Items

• 2020-03-01

  Ghost Town Adventures

  During Covid, when everything was on lockdown, my wife and I found ourselves with quite a bit of free time. She was running a non-profit an I had recently started to go back to school. So, in order to get out of the house we decided to explore ghost towns. At the time, we lived in Montana and there are sometinh like sixty, give or take a few, within a days drive. So we would pile into our little chevy Aveo and drive out to a ghost town somewhere. What supriseed me the most was that even though Montana lists ghost towns on their state map not all of them are abandoned. More than once we would drive down a long dirt road into an old mining town that was supposed to be abandoned only to see people living in a trailer or in one of the refurbished buildings. Honestly, exploring old and forgotten parts of the state was alot of fun. Without covids restrictions we wouldn't have done it either. The only time we needed to interact with others was at the gas station for provisions and that was fairly standard. Just mask up keep your distance and go. One thing that suprised me about visiting ghost towns (aside from people living in them) was how long many of them managed to stay alive. For those of you who aren't familiar with the settlement of the American West, mining was fairly important in the mid to late nineteenth century. Regardless of whether it was silver, gold, copper, tin or any other metal, towns would form around successful mines. One these places ran dry though the townspeople would move on. But for quite a few, the mine would continue to be explored and excavated for years after it had quit producing. Seeing records of people living in an area in the 1920's and the mine not having produced anything significant in twenty years was fascinating. My wife and I spent quite a bit of time talking about these peoples lives, hopes, and dreams. Then of course if there were vampires hiding in the mines. I don't want the events of covid to ever repeat themselves but I miss the time toghether that it gave my wife and I. We have a child now so any adventure like this would be different but I might try to have us go get lost somewhere together one of these days.
• 
  2021

  POV of a Cattle Rancher

  This is important to me because this is my partner speaking. At the beginning of the pandemic we were living in Montana on a working cattle ranch, so our experience was a lot different than what we were seeing on social media. We experienced extreme food shortages and ironically had an even harder time selling cattle to processors and feed lots.
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  2020-11-23

  COVID and Montana High Schools

  The contributor of this item did not include verbal or written consent. We attempted to contact contributor (or interviewee if possible) to get consent, but got no response or had incomplete contact information. We can not allow this interview to be listened to without consent but felt the metadata is important. The recording and transcript are retained by the archive and not public. Should you wish to listen to audio file reach out to the archive and we will attempt to get consent.
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  2020-11-22

  A Superintendent On What It's Like Overseeing A School District During The Pandemic

  Lulu Garcia-Navarro interviews the superintendent of Great Falls Public Schools in Montana about COVID-19 and schools.
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  2020-11-09

  Canada-US border Communities in Alberta Adapting to Pandemic

  While popular within Canada, the border closure between the two countries has undoubtedly hurt businesses in both. Especially in border communities that are undeniably linked.
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  2020-11-06

  Not So Lost Season in the Big Sky State

  College Student/Athletes prep for a possible spring season in Big Sky country.
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  2020-11-06

  Montana Family Farms

  The impact of covid, supply and demand and the meatpackers in Montana.
• 2020-10-29

  Homecoming Football Cancelled

  The week of homecoming has always been a huge deal for the students at Great Falls High School. Even when I went there 10 years ago, we went all out. I cannot begin to fathom the disappointment for the seniors who lost their last chance to play a varsity homecoming football game. This season has been met with many hurdles. Limited spectators, masks, social distancing, sign ins and contact tracers for attendance, it’s been a lot of adjusting for everyone, but especially the players. They work their hardest to stay healthy and eligible to play. When news broke about the other team having had contact with covid, the boys were devastated that they would not have the opportunity to fulfill that homecoming legacy. The loss of this game in many ways was the equivalent of a lost season.
• 
  2020-10-29

  Great Falls Bison Football

  This year is my youngest brother's freshman year of high school. Imagine our devastation when it was assumed that these boys would lose out on the opportunity to start their high school careers participating in a sport that they love. With thanks to GFPS and all associated groups, through social distancing, careful planning, and diligent hygiene-- these talented and amazing athletes were able to play for the very first time, at Memorial Stadium. Go Bison!
• 2020-10-30

  Football During Covid-- AFTER of the Lost Season

  At the end of last year and the loss of the whole spring sports lineup, we were all disappointed to say the least. After all, they had worked so hard to not even be able to actually participate in their track season. Then the questions started rolling in-- what about next fall? What about football? At one point, it looked like it wouldn't even be possible, but somehow the district and state managed to make it happen with some limitations. At the end of it all, things turned out fine and the boys and each of the player's 3 allowed spectators got to enjoy this year’s football season. The stadium is much quieter with the same amount of energy from the players and the few lucky supporters who get to be there. They got to keep their season, they have had minimal cancellations due to other teams and contact with Covid, and I could not be prouder of these boys on and off the field. They got their season, they worked hard to keep it, abide by the rules, and to keep their season rolling through times of uncertainty.
• 
  2020-10-23

  Travel During Covid

  Travel during Covid what mostly like any other travel, just with a mask, and people didn't actually want to sit right next to you waiting to board the flights. The actual flights were different, though. The seats were not filled unless you were a member of a party travelling together. That being said, my first class ticket as a single travelling passenger with no other members of my party allowed me to have a full row to myself unlike most flights where everyone is seated in close proximity whether you know the passengers seated next to you or not. It was actually nice in terms of people respecting personal space.
• 
  2019-10-16

  Making the Best of Covid

  Like everyone, at the beginning of the pandemic I was terrified. I didn't know what the future held. I had just started a new job substitute teaching and all of a sudden, the schools were shut down and I was out of necessary work. Thankfully, I worked another job that afforded me the ability to continue making somewhat of a living, although savings would ultimately get me through about 7 months of the pandemic. Cooped up at home, I had nothing but time to think, reflect, work through my own demons, and ultimately to find myself again. I finally had nothing but time-- the one commodity we all complain we never have enough of. I got to take care of my physical, emotional and mental wellbeing again, spend time with my horses and dog, finish crocheting a few afghans that I had tucked away for months because I simply didn't have time. I got my photography business off the ground and finally went out to photograph places that I loved but never felt I had enough time to drive to. I found a better version of myself--a happier, stronger, braver and fearless, take no prisoners kind of woman through all the time on my hands. I treated myself to a photography trip to Alaska in September, which turned out to be the final step in self discovery. I needed to spread my wings on a solo trip to one of the most beautiful places in the world to find that final missing piece. I can confidently say that I think I found the place I will call home next. This pandemic has been transformative in so many ways. It is still possible to respect the virus for what it is without sacrificing our own mental and financial health. It is easy to seep into the perils associated with the pandemic. Between the online bickering of political parties, the looming election, the vaxxers and the anti-vaxxers, the maskers and the anti-maskers-- what everyone has failed to take advantage of, is time. I wish people took a step back to re-evaluate their sense of self through all of this. I wish people took time to look at all the opportunity and blessings that the confusing time of the pandemic has provided us. I wish people took time to be grateful for the things they have and not disparaged by the things that they do not. I choose a positive perspective on an otherwise horrible period in our lives. I choose to make the best of covid. Photo: Matanuska River Bridge, Palmer AK, 2020. Taken by: Jordyn Clutter (Hot Mess Pony Express) Arizona State University, HST 485.
• 
  2020-06-26

  Montana Tribe Hoping To Finally Increase Coronavirus Testing

  Excerpt from article: More than three months into the pandemic, it can still be tough to get a coronavirus test, especially if you live in some of the country's more remote tribal communities.