The Blackfoot Valley's News Source Since 1980
The Blackfoot Valley's News Source Since 1980
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The Montana Historical Society (MHS) invites families in Western Montana to apply for listing in the Centennial Farm and Ranch Register. While owners of such properties across the state are encouraged to participate, to date, applications from qualifying farmers and ranchers in the western part of the state have lagged far behind their eastern counterparts. Farms and ranches held in the same family for more than 100 years will receive a framed certificate signed by the...
LINCOLN, Mont. April 21, 2021 - Rob Gump has been selected as the new district ranger for the Lincoln Ranger District, the western most district on the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest. Gump will begin the new position in mid-June. "Rob's background working on fire-dependent ecosystems as a silviculturist-ecologist, managing recreation, Wilderness and trails programs, and his leadership and collaborative-mindset made him a great fit for the position," said Forest...
Helena – Lewis and Clark Public Health has expanded our drive-thru mass vaccination clinics at the Fairgrounds to include individuals age 16 and older in four neighboring counties. The decision to include our surrounding counties stems from a need to better streamline processes and ensure efficient use of vaccine supply. Effective immediately, all residents age 16 and older from Broadwater, Jefferson, Powell, and Meagher counties can attend any LCPH clinic at the F...
HELENA – Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking public comment on Elk Management Guiding Principles developed by the Elk Management Plan Initial Guidance Citizens Group. This process was the first step in the revision of Montana's Elk Management Plan. FWP is interested in comments regarding whether the guiding principles are adequate in describing what the department should be striving to achieve in an updated Elk Management Plan. The citizens group used a structured, f...
Each spring, FWP receives calls from people who have picked up deer fawns or other wildlife. It's important to remember that Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks no longer accepts, holds or rehabilitates moose, deer, elk and most other animals. Often times, people think they are rescuing an orphaned animal. However, it's important to understand that wildlife care for their young much differently than humans. They have strategies to provide the highest chance of survival for their yo...
Philip R. Forstrom, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Citizens Alliance Bank, has announced that Chad Forkrud has been installed as the Bank's next president. The Board of Directors accepted Chad's application at a meeting held on March 25, 2021. Chad has been acting as interim president after the unfortunate passing of the Bank's previous President, John T. Gill. The Board of Directors places its confidence in Chad because he understands the culture of the Bank, displays...
HELENA – Bears are emerging from dens with the onset of spring, and people are reminded to “Be Bear Aware.” Bears can be found throughout Montana. In recent years, grizzly bear populations have expanded and bears are sometimes found in historic ranges beyond western Montana As bears begin foraging for food, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is asking residents to remove or secure food attractants such as garbage, bird feeders and pet food. The most common human-bear confl...
Last week marks one year since Rocky shut its doors to the public due to COVID-19. Since that time, many of us have suffered loss, illness, and isolation The pandemic has been hard on everyone, but older people carried the very worst of it, both in catching the virus and in the shelter-in-place mandates that created unprecedented social isolation. Our goal has always been getting seniors back to the Senior Centers. Lewis & Clark County and its partners have done a spectacular job in getting people vaccinated, with Rocky playi...
Helena - The Montana Discovery Foundation and the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest are looking for 1 (one) field instructor and 7 (seven) incoming high school students who love the outdoors-or are curious about the outdoor-based jobs-to apply to the 2021 Youth Forest Monitoring Program (YFMP). "Students gain a great deal of confidence collecting data in the field and presenting their recommendations to our forest managers," said YFMP Program Leader Liz Burke. "Our 2020...
Life may now seem turned upside down by the coronavirus and recent school closure and event cancellations, but Alpine Artisans would like to encourage parents and high school seniors to think positive. We're beginning to see the light at the end of the 'Coronavirus pandemic tunnel', and Alpine Artisans encourages parents and high school students to consider the grants and scholarships we offer. Does your K-12 student want to attend lessons or a summer camp in music, drama or...
Helena – First dose Pfizer COVID-19 vaccinations for individuals in all tiers of Phase 1b will begin with two clinics next week. Those in Phase 1b include American Indians or other persons of color aged 16 years and older regardless of medical condition; persons aged 16-69 years with high-risk medical conditions; and anyone aged 70 years and older. Those eligible MUST reside in Lewis and Clark County. Pre-registration is required. All Phase 1b clinics are also open to i...
Helena -Lewis & Clark Library is proud to add laptop/mobile hotspot kits to our Library of Things checkout collection. Beginning this week, the Augusta, East Helena, Lincoln and Main Branch of the Lewis & Clark Library will have a ChromeBook/HotSpot combo and a HP/HotSpot combo available for 14 day checkout. Each Branch will have two kits available for checkout. "We are excited to offer laptop checkouts for our patrons for use for school, taxes, vaccination signups and more,"...
SEELEY LAKE – In response to public feedback, the Lolo National Forest is extending the public comment period for the North Fork Blackfoot River Native Fish Restoration Project for an additional 30 days or through March 12, 2021. Located in the Scapegoat Wilderness on the Seeley Lake and Lincoln Ranger Districts in Powell and Lewis and Clark counties, the project would authorize Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) to implement fish management and stocking actions within t...
