Wadsworth Park here in Great Falls, has seen several recent improvements aimed at enhancing its facilities and accessibility, making it a more attractive community destination.

Here’s a summary of some recent key upgrades at the park:

Wadsworth Pond Bank Stabilization

In October 2024, construction began to install rock along the banks of Wadsworth Pond at seven locations.

This project, funded largely by a Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Community Ponds Grant, along with contributions from Montana Trout Unlimited, Missouri River Fly Fishers, and Walleyes Unlimited, aims to control erosion, improve water quality for fish and wildlife, and provide safer public access points to the water.

The initiative addresses sediment issues that were degrading the pond’s ecosystem.

Permanent Toilets

In April 2025, the Walleyes Unlimited Great Falls chapter, in collaboration with Great Falls Parks & Recreation, successfully installed a permanent double-vaulted toilet at the park after over three years of effort. The Wadsworth Pond Community Coalition plans to add two more toilets to improve visitor convenience

Future Planned Improvements

The Wadsworth Pond Community Coalition, comprising groups like the Sun River Watershed Group, Great Falls Parks & Recreation, and Walleyes Unlimited, is working on additional enhancements.

These include installing picnic pavilions, planting more trees, and further improving the fishery.

A $150,000 donation from Howard and Shawna Strause in 2025 is supporting these efforts, with a goal to complete projects by the end of summer 2025.

The coalition aims to make the park a family-friendly destination for activities like fishing, disc golf, and water sports.

Fishery and Water Quality Enhancements

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has noted significant improvements in the pond’s fishery, with over 900 fish, including yellow perch, transferred in 2021 to bolster populations.

Improved water management by the West Great Falls Flood District and the City of Great Falls has enhanced water quantity and quality, leading to thriving fish populations, including walleye over 8 pounds.

A 2021 FWP Community Pond Program grant of over $40,000 funded pipe improvements to address water quality and level concerns, further supporting angling opportunities.

Community Engagement

The Wadsworth Pond Community Coalition is open to public participation, encouraging community involvement in ongoing and future improvements.

The park has seen increased visitor traffic, reflecting its growing popularity for activities like kayaking, paddle boarding, and dog walking.

These improvements are transforming Wadsworth Park into a more accessible and enjoyable space for recreation, with a focus on environmental sustainability and community use.

For the latest updates or to get involved, contact the Great Falls Parks and Recreation Department at (406) 771-1265.

– image by Lynndsie T Hamilton

Montana voters are facing updated identification requirements following the recent signing of Senate Bill 276 (PDF) by Governor Greg Gianforte. These changes affect both voter registration and in-person voting procedures.

Voter Registration ID Options

To register to vote in Montana, you must provide one of the following:

• • Montana driver’s license number
  • Last four digits of your Social Security Number (SSN)

Other forms of current and valid photo identification, such as:

• • School district or postsecondary education photo ID
  • Tribal photo ID

If you do not have a photo ID, you can use at least one of these qualifying documents showing your name and current address:

• • Current utility bill
  • Bank statement
  • Paycheck
  • Government check
  • Other government document

In-Person Voting ID Options

When voting in person, you will be asked to present identification. Acceptable forms include:

• • Valid Montana driver’s license
  • Montana state identification card
  • Military ID
  • Tribal photo ID
  • U.S. passport
  • Montana concealed carry permit
  • School district or postsecondary education photo ID

If you do not have a photo ID, you must present a current document with your name and address (such as a utility bill or government document).
Previously, voters could not use non-photo ID options such as a piece of mail or by filling out a form to vote.

Provisional Voting

If you are unable to provide any of the above identification options, you can contact your county election official to discuss the provisional voting process.

Absentee Voting

All registered Montana voters can request an absentee ballot.

Summary Table: Acceptable Voter ID in Montana

These changes are now in effect, and voters are encouraged to review their identification documents ahead of upcoming elections to ensure compliance with the new requirements.

