🌱 Mayoral Race Fundraising Continues To Break Records + Midtown Plans

Hello again, Missoula! I'm back with your fresh copy of the Missoula Patch newsletter. Here are all the most important things to know about what's happening locally.

But first, your local weather:

• Tuesday: Pleasant with plenty of sun. High: 89 Low: 51.
• Wednesday: Mostly sunny. High: 90 Low: 51.

Here are the top three stories in Missoula today:

1. With roughly four months between now and election day, fundraising for the mayor's race is continuing to break records. Current Mayor Jordan Hess, and City Councilor Mike Nugent, are both ahead of former Mayor John Engen's campaign record of $32,457.01, raised by Jun. 15, 2021. Per Montana state records, as of Jun. 15 of this year, Hess has raised $39,386, and Nugent has raised over $62,000. (Subscription: Missoulian)
2. The final public comment on municipal plans for upgrades to transportation, business, and residential infrastructure to Missoula's Midtown - considered the area between 14th, 39th, and Bancroft and Reserve streets - was held on Monday, Jul. 10. The Missoula Midtown Association and its community partners, alongside City staff, have recommended that the City Council adopt the Midtown Missoula Master Plan which has been under development for the past five years. (NBC Montana)
3. Nearby in the vicinity of Florence, a woman has been declared missing after a boating accident on the Bitterroot River on Saturday, Jul. 8. Ravalli County officials including County Sheriff Steve Holton and Search And Rescue Teams are still looking for a 26-year-old woman who was reportedly overturned in her kayak near the Poke Joe Fishing Access south of Florence. Anyone who may have more information regarding the woman's whereabouts is asked to call 406-363-3033 to make a report. Officials are also asking that members of the public not fly zones in the area as they may interfere with rescue efforts. (Montana Right Now)

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Today and tomorrow in Missoula:

Tuesday, July 11

• Water Quality Advisory Council At The Missoula City-County Health Department (12:00 PM)
• Seasonal Kitchen Skills: Canning Pickles - Garden City Harvest At Missoula Food Bank Learning Kitchen (4:00 PM)

Wednesday, July 12

• Missoula City Band Wednesday Summer Concerts At Bonner Park (7:30 PM)
• The Avett Brothers At Big Sky Brewing Co. (8:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• The National Forest Foundation (NFF) is celebrating the beginning of Forest Week - Missoula-area NFF staff are spearheading a number of events and programs, and more information can be found on their website! (National Forest Foundation via Facebook)
• The Boone and Crockett Club are reminding us that conservation is a team effort - more about how the Boone and Crockett Club supports sustainable hunting practices, among other conservation efforts, can be found on their website! (Boone and Crockett Club via Facebook)
• Chris Sand performed at the Missoula Public Library on the afternoon of Sunday, Jul. 9. Check out pictures at the link! (Missoula Public Library via Facebook)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Tuesday!

— Amy Mayo

About me: Amy Mayo is a writer, visual artist, and political scientist, living in the NC Research Triangle. She graduated from the University of North Carolina Asheville with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and has worked in a variety of fields outside of copywriting including policy advocacy, the healthcare industry and pharmaceuticals, and education. She hopes one day to live up to the stringent expectations of her cat, Morty.