Spotlight Montana

A new documentary by filmmakers David and Jessica King shines a light on Polson's famous Lake City Bakery and Eatery, its history and its special way of giving people a second chance. “Baked by Grace” is set to premiere Friday, May 13, 2022 at Polson's Showboat Cinema 6. In this Spotlight Montana, watch the trailer and hear from David King on the making of the film, its message and what it means for the community. Catch Spotlight Montana on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube and nbcmontana.com.

Spring is here, and that means it's time for young children and their families to celebrate after a long winter dealing with the pandemic. Missoula's annual Week of the Child offers families a chance to do that. The week-long event offers fun activities for families, training programs and events to recognize early childhood champions. Events kick off this Saturday and continue through April 8. In this Spotlight Montana, Healthy Start coordinator Anna Semple shares with us what's planned and talks about the importance of early childhood programs and services designed to meet the needs of young children and their families. Semple also highlights some of the challenges young families are facing. Event information can be found at www.healthystartmissoula.org/woyc and more details about the Bright By Text and LIFTS programs are available at www.healthystartmissoula.org. Catch Spotlight Montana on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube and nbcmontana.com.

The M&M Bar and Cafe in Butte is reopening on St. Patrick's Day with new sign and a new location 10 months after a devastating fire destroyed the original building. In this Spotlight Montana owner, Selina Pankovich shares with us an update and explains what it took to make the reopening possible. We also talk about the day the fire broke out, the items that survived the blaze and what the future holds for the original site.

In this Spotlight Montana, University of Montana associate professor Clint Walker, with the Department of World Languages and Cultures, provides new insight and perspective on Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the man behind it, President Vladimir Putin. He explains the history and how what's happening now is impacting his students at UM. He also shares stories about his experience living in Russia, its people and culture. You can catch Spotlight Montana on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube and nbcmontana.com.

Butte native and former NFL player Colt Anderson is headed to Super Bowl LVI as a special teams assistant coach for the Bengals. NBC Montana's Laurel Staples talked to Anderson before he left for the big game. In this Spotlight Montana, Anderson discusses how the team is preparing for the game against the Los Angeles Rams and what the experience has been like for him. Anderson also talks about how his football career started in Butte and the work he and his family are now doing with the Colt Anderson Dream Big Foundation. You can catch Spotlight Montana on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube and nbcmontana.com.

Brad Wilson of Butte is getting ready to compete in his third Olympic games in men's moguls. In this Spotlight Montana, NBC Montana's Robbie Whittle sits down with Wilson to talk about what he's doing to prepare and how the Olympic games will be a different experience for him this time. Wilson also talks about how his Olympic journey started in Butte and what it's like to experience this with his brother, Olympic bronze medalist Bryon Wilson, by his side. You can catch Spotlight Montana on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube and nbcmontana.com.

In this Spotlight Montana, Whitefish native Maggie Voisin talks about how she's preparing for the Winter Olympics in Beijing, what's next after the games and how COVID-19 restrictions could impact the experience. Voisin also discusses life's ups and downs from injury and tremendous heartbreak to healing and how it's changed her. You can catch Spotlight Montana on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube and nbcmontana.com.

NBC Montana is working for you answering your questions about the omicron variant of COVID-19 now detected in the Treasure State. In this Spotlight Montana, hear from Dr. Neil Ku, an epidemiologist at Billings Clinic. From vaccines and booster shots to flu season and back-to-school concerns, Ku breaks it all down. Ku also talks about what concerns him the most going forward and what that means for you. You can catch Spotlight Montana on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube and nbcmontana.com.

The Flathead Lake International Cinemafest is getting ready to celebrate it's10th anniversary in Polson. The festival will take place the weekend of January 28 to 30. This year's festival features a broad range of films including an academy award nominated short, a documentary that offers a fascinating look at women's professional football and a stunning music video. Special guests include producer Gerald Molen, known for Jurassic Park, Schindler's List, Rain Man and more. So grab the popcorn because in this Spotlight Montana we get a sneak peek at what movie goers will see. Watch Spotlight Montana on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube and nbcmontana.com. For more information on FLIC click here.

