Montana is the oldest state west of the Mississippi, and demographic projections show the state growing collectively older as more Montanans enter their senior years. The economic, cultural and personal impacts of that trend present the state and its residents with new challenges and, with those challenges, opportunities. Graying Pains is a six-month series of weekly stories and broadcasts exploring

Karen Nelson (orange vests, left to right), Larry Neutgens and Melanie Nelson helped community members add pennies to the Optimist Club of Wolf Point’s Mile of Pennies fundraising effort on Sixth Avenue North Sunday, June 7. At press time, Opportunity Bank was still counting donations. (Photo by Jessica Smith)

The Roosevelt County Commissioners voted 2-1 against improving sidewalks in Brockton. At their regular meeting Tuesday, June 9, a motion was defeated to approve an agreement between the county and the Montana Department of Transportation regarding sidewalk maintenance in Brockton. Said commissioner Gary Macdonald, “Brockton isn’t paying enough to keep it out of the red.” Commissioner