Search Results

After the cancellation of our local community Thanksgiving Dinner a local Dillon lady Heidi Lagge, came up with the idea of doing Thanksgiving in a box. The idea consists of making a take and bake box that contains everything to have a successful Thanksgiving dinner for those who may have solely relied on the community Thanksgiving dinner. They are looking at putting together 25 boxes. If you would like to donate an item or know of a family in need, we have provided all the information below: FINALIZED PLAN *I will be taking complete “Thanksgiving in a Box” donations. You will need the following items. 1 Ham 1 2lb bag of Potatoes 1 frozen Pie 1 package of Butter 1 container of Juice 1 box of Stuffing DC RENTAL- will prove the boxes for all the items. KLONDIKE- Will provide the dozen rolls for each box. Lagge Family- Will provide the canned vegetables for each box. Lagge Family- Will assemble the boxes and pass them out or deliver if necessary. *Drop off LOCATION: Dillon Assembly Church DATE: Wednesday November 25th TIME: 7:30am-12:30pm *Pick up LOCATION: Dillon Assembly Church DATE: Wednesday November 25th TIME: 3:30pm-5:30pm Deliveries would be after 5:30pm-6:30pm If you have commented for donating a COMPLETE “Thanksgiving in a box” I have you on my list.. **If you have commented to bring an item to help fill a box please scratch that donation. Thank you for working with me to figure out what is going to work the best for all.. Heidi, Tanner, Braxtyn, Eastyn and Thatcher Lagge!

The Beaverhead Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture presents the 2020 Parade of Lights. This year’s theme will be Angels on Earth. The parade will be held December 4th at 6 P.M. The Chamber is inviting all Dillon businesses, organizations, and the community to light up the night and shine for an evening of fun and joy for all ages. If you are interested in participating, please see the forms below.

The Elk Management Plan Initial Guidance Citizens Group will meet via Zoom on Nov. 19, Dec. 2–3, and Dec. 16–17. The citizens group will provide initial guidance to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks for the revision of Montana’s Elk Management Plan. This guidance will specifically focus on principles to guide the future of elk management in Montana. The group will take public comment at the December meetings. The meetings are open to the public and will be live streamed here. The Nov. 19 meeting is informational with presentations regarding elk and elk management in Montana. The meeting begins at 8:30 a.m. and topics include: social science related to elk elk harvest surveys and trends elk population surveys and trends elk competition with mule deer and other ungulates brucellosis in elk: livestock impacts elk habitat, access, and distribution carnivore impacts on elk and integrated carnivore-elk management The December meetings each begin at 9 a.m. To view the Elk Management Plan Initial Guidance Citizens Group meeting agendas, click here . FWP ensures meetings are fully accessible to persons with special needs. To request arrangements, please contact the Wildlife Division at 406-444-2612. The Elk Management Plan Initial Guidance Citizens Group will disband after articulating elk management issues and developing guiding principles for FWP. The guiding principles developed by the group will be presented to the Fish &Wildlife Commission for more public review and adoption by the commission before FWP proceeds with Elk Management Plan development.

Rising cases of coronavirus infection in our community are threatening to disrupt our health security, schools, businesses and lifestyles. To help address the publics’ questions about this virus, a community forum will be held this Thursday, November 12, 2020 at the Beaverhead County High School auditorium at 7 PM.  Because of COVID-19 restrictions, admission will be limited to the first 50 people who arrive.  Appropriate spacing will be set up, and masks will be required.  The forum will be broadcast on Facebook Live as well as on KDBM/KBEV radio. Dr. Ron Loge will moderate the session.  Dr. Sandra McIntyre and Dr. Michael Clarke will provide insights on the impact of COVID-19 on our families, neighbors and well as the hospital and staff.  An internationally renowned infectious disease specialist with extensive experience in dealing with Covid-19, Dr. Peter Pappas from the University of Alabama, will discuss his knowledge of treating and managing this disease in his hard-hit state.  He will address both facts and misconceptions about coronavirus that the public grapples with.  Questions are encouraged from the audience to bring out all concerns so that we as a community can together keep each other safe and keep our businesses and schools open. Attend in person or tune into KDBM, 1490 AM/KBEV, 98.3 FM. Watch on the Web at Southwestern Mt News Facebook and YouTube Pages Bio for Peter Pappas MD  Internationally renowned infectious disease specialist, Dr. Peter Pappas is Professor of Medicine at the University of Alabama.  As a clinician, researcher and teacher he has been of the front line of Alabama’s raging coronavirus epidemic.  With 39 years of infectious disease experience, his perspective from his largely rural home state can inform our approach to this deadly epidemic. His Beaverhead County connections go back 3 decades having come here with his family to visit friends, hunt, camp or fish nearly every year.  Bison meat from the Holland ranch fed the Pappas family for many years.

