KPAX interviewed Pflugrad and O’Day on camera separately this afternoon regarding being let go from their respective positions. Pflugrad said that going into the morning meeting he had no idea he was about to be fired.

“Not one ounce of fiber did I think this was happening,” he said.

Pflugrad also shared that he and O’Day were told that they were being dismissed due to the need for a “change of leadership.”

President Royce Engstrom released his statement on the matter earlier today.

February is Reading Is Fun month. Craig and I had the pleasure of being invited to be guest readers this year at two different schools.
Wednesday we were at Cold Springs Elementary here in Missoula. We read to Ms. Seamans’ third-grade class and a special needs class. Thanks for the opportunity we thoroughly enjoyed it.

Thursday we paid our annual visit to Victor School at the invitation of  Dori Peltier. We have read to her third-grade class for several years. They are the most polite, well behaved, engaged kids, which says a lot for Dori’s talents and skills as a teacher. (You try and handle 27  third graders all in one room at the same time.)

Anyway, it was a lot of fun. The kids were really into it. I’ve included some pictures I took while Craig was reading “Ladybug Girl & Bumblebee Boy.”  We have another post up today about the books we read. We hope your kids (and you) will enjoy them.

Texting has been proven to endanger drivers up to eight times more than alcohol. We would like to come to your school or business to present our ½ hour program that we hope will deeply and significantly change lives and better our community.

Following our brief presentation today we were so pleased to see that every student signed the “No Texting While Driving” pledge and sported one of those trendy TXTING KILLS thumb bands proudly as a reminder each time they reached for the phone when behind the wheel!

Here’s some photos from today’s event:

In an effort to educate ALL of Montana about distracted driving Townsquare Media is always eager to make partnerships with corporations, coalitions, and other community entities looking to make similar impacts. We believe in partnering with youth–A better future generation cannot be cultivated by any one group, but by an entire community effort. Contact shawnabatt@townsquaremedia.com to help us with our efforts TODAY!

We are on a mission to let everyone in the Missoula area know about a deadly epidemic that is sweeping our state. It’s texting and driving. Not a month goes by where we don’t hear about a car crash in the state that could have easily been avoided if the phone was left in their purse or passenger seat. We want to raise awareness and help save lives by issuing nearly 8,000 “TXTING KILLS” thumb bands to area residents, because we all live and raise our families here..and we are all affected. It’s a simple message on a small silicone band with a purpose of sending a clear message: “Texting While Driving Can Cost You Your Life”

Here is one of the videos we showed the students today.

Warning. This video is very realistic and graphic.

Following our eye-opening presentation we asked that the students sign the “No Texting Pledge”. We are happy to report that every single student in the auditorium signed it. Awesome.

Here’s a gallery of photos from the event:

If you are reading this and are thinking that perhaps your school would like to be a part of it but perhaps aren’t in the position to make the decision then please forward this article off to someone in the school who has the authority to organize this brief presentation.

Please contact our General Manager, Shawna Batt at (406) 728-9300 or email shawnabatt@townsquaremedia.com to set up a time for us to present this to your school.

Miranda Lambert takes the stage tonight in Missoula at the Adams Center. Along with the The Randy Rogers Band, Pistol Annie’s and Justin Moore this promises to be the best country music show of the year in Missoula. In getting ready for the big show tonight, one of our office workers noted that Miranda is quite the fashion-esta. So we dug up few of the dozen of pictures of different shoes Miranda seems to be fond of. Which ones are your favorite?

Man, what a burst of adrenaline that was as 30-some passengers, myself included, boarded this morning for a 40-minute ride over a part of the Mission Mountains and back through the Rattlesnake area in a Montana National Guard Chinook helicopter! 

The program is called Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, their way of saying thanks to businesses who not only hire and retain National Guard members, but the media that donates a lot of advertising time to help them promote. 

There were so many guests, we had to go in 2 shifts. We were in Group 1, so we got to go first. We were loaded in through the rear of the helicopter. The ramp takes you to bench seating on either side. Fasten your lap belts. 

Lift off is a strange sensation. You’re up and gone before you fully realize you’ve taken off. I thought it was a little strange that they left the rear ramp partially open. Then I thought it was really strange when they opened it completely! Of course that gives you a wee bit better view. 

Face to face with mountains that you usually only see from the roads below. We were flying about 500 to 800 feet above the average terrain. Pilot kept the speeds pretty low so we could enjoy the views and retain the tasty muffins served prior to take-off. Still lots of little dips and dives along the way. I think a few tummies were a bit queasy. 

The landing was pretty smooth and just as sudden as take-off. You’re down and away you go! Departure Pics?

It was sure an honor to be a part of this. The Guard members that were there to represent were genuinely nice people who were so appreciative of our efforts to help their members, but as usual when I’m in the presence of any military personnel, I’m the one who wants to do the thanking!

See Video Here

While I was back in South Dakota I took a run up to Oahe Dam just outside of Pierre SD. It’s the largest of six reservoirs on the Missouri River. Way back in June water levels on all the dams were at full pool and threatening to overflow emergency spillways.

Snowmelt from record snow levels in the Rocky Mountains and heavy rains in many of the areas draining into the Missouri combined to create a 500 year flood.

The Corp of Engineers, which is responsible for the operation of the dams started releasing water from all the reservoirs in an effort keep the levels in check. They delayed the historic releases to allow downstream residents to prepare with levees, sandbagging and dike reinforcement.

When the releases were at their peak about 220,000 cubic feet per second, that’s roughly 1.3 million gallons per second, were flowing out of six tubes at the base of Oahe Dam. I took this series of three photos to illustrate the size and power of a flow of water of that magnitude. I estimated the tube to be about 16 feet in diameter.

The releases are slowly being reduced now back to normal levels, somewhere around 35,000 cfs. Officials estimate it will be sometime in September before river levels as far south as St. Jo Missouri return to normal.

Friday night at the Lumberjack was a big one for country music fans in Western Montana. A Bar known for their country vibe, and live music took it to the next level. What started out as a 5 acre field, turned into a concert ground built to comfortably hold close to 8,000 People.

The Lumberjack turned into a country concert paradise, entertaining over 4,000 people with one of the largest names in country music, Ronnie Dunn. Here is a collection of photos that we shot during the concert:

WEST GLACIER, Mont. (AP) — Glacier National Park officials say the entire length of the Going-to-the-Sun Road is open to vehicle traffic for the summer.

Park Superintendent Chas Cartwright said getting the road open “was extremely tough this year.” A heavy snowpack and an unseasonably cool spring hampered plow crews as they tried to clear the upper section of the 50-mile road.

“The Big Drift” snow bank on Logan Pass still towered about 30 feet above the road earlier this month, and Wednesday morning’s opening marks the latest the historic road has ever opened due to weather.

Park officials say the Logan Pass Visitor Center also opened Wednesday.

Jean Tabbert, NPS