Health + Wellness

Say Ahhh!

Diggs Dental Care takes pride in providing a comfortable (and fun!) dental experience for kids Article by Susie Wall | Photography by Rick Szczechowski Think back to your first visit to the dentist. Were you nervous, uncomfortable, even downright terrified? At Diggs Dental Care, Drs. Kate and Tanner Diggs hope to remove those feelings of fear and trepidation and make visiting the dentist a positive experience, especially for their young patients. With an extensive background in dentistry, and...

Education

A New Era for Education

Clark Fork Prep offers something new to high schoolers Article by Marko Capoferri | Photography by Rick Szczechowski In ecology, a niche refers to a species’ role and position in their environment. Jennifer Walworth and Rose Dickson saw an unoccupied niche in Missoula’s education ecosystem, so Jennifer and Rose, along with Tayleigh Sykes (all devoted, longtime Missoula educators), set out to create a new species of high school. Clark Fork Prep is a slow-sprouting independent, grassroots...

Life + Culture

Coop Kids, Continued

Raising kids alongside animals Article and Photography by Chelsea Lyn Agro Our feathered friends, all 19 of them, clucking and quacking before the kids wake from their beds and long after they go down for the night. They are the gateway to what I hope will be a lifelong friendship with animals and each other. These brothers, just about four years apart, are playing with their pecking order in this world. They go in too fast, the chicken or duck flutters away. They go too slow, they miss their...

Arts + Culture

Giddy Up, Carousel Horses!

A Carousel for Missoula has always been community-minded endeavor, all for the generational enjoyment Article by Emma Trotter | Photography by Rick Szczechowski Nothing exemplifies our community quite like A Carousel for Missoula. Situated along our iconic river, the largely volunteer-run attraction, enchanting to kids and adults alike, has entertained and delighted generations of Missoulians. The Carousel was the brainchild of Missoula cabinetmaker Chuck Kaparich. He pitched the City of...

Entertainment

Play Network

Local Missoula nonprofit organization focuses on community and family connections through playgroups, parties, and events Article by Emma Trotter | Photography by Provided The first sign that a garage sale is a big deal: We have to park a block away. My husband, my toddler, and I (wearing our infant, born just after we moved to Missoula) make our way through the most well-organized garage sale I have ever seen. For $10 a bag, we collect kids’ clothes and small toys. Larger items, spread...

Life + Culture

Community is the Common Ground

The Missoula County Fairgrounds is really about community Article by Susie Wall | Photography by Isaac Rowland, Austin Smith, Rick Szczechowski Certain words come to mind when you hear the phrase “county fair.” Words like carnival, rodeo, blue ribbon, 4-H, and if you’ve ever been to the Western Montana Fair in Missoula, Viking and Lemondairy. For the last several years, the hardworking team behind the Missoula County Fairgrounds has made it their mission to add another word to that...

Home + Design

An Ode to Indoor Plants

Vine Plants + Design offers the opportunity for a lively presence Article by Emma Trotter | Photography by Rick Szczechowski Vine Plants + Design opened last August on Higgins, and for months, every time I drive by I want to go there. Finally, after a critical mass of houseplants die off over the course of winter, I tally up the free space we have in our various containers and set out to run the errand. Except, “errand” isn’t exactly the right word, because, walking into Vine, the vibe is...

Entertainment

Folf, Frolf, Disc Golf!

Garden City Flyers is Missoula's disc golf club Article by Emma Trotter | Photography by Rick Szczechowski “Everyone talks about the moment they got hooked,” said Matt Doughten, vice president of Garden City Flyers, Missoula’s club for disc golf. “The dream flight they envisioned.” Maybe it was a specific shot shape on a woods course like Pattee Canyon, requiring players to throw down hallways. Or maybe it required brute strength, on a bomber course like Linda Vista. Just like what disc golf...

Arts + Culture

37 Years of International Song

The Montana International Choral Festival is a flagship for choral festivals worldwide Article by Chelsea Lyn Agro | Photography by Montana International Choral Festival Let's go out on a limb (or wing) and say that penguins—while not traditionally songbirds—should assemble here in Montana for the annual Montana International Choral Festival. After all, Antarctica is the only continent left in the world that hasn't had a presence at this recurring notable event. Sillies aside, this really is a...

Professional Services

A Turning Point

Homeowners and landlord insurance markets begin to stabilize Article by Chelsea Lyn Agro | Photography by Rick Szczechowski Dear Missoula, After a few turbulent years in the property insurance market, we’re finally seeing some welcomed signs of stabilization, especially for homeowners and landlords here in Missoula and across Montana. For the past several years, rising costs (largely due to inflation, increased claims from severe weather events, and supply chain challenges in construction)...