Giving Tuesday is a day reserved for generosity and giving back to nonprofits and organizations known for helping others. In this Spotlight Montana we hear from Susan Hay Patrick of the United Way of Missoula on ways to help. Hay Patrick highlights some of the biggest issues facing the community right now, the work being done to address those issues and how you can help. If you or someone you know is in need of help this holiday season, you can call 211. It's a 24-hour link to all of the social services available for those in Missoula, Mineral and Ravalli counties. Catch Spotlight Montana on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube and nbcmontana.com.

From the Silvertip Skydivers to working as a James Bond stunt double, Whitefish native B.J. Worth is a legend in the world of skydiving. In this Spotlight Montana, Worth talks about everything from his phenomenal skydiving career to his current work in bird conservation, research and film production. Catch Spotlight Montana on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube and nbmontana.com. Submit your content

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, but for the Missoula YWCA, raising awareness, acknowledging survivors and being a voice for victims continues year-round. In this Spotlight Montana, hear from Pathways program manager Lyndayle Mattis on just out how prevalent domestic violence is locally, where victims can go for help and what challenges the program is facing at this time. Catch Spotlight Montana on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube and nbcmontana.com.

Stephanie Land's memoir “Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive” is a raw account of her experience as a single mom dealing with poverty after surviving domestic violence. The bestselling book is now a hit Netflix series. In this in-depth Spotlight Montana interview, Land talks about the series, her book, what she experienced, how she's helping others, her life in Missoula and what she's working on next. Catch Spotlight Montana on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube and nbcmontana.com. Submit your content

From the Big Sky to the big screen -- “Return to the Big Skies” documents the restoration of Miss Montana, a historic World War II-era airplane, and its Atlantic crossing to the beaches of Normandy to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the D-Day invasion. In this Spotlight Montana, hear from Eric Komberec, president of the Museum of Mountain Flying, on the making of the film, what moviegoers can expect and what's next for Miss Montana. Watch Spotlight Montana on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube and nbcmontana.com.

The Pentagon announcing that the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan is now complete, bringing to an end the 20-year war. In this Spotlight Montana hear from University of Montana professor, Dr. Mehrdad Kia. He weighs in on the withdrawal and the far-reaching impacts. Watch Spotlight Montana on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube and nbcmontana.com.

A surge in the COVID-19 delta variant is happening just as students prepare to go back to school for in-person learning. So what do parents need to know to keep their kids safe and healthy in the classroom? In this Spotlight Montana hear from pediatricians in Missoula and Billings. Dr. Lauren Wilson of Missoula and Dr. Kathryn Lysinger of Billings describe what they're seeing as cases spike, especially in children and in expectant unvaccinated moms who get the virus. Critical information you need to know. Watch Spotlight Montana on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube and nbcmontana.com.

It's a journey from the streets of Belize to the Olympic Games -- twice. In this Spotlight Montana, UM track and field sprint coach Paul Reneau shares with us his memories of competing in the games, what it was like racing against legend Carl Lewis and how he's now helping young athletes accomplish their goals. Find Spotlight Montana on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, our NBC Montana Facebook page and on our website.

New information and a new call for help in solving the cold case murder of Gallatin Gateway nurse Donna Lemon. July 9, 2021, marks the 48th anniversary of her death. On this day in 1973, her body was found near Idaho Falls, Idaho, where she had been murdered. Montana author Brian D'Ambrosio has been following this case for years. In this Spotlight Montana, D'Ambrosio breaks down new information in the case and explains how you can help solve it. Find Spotlight Montana on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, our NBC Montana Facebook page and on our website. https://www.nbcmontana.com/news/spotlight-montana

A major heat wave is headed to Montana, a region already experiencing significant drought conditions. In this Spotlight Montana, experts from the National Weather Service in Missoula breakdown Montana's heat wave forecast, drought outlook and fire weather forecast. Warning coordination meteorologist Marty Whitmore and hydrologist Ray Nickless explain the impacts, what you should prepare for, safety precautions to take and how you can help. They also share new data on Montana's weather trends, snowpack conditions, precipitation and climate change. Watch Spotlight Montana at nbcmontana.com and YouTube or listen on Spotify and iTunes.

The Western Montana Mental Health Center is currently transitioning to a new model of care thanks to a two-year grant making it the first certified community behavioral health center in Montana. In this Spotlight Montana, we follow up on the center's transition and find out exactly what the new model of care means for those seeking help. Also hear about the center's new crisis hotline, Lifeline. You can find Spotlight Montana on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, our NBC Montana Facebook page and on our website at https://nbcmontana.com/news/spotlight-montana.

