Search Results

The Beaverhead Search and Rescue held its monthly meeting on Wednesday, March 3. The meeting was called to order at 7:00 PM by commander Lawrence Morrisroe. There were 24 members in personal attendance and 8 members in attendance via zoom. Social distancing is still being recognized although most of the membership has had both Covid19 vaccinations. The general meeting was very short. One item of business was the introduction of the unit’s newest probationary member, Alex Dunn. Alex is a co-founder of the PMEF and an employee of the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest who teaches avalanche safety. He holds a Pro 1 Level Avalanche certification and is a member of the American Avalanche Association. He has been a winter back-country skier, ski mountaineer, and snowmobiler for 20 years around the western U.S. We are very fortunate to have someone of his caliber as a member of the BVHS S&R. Please congratulate Alex and welcome him as the newest member of your Search and Rescue. About the only other business were some housekeeping items and an explanation of upcoming training opportunities by the group’s training officer, Nathan Freeman. There will be trainings with the Ruby Valley Search and Rescue as well as training sponsored by the BVHD unit. We are trying to work and train more closely with neighboring SAR units. The meeting was adjourned at 7:30. At that time the unit moved right into a training presentation by Alex Dunn. The presentation explained the triangle of avalanche awareness. The triangle represents the three components to be aware of in order to keep yourself and your party safe while enjoying the back country during the winter. The three elements of the triangle are: snow pack, weather, and terrain. Understanding the snow pack is critical. Determine how safe the snow is on the mountain by understanding its makeup. What do the layers of snow look like? Is there a good hard base or are the underlying layers crystalized or sugar like? Second, know what the weather is going to be doing while you are out playing. If it is going to be snowing hard or putting an additional load on the snow, this can increase the chance of avalanche. And last is the terrain. Be able to recognize the steepness of the mountain you are playing on. Slopes of 30 degrees or greater should normally be avoided. If you head to the back country to play there are some essentials that you should have: an avalanche beacon, a probe pole, a shovel, helmet, an inflatable floatation pack, and common sense. Other things to be aware of: Choose partners that have the proper gear and training Discuss snow pack, weather conditions, and the terrain that you will head into Do beacon checks and other equipment checks before leaving the trail head Stick to your plan for the day but always be ready for change according to conditions So, before going into the great Montana outdoors, be prepared. There are a lot of opportunities to enjoy and we want everyone to return home safely to your friends and families after each outing. This comes from your Beaverhead Search and Rescue, “In the Business of Saving Lives"

