TRAIL CREEK Location: 20 miles West of Wisdom Star t date: July 8, 2021 Size: 39,305 acres (IR mapping-8/27) Percent Complete: 58% Cause: Lightning Total personnel: 200 TRAIL CREEK FIRE: Heavy equipment crews completed the debris clean-up operation along the Highway 43 MDOT closure. MDOT re-opened the Highway 43 closure area yesterday afternoon. Ground crews completed handline construction along the western flank near May Creek and along the Three Mile Creek ridge; crews will improve this line and monitor for hot spots. Helicopters assisted with bucket drops yesterday and will continue to be available to assist today. Crews will continue mop-up operations and close monitoring of remaining hot spots throughout the fire. Crews continue to work on a suppression repair plan. ALDER CREEK Location: 7 miles west of Wise River Star t date: July 8, 2021 Size: 14,112 acres (IR mapping-8/27) Percent Complete: 24% Cause: Unknown Total personnel: 192 ALDER CREEK FIRE: Firefighters continue to assess and backhaul excess water-handling equipment no longer needed, monitor areas of heat on the fire, and assess suppression repair needs. Heavy equipment on the northern side of the fire completed wood chipping operations and will work on repairing roads used in suppression operations. Crews continue to monitor the large fuels smoldering in the interior of the fire, south of Highway 43 and west of the Pioneer Scenic Byway; no fire growth is expected. CHRISTENSEN Location:12 miles west of Wise River Star t date: July 16, 2021 Size: 11,120 acres (IR mapping-8/27) Percent Complete: 20% Cause: Unknown Total personnel: 14 CHRISTENSEN FIRE: Heavy equipment resources will continue tree removal operations as weather and safety permits. Scattered heat and visible smoke remains in the Trident Peak area. Forward progression of the fire is not expected. The fire has stalled along the Pattengail Fire footprint, which has served as a natural barrier for confining the fire. TODAY'S WEATHER/FIRE BEHAVIOR: Yesterday's passing storms brought scattered light precipitation in some areas. Consistent cloud cover blanketed the fire area, leading to a decrease in fire activity. Clouds will linger in the area, clearing out this afternoon. Temperatures will drop into the 60s in most of the fire areas with relative humidity at about 30-35%. Winds from the west may gust up to 25 mph, with winds shifting to the northwest in the afternoon hours. The fires' interiors continue to burn-out, but perimeter growth is unlikely. Short- ranging spotting is also unlikely, as the probability of fuel ignition remains at about 30%. Interior pockets of heat in the Harriett Lou Creek area will continue to burn, and smoke continues to be visible in the Salix drainage with smoldering heavy fuels. A high pressure system will move into the area this weekend, bringing higher temperatures and lower relative humidity. The drying trend is expected to start Saturday, peaking in the Sunday-Monday timeframe. As temperatures rise and relative humidity drops, fire activity may increase, with an associated potential for short-range spotting from active burning in the fire's interior. Fire behavior will likely increase in areas where the sun, wind, and slope align (mainly in south to north drainages). Three Mile Creek drainage has exhibited group torching and short-range spotting and will likely continue to do so as the drying trend progresses. SAFETY: Highway 43 and the Pioneer Scenic Byway are open to through traffic. Slow down and stay alert for firefighting equipment and vehicles, smoke, and downed trees. Motorists should also watch for bicyclists, hikers, and vehicles operating at slower speeds. FIRE RESTRICTIONS: Southwest Montana - Stage 1 Central Idaho - Stage 1

The Montana Western volleyball team fell in straight sets to Eastern Oregon (12-25, 18-25, 25-27) to open the season. The Bulldogs (0-1) dropped their first match of the season at the College of Idaho Fall Classic to No. 14 Eastern Oregon (3-2) Thursday night at the J.A. Alberston Activities Center. The Mountaineers jumped on the Bulldogs early, taking a 10-2 lead in the blink of an eye. EOU took advantage of the Bulldogs shaky start, as simple mistakes proved costly and was all the nationally ranked Mountaineers needed to cruise to a 25-12 first set victory. EOU again jumped out to an early 10-3 lead in the second set, but the Bulldogs began to find a rhythm halfway through and clawed back to trim the lead to 18-13. EOU's Breanna Shaffer had three of her match high 12 kills to help the Mounties seal the set win. By the third set, the Bulldogs had shaken off the off-season rust. Aided by three Danyel Martin kills, the Bulldogs built their biggest lead of the match at 8-5. Martin finished the match with six kills and an impressive .455 hitting percentage and added two blocks in her collegiate debut. The third set turned into a battle as the teams traded punches down the stretch until three straight attacking errors byt he Bulldogs gave the Mountaineers the 27-25 set win and the match sweep. The Bulldogs hit just .037 percent and committed 23 attacking errors while EOU tallied 48 kills and hit .239 as a team. Defensively, the Bulldogs were well balanced with freshman Kelsey Goddard and senior Abbey Schwager each totaling 13 digs with Morgan Kirch adding 11. Kaylee Fritz added eight digs and Cady Siemion had seven. Siemion led the team with seven kills, Morgan Stenger had six and freshman Jazi Smith had three. Schwager and Fritz split the setting duties with 12 and 10 sets apiece respectively. The Bulldogs will look to rebound tomorrow, Friday, Aug. 27, as they match up against The Master's (Calif.) at 11 a.m. and host College of Idaho at 3 p.m. in the second day of the tournament. Please check the website regularly for up-to-date schedules​. For the latest on Montana Western Athletics, follow the Bulldogs on social media on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. (Press release UMW Sports)

