Downloads of new artificial intelligence agents — like Meta's Muse and OpenAI's dots — are booming. Many have quickly welcomed AI agents into much of their online lives, and raved about the ways they can take care of everyday tasks with ease from snagging a dinner reservation or planning a trip to organizing inboxes full of emails and texts.Matt Robb wanted to sell his computer keyboard. So he made a listing on Facebook Marketplace — and, as an experiment late last month, he put Meta's new artificial intelligence agent Muse in the driver's seat. "I kind of went into it like a guinea pig," said Robb, a Toronto-based content creator who regularly reviews consumer tech. He had seen Muse's plush toy-looking avatar pop up on Instagram and decided to see if the AI agent could spare him some online bargaining. Muse got to work. But within a day, Robb got an alarming update: A buyer he didn't know had shown up outside his house late at night. How? Muse had struck a deal on its own and shared Robb's home address after agreeing to a pickup. It even sent an automated "Yep, I'm here!" message from his account when the...

BOZEMAN — Wash your hands, cover your mouth, and be prepared — Flu season is on its way to Gallatin County. This fall, the Gallatin City-County Health Department is offering several ways for community members to get their flu and COVID-19 vaccines. Walk-ins are welcome at all clinics, but making an appointment ahead of time helps make the visit as convenient as possible. Both flu and COVID-19 vaccines will be available at every clinic listed below. A community vaccination event will take place on Thursday, October 22, from 2 to 6 p.m. at the Gallatin County Fairgrounds in Exhibit Hall #1. Weekly vaccine clinics will be held from 2 to 6 p.m. on most Fridays throughout October and November at the Gallatin City-County Health Department’s temporary location, 400 E. Babcock Street in Bozeman. Clinics are scheduled for October 2, 9, 16, and 23, as well as November 6 and 13. According to a release, as respiratory illness season approaches, reducing the spread of infections remains an essential part of public health and protecting overall community health. The health department says getting a flu and COVID vaccine each year helps prevent illness and lowers the chances of needing medical care, being...

BOZEMAN — Game wardens and wildlife staff with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks euthanized 14 black bears near Bozeman last week after receiving a report that someone was illegally feeding the animals at a home north of the city. Game wardens visited the property on Sept. 24 and Sept. 25. They found the bears had become extremely accustomed to eating human food and were completely unafraid of people — behavior officials say created a major safety risk for the surrounding community. The bears had stopped relying on natural food sources and lost the desire and ability to find food in healthy ways. Wildlife experts say that kind of conditioning cannot be corrected through rehabilitation or by relocating the animals to a new area. Officials say putting the animals down is always an unfortunate last resort, taken only when there are threats to human safety and property. “These bears were unafraid of humans and stopped relying on natural foods, which created a human safety risk. It’s very unfortunate they had to be euthanized,” said game warden Captain Josh Leonard. “An investigation into why the bears were on this property is ongoing.” Wardens rescued one bear cub from the property. That cub...

MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, WY - The National Park Service (NPS) has signed a Finding of No Significant Impact and associated Wetlands/Floodplains Statement of Findings to reconstruct the North Entrance Road between Mammoth Hot Springs, Wyoming, and Gardiner, Montana, in Yellowstone National Park. The FONSI, approved by the NPS Regional Director, describes the selected action and establishes that there will be no significant impact on the environment. The preferred Alternative 2: Center Alignment was selected. In January 2026, the NPS, in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration and Western Federal Lands, prepared an environmental assessment to evaluate potential impacts of the proposed reconstruction. DIGITAL EXTRA: Yellowstone National Park releases new video of June (2022) flooding (FILE VIDEO) DIGITAL EXTRA: Yellowstone National Park releases new video of June flooding The project aims to provide reliable and essential long-term access for park visitors, staff, emergency responders, commercial users, and residents of gateway communities. The reconstruction effort stems from a 500-year flood event that struck Yellowstone on June 13, 2022. The flood destroyed infrastructure in the northern portion of the park, including several sections of the North Entrance Road and segments of the Northeast Entrance Road between Tower Junction and Cooke City/Silver Gate, Montana...