The Blackfoot Valley's News Source Since 1980
The Blackfoot Valley's News Source Since 1980
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Lewis and Clark Public Health has developed a list of criteria to help it decide whether the county is ready to move to phase two of the governor's "Reopening the Big Sky" plan for COVID-19, once the state has moved in that direction. The criteria include: · the ability of the health department, hospital, and medical providers to manage COVID-19 cases without impacting regular business; · enough staff and supplies available to test all residents with COVID-19 symptoms; · the n...
Governor Steve Bullock today announced that families, small businesses, non-profits, health services centers and individuals across Montana hardest-hit by impacts of COVID-19 will be eligible to apply for grants through nine new programs created in response to the emergency. Guided by more than 1,400 public comments and his Coronavirus Relief Fund Advisory Council, Governor Bullock is making $123,550,000 available in the first round of emergency grants funded through the...
HELENA, Mont. – Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest staff is working hard to reopen developed campgrounds by Memorial Day weekend, or shortly after depending on current conditions. The target date for having many Forest campgrounds open is May 22. Additionally, rental facilities like cabins will begin a phased reopening after May 15 based on seasonal availability and facility conditions. Recreation areas and campgrounds may not be immediately open and available for use. E...
A nascent idea to sublease a part of the Lincoln Volunteer Ambulance building to the Lewis and Clark County Sheriff's Office for use by deputies has prompted the Lincoln Hospital District to take the idea to the residents of Lincoln for input. Lincoln Volunteer Ambulance President Aaron Birkholz broached the idea with the hosptial district board during their April 28 meeting, and LHD treasurer Karen Frank-Plumlee discussed the issue last week at the May 1 Lincoln Government Da...
In recent stories regarding the COVID-19 response, we may have implied that the orders originating from Lewis and Clark Public Health were effectively orders from the Lewis and Clark County Commission. To clarify, Lewis and Clark Public Health Officer Dendra Niemann works for the City-County Board of Health, not directly for the county. The Board of Health is comprised of representatives from the Helena City Commission (Helena Mayor Wilmot Collins); the East Helena City Council (Scott St. Clair); the County Commission...
Lewis and Clark Public Health announced Thursday that public and private developed campgrounds in the county may reopen beginning Friday, May 1. Health Officer Drenda Niemann rescinded the order she issued two weeks ago, which closed some campgrounds as part of efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19. “We’ve heard loud and clear that some people in our community want to be responsible for their own personal health choices,” Niemann said. “Given that state campgrounds are reopening this weekend, we’ve decided to give them...
As Gov. Steve Bullock's COVID-19 related stay-home directives begin to be lifted, many, but not all, Lincoln area businesses are ready to reopen their doors. Several restaurants, including the Montanan, Wheel Inn and Lincoln Pit Stop, have continued to provide curbside pickup meals during the closure. Laurie Richards, from the Wheel Inn, said, "It's been going better than expected. We've had so much support from not only the locals, but our weekend people that have cabins...
Lewis and Clark County Commission Chair Susan Good Geise will be in Lincoln Friday, May 1, for the first Lincoln Government Day meeting since COVID-19 restrictions impacted local meeting schedules. With the continued closure of the Lincoln Library, the meeting is scheduled at the Lincoln Community Hall at 10:30 a.m. Giese opted for the in-person meeting to ensure she can hear from Lincoln residents who may not have access to online meeting services. She said the community...
People looking to get outside and enjoy spring will continue to have ample opportunities with Gov. Steve Bullock's phased approach to re-opening the state, which was announced Wednesday. Most of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks' sites typically open and operational at this time of year remain so. This includes all FWP fishing access sites, most state parks and those wildlife management areas that don't have seasonal closures. People heading outside still need to keep in mind Mon...
Under the Gov. Steve Bullock’s plan to reopen the state, churches began meeting again beginning Sunday, April 26 and many Upper Blackfoot Valley churches took the opportunity to return to in-person services. The Blackfoot Valley Bible Church held services Sunday. Pastor Art McCafferty said he called congregation members to let them know about required social distancing measures and to let them know that “there would be no greeting, no hand-shaking.” He added that members were instructed to sit only with their immediate famil...
Lewis and Clark County adopted a modified version of Gov. Steve Bullock’s guidelines for easing restrictions related to COVID-19, following Bullocks’ April 22 announcement of a three-phased approach to reopening schools and businesses statewide. Bullocks stay-at-home and school closure directives, issued in mid-March, expired April 24. “Once we begin to reopen, we want to be able to stay open. Our personal responsibility to protect those around us –particularly those most vulnerable –remains just as important as any time duri...
Helena - The Lewis and Clark County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is accepting requests for cloth masks from individuals and essential businesses in need. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended the general public wear cloth face coverings - not surgical masks or N-95 respirators - in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (like grocery stores, pharmacies, medical facilities, clinics, etc.). The Lewis and Clark Public Health Department encourages all...