The Dillon City Council held the first meeting for march last night. Starting out with reports from city representatives. Both City Attorney Dolan and Chief of Police Guiberson mentioned the event to be held on St Patrick’s day and that they are working to get more information on it. Tree board member and Council Person Mary Jo O'Rourke made the statement that Dillon has been the recipient of the Tree City USA award the past ten years. Each year Dillon receives a flag for this award. They would like to show off these awards in town. One place of interest would be on flag poles like they do in Anaconda. Council Person Mary Jo O'Rourke stated: “ They do not want to permanently display them the main thought would be during April which is arbor month.” One suggestion from Council Person Wassall was to display them in conjunction with the American flag on private flag poles. This started the conversation on whether a flag can be displayed on the same pole as the American flag. According to flag etiquette rules they are as follows: Displaying the U.S. Flag and Other Flags on the Same Rope or Staff When flags of states, cities, corporations, or organizations are flown on the same flagpole with the flag of the United States, they are flown beneath the U.S. flag. The flag beneath may be the same size or smaller than the U.S. flag, but never larger. More rules on flag etiquette can be found here. The meeting moved along smooth and in a rapid pace. Final discussions up dealt with the replacement of a stainless-steel ladder, at the cost of $17,000 in the west reservoir. The main problem was this had been approved in 2019 but the company that does this could not get it done. The price has greatly increased as the price in steel has increased. Some council members felt that if they approve this it needs to have a price lock in and guarantee. The mayor stated he does not believe that they can get the price locked in, but the company guaranteed we would be on their schedule if it was approved. During the wrap up with public comment, the use of Zoom was brought up by Council Person O'Rourke asking how the meeting policy will continue to work with Zoom. The city is coming up on the 1-year mark that they made it so a council person could use Zoom for the meetings and still vote. This was a hot debate about seven months back that ended with council person Wassall threatening to sue the city over the use of Zoom, claiming ADA discrimination. Council Person Wassal brought up that this matter is directly aimed at him. He stated he sent the Mayor an email ten days ago and never received a response. The mayor stated he got the email late Thursday and never opened it tell Friday morning. He is responding to the email and wanted it to be proper. Wassall then stated: “I made it clear for about a year now I am attending these meetings and doing so under the representation that I have a claim for reasonable accommodation under ADA using Zoom.” After a few back-and-forth Council person Wassell stated that Zoom is not for just the benefit of the Council Members but also for the public. This also gives the general public the safety needed due to the environment of the council chambers of no masking and social distancing. The main problem is they are not taking Zoom from the general public, Council Members need to be at the Council Meetings physically to vote on the topics and agendas. This was the main problem that started the debate and threat of a lawsuit. Council Person Graham stated it was in the rules that you needed to be physically present for this. The Council voted then to allow Zoom to be used for one year by Council Members. With the vaccine being distributed and many of the at-risk council members fitting the 1-B phase the need for Zoom and reasonable accommodations should be lifted. Many at risk business owners, and workers have had to continue to attend the store or work in the public. They did not have a choice the council members who chose to run for that position should also be expected to show up and represent their district. City of Dillon Park Survey City of Dillon Capital Improvements Survey Watch the full meeting here:

Beginning Nov. 24, the citizens of Beaverhead County, Mont., will be able to buy a burn permit without leaving home. Developed in partnership with NIC Montana, the Beaverhead County Burn Permit service is available online at burnpermits.mt.gov . Through the new website, citizens will have instant access to purchase permits, add multiple burn locations to a single permit and print permits at home or send permits to themselves electronically by email. The online service accepts both debit and credit cards as well as electronic checks (eCheck). Citizens can activate a permit online or by calling the county’s new automated phone system at (833) 216-3454. The Burn Permit service displays real-time updates on an interactive county map when a customer activates a permit by entering the permit number and the start and stop times of the burn. County fire and emergency personnel can use the service to monitor current burn activity within the county. Citizens may still obtain a burn permit in person at the Beaverhead County DES Office, 2 South Pacific St., Suite 12, in Dillon. Payment must be made with cash or check for permits purchased in person. Both new and renewed permits cost $3 and are valid through the current calendar year. Renewed permits will not be available for purchase until the beginning of the new burn season on Jan. 1, 2021.

Conference Commissioner Kent Paulson announced the Frontier Conference 2020-21 All-Conference Men’s Basketball team, as well as individual award winners and Champions of Character after balloting by the league’s coaches. University of Providence’s Steve Keller was selected as the 2020-2021 Coach of the Year. Providence senior guard Zaccheus Darko-Kelly, was a repeat selection as the league’s Player of the Year. Providence junior guard Marcus Stephens was selected as Newcomer of the Year. Ifeanyi Okeke of Carroll College and Davien Harris-Williams of Providence were selected Co Sixth-Man of the Year. Carroll College’s Shamrock Campbell was selected Defensive Players of the Year. Montana Western’s Michael Haverfield and Montana Tech’s Bridger Larson were selected Co-Freshmen of the Year.

