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Lindsey Branch, UMW Sports Information BUTTE, Mont. –  The no. 13 ranked Montana Western women's volleyball team (10-5, 2-3) fell this afternoon to the RV Montana Tech Orediggers in a 3-1 matchup by scores of 18-25, 25-16, 25-27, and 22-25. How It Happened Montana Tech came out swinging in the opening set of the game, rattling off 14 kills as a team and recording just one hitting error. They would win the set 25-18. Leading 14-12 in set two, the Bulldogs rode a pair of kills from Peyton Vogl and Kaitlyn Van Well to a 19-12 lead over the Orediggers. They would maintain momentum and thanks to an ace and kill from Taylor Petersen , claim a 25-16 set win to tie the match. As a team, the Bulldogs hit .429 in the set and totaled 17 kills across the second set. The third frame featured another battle between the two evenly matched teams. After trailing 24-22 to the Orediggers, the Bulldogs refused to lay down and utilized a kill from Jordan Olson to tie the game at 24 all. Despite the late rally, the Orediggers claimed the final two points to take a 27-25 win. Despite remaining one step behind MT for much of the final frame, the Bulldogs showed grit and utilized late set magic as they trailed 24-17 and fought on for five straight points. Down 24-22, the Orediggers picked up the final point to close the final frame. Notables The Bulldogs hit .178 across the match and totaled 57 kills as team. Vogl had a monster night, leading the Bulldogs with 18 kills from the middle and adding two blocks. Jazi Smith followed with 17 kills and 13 digs. UMW served up five service aces in the game, seeing three come from Petersen. Up Next Western will return to Dillon next week for a home conference match with RV Carroll College on Thursday, Oct. 3 at 7pm in the Straugh Gymnasium. Last time out, the Fighting Saints took the match in a 3-0 sweep after UMW struggled to find their groove.

Lindsey Branch, UMW Sports Information ASHLAND, Ore. – The no. 4 ranked Montana Western Football (3-1) suffered their first loss of the season this afternoon in a road matchup against the no. 14 ranked Southern Oregon Raiders. Despite racking up 438 yards on offense, the Bulldogs struggled on third and fourth down, going two of 12 on third downs and two of four on fourth down attempts. "Our guys played hard today. SOU has a really good team and we missed several scoring opportunities on the goal line and a few stops on defense that disabled us from pulling it off in the end," Head Coach Ryan Nourse said. "I am proud with the effort and fight and we will get back after it and improve in the areas we fell short." How It Happened After forcing the powerful Bulldog offense to a quick three and out on their opening drive, the Raiders were the first to put points on the board. They would score off of the NAIA rushing leader Gunner Yates' 22-yard touchdown rush that capped a short five play and 56-yard drive. With 5:16 left in the first, John Mears got the Bulldogs their first score of the game with a 43-yard field goal. The Bulldog defense held strong to give the ball to the Bulldog offense with two minutes remaining in the first. After an 11-play drive that brought the Bulldogs down to the 10-yard line with 10:49 left in the second quarter, the Raiders defense stood tall and stopped the Bulldogs on fourth down to force the Bulldogs' second turnover on downs of the season. After forcing a three and out, the Bulldogs hit their stride on offense and took their first lead of the matchup at 10-7 when Michael Palandri hit Jake Humphrey for a 24-yard touchdown pass, the first receiving touchdown of Humphry's career. With 11 seconds on the clock until half, the Raiders reclaimed the lead and took a 13-10 lead into the half. SOU got the ball to start the second half and ran close to six minutes off the clock prior to scoring on a pass to the corner of the end zone to take a two-score lead at 21-10. They would add another score after forcing the Bulldogs to a quick three and out on the following drive, taking a 28-10 lead with 6:19 left in the third. The Bulldogs were able to bring the game back to a two-possession game when Mears hit his second field goal of the game from 33 yards out with under five minutes to play in the third. A sack by Noah Rimmer on SOU's following drive stopped the Raiders in their tracks and gave the Bulldog offense some life heading into the fourth quarter. Despite the positive drive, UMW was stifled by penalties and the Raider defense held the Bulldogs to a turnover on downs on the SOU 1-yard line. After getting a stop once more on defense, the Bulldogs scored on the following drive on a 23-yard pass to Eli Nourse to close the gap back to 28-19. Late excitement came as the Bulldogs recovered a successful onside kick and scored once more as Palandri connected with Nourse on a 19-yard pass. Despite closing the gap back within two at 28-26, the Bulldogs were unable pull off a second onside kick and SOU closed the game out on top. N otables The Bulldogs remain winless in their nine games in Ashland and are now 5-12 in the history between the two schools. UMW's defense held the Raiders to a below average 332 total yards on offense. SOU has averaged 462.5 yards per game. Palandri threw for 371 yards in the air and three touchdowns. Nourse led the Bulldog receiving corps with 111 yards in the air on eight receptions and had two touchdowns. Jace Fitzgerald led the defense with 11 total tackles. Up Next Western will take next week off from action and will prepare for another top ten matchup with the no. 10 ranked Montana Tech at Bulldog Stadium on Oct. 12 at 1 p.m.