This year, due to COVID-19, the issuing of Christmas Tree Permits will all be done here and although there is not a charge for the permit, (up to three trees per permit), there is a processing fee of $2.50. The holiday tree permit fees continue to help support the Every Kid Outdoors program.

Press release from Beaverhead County Health on 3rd COVID related death, Beaverhead County Health Public Health deeply regrets to report that another Beaverhead County resident has died from COVID-19 on November 6, 2020. The individual is a man in his 70s who was hospitalized in a Beaverhead County facility. Public Health will not release the deceased’s location of residence or death unless there is a public health reason to do so. As of November 6th , at 7pm Beaverhead County has 345 total cases with 54 active and 3 confirmed deaths. For questions about COVID-19 please visit the DPPHS COVID-19 website or the CDC website. For your safety and the safety of the community, continue practicing social distancing, wearing a mask, staying home as often as possible, and performing frequent handwashing.

The free online classes are set for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday Nov. 14 and 21. The classes are identical, and trappers must complete only one of them. To register for the classes, please browse to the FWP website at  FWP.MT.GOV  and follow the links to “Education” and “Wolf Trapper Education & Certification.” Because of current COVID-19 restrictions, FWP will offer no in-person classes this fall. The two classes will be online via ZOOM. Students will be sent the ZOOM address for the classes when they register.

Beaverhead Chamber of Commerce & Agriculture Meeting Agenda November 12, 2020 8:30am – The Klondike 8:30am - Welcome and Introductions of Guests John 8:35am – Approval of the Agenda John 8:40am - Approval of Minutes John 8:45am – Approval of Financial Report Bob 8:55am - Executive Director Report Rebecca - Halloween Party Wrap Up - Lunch n Learn – Nov. 19th - Parade of Lights – Dec. 4th 9:05am – CVB: COVID Safety Grant Update Bob/Rebecca 9:15am – CVB: VisitDillon.com Website Discussion John/Bob/Rebecca 9:25am – New Business John 9:30am – Adjournment John Upcoming Board Events: Board Meeting, Dec. 10th and Lunch n Learn, Dec. 17th

The City Council started off with the approval of the October 21st meeting minutes. Followed up with the mayor’s report along with a presentation by Morgan Starr from Amatics CPA Group from the financial audit. This Begins at the 6 min mark. The meeting flowed smoothly with reports from committee members giving reports. Fire Chief Klose gave a report of the increase in numbers of calls. In October, the Dillon Volunteer Fire Department saw a total of 28 calls, they average 120 per a year. The calls consisted of: 4 Motor Vehicle Accidents 5 Gas Fires 1 Structure Fire 3 Gas Leaks 8 False Alarms 1 Dumpster Fire 2 Carbon Dioxide Alarms 1 Pot left on a stove 1 Slash pile from June that reignited This starts at the 35-minute mark of the meeting. When opened to public comment on items of significant public interest not on the agenda. Local George Warner brought up documents he signed as Mayor that helped form the Beaverhead County Health Committee. At the 45:30 min mark Mr. Warner feels that the Health Committee has overstepped their power and have gone above what the board was formed to do. we have included the papers he passed out with this article. Mr. Warner brought up the fact that we have not had an updated County Health meeting in the last 2 and a half months. The last one held was July 31st, 2020. Mr. Warner then went on to say that they have held two meetings he is aware of one was an Incident Command meeting and one sponsored by the hospital. He went on to explain that he has issued an appeal with what they are doing. Mr. Warner then went on to describe how certain restrictions have started to ruin a lot of businesses, through quarantine close contact cases, reducing of business hours, business capacity, and other restrictions in events in the community that have been put in place. At the 1 hour 24 min mark council person Mary Jo O'Rourke ask's what businesses have been hurt by the directives. "Tell me a business that has been cited by the city police, the county sheriff, by anyone, tell me a business that has been hurt by these directives." Another citizen stepped in and used the example of ACE Hardware shutting down for a day after they had been told they were violating rules. The Mayor then interjected with a list of businesses that have been injured. A few concerned business owners spoke on this matter as well, and how it has affected their business and the impacts it is having on the communities. After this the meeting was called and adjourned. SWMT News wants to give a huge shout out to all the businesses that help support us through advertising. If you are in one of our advertiser’s businesses, be sure to give them a thank you. With their support, SWMT News is able to provide a fast and free way to deliver news to the community.

