🌱 Plans For New Community Center + Reaction To Potential TikTok Ban

Hi all. It's me, Lauren Kubiak, your host of the Bozeman Patch newsletter — back in your inbox with everything that's fit to print about what's happening in town these days.

But first, your local weather:

• Friday: Partly sunny and warmer. High: 63 Low: 35.
• Saturday: Partly sunny and mild. High: 71 Low: 39.

📢 I'm looking for business owners and marketers in Bozeman who want to build awareness, connect with customers and increase sales.

I have a limited number of sponsorships available to introduce our readers to local businesses they need to know. If that's you, then I invite you to learn more and secure your spot now.

Here are the top three stories in Bozeman today:

1. The City of Bozeman plans to build a community center estimated at nearly $100 million on Durston Road and Cottonwood Road, featuring amenities such as indoor pools, a two-story library, basketball courts, weightlifting areas, and climbing walls. City staff will present two questions to the City Commission in July, one for a bond to finance the facility and the other for a levy to cover staff and maintenance costs, to be voted on by citizens in November if approved. Bozeman residents like Eileen Kucharski believe the center would be a significant asset to the community, and that any tax increase to fund it would be worthwhile. (KBZK News)
2. Montana could be the first state in the U.S. to ban TikTok, with a bill awaiting Gov. Greg Gianforte's signature. The bill, which aims to protect residents' data privacy, bars ByteDance and TikTok from operating in the state and stops companies such as Apple and Google from offering the app for download. While students at Montana State University have had mixed reactions to the potential ban, with some saying they will cut their usage or switch to Instagram reels, others question the priority given to TikTok's security risks over other apps. (KRTV NEWS Great Falls)
3. A man died in Broadwater County a day after eating at Dave's Sushi in Bozeman, and the restaurant closed voluntarily when several customers reported food poisoning. The cause of the man's death is yet to be determined, and health officials have not linked it to the restaurant. The Gallatin County Health Department is investigating the situation, and the restaurant remains closed until further notice. (Bozeman Daily Chronicle)

From our sponsor:

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Today and tomorrow in Bozeman:

Friday, April 28

• Trevor Noah At Brick Breeden Fieldhouse (7:30 PM)

Saturday, April 29

• Jeff Dunham At Brick Breeden Fieldhouse (5:00 PM)

In partnership with T-Mobile:

Do you know a Bozeman student who’s making a difference in the community? We want to hear about them! Click here to nominate a student to be featured on Patch.

From my notebook:

• As much snow still remains, particularly in the mountains, there is still a risk of flooding, and residents are encouraged to sign up for the Community Notification System to receive critical information about their area. The system allows residents to customize how they receive notifications (text, call, email, etc.) and target specific addresses for notifications regarding severe weather, flooding, road closures, wildfires, and more. (City of Bozeman via Facebook)
• Are you looking for a new family member with four paws? Check out the list of adoption-ready pets in the Bozeman area at the link! (Bozeman Patch)
• Are you looking to fill your social calendar this week? Check out the list of events happening in and around Bozeman this week at the link! (BoZone)

Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Friday. 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.