AGP Executive Report

College Football (Montana focus): North Dakota State’s FBS debut looked real in a 30-7 win over Jacksonville State, with QB Nathan Hayes and a stingy defense setting the tone for the Bison’s new era. Big Sky Kickoff: South Dakota opens its season today vs. Central Connecticut, with a new coach and QB Austyn Modrzewski tasked with carrying the offense while the Coyotes’ defense tries to keep things close early. Montana Sports TV/Streaming: Guides are out for how to watch the Montana Grizzlies and Montana State Bobcats in 2026, plus other regional matchups. Music & Local Giving: Wise River Club owner Tim Montana is hosting a fundraiser concert to help Maverick Mountain Ski Area recover from wildfire damage. Pop Culture: Dolly Parton’s friendship with Billy Ray Cyrus gets new spotlight after Parton’s death, with Cyrus sharing a final message. Wildlife Watch: Bears are wandering into homes and businesses across the U.S. West in record numbers, driven by scarce food and human contact.

Local Arts & Community: Miles City Public Library added new LED lights and fresh fiction/movie titles, plus a packed fall lineup including a Montana Story Project session and “Book Bedazzling.” Film & TV: Netflix’s locally filmed Montana Christmas rom-com Guarding Stars lands a Nov. 18 release date. Montana Music Scene: A Billings organizer launched Montana Music Ship to preserve and catalog music from across the state, aiming to build a shared home for artists and genres. Live Entertainment: Montana collective Last of the Nobodies will bring its new album Nobody’s Coming to Save You to Missoula’s Top Hat Lounge on Sept. 19. Sports (Montana angle): Montana Grizzlies open a new era against Southern Utah, while Week 0 college football kicks off today with Central Connecticut at South Dakota (2 p.m. ET on ESPN+). Culture Spotlight: Tributes continue for Dolly Parton, with her legacy spanning music, film, and philanthropy.

Arts & Community: Great Falls’ Arts On Fire Festival returns Sept. 19 at the Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art, with free art demos, music, tours, and family-friendly stops. Local Art Spotlight: Billings muralist Rilie Tané is turning BLM vault toilets into destination-worthy murals across eastern Montana. Music & Mental Wellness: RockTop Nation’s free Rock the Pit concert Sept. 5 in Butte pairs local rock with donations for youth music access. TV & Film: Netflix’s UNABOMBER trailer spotlights Jacob Tremblay as Ted Kaczynski, with Russell Crowe as Henry Murray. Sports (Montana): No. 2 Montana opens the season in Missoula vs. Southern Utah, while Kelvin Sampson returns to Butte for a youth clinic and fundraising dinner. Pop Culture: Dolly Parton’s legacy is getting a big-screen and streaming push, including ABC’s 9 to 5 and Hulu programming. Policy/Media: Montana is set to receive up to $127M from a Meta settlement tied to youth safety changes.

Music Festival Buzz: Craig David, McFly and the Sugababes are set for the Chelmsford Summer Series at Central Park this weekend, with 30+ acts across three days. Local Sports Pride: Missoula has been named “Best Sports Town in America” by USA Today readers, sparking plenty of debate and bragging rights. Montana Football Spotlight: Carroll College opened strong behind Kaden Huot, while Montana Tech rolled past Ottawa (AZ) 48-0; Montana Pro Football Hall of Fame also announced its Class of 2027. Arts & Community: An acting camp at Nk̓ʷusm School brought theater games and on-camera training to students and adults. Streaming/TV Westerns: Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone universe keeps rolling as Marshals Season 2 lands on the 2026 schedule, and Dutton Ranch stays hot on Paramount+. Pop Culture Loss: Dolly Parton’s death at 80 continues to ripple through music and TV, with tributes and a resurfaced final Miley Cyrus performance. Public Lands Fight: Montana hunters and anglers are urging action against the Roadless Area Conservation Rule rollback. Tech/Robotics Wonder: China’s Tiangong Ultra humanoid reportedly shattered Usain Bolt’s 100m record—fast, but still limited in real-world decision-making.