The Dillon Police Department would once again like to make residents aware of continued scams which have been a problem nationwide; we are no exception. Criminals are using new techniques including information from local businesses and service providers as a way to fraud residents into giving them money, and or their credit card number. The Police Department will do what we can to try and stop these actions but there is little that can be done once the fraud has taken place. Criminals and their operations are located overseas. These cases get transferred to federal agencies, but no one can effectively enforce our laws in other countries. The scammers know our limitations and continue to successfully operate. The best way to keep yourself from falling victim to these scams is to know how to react if you even slightly suspect you are being targeted by a criminal. Requests for credit card numbers, or pre-paid gift card numbers to pay bills or delinquent “fines” is more than likely a scam. Callers are using the names of area businesses, such as medical facilities. Caller ID can even show facilities names and a local phone numbers. If you receive one of these calls, please hang up and call the actual facilities number. DO NOT use the number on the caller ID, a number left on voicemail, email, or text. Remember, most businesses will not call for a credit card number, cash, money orders, or personal information. Legitimate businesses will certainly understand if you call them attempting to avoid criminal access to your private information and finances. Many other scams are taking place including physical threats, threats of arrest, or fraudulent sweepstake winners. You may be told the police or IRS have a warrant. They may state they will be applying for a warrant due to unpaid taxes or legal fines. This is a scare tactic! Hang up! Law Enforcement does not function in this manner. Criminals will advise you that you have won a sweepstakes and advise you to send a processing fee. Scammers have been known to send you a certain amount of money asking you to take a small portion and send the rest to another address. This is a way for the scammers to avoid detection using you as a part of their criminal enterprise therefore making you a participant of the crime. No legitimate business or government agency will ever initiate a call and ask you to pay for any debt, bond, or credit using gift cards. Scammers often ask victims to purchase types of gift cards and give them the numbers on the card. Never purchase any type of cash card or gift card when requested by a caller or internet based individual seeking payment for a delinquent bill or legal fine. Protect yourself! Never give personal information such as your social security number, birth date, or any financial information to someone who has called you. This is also very important with solicitors who have contacted you over the internet. If you follow these steps it will decrease your vulnerability to being a victim of a crime. Please, pass this along to your family and friends so we can keep Beaverhead County and Dillon residents from becoming victims of these predators. We hope you have a safe and enjoyable Labor Day weekend. Please contact us with any questions or concerns. Sincerely, Chief of Police Don Guiberson

