bear-resistant trash can mandate Tuesday after three grizzlies spent June touring Meadow Village like confused tourists. The ordinance requires …

Trail crew discovers warm coffee mugs on Sourdough Trail

By Chuck Troutman

A volunteer trail crew cleared deadfall from the Sourdough Trail on Tuesday and found four ceramic mugs still steaming beside a switchback at mile two. The mugs sat on a flat rock arranged in a loose …

Former motel on North 7th becomes co-living suites

By Marla Escrow

The 1962 Travelodge at 1415 North 7th Avenue sold last Tuesday for $3.1 million to Summit Ridge Holdings LLC, a Bozeman LLC registered to a Delaware address. The property includes 38 units on 0.8 …

Thursday night co-ed volleyball league opens at Sacajawea Middle School

By Randy Pflug

The nets went up at 6 p.m. sharp in the Sacajawea Middle School gym. By 6:15, the smell of floor wax and knee pads had replaced the usual scent of adolescent locker room. Thirty-two teams registered …

THE NEW ROUNDABOUT AT KAGY IS A PERSONAL INSULT

By Dale Crankshaft

I have been driving from my driveway to the post office via Kagy Boulevard every Tuesday for twenty-one years. It is a precise, meditative journey that allows me to contemplate the changing seasons …

State officials confirm milk at local plant is definitely liquid

By Bee Staff Report

State inspectors completed their walkthrough of the Valley Dairy processing facility this week, concluding a four-month investigation into whether the product being bottled was, in fact, milk. While …

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON VARIANCE APPLICATION NO. 26-089

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Bozeman Board of Adjustment will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. in the City Commission Chambers, 121 North Rouse Avenue, …

Fly rod bought for Madison River never wet

9-foot 5-weight. Cast beautifully in yard. Trout unconvinced. Includes case and three flies still in packaging. $180. Call Mark 406-555-0147

MSU Extension hosts Preserving the Harvest workshop for zucchini surplus

By Bee Staff Report

The annual Preserving the Harvest workshop returns Saturday at the Gallatin County Fairgrounds Exhibit Hall B. MSU Extension agents will demonstrate water-bath canning, pressure canning, and three …

Noise complaint on South 3rd Avenue determined to be frogs in retention pond

By Bee Staff Report

Caller reported sustained high-volume vocalizations from vacant lot near 11:15 p.m. Responding officer located source in stormwater retention basin: approximately forty Pacific chorus frogs in full …

Dwayne "D.J." Kestrel, 62

By Bee Staff Report

Dwayne “D.J.” Kestrel died peacefully at home on August 3 after a brief illness, surrounded by the stack of trail maps he never threw away. He was 62. D.J. arrived in Bozeman in 1998 with …

North 19th cottage hosts exhibit by priced-out artists

By Diane Wheatgrass

A 1920s cottage on North 19th Avenue opens its doors Friday for a week-long exhibition before demolition begins Monday. The show, titled “Foundation,” features work by twelve artists who …

Big Sky Resort locals ski day draws crowd nobody recognizes

By Bee Staff Report

Big Sky Resort hosted its annual Locals Appreciation Day on Saturday, offering discounted lift tickets to anyone who could prove they live in the 59716 ZIP code. The line at the ticket window …

Tuesday night social run establishes aid stations every quarter mile

By Chuck Troutman

The weekly Tuesday night social run on the Sourdough Ridge loop has developed a support infrastructure that would impress an ultramarathon director. What began as six friends meeting at the trailhead …

Former warehouse on East Oak listed as creative suites

By Marla Escrow

The 18,000-square-foot warehouse at 412 East Oak Street has been listed for lease at $32 per square foot triple-net, marketed as “creative flex suites for the modern maker economy.” The …

Bozeman High golf invites navigate fairways beside new condos

By Randy Pflug

The Bozeman High Hawks hosted their annual invitational at Valley View Golf Course on Tuesday, where the front nine still feels like 1992 and the back nine borders a four-story development that …

The Intersection At Jackrabbit Is A Moral Failing

By Gerald Fencepost

I have lived in Belgrade since 1991. I have watched the hay fields turn into storage units and the gravel turn into asphalt, but the way we handle the intersection at Jackrabbit remains a mystery of …

Digital warehouse petition stalls as ink proves too modern for county

By Dr. Theodore Hypothesis

Citizens in the Gallatin Valley have spent much of the autumn attempting to place the future of a new “data center” on the upcoming November ballot. The proposed facility, intended to …

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON PRELIMINARY PLAT FOR FORMERLY THE FEED STORE SUBDIVISION

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Bozeman Planning Board will hold a public hearing on the Preliminary Plat Application for “Formerly The Feed Store” Subdivision, located at 2840 West Main …

Will wax your skis while you explain your lineage

Have wax. Have iron. Have strong opinions on base structure. You bring skis and family tree. I listen. You leave with fast bases and validated heritage. Cash or venison accepted. Text for scheduling.

Livingston grange hosts annual casserole exchange and well water clinic

By Bee Staff Report

The Willow Creek Grange Hall opens its doors at 10 a.m. for the twelfth annual casserole exchange, where residents bring a hot dish and leave with three they did not make. This year the event adds a …

Report of abandoned vehicle on South Tracy resolves when owner returns from bike commute

By Bee Staff Report

Officer responded to report of a silver Subaru Outback parked on South Tracy Avenue for seventy-two hours without moving. Caller expressed concern vehicle had been abandoned. Investigation determined …

Dorothea 'Dot' Hensley, 83

By Bee Staff Report

Dorothea “Dot” Hensley, 83, died peacefully on July 28, 2026, at her home on West Kagy, the same house her grandfather built in 1912 and the only one on the block that hasn’t been …

City Commission approves roundabout sculpture celebrating commuter patience

By Diane Wheatgrass

The Bozeman City Commission voted four to one Tuesday evening to allocate forty-two thousand dollars from the Percent for Art fund toward a permanent sculpture at the new Four Corners roundabout. The …

Big Sky farmers market adds locals hour nobody can define

By Bee Staff Report

The Big Sky Farmers Market opened its Saturday season this weekend with a new “locals only” hour from 8 to 9 a.m., intended to give residents first pick of huckleberry jam and sourdough …

Gallatin River float season peaks with cooler technology arms race

By Chuck Troutman

The Gallatin River reached peak float density last Saturday when a flotilla of 347 inner tubes, 12 rafts, and a single determined paddleboarder passed the Logan takeout within a 40-minute window. …

Developer calls twenty-eight hundred a month attainable on North 19th

By Marla Escrow

A new mixed-use development on North 19th Avenue opened its leasing office Monday with rents starting at $2,800 for a studio unit. The project, called Elevate Bozeman, contains 84 units above …

MSU club ski team trains in parking lot

By Randy Pflug

The MSU Alpine Ski Club met Tuesday evening in the gravel lot behind the Strand Union Building for their third dryland session of the fall. Thirty-two athletes in matching neon shirts completed ladder …

Why Are We Building Tiny Houses Inside My Original Cottage?

By Howard Benchpress

I was walking past my mailbox the other day, clutching a bag of organic kale from the Co-op, when I noticed something peculiar. The vacant lot next to my property, which used to be home to a very …

Local clinic accidentally sells patient health data to artisanal honey farmers

By Bee Staff Report

Patients at the Whispering Pines Wellness Center in Four Corners were surprised this week to find their private health records influencing their digital experience. It appears the clinic’s new digital …

Haze turns sky into aesthetic filter for daily commute

By Diane Wheatgrass

The Gallatin Valley is experiencing a peculiar visual shift this week. A thick, atmospheric blanket of wildfire smoke has descended upon the mountains, effectively turning the entire region into a …

Wellness clinics offer oxygen shots as wildfire smoke turns sky beige

By Diane Wheatgrass

The view from the top of the M Trail has transitioned from a crisp mountain vista to a soft, monochromatic palette that many residents are describing as “vintage sepia.” As the wildfire …

Junie Mae Whitlock, 71

By Bee Staff Report

Junie Mae Whitlock died peacefully on July 28 at her home on West Babcock, where she had lived since 1993 when the street still had three vacant lots and a feed store. She came from Minnesota for a …

Condo lobby hosts exhibit by service workers who commute

By Diane Wheatgrass

The lobby of the Aspen Grove residences on North 7th opened its doors Thursday for “Unseen Hands,” a multimedia exhibit featuring work by eight Bozeman service workers who drive in from …

Big Sky roundabout plan draws fire from both villages

By Bee Staff Report

A proposed roundabout at the intersection of Lone Mountain Trail and Ousel Falls Road has united Big Sky’s two populations in shared suspicion. The Montana Department of Transportation presented …

Mountain goats on Sacagawea Peak master backpack zippers

By Chuck Troutman

Hikers on Sacagawea Peak report the resident mountain goat herd has developed a new skill set this summer. The goats have learned to manipulate zipper pulls with their lips, targeting day packs left …

Belgrade laundromat sells for boutique apothecary concept with sauna

By Marla Escrow

The Spin Cycle on Broadway Avenue closed Sunday after 34 years. The building sold Tuesday for $1.4 million to Willow Creek Holdings LLC, which filed permits for a “holistic wellness …

MSU women's soccer opens fall camp on new turf field

By Randy Pflug

The Bobcats took the field at 7 a.m. Tuesday for the first session of fall camp, the new turf at Bobcat Soccer Complex still smelling faintly of rubber and possibility. Head coach Megan Holzer watched …

YOUR RETRACTABLE DOG LEASH IS A THREAT TO PUBLIC ORDER

By Tammy Switchback

I was hiking the M Trail last Tuesday, moving at a brisk but respectable pace, when I encountered a gentleman and his golden retriever. The dog was tethered to one of those thin, retractable plastic …

Local Skillet Fire grows as neighbors argue over preferred firewood

By Chuck Troutman

The Skillet Fire, which has now expanded to cover 2,494 acres of scenic ridgeline near the Gallatin Valley, continues to provide a significant amount of ambient heat for the local area. While …

Smoke in Bozeman leads to record sales of artisanal air

By Diane Wheatgrass

Thick mountain haze brings unexpected artisanal charm to Bozeman skyline

By Diane Wheatgrass

The Gallatin Valley is currently experiencing a unique atmospheric event as smoke from regional wildfires drifts into our mountain basin. While some have expressed concern regarding the air quality …

NOTICE OF VARIANCE APPLICATION NO. 26-921

Notice is hereby given that Aspen Ridge Development, LLC has filed an application for a variance from Section 17.48.030 (Minimum Side Yard Setback) of the Bozeman Municipal Code for property located …

Arc'teryx shell bought for Hyalite worn to Co-op only

Size medium. Worn three times — twice to the Co-op on South 19th, once to the brewery on a Tuesday. Still has tags if you count the lift ticket from Bridger Bowl stuck to the sleeve. Gore-Tex still …

Gallatin Valley irrigation district hosts annual ditch walk

By Bee Staff Report

The Upper Missouri Water Users Association invites property owners to trace the main canal from Headgate Park Pavilion through the west bench neighborhoods. Water Master Dale Pemberton will explain …

Noise complaint about pickleball courts on West Oak

By Bee Staff Report

Officers responded to a noise complaint regarding the pickleball courts near West Oak Street at 10:12 p.m. Reporting party described “rhythmic thwocking and suspicious cheering” lasting …