Badger Archery will be host today and tomorrow for the NFAA virtual archery state shoot. Badger Archery owner Sarah Pfister stated: “Probably the first and only time the shoot will be held this way. Due to COVID restrictions they went with this style of a platform.” Archers compete in three groups consisting of Traditional, Bowhunter, and Freestyle. Archers will have a total of 5 arrows to shoot each round and will shoot a total of twelve rounds. Each round is timed with the archer getting up to 4 minutes to shoot their five arrows. The tournament is being held across the state of Montana with eight locations hosting it virtually, most will be shooting today and tomorrow with a few holding the virtual tournament next week. With around ninety people signed up across the state this is a great way to see where your skills rank with other competitive archers in the state of Montana. We will post the Dillon Scores as soon as they are available.

Gov Gianforte held a press conference today 03/02/2021, announcing Montana is slated to receive 8700 doses of the new Johnson and Johnson vaccine, later this week. Counties will begin distributing the vaccine next week. The Johnson and Johnson vaccine is different from the current ones as it does not require the extreme cold refrigeration and it is a single dose vaccine. Gov Gianforte stated: "As we have been getting shots in arms, hospitalizations and deaths are on the decline so are positive cases. Our efforts to protect the most vulnerable are working. To build upon this progress and our efforts to protect more lives from this pandemic, the state of Montana will expand phase 1B." Effective Monday, March 8th, the state will move to 1B+. This will cover those age 60 and older, along with those 16 and older with underlying health conditions, such as Asthma, Cystic Fibrosis, and Liver Disease. As they enter 1B+, the timeline for 1C will stay the same beginning late spring or early summer.

Conference commissioner Kent Paulson announced the Frontier Conference 2020-2021 Women’s All-Conference Basketball team, as well as individual award winners and Champions of Character after balloting by the league’s coaches. Carroll College’s Rachelle Sayers was named Coach of the Year. University of Providence senior guard Emilee Maldonado was selected Player of the Year. Maddy Dixon of the University of Providence and L’Tia Lawrence of MSU-Northern were named Co-Freshmen of the Year. Sophomore Jamie Pickens of Carroll College was selected as Newcomer of the Year. Sophomore Maddie Geritz of Carroll College and L’Tia Lawrence of MSU-Northern were selected Co-6th Player of the Year and Montana Western senior guard Paige Holmes repeated as Defensive Player of the Year.

The Dillon Rotarians will conduct their business meeting on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. Visitors are welcome. Anyone interested in learning more about Rotary should come at noon to be a guest for lunch. The Club meets in the Guild Hall of St. James Episcopal Church, 203 East Glendale St. For more information, email Mike Blando at mikeblando0717@gmail.com or Tina Giem at tgiem@barretthospital.org .

REQUEST FOR PUBLIC INPUT FOR THE UPDATE TO THE CITY OF DILLON CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN The City of Dillon is preparing an update to the Capital Improvement Plan and we invite you to help guide infrastructure and service priorities for the City based on the future growth and needs of the City of Dillon. Your opinions are important to this process to identify needs for the City. The City is conducting a Community Needs Survey. Hard copies can be obtained from the Dillon City Hall or a link to the web survey can be found on the City of Dillon website at http://www.dillonmt.org/. Surveys must be completed and returned to the City by March 12, 2021. For additional information, contact Todd Hazelbaker as 406-683-4245 or Jeremy Fadness, WWC Engineering, 406-443-3962. Hard copies of the survey should be returned to the City Hall.

The Fish and Wildlife Commission approved the 2021 Fishing Access Site (FAS) Annual Rule for public comment at its meeting on Feb. 5. The FAS rules govern fees and regulations related to camping, group use, facilities rental and special recreation permits. No changes to the existing rules or fees are proposed. Public comment will be taken through March 27, and then provided to the commission for consideration. Once given final approval by the commission, the rules will remain in effect for one year. To comment electronically and view the proposed rule, visit online ; to comment in writing, mail to FWP Fisheries Division, P.O. Box 200701, 1420 East 6th Avenue, Helena, MT 59620-0701.