(Press release from UMW) The Montana Western Alumni Association and Athletics Department will induct four new members into the Bulldog Athletics Hall of Fame on Saturday, September 18, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. in the Lewis & Clark room in Mathews Hall on the UMW campus. This year’s inductees include Megan (Schmitz) Graham for basketball, Jennifer (Gordon) Tash for volleyball, Tommy Thomas for football, Bob Beers for Coach and Jarrett Monroe for rodeo. Monroe was originally scheduled to be inducted in 2019, but was unable to attend the ceremony in person and will be presented his award at the 2021 induction. Additionally, the members of the 1961 and 1962 football teams will be inducted during the ceremony. A special induction ceremony and brunch will be held in honor of the inductees. The brunch is free for ages 5 and below, $7 for ages 6-17 and $15 for adults. If you are interested in purchasing tickets, please contact Kelly Allen in the Montana Western Foundation office at 406-683-7306 or kelly.allen@umwestern.edu . ­­ Megan (Schmitz) Graham Megan Graham graduated from Montana Western with a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education in Health and Physical Education and Mathematics in 2007. As a basketball student-athlete at Montana Western, Megan was an All-American Honorable Mention in 2006 and was named Frontier All-Academic Team and NAIA Daktronics Scholar Athlete in 2005, 2006, and 2007. During her career, she became the 4th all-time leading scorer, 4th for most field goals made, 4th for most free throws made, and a member of the 1,000 point club. She led the team in most three-point field goals during each of her four years. The team qualified for Nationals all four years making it to the quarterfinals in 2006. Montana Western’s record was 102 wins and 34 losses during her career (44 – 12 in conference play) and they were Conference Tournament Champions twice. Megan married UMW alumnus Jeff Graham in 2007 and has been teaching for the last fourteen years. She coaches basketball, track and cross country. Megan and Jeff live in Belt, Montana with their four children: Cadence, Ellison, Jace and Jimmer. Jennifer (Gordon) Tash Jennifer Tash graduated from Montana Western in 2001 with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and Reading. Tash played basketball and volleyball while attending Montana Western. She earned an unprecedented three consecutive “Defensive Player of the Year” awards in 1998, 1999, and 2000 for volleyball. During her senior year, she led the league in digs with 3.8 per game, was third in passing at 94.9%, and topped the serving list with a 97.8 percentage. She was voted team captain both her junior and senior year. The Bulldogs were undefeated in conference play in 1998 and were the Frontier Conference Champions. Tash taught school in California for four years before moving back to teach in Montana. She married Tyler Tash and they live in Polaris, Montana with their four children: Sage, Callie, Raelynn and Lewis. She is currently employed at Barretts Minerals as the ISO Coordinator. Bob Beers Bob Beers was head football coach and Athletic Director at Western Montana College (now Montana Western) from 1993-1995. In two years, Beers had built WMC into an NAIA Division I national championship contender. In his first season, the Bulldogs started 0-4 before finishing with five straight wins and splitting the conference title with Carroll College. In 1994, the team went 8-3 and the Bulldogs won their first ever playoff game. Beers established the Celebrity Golf Tournament Fundraiser, now known as the Bulldog Scholarship Scramble, for Bulldog Athletics in 1993. Bob was a standout linebacker for the University of Montana earning All-American honors his junior and senior years. He was UM’s first 1st-team All American and was inducted into the Grizzly Sports Hall of Fame. He has coached at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels, making an impact every step of the way. Beers was recently inducted into the Montana Football Hall of Fame. He and his wife Janelle are retired and back in Montana full-time, enjoying their children and grandchildren and the fishing streams of Southwest Montana. Tommy Thomas Tommy Thomas graduated from Montana Western with a Business Communications degree in 1998. Thomas played wide receiver for the Bulldogs from 1993-97 and currently holds the receiving record at Montana Western. He was Frontier All-Conference three years and NAIA All-American for the 1995-96 season. In 1996, he was leading the nation in receptions per game in NAIA Division I before a scapula injury ended his season. Thomas was named Frontier Conference Offensive Player of the Week and National Player of the Week for the game with Rocky Mountain College in October 1995. Thomas had 10 receptions for 192 yards and one touchdown and did not play the second half as Montana Western had a 33-0 halftime lead. Thomas was also the holder on Kris Heppner’s school record 57-yard field goal. The Bulldogs won three conference titles during Thomas’s career. Thomas is currently a journeyman electrician. He and his wife, Karen, live in Missoula and have two daughters, Cheyenne and Challis. Jarrett Monroe Jarret Monroe was a rodeo student-athlete at the University of Montana Western from 2004-2006. As a rodeo athlete, Jarrett received several honors starting in high school and continued his success into his college career. Jarrett was the High School National Finals Saddle Bronc Champion in 2001 and the High School National Finals All-Around Champion in 2002. While at Montana Western, he was the 2006 Big Sky Region Saddle Bronc Champion. He was also the champion at the Indian National Finals Rodeo events in 2003, 2005, and 2012 in Saddle Bronc. Jarrett is currently the owner and manager of a custom haying and trucking business. He and his wife, Francine, have four children: Madison, Erin, Ayrianna and JW. 1961 and 1962 Football teams The Western Montana College Football teams of 1961 and 1962 won two consecutive Montana Collegiate Conference Championships led by head coach George McCormick, in 1961, and newly appointed head coach, Frank Hoey, in 1962. During the 1961 season, the Bulldogs allowed only 13 points to conference opponents and held 6 of the 8 conference teams to zero points. They finished the regular season 7-0-1. The 1962 Bulldogs went 5-0 in conference play with the team’s only loss coming from the Weber College Wildcats. They finished the season with a record of 6-1.