Velma Crandall, 81

By Bee Staff Report

Velma Crandall was born in the house on Jackrabbit Lane that her grandfather built from hand-hewn logs and a Sears catalog dream. She never left Belgrade, not even for college, not even when the hay …

Livingston art walk embraces wind as collaborative medium

By Diane Wheatgrass

The annual Livingston Art Walk returned Saturday with its usual mix of oil paintings, hand-thrown ceramics, and the persistent southwestern gust that treats the Yellowstone Valley like a personal wind …

Big Sky locals night draws two crowds who don't mix

By Bee Staff Report

A new Wednesday happy hour at the Summit House advertised itself as “for locals only.” By 5:30 p.m., the patio had sorted itself without a word spoken. On the left side, fleece vests and …

Belgrade feed store becomes modern homestead supply concept

By Marla Escrow

The Belgrade Feed & Seed building on East Main Street has sold for $1.8 million to a Bozeman-based investment group planning a modern homestead supply concept called Rooted. The 12,000-square-foot …

Women's rugby club practices at former horse arena on North 19th

By Randy Pflug

The Bozeman Women’s Rugby Club took the field Tuesday evening at the old Miller Horse Arena on North 19th, where the scent of hay still lingers beneath the new sod. Twenty-three players ran …

WHY THE ARTISAN PICKLE CRISIS IS TEARING US APART

By Lorraine Hubcap

I have lived in this valley for thirty-two years, and in that time, I have learned a great deal about the geography of a cucumber. I know which North 19th strip mall aisle houses the mass-produced …

WHY WE MUST PROTECT THE DOWNTOWN PARKING METER GHOSTS

By Howard Benchpress

I was walking down Main Street the other day, clutching a cup of coffee that cost the same amount as my first mortgage payment—which, I should mention, I secured in 2006 for a perfectly normal, …

Livingston to plant trees as shield against persistent local wind

By Bee Staff Report

The wind in Livingston is a well-documented member of the community. It has a personality, a temper, and a tendency to relocate patio furniture to neighboring counties without permission. This week, …

Dairy facility inspectors discover artisanal dust at local creamery

By Diane Wheatgrass

The state agency responsible for monitoring our valley’s liquid gold recently completed a sweep of the artisanal milk processing facility near the base of the Bridgers. Officials reported that several …

Record heat suggests August may be warmer than previous Augusts

By Bee Staff Report

The Gallatin Valley is currently bracing for a series of high-temperature days that meteorologists are calling “officially hot.” As the calendar turns into August, many locals have observed that the …

Will explain Four Corners roundabout to visiting parents

Patient instruction provided. Includes yield vs. merge distinction and why the semi truck has right of way regardless. Cash or venmo. References available from three sets of in-laws last summer. …

Annual alfalfa memories storytelling night returns to Bridger Canyon

By Bee Staff Report

Longtime Bridger Canyon resident Hank Miller will host the third annual “I Remember When This Was All Alfalfa” storytelling night at the Old Hayloft Barn on Bridger Canyon Road. The …

Report of loose goat on Durston Road determined to be neighbor's pet

By Bee Staff Report

Officer responded to report of goat blocking travel lane near Fowler intersection. Animal identified as three-year-old Nigerian Dwarf owned by resident of 400 block. Owner retrieved goat using bucket …

Leland 'Lee' Callahan, 82

By Bee Staff Report

Leland “Lee” Callahan, 82, died peacefully at home on August 3, 2026, with the Bridger Mountains visible through his bedroom window. He was born March 12, 1944, in the farmhouse his …

Vacant lot on North 7th hosts grounding installation

By Diane Wheatgrass

A pop-up meditation space has appeared in the empty lot where the Miller cottage stood until March. The structure, a geodesic dome made of reclaimed two-by-fours and salvaged greenhouse plastic, …

Big Sky community shuttle connects two villages sees little use

By Bee Staff Report

The new Big Sky Community Connector launched Monday with two bright blue vans running between Meadow Village and Mountain Village every thirty minutes. The route links the grocery store, the post …

Shoulder season arrives early locals unsure what to pursue

By Chuck Troutman

The air above Bridger Bowl smelled like dust and pine sap Tuesday morning. Three hikers passed a man waxing nordic skis at the Saddle Peak trailhead. He did not look up. “Conditions are prime …

Four Corners hay field sells for pickleball complex

By Marla Escrow

The 14-acre parcel at the corner of Jackrabbit Lane and Huffine Lane sold Tuesday for $3.8 million to Gallatin Valley Recreation Partners LLC. The property was last assessed as agricultural land …

Pickleball league expands to former tennis courts at Bogert Park

By Randy Pflug

The Bozeman Pickleball Association added six courts at Bogert Park this week, converting the tennis surface that hosted city championships through the nineties. Volunteers taped the kitchen lines at 6 …

The M Trail Is Not An Appropriate Venue For Your Bluetooth Speaker

By Tammy Switchback

I hiked the M Trail on Tuesday morning, as I do every Tuesday to calibrate my internal pace for the week. About halfway up, I encountered a group of three gentlemen wearing very expensive, brand-new …

Local paddleboarder cited after swan incident at Hyalite Reservoir

By Chuck Troutman

The calm waters of Hyalite Reservoir were briefly interrupted Saturday afternoon when a local man, seeking to optimize his morning exercise routine, was detained by federal authorities. The …

MSU volleyball team trains by spiking luxury condos on Main Street

By Dr. Theodore Hypothesis

The annual arrival of the Montana State University volleyball team always signals the transition from the frantic chaos of summer tourism to the slightly different, albeit equally frantic, chaos of …

Local boulder takes up permanent residency on Bridger trail

By Chuck Troutman

Hikers heading up the lower loop of the Bridger Mountains encountered a significant change to the landscape yesterday morning. A large, granite-colored boulder has reportedly decided to stop rolling …

Local rodeo replaces bucking horses with vintage stationary bikes

By Chuck Troutman

The 66th annual Gallatin Valley Stampede took place this weekend at the Four Corners Arena, though regular attendees might have noticed a slight change in the programming. In an effort to keep the …

NOTICE OF ZONE MAP AMENDMENT APPLICATION NO. 26-847

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that 19th & Olive LLC, a Delaware limited liability company with a registered agent in Cheyenne, Wyoming, has filed an application to amend the Official Zone Map of the City …

Nordic skis bought for fitness used for wine transport

Classic Fischer set, waxed once. Carried two cases of Cabernet from the liquor store on 19th to Hyalite trailhead last February. Glided beautifully. Bindings fit size 43 boots. Poles included. $80 or …

Four Corners Chamber cuts ribbon on fourteenth storage facility

By Bee Staff Report

The Four Corners Chamber of Commerce will celebrate the grand opening of Gallatin Gateway Storage & More this Friday at 10 a.m. The 400-unit facility occupies the former Miller hay field at the …

Report of rooster crowing on South 5th Avenue

By Bee Staff Report

Officer dispatched at 5:47 a.m. regarding noise complaint. Resident reported “aggressive poultry vocalizations” disturbing sleep. Investigation revealed single Rhode Island Red rooster in …

Arnold 'Arnie' Quimby, 77

By Bee Staff Report

Arnie Quimby measured his years in first cuttings and last frosts, the way his father taught him and his father before that. He ran the Quimby place on Jackrabbit Lane back when it was just a dirt …

Bozeman library workshop transforms real estate flyers into manifestation boards

By Diane Wheatgrass

The Bozeman Public Library hosted a intuitive collage workshop last Saturday where participants cut up outdated real estate listings and rearranged them into personal vision boards. The event filled …

Big Sky restaurant offers locals discount, nobody agrees who qualifies

By Bee Staff Report

The Fork & Spoon on Lone Mountain Trail announced a new “Locals’ Tuesday” promotion this week, offering twenty percent off entrees for anyone who can prove they live in Big Sky. …

Gallatin County opens trailhead at former Four Corners gravel pit

By Chuck Troutman

The new Four Corners Trailhead opened Tuesday on the site of the old Anderson gravel operation off Gooch Hill Road. County Commissioner Marlene Haskins cut a ribbon made of orange construction fencing …

Belgrade welding shop converts to membership makerspace

By Marla Escrow

The former Triple M Fabrication building on Broadway Street in Belgrade has been leased to a Bozeman-based collective planning a membership-based makerspace called Forge & Foundry. The …

Co-ed kickball season opens at former fairgrounds diamond

By Randy Pflug

The Midvalley Misfits took the field Tuesday evening at the old fairgrounds diamond, where the infield dirt still remembers horse shows and 4-H auctions. Thirty-two players stretched along the …

Why Is A Shed Now A Million Dollar Investment Property

By Howard Benchpress

I was walking down by the creek the other day, looking for a place to sit and think about the price of eggs. I happened to glance over at a plot of land that, back in 2006, I remember being home to a …

New smartphone app identifies optimal spots for passive aggressive loitering

By Dr. Theodore Hypothesis

Local bear retires from foraging after discovering artisanal charcuterie

By Chuck Troutman

Longtime Gallatin County sheriff retires to open organic goat dairy

By Diane Wheatgrass

Sheriff Dale Huckleberry hung up his duty belt this Tuesday, ending a four-decade career that saw the Gallatin Valley transform from a place where you could leave your keys in the ignition to a place …

Local boulder undergoes mandatory safety training after hiking mishap

By Chuck Troutman

The Gallatin National Forest is a place of constant movement. Sometimes that movement is a mountain goat seeking a salt lick, and sometimes it is a six-hundred-pound slab of limestone deciding that …

NOTICE OF ZONE MAP AMENDMENT APPLICATION NO. 26-783

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Blue Ridge Development LLC, a Delaware limited liability company with a registered address of 4400 Two Rivers Road, Suite 200, Bozeman, Montana, has filed an application …

Will start your car on negative twenty mornings while you finish coffee

Reliable. Have block heater and patience. Will wait in driveway wearing three layers. You stay inside. Text when ready. Cash or venmo. References available from last winter’s clients on durston …

North 19th corridor visioning session seeks input on median landscaping completed in April

By Bee Staff Report

The city transportation department will host a community visioning session Thursday at the Gallatin Valley Transportation Innovation Center on Huffine Lane. Residents are invited to share their hopes …

Report of aggressive turkey on West Oak Street determined to be tom displaying for hens near elementary school

By Bee Staff Report

Officer responded to 800 block of West Oak at 7:12 a.m. regarding a “large aggressive bird chasing children.” On arrival, located adult male wild turkey strutting and gobbling near hens in …

Bernice 'Bernie' Wolcott, 76

By Bee Staff Report

Bernice “Bernie” Wolcott, 76, died peacefully at home on July 28 after a brief illness. She moved to Bozeman in March 1993 in a Subaru wagon held together by hope and duct tape, intending …

New vibrational art space opens in former muffler shop offers frequency alignments

By Diane Wheatgrass

The former Big Sky Muffler on North 19th has been reborn as Resonance, a vibrational art gallery and wellness studio where the admission price includes a brief frequency alignment. Owner Mara …

Big Sky Resort debuts heritage pass requiring notarized affidavit from retired liftie

By Bee Staff Report

Big Sky resort announced the heritage pass this week, a new season product for skiers who can document at least 30 days on the mountain prior to 1995. The application requires a notarized affidavit …

