The Reporters
CHRIS ARNESON
Chris Arneson is from Bozeman, Mont. He plans to pursue post-baccalaureate study in the environmental and land use fields, getting “as far away from journalism as possible before the industry’s vortex pulls (him) into a world of nothingness, like the black hole created by a dying star.” Or just to make money, get fat, and die.
His nightlife is a “dialectical conflict between wholesome activities and all-out debauchery,” as he spends school nights cooking, baking, reading or playing soccer and weekends brewing his own beer or combing Missoula bars and breweries for their newest brews.
He admires “ballsy writer and ballsier reporter” Evan Wright and has had some interesting reporting experiences of his own.
“I had a bad experience with a Baptist pastor who sent me home with a packet of literature and a Gideon Bible in a last-ditch effort to save my soul,” he said.
Stories: Into the Swamp, Shopping for Service
DANIELLE DEBOUVER
Danielle deBouver is from Fairfield, Conn. After graduating she hopes to find a job where she can continue learning by writing about things she knows little about. She likes to explore Missoula while running, but at night will do anything to avoid the cold and usually falls asleep studying. She enjoys writers with a good sense of humor and a tinge of bitterness and sarcasm.
Her most memorable and proud experience while working on a Night Vision Missoula project came while writing a cheeseburger review. She got out of her car holding nine brown bags of fast food cheeseburgers (for a blind taste test) and received a shameless stare and a “That’s a lottt of food!” from a group of middle-school-age boys in a parking lot.
Stories: Say Cheese, Where the Wave Breaks
ELIZABETH DIEHL
Elizabeth Diehl is a Missoula native. She likes to spend the night riding her bike around town, stopping at a brewery for a beer or attending a local show. In the future, she’d like to do page design and photography for a magazine. She’s a fan of Washington Post reporter Anne Hull’s in-depth reporting.
While writing a story about a neo-pagan group in town, Elizabeth experienced reiki, a form of energy healing.
Stories: The Good Kids’ High, Magical Night, Nobel’s Shuttle, Noodle Nachos
ANDREW DUSEK
Andrew Dusek is from Havre, Mont. He plans to take a year off before going to graduate school to pursue a career in foreign affairs. Sleeping is his favorite thing to do at night because it’s something he doesn’t get to do a lot of these days. He recommends the work of author Joe Klein, saying he portrays politicians as the larger-than-life figures they fancy themselves to be rather than as human beings, and documents political power struggles with great insight.
Dusek had fun sampling wine at The Silk Road.
“I had three generous selections and was slightly buzzed by the end of my small dinner,” he said. “I still feel that I reported accurately, though.”
Stories: Endangered Species of the Mind, Predators and Prey, Sorority Mom, Trading Tastes
CARLY FLANDRO
Carly Flandro is from Pocatello, Idaho, and plans on heading off to an internship at the Seattle Times after graduating from college. She likes to bike around Missoula at night. She recommends the work of author Sherman Alexie, who writes both nonfiction and fiction books about Native Americans.
“He grew up on the Spokane Indian Reservation and his experiences there inspired many of his beautifully-written novels,” she said.
While working on a story for Night Vision, a source asked Flandro to reach inside a dumpster and grab a soggy cardboard box to see if there was anything cool inside. There wasn’t.
Stories: Being Kelly Nicklay, Danger Zone, The Server
KATHRYN FRANCHINO
Kathryn Franchino is from Madison, Wis. She plans to travel or do seasonal employment and freelance photography for a of couple years after college before attending graduate school, settling down and turning to photojournalism full time. She likes to spend her nights sleeping. Right now, Dexter Filkins, the author of “The Forever War,” which documents the last ten years in Afghanistan and Iraq, and A.J. Jacobs, the author of “The Year of Living Biblically,” are her favorite writers.
She’s gotten a lot less sleep since starting to work on stories for Night Vision, but has enjoyed discovering a side of Missoula that’s sometimes rarely seen.
“I’ve had the privilege of meeting many fascinating Missoulians, whether it’s hiking with the Montana Dirt Girls in the dark or chatting with the night mail sorters at the Kent Avenue post office,” she said.
Stories: Cold Enough for Ice Cream, Feasting Through Lent, Lights in the Night, Of Mail and Men
JUSTIN FRANZ
Justin Franz is from Augusta, Maine, but has lived in Missoula since 2007. He says Missoula has a thriving night scene everywhere, not just downtown or at the bars.