The last weekend of August is upon us, and summer is coming to an end. Kids are getting ready to go back to school. But that doesn't mean the fun on the weekends has stopped. Lucky for you we have all the happenings in one convenient place. Thursday, 08/26/2021 Community Dinner & Bingo No membership is required to attend! Community dinner is served from 5:30-7:00 p.m. If you're running late, please call 683-5552 and we'll save it for you. Food is also available for pickup. $10 adult / $6 children under 10 Veterans pay half price! ~Chicken Fried Steak~ [photo is a representation] Dinner includes entree, potato, crisp green salad, fresh roll, coffee or tea, and dessert. Stay for bingo at 7 p.m. (must be over 18 to play) Lounge is open on Thursday night from 5 p.m. to close! Beaverhead Chapter of the Mule Deer Foundation Committee Meeting Starts at 6 PM Monthly meeting to discuss projects, banquets, and hunting stories. Music on Main in Butte, MT Don’t miss the final Music on Main of the season! Come and help us set the night on fire! Friday, 08/27/2021 Chandler Huntley Live at the Pioneer Bar Patio 1 PM to 3 PM Come out to see Chandler Huntley pick some country tunes! Montana State Old-Time Fiddle Contest Montana State Fiddle contest at the Frontier Events Center. Contest will include multiple age divisions in addition to junior and adult picking divisions. Starts Friday at 7 PM and Saturday at 9 Am. Live Music Chandler Huntley Music starts at 5 PM at the Star Restaurant. Dan Henry at The Bale of Hay Dan Henry returns to The Bale of Hay In Virginia City, Montana for an evening of music from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.. Comedy Show, Parade, Classic Vehicle "Show & Shine" / Veteran/Military Ceremony & Drag Show n the spirit of moving forward from the moment “the world stood still - forever changing each of our lives”, all of us from All Veterans Count LLC (non-profit), Ingraham Environmental Inc., T&A Creative Properties LLC, Kevin Shannon Productions & Drunk'n Miner Saloon - Copper Spirits Casino of Butte - endorsed by KBOW - 550 AM & 101.5 FM / KOPR & MAGIC are extremely excited to host a Two (2) Day Program/Schedule of “BUTTE DAYS” Festival & Charity to be held in Butte, Montana on August 27th & 28th 2021. Follow link for full listing of events. Spirit Tailings This talk will weave a ghostly web in a thought-provoking journey to Montana’s most spirited places. Like the tailings left by Montana's early placer miners, Ellen Baumler's "tailings" explore the leftover traces of Montana's haunted heritage. A herd of ghost horses, a restless artist, spirits of Virginia City's vigilante past, a ghostly legacy of Lewis and Clark, and other true tales will leave you looking over your shoulder all the way home. This is the final presentation in Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park’s annual Friday Summer Speakers Series, which has introduced a new speaker each Friday throughout the summer. About the speaker: Ellen Baumler received her PhD from the University of Kansas in history, classics, and english. From 1992 until her retirement in 2018, she was the Montana Historical Society's interpretive historian in Helena. The author of 13 books and dozens of articles on various Montana topics, Ellen is best known for her well researched stories about Montana's special haunted places. Her passion for the true supernatural began in her own historic home where she learned firsthand about the eerie intertwining of the past and the present. BCHS Football vs Whitefish Game starts at 6 Pm Vigilante Field Saturday, 08/28/2021 MT National Guard Paintball Tournament Come out and play a day full of paintball!! Tournament will be played as a single elimination capture the Flag style competition! You will need 5 players per team (all need to be from the same school - you don't have to be currently enrolled in that school though) Each team will also be randomly given a Team Captain. (One of our esteemed National Guard soldiers) Ages 16- 39 Welcome to Play (we need liability waivers signed) Butte Central will be offering concessions for lunch and snacks. Registration opens on June 15th and closes on August 2nd. We only have room for 20 teams to play so make sure to text in and secure your spot ASAP. Spectators are welcome to come and watch as well. We will have a couple of video game stations set up for those not in-play during the paintball games. Awards will be given out for: - 1st place - Best Team Theme - Gulag Champions (details coming) - Highest Mario Level reached on 1 life. (Original Super Mario Bros.) Keep on the lookout for updates and announcements via our social media pages on IG and FB. Text team name and full rosters to: 406-871-6319 SSG Jim Juntunen - or - 406-366-6036 SFC Kim Moderie Secure your spot! Twin Bridges Gun Show 9:00am-3:00pm admission is $3. Benefits the 4H Shooting Program. Ranch Horse Competition Ranch Horse Competition. Classes for all ages & skills of horse & rider; Youth; Prime Time Rider; Advanced Horse; Ranch Riding; Stallion Stakes and more! Full slate of classes offered each day! Last Ranch Horse Competition of the circuit in 2021! Entry blank, Rule Book, Patterns on website under "Events" "Ranch Horse Competitions" tab. Montana Western Alumni and Friends Tailgating at Vigilante Stadium Join us for the first football game of the season. Tailgate area opens at 10 a.m. and your can reserve your tailgate by contacting Mike Piazzola at 406-683-7664 or Roxanne Engellant at 406-683-7305. We look forward to seeing you at the Bulldog football games! Go DAWGS!! Laid-Back Swap Meet & Car Show, 5th Annual For more info go to https://laidbackusa.com/pages/events ... The Laid-Back crew along with L&L Salvage are bringing chill people, cool cars, and interesting vendors together for another day full of automotive shenanigans. We hope you can join us for this family friendly event! Gold, Vigilantes and the Creation of the Montana Territory Join our Park Ranger to learn about the creation of the Montana Territory and Bannacks’ role. Will be held inside of the Old Church. Road Agents. Slainte. Justin Ringsak is back home for one night only. He's gonna play the mandolin and tell you what's up. The Road Agents. Original acoustic rock and roll and outlaw country from the wilds of Montana Territory. They will not play Wagon Wheel I'm sorry. Willy James @ The Peat Come down to the Peat. LIVE MUSIC Starts at 6 PM. Sunday, 08/29/2021 LIVE W/Tanner Laws The Star Restaurant music starts at 12 PM As always if you have an event you would like on our Weekend Rundown feel free to email us @ southwesternmtnews@gmail.com. Don't forget next weekend is Montana's Biggest Weekend in Dillon we will be covering the events and happenings going on. As well as a special livestream of the Labor Day Parade.