Lava lake trailhead develops elaborate tailgate culture hikers occasionally visit lake

By Chuck Troutman

The parking area at Lava Lake trailhead has evolved into what regulars describe as a sophisticated outdoor hospitality venue with a hiking option attached. By 8 a.m. on summer Saturdays, the lot hosts …

East Babcock print shop sells for brand activation campus

By Marla Escrow

The building at 612 East Babcock that housed Gallatin Printing for four decades changed hands last week for $2.8 million. The new owner, a limited liability company registered to a Bozeman address, …

Ranchers and realtors square off in annual flag football game at fairgrounds

By Randy Pflug

The fifteenth annual Ranchers vs. Realtors charity flag football game kicked off Saturday at the Gallatin County Fairgrounds under a sky that couldn’t decide between sun and hail. The ranchers …

We Have Too Many Circles And Not Enough Straight Lines

By Gerald Fencepost

I’ve been driving the commute from Belgrade into Bozeman for thirty-three years now. Back in ’91, you could get from the outskirts to Main Street without seeing a single piece of circular concrete. …

Senate hopefuls agree to keep campaigning until someone asks them not to

By Bee Staff Report

The race for the open Senate seat in Montana continues to move forward this week, despite a collective sense of bewilderment from both the candidates and the handful of people who have actually been …

Lone Peak film festival prioritizes 4K footage of local traffic jams

By Chuck Troutman

The Lone Peak Film Festival has officially unveiled its 2026 screening slate, and organizers say they are pivoting away from the usual “extreme skiing” genre. Instead, this year’s marquee …

Foraged fungi dinner party leads to spontaneous hospitalization in Park County

By Diane Wheatgrass

It was supposed to be the ultimate Montana weekend. A group of eleven visitors from the coast rented a charming, rustic-modern cabin near Livingston, hoping to connect with the land before their …

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON VARIANCE APPLICATION NO. 26-642

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Bozeman Board of Adjustment will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. in the Commission Chambers, 121 North Rouse Avenue, to consider …

Will water your native landscaping while you are at the Yellowstone Club

Have keys to three houses on the bench already. Know which plants are actually native and which are just hopeful. Will send daily photos of soil moisture. Flexible on timing. Cash preferred. …

Gallatin Valley winter preparedness fair: Snow tire mounting demo in 85-degree heat

By Bee Staff Report

The annual Winter Ready Expo returns to the Four Corners Event Barn this Saturday with vendors offering snow blade installations, heated driveway consultations, and avalanche beacon practice stations. …

Report of stolen parking spot on West Main resolved when chair removed

By Bee Staff Report

Officer responded to the 300 block of West Main after a caller reported their shoveled parking spot occupied by an unfamiliar sedan. Investigation revealed the spot had been saved with a folding chair …

Corinne Delaney, 74

By Bee Staff Report

Corinne Delaney, 74, died peacefully at home on July 29 after a brief illness. She moved to Bozeman in 1993 for a teaching position at Hawthorne Elementary and never left, though she threatened to …

New exhibit at interim space gallery explores the art of waiting for things

By Diane Wheatgrass

The group show opened last Friday in the former travel agency on North 7th. The space still smells faintly of laminated brochures for Hawaiian cruises nobody from here takes. Curator Mara Lindquist, …

Big Sky chamber launches local loyalty card program nobody can agree

By Bee Staff Report

The Big Sky Chamber of Commerce unveiled its new Mountain Local Loyalty Card on Tuesday, a punch-card program designed to support hometown businesses. The card offers a free coffee after ten purchases …

Bridger Bowl summer scenic lift rides offer gravity assisted hiking

By Chuck Troutman

Bridger Bowl opened its summer scenic chairlift operations last weekend, allowing hikers to ride Sunnyside up and walk down the same runs they skin up in January. The resort calls it …

Belgrade auto parts store becomes heritage garage experience for vintage collectors

By Marla Escrow

The Belgrade Auto Parts building on Jackrabbit Lane sold last week for $1.8 million to a Bozeman-based investment group planning a “heritage garage experience” called Iron & Oak. The …

Thursday night flag football league opens at Four Corners complex

By Randy Pflug

The Thursday Night Lights Flag Football League kicked off its fall season Wednesday at the Four Corners Sports Complex, where three regulation fields now sit on land that produced alfalfa hay as …

The Ten-Dollar Coffee Is Actually A Bargain

By Rick Tailgate

I heard a fella at the trailhead the other day complaining that his morning latte cost twelve dollars. He was pretty worked up about it, waving his car keys around like he’d been personally robbed by …

Local good samaritan shot while offering unsolicited life advice

By Bee Staff Report

Local snow drought explained by lack of community spirit, says expert

By Dr. Theodore Hypothesis

The Gallatin Valley has recently entered a period of atmospheric skepticism regarding precipitation. As the Bridger Mountains remain noticeably brown, researchers at Montana State University have …

Local school lunch program vows to replace all foreign carrots

By Dr. Theodore Hypothesis

The Gallatin Valley School District has announced a bold, new initiative to ensure that every student’s mid-day sustenance is strictly representative of our immediate geographic footprint. Following …

Local bear retires from foraging after discovering artisanal charcuterie

By Chuck Troutman

NOTICE OF ZONE MAP AMENDMENT APPLICATION NO. 26-591

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that an application has been filed by Summit Ridge Development, LLC, for a Zone Map Amendment from B-2 (Community Business) to B-4 (Central Business High Density) on Lot 7, …

Avalanche beacon — practiced in living room never in backcountry

BCA Tracker 3. Three practice searches in the carpet. Batteries fresh. Includes harness that still smells like REI. Selling because touring partners all moved to Belgrade. $275. Call 406-555-0142.

West Babcock neighborhood association hosts listening session for subdivision approved in 2023

By Bee Staff Report

The West Babcock Neighborhood Association will hold a community listening session Tuesday at the Meadowlark Community Church fellowship hall to gather input on the Willow Creek Crossing subdivision, …

Report of large ungulate in driveway on Cottonwood Road determined to be moose napping in shade

By Bee Staff Report

Officer responded to report of large animal in residential driveway at 0742 hours. Homeowner described “something the size of a horse but wrong.” Animal identified as bull moose resting in …

Theresa 'tess' Braided Hair, 80

By Bee Staff Report

Theresa ’tess’ Braided Hair was born in the house on West Babcock that her grandfather built with logs from the Bridgers. She did not leave Bozeman except for a stint at Haskell Institute …

Mobile gallery in converted school bus parks illegally on Main Street

By Diane Wheatgrass

A yellow 1994 Blue Bird school bus pulled up to the curb outside the former transmission shop on Main Street at 4:58 p.m. Friday. By 5:02 the folding door hissed open and the smell of sage and …

Big Sky adds pickleball courts to town center park hoping

By Bee Staff Report

Big Sky’s new pickleball courts at Town Center Park opened last Saturday with a ribbon cutting attended by both populations standing on opposite sides of the net. The four courts were funded by …

Annual gear swap returns to fairgrounds locals prepare

By Chuck Troutman

The Gallatin Valley Gear Swap opens Saturday at the fairgrounds. Early birds line up at 6 a.m. with headlamps and reusable mugs. The parking lot fills by 6:15. Tables stretch across the exhibition …

Former tire shop on West Main becomes curated gear library

By Marla Escrow

The building at 1420 West Main Street held Willey’s Tire & Alignment for thirty-seven years. As of Monday it holds Basecamp Collective, a membership-based gear library where founding members …

Bozeman High wrestling team conditions in warehouse

By Randy Pflug

The Bozeman High wrestling team has been running sprints and hitting the heavy bags in a warehouse on north seventh since june. the building smells like motor oil and deep heat rub. it also smells …

Why Are We Putting Valet Parking At The Library?

By Phyllis Grainbelt

I stopped by the public library on East Main last Tuesday to return a book on local irrigation history. I was surprised to find a young man in a crisp vest standing near the entrance, holding a sign …

The Tragedy Of The Four-Way Yield

By Dale Crankshaft

I’ve been driving down Kagy Boulevard every morning at 8:15 a.m. for twenty-one years. It’s a reliable rhythm, much like the changing of the seasons or the inevitable price hike on a carton of eggs at …

City leaders advise residents to simply not be hot this weekend

By Bee Staff Report

New ‘Legacy Garden’ Requires Residents to Trace Ancestry Back to 1920

By Diane Wheatgrass

Local Dairy Spoilage Linked to "Vibe Shift" in Gallatin County

By Diane Wheatgrass

Big Sky events arena hosts "quiet" weekend of heavy industrial metal

By Chuck Troutman

The Big Sky Events Arena held its inaugural “Symphony of Silence” festival this past weekend, a two-day event featuring seventeen industrial metal bands from across the globe. Organizers …

NOTICE OF VARIANCE APPLICATION NO. 26-374

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that an application for a variance from the minimum side-yard setback requirement of Section 17.24.030 of the Bozeman Municipal Code has been filed by Bridger Peak Development, …

Mountain bike — bought new, ridden twice, mostly leaned against wall

2022 Santa Cruz Tallboy, large. Carbon frame, XT build. Rode it up Leverich twice last July. Realized I prefer the buying part. Tires still have nibs. Includes pump I also used twice. $4,200 obo. Text …

Four Corners residents attend wildlife corridor design charette for corridor running through approved 300-unit development

By Bee Staff Report

The Gallatin Gateway Grange Hall will host a community design workshop Tuesday evening to finalize the alignment of the Elk Meadows Wildlife Corridor, which traverses the recently approved Elk Meadows …

Report of suspicious vehicle idling on West Kagy; determined to be diesel truck warming up since 5:30 a.m.

