Olivia Weitz
Bozeman ReporterOlivia Weitz covers Bozeman and surrounding communities in Southwest Montana for Yellowstone Public Radio. She has reported for Northwest News Network and Boise State Public Radio and previously worked at a daily print newspaper. She is a graduate of the University of Puget Sound and the Transom Story Workshop.
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Since 2019, nearly 300 Yellowstone bison have been sent to tribal lands as part of the bison conservation transfer program. The park recently more than doubled the capacity of the program with an expansion to the Stephen’s Creek quarantine facility in the northwest corner of the park.
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The 2024 budget the Bozeman city commission passed on Tuesday includes more money for affordable housing and an increase in public safety, among other priorities.
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Bozeman city staff estimate fewer than half of short term rentals are registered with the city. The Bozeman City Commision moved forward on Tuesday with a plan to put the onus of permit enforcement on hosting platforms, like AirBnB and Vrbo, among other changes.
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A year ago, the Yellowstone River had its biggest flood in 500 years. Now, fishing guides have to learn a whole new river. Fishing sends more than $1 billion to Montana's economy.
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Last June, flooding in and around Yellowstone National Park upended the lives of nearby residents, damaging homes, ranch properties, and roads. It also damaged fishing infrastructure, and made some parts of the Yellowstone River unrecognizable to guides that have been fishing the area for years.
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A group of students in Bozeman have created a podcast. The three-episode podcast series called “Water in the West” looks at water usage in the Gallatin Valley and shares community and student perspectives on water conservation.
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Around 20 fishing access sites on the Yellowstone River in Southwest Montana temporarily closed after the floods last June. Most of these sites required repairs and debris cleanup.
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After the Yellowstone River flooded last June some anglers were worried that fish populations would be decimated. While biologists are still trying to get a full picture of how the fish were impacted, early indicators are not showing catastrophic losses.
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While many Gardiner businesses had a dim outlook for 2023 reservations at the end of last year, tourism in the town impacted by flooding in and around Yellowstone last summer appears to be picking up.
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A nonprofit is combating loneliness that many senior citizens experience. The Befrienders program matches elderly Gallatin Valley residents with younger community volunteers to do things like go on walks, play games, and get out into the community.