“It truly is a city that comes alive at dusk,” he said. “However, one of my favorite things to do after dark is to sit on my porch in the University District and have a beer.”
Stories: Out for the Catch, Secret of the Gravy, Show Time, Train Teaser
ERIN GALLAGHER
Because Erin Gallagher comes from Charlo, Mont., a small town where nothing is open late, she enjoys going out to eat with friends at night in Missoula. She wants to stay in the area after graduating from the university and learn to live on her own like a “big girl.” She admires writers who can combine genuine attachment to their subjects with a conversational tone and biting wit.
She’s heard some unexpected things while reporting for Night Vision.
“While collecting interviews for my Vagina Monologues story, I found myself discussing sex, a usually private subject, with perfect strangers who were more than willing to divulge intimate details,” she said. “That was certainly an interesting experience for me.”
Stories: Angel of the Graveyard Shift, Bad Hotel Bar, Big Brother is Watching, Sex in the City
KAREN! GARCIA
Karen! Garcia is from Chicago. Her plans for the future include somehow scraping together enough money to build a personal library in her home — the ideal would be the library from Beauty and the Beast with the sliding ladders. Her favorite thing to do in Missoula at night is hole up in her apartment with a good book and a glass of red wine and avoid humanity. Her favorite author is David Foster Wallace, because he was “the most brilliant, versatile, humane, insightful, and troubled writer of the twentieth century.”
Stories: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, Misunderstood, Trivia vs. Facts, Two Sides of the Same Coin, Why I Will Never Like Escargot
MIKE GERRITY
Mike Gerrity is from Great Falls, Mont. His plan is to keep writing something meaningful until he drops dead in a dive somewhere. His favorite nighttime activity is running across the Higgins Avenue bridge to buy a 40 oz. from the gas station before 2 a.m.
He once complimented Condoleeza Rice on her piano skills.
“I panicked,” he said.
Stories: Buffet Bust, Red Box Threat, Waiting for the Call
NEIL LARUBBIO
Neil LaRubbio is from Houston, Texas, and plans to find a job that “pays for the farm.” He asserts that the best thing to do in Missoula at night is create uncommon cuisines, like elk steak crepes or Southwestern-style catfish. He recommends the work of writer Wells Tower.
While Neil was working on a story about sheep dogs, he saw an ewe keel over while the rancher wasn’t around. After about 20 minutes, Neil told the rancher that one of his ewes might be injured.
“He went out there and pulled her leg out so she could right herself,” Neil said. “She had just fallen on the upslope and couldn’t get up with her pregnant body. He told me that when sheep fall over like that, gas builds up in their system, and they can be dead in 40 minutes. Lucky for that sheep, I was around, right?”
Stories: Fire Escape, Reset, Until It’s Too Dark to Read
DANIELLE J. LELLEK
Danielle J. Lellek hails from Hamilton, Mont. She hopes to have a career writing about the things she’s passionate about: wildlife, music and the outdoors. She enjoys spending her evenings listening to the eclectic array of live music available in Missoula. Her favorite writer is John Grogan, the author of “Marley and Me.”
While working on a review about bubble tea, Danielle tried a sample of the Green Bubble Tea at Iza, which has a very high caffeine potency.
“I am very affected by caffeine,” she said. “I drank the tea at 7 p.m. and could not go to sleep until about 4 a.m. I finished all my homework, read, tried to write a song on my guitar, and finally, after writing down about three to-do lists, fell asleep.”
Stories: Bubbly, Dashing, The Music Laborer, Music Madness, Speed Limit for Love, Walk the Talk
JESSA ANN LOMAN LINFORD
Jessa Linford is from Seeley Lake, Mont. After college, her plan is simply to go wherever the wind takes her. She likes to spend her nights in Missoula hanging out in yards, on her friends’ decks, or on restaurant patios. She recommends the work of New Yorker writer Katherine Boo because “she can take a person from their living room to the slums of India in four paragraphs and make you feel things you didn’t know you had inside of you.”
While working on a story for Night Vision, Jessa learned what it was like to be denied an interview for the first time.
“I am a photography major and I have been denied permission to photograph but not to meet or even speak to a person,” she said, “but it made me try harder than ever to get the story and hopefully I grow from it.”