By Bee Staff Report

Officer responded to report of a dark pickup idling in a residential driveway for over forty minutes. The vehicle was confirmed to belong to a resident who stated the Cummins requires adequate warm-up …

Clementine 'clem' vásquez, 76

By Bee Staff Report

Clementine “Clem” Vásquez died peacefully at home on July 28, surrounded by the seed catalogs she never threw away. She was 76. Born in El Paso, Clem arrived in Bozeman in 1982 with a …

Community theater stages our town with Bozeman updates

By Diane Wheatgrass

The Verge Theater Company opened its season Thursday with Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town,” directed by Mara Lindqvist and lightly adapted so that Grover’s Corners now has a …

Big Sky Resort announces locals appreciation week with discounts

By Bee Staff Report

Big Sky Resort unveiled its annual Locals Appreciation Week on Tuesday, a seven-day celebration of the people who keep the mountain running, provided those people can produce a pay stub, a utility …

Bridger Bowl summer lift passes outsell winter passes

By Chuck Troutman

Bridger Bowl sold more summer scenic lift passes than winter ski passes for the first time in resort history this July, according to numbers released Tuesday. The Saddle Peak lift carried 12,400 …

Former car wash on South 19th listed as curated maker studios with heritage branding

By Marla Escrow

The suds & shine car wash at 1420 south 19th avenue has been listed for lease as eighteen curated maker studios with heritage branding. The asking rate is thirty-two dollars per square foot triple …

Cross country team runs through construction zones

By Randy Pflug

Bozeman High cross country practice started monday at the old fairgrounds loop, except the loop now cuts through a subdivision where sagebrush stood in november. coach dale harrigan pointed out the …

The Four-Second Yield Is A Breakdown Of Civil Society

By Dale Crankshaft

It used to be that when you turned onto North 19th, there was an understanding. You waited your turn, you signaled your intent, and if you saw a neighbor, you offered a polite wave. It was a rhythm, …

Local mural stolen overnight, replaced with blank concrete canvas

By Bee Staff Report

Nonprofit vertical farm offers artisanal lettuce to local dust bunnies

By Diane Wheatgrass

Big Sky Conference announces plans to replace all players with luxury condos

By Dr. Theodore Hypothesis

Local youth discovers antique revolver

By Bee Staff Report

The City Commission met briefly on Tuesday to discuss the recent incident involving a local fourteen-year-old who was apprehended while in possession of a vintage .38 caliber Taurus revolver. While …

NOTICE OF INTENT TO ANNEX FORMER HAYFIELD PARCEL NO. 26-312

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Bozeman, pursuant to MCA 7-2-4600 et seq., intends to annex that certain real property described as Tract 1, Certificate of Survey 4182, Gallatin County, …

Will shovel your driveway and pretend to know about your property taxes

Snow removal with side of unsolicited commentary on zoning changes. Own plow truck, 2003 Chevy, starts when it feels like it. Cash or venmo. No roofs, did one last year and the homeowner cried. Call …

Valley housing coalition hosts short-term rental registration open house at Gallatin Gateway community hall

By Bee Staff Report

The Valley Housing Coalition invites property owners and long-term renters to a drop-in information session about the new short-term rental registration portal launching next month. Staff will be …

Drone reported over west side residence; determined to be real estate photography

By Bee Staff Report

Officer responded to 1400 block of West Olive Street at 7:42 a.m. regarding a “suspicious aircraft” hovering over complainant’s backyard. The device, described as “black with …

Eleanor 'ellie' kincaid, 73

By Bee Staff Report

Eleanor “Ellie” Kincaid, 73, died peacefully on July 28 at her home on North 7th Avenue, where she had lived since 1996, back when the neighborhood was “just normal people” and …

Annual studio tour adds Belgrade stop as artists follow affordable rent north

By Diane Wheatgrass

The Bozeman Artists’ Guild announced this week that the 24th annual studio tour will include a Belgrade corridor for the first time. Organizers described the expansion as a natural evolution of …

Big Sky post office remains only place where both populations stand in same line

By Bee Staff Report

The Big Sky post office on Lone Mountain Trail does not care about your net worth. It cares only that you have a piece of mail and a willingness to wait. On Tuesday morning, the line stretched past …

Hyalite trailhead develops thriving parking lot community hikers occasionally visit the forest

By Chuck Troutman

The Hyalite Creek trailhead has evolved into what regulars describe as a high-altitude neighborhood where the commute is the destination. By 7 a.m. on Saturday, thirty-seven Subarus and four Sprinter …

Downtown bookstore cafe closes after 28 years as building sold for activation concept

By Marla Escrow

Page & Pour served its last pour-over and paperback on July 31. The corner of Babcock and Tracy will reopen this fall as something the new owner calls an activation concept. Owner Marlene Haskins, …

Why Are Our Muffins Becoming So Tall?

By Phyllis Grainbelt

I walked down Main Street last Tuesday, just to see what the morning light looked like hitting the old brick. It looked fine, mostly. But then I stopped into a bakery that used to be a place where you …

Digital cloud storage proposed for Gallatin County’s remaining hay fields

By Dr. Theodore Hypothesis

The Gallatin County Commission spent Tuesday afternoon debating the ontological status of “the cloud.” This follows a petition filed by a local coalition of residents who believe that the massive, …

New Forest Service history museum opens, features exhibit on “the good old days”

By Chuck Troutman

City considers replacing emergency responders with sentient flying burritos

By Dr. Theodore Hypothesis

NOTICE OF VARIANCE APPLICATION NO. 26-203

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Applicant Summit Ridge Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company with a registered agent at 400 East Main Street, Suite 300, Bozeman, Montana, has filed an …

Snowblower — ran great when i cared

2019 Ariens. Two-stage. Electric start works when the battery remembers. Cleared my driveway three winters ago and then I bought a plow service. Sits in garage judging me. $300 or best offer. Come see …

East Main Street merchants association meeting: Holiday lights timeline for lights installed last December

By Bee Staff Report

The East Main Street Merchants Association will convene Tuesday to finalize the implementation timeline for the holiday light corridor illuminated since December 14. Association president Dale …

Noise complaint reported about heat pump on South 11th Avenue

By Bee Staff Report

Officer responded to a noise complaint on South 11th Avenue at approximately 2:15 p.m. Reporting party stated a neighbor’s newly installed heat pump had been “humming aggressively” …

Opal 'opie' Merritt, 81

By Bee Staff Report

Opal “Opie” Merritt, 81, of Four Corners, passed peacefully on July 18 at her kitchen table with a cup of tea gone cold beside her. She was born March 12, 1945, in the farmhouse her …

Local potter fires new series with clay from North 19th excavation site

By Diane Wheatgrass

Mara Lindqvist, a ceramicist who works out of the shared studio behind the community garden on Peach Street, has completed a new body of work using clay she harvested from the foundation dig for the …

Big Sky community center opens with separate entrances for the two populations

By Bee Staff Report

The new Big Sky Community Commons opened Tuesday with a ribbon cutting attended by both populations, though they used different doors and stood on opposite sides of the lobby. The $14 million facility …

Smoke from idaho fires settles in Gallatin Valley hikers adjust expectations

By Chuck Troutman

A haze has sat in the Gallatin Valley since Tuesday, the color of weak tea, drifting down from the Panther Creek and Wapiti fires across the border. By Wednesday the Bridgers were a suggestion rather …

Belgrade feed and hardware building sells for flex industrial project marketed

By Marla Escrow

The building that housed Belgrade Feed & Hardware for 38 years sold last week for $3.1 million to a Bozeman-based development group. The new owners plan to subdivide the 18,000-square-foot space …

Youth soccer tournament kicks off at Four Corners complex where hay grew last season

By Randy Pflug

The Gallatin Valley Youth Soccer Association opened its fall tournament Saturday at the new Four Corners Sports Complex, where center-pivot irrigation once traced circles across the Alvarez …

Put The Brakes On The Roundabouts, Folks

By Gerald Fencepost

Where Did All The Good Pickles Go? A Cry For Help

By Lorraine Hubcap

I’ve lived in Bozeman long enough to remember when the biggest decision you had to make at the grocery store was whether to get dill or sweet. Oh, how times have changed. I’m talking about …

Downtown's newest mural "sparks dialogue" among drivers

By Bee Staff Report

Bozeman’s downtown core recently unveiled a new public art installation, a vibrant mural stretching across the north wall of the old Mercantile building on East Main Street. The piece, titled …

Local artist captures 'Bobcat spirit' in concrete driveway murals

By Bee Staff Report

Foragers concerned as local mushroom population develops discerning palate

By Bee Staff Report

North 19th development breaks ground on 84 units starting at $2,400 for a studio

By Marla Escrow

Ground was broken Tuesday on The Ascent at Bridger View, a four-story mixed-use project rising on the former site of Al’s Auto Repair and the little house where the Olson family lived for sixty …

Marlene Haskins, 78

By Bee Staff Report

Marlene Haskins died peacefully on July 28 at her home on West Babcock, the same house she and Dale bought in 1992 for what she always called “a perfectly normal amount of money.” The …

They're Calling These "Luxury" Now? I Call Them What They Are: Small.

By Howard Benchpress

I was driving down North 7th the other day, minding my own business, which is getting harder to do with all the new buildings popping up. Everywhere you look, there’s another crane or another …

We Need To Talk About The Four Corners Roundabout

By Gerald Fencepost

I’ve been driving these roads since 1991, back when Four Corners was just a blink and a wave. Now, with all the new folks moving in, it’s a whole different ballgame. And what I want to talk about is …

Local clinic accidentally shares patient data with fly fishing outfitters

By Bee Staff Report

Local bottler wins 'most original' award for water purity

By Bee Staff Report

Skillet fire continues to sizzle, local grills report mild concern

By Bee Staff Report

Kagy sewer project promises 'character-building' traffic for commuters

By Bee Staff Report

Bozeman is embarking on a new infrastructure project along West Kagy Boulevard, aimed at improving the city’s sewer system. The initiative, dubbed “The Great Pipe Passage” by some, …

Jury Verdict on Squirrel Misconduct Case Questioned by Local Judge

By Bee Staff Report

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON ZONE MAP AMENDMENT

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Bozeman City Commission will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. in the Commission Chambers, 121 N. Rouse Avenue, to consider Zone Map …

2008 Subaru outback — character included

2008 Outback, 212k miles. Check engine light is basically a nightlight now. Burns a quart every 800 miles but that’s just how they say hello. New tires last July. Timing belt at 180k by Dave at …

Bobcats offensive line holds, mostly, in first full-pad scrimmage

By Randy Pflug

The Montana State Bobcats strapped on full pads for the first time this fall Saturday at Bobcat Stadium, and if you ask Randy Pflug — and nobody did, but he’ll tell you anyway — the whole season …

Room for rent — quiet, must respect the mountain

Private room in 3-bed house near Four Corners. $900/mo includes utilities and gigabit. You get the basement, I get the main floor. One bathroom — schedule on the fridge. No parties. No overnight …

Room for rent — thermostat is not a democracy

Master bedroom in 3-bed house near MSU. $850/month includes utilities but not my existential dread. Heat stays at 62. If you’re cold, put on a fleece like a normal person. Cat lives here. You do …

New 'mountain modest' condos list at $1.2 million, locals nod knowingly

By Bee Staff Report

A groundbreaking ceremony was held Tuesday for Aspen Ridge Reserve, a 24-unit development marketing itself as “mountain modest living for the discerning few.” The two-bedroom units start …

Annual 'I moved here for the solitude' neighborhood block party

By Bee Staff Report

The fourth annual gathering returns to the cul-de-sac that used to be a hay field. Residents of the Willows at Spring Creek, the Ridge at Willow Creek, and the Creek at Willow Ridge are invited to …

Championship softball game pits ski bros against ranchers at former hay field

By Randy Pflug

The Gallatin Valley Rec League championship took place Tuesday at the Four Corners complex, where the infield dirt still smells like alfalfa if you get low enough. The Belgrade Beef, a roster of ranch …

Wildland-Urban interface potluck & defensible space walk-through

By Bee Staff Report

The Bridger Foothills Firewise Committee hosts its third annual neighborhood gathering at the Cottonwood Draw Community Barn. Residents are invited to bring a side dish and their property maps for a …

Fern Mercer, 76

By Bee Staff Report

Fern Mercer died July 28 at her home on West Babcock, where she had lived since 1993 when the street still had two empty lots and a feed store. She moved from Missoula with a U-Haul and a business …

Fourth annual Hyalite Bear spray & granola bar exchange

By Bee Staff Report

The Hyalite Trail Stewards host their yearly pre-season gathering at the Pine Creek Community Barn. Bring a partially used canister of bear spray (expiration dates honored within reason) and a …

Viola Pennington, 68

By Bee Staff Report

Viola Pennington died July 28 at her home on South Tracy, where she had lived since 1993 when the street still had two vacant lots and a pasture at the end. She came for a summer job at the Co-op and …

