Breanna McCabe

Little Flower Parish at sundown in Browning, Montana. As my dad's first spiritual home, he recalls many experiences here: Attending funerals, serving as an alter boy and playing BINGO in the basement.

Really proud to see our small-town stories sharing the spotlight with some of our region’s best in the biz.

I'm still in disbelief that my former colleague, Mark Robert Thorsell, died suddenly last month. Mark was the reliable, steady presence, clicking away on the computer in the corner of the newsroom, listening for breaking news on the scanner and offering his experience, kindness and sarcasm in well-timed outbursts. When TV newsrooms still prioritized the traditional broadcast, he built up the online presence for KPAX-TV and MTN News, consistently breaking stories and disseminating valuable information to the public. And when no reporters were available, Mark would rise from his post and respond to the scene to source information and take photos to break the story.

Mark was originally from New England, and he relocated to Montana 20 years ago with his wife, a Missoula native. As he wrote in his bio, they moved "so that we could raise our two daughters in a warm, welcoming environment that features a slower pace than the craziness of the East Coast." I remember him speaking with such endearment of his wife and daughters, and my heart aches for them.

He never shook his Boston fandom or that East Coast pace of reporting. Mark graduated from Emerson College with a journalism degree and spent several years as a news, sports and traffic reporter in Hartford, Connecticut. He was reporting on the ground on the aftermath of the 1996 crash of TWA Flight 800. And in 2001, he reported on the Sept. 11 attacks, which he recounted in this 2011 interview with Dennis Bragg: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/18EvE5mKM1/

Sharing in the sadness felt by the newsroom where he dedicated so much of his time. I can only imagine how empty it feels without Mark💔 We'll never forget you, Mark.

💔 Susan was such a special lady. I wish I could've fit more into the story. Like how she memorized most of her recipes, including the one she gave me for lemon cake. We continued our correspondence by mail after my visit (she'd given me the directive to let her know when I made her cake). In her final Christmas card, she wrote: "We find ourselves reflecting on how fortunate we have been—blessed with so many years of love, family and shared memories." She even mentioned the "young gal from Missoula" who visited them from Backroads of Montana. "It was such a joy to have our home—and the love we've built over these many decades—captured and shared on the program." The joy was ours, Susan.

We hosted a fun viewing party in the studio to celebrate my students as their work premiered on TV! Smiles all around.

Beaming at this crew of University of Montana School of Journalism student producers I had the good fortune of working with last semester. The culmination of their hard work airs tonight on Montana PBS! 📺

I remember being in their shoes (working on this same great show), and how exciting it was to see my work on TV for the first time. “Business: Made in Montana” has been a wonderful partnership between the UM School of Journalism and Montana PBS since 1993, shining a spotlight on more than 250 businesses in the Big Sky state.

Tune in at 7:30 p.m. for this edition, featuring Schwarz Custom Boots in Dillon, The Loaded Irishman in Lolo, the Sip ‘N Dip Lounge in Great Falls, G’s Homemade Ice Cream in Eureka and Goose Bay Handblown Glass in Townsend.

I know turkey is all the talk right now, but smoked chicken, pork and beef brisket are hot off the presses in the story I produced for Backroads of Montana (airing Monday night at 7 p.m. on Montana PBS). I visited the annual Montana BBQ Cook-Off and followed the local volunteer fire chief and his daughter. For them, there's something more to the event than competition.

I also got to see how the pros dial in the details! Tune in for cameos from circuit standouts Janice SmellaQue, Bourbon & Blues BBQ, Papa's Pit Crew BBQ Team, Burnt Trees BBQ, Montana Outlaw BBQ, Smokin Hot Butts BBQ and more!

I'm so thankful to contribute to this program – it's a dream job!

Thanks, Stillwater County News, for getting your readers excited to see their neighbors on Backroads of Montana tonight:

Stillwater County residents to appear on Montana PBS program Herb and Susan Russell of Nye will be featured on Montana PBS when “Backroads of Montana” airs a new episode at 8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 15.

This was my first time to Fishtail, Nye and Limestone – and there was no shortage of beauty shots! The story I produced for Monday night's Backroads of Montana is rooted in a love of the landscape, but you'll also meet a couple married for 77 years who have spent their lives here.