The Beaverhead County Sheriff’s Office is excited to announce the beginning of a new K9 Program. Beginning in fall 2024 to spring 2025, we will be adding two dogs to our patrol team, who will be assigned to existing deputies as their handlers. We are adding two dogs to provide the best possible service to the citizens of the Beaverhead County Area and across Montana. Our dogs will be trained in Tracking (Criminal and Search and Rescue), Narcotics Detection, and Human Remains Detection. In 2022/2023, Law Enforcement in Beaverhead County responded to: 71 -Assaults 7 -Assaults with firearm 27 -Break Ins 26 -Burglary 2 -Robbery 57 -Criminal Mischief 62 -Disorderly Conduct 54 -Drug Offense 217 -DUI – Alcohol/Drugs 1 -Escaped Prisoner 45 -Search and Rescue 27 -Missing Person 9 -Shooting 38 -Shots Heard 59 -Trespassing 73 -Unattended Death 85 -Wanted Person 826 -Welfare Check 10 -Probation Violation 40 -Assist Probation and Parole In Total, Dispatch received 15,169 Calls for service in this time frame. This list only covers a small amount of our call volume where having a K9 available could prove necessary. In 2024, we are already exceeding previous call volume for many categories and are seeing an increase in drug related activity in Beaverhead County. We are currently seeking funding for our program through grants, community support, and local government funds. We hope to make our program self sufficient through funding acquired outside of the budget of Beaverhead County to ensure the long-term success of the program. The following is a breakdown of the estimated costs for the program: (Costs reflect totals for entire program) K9 Training and Handler School: $24,800 Basic Equipment (Toys, Leashes, Training tools, ect): $4,000 Continued Care: $3,000 annually Continued Education: $600 Future K9 Replacement Vehicles: $230,000 Future K9 Replacements: $30,000 For more information about the K9 Program, please email: Deputy Dan Fields at dfields@beaverheadsheriff.com or Deputy Cade Dairy at cdairy@beaverheadsheriff.com.

Lindsey Branch, UMW Sports Information cover photo Tessa McNeil DILLON, Mont. –  The no. 13 ranked Montana Western women's volleyball team (10-4, 2-2) got back on track this evening after they defeated the RV Rocky Mountain College (9-7, 1-3) in a 3-1 matchup 25-21, 24-26, 27-25, 25-16. "This was a great all-around team win tonight. The defense did awesome expanding their range and being confident in serve receive. Our setters did a great job spreading the ball around on offense and our offense did a great job being aggressive and smart," Head Coach Katie Lovett said. "They worked hard this week on playing together and that is exactly what they did tonight against a strong Rocky team". Senior setter Kaylee Fritz served up two aces in the match, marking her place in the UMW record books as she broke the career service ace record that was previously held by Paige Latimer (2011-14). "Our offense really stepped up and we picked up a lot of balls on defense. We went into the game trying to work together and do it for each other and we did a great job at that." Fritz said after the win. How It Happened Rocky Mountain got a jump early in the first set, claiming a 10-7 lead to start. Jordan Olson tied the game up at 11 for the Bulldogs after she knocked down a kill and recorded a block on back-to-back points. After a service ace put Rocky up by a point, UMW rattled off five straight points to take a four-point lead. The Bulldogs would hang on to the lead to win the set 25-21. Fighting for ground through the second set, the Bulldogs led 21-17 heading into the final stretches of the set. Rocky found momentum and went on a tear, holding the Bulldogs scoreless for five straight points to reclaim the lead at 22-21. Olson broke the streak and Kaitlyn Van Well added to the score to help the Bulldogs to a 24-22 lead. Rocky Mountain did not lay down though as they found a spark blocking at the net to take the final four points and win 26-24. Down 9-4 in the third frame, Kelsey Goddard served the Bulldogs to three straight points as Peyton Vogl added a kill and a block to close the gap to two points. After trading points down the stretch, the two teams remained deadlocked at 23 all. A service error from Rocky along with a kill from Olson ended the set at 27-25 in favor of the Bulldogs. Despite a rough start for UMW that saw Rocky go on a 6-2 scoring run, Jazi Smith gave the Bulldogs some life after knocking down a kill. Tied at 10 all, Smith went on a tear and had three straight kills to push UMW over the hump. They went on to close the final set out on top 25-16. N otables The Bulldogs hit their best hitting percentage of conference play so far with a .209 team percentage. Smith totaled a season high 17 kills while also adding 21 digs in the back row. Fritz and Taylor Petersen combined for a total of 49 assists in the four-set match, enough for a combined 12.25 assists per set. Olson added 12 kills and a pair of blocks. Vogl totaled five blocks in the game while also hitting for 10 kills. Jaiden Perez had a season high 10 kills in the game. Up Next Western will hit the road for a matchup against Montana Tech in Butte, Mont. on Saturday at 2 p.m.