The Internal Revenue Service, state tax agencies and the tax industry today warned of a new text scam created by thieves that trick people into disclosing bank account information under the guise of receiving the $1,200 Economic Impact Payment. The IRS, states and industry, working together as the Security Summit, remind taxpayers that neither the IRS nor state agencies will ever text taxpayers asking for bank account information so that an EIP deposit may be made. "Criminals are relentlessly using COVID-19 and Economic Impact Payments as cover to try to trick taxpayers out of their money or identities," said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "This scam is a new twist on those we've been seeing much of this year. We urge people to remain alert to these types of scams." The scam text message states: "You have received a direct deposit of $1,200 from COVID-19 TREAS FUND. Further action is required to accept this payment into your account. Continue here to accept this payment …" The text includes a link to a fake phishing web address. This fake phishing URL, which appears to come from a state agency or relief organization, takes recipients to a fraudulent website that impersonates the IRS.gov Get My Payment website. Individuals who visit the fraudulent website and then enter their personal and financial account information will have their information collected by these scammers. People who receive this text scam should take a screen shot of the text message that they received and then include the screenshot in an email to phishing@irs.gov with the following information: Date/Time/Timezone that they received the text message The number that appeared on their Caller ID The number that received the text message The IRS does not send unsolicited texts or emails. The IRS does not call people with threats of jail or lawsuits, nor does it demand tax payments on gift cards. People who believe they are eligible for the Economic Impact Payment should go directly to IRS.gov. People who do not have a filing requirement but who are eligible for EIP can use a non-filers tool on IRS.gov until November 21 to claim their payment.

Do you hunt waterfowl or hunt in and around lakes, streams, rivers or ponds? Do you use a boat or a blind near your favorite spot on the water? If you do, don’t forget to be water wise! Waterfowl hunters seldom think of themselves as boaters, but in fact they are and need to follow the same safety precautions and laws as boaters every time they head out on the water. Montana law requires a readily accessible U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket for every person in a boat. For boats 16 feet and longer, there must also be one U.S. Coast Guard-approved throwable device on board and be immediately available for use. Hunting safety only takes a little bit of planning and preparation. A life jacket can save a waterfowl hunter’s life if they find themselves in the water. Life jacket designs have come a long way over the years and now come in a wide variety of styles and colors, including inflatables and foam-filled camouflage life jackets that keep you afloat and add extra insulation. Here are some other simple things waterfowl hunters can do to stay safe on the water: Don’t overload your boat. Be extra cautious on cold days when wet clothes can instantly freeze and limit your mobility and increase your susceptibility to hypothermia. Weather can change at any moment. Always assume you might experience a sudden storm and be ready for dramatic weather changes. Strong winds and waves could capsize a craft or send a boater overboard. Make sure the boat has enough fuel. Being able to control the boat and motor into shore could save your life. Carry a cell phone, VHF radio or personal locator beacon for emergency communication. Keep in mind you may not have cellular service in remote areas. Three blasts on a whistle can also be used for emergency signaling. Leave a hunt/float plan with a family member or friend letting them know where you are going and when you plan on returning. Take a boater safety course and receive a boater education certificate If you have any questions, please contact Sara Smith, boating education coordinator for FWP’s Recreational Boating Safety Program, at 406-444-5280 or sarsmith@mt.gov.

A Belgrade man has been sentenced after pleading guilty to killing a bighorn sheep illegally this year. Matthew DeWit, 27, pleaded guilty to hunting during a closed season and unlawful possession, shipping, or transportation of a game animal, and he was later sentenced in Blaine County Justice Court on Oct. 20. His sentence includes $4,000 in fines and restitution and a 10-year suspension of hunting, fishing and trapping privileges in 49 states. In May, DeWit shot the ram in the Missouri River Breaks during a closed season. He took the head to the Bozeman office of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks to get the mandatory plug for bighorn sheep, claiming he’d found the animal dead. The ram was estimated to be about 8½ years old. FWP game wardens in southwest and northeast Montana collaborated on the investigation, with help from administrative and wildlife staff and the Blaine County Attorney’s Office.  “Poaching is stealing from the public wildlife resources treasured by the people of Montana,” said FWP Game Warden Haden Hussey. “We’re pleased to see a successful conviction in this case.” FWP relies on tips from the public while investigating wildlife crimes. Informants can remain anonymous and may be eligible for monetary rewards. To report a wildlife crime, please call Montana’s 24-hour poaching hotline: 1-800-TIP-MONT (847-6668).

The Current Montana COVID-19 Epi Profile and other demographic information related to COVID-19 in Montana can be found Here . This is the best place a person can go to find the most accurate and correct breakdown of the numbers, how the infection rate has played out in communities, as well as the number of test being performed in a community.