Butte, Mont. – The winter weather gripping most of Montana will continue several more days, with some areas experiencing temperatures well into the negative double digits and some forecast to receive more than a foot of additional snowfall, according to the National Weather Service. Higher energy demand due to prolonged deep cold is reflected in higher customer bills. Customers can see the comparisons provided on their bill that displays usage patterns for the current billing...
Helena – Lewis and Clark Public Health has lowered quarantine times for individuals exposed to COVID-19 to 10 days. This quarantine times will match guidance from the CDC release on December 2, 2020. The change to quarantine time is effective immediately. The changes come after the number of COVID-19 positive cases has fallen in recent weeks in Lewis and Clark County. This fall has allowed our contact tracing team to resume full contact tracing and the ability to contact e...
Helena -Each week during the month of February, the Lewis & Clark Library Branch libraries in Augusta, East Helena, Lincoln, and the Bookmobile will host a LEGO® building contest for students in grades K-8. The contest is designed to help students practice building, exploring, and being creative with LEGOs®. Each week in February, students will be challenged to build a creation based on the weekly theme and then share a photo of the creation with the Library to...
Havre, Mont.— Montana VA Health Care System has been selected to lead a national VHA pilot program to bring vaccines to rural Veterans. On the morning of January 21, a vaccination team will fly doses of the Moderna vaccine in special plug-in coolers from Fort Harrison’s ultracold on-site freezer to Havre. Veterans in the Havre area who are enrolled in VHA healthcare will be able to receive COVID-19 vaccines. “We are excited that our Montana team has been selected by Dr. Stone, VHA’s Executive in Charge, to lead this rural v...
Lewis and Clark Public Health is the coordinating entity for distribution and administration of COVID-19 vaccine in Lewis and Clark County. We've formed a Local COVID-19 Vaccination Coordination Team, which includes representatives from local health organizations and pharmacies. Our mission is to ensure smooth, transparent, and efficient vaccination to the community. We are now in Phase 1a of our vaccination efforts, which includes medical providers who have direct contact...
Helena, Mont. - The Fort Harrison VA Medical Center just received its first shipment of the Moderna vaccine at around 8:00 a.m., Dec. 23. The MTVAHCS will begin distributing the Moderna vaccine today. "Montana VA Health Care System (MTVAHCS) is excited to have our first shipment of Moderna COVID-19 vaccines for our health care personnel and our Miles City community living center residents and staff," said Executive Director, Dr. Judy Hayman. "For over nine months, our...
HELENA – Managing Montana's population of grizzly bears is front and center for Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks as the agency looks to build on the momentum generated from the findings and recommendations of Gov. Steve Bullock's Grizzly Bear Advisory Council. The GBAC's recommendations and findings were delivered to Gov. Bullock, FWP leadership, and the interim legislative Environmental Quality Council in September. These findings and recommendations focus on grizzly bear d...
MISSOULA – The State of Montana Fish Guidance Board, which includes Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) and the Departments of Environmental Quality , and Public Health and Human Services , has updated the fish consumption guidance for all species of fish on a 148-mile stretch of the Clark Fork River and tributaries in western Montana in response to new research results. Guidance now recommends avoiding consumption of all species of fish from the Clark Fork River's confluence...
HELENA - A new survey of Montanans shows positive attitudes toward grizzly bears and support for the presence of grizzly bears within the state, however acceptance of bear presence in areas closer to residential and agricultural areas is lower than in remote public land areas. Researchers with the University of Montana worked with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks biologists to better understand Montanans' perspectives about grizzly bears and grizzly bear management in Montana....
If you're on Medicare, be aware: You will not be receiving a new chip card or a plastic version to replace your paper ID card. If somebody calls you to tell you that, they're lying. It's another Medicare scam. This scam is active in Montana and several people have already unwittingly given away their personal information. The caller identifies themselves as Medicare and after confirming your cards’ number they will send you a new plastic card. Please be on alert, calls have been reported in multiple counties. Medicare will n...
HELENA, Montana - On July 16, 2020, the Federal Communications Commission approved the designation of 988 as the new, nationwide, 3-digit abbreviated code for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The 988 hotline will provide a phone number for Americans in crisis to connect with suicide prevention and mental health crisis counselors. Some area codes, like the 406 area code in Montana, currently allow 7-digit dialing to complete a local phone call. As a result of FCC...
HELENA - Due to the increase in COVID-19 cases throughout Lewis and Clark County, and out of an abundance of caution for staff and patron safety, The Lewis & Clark Library is closing the Augusta and Lincoln Branches to in-person browsing. Each Branch of the Lewis & Clark Library will offer non-contact holds pick-up. Patrons can reserve items online at https://www.LCLibrary.org and designate which Branch they'd like to pick-up their items up from: Main, Augusta, Bookmobile,...