Room for rent - quiet, must respect powder days

Sunny room in 3-bed near MSU. $850/mo includes utilities. Washer/dryer, off-street parking. One bathroom — schedule on fridge. No overnight guests during storm cycles. Thermostat stays at 62. Landlord …

Northside traffic calming open house (speed humps already installed)

By Bee Staff Report

The Northside Neighborhood Association invites residents to share feedback on the new speed humps installed last Tuesday on Peach Street. City engineering staff will present traffic data collected …

First snowfall reported in parking lot of REI, locals begin base layer rotation

By Chuck Troutman

A light dusting was observed on the windshield of a Subaru Outback at the REI parking lot on North 19th Tuesday morning, prompting immediate speculation about an early opening at Bridger Bowl. The …

Hyalite parking lot expands into meadow that was parking lot five years ago

By Chuck Troutman

The Forest Service completed phase three of the Hyalite Canyon parking expansion last Tuesday. The new lot covers what regulars still call the lower meadow, though regulars now park in phase two and …

Roberto 'Beto' Alvarez, 71

By Bee Staff Report

Roberto “Beto” Alvarez, 71, died July 28 at his home in Belgrade after a brief illness. He was born March 12, 1955, in Antonito, Colorado, and arrived in the Gallatin Valley in 1998 with a …

2014 Subaru outback - runs on vibes

187k miles. Check engine light has been on since 2019 — it’s basically a nightlight now. New tires last July. Heated seats work on driver’s side only; passenger side is a character builder. Roof rack …

Report of loud bird in residential area

By Bee Staff Report

Caller reported a ‘very aggressive rooster’ crowing since 4:30 a.m. on South 8th Avenue. Responding officer located a Rhode Island Red in a fenced backyard coop. The bird ceased vocalizing …

It's Just Snow, Folks

By Rick Tailgate

I’ve been hearing a lot of grumbling lately about the snow. “Too much snow,” some folks say. “When will it end?” others whine. I just don’t get it. We live in a …

Let's Talk About That Four-Way Stop On 19th

By Dale Crankshaft

City considers dog park dress code amidst canine couture craze

By Bee Staff Report

Bozeman’s furry friends and their human companions are facing a new frontier in public etiquette as the City Commission begins informal discussions about a potential dress code for local dog parks. …

New Gallatin Valley island access prompts boating congestion concerns

By Bee Staff Report

Bozeman residents are buzzing with a mix of excitement and apprehension following the recent ribbon-cutting ceremony for newly accessible land along the Gallatin River. Local officials, joined by …

Local PAC shares favorite trailheads of commissioners

By Bee Staff Report

A local political action committee, “Friends of Responsible Development,” recently made waves by publishing a list of preferred hiking spots and approximate trail timings of Bozeman City …

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON PRELIMINARY PLAT FOR ELK MEADOWS SUBDIVISION

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Gallatin County Planning Board will hold a public hearing on the preliminary plat application for Elk Meadows Subdivision, a proposed 147-lot residential development on …

2008 Subaru forester — runs great most days

187k miles. Check engine light has been on since 2019 — mechanic says it’s just a sensor, I say it’s ambient lighting. New head gasket at 160k. Rust only where the Montana salt hits. A/C …

First snow on the Bridgers

By Bee Staff Report

It arrived early, as it does, to everyone’s complete surprise.

Gallatin County Planning Board public hearing: Proposed moratorium on drive-through coffee stands (effective yesterday)

By Bee Staff Report

The Gallatin County Planning Board invites public comment on a proposed moratorium on new drive-through coffee stand permits, which took effect at 8:00 a.m. this morning per emergency resolution …

Report of bear at dumpster behind downtown establishment

By Bee Staff Report

Officer dispatched to 400 block of East Main at 22:14 for wildlife in refuse area. On scene, observed one adult black bear inside commercial dumpster, apparently consuming spent grain from local …

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON PRELIMINARY PLAT FOR OPEN RANGE ESTATES SUBDIVISION

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Gallatin County Planning Board will hold a public hearing on the preliminary plat application for Open Range Estates Subdivision, a proposed 42-lot residential …

Big Sky listening session draws two crowds who agree the other one is the problem

By Bee Staff Report

A community listening session on the Big Sky Resort Area District master plan filled the Buck’s T-4 Lodge meeting room Tuesday evening, with roughly 60 residents arranged in what several …

Report of large canine in yard; determined to be neighbor's livestock guardian dog

By Bee Staff Report

Caller on West Babcock reported a “wolf or possibly a very large coyote” in their backyard at 0642 hours. Responding officer located a 120-pound Great Pyrenees calmly sitting beside the …

Cottonwood heights neighborhood gathering to discuss condos already rising behind community garden

By Bee Staff Report

The Cottonwood Heights Neighborhood Association invites residents to the Barn at Bridger Creek for a community conversation about the four-story luxury development currently framing the west edge of …

New downtown gallery explores concept of 'home' in space

By Diane Wheatgrass

The opening reception for Dwell Time at Aspen & Pine Gallery drew roughly two hundred people Thursday evening, most of them holding kombucha flights from the gallery’s new wellness bar. The …

Room for rent — must be okay with thermostat diplomacy

Master bedroom in 3-bed near Bogert Park. $950/month plus utilities. You get the closet with the built-ins. I keep the house at 62°F year-round — wool layers are a lifestyle, not a suggestion. …

New trailhead ambassadors at Hyalite mostly just watch the moose eat the kiosk landscaping

By Chuck Troutman

The Forest Service deployed six volunteer trailhead ambassadors to the Hyalite Canyon corridor last weekend. They wear sage-green vests. They carry maps. They have a checklist that includes …

Bear aware potluck & spray demo

By Bee Staff Report

The Cottonwood Grange #442 hosts its annual bear awareness gathering Saturday. Longtime residents and first-season renters alike will share casseroles while reviewing the same three safety principles …

Livestock reported loose on Bridger Canyon road

By Bee Staff Report

Caller reported two horses and a llama grazing in the northbound lane near mile marker 4. Responding deputy located animals, which appeared to be waiting for the school bus. Owner arrived in a 1998 …

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON PRELIMINARY PLAT APPROVAL FOR "GOLDEN HAY ESTATES" SUBDIVISION

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Bozeman Planning Board will hold a public hearing on August 18, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. in the Commission Chambers, 121 North Rouse Avenue, to consider the …

Big Sky residents navigate summer rush, reminisce about when it was just us

By Bee Staff Report

The line at the post office stretched to the parking lot Tuesday morning, a mix of lifted Subarus and leased Range Rovers idling in the same slow rhythm. Nobody honked. That would be rude. “I …

We Need More Parking Spots, Not Bike Lanes

By Rick Tailgate

Local Official's Intentions Declared 'Too Vague' by Jury of Peers

By Bee Staff Report

A local jury has found Mr. Bartholomew “Bart” Bridger, a long-serving member of the Bozeman City Commission, guilty this week of official misconduct. The charges stemmed from allegations …

Local financial firm rebrands, hopes

By Bee Staff Report

Bozeman’s financial landscape continues to evolve, with news this week that “Peak Wealth Management” is changing its name to “SummitStone Financial.” The firm, previously known …

Historic building's future unclear, city ponderees 'vibe' acquisition

By Bee Staff Report

It’s February, Where Is The Snow?

By Meredith Coldsnap

I woke up this morning and looked out the window. The grass was showing through in patches. Patches! In February! This is simply not right. People complain when we get too much snow. They complain …

Where Did All The Good Pickles Go?

By Lorraine Hubcap

I’ve been a resident of Bozeman for longer than some of these new “luxury condos” have had their foundations poured, and in that time, I’ve seen a lot of changes. Some good, …

Siskin Island's new 'public' river access draws crowds, confusion

By Bee Staff Report

Bozeman locals and recent arrivals alike are celebrating the grand opening of Siskin Island, a new “public access” point along a quiet stretch of the Gallatin River. The 82-acre parcel, …

Fishing bans spark debate: 'Too many fish or not enough'

By Bee Staff Report

Local man’s 'historical' collection sparks neighborhood debate

By Bee Staff Report

The Unacceptable Truth About The New Canned Goods Aisle

By Lorraine Hubcap

Friends, neighbors, fellow shoppers. I come to you today with a heavy heart and a perplexed palate. Something fundamental has shifted in our local grocery store, and I fear we are all too busy to …

Local foragers encounter unexpected ‘terroir’ in Gallatin wild mushrooms

By Diane Wheatgrass

Bozeman residents are reevaluating their relationship with nature’s bounty after a recent string of incidents involving wild mushrooms. Reports indicate that several individuals, keen to embrace …

Teen charged after accidental discharge of artisanal sourdough starter

By Diane Wheatgrass

Bozeman is grappling with a surprising incident this week after a local teenager was charged following the unexpected “explosion” of a highly active sourdough starter. The incident, which …

New public island offers 'quiet zones' for reflective fly fishing

By Bee Staff Report

Bozeman locals and recent arrivals alike are buzzing about the recent dedication of “Serenity Isle,” a newly accessible 78-acre stretch of land along the Gallatin River. Montana Fish, …

Gallatin Valley event center: Simultaneous gun show & quilt expo (shared parking lot, surprisingly civil)

By Bee Staff Report

The Gallatin Valley Friends of the Second Amendment & Quilting Guild present their 12th annual dual exposition under one roof — technically two adjacent roofs connected by a breezeway. Vendors …

Bear reported at dumpster on North 7th

By Bee Staff Report

Caller reported adult black bear foraging in dumpster behind 406 Brewing Company at 0214 hours. Bear described as “calm and methodical” per reporting party. Officer arrived 0222 hours. …

Bear at dumpster behind downtown brewery

By Bee Staff Report

Officer responded to report of large animal at commercial waste enclosure on East Main. Subject located atop dumpster reviewing spent grain disposal practices. Animal appeared unimpressed with compost …

Noise complaint — wind chime

By Bee Staff Report

Caller reported loud music from a short-term rental on Cottonwood Road at 22:47. Responding officers located the property. No occupants present. The only audible sound was a single bamboo wind chime …

Main Street, Saturday morning

By Bee Staff Report

The sidewalks were full. The parking spaces were not.

Bozeman Creek neighborhood association monthly meeting: Goat grazing pilot program for median strip review

By Bee Staff Report

The Bozeman Creek Neighborhood Association will host its August meeting at the Cloverleaf Community Barn to review the Goat Grazing Pilot Program for the median strip along North 7th that used to be a …

Thursday night league decided by who remembered the snacks

By Randy Pflug

The Bozeman Co-Ed Softball League championship came down to the bottom of the seventh at the Regional Park complex Thursday night, where the Bleacher Creatures held off the Free Agents 11-10 on a …

New gallery opens in former tire shop on North 7th

By Diane Wheatgrass

The Bridger & Main Gallery held its soft opening last Thursday in the building that housed Dave’s Discount Tires for thirty-two years. The hydraulic lift is gone. The concrete floors have …

Torstein Hagen, 78

By Bee Staff Report

Torstein Hagen died peacefully at home on July 28, 2026, after a brief illness. He was born March 12, 1948, in Ålesund, Norway, and arrived in Bozeman in 1994, a year he referenced in approximately …

Mountain town identity forum: Who gets to call themselves local?

