The Blackfoot Valley's News Source Since 1980
The Blackfoot Valley's News Source Since 1980
Sorted by date Results 126 - 150 of 489
HELENA, Mont. - Students across Montana participated in the 2022 Montana Youth Vote Election last week, and the results have now been tallied and are available on the Youth Vote website. Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen and Superintendent of Public Schools Elsie Arntzen unveiled the results on Monday. This year's youth election was held October 31st – November 4th and was open to all Montana students in grades K-12. The Youth Vote polled two demographics, b...
MISSOULA –Big game hunting season hits its midway mark this week, and hunter check stations in west-central Montana are reporting elk and deer harvests up from last year and the five-year average. The number of hunter trips through the check stations near Darby, Bonner and Anaconda totaled 4,772 for the first half of the season. During the season's first three weekends, those hunters checked 179 elk, 53 mule deer and 185 white-tailed deer, compared to 119 elk, 52 mule deer a...
The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution Scholarship and American Indians Committees opened online applications for students wanting to apply for any of their 27 national scholarship opportunities for graduating high school students, college undergraduates, and graduates on Nov. 1 through January 31, 2023, at 11:59 pm (Hawaii Time). The direct URL link to DAR Academic Works is https://dar.academicworks.com. A wide array of scholarships is available for student...
Great Falls, MT - The Montana Department of Transportation would like to announce and invite the public to comment on a proposal to improve approximately 8 miles of Montana Highway 200 , between Bowman's Corner and Simms. The project begins at the intersection of Bowman's Corner and extends northeast, ending at the Lewis and Clark/Cascade County line. Proposed work includes a full width crack seal, seal and cover (chip seal), and new pavement markings. The purpose of the...
It's up to us. Respect access. Protect the hunt HELENA – In Montana, good relationships between hunters and landowners are integral to our opportunities, lead to proper wildlife management and ensure that our hunting traditions continue. Landowners play an important role in sustaining healthy wildlife populations, contributing to our economy and communities by creating jobs, and providing valuable habitat and treasured open spaces. But the relationship between hunters and l...
HELENA - The National Visitor Use Monitoring survey is underway on the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest to help gather data for forest managers on where visitors go, what activities they engage in, and what experiences they have. "Although the survey is entirely voluntary, participation is important so we can assess visitor experiences on the Forest and strive to make it a better place to visit," said Forest Recreation Program Manager Rory Glueckert. "We would...
HELENA, Mont. (Oct. 17, 2022) - Fire personnel on the Lincoln Ranger District are preparing for a prescribed burn on both public and private land in the Helmville-area. Prescribed burning could begin as soon as Tuesday and is anticipated to last two days, pending favorable conditions. "Wildfires do not recognize boundaries, so we are coordinating closely with the private landowners of the Mannix Ranch and partners at the Bureau of Land Management to remove fuel build-ups...
GREAT FALLS – A 51-year-old hunter from Washington state sustained non-life threatening injuries when he was attacked by a grizzly bear on Tuesday afternoon in Teton County. The hunter and his wife encountered the bear around 1 p.m. while hunting for upland birds in a creek bottom east of Choteau. The bear charged out of thick brush at close range. The hunter fired at the bear with a shotgun and handgun, wounding the bear and stopping the attack. The hunters and their dogs l...
HELENA, Mont. (Oct. 5, 2022) - Fire personnel across the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest (HLCNF) are preparing for fall and winter prescribed burning operations to reduce hazardous fuels, protect communities from future unwanted wildfires and improve wildlife habitat. Prescribed burning could begin as soon as this week on the Helena and Lincoln ranger districts, pending favorable conditions. "The prescribed fires planned for this fall and winter are essential to change...
The long awaited bridge dedication is finally just ahead. The US Forest Service and Montana Mountain Mushers have joined together to dedicate the new bridge across Beaver Creek Road, near Lincoln. The sign commemorates Race to the Sky and its beginnings through today, Jack Beckstrom's part in seeing the race happen and history of the race. There will be representatives from the organizations to speak briefly about the bridge/sign. Everyone is invited. The US Forest Service,...
HELENA - The Montana Public Service Commission unanimously agreed to allow a reduced interim rate increase for NorthWestern Energy on Tuesday. In its application for an interim increase in electric and natural gas utility rates pursuant to Montana law, NorthWestern Energy had asked for an increase in electric utility rates of $114.7 million and natural gas utility rates of $5.7 million. The average residential customer bill would have increased by $14 and $1.60 respectively....
HELENA, Mont. – Governor Greg Gianforte today announced the launch of the inaugural Governor's Youth Hunting Story Contest, open to Montana youth and apprentice hunters ages 10 to 17. "Hunting is a proud tradition in Montana that will be carried on by the next generation," Gov. Gianforte said. "To celebrate our hunting heritage, I invite Montana's youth and apprentice hunters who harvest an animal this year to be a part of the first-ever Youth Hunting Story Contest." "We'll r...