The Pekin Noodle Parlor in Butte is the oldest continually operating family Chinese restaurant in America. In this Spotlight Montana, the Pekin's current owner, Jerry Tam, talks about the restaurant's rich history, his family's legacy, the famous customers known to dine there, what's next for the restaurant and much more. Find Spotlight Montana on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, our NBC Montana Facebook page and on our website at https://nbcmontana.com/news/spotlight-montana.

In this Spotlight Montana, we hear once again from award winning author Brian D'Ambrosio. He talks about some of Montana's most notorious murders from 1903 to 2013, which are highlighted in his recent book, “Montana Murders: Notorious and Unsolved.” The list includes “Dynamite” Ike's campaign of terror, the murders of actor Patrick Duffy's parents and the Unabomber. D'Ambrosio also talks about unsolved murder cases in Livingston, the Florence beauty parlor murders and the unsolved murder of reporter Jennifer Servo. Find Spotlight Montana on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, our NBC Montana Facebook page and on our website at nbcmontana.com.

October 17, 1991 -- that's when a Missoula teenager vanished in Deming, New Mexico, after using a pay phone at a gas station to talk to her mother. Fast forward to 2021. On April 4, Jennifer Pentilla would have turned 48. Now, on this 30TH anniversary of her disappearance, Montana author Brian D'Ambrosio dives into the case. He just got back from New Mexico, where he retraced her footsteps. In this Spotlight Montana, D'Ambrosio shares with us what he discovered in New Mexico and how he hopes officials will take another look at this case. Find Spotlight Montana on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, our NBC Montana Facebook page and on our website at nbcmontana.com.

In this week's Spotlight Montana Traolach O'Riordain, the director of the Irish Studies program at the University of Montana, introduces us to some very special guests. They share with us a performance featuring traditional Irish songs, including one song with a special link to Butte. Also, hear about Montana's Irish history, a new class being offered in the Irish Studies program and plans for a Montana St. Patrick's Day virtual concert. Watch Spotlight Montana at nbcmontana.com or listen to it on Spotify and iTunes. Click here for information on Montana St. Patrick's Day virtual concert.

Big news for Western Montana Mental Health Center in Missoula. The center will become the first Certified Community Behavioral Health Center after being awarded a two-year grant supporting the center's transition to a new model of care. Hear from Levi Anderson, CEO of Western Montana Mental Health Center on what this means for the center, patients and the economy.

In this Spotlight Montana, hear from longtime Missoula news broadcaster Jim Harmon on the 1956 fire that ripped through the American Legion Hall in Missoula. The building later became a broadcasting station, where Harmon worked for 30 years until he retired. He bring us a behind the scenes look at what it was like in the early days of broadcasting in Missoula. The American Legion Hall fire is featured in his new book, titled “The ‘Sneakin'est' Man That Ever Was,” a collection of 46 headline stories from Montana's early days.

Hear from Robert Saldin, Political Science Professor at the University of Montana and director of the Mansfield Center's Ethics and Public Affairs program, on the future of the GOP party last week's riots in our nation's Capitol, what's next and how Montana is being impacted. Watch Spotlight Montana at nbcmontana.com or listen to it on Spotify and iTunes.

This holiday season carries extra weight for many due to the pandemic, and in this Spotlight Montana the focus is on mental health during this time. Hear from Levi Anderson, CEO of Western Montana Mental Health Center, on ways to cope, services available and how the pandemic is impacting those services. Watch Spotlight Montana at nbcmontana.com or listen to it on Spotify and iTunes.

Missoula writer and musician Ednor Therriault, also known as Bob Wire, talks about his new book “Haunted Montana: Ghosts and Strange Phenomema of the Treasure State.” The book is a collection of ghostly tales, legends and unexplained phenomena from across the state. Hear about a haunted hiking trail, strange happenings at a popular lake, phantom cowboys and much more.