The University of Montana Western Career Services Office would like to invite all interested employers and UMW students to the 2024 Job Expo on Tuesday, October 15, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the Lewis & Clark Room located in Mathews Hall. The Montana Western Job Expo provides a valuable platform for employers to connect with students who are seeking internships, employment, and future career opportunities. All UMW majors will be represented, giving recruiters the chance to engage with students across various academic disciplines. Employers are encouraged to bring branded merchandise or swag items to help promote their business or organization. Students attending the Job Expo will have the chance to network with potential employers and explore career opportunities, including internships. It is recommended that students come prepared to speak with recruiters by preparing an elevator pitch and having a current resume on hand. Registration Details Employers : To register for the event, complete the  online registration form . The cost is $150 per table. Employers can opt to register for both the Job Expo and the Spring Career Fair for a combined cost of $250. A continental breakfast and lunch will be provided for two attendees per exhibiting employer, with additional team members welcome to enjoy the meals for $20 per person. Returning employers will receive an email with instructions to register through Handshake, UMW’s career services platform. New employers are encouraged to contact Kelly Coble for more information about Handshake and event registration. Students : Registration is free for all UMW students. Students who attend the event will also receive 1,000 Paw Print points. To register, complete the  online registration form . The University of Montana Western thanks all new and returning employers for supporting our students and making this event a success. For more information on the 2024 Job Expo, please contact Kelly Coble, Director of Career Services & Learning Center, at 406-683-7143 or kelly.coble@umwestern.edu .

The University of Montana Western is excited to announce that this year’s Bulldog Bash will recognize the extraordinary contributions of Engine 18, a tailgating fire engine turned community cornerstone. Originally built in 2017 by a group of UMW alumni and sports fans in Dillon, Engine 18 has evolved from a highly anticipated tailgating experience into a key player in raising funds for athletic scholarships at Montana Western. Named in honor of former Bulldog football player MJ Simkins, Engine 18 pays tribute to Simkins’ legacy after his life was tragically cut short. MJ wore the number 18, symbolizing his deep connection to Dillon and Beaverhead County. Today, Engine 18 continues to carry his spirit through its ongoing support of UMW student-athletes. Engine 18’s dedication to UMW athletics and the community is undeniable. Their efforts have made a lasting impact on both the university and the Dillon community. We are proud to honor Engine 18 for its incredible support and the meaningful legacy it continues to build in honor of past Bulldog players and coaches. “It is a profound honor to be recognized by UMW athletics at this year’s Bulldog Bash. This achievement reflects the hard work and dedication of Engine 18 volunteers and the communities of UMW, Dillon, and Beaverhead County. What started as a vision for a great tailgate experience grew into an organization of like-minded volunteers committed to leaving a lasting impact. We hope the student-athletes and families we support will continue to pay it forward, keeping Engine 18’s legacy strong for future Bulldogs,” said Mark Simkins. The generosity of Engine 18 extends far beyond tailgating and scholarships. In a remarkable effort to further support Montana Western athletes, Engine 18 has developed a program to provide locally sourced beef to UMW student-athletes. Thanks to generous donations from local ranchers and the hard work of the Engine 18 crew, this initiative ensures that student-athletes have access to quality food, especially those who may struggle to afford essentials like meat. We’re excited to celebrate and support Montana Western student-athletes at this year’s Bulldog Bash. Please join us on Saturday, October 12, in the Keltz Arena on the Montana Western campus. Doors open at 5:00 p.m., featuring a no-host bar provided by The Den and a brisket dinner . Tickets are still available and can be purchased online at  tinyurl.com/umwbulldogbash2024  or by calling Kelly Allen at 406-683-7306. If you’d like to donate to the silent or live auction, please contact Jolene Robbins at 406-683-7303.

