Forest Service History About to Be Revealed in Montana

It's move-in time at the new National Museum of Forest Service History in Missoula, with the official opening of the new facility west of the city now set for mid-summer.

Ground was broken for the new center in 2024, with the beautiful "all timber" building designed to showcase the Forest Service's history, which goes back more than a century.

I asked Executive Director Lisa Tate for her reaction to walking through the building for the first time.

"I just think, wow. Wow! It's so beautiful," Tate tells me. "And the way it's come together. I mean, it's one thing to look at the fly-through or the renderings of from the architect, but to actually see it and smell the wood, it's just amazing. It's an amazing building."

It's award-winning architecture, and when we get the exhibits in, we'll have world-class exhibits to fit the building. The museum team has moved over hundreds of unique artifacts from the Forest Service, many of which remained in storage for years because there was nowhere to display them.

     The opening is set for July 16th and 17th in Missoula.

Court rules on high school sports as a "right."

A major victory for student-athletes in Montana. The state Supreme Court has ruled that participation in high school sports is a constitutionally protected right, requiring more transparency from athletic officials.

The ruling stems from the case of Zayne Hert, a Colstrip basketball player denied a fifth year of eligibility by the Montana High School Association. While the court noted that Hert’s individual season is long over, the justices used the case to set a new legal precedent.

Justice Ingrid Gustafson wrote that because extracurricular activities are a part of the educational process, they are subject to constitutional protection. The Court found that the MHSA failed to provide Hert with sufficient due process, specifically citing a lack of written evidence and a formal record for judicial review.

Moving forward, the MHSA must provide athletes with clear notice of eligibility issues and a detailed written decision. The ruling ensures that future students have a fair shot at challenging eligibility bans in court before their seasons end.

State launches new "terror" plan

State officials are setting goals of being better prepared to not only deal with physical terrorism threats, but also digital threats in their latest objectives.

Montana emergency officials have unveiled a new three-year strategic plan aimed at hardening the state’s defenses against both physical and digital threats.

The 2026-2028 Homeland Security Strategic Plan, released by Montana Disaster and Emergency Services, outlines five core goals to protect critical infrastructure.

Top priorities include strengthening inter-agency law enforcement coordination to disrupt transnational crime and upgrading communication systems to ensure local, state, and tribal agencies can talk seamlessly during a crisis.

The plan places a heavy emphasis on cybersecurity, proposing the creation of a "Montana Civilian Cyber Reserve" to defend public utilities and election systems from remote attack.

Brigadier General Trenton Gibson says the strategy moves Montana from a reactive posture to a proactive one, focusing on "community lifelines" like water, energy, and transportation.

     🚨 The full roadmap is now being integrated into state grant funding and emergency exercises through October 2028.

Livingston turns to trails & park planning

The City of Livingston is looking toward the future of its backyard. Officials have officially launched the development of a new Outdoor Recreation Master Plan.

The Livingston Enterprise reports the initiative aims to create a long-term roadmap for the city’s parks, trails, and river access. Community leaders say the goal is to balance the growing demand for outdoor spaces with the preservation of the area’s natural character.

Public input will be a cornerstone of the process, with workshops and surveys planned to identify which areas—from the Yellowstone River to local greenways—need the most attention and investment.

The final plan is expected to guide the city’s recreational infrastructure and grant-funding priorities for the next decade.

UM to consider building name

The University of Montana is moving forward with plans to honor two of its most dedicated supporters while giving a major facelift to one of the busiest spots on campus.

UM has scheduled an on-campus listening session for Wednesday, May 6th, to gather public comment on a proposal to rename the Adams Center auxiliary gyms as the Steve and Shirley Nelson Training Center.

The project is made possible by a generous gift from the Nelsons, who are longtime Missoula residents and Griz super-fans. When finished, the facility will feature two full-size wood floor courts for basketball and volleyball practice, as well as space for local youth clubs and intramural sports. Athletic Director Kent Haslam says the renovation is a "much-needed" investment in the daily lives of student-athletes.

The public session runs from 1:00 to 2:00 PM in the Hall of Champions. If you can't make it in person, the university is accepting comments via email at news@umontana.edu