Stories: Another Round, Ten-Year Recession Special
ALLISON MAIER
Allison Maier is from Boise, Idaho, and hopes to find employment in the future so she doesn’t have to move in with her parents again. Though she often makes plans to do fun, exciting things at night, she usually just falls asleep on her couch instead. She admires the work of New Yorker writer Atul Gawande and also finds him attractive.
Hoping to write about owls, she went on a six-mile cross-country skiing trip at night with people who were far more experienced than she was at both skiing and listening for birds. She returned home with sore muscles, a damaged ego, and a good story.
Stories: Dimming the Lights, Food Therapy, Howls of Silence, Rock-a-bye Baby, Taking Care of Business
STEVE MILLER
Steve Miller is from Billings, Mont., but he hopes to go to Boston and start a band with his musical genius friends after graduating from college. If it’s foggy at night, he goes to the woods, and if it’s not foggy, he still goes to the woods — or Pita Pit. He likes Esquire writer Chris Jones because he uses adverbs sparingly and tastefully.
While working on a Night Vision story, Steve and a photographer chased Mountain Line Bus 138 to the airport in an attempt to get a decent picture.
“Trust me; you would’ve thought it was fun had you been there,” he said.
Stories: A Family Bond, His Last Lullaby, Stage Down, Sweet Life on the Corner
TORI NORSKOG
Tori Norskog is also from Billings. She’s not sure what she’ll end up doing after she graduates from college, planning to just take everything one step at a time.
She likes to listen to local bands play concerts in downtown Missoula at night.
“We have an amazing music scene in Missoula,” she said.
Stories: Amateur Night, Backyard Wilderness, Rising to the Gym
JOE PAVLISH
Also from Billings, Joe Pavlish likes to go hiking and backpacking in the areas around Missoula, spending time in nature with his friends. He enjoys the work of Thomas Lake, currently the senior editor of Atlanta Magazine, because he writes interesting stories about things Joe normally wouldn’t care about and in-depth stories about things he would.
While working on a story about Missoula’s history, Joe had difficulty contacting the people who live in the old Worden house, so he just went there.
“When I got upstairs in what is now an apartment building and knocked on the door, I realized that I was basically in this lady’s house,” he said. “She said to come in as if she was expecting somebody to knock on her bedroom door. I went in awkwardly and asked if I could stay and do an interview. She let me.”
Stories: Peanut Pilgrimage, Trust and Courage, The Unbearable Loudness of Books, Under the Hellgate Moon, The Working Man
JOSH POTTER
Josh Potter hails from Detroit, Mich. After graduating from college, he plans to work for the outdoors industry before traveling abroad and going back to school to get a master’s degree in creative writing. He likes to hike the “M” trail at night with friends, a baguette and a bottle of wine. His favorite writer is Hunter S. Thompson, “because he didn’t think he was the greatest writer, like most journalists seem to think these days.”
While working on a story for Night Vision, Potter watched a midnight convenience store clerk kick some people out of the store after catching them trying to steal beer.
“Nothing really came out of it, but the clerk was kind of a big guy and all it took was for him to raise his voice and the three drunk idiots pretty much took off running,” he said.
Stories: Chapel of Drum and Bass
ALYSSA RABIL
Alyssa Rabil is from Missoula. She finds treasure hunts to be “pointless, but fun” nighttime entertainment, though she mostly just stays up late doing homework and studying. She’d like to write for National Geographic sometime in the distant future. She enjoys the work of English writer Robert Fisk.
While working on a review of the Poverello Center’s food selection, Rabil met a self-proclaimed “high-line tramp” named Dawg.
“His foot was scheduled to be cut off in a few days, though he didn’t seem particularly upset,” she said. “He offered to show me how to jump on a train, old-school style. I have yet to take him up on the offer.”
Stories: Chez Pov, The Other Universe, Wild in Zootown
KYLE SPURR
Kyle Spurr is from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. He enjoys going to concerts and listening to live local music at night. He plans to pursue work as a sports reporter and admires Jack Kerouac because he writes about “real life adventures.”
He recently had an adventure himself while working on a story.
“While driving out to Clinton, Mont., for a food review on Poor Henry’s Bar and Restaurant, a herd of deer jumped out in front of my car,” he said. “I couldn’t stop in time and hit one. The impact dented the side of my car and on the drive back a police officer pulled me over for having ‘Faulty Equipment’ from the damage. It was quite the night, but I got the story done by deadline.”
Stories: Clash With Nature, Crimes in the Family, Wings of the West
(Reporter portraits by Eric Oravsky)
