Good day Great Falls! We're here again with what you need to know today. Grab a cup of coffee and read on. ☕️️
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In today's newsletter:
Also on today's calendar: Total Body Bootcamp - Johnny and 9 more events.
Today's riddle: What do you call a one-legged Big Foot? 🤔 (Answer below!)
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1. Great Falls police searching for missing 22-year-old man (krtv.com) — Great Falls police are urgently asking for help finding 22-year-old Tanner Rust, last seen early Saturday leaving his 46th Street South residence on a red Honda dirt bike that was later found on 3rd Avenue. Officers and his family are concerned for his safety and urge anyone in Great Falls with information or possible sightings to call 911 immediately.
2. GFPS officials update board on summer school programs (theelectricgf.com) — Great Falls Public Schools leaders say this summer's learning programs reached hundreds of local students, from early-grade Jumpstart classes to new experiential camps in coding, rocketry, and Indigenous astronomy. Funded largely through Montana's innovative education tax credit, the district reports strong academic gains, expanded field trips, and growing donor support that could sustain and grow these opportunities for Great Falls families.
3. Great Falls crossed 1M visitors in 2025, and tourism experts say the city is aiming for more (krtv.com) — Great Falls just confirmed it hosted more than one million overnight visitors in 2025, generating about $191 million in local spending at hotels, restaurants, and shops. Tourism leaders say repeat visitors are driving growth, and they're now targeting sports events, conferences, and the 2027 BMW Motorcycle Owners of America rally to keep money flowing into the community year-round.
4. Lee Enterprises acquires Great Falls Tribune (dailyinterlake.com) — A major ownership change is coming to Great Falls' longtime daily newspaper, as Lee Enterprises is acquiring the Great Falls Tribune from USA Today Co. Local leaders say the deal could restore resources and expand statewide coverage, potentially strengthening community reporting in Great Falls and north-central Montana after years of shrinking staff and diminished local news.
5. Great Falls Tribune joining company with several other MT newspapers (greatfallstribune.com) — The Great Falls Tribune is set to join Lee Enterprises' family of Montana newspapers, aligning it with major dailies in Billings, Helena, Butte, and Missoula. Company leaders say the move should expand statewide coverage and refocus resources on local journalism, potentially reshaping how Great Falls residents get their news in the years ahead.
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Ok Great Falls! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: Hop Squatch! (Thank you Terri R. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!
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