Beaverhead County Public Health is taking appointments only for the following clinics. Please call: 406-683-3203 University of Montana Western Arena • Friday, March 5th University of Montana Western Arena • Friday, March 12th PHASE 1B RECIPIENTS INCLUDE: ● Persons aged 70 years old and older ● American Indians & other people of color who may be at elevated risk for COVID-19 complications ● Persons 18-69 with certain high-risk medical conditions (specific conditions found at https://dphhs.mt.gov/publichealth/cdepi/diseases/coronavirusvaccine) ● Referred by a Healthcare Provider (must be referred!) Masks & Social Distancing Required for Entry

The City of Dillon Parks Committee is seeking input from people living in Mountain View Subdivision (Ibeyville), close to DAN IBEY MEMORIAL PARK- and all people living in Dillon who have an interest in our parks. If the Ibeyville Park is repaired and upgraded, what is your vision for the park in the future? Below is a link to a short survey. Please take a few moments to let us know your thoughts. We will be running the survey until March 15, 2021 and would greatly appreciate your ideas. DAN IBEY MEMORIAL PARK (located at the corner of Sunrise St. & Noble Ave). Please click the link below to answer a few questions about the future planning and renovation of the Dan Ibey Memorial Park - informally known as Ibeyville Park. Thank you, The Dillon Parks Committee https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LL6DLLJ

Staff from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and partnering organizations recently released 26 bighorn sheep into the Tendoy Mountains as part of a new effort to re-establish a wild sheep herd there. The sheep — 19 ewes, five rams and two lambs — were captured from Wild Horse Island on Flathead Lake, where sheep numbers have grown past management objectives. Each of the sheep had healthy body conditions when they were successfully released on Feb. 19. During capture work, FWP staff outfitted the adult and yearling sheep with GPS collars. These collars will provide daily locations of the sheep that will help biologists monitor their movements, habitat use and survival in the Tendoys. Between 2021 and 2022, biologists hope to release a total of 60 sheep in the Tendoys to establish a self-sustaining bighorn population there. Bighorn sheep are native to the Tendoy Mountains and many other mountain ranges in southwest Montana. Native American pictographs in the Tendoys and Lima Peaks are evidence of historical sheep presence. By 1940, however, bighorn sheep were gone from the Tendoys, likely due to unrestricted hunting and disease. In 1985 and 1986, FWP released 53 bighorn sheep into the Tendoys, and the herd grew to include more than 150 animals. In 1993, the herd began experiencing pneumonia-related die-offs and chronically low lamb recruitment. In 2015, FWP initiated a plan to depopulate the Tendoys herd and restock it. This unique strategy involved removing sheep primarily via hunter harvest. Since then, there has been no evidence of bighorn sheep inhabiting the area, allowing the restocking effort to begin. Since bighorn sheep were initially reintroduced in the Tendoys in 1985, the potential for commingling with domestic sheep has been reduced significantly. The GPS collars will play an important role as biologists evaluate the restoration effort’s success, identify and respond to potential risks, and gain knowledge that will inform future reintroduction efforts. Wildlife managers hope to see the herd grow to about 150 sheep. Hunters will continue to play an important role in maintaining the population at relatively low densities to reduce the potential for disease transmission. Many organizations and agencies contributed to the success of this year’s sheep restoration efforts in the Tendoys. Funding was donated by the National Wild Sheep Foundation, the Montana Wild Sheep Foundation, and the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund. The project was also supported by the Bureau of Land Management, the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, sportsmen and private landowners. “We’re excited to once again have bighorn sheep in the Tendoys,” said FWP’s Dillon-area wildlife biologist Jesse Newby. “We’re grateful to our many partners for their collaboration, financial support and volunteerism.”

