Montana

Patience paid off as Aanen Moody leaves lasting legacy with Montana Grizzlies

Published

2 years ago

March 5, 2024

Patience paid off as Aanen Moody leaves lasting legacy with Montana Grizzlies

MISSOULA — Few players have become the fan favorite that Aanen Moody has with the Montana Grizzlies.

Now, as the seventh-year senior gets set to wrap up his final days as a Grizzly, he’s been appreciative of the opportunity offered to him by Montana, something he’d been looking for his entire career.

“I’m kind of a showman,” Moody said. “And I like to perform a little bit. So I think that when the crowd really got into the games, I think that it just gave me an extra burst. And, you know, I think that that helped a lot.

“I think that in basketball, you know, the fans show up because they want to be entertained, and part of being entertained, is having fun. And I think that if they see somebody on the court having fun, then that energy is going to be reciprocated through the fans.”

Moody, a native of Dickinson, N.D., began his career at the University of North Dakota and then Southern Utah, where he saw positives, but often was tasked with waiting his turn.

Those stops helped him stay humble and prepared him for the explosion of success at Montana.

“I think the path that I’ve taken is obviously not the path of least resistance. I’ve played behind a lot of good players and have been able to develop my game in ways that I need to impact the game more than just by my scoring,” Moody said.

“And so I think that all of those years of sitting behind guys who I may have been better than but sitting in these positions of coming off the bench had made me the player that I am today.”

That player today is the 3-point marksman who broke out a season ago for the Griz as an all-conference talent in his first major opportunity.

In just two seasons at UM he’s scored 949 points already for the Griz — he has 1,631 for his career — as Moody, who has started in all 58 games he’s played at UM, has provided a spark with his offense and his ability to engage the crowd. But this year it’s been about expanding that impact with the rest of the team.

“If one guy’s getting hot, you know, we have this thing called consideration of the game, and people are gonna find you,” Moody said. “So I’m the type of player where, you know, I might miss a couple, but then I might make a couple. And then when that happens, you know, I need the ball.

“And so I have teammates that have really good consideration for me, and I have good consideration for them. So I think that’s why we fit along with the coaching staff and just giving me the freedom and the green light. It’s something that I never got before.

“I think that, because of my journey, I don’t have a sense of entitlement. I think I have a sense of gratefulness for being in the position that I’m at. And, you know, I think it just all aligned perfectly where, last year, I was able to break out and have a good individual season. But now in my last year, I really just want to win. And so now we have an opportunity with a great team and a great record going into Boise to finally get a championship and be a big role in that championship. I think I’m in the best position that I could be right now.”

Moody hasn’t been your average college athlete as a father of two sons and late bloomer in basketball, but his life off the court has been an inspiration to his abilities on it.

“I think it just makes me levelheaded and makes me a better leader,” Moody said. “You know, it’s a lot easier to lead a basketball team than it is to lead a family, especially when it comes to kids. So I think that has just grown my personality, and obviously given me a different perspective on life and in the game that I never had before.

“On the court, I think that I give a lot of energy. But off the court, I think my biggest component of, of an asset is just the wisdom that I have from having a family and being able to lead it.

Moody has a degree in exercise science and also an MBA. He hopes to work with people in the future, such as training or even chiropractic school among options he’s considered.

It’s been a long, winding college journey for Moody, who has been appreciative and grateful along the way as well as for those alongside him, as he hopes to cap off his career with a Big Sky tournament title and a trip to the NCAA tournament before it’s all said and done.

“It’s changed the trajectory of my life forever,” Moody said. “The people that you meet, just the connections that you make the relationships, I’m starting to realize that those are actually the most important part of my process. But it’d be nice to get a championship as well.

“Best time of my life. You know, definitely it’s my home now. It’s where my family is going to be for, you know, many years. So we don’t plan on leaving. I’m gonna be a Griz forever. So yeah, it’s home.”

Source link

Click to comment

Montana

Camp East Montana ODs were related to psychiatric meds and self harm, DHS

Published

9 hours ago

June 17, 2026

Press Room

Camp East Montana ODs were related to psychiatric meds and self harm, DHS

The Department of Homeland Security told the El Paso Times that two suspected overdoses at Camp East Montana over Memorial weekend were related to an overdose of psychiatric medication and a “self-harm” incident.

In both incidents on May 23 and May 24, the detainees were taken to the Rio Vista Behavioral Health center, a DHS spokesperson said.

The 35-year-old detainee who overdosed on psychiatric medication on May 23 was returned to the immigration detention center the same day and is in stable condition. The 34-year-old who overdosed on May 24 is currently being monitored by ICE medical staff after being returned.