Beaverhead FFA members had another great outing at the Ruby Valley FFA Invitational contests in Sheridan today and qualified several teams for State Convention in April. The senior Livestock Evaluation team of Savanna Freitas (1st place individual), Asher Burch, Taylor Yecny, and Kendyll Meine placed 1st in the SW FFA District and 2nd overall, which qualifies them for State competition. Also competing were Eli Johnson, Ashlyn Burk, William Barcomb, Rowdy Mattison, Samantha George, Tucker Sitz, Winona Wagoner, James Seidensticker, and Aven Pflieger. The junior Livestock Evaluation team of Leneva Miller, Cole Freitas, Kelly Webster, and Dally Woosley placed 4th in the SW FFA District and 6th place overall. Also competing were Tessa Johnson, Rylee Ford, Callie Hales, Jhett Hoffmann, Janci Robbins, Payton McWilliams, Trey Fifield, Danica Ponessa, and Adilynn Pilon. Our senior Range & Soils team of Faye Holland (1st place individual), Porter Hopman (4th place individual), Clancy Setzer (5th place individual), and Brekken Venn (7th place individual) placed 1st in the SW FFA District and 1st place overall. Caden Morrisroe also competed and placed 25th overall. Finally, our Forestry team of Reese Jensen, Quirt Crafton, Addison Goolsby, and Clinton Ford placed 4th in our SW FFA District and 8th place overall, which also qualifies them for State competition. Also competing were Ben Plovanic, Scarlett Garrison, and Garet George.

Lindsey Branch, UMW Sports Information DILLON, Mont. – The Montana Western men's and women's rodeo teams are excited to represent Montana Western and the Dillon community this weekend as they host the annual Montana Western Home Rodeo on Sept. 27-28 at the Beaverhead County Fairgrounds. The weekend rodeo is the final rodeo of the fall season, with action ramping back up in April next spring. Prior to the action, there will be a rodeo welcome social hosted by Atomic 79 at 4pm. Action will then begin on Friday night at 7 p.m. for the first performance of the weekend. The Saturday slack begins at 8 a.m. with the Calcutta immediately following at 1:30 p.m. at The Den. The short-go will then bring our top competitors in each event back to the arena at 7 p.m. for championship night.   Both Friday and Saturday night will be streamed on the Cowboy Channel app, with the slack being streamed on the Montana Western Athletics YouTube page. Entry to the rodeo will cost $15 for general admission each night. Concessions will be hosted by the Montana Western women's basketball team. Rodeo programs will be on sale for $5 a program. Heading into this weekend, the men's rodeo team sits in second place in the region standings with the women's team in a close fourth place behind the University of Montana. Friday night's performance will feature numerous Bulldogs in various events. In bareback riding, Cooper Olaveson and Jeremy Kay will both get a ride on Friday. Olaveson is currently sitting in third overall in the region with a total of 245.5 points. Kay follows just behind with 216 points heading into the weekend. Heading in to steer wrestling, five Bulldogs will be featured in the event including 2024 CNFR qualifiers Jake Deveraux and Jhet Murphy . Carson Daniels , Cole Trexler , and Tatum Hansen round out the five. Hansen is in sixth in the region with 126 points this fall season. Goat tying will feature Erin McGinley , Jaycie Richey , and 2024 CNFR goat tying short-round qualifier and current Big Sky Region leader Tavy Leno . Three pairs of UMW team ropers will run on Friday night. Desi Coombs and Teely Bott , Jake Miller and Everitt Mauler , and Leno and Jacee Winward will be featured in the event. A whopping five Bulldog men will be competing in saddle bronc riding this year, including Chase Martin who is leading the Big Sky Region in the event and 2024 CNFR qualifier Cade Costello who sits in third in the region. Olaveson and Paul O'Hair will also be competing in the event, as well as Carson Klingler who will make his first appearance in the event this fall. Three Bulldog women will be featured in breakaway roping, Jaycie Richey , Laura Haight , and current Big Sky Region breakaway roping leader Tynell Mclnenly . Two Bulldog men are slated to compete in tie down roping in Kyler Erickson and Cooper Pavkov . In barrel racing, a pair of Bulldogs, Richey and Samantha Gerlach , will look for a clean run. Rounding out the first night will be bull riding, featuring the 2024 Big Sky Region champion, CNFR qualifier, and newest member of the PBR Nashville Stampede Gavin Knutson . Kay will also compete in the event, his second rough stock event for the evening.

