News

Gianforte promises to fight federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate

HELENA, Mont., Sept. 9 (AP) – Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte on Thursday said a new federal coronavirus vaccination mandate that could affect as many as 100 million Americans is ``unlawful and un-American.''

The Republican said in a Tweet that he is “committed to protecting Montanans' freedoms and liberties against this gross federal overreach.”

Closure of Rock Creek Road in Big Hole started Sept. 13

Rock Creek Road closed on Monday, Sept. 13, to install two new bridges in the area. Closure is estimated to last through the end of October.

Twin Lakes Road will serve as the alternate route while Rock Creek Road is closed, according to Beaverhead County Road Department officials.

UMW names Hall of Fame inductees

The Montana Western Alumni Association and Athletics Department will induct four new members into the Bulldog Athletics Hall of Fame on Saturday, September 18 at 9 a.m. in the Lewis & Clark room in Mathews Hall on the UMW campus.

In Brief

Lovett at Rotary today

University of Montana Western Volleyball Head Coach Katie Lovett will serve as guest speaker at the noon lunch meeting of Dillon Rotary set for today, Wednesday, Sept. 15, in the Guild Hall of St. James Episcopal Church, 203 E. Glendale St. Anyone interested in hearing Lovett speak or in learning more about Rotary is welcome to attend. For more information, email John O’Brien at john@ highpeaksfcu.com or Tina Giem at tgiem@barretthospital.org.

Bake Days Wed.– Fri.

Bail jumping charges filed in third murder suspect’s case

A Dillon man accused of knowing about the strangling death of a local man and impeding police in their investigation now faces an additional felony charge for bail jumping.

Kerry “Sam” Johnson, 56, could get up to 10 years in prison and a fine up to $50,000 on the felony bail jumping charge if convicted. He is scheduled to appear on the charge Thursday in Fifth Judicial District Court.

Bannack will repopulate with historical re-enactors this weekend

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With its Town Site’s remarkably well-preserved series of mid-19th century buildings long ago abandoned by their original occupants, Bannack often gets referred to as a “ghost town.”

But Bannack will positively teem with life this weekend, when its brand of 1860s-circa daily existence and the characters who lived it get reincarnated for visitors to Bannack State Park’s Living History Weekend.

UMW names AD finalists

The University of Montana Western Athletic Director Search Advisory Committee announced on Monday that three finalists have been selected for on-campus interviews starting Monday.

Commissioners approve county budget, include staff raises

Beaverhead County’s new budget is a slight decrease over the last year, despite including bumps in pay for both elected officials and employees.

The Beaverhead County Commissioners unanimously approved the new budget at its Sept. 7 meeting.

Weather not cooperating on county wildfires

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Cooler weather and minimal rain over the weekend proved a mixed blessing for firefighters battling three wildfires on the northern end of Beaverhead County.

Wetter August does not bust Beaverhead drought

Rain totals statewide contributed to the 18th wettest August on record, National Weather Service officials say, yet that was not enough to bring the state out of its water deficit from the past few years.

Montana tallied 2.02 inches of rain statewide in August, which is roughly three-fourths of an inch above normal for this time of year, weather service hydrologist Arin Peters told the Beaverhead County Drought Task Force Monday. The majority of the state is in either severe or exceptional drought, and it barely made a dent in that designation after those rains.