The future of kitchen lighting is likely to focus on a blend of functionality, energy efficiency, and aesthetic appeal, driven by advancements in technology and design trends. Based on current developments and the trajectory of smart home innovations, here are the key directions:

Smart Lighting Integration:

Kitchen lighting will increasingly integrate with smart home systems. LED lights with IoT capabilities will allow users to control brightness, color temperature, and even lighting scenes via apps or voice assistants like Alexa or Google Home. For example, you might set a warm, dim light for a cozy dinner or a bright, cool light for food prep, all with a simple voice command. Some systems may even sync with circadian rhythms, adjusting light tones to promote alertness during the day and relaxation at night.

Energy Efficiency and Sustainability:

LED technology will continue to dominate due to its low energy consumption and long lifespan. Future kitchens might incorporate solar-powered lighting or energy-harvesting systems, like kinetic energy from opening cabinets, to power small lights. Additionally, manufacturers are likely to use more eco-friendly materials, such as recycled plastics or biodegradable components, in lighting fixtures.

Adaptive and Task-Oriented Lighting:

Lighting will become more task-specific, with under-cabinet lights, recessed lighting, and pendant lights designed to adapt to the user’s activities. Motion sensors and AI could automatically adjust lighting based on where you’re standing or what you’re doing—brighter lights over the stove when you’re cooking, softer ambient lighting when you’re dining. Some systems might use cameras or heat sensors to detect activity and optimize illumination accordingly.

Aesthetic and Customizable Designs:

Lighting will play a bigger role in kitchen aesthetics. Expect to see more sculptural fixtures, like minimalist LED strips or artistic pendants, that double as decor. Customizable lighting, where you can change colors or patterns, will also grow in popularity—imagine a backsplash with embedded LED panels that shift hues to match your mood or the season.

Hygienic and Health-Focused Features:

With a growing emphasis on hygiene, especially post-pandemic, UV-C lighting might be integrated into kitchens to sanitize surfaces when not in use. These lights would activate automatically during off-hours, killing bacteria on countertops or utensils without human intervention.

Augmented Reality (AR) and Interactive Lighting:

As AR technology advances, kitchen lighting could become interactive. For instance, lights might project recipes or cooking guides onto countertops, or highlight specific areas of the kitchen for meal prep. This could be paired with gesture controls, allowing you to swipe through instructions without touching a screen.

The overall trend points toward kitchens that are smarter, more sustainable, and highly personalized, with lighting that enhances both functionality and the overall experience. While some of these technologies, like UV-C or AR lighting, are still emerging, they’re likely to become more mainstream in the next 5-10 years as costs decrease and adoption grows.

The Montana Housing Miracle — The original term “Montana Miracle” refers to a series of housing reform laws passed here in Montana, primarily in 2023, aimed at addressing the state’s housing crisis by increasing supply and affordability.

These reforms, driven by bipartisan efforts and championed by Governor Greg Gianforte, tackled restrictive zoning and regulatory barriers that had constrained housing development, particularly during a population influx spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Below is a detailed overview based on available information:

Background of the Housing Crisis

Pandemic-Driven Migration:

Montana saw significant in-migration during the pandemic as people sought rural, spacious areas. This led to soaring demand, with home prices nearly doubling from $266,473 in 2018 to $505,419 by 2023, while median household income rose only 28% to about $60,000.

Supply Constraints:

Strict zoning laws, such as single-family-only zoning and bans on duplexes or accessory dwelling units (ADUs), limited housing supply. In cities like Missoula, vacancy rates dropped below 1%, and regulations added up to 40% to the cost of new units.

Impact:

Teachers, nurses, and other essential workers struggled to afford housing, threatening community stability. Renters faced steep increases, with some areas seeing 37% rent hikes in two years.

Key Reforms of the Montana Miracle (2023)

In 2023, Montana’s legislature passed a package of bills, informed by a bipartisan Housing Task Force established by Gianforte in 2022, to deregulate housing development and boost supply.

Key Bills Included

Senate Bill 323: Legalized duplexes in single-family zones in larger municipalities, enabling more affordable “starter homes” for young families or retirees.