2021 Season Outlook Offense The Bulldogs return seven starters from 2019's squad that averaged 433 yards a game. Redshirt junior quarterback Jon Jund continues to impress, throwing for 2746 yards and 31 scores to lead the Frontier. He ran for 365 yards and eight more scores, earning him second-team all-conference honors. After finishing last in the Frontier in 2018 with 115 yards per game on the ground. The Bulldogs improved finishing fourth with 144 yards per game. They loss senior running back Kylar Prante who ran for a career-high 669 yards and three scores, he also caught 16 passes for 185 yards. Competition for the top spot in the Bulldogs backfield will be strong in fall camp, redshirt freshman Colten McPhee and University of Nevada transfer Reese Neville handling the bulk of the carries. The receiving corps is led by Nate Simkins (55 rec. 830 yards 13 TD) who set a school record for touchdowns in a season. Trey Mounts (30 rec. 633 yards 5 TD) and Jamison Hermanson (12 rec. 172 yards 2 TD). Blake Sentman , Elijah Benedick , and Matt Jorgensen will add depth for the Bulldogs. Three starters return to the Bulldog offensive line, senior captain Noah Danielson (6-4, 295) , Ethan Togchi-tani (6-4, 305), and Hunter Severson (6-1, 295). and Noah Pritchett (6-4, 315) will look to fill the void left by seniors. Jed Heffernan , Jesus Paramo, Chris Barber and Ty Lahue. Defense The defense loses only two starters but will have huge shoes to fill as the two-time Frontier Defensive Player of the Year and two-time AP, NAIA, AFCA All-American linebacker Jason Ferris signed an undrafted free agent contract with the NFL's Carolina Panthers in the spring of 2020. Ferris led the league in tackles the past two seasons. The Bulldogs also will miss defensive back Jackson Thompson who had 38 tackles, two tackles for loss, an INT and was 9th in the nation in passes defended per game (1.4). The Bulldogs defense forced 27 turnovers and returned six for touchdowns. The Bulldogs return nine starters form last seasons team that finished third in the frontier in total defense (375 yards per game), third in points allowed (21.5) and averaged 8.3 passes defended and 2.6 sacks a game. Look for seniors Joe Caicedo and captain Kyle Schulte to lead not only the Bulldogs but also the Frontier in tackles and tackles for loss. The Bulldogs ball hawking secondary had 19 interceptions and 83 pass breakups in 2019. Kameron Rouser, Dylan Pope had an impressive 2019 campaign. The Bulldogs add transfer Latrell McCutcheon as they look to be threat to opposing offensives in 2021. The linebackers were the heart of the Bulldog defense a year ago, with four backers leading the defense in tackles and three earning all-conference honors (Ferris, Caicedo 1st-team, Schulte 2nd-team). The defensive line returns starters Tanner Harrell , Reece Artz and Brandon Aimsback . Special Teams The Bulldog specialist had a strong 2019 season. Punter Joseph Lema led the Frontier averaging 41.5 yards per punt (7th in the nation) earning him a first-team all-conference selection. Returner Trey Mounts earned first-team all-conference honors as both kick and punt returner. He was 9th in the nation in kick returns (26.1 yards per ret.) and 4th in punt returns (12.6 yards per ret.) Jamison Hermanson is also a threat in the return game averaging 22.3 per return. Elijah Benedick averaged 18.3 per return. The Bulldogs blocked three kicks and returned a blocked punt for a touchdown. Freshman Jon Mears will handle the Bulldogs placekicking duties in 2021.

The University of Montana Western has announced the hiring of Tara Jones as Director of Dining Services. Jones earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota and is currently pursuing an MBA from the University of Montana. She holds certifications as a Registered Dietitian from the Commission on Dietetic Registration and as a Licensed Nutritionist from the Montana Board of Medical Examiners. In 2011, she completed a food service management dietetic internship accredited through the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in Sarasota, Florida. She was named the 2014 Young Dietitian of the Year from the Montana Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and has presented at the National Association of College and University Food Services Regional Conference. “We are excited to welcome Tara Jones to the Montana Western Bulldog Family. Her exceptional experience and educational background in food service will help us move our dining program to new levels and continue to meet the needs of our students, faculty, and staff,” said Senior Director of Auxiliary Services, Mike Piazzola. During her professional career, Jones has served as the Ravalli County High Risk Dietitian, the School Nutrition Specialist for the Montana Office of Public Instruction, and most recently as the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for Montana State University. “I’m excited about coming to Montana Western for so many reasons. I’m looking forward to getting to know faculty, staff, students, and community members by sharing great meals together. I’m also thankful for the opportunity to raise my family in a welcoming, tight-knit Montana community,” said Jones. Jones will be taking over for Cheri McCarthy, who is retiring after over 30 years at Montana Western. “I began my career with Western Montana College in 1988 as a cook. As time went by, I knew I was destined to stay. I have met and worked with many wonderful and interesting students, friends and coworkers. I will cherish the memories I have for the rest of my life. I know that this new chapter in my life as well as the future of UMW Dining Services will bring many exciting and positive changes. I wish only the best to Tara and the staff of Dining Services,” said McCarthy. “I want to thank Cheri McCarthy for her 33 years of excellent service to Montana Western. She has been the heart and soul of our dinning program and she will be missed. I wish her nothing but the best in her retirement. She has earned it!” said Piazzola. Jones will begin her new position as Director of Dining Services on October 27, 2021. In the interim, Katie Hartman and Deb Waller will be managing the day-to-day operations of Dining Services with Senior Director of Auxiliary Services, Mike Piazzola. (Press release from UMW)