125 N. Idaho St. City of Dillon, Montana FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING September 26th,  2024 9:00 A.M.                                                                                                                         ~ AGENDA ~     1.           Approval of September 2024 Claims 2.           Public Comment on Items of Significant Public Interest Not on The Agenda And Within The Jurisdiction of The City 3.           Adjournment   Committee Members: Russ Schwandt, Chairperson Anneliese Ripley Diane Armstrong

Lindsey Branch, UMW Sports Information KANSAS CITY, Mo. –  The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) has announced the results of the NAIA Football GoRout Top 25 Poll No. 3. Montana Western Football held steady at to no. 4 in the poll. UMW took their first road victory of the season this past weekend when they defeated NCAA DIII opponent Lewis & Clark College (Ore.) Pioneers by a final score of 56-39. Three Bulldogs earned a pair of rushing touchdowns in the game, while the Bulldogs totaled 228 yards on the ground. As a team, Montana Western sits in the top 10 in the NAIA in points scored per game (7th, 50.5), total offensive yards per game (3rd, 566.5), passing yards per game (2nd, 391.5), and kick return yards (2nd, 35.2). Michael Palandri sits in second in the NAIA for passing yards per game with 368.0 per game. Both Eli Nourse and Dylan Shipley are in the top 5 for receiving yards per game. Nourse averages 126.5 for fourth in the NAIA with Shipley following just behind in fifth with 123.5. Three of the top five receivers in the Frontier conference reside with the Bulldogs, adding Jon Kirkley to the list in fifth with 73.5 yards per game. The Bulldogs will be looking for their first conference road win of the season in Ashland this weekend against the no. 14 ranked Southern Oregon this weekend. Since the series between the two teams began in 2002, the Bulldogs are 0-8 on the road against the Raiders. FRONTIER IN THE TOP 25 No. 4 Montana Western Bulldogs No. 10 Montana Tech Orediggers No. 14 Southern Oregon Raiders No. 19 College of Idaho Yotes

125 N. Idaho St. City of Dillon, Montana City Council Chambers September 26th, 2024 8:45 A.M. SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE     A.        Water and Sewer Committee – Bill Shafer, Chair; Russ Schwandt, Anneliese Ripley                         a.         Approve Amended September 11, 2024 Regular Meeting Minutes                         b.         Discuss/Approve MCEP for Eastside PER Resolution #1476                                                 B.        PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS OF SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC INTEREST NOT ON THE  AGENDA AND WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE CITY   C.        ADJOURNMENT   PLEASE NOTE: The City of Dillon understands that citizens have the right under the Montana Constitution to observe and participate in local governmental affairs by personally attending all public meetings of the Dillon City Council and other City boards and committees. This meeting is open to the public as normal. Join the meeting with Zoom ID: 770-316-6528, allowing permission for microphone and camera (if using a computer go to https://zoom.us/j/7703166528 ) and use Passcode 4245. Please mute your microphone until you desire to comment. Any problems or questions, call City Hall at 683-4245.