Senate Bill 528: Allowed ADUs (e.g., granny flats or garage apartments) statewide, increasing density without sprawling development.

Senate Bill 245: Permitted multifamily and mixed-use housing in commercial zones, maximizing land use in urban areas.

Senate Bill 382 (Land Use Planning Act): Overhauled zoning processes, requiring cities to plan for growth, adopt affordable housing strategies, and streamline permitting.

Other Measures:

Streamlined subdivision reviews (House Bill 211, Senate Bill 170), eliminated discretionary design reviews (Senate Bill 407), and invested $175 million in workforce housing and $105 million in infrastructure.

These reforms aimed to reduce regulatory barriers, encourage denser housing in cities, and preserve Montana’s rural character by avoiding sprawl. They gained broad support from a coalition of developers, environmentalists, and activists, framed as an “anti-California” approach to prevent restrictive zoning like that seen in high-cost coastal states.

Further Reforms in 2025

In 2025, Montana’s legislature continued its pro-housing agenda, passing additional bills to build on the 2023 reforms.

House Bill 492: Eliminated parking mandates for most new housing in larger cities (e.g., homes under 1,200 sq ft, affordable housing), potentially boosting construction by 40–70%.

Senate Bill 243: Allowed six-story apartment buildings in commercial and industrial zones, overriding local height restrictions.

Other Measures:

Limited developer impact fees, reduced condo defect liability, professionalized historic reviews, and legalized single-stair buildings up to six stories and rural ADUs.

These reforms, also bipartisan, focused on cutting costs and increasing flexibility for developers while maintaining community input.

Impact and Early Results

Positive Signs:

In Missoula, apartment vacancy rates rose from 1% to 6%, and rental rates dropped 20% within a year of the 2023 reforms. Bozeman saw similar trends.

Development Activity:

Cities like Whitefish and Bozeman began rewriting zoning codes, and Missoula approved housing for 162 families under new laws.

Long-Term Uncertainty:

Experts caution that affordability remains a challenge. While supply is increasing, it may take years to close the gap, with some doubting whether new housing will be affordable for low- and middle-income residents.

Challenges and Opposition

Legal Challenges:

In late 2023, Montanans Against Irresponsible Densification (MAID) sued to block the 2023 reforms, arguing they violated equal protection by allowing ADUs and duplexes only in areas without restrictive private covenants.

A preliminary injunction was granted in January 2024, halting implementation, but a March 2025 ruling upheld the reforms, allowing them to proceed.

Local Resistance:

Some homeowners feared denser housing would disrupt single-family neighborhoods, citing concerns about property values and community character.

Affordability Concerns:

Critics argue the reforms focus on supply but don’t directly address affordability, leaving some residents, like those in Bozeman paying half their income in rent, feeling no immediate relief.

Why It’s Called a “Miracle”

The term “Montana Miracle,” coined by journalist Kriston Capps, reflects the rarity of a conservative, Republican-led state passing progressive housing reforms, leapfrogging efforts in some liberal states.

The bipartisan coalition spanning developers, environmentalists, and libertarians overcame political divides, and the reforms’ comprehensive scope set a model for other states.

Critical Perspective

While the reforms are ambitious, the “miracle” label may be premature. Montana’s housing crisis stems from decades of under-building and recent migration pressures, and new supply alone may not ensure affordability for essential workers or low-income residents.

The focus on deregulation assumes market forces will lower prices, but without targeted subsidies or rent controls, some fear gentrification or luxury developments could dominate.

Additionally, legal and local push-back highlights ongoing tensions between growth and preservation. Checking back in five years, as suggested by experts, will reveal whether the reforms truly enable teachers, firefighters, and nurses to afford homes.

Montana’s Housing Miracle represents a bold, bipartisan effort to tackle a housing crisis through deregulation and increased supply.

The 2023 and 2025 reforms have begun to ease vacancy rates and rental costs in some cities, but affordability challenges persist, and the full impact will unfold over years.

The state’s model—leveraging a diverse coalition and task force offers lessons for others, though success hinges on sustained implementation and addressing affordability directly.