Planning Board Packet

TRAIL CREEK Location: 20 miles West of Wisdom Star t date: July 8, 2021 Size: 39,264 acres (IR mapping-8/25) Percent Contained: 26% Cause: Lightning Total personnel: 218 TRAIL CREEK FIRE: Warmer temperatures resulted in a slight increase in fire activity yesterday, particularly along the western flank of the fire. Torching and creeping continues predominantly within the fire's interior, posing little threat to the perimeter of the fire line. Ground crews will continue line work along the western flank near May Creek and along the Three Mile Creek ridge; a large helicopter will assist with bucket drops if needed. Crews will continue mop-up operations and close monitoring of remaining hot spots throughout the fire. Heavy equipment crews continue debris clean up along Hwy 43 in the Montana DOT closure area. Crews continue to work on a suppression repair plan in consultation with Tribal officials and representatives from the National Park Service, Big Hole Battlefield. ALDER CREEK Location: 7 miles west of Wise River Star t date: July 8, 2021 Size: 14,108 acres (IR mapping-8/25) Percent Contained: 15% Cause: Unknown Total personnel: 176 ALDER CREEK FIRE: Interior burning increased yesterday due to increased drying conditions and smoldering of heavy fuels; however, activity should slow with the coming cool weather. Crews continue to monitor containment of the fire south of Highway 43 and west of the Pioneer Scenic Byway. Firefighters continue to assess and backhaul excess water-handling equipment no longer needed. CHRISTENSEN Location:12 miles west of Wise River Star t date: July 16, 2021 Size: 11,109 acres (IR mapping-8/25) Percent Contained: 15% Cause: Unknown Total personnel: 13 CHRISTENSEN FIRE: Fire personnel continue to contain the fire south and east of Highway 43, while minimizing impacts to communities and infrastructure. IR flights reveal increased scattered heat in the Trident Peak area due to the drying trend from the past few days. Crews continue to look for opportunities to limit fire spread onto private property to the west. The fire has stalled along the Pattengail fire footprint, which has served as a natural barrier for containing the fire. Heavy equipment resources will continue log removal operations as weather and safety permits. TODAY'S WEATHER/FIRE BEHAVIOR: Temperatures yesterday were in the high 60s to low 70s with the relative humidity in the mid-teens. Winds stayed around 5-10 mph with gusts around 15 mph. Last night temperatures dropped down to the 40-degree range with relative humidity ranging from 50% in the higher elevations to as high as 90% in low drainages. Today, the weather will be slightly different with temperatures in the low 70s, with 70% cloud cover during the day and up to 90% by sunset. Winds will be around 5-10 mph with gusts up to 15-20 mph. Thunderstorms will creep back into the forecast as the next disturbance settles in with a small chance of precipitation, disrupting our warming/drying trend and providing a few days of increased cloud cover. Given full sun exposure and light winds, fire activity picked up the last couple of days in isolated areas, with creeping ground fire and some isolated tree torching. Increased cloud cover should lessen this fire activity. CLOSURES: The Continental Divide Trail is closed from Rock Creek to Mussigbrod Creek. The Big Hole National Battlefield is closed until further notice. Campground Closures: May Creek Forest Closure orders are in effect on the Beaverhead-Deerlodge and Salmon-Challis National Forests. Road Closure: Montana DOT will close Highway 43 from Wisdom to mile marker 7.5 for bridge repairs. The closure is in effect from 6 a.m. on Monday, August 23 until 6 a.m. on Friday, August 27.