By Bee Staff Report

The Bozeman Community Alliance hosts its quarterly conversation about belonging, change, and the proper number of years before one may complain about newcomers. Facilitators will guide attendees …

First Friday finds its rhythm amid construction dust and crystal intentions

By Diane Wheatgrass

The August First Friday art walk moved through downtown with the particular energy of a community trying to remember where it put its keys. Galleries along Main Street opened doors to the evening air, …

Fairy lake parking lot achieves full carrying capacity by 6:14 AM, ranger confirms

By Chuck Troutman

The Fairy Lake trailhead reached maximum vehicle occupancy at 6:14 AM Tuesday, according to Gallatin National Forest ranger Dale Harnish, who has worked the Booth Creek entrance station for twelve …

Llama at large on South 8th

By Bee Staff Report

Officer responded to report of a llama standing in the turn lane near the coffee roaster. Animal appeared unbothered by traffic. Owner located two blocks away loading a second llama into a Subaru. …

Shopping cart recovered from Sypes Canyon trailhead

By Bee Staff Report

Officers responded to a report of an abandoned shopping cart at the Sypes Canyon trailhead parking area. The cart, identified as property of the 19th Avenue Smith’s by its distinctive blue …

Big Sky workforce housing project breaks ground, units start at 'call for pricing'

By Bee Staff Report

BIG SKY — Ground was broken Tuesday on the new Meadow View Workforce Housing Initiative, a 42-unit development billed as “attainable homes for the people who keep this town running.” The …

Opening day at Bridger Bowl

By Bee Staff Report

Conditions were described by several riders as conditions.

First Friday attendees report profound grounding amid jackhammer sound bath

By Diane Wheatgrass

Downtown’s monthly art walk drew an estimated twelve hundred souls last Friday evening, each navigating the brick-lined corridors between gallery openings and pop-up kombucha stations with the …

Moose takes up residence in Hyalite trailhead port-a-potty, hikers unfazed

By Chuck Troutman

A bull moose has been spending his mornings in the handicap-accessible port-a-potty at the Hyalite Canyon trailhead, and regulars say he keeps it cleaner than most weekend users. The moose, estimated …

Bobcats open fall camp under watchful eye of new indoor facility's space heaters

By Randy Pflug

MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY — The Bobcats took the field Monday for the first day of fall camp, which is what we call it when 115 large men gather in August to hit each other while Coach Brent Vigen …

Room for rent - ski gear gets master bedroom

Large bedroom in 3-bed house near MSU. You get the closet. The skis, boards, and boot dryers get the master bedroom — they earned it. $750/mo includes utilities and passive-aggressive thermostat …

M Trail parking lot full by 5:47 AM

By Chuck Troutman

The M Trail parking lot reached capacity at 5:47 AM Tuesday, according to the Forest Service counter installed last spring and the three Subarus idling with headlights off beside the kiosk. By 6:15, a …

New gallery opens on Main

By Diane Wheatgrass

The Reclaimed Spirit Gallery held its grand opening this past First Friday, featuring work from twelve local artists who exclusively use materials diverted from the landfill. The space occupies the …

New 'luxury' mixed-use project breaks ground where parking lot has been since 1998

By Marla Escrow

Crews broke ground Tuesday on the Bridger View Commons, a four-story mixed-use development rising from the asphalt lot at the corner of North 7th and Oak. The project will feature 42 …

Reported vehicle prowl, West Babcock area

By Bee Staff Report

Caller reported unauthorized entry to unlocked 2018 Subaru Outback parked in residential driveway overnight. Glove compartment and center console opened; contents distributed across passenger seat. …

Wallace 'Wally' Tibbetts, 80

By Bee Staff Report

Wallace “Wally” Tibbetts died July 22 at his kitchen table with a cup of coffee still warm beside him. He was 80. He came to the Gallatin Valley in 1989 with a U-Haul and a job at the MSU …

Historic downtown building sells for $4.2 million

By Marla Escrow

The three-story brick building at 217 East Main Street changed hands last Tuesday for $4.2 million, according to county records. The property, which housed Grizzly Hardware for 42 years until its …

Elsbeth Kaufmann, 87

By Bee Staff Report

Elsbeth Kaufmann, 87, passed peacefully at her kitchen table with a crossword half-finished and the radio tuned to KBLL. She was born in the farmhouse on Jackrabbit Lane that her grandfather built …

The last hay field on Jackrabbit

By Bee Staff Report

It was cut one more time in August. The signs went up in September.

Room for rent — thermostat is a monarchy

Master bedroom in 3-bed on Peach Street. $850 plus utilities. You get the closet. I get the thermostat. It stays at 62. If you’re cold, put on a fleece. This is Montana. No pets, no overnight …

Midnight oil changes lead to extra innings in co-ed softball title game

By Randy Pflug

The Bozeman Brewing Company Fighting Fermenters edged the Belgrade Building Supply Two-by-Fours 11-10 in the Gallatin Valley Co-Ed Rec League championship Monday night at the Regional Park complex. …

Room for rent — must respect the mountain's schedule

Private room in 3-bed near MSU. $950/mo plus utilities. You get the closet with the weird slanted ceiling. House rules: thermostat stays at 62 (it builds character), dishes done before powder days, no …

New 'attainable' townhomes on North 19th list from $725,000

By Marla Escrow

A groundbreaking ceremony was held Tuesday for Aspen Grove Townhomes, a 24-unit development on the former site of Miller’s Feed & Seed at 1400 North 19th Avenue. The project, developed by …

New mixed-use development breaks ground on North 19th

By Marla Escrow

Ground was broken Tuesday on The Peaks at Bridger Commons, a four-story mixed-use project at 1420 North 19th Avenue. The site was formerly occupied by Hank’s Transmission & Repair, which …

Main Street diner closes after 31 years

By Marla Escrow

The Main Street Diner served its last plate of huckleberry pancakes Sunday after three decades at the corner of Main and Babcock. Owner Dale Hargrove, 68, said the building’s new owner declined …

Main Street diner closes after 42 years

By Marla Escrow

The Main Street Diner served its last plate of huckleberry pancakes Sunday afternoon. By Monday morning, a banner hung across the brick facade announcing ‘The Willson Collection — Luxury …

Bernadette Laughlin, 74

By Bee Staff Report

Bernadette Laughlin, 74, of Bozeman, died peacefully on July 22, 2026, at her home on West Olive Street, the same house she bought in 1997 for what she always described as “a perfectly …

Harold 'Hal' Finch, 72

By Bee Staff Report

Harold ‘Hal’ Finch passed away peacefully on July 28, 2026, at his home on North 11th Avenue, the same house he purchased in October 1994 for what he described at every subsequent …

Bobcats open fall camp with familiar question: Will the line hold

By Randy Pflug

BOZEMAN — The Montana State Bobcats took the field at Bobcat Stadium Thursday morning for the first practice of fall camp, and if you listened closely between the whistle blasts and the clatter of …

Hyalite parking lot achieves wilderness designation after third hour of waiting

By Chuck Troutman

The Forest Service announced Tuesday that the Hyalite Reservoir parking area has officially met the criteria for wilderness character after visitors reported sitting in their vehicles for three hours …

Gallatin County fair, in photos

By Bee Staff Report

Four-H judging ran long. Nobody minded, except the sheep.

Big Sky visioning session finds common ground in disagreeing about everything

By Bee Staff Report

A standing-room-only crowd filled the Big Sky Chapel basement Tuesday night for the resort area’s first Community Visioning Session in three years. The meeting drew both populations: the …

Bobcats open fall camp; offensive line coach reminds reporters that rent was $400

By Randy Pflug

Fall camp opened Monday at Bobcat Stadium. The air smelled like cut grass and the particular anxiety of August two-a-days. Head coach Brent Vigen watched from the sideline in a visor that has seen …

Big Sky residents debate whether new workforce housing is too nice or not nice enough

By Bee Staff Report

A proposed workforce housing development on the old Hardy Ranch parcel drew a standing-room crowd to the Big Sky Community Corporation meeting room Tuesday evening. The project, dubbed “Meadow …

Room for rent, thermostat not a democracy

Room in 3-bed house near MSU. $950/month includes utilities. You get the small bedroom. Thermostat stays at 62. It is not a democracy. I work nights. You be quiet 7am to 3pm. Washer works. Dryer …

New mixed-use development opens where feed & seed stood for sixty years

By Marla Escrow

The Grain & Timber opened its doors Monday at 1402 North 7th Avenue, occupying the footprint where Bridger Valley Feed & Seed served ranchers and backyard chicken keepers since 1964. The …

Room for rent — West side, near trailhead

Master bedroom in 3-bed house. $1,100/month plus utilities. Washer/dryer in unit. One bathroom shared with two other professionals who leave for work at 5:30 AM and return after dark. You will rarely …

Big Sky 'attainable' housing listings start at $725K

By Bee Staff Report

A new development marketed as “workforce attainable” opened its waitlist Monday at the Basecamp Commons sales office. The one-bedroom units begin at $725,000 and include a storage locker …

Hyalite shuttle adds Three minutes to commute, locals consider moving to Belgrade

By Chuck Troutman

The new Hyalite Canyon shuttle pilot program launched Monday, removing forty-seven parking spots from the main trailhead and replacing them with a bus that runs every twenty minutes. Forest Service …

First Friday crowd activates former transmission shop

By Diane Wheatgrass

The former Al’s Transmission on North 7th held its grand reopening as Alchemy & Earth Gallery last Friday, drawing an estimated 200 attendees across the monthly art walk. The space retains …

Margaret "marge" Calloway, 84

By Bee Staff Report

Margaret “Marge” Calloway, 84, of Bozeman, died peacefully on July 28, 2026, at her home on West Babcock, two blocks from the house she and Frank bought in 1968 for what she always called …

Big Sky 'workforce housing' units list at $1.2 million, locals call it 'a start'

By Bee Staff Report

A new deed-restricted housing development in Big Sky opened its waitlist Tuesday. The three-bedroom units start at $1.2 million. Developers at Mountain Vista Partners say the price reflects …

Midvalley merchants hold line, win rec title in extra innings

By Randy Pflug

The Midvalley Merchants won the Gallatin Valley Rec League championship Thursday night at the Four Corners Complex, beating the Belgrade Bandits 7-6 in eight innings on a walk-off single by third …

Room for rent - walk to Bridger, sort of

Master bedroom in 3-bed house on Durston. $950/mo includes utilities. One catch: thermostat is not a democracy. Landlord (me) pays gas bill, landlord sets heat. 62 degrees October through May. You get …

2014 Subaru outback — check engine light adds character

Runs great. The light has been on since 2017. Mechanic said it’s just the sensor that tells you the sensor is broken. I put a piece of black tape over it but peeled it off — felt dishonest. New …

Sweet Pea Festival, in photos

By Bee Staff Report

The festival returned to Lindley Park over the weekend. So did the parking situation.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON ZONE MAP AMENDMENT AND PRELIMINARY PLAT APPROVAL FOR HAYFIELD ESTATES SUBDIVISION

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Bozeman City Commission will hold a public hearing on August 18, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. in the Commission Chambers, 121 North Rouse Avenue, to consider Case No. 26-847: an …

Room for rent — quiet, must respect my roommate's sleep schedule (he works nights plowing)