Fentanyl Awareness Walk: More than 200 people in Polson marked National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day with a Highway 93 walk focused on remembrance, recovery, and hope. Fishing Festival: Flathead Lake’s 2026 Fall Mack Days returns Sept. 10–Nov. 8 with thousands of tagged lake trout and prize-heavy competition. Tech & Kids: Montana is expected to receive $89 million, with a possible $127 million, from Meta’s landmark youth-safety settlement tied to Instagram/Facebook changes. School Year Kickoff: Gov. Greg Gianforte joined Evergreen for a first-day celebration highlighting community partnerships. Arts & Exhibitions: Carbon County Arts Guild/Depot Gallery announced two new shows, including plein air work and a print exhibition exploring myths and legends. Local Outdoors: Great Falls’ Black Eagle Dam drawdown is exposing century-old river ruins before water returns around Sept. 16. Community Events: Glendive hosts an e-waste drop Sept. 12, and Red Lodge’s Sherry Weamer retires after 12 years leading the chamber/visitor center. Pop Culture Loss: Dolly Parton’s death at 80 continues to spark tributes, including heartfelt posts from Miley Cyrus.

Pop Culture Loss: Dolly Parton’s death at 80 is still rippling through Montana’s entertainment scene, with Miley Cyrus posting a deeply personal tribute: “I will always love her and want to make her proud,” recalling their private “Aunt Dolly” bond and last conversations about music. Streaming Watch: Netflix has set a release date for “Guarding Stars,” the holiday rom-com starring Leighton Meester and Jared Padalecki, based on Katherine Center’s “The Bodyguard.” Local Arts: A collaborative arts event built around “The Traveler” is bringing writers, musicians, and visual artists together for a cross-discipline experience. Community Grants: Yellowstone Boys & Girls Ranch Foundation is opening applications for its Good Neighbor Grant program, offering five $5,000 awards to Montana nonprofits supporting youth and families. Tech for Montana: Vision Net launched Montana’s AI-Ready Discovery Network, a 163-mile, high-capacity corridor connecting Billings and Bozeman to support next-gen research and AI workloads. Sports & Outdoors: Flathead Valley fall sports are kicking off with title-defense hopes and season previews, while a new Anne Frank exhibit is arriving in Kalispell for Holocaust education through “A History for Today.”

Politics (HD-57): Montana Democrats say firefighter and former educator Jordan Viegut has withdrawn from House District 57, and the party has lined up Bozeman conservation leader Becky Edwards as his replacement, with more details promised soon. Fashion & Art (Coup de Rouge): House of Cowbella’s three-day “Coup de Rouge” event is bringing an immersive western-meets-Indigenous style to Livingston, Paradise Valley, and then the Yellowstone Film Ranch in Pray (Aug. 27-29). Music & Pop Culture (Dolly Parton): Miley Cyrus posted a deeply personal tribute to “Aunt Dolly,” recalling their final conversation about music and “metamorphosis,” and saying Parton would want her to write a song and keep going. Community Arts (Missoula): Missoula was named “Best College Sports Town” in a USA TODAY readers’ poll, highlighting Griz Nation’s impact on local life and business. Local Film (Crow language): A student animation project bringing the Crow language to the big screen premieres in Hardin on Aug. 27. Music Fundraiser (Missoula): Zootown Arts Community Center (ZACC) is hosting a Sept. 19 fundraiser featuring Jeff Ament’s P.E.S.T. and other local acts to raise money for music equipment. Tech & Youth Safety (Meta settlement): Meta agreed to pay about $17B in a multistate settlement over alleged teen social media harms, with new protections for users under 18.

Montana Arts & Entertainment: Dolly Parton’s death at 80 is sparking major tributes across music and TV, with her “Aunt Dolly” role on Hannah Montana and her long-running Imagination Library literacy work getting fresh attention—Billings librarians highlighted how the program keeps books flowing to local kids. Local Culture: Missoula’s Fáilte Montana Irish Festival returns Aug. 28 at Caras Park with live music, singing, and dancing. Film/TV Buzz (regional): Ogden, Utah is drawing crowds while CBS’s Marshals films an episode, including a dramatic car-explosion scene. Community & Outdoors: Fergus County will move into Stage 1 fire restrictions at midnight Aug. 29 as conditions dry out. Sports (Montana capital): Helena and Capital are set for Montana’s first flag football season, kicking off a new chapter for local athletes. Public Safety: A Billings Sunday dinner shooting and house fire left multiple people dead, according to reports.