DILLON, Mont. — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has generously donated 40 pallets totaling approximately 66,000 pounds of food to five local food pantries serving communities across Southwest Montana. This donation comes as part of the Church’s ongoing commitment to support those in need and to address food insecurity.   The donation included non-perishable items such as canned vegetables, pasta, rice, flour, peanut butter, soup, milk and other essential staples. The food was distributed to the following food pantries:             1.         Butte Rescue Mission             2.         Beaverhead Community Food Pantry             3.         Headwaters Area Food Bank             4.         Deer Lodge Food Pantry             5.         Ruby Valley Food Pantry   "These resources are truly a lifeline for our community and the Butte Rescue Mission. This year, the Butte Rescue Mission has served more meals than last year, and the rising cost of food has made it increasingly difficult to keep up. This shipment arrived at a crucial time, especially as our community has been facing shortages of several key products. We’ve partnered with the Butte Emergency Food Bank to ensure that not only the unhoused population has food to eat but everyone in our community has access to adequate food," said Brayton Erickson, Executive Director of the Butte Rescue Mission. "The health of a person and the health of a community starts with having all of the basic needs met. This Church has truly stepped up to show what unconditional love looks like and that is providing for those who are the most vulnerable and most in need."    The Beaverhead Community Food Pantry’s clientele has grown more than 21% in the past year to more than 130 households per week. Roughly 55% of those clients are over 55 years old with very limited incomes.   “The cost savings will allow us to focus some of our funds on fresh produce, dairy and protein products,” said Carolyn Dillon of the Beaverhead Community Food Pantry. “We are also able to service other non-profits with this donation, such as the Senior Center and the BackPack Program, which provides school-age children with backpacks of food before weekends or holidays to ensure they will have enough to eat.”   “The Ruby Valley Food Pantry is incredibly grateful for such a generous donation,” said Kelsie Tate, President of the Ruby Valley Food Pantry, which serves 25-30 families and more than 225 individuals monthly. “This donation will allow us to free up funds for different products and helps to ensure we can keep our doors open.”   The Church’s humanitarian efforts are part of a global initiative to care for those in need, regardless of faith or background. These contributions are made possible through the donations of Church members and others who contribute to the Church’s humanitarian funds.   For more information about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its humanitarian efforts, visit www.churchofjesuschrist.org .

Lindsey Branch, UMW Sports Information MISSOULA, Mont. —  The Montana Western cross country teams continued their 2024 season on Friday night with the University of Montana Invite. Both teams competed in packed fields with the women's team racing to a fifth-place finish and the men's team placing fifth. " Both teams had a strong performance with most of our women earning a PR or ran right around their season PR. Missoula is also a tough course, but I think they were able to stay mentally tough," Head Coach Taylor Grove said. "Olivia was able to be the fourth runner from our conference to finish. The men ran well also on the tough course and we had lots of good performances." Results The women's race saw the Bulldogs led by sophomore Olivia Steadman , running a race time of 20:00.6 and placing in 13th, with a 4th place finish of Frontier runners. Freshman Destiny Vogl followed behind, finishing in 34th with a time of 21:32.2, with sophomore Justene Santi close behind in 36th finishing with a time of 21:33.3. Freshmen Ruby Smith and Olivia Canney  rounded out the scoring for the Bulldogs, with times of 22:05.8 and 22:15.4.  Sophomore Harrison Silverio  led the way for the Bulldogs with a 28:02.9 and a 41st place finish. Sophomore Brody Henry  was the second fastest Bulldog runner on the night, placing 47th in a 29:20.6 time. Freshman Kreg Butler and junior Carlin Onstad were the third and fourth Bulldogs to cross the line. Butler ran a time of 29:49.3 and finished in 51st with Onstad running a 30:13.2 to finish in 54th. Freshman Noah Rovente  ran a 30:31.7 to close out the scoring for UMW. Kaden Hennesey and Bridger Wheeler also competed in the race. Hennesey finished with a time of 31:36.1 and Wheeler finished with a time of 32:37.6. Up Next The Bulldogs cross country season keeps rolling in Billings, Mont. with the Yellowjacket/Battlin' Bears Open on Oct. 4.