Master bedroom in 3-bed house near Four Corners. $950/month includes utilities and the WiFi password (it’s ‘PowderDay2023’). Your roommate Dave leaves at 3 AM, returns at noon, …

NOTICE OF ZONE MAP AMENDMENT APPLICATION NO. 26-147

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Bridger View Development LLC has filed an application to amend the Official Zone Map of the City of Bozeman from R-1 (Single Family Residential) to MXD-4 (Mixed-Use …

Re: Spring Rain

By Harriet Moulton

The recent rain was welcome here. I say that plainly because farmers are often forced into theatrical understatement, and this week deserves a little honesty. After a dry winter, the sound of water …

Please Let Me Hand My Ballot To A Real Person

By Wendell Quist

I support absentee voting. I support convenience. I support envelopes, drop boxes and all the impressive administrative machinery that allows a citizen to participate in self-government while standing …

BEE investigation: Deleted email cited as leadership tool

By Bee Staff Report

A Bee investigation has found that Montana government email remains one of the state’s most spiritually complicated landscapes, with recent court filings alleging Public Service Commission …

Montana western publishes long list of functioning students

By Dr. Theodore Hypothesis

DILLON - The University of Montana Western released its spring dean’s list this week, identifying 515 students who successfully completed a semester of higher education while meeting the …

Gallatin County polling place serves traditionalists

By Bee Staff Report

BOZEMAN - Gallatin County election officials reported that more than 22,000 absentee ballots had already moved through the primary process Tuesday, while the courthouse continued receiving a steadier …

Re: Safe Water

By Janice Holleran

I read that Belgrade has declared a water emergency while assuring residents the water remains safe to drink. I believed the city. I also noticed that belief now arrives with a small secondary …

Read The Ballot Like It Is Medicine

By Marlon Pike

I am asking the public to do one difficult thing and one easy thing. The difficult thing is participating in democracy. The easy thing is reading the page that comes with it. Every election, we are …

BEE investigation: Summer camping upgraded to hard sides

By Bee Staff Report

PARK COUNTY - Grizzly activity near Carbella Recreation Site has prompted a hard-sided camping requirement through Dec. 31, clarifying that Montana’s outdoor hospitality sector now prefers …

Belgrade declares water emergency, says water fine

By Bee Staff Report

BELGRADE - City officials declared a water emergency this week after two Belgrade wells went offline, while also assuring residents that the water remains safe to drink, giving the town a classic …

School District turns to public for teacher housing

By Bee Staff Report

BOZEMAN - Bozeman School District 7 is asking community members to help find rental housing for staff and teachers, confirming that one of the valley’s most advanced educational models now …

Re: Public Hearings

By Marsha Tiller

I was relieved to read that Gallatin County will hold a public hearing before moving further on its 287(g) agreement. Relief may sound like a low bar for democratic participation, but I have lived …

The Line At Yard Sale Bagels Is The Whole Point

By Harold Crimp

I have heard people complain that the line at Yard Sale Bagels is too long. This is incorrect. The line is not an unfortunate byproduct of the bagel. The line is the highest form of the bagel. If a …

BEE investigation: Public trails add barbed-wire amenities

By Bee Staff Report

JEFFERSON COUNTY - Reports of barbed wire being strung across public trails in Jefferson County have prompted patrols, warnings and a new round of local reflection on whether Montana recreation has …

Bagel shop opens, recreates office stress with better smell

By Bee Staff Report

BOZEMAN - A local couple who left corporate work to open Yard Sale Bagels have become the latest Gallatin Valley residents to discover that escaping the modern economy is easiest when one reenters it …

County grants public hearing permission to be public

By Bee Staff Report

BOZEMAN - Gallatin County agreed this week to pause its 287(g) agreement until a public hearing can be held, giving residents the rare opportunity to observe a meaningful government decision before it …

Re: Brown Water

By Nora Bell

I appreciated the city’s reassurance that the brown water reported on 1st Avenue East is considered safe. This is useful information. It is also the kind of sentence that asks a household to …

The Snakes Are Using The Trail Correctly

By Milton Rake

Each spring, wildlife experts gently remind us that warmer weather brings more snakes onto Montana trails. Each spring, many hikers respond as though this is an outrageous breach of customer service. …

BEE investigation: Trails still powered by volunteers

By Bee Staff Report

BOZEMAN - A Bee investigation has found that many of the Gallatin Valley’s beloved trails continue to rely on volunteers with shovels, gloves and suspiciously positive attitudes, despite the …

Bozeman swim center still floating through committee

By Bee Staff Report

BOZEMAN - City officials this week again discussed the possibility of a new recreation and swim center, extending Bozeman’s long and honorable civic tradition of wanting one very badly while …

Re: Caverns Reservations

By Janice Holloway

I read that Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park now requires tour reservations. This makes sense. It is also a little moving. We have reached the point where even going hundreds of feet underground …

If Streaming Won't Carry Local News, Carry My Grief

By Gloria Settle

I am old enough to remember when television arrived through the air and a person could lose a channel only by driving into a canyon or insulting God. Now I pay actual money every month for a streaming …

BEE investigation: Montana news mostly consumed mid-sigh

By Bee Staff Report

A Bee investigation has found that Montana residents continue to consume local news through a sophisticated multi-platform system involving live television, social media, forwarded screenshots, the …

MSU hosts security summit to warn inventions about people

By Dr. Theodore Hypothesis

BOZEMAN - Montana State University hosted an Emerging Technologies Summit this week with the FBI at EngineWorks, giving researchers, staff and local industry leaders a valuable opportunity to gather …

Gateway levy passes, school allowed to continue being school

By Bee Staff Report

GALLATIN GATEWAY - Residents in Gallatin Gateway approved a school levy this week, allowing the local school to continue its increasingly courageous practice of employing adults, keeping the heat on …

Teach The Children Bike Safety Before They Meet Us

By Darla Crank

I support teaching children to ride bicycles safely. I want to be clear about that at the outset, because modern public discourse requires a person to declare support for childhood before making a …

BEE investigation: Lima's only motel becomes civic hub

By Bee Staff Report

LIMA - A Bee investigation has confirmed that the renovated Beaverhead Inn & RV is no longer functioning merely as lodging, but as a full-spectrum civic institution for the town of Lima, where …

MSU students excited to discover agriculture involves dirt

By Dr. Theodore Hypothesis

BOZEMAN - Montana State University students confirmed this week that agriculture continues to involve dirt, livestock and being physically present somewhere other than a classroom, following another …

County delays surprise hearing about surprise policy

By Bee Staff Report

Gallatin County announced this week that it will pause its 287(g) agreement until a public hearing can be held, giving residents a brief but meaningful opportunity to encounter a major public policy …

My Neighborhood Hosted A Safety Workshop And Now Everyone Is Scared

By Lorraine Hubcap

Last week our neighborhood association held a street safety workshop at the community center off Oak Street. It was prompted by a series of traffic incidents, one of them fatal, and the stated goal …

I Voted In The School Election And Was The Only One There

By Margaret Saddleback

I went to vote in the Gallatin County school district election on Tuesday. When I arrived at my polling location at 2 p.m., the poll worker looked up from her book with the expression of someone who …

The Dillon Cinema Deserved Better Than A Taco Bell

By Patty Horsethief

Big Sky Cinema in Dillon is closing after decades and the building is being sold to become a Taco Bell. I don’t live in Dillon, but this still feels personal. When a town loses its movie theater …

I Was Fine Before The Energy Drinks

By Rick Tailgate

There’s a new Montana-made energy drink at the Co-op and it costs $5.49 for a single can. Five forty-nine. For caffeine. I work the breakfast shift at a restaurant on Main and the closing shift …

The Elk Crossing Signs Are An Insult To The Elk

By Gerald Fencepost

The Montana Department of Transportation has installed new signs along U.S. 191 near the mouth of Gallatin Canyon warning drivers of elk crossings. The signs feature a picture of an elk. As if we …

Re: Bear Encounters At Yellowstone

By Dennis Clearwater

I read that two hikers were injured by bears on the Mystic Falls Trail near Old Faithful last week. First, I hope they recover. Second, and I say this with respect, the trail is called Mystic Falls. …

Montana boaters No longer need validation stickers

By Chuck Troutman

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks confirmed this week that boat validation stickers are no longer required on watercraft in the state, removing one of the few remaining reasons boaters had to interact …

Bozeman aims to land 1,000 new jobs; does not specify where they will live

By Bee Staff Report

The City of Bozeman announced Monday an ambitious economic development initiative aimed at attracting 1,000 new jobs to the Gallatin Valley over the next three years. The plan includes targeted …

Dillon cinema closes, sold to taco bell

By Bee Staff Report

Big Sky Cinema in Dillon has permanently closed after decades of operation, with the property sold to a Missoula-based Taco Bell franchisee. The transaction replaces one of Beaverhead County’s …

California couple cleared to finish glacier home; locals unclear which part is worse

By Bee Staff Report

A California couple has been cleared to resume construction on a three-story home inside Glacier National Park after a protracted legal dispute that united an otherwise fractured Flathead Valley …

Helena still eyeing roundabouts; drivers still eyeing helena

By Bee Staff Report

The City of Helena announced this week that it is continuing to explore the possibility of installing roundabouts at several major intersections, a process that has now been underway for longer than …

BEE INVESTIGATION: Who is actually buying $800K homes in Bozeman?

By Bee Staff Report

When the 2026 Gallatin Valley Housing Report confirmed that Bozeman’s median home price has reached $800,000, The Bee asked the question that most residents have been asking for years, usually …

Four Democrats discuss hot-button issues; audience mostly button-free

By Bee Staff Report

Four Democratic candidates for Montana House seats gathered in Bozeman Tuesday evening to discuss voting access, affordable housing, health care, climate, and immigration enforcement — a roster of …

MSU senior thesis on Bozeman gentrification submitted from $1,950/month apartment

By Dr. Theodore Hypothesis

An MSU sociology senior submitted her honors thesis on gentrification in the Gallatin Valley this week from a one-bedroom apartment on West Babcock that rents for $1,950 per month, a detail her thesis …

The Main Street Crosswalk Is A Test Of Faith

By Margot Kettleman

Every day I cross Main Street at the midblock crosswalk near the Rouse intersection, and every day I place my life in the hands of drivers who may or may not see me, respect me, or understand the …

Belgrade 'donut' finally gets development plan

By Bee Staff Report

The City of Belgrade and Gallatin County announced this week that they have reached an agreement to transition development oversight of the “Belgrade Donut,” a ring of unincorporated land …

Farm bill debate makes strange bedfellows of organic farmers and MAHA Republicans

By Bee Staff Report

A rare moment of bipartisan agreement emerged this week when organic farmers and Make America Healthy Again advocates found themselves on the same side of a farm bill provision, leaving both groups …

May Is The Cruelest Month In Bozeman

By Russell Coldwater

On Monday it was 72 degrees. I wore shorts. I sat on my porch. I thought: we made it. Winter is over. On Tuesday it snowed four inches. On Wednesday it was 65 and sunny. The snow melted. Crocuses …

Moose spotted in downtown parking garage, validates two hours like everyone else

By Chuck Troutman

A cow moose was spotted Tuesday morning on the second level of the Rouse Avenue parking garage in downtown Bozeman, where she remained for approximately forty-five minutes before exiting via the …

Four Corners gains third storage unit facility

By Bee Staff Report

A third self-storage facility is under construction at Four Corners, joining two existing facilities in what is rapidly becoming the Gallatin Valley’s most concentrated repository of things …

The Person Who Brings A Guitar To The Trailhead

By Donna Sprucetip

You know who you are. You’ve got the guitar strapped to your pack. You’re sitting on a rock at the Drinking Horse trailhead. You’re playing Wagon Wheel. You’re playing it in a …

Spring construction season opens on North 7th; residents enter familiar grief cycle

By Bee Staff Report

The first orange cones of the 2026 season appeared on North 7th Avenue early Monday morning, confirming what Bozeman residents have long suspected: construction season is not a period of time but a …

BEE INVESTIGATION: The Belgrade donut — who decides what gets built in the hole?