Montana Arts & Entertainment: Dolly Parton’s death at 80 has sparked a flood of tributes worldwide, with fans revisiting her hits like “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You,” plus her Disney-era role as Aunt Dolly on “Hannah Montana.” Local Community Spotlight: The Humane Society of Western Montana is spotlighting adoptable kittens in Missoula, including Auklet and Puffin, and is also lining up free vaccine and microchip days. Montana Culture & Events: Big Sky is getting a major culinary moment: the Big Sky Food & Wine Festival is set for Sept. 24–26 at the Yellowstone Club, featuring celebrity chefs and Montana-made tastings. Montana Sports: Montana State’s Taco Dowler and Justin Lamson preview the Bobcats’ Utah Tech opener and talk team leadership ahead of the season. Public Safety: Billings police report eight victims—four adults and four juveniles—killed in a White Star Circle shooting and house fire, with the suspect found dead.

Tragedy in Billings: Authorities say multiple adults and juveniles were killed in a shooting and house fire on Sunday; the suspect later died by self-inflicted gunshot, and investigators are still piecing together a motive after calling it a family disturbance. Immigration & Military Families: The wife of an active-duty Army sergeant was deported to Honduras under the Trump administration’s crackdown, adding to dozens of reported cases involving troops’ immediate family members. Wildlife & History: Scientists are re-surveying parts of the Lewis and Clark route in western Montana with motion-activated cameras to track how local wildlife has changed since the 1800s. Local Arts: Wheatgrass Books in Livingston is hosting “IN THE WINGS,” an exhibition spotlighting the behind-the-scenes craft of theater ahead of the Livingston Fringe Festival. Outdoors & Policy: The U.S. Roadless Rule repeal is moving forward with a final comment period ending Sept. 21, as critics warn road building could worsen wildfire risk. Community Giving: Montana Ace Hardware’s Miracle Bucket Days raised $21,527.46 for Shodair Children’s Hospital, highlighted by a snowy owl display for the campaign’s champion child, Luke.

Montana State football buzz: The Bobcats kick off 2026 at Utah Tech, with coach Brent Vigen and depth-chart updates setting the stage for Week 0. Montana Grizzlies on the road: The Grizzlies preview their Southern Utah matchup as fall camp energy ramps up. Local sports + community: Montana State students move into residence halls for the new school year, while Laurel football begins the Edgmond era ahead of its opener. Collectibles for fans: Jacksons Food Stores renews its Boise State trading-card partnership for a fifth season, selling 2026 packs at Jacksons/ExtraMile. Arts + culture: Wide Open Lapidary is growing from a hobby into an expanding downtown business. Montana outdoors + viewing: A rare lunar eclipse is set to put Montana’s “Big Sky” on display. Fair season highlights: The Western Montana Fair drew a record crowd and topped $1M in food sales. Everyday life: NorthWestern Energy customers question sudden summer power-bill spikes.

Wildfire Policy & Risk: A new U.S. Wildland Fire Service and “full suppression” push are colliding with a brutal West fire season, as federal requests for help go unanswered and multiple firefighter deaths are reported. Beef Tariffs & Prices: Trump says a 90-day pause on out-of-quota ground beef tariffs will allow up to 300,000 metric tons with a claimed 25% price cut, aiming to ease grocery costs ahead of midterms. Local Community Events: Havre’s National Night Out runs 6–8 p.m. at MSU–Northern with police, sheriff, Border Patrol, fire, and a free BBQ plus live music and raffles. Art in Montana: St. Charles’ third annual Plein Air event wrapped after a week of live outdoor painting with 70 artists and public viewing/sales. Public Safety in Billings: Police investigate a shots-fired report that led to a home engulfed in flames; one person was taken to hospital and the scene stayed active into Sunday night. TV/Film Buzz: Taylor Sheridan faces a copyright lawsuit over Yellowstone, with claims he lifted ideas from a writer’s 2016–17 pilot. Entertainment Drama: Former Disney star Jordan Pruitt renews bullying allegations against Miley Cyrus, including claims of mocking voicemails. Sports & Montana Ties: Montana State and Rocky Mountain College played a Rimrock Rivalry women’s soccer exhibition that ended 2-2.