In anticipation of the new license year, which opens March 1, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks posted regulations for Dear/Elk/Antelope and Moose/Sheep/Goat online at fwp.mt.gov/hunt . The deadline to apply for deer and elk permits is April 1. Please verify your application prior to submission, as changes after submission will not be permitted. Permits will be printed and mailed to hunters after the drawing. When making license purchases online, please remember that licenses and carcass tags may be printed from your home printer on 8.5x11-inch paper, if you elect the print at home option. If the print-at-home option is selected, customers will receive an email at the conclusion of their online transaction that includes a weblink to print their licenses and tags. The link is valid for five days. Please be certain that your printer is functional prior to clicking the link in the email. Otherwise, customers may elect to have FWP print and mail their licenses and tags. License and permit purchases requiring a decal/clip will be mailed within 10 days of purchase or successfully drawing the license. License replacements/reprints are $5 each. The first replacement can be done at any license provider; subsequent replacements must be done at an FWP office.

During this tax season when many people are trying to stay safe at home, the Internal Revenue Service reminds taxpayers about ways to do their taxes for free online or with help from volunteers. Free File is easy, fast, safe and secure Taxpayers who want to prepare and file their tax returns electronically can use IRS Free File . IRS Free File offers brand-name tax software for taxpayers with an income of $72,000 or less in 2020. Taxpayers who earned more can use Free File Fillable Forms, the electronic version of IRS paper forms. Taxpayers can get started at IRS.gov/freefile . IRS Free File also lets taxpayers get an automatic extension of time to file if they need it. Free File is also a way to get a refund fast. Filing electronically and using direct deposit is the fastest and most accurate way to file and get a refund. The IRS issues nine out of 10 refunds in 21 days or less. Taxpayers filing on paper can also choose direct deposit, but paper returns take longer to process. Free File and e-file also help taxpayers who owe. When filing electronically, taxpayers can pay with electronic funds withdrawal for free. Another option is to pay with their bank account using Direct Pay . In addition to paying online, taxpayers who owe taxes can pay using the IRS2Go mobile app on a smartphone or other mobile device. Information about all payment options is available at IRS.gov/payments . Free options for the military and some veterans MilTax , Military OneSource's tax service, provides online software for eligible individuals to electronically file a federal return and up to three state returns for free. Military OneSource is a program funded by the Department of Defense that provides a range of free resources for military members, veterans and their families. More information about OneSource is available at MilitaryOneSource.mil . Get free tax help from volunteers in the community The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program offers free tax help to individuals who generally make $57,000 or less, persons with disabilities, the elderly and individuals with limited English proficiency who need assistance in preparing their taxes. The Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) program also offers free tax help to taxpayers, particularly those age 60 and older. For over 50 years, volunteers have prepared tax returns in communities across the country. Each filing season, tens of thousands of dedicated VITA/TCE volunteers prepare millions of federal and state returns. Last year, for example, over 70,000 volunteers prepared over 2.5 million federal tax returns. And this tax season, due to the ongoing pandemic, some volunteer sites will offer virtual help to taxpayers in place of face-to-face assistance. This allows volunteers to help taxpayers over the phone or online to complete their returns. While virtual tax prep will be an option this tax season, some VITA/TCE sites will still offer in-person free tax help. However, safety and social distancing will be emphasized. IRS-certified VITA and TCE volunteers are trained to help taxpayers claim the tax credits they are entitled to such as the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit and Credit for Other Dependents . The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a significant tax credit for workers who earned $56,844 or less in 2020. The IRS estimates four out of five eligible taxpayers claim and get the EITC. Nationwide in 2020, around 25 million taxpayers received over $62 billion in EITC. The average EITC amount received was $2,461 per return. The EITC is worth as much as $6,660 for a family with three or more children or up to $538 for taxpayers who do not have a qualifying child. New this tax season, taxpayers can use their 2019 earned income to figure their 2020 EITC and the Additional Child Tax Credit if their 2019 earned income was more than their 2020 earned income. To qualify for EITC, people must have earned income, so this option may help workers who earned less in 2020, or received unemployment income instead of their regular wages, get bigger tax credits and larger refunds in the coming year. Also, any Economic Impact Payments received are not taxable or counted as income for purposes of claiming the EITC. Eligible individuals who did not receive the full amounts of both Economic Impact Payments may claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2020 tax return. See IRS.gov/rrc for more information. The VITA and TCE programs can help answer many EITC questions and help taxpayers claim the credit if they qualify. Taxpayers may also use the IRS.gov EITC Assistant to help them determine their eligibility. To find the nearest VITA or TCE site, taxpayers can use the VITA and TCE locator tool available on IRS.gov, download the IRS mobile app IRS2Go , or call 800-906-9887 . Help in other languages – Chinese, Cantonese, Hindi, Korean, Mandarin, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog and Vietnamese – is also available at select locations across the country. The locator tool indicates where these services are offered. Please note that some VITA/TCE sites are not operating at full capacity this year and others are not opening. But the locator tool is updated throughout the tax season, so taxpayers can check back if they don't see a nearby site listed. Get more help Taxpayers can find answers to questions, forms and instructions and easy-to-use tools online at IRS.gov. No appointment required and no waiting on hold. This is part of a series called the Tax Time Guide , focused on helping people file a federal tax return accurately and efficiently. Additional help is available in Publication 17, Your Federal Income Tax .