By Bee Staff Report

For years, a ring of unincorporated land surrounding Belgrade — known locally and bureaucratically as the “Belgrade Donut” — has existed in a jurisdictional twilight zone where development …

PFAS found in Montana fish; State advises moderation, fish advise relocation

By Chuck Troutman

Montana’s Department of Environmental Quality and Fish, Wildlife & Parks jointly released updated PFAS advisories this week recommending that anglers limit consumption of fish from certain …

Bozeman wastewater upgrade described as 'major win' by people who think

By Bee Staff Report

A new lift station connecting the Riverside community’s wastewater to the Bozeman treatment plant went online this week, a development that officials called “a milestone for regional …

Student pilot lands cessna in helena field

By Bee Staff Report

An 18-year-old student pilot safely landed a Cessna 172 in a field south of Helena Tuesday after her engine failed at 4,500 feet, an act of extraordinary composure that was briefly the lead story on …

MSU career fair reveals most popular post-graduation plan is still 'leaving'

By Dr. Theodore Hypothesis

Montana State University’s spring career fair drew 1,200 students and 85 employers to the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse Wednesday, where the most frequently asked question was “Do you have …

East Gallatin May close to boat fishing; fish reportedly indifferent

By Chuck Troutman

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has proposed closing the East Gallatin River to fishing from boats, a move that has divided the angling community into two camps: those who fish from boats and are …

I Moved Here Two Years Ago

By Ashton Waverly

I moved to Bozeman from Denver in 2024 for the quality of life, the mountain access, the tight-knit community, and the sense that this place was still real in a way that bigger cities had stopped …

Gallatin County attorney placed under State supervision; County unclear what changes

By Bee Staff Report

Attorney General Austin Knudsen announced Thursday that he is invoking supervisory control over the Gallatin County Attorney’s Office, a move that county residents greeted with a mixture of …

Community wishing tree installed on North 19th

By Diane Wheatgrass

A new Community Wishing Tree appeared Wednesday along the North 19th corridor, installed by the local non-profit Random Acts of Silliness, and within hours the tree’s paper wish tags revealed a …

Bozeman median home price hits $800K; locals ask 'for what?'

By Bee Staff Report

The 2026 Gallatin Valley Housing Report, released Wednesday to a packed room of real estate professionals and a general public that could not attend because they were at work at their second jobs, …

Museum of the Rockies announces May programming, most of it dinosaurs

By Dr. Theodore Hypothesis

The Museum of the Rockies at Montana State University has released its May programming schedule, which includes 14 events, 9 of which involve dinosaurs, 3 of which involve dinosaurs and wine, and 2 of …

Belgrade residents gather 700 signatures against roundabout

By Bee Staff Report

More than 700 Belgrade residents have signed a petition opposing the city’s proposed roundabout at Broadway and Main, making it the largest organized civic action in Belgrade since the 2019 …

Roundabouts Are A Coastal Conspiracy And I Will Not Be Moved

By Gerald Fencepost

I have driven through Belgrade’s four-way stop at Broadway and Main approximately 11,000 times in my life, and not once has it required a circular intervention imported from Europe. A four-way …

Bozeman mobile home tenants launch rent strike

By Bee Staff Report

Tenants at two Bozeman-area mobile home parks have announced Montana’s first rent strike in over fifty years, citing rent increases they describe as “aggressive,” …

Mountain conditions remain deadly despite pleasant Valley afternoon

By Chuck Troutman

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks issued a winter safety advisory Tuesday reminding residents that backcountry conditions remain “extremely hazardous” across the state’s mountain …

Bozeman manufacturer to create 50 jobs

By Bee Staff

A Bozeman manufacturing company announced Tuesday it will build a new facility and create 50 jobs, which economists estimate will allow the residents of approximately one local apartment to …

University of Montana cuts literature and economics programs

By Dr. Theodore Hypothesis

The University of Montana announced this week it will eliminate its master’s programs in both literature and economics, ensuring that future graduates will understand neither the human condition …

Roundup radio hosts now recite pledge of allegiance daily; ratings unchanged

By Bee Staff

Hosts at a Roundup radio station have begun reciting the Pledge of Allegiance at the start of each broadcast, a move they describe as “a simple gesture” and Arbitron describes as …

Montana unemployment ticks up; locals unsure which of their two jobs to worry about

By Bee Staff Report

Montana’s unemployment rate rose to 3.4 percent in December, up from 3.1 percent the previous month, according to figures released Tuesday by the governor’s office. The uptick was …

Ladies' hockey night draws unprecedented turnout of nine

By Diane Wheatgrass

The MT64 Hockey Association’s inaugural Ladies’ Hockey Night at the Marty Pavelich Ice Rink drew nine participants Sunday evening, a number that organizers described as “exceeding …

People Who Back Into Parking Spaces

By Hank Woolsey

You know who you are. You pull past the spot, stop traffic, and then spend forty-five seconds reversing into a space that you could have pulled into face-first in three. You do this because you …

Peace Park naming process sparks surprisingly little peace

By Bee Staff

The process of naming Downtown Bozeman’s new Peace Park has, ironically, generated what attendees describe as “the opposite of peace” at three consecutive city meetings. The park, …

Montana's first bird flu case of 2026 traced to chicken with No travel history

By Chuck Troutman

Montana’s first confirmed case of avian influenza in 2026 has been identified in a backyard chicken flock in Carbon County, according to the state Department of Livestock, raising alarm among …

Wolf debate reportedly less polarized than Thanksgiving dinner

By Chuck Troutman

A new report from Explore Big Sky suggests that Montana’s long-running debate over wolf management may not be as bitterly divided as previously assumed, with ranchers and conservationists …

Sheriff warns of 'dangerous trend in public activity,' declines to specify which one

By Bee Staff

Gallatin County Sheriff Dan Springer issued a public letter Monday warning residents of a “dangerous trend in public activity,” a phrase he declined to elaborate on despite seventeen …

Property tax lawsuit unites montanans who agree on nothing else

By Bee Staff Report

A lawsuit filed this week against Montana’s 2025 property tax overhaul has achieved something previously thought impossible in state politics: it has united a rancher from Roundup, a retired …

Polenta tots declared 'super Bowl solution' by woman who has never watched football

By Diane Wheatgrass

Local food writer and self-described “appetizer futurist” Connie Bridges has declared polenta tots the “only Super Bowl snack that matters,” despite having never watched a …

Montana's tourists now older, richer, and more confused by the altitude

By Bee Staff Report

A new report from the Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development has confirmed a trend visible to anyone who has stood in line at a Bozeman coffee shop recently: the state’s tourists are …

Park City gym still roofless; neighboring schools open doors without being asked

By Bee Staff Report

Six weeks after a December windstorm ripped sections of roof off the Park City school gymnasium, the Panthers’ basketball and volleyball teams still have nowhere to play home games. So …

Bozeman childcare costs now require second job, which requires more childcare

By Bee Staff Report

New data released this week confirms what most Bozeman parents already suspected: the cost of childcare in the Gallatin Valley now exceeds federal affordability guidelines by a margin that one …

I Drive The Speed Limit On North 19th

By Donna Brickle

The speed limit on North 19th Avenue is 35 miles per hour. I know this because I read the sign. It is a white sign with black numbers. It is not ambiguous. It does not say “35 or whatever feels …

Two dogs rescued from flathead lake immediately attempt to go back

By Chuck Troutman

POLSON — Two dogs were pulled from the icy waters of Flathead Lake Monday morning after venturing onto thin ice and falling through, prompting a multi-agency rescue effort that lasted approximately 40 …

Montana photographers now required to prove elk is real

By Dr. Theodore Hypothesis

A growing crisis in the Montana outdoor photography community has reached what experts are calling “an epistemological tipping point,” as artificial intelligence image generators become …

Broadview residents confront data center proposal armed with casseroles and fury

By Bee Staff Report

BROADVIEW — Approximately 130 residents packed the Broadview Senior Center on Monday night to voice concerns about a proposed data center, in what may be the most people inside that building since the …

Montana supreme court justice pays traffic fine

By Bee Staff Report

A Montana Supreme Court justice quietly paid a fine for a misdemeanor traffic violation this week, triggering what legal scholars are calling the state’s first “institutional irony …

I-90 bridge closed until April

By Bee Staff Report

The Bear Canyon bridge on Interstate 90, closed since last Wednesday after a semi hauling an excavator collided with the overpass, will reportedly remain impassable until April, according to the …

The Shopping Cart Situation

By Brenda Kettlesworth

The WinCo parking lot has become a lawless frontier. Not because of crime — because of shopping carts. Abandoned shopping carts rolling freely across the asphalt like tumbleweeds in a western nobody …

Bear applies for Costco membership, cites 'unbeatable bulk salmon prices'

By Chuck Troutman

A 400-pound grizzly bear was observed entering the Bozeman Costco on North 19th Avenue Saturday morning, pausing briefly at the membership desk before proceeding directly to the seafood section. …

MSU commissions $2.3 million study on why University studies cost so much

By Dr. Theodore Hypothesis

Montana State University announced Tuesday the formation of a new interdepartmental task force to investigate the rising costs of university-commissioned research, a study that will itself cost an …

I Tried Oat Milk

By Dale Furlong

My wife asked me to try oat milk. I said fine. I’m a reasonable man. It is not milk. I don’t mean that politically. I mean I poured it into my coffee and the coffee turned a color …

Stop Calling It A 'Quick Trip' To Costco

By Patricia Lemongrass

There is no such thing as a quick trip to Costco. It has never existed. Every person who has ever said “I’m just running to Costco real quick” has returned ninety minutes later with …

The Roundabout Is Not That Hard

By Gerald T. Fencepost

You go in. You go around. You come out. That’s the whole thing. And yet every single day I watch someone stop inside the roundabout. Inside it. As if the concept of yielding to the left has …

Downtown parking spot listed at $375,000; Realtor describes it as 'cozy'

By Bee Staff Report

A single parking space on West Main Street has been listed for sale at $375,000, marking what local real estate analysts are calling “a new milestone in Bozeman’s ongoing relationship with …

BEE INVESTIGATION: Where do all the orange cones on North 7th go in winter?

By Bee Staff Report

For eight months of the year, North 7th Avenue is a pulsating artery of orange traffic cones, lane closures, and the quiet, simmering rage of 14,000 daily commuters. Then, sometime around November, …

Whoever Changed The Pickle At The Deli Owes This Town An Explanation

By Lorraine Hubcap

Editor’s note: The following was submitted unsolicited to our offices in a hand-addressed envelope. We are printing it in full. I have been going to the same deli for seven years. Every …

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