Good morning, Great Falls.

Yesterday, First Interstate Bank closed branches at noon and sent employees to assist at five local nonprofits (including the Animal Shelter and Alliance for Youth) as part of its ninth annual Volunteer Day; the bank said the program will return next year.

Chef Saibeen Acord has returned downtown as Saibeen’s Kitchen re-opens in Suite U9 of the Times Square building, offering a fusion menu and hours from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

Local businesses like Big Sky Beads and Sweet Junes add to the building’s community feel (boosting connection).

Great Falls Symphony begins a new season with music director Robert Kahn, chosen in May after a nearly two-year search (reflecting his strong community ties).

The season kicks off on Oct. 10 with “New World, New Beginnings” featuring Dvorak’s Ninth Symphony and includes a collaboration with the C.M. Russell Museum.

Idaho Conservation League's new film Shared Waters, Ktunaxa and the Coal Mines highlights how Canadian mine waste is contaminating waterways downstream and affecting Indigenous communities, and it invites public feedback as the study board reviews findings in early October & seeks more venues for screenings.

Great Falls Public Schools selected 72 students for the MHSA All-State Music Festival in Bozeman, set for Oct.

14-16. They were chosen after a rigorous audition process (recordings submitted last spring), as confirmed by fine arts supervisor Dusty Molyneaux.