Full packet can be downloaded here:

TRAIL CREEK Location: 20 miles West of Wisdom Star t date: July 8, 2021 Size: 39,243 acres (IR mapping-8/23) Percent Contained: 26% Cause: Lightning Total personnel: 193 TRAIL CREEK FIRE: Crews are continuing to improve handline along the western perimeter of the fire and mop up and monitor residual hot spots. Helicopters dropped water in the area as a proactive measure for mitigating future fire activity. Heavy equipment crews are taking advantage of the Montana DOT closure of the highway for bridge repairs, cleaning up debris from the Highway 43 corridor. Crews completed about one-third of the debris clean-up yesterday. Fire personnel will continue to maintain structure protection measures (water-handling equipment like pumps, hose, and sprinklers) in the Gibbonsville areas. Crews continue to work on a suppression repair plan in consultation with Tribal officials and representatives from the National Park Service, Big Hole Battlefield. ALDER CREEK Location: 7 miles west of Wise River Star t date: July 8, 2021 Size: 14,066 acres (IR mapping-8/23) Percent Contained: 15% Cause: Unknown Total personnel: 175 ALDER CREEK FIRE: Smoke may increase due to isolated pockets burning within the fire's interior. Plans are to continue containing the fire south of Highway 43 and west of Highway 73 (Pioneer Scenic Byway) while minimizing impacts to communities and infrastructure. Crews are utilizing the Pattengail fire footprint as a natural barrier to contain the fire. Fire personnel are monitoring the east side of Bryant Creek drainage for potential movement toward private property, infrastructure, and other values. Log removal and chipping operations will continue as weather and safety permits. CHRISTENSEN Location:12 miles west of Wise River Star t date: July 16, 2021 Size: 11,089 acres (IR mapping-8/23) Percent Contained: 15% Cause: Unknown Total personnel: 9 CHRISTENSEN FIRE: The last infrared flight showed scattered heat over the north face of Trident Peak. The heat in this area is a cause for very limited concern due to it being in an area sheltered from sun exposure and prevailing winds on the north-facing slope. Crews continue to clean up defensive lines and are working with resource advisors on suppression repair operations. TODAY'S WEATHER/FIRE BEHAVIOR: Yesterday, temperatures were in the high 60s to low 70s with relative humidity at about 20%. Westerly winds were a steady 5-10 mph with gusts up to 30 mph, though the east-to-west canyons and ridgetops saw gusts up to 35 mph. Today is projected to be the driest day of the week, with similar temperatures and relative humidity and slightly lower wind speeds. Westerly winds will be about 8-10 mph accompanied by 18-20 mph gusts with increasing cloud cover and smoke. Cloud cover will increase starting tomorrow. Temperatures, minimum relative humidity, and a chance of precipitation is projected to increase later in the week. CLOSURES : The Continental Divide Trail is closed from Rock Creek to Mussigbrod Creek. The Big Hole National Battlefield is closed until further notice. Campground Closures: May Creek Forest Closure orders are in effect on the Beaverhead-Deerlodge and Salmon-Challis National Forests. Road Closure: Montana DOT will close Highway 43 from Wisdom to mile marker 7.5 for bridge repairs. The closure is in effect from 6 a.m. on Monday, August 23 until 6 a.m. on Friday, August 27.

FWP has released a decision notice and final environmental assessment that supports proceeding with emergency haying and grazing leases on select wildlife management areas. The primary purpose of these leases is to enhance wildlife habitat and to benefit local producers. FWP invites parties who may have an interest in one or more of the leases to review the final EA documents and request further information on specific leases by sending an email to: fwpwld@mt.gov (preferred) or by contacting 406-444-2612. Producers are only eligible for lease opportunities that occur in their county or, in some cases, adjacent counties. If there is an absence of interest within eligible counties, producers from surrounding counties will be given consideration. Most counties do not have a lease opportunity. All lease opportunities require services in place of a cash rent payment, which may include supplying and erecting electric fence, establishing a water tank and hauling water, repairing fences, clearing haying sites, ongoing fence maintenance and livestock containment. To view the decision notice and EA, visit the public notices section of the FWP website or click here . After reviewing the information packet and associated responsibilities, producers who wish to participate further will be asked to fill out an online form no later than 5 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 1. Lessees will be selected randomly on Sept. 2. All participants will be notified of results.