BOISE – Public policy outcomes will improve for the citizens of Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and the Inland Northwest with the launch of the Mountain States Policy Center, the nation's newest free-market research center. The organization has named Chris Cargill as its first President and CEO. Cargill has more than 20 years' experience in communications and free market policy, most recently as the Eastern Washington director for the Washington Policy Center. "The Mountain States are...
Great Falls - The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) would like to announce and invite the public to comment on a proposal to improve approximately eight miles of MT 200, east of Lincoln. The project begins between 4x4 Rd and Abe Lincoln Rd, and extends northeast ending past the MT 200/Flesher Pass intersection. Proposed work involves new centerline asphalt, full width crack seal and chip seal, and new pavement markings. The purpose of the project is to extend the...
This year FWP will continue chronic wasting disease surveillance in specific areas known as Priority Surveillance Areas in north-central, central, southwestern, and south-central Montana. • Carcass disposal requirements: Carcass parts, such as brain, eyes, spleen, lymph glands, and spinal cord material, should be left at the kill site when possible. If the animal is transported for taxidermy or meat processing, the brain and spinal tissue must be bagged and disposed of in a C...
OVANDO – Wildlife officials euthanized two grizzly bears this week that were responsible for at least 10 conflicts in the upper Blackfoot Valley over the past two months. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks wildlife specialists reported that the conflicts began in mid-July in the Ovando and Woodworth areas where the bears broke into three grain sheds. FWP worked with the property owners to install an electric fence at all sites to prevent more issues. The bears moved on from that i...
Alpine Artisans' exciting Tour of the Arts returns for its 19th year on October 8-9, once again offering a feast for the eyes. Driving this free, self-guided tour takes you through miles of Tamaracks in full color to enjoy the latest work created by local artists in the Seeley-Swan and Blackfoot Valleys., If you've been on the Tour of the Arts in prior years, you know that there is always new work to enjoy. New sites this year include Obsession Pottery in Seeley Lake, four...
SEPT. 9 – The Arrastra Fire is burning in dead and down timber north of Helmville by Trapper Mountain on the Helena-Lewis & Clark National Forest. The fire is 11.75 acres, 0% contained, and under Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation wildland fire protection. Reported on Tuesday, September 6, the fire was caused by lightning and aggressive suppression from the air was employed initially. Aviation use on Wednesday also helped to keep fire growth minimal from t...
Butte, Mont., Sioux Falls, S.D. – Sept. 8, 2022 – NorthWestern Energy customers have reported more than 400 attempts by scammers to steal their money since Sept. 1. The criminals are calling from spoofed phone numbers with state area codes and local prefixes. Customers say the scammers threaten to disconnect service in 30 minutes unless an immediate payment is made. Energy companies will never threaten their customers. Accounts with past-due balances received multiple not...
Ask first to hunt on private land Don't wait until it is too late. Hunters who haven't already asked permission from private landowners to hunt need to do so as soon as possible. Montana law requires hunters to obtain permission for all hunting on private land. Whether pursuing upland game birds, coyotes, gophers or any other wildlife, hunters must have permission from the landowner before hunting on private property. This also includes entering private land to retrieve...
HELENA – Are you ready for hunting season? FWP can help. In addition to the following hunting forecast, FWP provides online information about hunting access, including our popular Block Management Program. Through the program, we coordinate with landowners to provide hunting access to more than 7 million acres of private land. The interactive Hunt Planner map allows users to look at information for various species, including hunting districts and regulations. The hunt p...
Grizzly bears have the potential to be found anywhere in the western two-thirds of Montana (west of Billings), and their distribution is denser and more widespread than in previous years. Some areas with dense concentrations of grizzly bears are very accessible to hunters, especially during the archery season. Keep these precautions in mind when hunting in grizzly country: * Carry and know how to use bear spray. Keep it within easy reach and be prepared to use it immediately....
The Scapegoat Wilderness, celebrating its half-century anniversary this year, was the first community-led wilderness initiative in the country. Today, 50 years later, the residents of Lincoln, Mont., are once again advocating to conserve its nearby public lands, including an expansion of the Scapegoat's southern boundary. Lincoln is as reliant on its public lands now as it was five decades ago, which is why the community is hosting an event September 16 & 17 to commemorate...
HELENA – Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is accepting applications for its new Habitat Conservation Lease Program. A habitat conservation lease is a voluntary, incentive-based agreement between FWP and private landowners in which the landowner commits to specific land management practices that protect priority wildlife habitat. In turn, FWP pays landowners a one-time per-acre fee for the lease. These agreements would have a term length of 30 and 40 years. As it has for d...
Helena, MT – The Lewis and Clark County Board of Commissioners has announced American Rescue Plan Act awards to 40 diverse community and County department projects addressing service and infrastructure needs in Lewis and Clark County. "We are pleased with the breadth and quality of the projects this ARPA funding will support across the County," said Lewis and Clark County Commissioner Jim McCormick. "It was our goal to select projects with a broad effect on community needs w...