Local Sports Spotlight: Montana fans get a quick hit of what’s next as Montana high school football ramps up for 2026, with a preview list of players to watch and what to expect on the field. College Football Watch: Idaho State opens with fresh momentum and preseason buzz, while Missouri’s Ahmad Hardy is still rehabbing and will miss the season opener. Pro Football Update: Seattle’s Bud Clark suffered an ankle injury after one preseason snap, raising questions for the Seahawks’ safety competition. Arts & Entertainment: Taylor Sheridan’s neo-Western The Madison is being hailed as a stronger family drama than Yellowstone, even as Sheridan faces a new copyright lawsuit. Music Pop Culture: Miley Cyrus is hit with fresh bullying claims from a former Disney star. Community & Outdoors: Missoula’s River City Roots Festival returned for its 20th year, drawing thousands downtown.

Montana Arts & Community: River City Roots Festival marked its 20th year in downtown Missoula, drawing more than 15,000 people for two days of music, food, vendors, and family-friendly events. Local Arts Programming: Missoula’s public library is kicking off a full fall slate with new programming, including book-focused highlights. Book Buzz: Shannon St. Hilaire’s WWII-era novel “The Hanford Necklace” lands Oct. 6, and a roundup of 14 fall reads points to everything from post-apocalyptic fiction to mystery and thriller picks. On the Screen: Michelle Pfeiffer is shutting down retirement rumors, saying her comments were misunderstood and she loves ensemble work. Sports on the Ground: Montana’s new UM president Jeremiah Shinn delivered his first public address, stressing student belonging and a cautious, supportive approach to AI in education. Sports Spotlight: Montana State men’s basketball adds another year of eligibility for Jed Miller after a court-related eligibility update. Wildlife Politics: State Rep. Shannon Maness says Montana’s Region 3 wolf quota was cut nearly in half, reigniting debate over wolf hunting management.

Yellowstone shake-up: Taylor Sheridan is reportedly closing the door on the long-promised “6666” spinoff, breaking a 2021 promise as the franchise pivots toward newer Montana-centered stories. Local sports spotlight: Washington and Montana meet Sunday in an NCAA first-round rematch in Seattle, with Montana under new coach Stuart Gore and still searching for its first goal of the season. Montana football prep: Laurel Locomotives open 2026 with a new head coach and a new look offense, led at quarterback by senior Davin Graves. UM leadership: University of Montana’s new president Jeremiah Shinn delivered his first public address, focusing on student belonging, scholarships, and how UM will use AI as a support tool—not a decision-maker. Entertainment buzz: Michelle Pfeiffer cleared up retirement rumors, saying her “never want to star in another movie” comment was misunderstood and she’s enjoying ensemble TV work. Music & culture: Brenda Song is set to make her sports broadcasting debut for the Rams vs. Saints preseason game. Big Sky/college hoops: Jed Miller secured an eligibility loophole and will return to Montana State for 2026-27.

Rodeo Spotlight: Lethbridge and District Pro Rodeo keeps relay racing front and center, with Blackfeet Nation rider Chazz Racine crediting Montana roots for the sport’s growth. Library & Community: Miss Abby is now full-time at the Missoula County Public Library, kicking off fall programming plus events like “Book Bedazzling” and a Sept. 24 Cyber Montana phishing-prevention session. Local Culture: The Metis Powwow is moving to Winnett after a calendar mixup with Fergus County’s fairgrounds, with organizers calling it a potential long-term home. Music & Entertainment: Megan Moroney brings her “Cloud 9” tour to Nashville in a pink-themed, sold-out show; Max B hints at future work with Jim Jones while releasing new French Montana collaboration material. Montana Arts: Montana State unveils a 170-foot mural honoring student-athletes outside Shroyer Gym, and House of Fae’s “Star Ball” fantasy event is set for Sept. 26. Sports Media: Idaho State broadcaster Jason Alvine returns to the airwaves after decades calling games.