Are you a firefighter looking for a safety zone while battling a fire? Or a resident or city leader searching for real-time information on an approaching wildfire? The Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory rolled out some new tools packed with critical real-time fire information to help keep you safe. In this Spotlight Montana, hear from a team of experts who created two new apps and a website. You'll also learn about the research behind creating those tools and why experts traveled from Missoula all the way to New Zealand for the research. Go to nbcmontana.com to watch Spotlight Montana. You can also find it on iTunes and Spotify.

Following recent devastating fires in Gardiner and Corvallis, we wanted to know more about how fires are investigated and the techniques used to determine the cause. In this Spotlight Montana, hear from State Fire Marshal Dick Swingley. He shares with us the latest information on the investigations of the fires in Gardiner and Corvallis, what telltale signs they look for to determine the cause and much more. Swingley's career in fire investigating spans 50 years. He discussed some of the new changes he's seeing in structure fires. You can find Spotlight Montana at nbcmontana.com, our Facebook page, Spotify and iTunes.

In this week's Spotlight Montana we talk about Fort Missoula's role in World War II history and how a new grant aims to restore and preserve a part of it. Hear from Matt Lautzenheiser, executive director of the Museum at Fort Missoula, on the history of the largest intact World War II internment site, a new grant to restore the barracks and what impact it will have on a national level. Also hear how the pandemic is impacting the museum as it opens to the public and what restrictions are in place.

S&K Logistics Services of St. Ignatius has been awarded two contracts for the Republic of South Korea Air Force F-15K Slam Eagle aircraft and the Royal Saudi Air Force F-15. The contracts have a combined value of $30 million. In Spotlight Montana hear from Troy Felsman, Corporate Project Manager of S&K Technologies, Inc., on what the contracts call for and it's impact on the company worldwide. Also hear how S&K Technologies, Inc., a family of companies spanning the globe, impacts the tribes back home and what changes they've made as a result of the pandemic.

What you need to know before you hit the road on Memorial Day weekend. Memorial Day weekend is almost here and it's typically a time when millions of people hit the road for the long holiday weekend. But this year it could look a little different as a result of COVID-19. In Spotlight Montana hear from Sergeant Sean Finley of the Montana Highway Patrol. How they're preparing for the long holiday weekend and important advise for drivers to make it a safe one. You can find Spotlight Montana at nbcmontana.com, Itunes and Spotify.

We are talking about some fascinating work happening at the University of Montana in Missoula. It's all thanks to a $2.5 million grant awarded to University of Montana for the development of a COVID19 vaccine. Dr. David Burkhart is the Associate Director of the Center for Translational Medicine and co-founder of the team working on the vaccine.

Commissioner of Higher Education talks about his recovery from COVID-19 and how the university system is responding to the outbreak. One of the first confirmed cases of COVID-19 included Montana's Commissioner of Higher Education Clayton Christian. He joined me today for an exclusive sit down interview on Spotlight Montana. Christian talks about his own recovery from the virus and how the university system is responding to the outbreak. He also discusses what's next for students and faculty and much more. You can watch Spotlight Montana at nbcmontana.com or listen to it on Spotify and Itunes.

People are experiencing a lot of stress lately over the coronavirus outbreak and in this Spotlight Montana we are focusing on ways to protect your mental health during this time. We are here with licensed counselor Patrick Ryan from Western Montana Mental Health.

Laurel Staples sits down with Dr. Marc Mentel, D.O. for a live conversation regarding the Montana Medical Association's call-to-action plan. Hear from the man behind the plan, Marc Mentel, D.O., president of the Montana Medical Association. Mentel breaks down the five-step plan. You can listen to Spotlight Montana on iTunes and Spotify.

Growing fears over the coronavirus is the focus of this week's Spotlight Montana. Hear from the Ellen Leahy, director of the Missoula City-County Health Department. She clears up misinformation, rumors and misconceptions surrounding the spread of the virus. You can listen to Spotlight Montana on Itunes and Spotify.

The documentary, Burger, Fries and Family Ties, is the focus of this week's Spotlight Montana. It tells the story of Richwine's Burgerville in Polson. The film celebrates the drive-in restaurant's 50 plus years in the business. Hear from film producer David King and the owner-operator of Richwine's Burgerville, Marcia Moen. You can listen to Spotlight Montana on iTunes and Spotify.