Governor Greg Gianforte, pursuant to President Joe Biden’s proclamation honoring 500,000 Americans and more than 1,300 Montanans who have lost their lives to COVID-19, has ordered all flags flown in the State of Montana to be flown at half-staff until sunset on February 26. The Governor’s proclamation follows and can be found HERE : I hereby order all flags flown in the State of Montana to be flown at half-staff on Monday, February 22, 2021 until sunset on Friday, February 26, 2021 to honor the 500,000 Americans who have lost their lives to COVID-19. For almost a year, Montanans, and all Americans, have faced a public health and economic pandemic with great resiliency. Tragically, more than 500,000 Americans, including more than 1,300 Montanans, have lost their lives to COVID-19. We remember their lives and keep their loved ones close to our hearts.

Roxanne Engellant, Montana Western Foundation Executive Director and Director of University Development and Alumni Affairs, will speak to Rotarians and guests at noon Wednesday, February 24, 2021. She will provide an update on Foundation projects, the Chancellor search, and other information from the Western campus. Visitors are welcome. Anyone interested in learning more about Rotary should come at noon to be a guest for lunch. The Club meets in the Guild Hall of St. James Episcopal Church, 203 East Glendale St. For more information, email Mike Blando at mikeblando0717@gmail.com or Tina Giem at tgiem@barretthospital.org .

Yesterday Feb 17, 2021 an Avalanche at Center Mountain in the Big Hole occurred, observers from over a mile away witnessed the avalanche. No one was injured. This is safety awareness notification for our members. This is the second known avalanche to occur in our county. It's important we get the word out, our area has a weak base and the amount of new snow needs to be a concern. Snowtel data from Dark Horse shows 88 inches of snow in the area. http://wcc.sc.egov.usda.gov/nwcc/site?sitenum=436. The forest service will be making an announcement to the area this week, but we wanted to inform our members and the public asap as we head to the mountains. The avalanche occurred above 10,000’ elevation on an east aspect (180 degrees) on Center Mountian west of Jackson, MT. GPS coordinates of the slide are: N 45.2261, W 113.6435 Be safe out there and tell your friends. Remember you peeps, probes, and shovels.... Mel Rice- BVHD S&R Public Relations

Traffic is flowing again as crews finish up on a single vehicle accident. Earlier today police and first responders were called out to a single vehicle rollover. The accident took place on Highway 41 North around miler marker 10. This is a breaking story and we will update it as more information is released.

Gov. Greg Gianforte signed HB102 into law today (02/18/2021). The bill will remove restrictions on concealed firearms, allowing them to be carried in most places throughout the state. The bill will allow Montanan's to carry a concealed firearm without a permit in most places, including banks and bars. While some places, such as state and local government buildings, will still require a concealed weapons permit. The law will permit firearms to be carried on public universities and campuses if the gun owner follows certain training requirements and regulations laid out by the university systems board of regents. HB 102 can be found here