Lindsey Branch, UMW Sports Information HELENA, Mont. – The no. 13 ranked Montana Western women's volleyball team (9-3, 1-1) dropped their first conference game of the season tonight in a 3-0 loss to RV Carroll College (11-2, 1-1). How It Happened After falling to an 11-8 early deficit, the Bulldogs utilized a 6-2 scoring run that featured a pair of aces from Taylor Petersen and Jazi Smith to get the Bulldogs back on top at 14-12. The narrow lead was short-lived as errors on the Bulldog's side of the net led the Saints to an 8-1 scoring run of their own. Despite racking up six blocks in the set, the Bulldogs were unable to recover and dropped the first set 25-20. Carroll continued their roll into the second set, leaving little room for the Bulldogs to find momentum. The Saints racked up 14 kills and just two errors on their way to a quick 25-10 set victory. The Saints once more jumped out early to a 11-8 lead. A kill from Kara Pospisil broke the Carroll run and fueled a 4-0 Bulldog push to flip the score in favor of UMW at 12-11. The two teams continued to battle it out down the stretch but the Saints ultimately remained on top with a closing set 25-21 win. N otables The Bulldog's set two loss was the first set they have lost by 15 points or more since their matchup with the no. 2 ranked Eastern Oregon back on Aug. 17. UMW hit .000 in the game, the first time the Bulldogs have hit at or below zero since the 2021 season. Jordan Olson led with seven kills and five blocks. Petersen served up three service aces in the game while also added 10 assists and seven digs.

Lindsey Branch, UMW Sports Information GREAT FALLS, Mont. –  The no. 13 ranked Montana Western women's volleyball team (9-4, 1-2) fell this afternoon to the no. 15 ranked University of Providence Argos (12-2, 3-0) in a 3-1 matchup by scores of 25-21, 25-16, 25-15, 25-16. How It Happened The Argos held a slim 18-17 lead in the first set before the Bulldogs were able to use a 5-1 run to pull away from UP late in the set. Jordan Olson nailed back to back kills and Peyton Vogl and Olson paired for a block to clean up the first set and win 25-21. Trailing 10-9 early, the Argos found momentum and ran on to claim a 15-9 lead and force the Bulldogs to use both timeouts early. A 4-1 run brought UMW back within three, but UP would run away with the set to win 25-16. Providence carried the momentum into the final two sets and rolled to 25-15 and 25-16 set wins to close out the game. N otables The Bulldogs totaled 12 blocks in the matchup for their third straight double-digit total block game in a row. Jazi Smith and Olson each led the Bulldogs with 11 kills apiece. Smith added 14 digs in the back row and Olson added four blocks. Kelsey Goddard tallied 30 digs in the back row for the Bulldogs, giving her 6.1 digs per set across the weekend. Taylor Ketchum served up a pair of serving aces in the game. Up Next Western will return to Dillon next week for a home conference match with RV Rocky Mountain College on Thursday, Sept. 26 at 7pm in the Straugh Gymnasium.

Lindsey Branch, UMW Sports Information PORTLAND, Ore. –  The no. 4 ranked Montana Western football team (3-0, 1-0) took their first road victory of the season this afternoon when they defeated NCAA DIII opponent Lewis & Clark College (Ore.) Pioneers by a final score of 56-39. Three Bulldogs earned a pair of rushing touchdowns in the game, while the Bulldogs totaled 228 yards on the ground. Prior to the matchup, Lewis & Clark averaged more than 150 rushing yards per game. UMW's defense allowed the Pioneers to -8 rushing yards across the matchup and totaled six sacks and eight tackles for loss as a team. How It Happened The Pioneers were the first to light up the scoreboard, scoring quickly on a 32 yard pass up the middle of the field to take a 7-0 lead. The Bulldogs wasted little time and answered by driving down the field with Michael Palandri capping off the drive with a two yard touchdown rush with 7:15 left in the first quarter. Lewis & Clark scored once more before UMW's Jake Humphrey rushed it in for his first touchdown of the game on an 11-yard rush with 1:23 on the clock. Tied at 14 apiece, defensive back Braden Swank recovered the ball on a fumble to cap the first quarter and send the Bulldogs into the second frame in great field position. DJ Kirven would then record a 1-yard touchdown rush to give the Bulldogs their first lead of the game at 21-14. Lewis & Clark scoreed on a field goal at the end of the first half, but the Bulldogs held onto the lead at 21-17 at the end of the half. UMW wasted no time in finding the end zone at the start of the second half as Humphrey found a gap on the second play of the drive and took it to the house on a 75 yard touchdown rush, bringing the score to 28-17. The Pioneers answered, bringing the score to 28-25 before UMW would score on back to back drives. The first on a Palandri 6-yard rush and the second on a Pete Gibson rush up the middle. Leading 42-25 with four minutes to play in the third, the Pioneers utilized a 42 yard kick return to put them in great field position to score before the end of the third to bring it back to a two-score game. UMW scored four minutes into the fourth quarter on a Gibson rush up the middle to cap a nine play and 39 yard offensive drive and lead 49-32. Both teams would score once more before the conclusion of the game, with the Bulldogs' score coming from Gibson's third touchdown of the game on an 8-yard reception. N otables Gibson had a career-high three touchdowns in the game, two on the ground and his first career receiving touchdown. Palandri threw for 289 passing yard and a touchdown. He also rushed it in for two touchdowns. Despite holding the Pioneers to -8 rushing yards in the game, the Bulldogs allowed the Pioneers to throw for 432 passing yards in the game. This is the most passing yards allowed by the Bulldogs since the 2022 season when they allowed Southern Oregon to throw for 443 yards in the air. Swank recorded four pass breakups while also adding a fumble recovery. Up Next Western will hit the road to Oregon for the second week in a row as they will be heading to Ashland, Ore. to take on the no. 20 ranked Southern Oregon Raiders. The Raiders are 3-0 this season and care coming off of a 45-27 upset win over the no. 9 ranked College of Idaho. The Bulldogs will be looking for their first series road win in Ashland next weekend since the series between the two teams began in 2002. The Bulldogs are 0-8 on the road against the Raiders.