Announcing the 2021 Montana Master Hunter Program One Montana’s Master Hunter Program is accepting applications October 1, 2020 - November 30, 2020 for our 2021 classes. Since 2018, the Master Hunter Program has been offering sportsmen the opportunity to further their depth and understanding of various hunting topics.  The Master Hunter program is an advanced hunter education program for hunters who understand that hunting is a lifelong skill and want to continue to add to their knowledge and skills. One of the primary goals of the program is to build trust and working relationships between landowners and sportsmen and women. The program provides hunters the opportunity to learn from landowners about the challenges they face on a daily bases and specifically how wildlife impacts them. Secondly, the program seeks to help landowners and the state with their wildlife management goals. By working with landowners Master Hunters also help to change false perceptions about both hunting and agriculture, and ultimately work to increase access opportunities for future generations. Graduates of the program belong to a network of other ethical and effective hunters who hunt together, keep each other informed, and are knowledgeable voices on issues affecting sportsmen across MT. Many of our graduates are mentors for youth and new hunters. In the words of one graduate, “ I am eternally grateful for the opportunity this course has given me.  The information packed into the short period of time we have is so valuable.  The presentations have been interesting, thought provoking and helped me improve my mindset and skills…. That’s why it is so important to me to portray the Master Hunter title in a way that shows landowners my respect and gratitude .” The program includes classroom and online instruction, and field work. The course covers wildlife management, history of conservation, hunting culture and ethics, private land stewardship, shooting accuracy and precision, lead-free ammunition, and hunting skills to name a few.  Our instructors have a wide diversity of knowledge and perspectives and in include ranchers, farmers, university faculty, professional shooting instructors, wildlife managers, and wildlife biologists, and MT Fish Wildlife and Parks personnel, among others.      To date, 165 hunters have successfully completed our course, and we’ve opened more than 200,000 acres to hunting access. This growing network of other like-minded hunters stretches from Whitefish to Miles City.  Fellow graduates are eager to share experiences and knowledge to help each other be more successful in the field.  Locations for classes in 2021 will be offered in Bozeman (February), Great Falls (March), Kalispell (April), and Miles City (May).  Each class will consist of three 2-Day weekends, except Miles City will have a two 3-Day weekend format. A weekend rendezvous in June is also required for qualifications, field exercises, and the final exam.  Applications will be accepted beginning October 1, 2020 through November 30, 2020 with selection being announced by the end of the year.  The program cost is $375, due by February 1, 2021.  A limited number of scholarships are available through a separate application process. The program is led by One Montana (1MT), a nonprofit located in Bozeman, MT that works to sustain a vibrant Montana by connecting our urban and rural communities.  1MT implements creative programs that maintain agriculture and working lands, support private land stewardship, and preserve our cultural heritage. The program is supported financially by private foundations, nonprofit organizations, trade associations and industry partners such as the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Montana Stockgrowers Association, Montana Grain Growers Association, Montana’s Outdoor Legacy Foundation, Montana Wild Sheep Foundation, Mystery Ranch, Sitka Gear, and others. Please visit www.mtmasterhunter.com for course dates, instructors, sample curriculum and eligibility requirements and policies.

Due to the continuing COVID-19 concerns in Dillon, the 24th Annual Community Thanksgiving Day Dinner is cancelled. The organizers of the event would like to give a thank you for all those who have supported this event.

November 2, 2020, Dillon MONT. – As days become shorter and temperatures drop, the Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation (DNRC), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and USDA Forest Service (USFS) encourage hunters and campers to be cautious with their warming or campfires. Despite the changing weather conditions, vegetation will dry back out this fall and a spark from a warming or campfire could ignite a destructive wildfire. Over the past week local agency fire crews have had to respond to 10 different wildfires from campfire or warming fires that weren’t properly put out. Don Copple DNRC’s Dillon Unit Fire Management Officer commented, “With most of our fire crews laid off, it’s been difficult to respond to the many incidents that we have had this past week. We need people to put out their warming fires before just walking away”. Before leaving home, check to see if there are fire restrictions for your destination. Be informed about local weather conditions and avoid building a fire during periods of high winds. When building a warming or campfire, clear away all leaves and other combustible material. Do not build a fire underneath overhanging branches, against a tree stump, or directly on vegetation. Remember to store your firewood a safe distance upwind of the fire and always keep a bucket of water, dirt, and shovel nearby. Most importantly, never leave a fire unattended. As you prepare to leave your campsite, make sure your fire is out and cold to the touch. Drown the fire with water. Make sure all embers, coals or sticks are wet. Stir the remains with a shovel. Add more water and dirt and then stir again. Be sure all burned material is extinguished and cooled. Place the back of your hand near the fire to feel for any heat. If it is still warm, continue adding water and dirt and stir again until everything is cool. In 2020, eight out of ten wildfires in Montana have been caused by humans. By being prepared and responsible while enjoying the outdoors this fall, we can all make a difference in reducing human-caused fires. Montana firefighters encourage you to remember, one less spark means one less wildfire.