Due to wet weather and cooler temperatures, closures and restrictions were lifted on several rivers and sections of rivers at 2 p.m. today. All restrictions were lifted on all rivers in western Montana (Region 2) including: Bitterroot River from the confluence with the Clark Fork upstream to the confluence of East Fork and West Fork Bitterroot River (river mile 0.0 to 83); Clark Fork River from confluence of Flathead River to confluence with Warm Springs Creek (river mile 103 to 339.5); Fish Creek from the mouth to the confluence with South Fork Fish Creek near Forks (river mile 0.0 to 9.1); Silver Bow Creek from the confluence with Warm Springs Creek to Montana Street in Butte (river mile 3.8 to 28.5, includes Warm Springs Ponds); St. Regis River from the mouth to the confluence with Twelve Mile Creek near De Borgia (river mile 0.0 to 12.55). Rains over the past several days also improved temperatures and flows in many rivers east of the Continental Divide. In southwest, south-central and north-central Montana (Regions 3, 4 and 5), fishing closures and restrictions were lifted on: Beaverhead River from the mouth to Hwy 91 S (river mile 0.0 to 53.7); East Gallatin River from the confluence with the Gallatin River to the confluence of Bear Creek and Rocky Creek (river mile 0.0 to 42.1); Gallatin River from the mouth to Hwy 84 Crossing (river mile 0.0 to 32.7); Entire Jefferson River (river mile 0.0 to 76.96); Madison River from the confluence of the Missouri River to Ennis Dam (river mile 0.0 to 40); Ruby River from confluence with Beaverhead River to Duncan District Road (river mile 0.0 to 13.8); Smith River from Eden Bridge to the confluence of the North and South Fork (river mile 22.4 to 121); Sun River from the mouth of Muddy Creek to the Hwy 287 Bridge (river mile 17.4 to 67.5); Yellowstone River from Hwy 212 Bridge in Lauren to Yellowstone National Park boundary (river mile 382 to 558). Fishing closures remain in place on the Big Hole River, Shields River and Red Rock Creek due to continued low flows in all three waterbodies. Angling restrictions are implemented based on several considerations: stream flow, water temperatures, angling pressure and other angling restrictions in the area that may divert use to waterways where circumstances are increasing stress on the fishery. Before you go fishing, please be aware of the conditions. Numerous other rivers in Montana are also under fishing restrictions. For a full list, visit FWP’s website: https://fwp.mt.gov/news/current-closures-restrictions .

On Friday the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission approved new brown trout regulations for the Big Hole and Beaverhead rivers effective immediately. The regulations are an effort to help preserve existing brown trout in the two rivers in which populations have declined during recent years. On the Big Hole River, the new regulations are for catch and release only for brown trout from Dickie Bridge to the mouth of the river near Twin Bridges. The regulations also include a seasonal closure between the Bureau of Land Management Maiden Rock site and Browns Bridge Fishing Access Site from Nov. 1 until the third Saturday in May. The new regulations also call for artificial lures and single hooks only from Dickie Bridge to the mouth near Twin Bridges. This would mean no double or treble hooks allowed. On the Beaverhead River, brown trout would be catch and release only for the entire river with only artificial lures and single hooks. From Clark Canyon Dam to Pipe Organ Bridge, the river would be closed from Nov. 1 until the third Saturday in May. Again, these regulations are in effect immediately. For more information, look online at fwp.mt.gov/fish

COMMUNITY AFFAIRS COMMITTEE MEETING City Council Chambers Wednesday, August 25, 2021 12:00 PM ~ AGENDA ~ 1. Call to Order 2. Continue with plans for 2022 (Duck Race, Dillon History Days, etc.) 3. Continue with setting up the Dillon, Montana Community Foundation and 501 (c)(3) 4. Public Comment On Items Of Significant Public Interest Not On The Agenda And Within The Jurisdiction Of The City 5. Adjournment Committee Members: Stan Smith, Chair Bill Shafer Cory Birkenbuel Stacey Roundy, Vice Chair Debbie Sporich Raymond Graham Brenda Womack Rebecca Jones

FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING ~ AGENDA ~ Thursday, August 26, 2021 3:00 P.M. 1. Approval of August 2021 Claims 2. Public Comment on Items of Significant Public Interest Not on The Agenda And Within The Jurisdiction of The City 3. Adjournment Committee Members: Don Hand, Chairperson Dan Nye Russ Schwandt

WATER - SEWER COMMITTEE MEETING City Council Chambers Thursday, August 26, 2021 9:00 A.M. ~ AGENDA ~ 1. Discuss/Recommend Presentation on Generator Loading Services from Western States Equipment 2. Status of ARPA Competitive Grant for Water Project 3. Discuss/Recommend Request for Dillon Implement Company Inc. to Annex Since Being Supplied Water Service 4. Discuss/Recommend Adjusting Water Sewer Bill Database 5. Public Comment On Items Of Significant Public Interest Not On The Agenda And Within The Jurisdiction Of The City 6. Adjournment COMMITTEE MEMBERS Don Hand, Chairperson Russ Schwandt Raymond Graham PLEASE NOTE : The City of Dillon understands that citizens have the right under the Montana Constitution to observe and participate in local governmental affairs by personally attending all public meetings of the Dillon City Council and other City boards and committees. This meeting is open to the public as normal (pre-virus). Any who would like to physically attend, are asked to please wear a face covering and practice 6-ft social distancing at the meeting. For those who are cautious about physically attending, a Zoom link is available. Join the meeting with Zoom ID: 770-316-6528 , allowing permission for mic and camera (if using a computer go to https://zoom.us/j/7703166528 ) and use Passcode 4245 . Please mute your mic until you desire to comment. Any problems or questions, call City Hall at 683-4245. Thank you, Michael L. Klakken, Mayor

Breanne Smith, Executive Director of the Beaverhead Trails Coalition, will speak to Rotarians and guests at noon Wednesday, August 25, 2021. She will provide an update Beaverhead Trials Coalitions projects over the last year and future planned project. 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 John O’Brien at john@highpeaksfcu.com or Tina Giem at tgiem@barretthospital.org .