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Finding Balance in Bloom: Melissa Lafontaine of Earth Within Flowers
Photo by Jenna Nord Photography, www.jennanordphotography.com For the past decade, Melissa has been weaving Montana's wild beauty into her floral designs, one locally sourced stem at a time. From her studio in Missoula, she creates ethereal arrangements that mirror the landscape she loves, while her nonprofit work helps women and girls reconnect with the natural rhythms of their own bodies. Can you tell us about yourself and what led you to floral design? I've been working wi


The F.A.N. Show: How Richard Tieman Brings Monday Night Football Energy to Montana Sports
Richard Tieman has never met a microphone he didn't like. It's one of the first things he tells you about himself, delivered with the easy confidence of someone who's spent years performing. But the story of how a touring drummer from Spokane became the face of The F.A.N. Show —Great Falls' most recognizable sports coverage and the reason he was voted Best Entertainment for 2025—isn't the straightforward sports journalism tale you'd expect. The Musician Who Loved Sports Growi


Building Dreams in Great Falls: Silver Stone Homes' Commitment to Craftsmanship
When Kirk Timmer founded Silver Stone Homes , he had a clear vision: bring top-tier custom home building to Great Falls with an approach that treats every project like it’s their own family’s forever home. Now, with his sons Trevan and Trace working alongside him, that family commitment runs even deeper—one carefully selected project at a time. It's Starts With Listening The Silver Stone philosophy starts with something surprisingly simple: listening. Before any blueprints ge


We Asked, Kate Stephens Answered.
Kate Stephens is a fourth-generation wheat farmer from Montana and the founder of Kate’s Ag, a platform dedicated to bridging the gap between farmers and consumers through storytelling, fashion, and education. Through her YouTube channel and social media, she advocates for family farmers by sharing authentic stories from rural America and highlighting how agriculture connects to both what we wear and what we eat. A senior at Cornell University studying International Agricultu


From Farmers Market to Downtown Storefront: How Shirstie Gaylord Built Hometana
When Shirstie Gaylord walks through downtown Great Falls now, she sees it differently than she did eight years ago. Back then, she was hauling a six-foot table to the farmers market every weekend, selling Hometana's Montana t-shirts that she'd printed with her last few hundred dollars. She'd look around at the Mighty Mo Brewing crew, the Enbär group, Electric City Coffee (businesses that were saying downtown is cool) and think, I want to be one of them. Now she is. Today, Hom


We Asked, Becca Skinner Answered.
Based in Bozeman, Montana, Becca Skinner is a photographer, writer, and National Geographic Young Explorer whose work captures the powerful connection between people, wild places, and purpose. Through her lens, Becca blends conservation and adventure storytelling — creating images that remind us why protecting the places we explore matters. Here’s what she had to say when we asked her about life in Montana, creativity, and the inspiration behind her work. What’s one Montana l


Vicki Carle's Pink Revolution: How a Breast Cancer Survivor Sparked a Statewide Movement
Listen to this article on Spotify Vicki Carle was cleaning house when she took our call, moving from room to room while talking about the eight checks she'd sent out that morning. One to Livingston. One to Pony. A few more scattered across Montana. Each envelope contained a handwritten letter, sometimes artwork from kids, and a check for a thousand dollars with one simple instruction: use this money any way you see fit. What started in 2007 with a volleyball team wearing pink


How Laci Rathbun Turned Doing Good Into a Business at Donation Warehouse
I'm sitting outside Donation Warehouse in Missoula at 10 a.m. when I see Laci Rathbun turn the sign at the doorway from closed to open. When I walk in, Laci is already behind the counter. She sees me, smiles and immediately offers a tour which allows me access behind those "staff only" doorways. It gives me a peek into the inner workings of an impressive operation. Within minutes, I'm noticing things that don't match my assumptions about thrift stores. Why does this furnitur


Hats Off to Rowdy Mood: Two Small-Town Friends, One Big Idea, and a Hat Company with Heart
Ty Moody never expected embroidery tension to become part of his daily vocabulary. But here he is, standing in a garage-turned-studio in Great Falls, Montana, adjusting spools of thread on a $15,000 embroidery machine like a musician tuning a prized instrument. “It’s basically a guitar,” he says, gesturing toward the colorful threads stretched across the top of the machine. “If one string’s off, the whole thing gets thrown out of whack. You learn to listen for it.” Welcome to


Keely Baker Is Raising the Barre in Great Falls
If you’ve ever taken a barre class in Great Falls — the low-impact workout blending Pilates, yoga, and strength training — there’s a good...


We Asked, Ken Kohoutek Answered
Snapshots of Ken Kohoutek’s life are captured in ceramic. The Great Falls artist has been working with clay as a medium for his drawings...


Collecting Stories: How Samantha Kaupish Revived a Victorian Home with Secondhand Finds
There’s something about an old house that whispers stories of the past, but when Samantha Kaupish stepped into her 1895 Victorian mansion...


How a Last-Minute Escape to Fiji Became Our Best Family Trip Yet
February in Montana is a time of year when I start to dream of visiting warm destinations. The days begin to stretch out and I can feel...


Balancing the Plate: How Mike Hallahan Juggles Creativity, Business, and Community
Photo Credit: Bridgette Pence Photography Mike Hallahan is not your typical chef. Sure, he’s sliced his way through kitchens from fast...


We Asked Carie and Melissa of All the Things Charcuterie, They Answered
When it comes to curating charcuterie boards, Carie and Melissa of All the Things Charcuterie have turned a creative passion into an art...


Turning Heartbreak into Action: How 1,000 in Action is Dedicated to Ending Child Abuse
When tragedy strikes, it often leaves us wondering how we can help so that it doesn’t happen to someone else. For Jen Barnett, founder of...


Supporting Children Through Grief: A Guide for Adults
The topic of death and the process of grieving is one that will affect us all, and although it’s not fun to talk about, it’s important to have some knowledge about how best to support those we love; particularly the children in our lives. Grieving the death of a loved one is a profound and complex experience, especially for children who may struggle to understand their emotions and articulate their feelings. As adults, we play a vital role in helping children navigate this di


Mighty Mo’s Casey Kingsland: From Homebrew Hobbyist to Award-Winning Brewmaster
Craft beer lovers in Great Falls owe a toast to Casey Kingsland, the creative force behind Mighty Mo Brewing. What began as a...


Great Falls Bids “See You Later” to Artist and Museum Leader Sarah Justice
Great Falls recently bid a heartfelt farewell to Sarah Justice, a beloved figure in the local arts scene, as she embarks on her new...


A Montana Kid at Heart: Raph Graybill's Great Falls Roots Shape His Campaign
From running around Gibson Park as a kid to defending constitutional rights in high-stakes cases as an attorney, Raph Graybill has...
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