🌱 MSU LGBTQ+ Students Feel Unsafe + BPD Celebrates 140 Years

Hello all. It's me, Lauren Kubiak, your host of the Patch newsletter. Here's all the community news you need to know right now.

But first, your local weather:

• Friday: Cloudy and cold with a shower. High: 37 Low: 20.
• Saturday: Sun, then clouds. High: 47 Low: 30.

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Here are the top three stories in Bozeman today:

1. During Montana State University's Week of Belonging, students, particularly LGBTQ+ and BIPOC students, are concerned about their safety due to the recent threats and hate speech on campus. Students have reported discriminatory harassment complaints against LGBTQ+ students this year, with some feeling the university's response has been insufficient. The university's Queer-Straight Alliance also received an email threatening an LGBTQ+ event, with QSA students mobilizing and calling for increased safety measures. (Subscription: Bozeman Daily Chronicle)
2. The Bozeman Police Department celebrated its 140th anniversary on Wednesday, Apr. 12. Rachel Phillips, research director at the Gallatin History Museum, said that the police force was established in 1883 and fought crime on foot and on horseback, mostly responding to complaints about loose dogs, horses, and parties. (KBZK News)
3. The Bozeman School District (BSD) has approved a $6 million capital improvement plan for 2023, with $4 million going toward elementary schools and $2 million toward high schools. Major repairs include installing new boilers in five elementary schools, which will cost approximately $75,000 per unit. BSD Director of Facilities Matt Stark stated that some projects may go unfinished if the district is unable to find companies to complete the work, but the district is working proactively to replace boilers reaching the end of their life. (Subscription: Bozeman Daily Chronicle)

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Today and tomorrow in Bozeman:

Friday, April 14

• Wine For A Cause At Blend - A Bozeman Winery (6:00 PM)
• Lucero At Rialto Bozeman (8:00 PM)

Saturday, April 15

• Family Storytime At Bozeman Public Library (11:15 AM)

From my notebook:

• Thinking of dipping your toes into the housing market? Check out the list of open houses happening this week in the Bozeman area at the link. (Bozeman Patch)
• Bozeman's first female chief judge, Colleen Herrington, claims that she is receiving 90 percent less pay compared to her male predecessor. Despite her role as a department head overseeing the municipal court system, Herrington was only given a 5 percent pay increase for extra duties instead of the usual 15 percent, which was awarded to the previous chief judge. (KBZK News)
• Body-worn cameras are now used by every major law enforcement agency in Gallatin County, including the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office and the Bozeman Police Department. The cameras have become valuable tools in investigations and protecting officers and the public, with Belgrade being the first to adopt the technology in the county 17 years ago. (Subscription: Bozeman Daily Chronicle)

That's it for today! See you all soon for another update.

— Lauren Kubiak

About me: Lauren is an Editor for Lightning Media Partners. She graduated from Rowan University with a Bachelor’s in journalism. She was previously a full-time editor at an association management firm, editing peer-reviewed nursing journals, textbooks, and newsletters.