Gov. Greg Gianforte announced Wednesday that September 10 will be recognized as “Charlie Kirk Day” in Montana, honoring the conservative commentator and Turning Point USA founder following his assassination. NBC Montana reported the declaration.

“Charlie Kirk’s assassination was a sobering reminder of the growing threat of hatred in our society,” Gianforte said. “As we mourn his loss, September 10 will serve as Charlie Kirk Day in Montana to honor his life and reaffirm our commitment to respectful, civil discourse.”

Gianforte framed the designation as both a tribute to Kirk’s life and a call for renewed civic dialogue in the face of what he described as rising societal hatred. Kirk had been a prominent figure in conservative grassroots organizing and a frequent presence in Republican political circles, including in Montana, where Attorney General Austin Knudsen appeared alongside other GOP leaders at a national party convention earlier this year.

The announcement came on the same day the state marked several other notable events. Two young adult grizzly bears were euthanized near Lincoln after repeated conflicts with residents involving chicken coops and grain stores. Missoula’s annual Greekfest, scheduled for September 18–20, was canceled due to unforeseen circumstances.

Motorists on Interstate 90 between Belgrade and Bozeman can expect overnight construction delays beginning this week, with work running primarily from 7 p.m. onward. A Kalispell man died Thursday afternoon in a single-vehicle rollover crash on Montana Highway 83 near Swan Lake.

On a more celebratory note, 34 people representing 18 countries were naturalized as U.S. citizens at Yellowstone National Park. Near Polson, a pilot escaped injury after a small plane crashed through a fence at the local airport, and a heavy equipment fire in West Riverside caused no injuries.