The Montana Department of Commerce is reminding Montanans who have lost income due to the COVID-19 pandemic that they may be eligible for rent, deposit or mortgage payment assistance and to apply now to the Emergency Housing Assistance Program. All applications must be received by 5:00 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 10 . The program will continue to process applications received by the deadline, and all applications approved by December 30, 2020 will be provided assistance.   “ This program has helped many Montana families and individuals with the ability to stay in their own homes without worry of evictions or foreclosures. We encourage Montanans who need Emergency Housing Assistance to start their applications and apply as soon as possible.” Commerce Director Tara Rice said. The purpose of the Emergency Housing Assistance program is to help Montanans financially impacted by COVID-19 stay current on rent and mortgage payments, to avoid possible eviction and foreclosure. For eligible applicants, Montana Housing at the Department of Commerce, will provide payments to landlords or mortgage service providers the difference between 25 percent of the household’s reduced net monthly income, up to $2,000 a month. Household income limits range from $75,000-$125,000. Montanans who receive other forms of housing assistance are not eligible. The Emergency Housing Assistance Program was created by Governor Steve Bullock by using a portion of Montana’s allocation of federal CARES Act dollars. Since the program’s May inception, Montana Housing, with assistance from NeighborWorks Montana , has approved more than 1,600 applications and awarded more than $5 million in rental and mortgage assistance to Montana families and individuals statewide. For more information and to apply visit COVIDRELIEF.MT.GOV . If you need help applying to the program, email Neighbor Works Montana at covidrelief@nwmt.org or call 406.604.4500.

The 3rd annual Run The Boo race was held today. Hosted by Montana Running Company . The race had a few course changes this year. Starting and ending in front of Beaverhead Brewing Company. Offering a 10K, 5K, and kids race participants followed the course up 10 mile road and back. The winners are as follows: 10k women’s winner Nicole Murray 10k men’s winner Ben Steadman 5k women’s winner Faye Holland 5k men’s winner Daniel Martin 1 mile kids race girls winner Morgan Mason 1 mile kids race boys winner Cooper Morganthaler

Good evening. Fire crews are actively responding to and suppressing the Sourdough Fire located south-southwest of Sourdough Peak. As of 8:00 p.m. on October 30th, the fire is estimated to be approximately 1,000 acres and fire personnel will be manning the fire throughout the night. In addition to the Sourdough Fire, a small fire south of the Bear Creek Fire location is estimated to be about 1/10th of an acre. Local landowners have been instrumental in supporting fire crews and facilitating a rapid response to mitigate potential threats and assist Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest personnel. We appreciate your support and would like to ask that everyone be especially mindful of making sure your campfire is completely out prior to leaving a campsite.

Tonight is Halloween eve and it feels about right on the streets of Dillon The night started with a caravan of about 40 vehicles that gathered at Ray Lynch Park and drove through town honking and waving flags to show support for Trump. According to the organizer Harv Lake they started with around 20 cars and had about 20 more join during the parade. The event was described as: Come for a fun time showing support for President Donald Trump. We will show our colors and support with a noisy drive from the north end of town to the south and back to the north. Remember to follow all traffic laws. Cameras will be abundant. Show your best side. As the Trump Train was wrapping up, we got a call that witches were gathering at the Old Depot park. Heading to the park, a circle of about thirty witches with bikes and brooms had gathered. As the head Witch laid down the ground rules, they mounted their brooms and traveled the streets of Dillon, cackling along the way. SWMT was able to talk with one of the attendees. "Legend has it witches must gather on Halloween eve in the town square. From there they must ride throughout the town cackling along the way. This event started out with about 5 witches 3 years ago, but through chatter of the spirits, it has grown to the crowd you see today." The final stop of the night for SWMT was a sobering one. On Sunday, October 25th, tow truck operators William Casie Allen of Reed Point and Nicholas Ryan Visser of Billings were killed after they were hit by a passing vehicle while trying to recover a vehicle in the snow on Interstate 90. To honor them, the local towing companies along with first responders held a procession through the streets of Dillon. May this be a reminder as you travel the roadways to always slow down and move over for emergency vehicles on the road.