“When there are signs of a detainee self-harming, staff abides by strict prevention and intervention protocol to ensure the detainee’s health and wellbeing is protected,” a DHS spokesperson said in a statement. “ICE requires annual suicide prevention training and provides mental health service to detainees.”

The DHS spokesperson said that ICE provides “comprehensive medical care from the moment an alien enters ICE custody. This includes medical, dental, and mental health services as available, and access to medical appointments and 24-hour emergency care.”

The El Paso ICE detention center is the largest in the country, with a capacity to hold 5,000 people. Allegations of human rights abuses have plagued the site since it opened in August 2025.

At least three suspected overdoses have occurred at Camp East Montana, according to 911 emergency calls analyzed by the El Paso Times. The first suspected overdose was reported on Feb. 28, involving a 60-year-old male detainee.

Rising deaths, suicides in ICE detention

At least 50 migrants have died in ICE custody since President Donald Trump returned to office, with 18 deaths occurring in 2026. At least 10 of these deaths were suicides, an investigation by the Associated Press found, including Victor Manuel Diaz, a 36-year-old Nicaraguan migrant who died at Camp East Montana on Jan. 17.

U.S. representatives, including Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, Angie Craig, DFL (Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party)-Prior Lake, and other political leaders, have raised concerns about the conditions at the detention center following more than a dozen oversight visits. Congressional representatives have repeatedly raised concerns over detainees’ access to medical and mental health services.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, the ACLU, Texas Civil Rights Project, Human Rights Watch and the law firm Farella Braun + Martel LLP sued ICE on behalf of four detainees held at Camp East Montana over “horrific” human rights abuses in May 2026.

Jeff Abbott covers the border for the El Paso Times and can be reached at:jdabbott@usatodayco.com; @palabrasdeabajo on Twitter or @palabrasdeabajo.bsky.social on Bluesky.

Source link

Montana

Escobar on Camp East Montana

Published

20 hours ago

June 17, 2026

Press Room

While jobs are not on the line at the Ysleta Independent School District, the school district faces another budget year with a deficit for its ongoing operations.

District officials are recommending an operating budget with a deficit that may be up to $15 million, mainly driven by falling school enrollment and funding from the State of Texas. SISD anticipates collecting $379 million in revenue for the 2026-2027 year.

Superintendent Xavier De La Torre said the district plans on selling properties, offering incentives to teachers and administrators interested in retirement and consolidating the Cesar Chavez Academy with the Thrive Academy to address YISD’s financial challenges.

https://www.ktsm.com/news/ysleta-isd-counting-on-school-consolidation-attrition-property-sales-to-deal-with-budget-crunch/

Source link

Montana

Spring runoff on Montana rivers poses serious safety risks

Published

1 day ago

June 16, 2026

Press Room

Spring runoff on Montana rivers poses serious safety risks

BOZEMAN — Montana’s rivers are still running high and cold this spring — and while that’s good news for fish, it poses serious risks for recreators.

Even with a lighter-than-average snowpack, river conditions across the state remain hazardous. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is urging anyone planning to get on the water to prepare carefully, know current conditions, and understand every hazard along the full length of their route before launching.

WATCH: Montana’s rivers are still running high and cold this spring — even with lighter snowpack. Before you hit the water, FWP says preparation could save your life

Spring runoff on Montana rivers poses serious safety risks

Morgan Jacobsen of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks pointed to specific locations as examples of the dangers that can catch people off guard.

“The Highway 89 Bridge has some, you know, particular dangers at that site with the pylons of the bridge, and that’s caused problems for people before, so knowing your trip and knowing what hazards exist as best you can, doing that research is always a good idea,” Jacobsen said.

Spring runoff serves an important ecological function for Montana’s fisheries, acting as a kind of seasonal reset for rivers and streams.

“Flooding plays an important ecological function. It washes out sediment and provides new, clean gravels that are important for fish spawning. Creates new habitat for a variety of species, and it’s a good thing, but when it comes to recreation, it’s something you’ve got to be careful with,” Jacobsen said.

FWP is not discouraging people from getting on the water, but the agency is emphasizing that safety planning must come first — especially during high water.

“We’re not saying people can’t come on the water by any means, and you know, especially in high flooding conditions, and because of those dangers, it’s not recommended, but if you are going to recreate, you know, you’re doing it at your own risk. Make sure that you take precautions so that you can make it home safely,” Jacobsen said.

Anyone heading out on Montana’s rivers this spring should check current conditions, know their route, carry and wear a personal flotation device, and be prepared for water that was snow just minutes before entering the river.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Source link