The University of Montana Western’s Environmental Sciences Department is pleased to announce the next two events in its “On the Rocks” lecture series, featuring UMW alumna Kori Mooney and UMW Assistant Professor Dr. Lorrie Carnes. These presentations, which are free and open to the public, will take place at the Lucy Carson Library on September 25 and October 23, both starting at 4:00 p.m. Measuring Snow: New Methods & Technology Kori Mooney, MS Hydrologist, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Wednesday, September 25, 2024 Kori Mooney, who earned her master’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Wyoming in 2024 and graduated from Montana Western in 2022, is a hydrologist with the NRCS Snow Survey in Salt Lake City, UT. She will share insights into the NRCS SNOTEL network, discussing the use of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) to measure snow density, along with emerging technologies for snowpack measurements. Using Surface Processes to Understand Mountain Range Evolution Dr. Lorrie Carnes, PhD, Assistant Professor of Fluvial Geomorphology at the University of Montana Western Wednesday, October 23, 2024 Dr. Lorrie Carnes, an Assistant Professor of fluvial geomorphology at Montana Western, will explore surface process analysis in her presentation. With a B.S. in Earth and Environmental Sciences from Lehigh University and a PhD in Geological Sciences from Arizona State University, Dr. Carnes will explain how erosion rates, soil production, and channel steepness are used to uncover the evolution of the Pinaleño Mountains, a metamorphic core complex located in southeast Arizona. These events are an excellent opportunity for students, faculty, and the public to engage with experts in earth sciences and learn more about the developments in hydrology and geomorphology. Each presentation will be preceded by a social gathering at 3:30 p.m., offering light refreshments. We look forward to seeing you! For more information on UMW’s “On the Rocks” series, please contact UMW Associate Professor of Environmental Sustainability, Dr. Arica Crootof, at  arica.crootof@umwestern.edu .

125 N. Idaho St. City of Dillon, Montana  Tuesday, September 24th, 2024 at 7:00 P.M. ZONING COMMISSION Regular Meeting Agenda   1.    Call To Order   2.    Review and Approval of the September 10th, 2024 Meeting Minutes   3.    Director of Operations Report a.     Public Comment will be taken after discussion of item 4-5 by the Zoning Commission; followed by final discussion by the zoning commission; and final vote by the commission if necessary.   4.    Applications for Zoning Compliance Certificates for Review:   2024-027            Stoker            60 Skihi St                Single Family Residence COU24-002        Johnson        102 E Helena           Change of Use   5.    Discuss SB528 Regulations and Review Changes Necessary to Title 17   6.    Public Comment on Items of Significant Public Interest Not on the Agenda                   and Within the Jurisdiction of the Zoning Commission.   7.      Adjournment               PLEASE NOTE : A Zoom link is available. Join the meeting with Zoom ID: 770-316-6528,  allowing permission for mic and camera (if using a computer go to            https://zoom.us/j/7703166528 ) and use Passcode 4245.   z oning Commission Members:   Justin Rooley (Chair), Raymond Graham, Russ Schwandt, Mike Watson