Our latest Spotlight Montana focuses on babies born with substance exposure and a new program in Missoula to treat those babies. Eat, Sleep and Console is a new approach to treating babies with withdrawal symptoms. Hear from Community Medical Center's staff development coordinator Lara Porrini. She explains how the program works, the goals of the program and how it involves the baby's mom. Lara also clears up some of the misperceptions and explains where to go for help. You can listen to the podcast at nbcmontana.com, Itunes or Spotify.

The fast-spreading coronavirus is the focus of this week's Spotlight Montana podcast. Hear from infectious disease specialist Pam Whitney with the Missoula City-County Health Department. She shares important information you need to know, including symptoms and treatment, as well as how to prevent it from spreading. Also find out what groups are most at risk and what's being done to prepare for it locally and statewide. You can listen to Spotlight Montana on iTunes and Spotify.

We continue our series on the opioid crisis. Our latest Spotlight Montana focuses on the development of a vaccine targeting opioid addiction with guest Dr. Jay Evans, director of the Center for Translational Medicine, University of Montana. UM recently received a $3.3 million contract from the National Institutes of Health for the vaccine. Find out how soon clinical trials could start, how the vaccine really works and how it could change pain management. Also, find out what's next for the program and what other vaccine projects they are working on. You can also listen to the podcast at iTunes or Spotify.

In Spotlight Montana we speak with Travis Craft, director of the West Central Montana Avalanche Center in Missoula. He talks about the recent slides, his own experience getting caught in a slide, important steps to take to stay safe in the backcountry and the science behind avalanches. You can listen to the podcast at Itunes or Spotify.

In Spotlight Montana we speak with University of Montana Professor of History Mehrdad Kia on U.S. tensions with Iran. Professor Kia was born and raised in Iran. Kia shares insights on the crisis, what it was like growing up in Iran and what happened when his father refused to support Iran's new Islamic regime. You can listen to the podcast at iTunes or Spotify.

We speak with Butte High senior Catherine Russo and her coach Caty Flikkema of Bozeman. Catherine recently qualified for the 2020 U.S. Olympic swim team trials. In this podcast they talk about preparing for the upcoming trials, Catherine's plans for college and her long-term goals. You can listen to the podcast at iTunes or Spotify.

We spoke with Missoula businessman Nick Checota. He is the owner of Logjam Presents, The Wilma Theater, Top Hat Lounge and the KettleHouse Amphitheater. He talks about his latest project, the Riverfront Triangle development and what's next for Missoula. Checota also shares with us a preview of upcoming concerts, his plans for Bozeman's music scene, business lessons learned, his background experience and what brought him to Montana. You can listen to the podcast at Itunes or Spotify.

The dreaded winter blues, seasonal affective disorder. In the spotlight is Western Montana Mental Health's psychiatric physician assistant Jackie Pfister. Pfister discusses how to recognize the symptoms, what treatment options are available and ways to cope. She also shares with us her story of what it's like to live with seasonal affective disorder and what helped her the most.

David King, director of Flathead Lake International Cinemafest, reflects on his 40 plus years in film and television, why he now calls Montana home, his latest projects, and what's next. In the spotlight David King, independent film producer, director of the Flathead Lake International Cinemafest Independent film producer and director of the Flathead Lake International Cinemafest David King reflects on his 40 plus years of experience in film and television. Some of his projects include the Balto sequels, Lady and the Tramp II and Beauty and the Beast sequel. Recent projects include the award winning productions “My Grandpa's Fiddle” and “Burgers, Fries and Family Ties”. David also help create the Flathead Lake International Cinemafest (FLIC) in Polson where organizers are now getting ready to kick off the 8th annual event.

It's back to school time and our latest Spotlight Montana podcast features the new superintendent of Missoula County Public Schools, Rob Watson. Hear from Watson on how MCPS is responding to a new whopping cough case and what parents need to know. Watson discusses early enrollment and what schools could be next for boundary changes, Watson also explains how a new mass notification system works, breaks downs changes to the lunch the program and what new feature students will see on school buses. Finally, Watson addresses teacher turnover and retention issues.

We continue our series of podcasts on the opioid crisis. Our latest Spotlight Montana podcast focuses on the pharmaceutical side of the crisis with guest Kim Madson, faculty member, Department of Pharmacy Practice, University of Montana. Learn how the crisis is impacting pharmacists, how it's changing the curriculum for pharmacy students, the stigma of the epidemic, what the public can do to help and new information offering hope.