August 13, 2025 Inside the Bison Football locker room at Great Falls High School, a testosterone-fueled cheer erupts: chanting, clapping and yelling. It’s not for a win, in fact, it’s mid August and school won’t start for 10 days. The cheers are for something bigger than a scoreboard. At first the room is full of teenage chatter. But when Coach Tchida steps forward holding a gold placard, something shifts. The room doesn't go silent, but the energy changes. Becomes reverent. Nicole Marchion...

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 furniture look...

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...