After a long winter, bears are out and about. And, as COVID-19 quarantines continue, humans are seeking solace and activity in the outdoors. Where bears and humans share the same space, conflicts are bound to occur. Whether you're heading outdoors to hike, fish, hunt or hang out, please be bear aware. Grizzlies can be found throughout western Montana, not just the Rocky Mountain Front, Bob Marshall Wilderness and the Yellowstone Ecosystem. In recent years, grizzly bear...
HELENA – Today, Attorney General Tim Fox cautioned Montanans that cyber actors are ready to take advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic by exploiting increased usage of virtual environments. As more Montanans telework and attend school on-line, Fox says it's important to be aware of telework software vulnerabilities, education technology platforms, trending schemes and scams cyber actors intend to exploit. "Cyber scammers focus on all areas of consumer vulnerability in an a...
HELENA - Gov. Steve Bullock said at a Friday, April 17, press briefing that his administration is in the process of developing a plan for scaling back anti-coronavirus social distancing measures as the number of new coronavirus cases declines. "By next week we'll have a deliberate plan for reopening," he said. Montana is currently under a number of anti-coronavirus directives that have shuttered schools, halted dine-in food service and asked residents to stay at home to the...
Governor Steve Bullock Tuesday announced he has secured hundreds of thousands of face masks, shields and gloves from private market distributors to protect Montana health care workers on the front lines of the response to COVID-19. "Ensuring enough supplies of personal protective equipment for Montana's frontline health care workers is something I fight for every single day in response to this public health crisis," Governor Steve Bullock said. "Protecting the people who take...
A young, male grizzly bear was euthanized Thursday, April 16, after it was captured by USDA Wildlife Services for calf depredations on the Rocky Mountain Front southwest of Augusta. "Besides causing calf depredations, it was coming in close to ranch homes," said Mike Madel, Fish, Wildlife & Parks bear management specialist. Madel said the bear was five-and-a-half years old and weighed 586 pounds. The bear had not been captured previously, Madel said, but its removal was...
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks euthanized a young male grizzly bear on Monday, April 13, after it killed three calves over a period of several days on a ranch east of Ovando in the Blackfoot Valley. The grizzly killed three calves between Friday, April 10 and Sunday, April 12. The bear was also suspected to have been responsible for another livestock injury in the same area the week before. Because the bear remained in the area, continuing to pursue livestock, wildlife officia...
PureView Health Center received $503,000 in funding for COVID-19 response as part of the CARES Act signed March 27. The money is in addition to their regular funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration. According to HRSA, the extra money provided to health centers is to "support the detection of coronavirus and/or the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of COVID-19, including maintaining or increasing health center capacity and staffing levels during the cor...
MONTANA – Governor Steve Bullock today announced the establishment of the Coronavirus Relief Fund Task Force to provide guidance and advice on how to best use $1.25 billion appropriated to Montana through the Federal CARES Act to assist workers, businesses, and sectors of the economy impacted by COVID-19. "While we continue to prioritize the health and safety of Montanans, we know many residents are financially impacted by this crisis and need assistance now," Governor B...
Public health officials in Lewis and Clark County today issued an order requiring developed public and private campgrounds in the county to close to recreational use. The order listed two exceptions when campgrounds can stay open: · Private developed campgrounds that are used for residential or sheltering purposes; and · Non-developed campgrounds where proper social distancing practices are possible, including backcountry camping. The local order goes above and beyond the gove...
As the COVID-19 pandemic has worn on, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has done an about face and is now recommending face coverings and masks for not only medical personnel and patients, but for workers dealing with the public and even average Americans, particularly in hard hit areas. As coronavirus patients began to mount last month, demand for masks soon exceeded supply, and it fell to people with a knack for sewing to fill the void. In the Upper Blackfoot...
MONTANA – Governor Steve Bullock today released a report produced by state epidemiologists examining 377 cases of COVID-19 in Montana that helps the state understand who is impacted by the new virus, how it spreads, and patient outcomes. The report will help the state continue to make data driven decisions to aggressively respond to COVID-19 in Montana. "The report released today sheds light on how this virus is impacting Montanans and provides data we can use to examine what'...
April 8 Update.- As of April 15, we haven't heard of any additional updates. please let us know if anything has changed. Thankss always, if we missed anyone, have included inaccurate information or if there are updates we missed, please let us know by a calling 362-4131, emailing us at [email protected] or contacting us via Facebook messenger. Governor Steve Bullock issued a directive April 7 extending the stay-at-home directive and other directs related to COVID-19 until April...
With residents across the state staying at home in response to Governor Bullock’s directive, libraries are offering programs to encourage kids, individuals and families to write letters to seniors. Lewis & Clark Library plans to launch a program to coordinate mail efforts to several assisted living facilities during the month of April. Bretagne Byrd, the librarian spearheading the program, organizes bookmobile visits to senior and assisted living facilities throughout Lewis and Clark County. With many facilities suspending n...
