🌱 Patch AM: How a new federal patent hub could reshape Bozeman’s tech economy

Hey there, Bozeman! Let's get started with what's happening in and around town. Read on and stay in the loop. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

• How a new federal patent hub could reshape Bozeman’s tech economy
• Why Bozeman’s longest night memorial has organizers worried this year
• How one Bozeman nonprofit made Christmas happen for 1,500 kids

Also on today's calendar: Christmas Eve worship.

And lastly, we have a post from a neighbor, David B.!

Today's riddle: I used to work in a doughnut shop. 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Wednesday: Some sun, then clouds, with a high of 55 and low of 37 degrees.
• Thursday: A.M. showers; mostly cloudy, temps: high: 47, low: 34.
• Friday: A bit of snow and rain, with a high of 47 and low of 29 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. MSU new site for U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (kpvi.com) — Bozeman is getting a major boost as Montana State University is chosen to host a new U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Community Engagement Office on campus, joining Dallas and San Francisco as a key western hub. The office will support inventors, startups, and small businesses across the Rocky Mountain region, strengthening Bozeman’s growing tech and advanced manufacturing economy and deepening MSU’s role in turning research into real-world companies and jobs.
   

2. Bozeman memorial honors six lives lost amid rising homelessness (kbzk.com) — Community members gathered at the Bozeman Public Library to honor six people who died while experiencing homelessness, marking Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day on the year’s longest night. Organizers highlighted rising homelessness in the Gallatin Valley, lower-than-usual attendance, and their hope that more Bozeman residents will engage to better understand and address local housing insecurity.
   

3. Bozeman non-profit provides Christmas presents to 1,500+ kids this year (kbzk.com) — A Bozeman-based nonprofit, Hope & The Holidays, is making Christmas possible for more than 1,500 local kids this year with toys, books, and food baskets for about 650 families within a 100-mile radius. Volunteers, community donations, and rising economic pressures all play into the program’s rapid growth, as organizers say many Bozeman parents now work multiple jobs just to stay here.
   

4. Lattice Granted $18.5 Mln To Expand Germanium And Silicon Optics Production (rttnews.com) — A Bozeman optics manufacturer, Lattice Materials, is getting $18.5 million from the U.S. Defense Department to expand germanium and silicon production at its local facility. The investment aims to strengthen critical defense optics supply chains, increase crystal production capacity in Bozeman, and reduce lead times for key military platforms, potentially supporting local jobs and future growth.
   

5. Red Cross urges blood donations during busy holiday season (nbcmontana.com) — Bozeman residents can donate blood locally in the coming weeks as the Red Cross warns of tighter supplies during the busy holiday travel season. Drives in Bozeman and nearby counties run from Dec. 19 through late January, with special thank-you gifts and even a chance to win a Super Bowl trip for eligible donors.
   

📸 Around Bozeman

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Bozeman

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Wednesday December 24

• Christmas Eve worship
  Our Redeemer's Lutheran Church, 3580 N Benton Ave, Helena
  3:00 pm

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

Monday December 29

• Open Gym Girls Basketball
  Anderson 7-8 Bozeman, MT 59718
  4:30 pm

🗓 Events Nearby

Wednesday December 24

• Hand and Foot Card Game
  Parlor
  12:00 pm
• Open Jam at The Murray Bar
  Murray Bar , 201 W Park St , Livingston
  8:00 pm

Thursday December 25

• Coffee and Rolls
  Rocky Mountain Development Council , 200 South Cruse , Helena
  8:00 am
• Be Well Clinic
  Rocky Mountain Development Council , 807 N Tracy Ave , Bozeman
  9:00 am
• Line Dancing
  Neighborhood Center Dance Floor
  9:15 am
• Wood Carving
  Neighborhood Center Dance Floor
  1:00 pm

Friday December 26

• Jennie's Arthritis Foundation Exercise Class
  Neighborhood Center Card Room
  10:30 am
• The Shuffle Bums
  Murray Bar , 201 W Park St , Livingston
  9:00 pm

Saturday December 27

• Deadrock Writer's Group
  Livingston-Park County Public Library , 228 West Callender Street , Livingston
  10:30 am
• Brendan Nolan and Harpdog John
  Fainting Goat Pub , 122 N Main St , Livingston
  8:30 pm

Sunday December 28

• The Road Agents @ Bozeman Hot Springs
  Bozeman Hot Springs , 81123 Gallatin Rd , Bozeman
  7:00 pm

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Bozeman PatchAM possible:

• Granite Peak Mechanical Services, LLC — (406) 651-7369
  24/7 Emergency Service

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• Here are the two most important things I’ve discovered while preparing for my own future retirement: Life feels long until you realize it is not.
  Even though people who reach 70 today have an expected lifespan closer to 85, the truth is that time becomes more precious as we age. I’ve learned to… (Nextdoor Nash Park)
• Christmas glass!
  Fresh out of the kiln. I made some memorial ornaments that celebrate the life of a beloved family pet. And coffee/tea/hot beverage mugs! And a… (Nextdoor Western and 25th)

• Costco Wholesale Corporation posted a job opening for Stocker in Bozeman. Apply here.
• Cardinal Group Companies posted a job opening for Housekeeper in Bozeman. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Bozeman here.

Ok Bozeman! 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: I got tired of the hole business.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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