Last night’s City Council meeting started off with the approval of minutes from the previous meeting held on 09/02/2020. With Council person Rich Wassell wanting his comments to match with the Dillon Tribunes wording as they were printed as to what he said. Mayor Klakken responds with " So your motion is to take what Mike Regan wrote, and put it in the area of number 2 is that what your motion is?" This was seconded by Mary Jo O'Rourke, who stated she felt the paper gave a better explanation that both her and Council person Wassell stated they felt like they had been backed into a corner on approving the city budget at the last minute, and it needs to be part of the record. Council person Kenworthy then stated he does not feel they should change the minutes of a meeting based on what a person writing an article perceived as the minutes. Council person Wassell stated he believed what was reported was accurate and needed to be included. Council settled on allowing the change of two sentences. Based on Council person O'Rourke and Wassell statements on having to make decisions that day. Mayor Klakken stated that they have had since May to go through the city budget, they had adequate time to discuss and approve, or make changes on the city budget. He stated they had plenty of time to look at the budget approve it and it does not need to be on record. This discussion can be viewed on the first fifteen minutes of the meeting. The meeting flowed smoothly with the swearing in of BJ Klose as permanent full time Fire Chief. Board member reports, and committee member reports. One item that did come up was the use of heavy trucks hauling grain to the grain bins located on Railroad Ave. The trucks are unable to make the turn on Clark Street, the drivers have been using Washington St and Pacific St. These streets are not designated for the weight limit rating of these streets. This discussion starts at minute twenty seven of the meeting. A ongoing problem with city meetings has been the use of Zoom and Council Person Wassell not wanting to attend meetings in person. He states he is vulnerable because of the COVID-19 pandemic and needs Zoom to attend the meetings from home. This subject has been of great contention in the past, as some council people believe he needs to show up in person and do the job he ran for. Council person Wassell has stated in the past they need to have Zoom meetings under ADA compliance, and if they refuse to allow them, he has hinted with underlying tones he would take the issue up with legal measures. Last night Mayor Klakken brought up that the City is looking at making a Rule on how they are going to handle committee meetings with an executive order that. He stated "On committees, following the Governors order with 4 or more active cases he would allow to have zoom meetings be done. Three or less active cases the council is required to come to meetings in person. I believe you can have safe distancing, there will be ten or less people, one can sit in middle with one on each end of table, as we usually have three or less committee members attending. This would meet all the qualifications, of safety that has been set up by the Governor. If we have four or more active cases we will still do Zoom." At this point Council person Wassell says "May I comment Mr Mayor?.. Ok if you do such an executive order, I hereby notify you that will be a violation of ADA and superseding ADA reasonable accommodations for attending those meetings via Zoom. And if you do that order I hereby notify you That I will sue the city." Mayor Klakken responds with "Okay... then I will notify you (pause) then I better not do anything." At this point City Attorney Dolan steps in "He has threatened suit against the city at this point the meeting is over, as far as I am concerned, I would advise you to adjourn the meeting." This can be seen at the one hour twenty-seven-minute mark.

The Montana Department of Commerce today launched the 2020 Census State Championship to encourage counties and tribes in Montana to compete for the highest increase in self-response rates to the 2020 Census from now until September 30. With only 15 days left in the 2020 Census count, the Commerce Department and the Montana Complete Count Committee are urging every Montana resident to respond to the 2020 Census before the shortened deadline of September 30. “This is the final countdown for the 2020 Census,” said Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney, the Chair of the Montana Complete Count Committee. “The counties and tribes that win the 2020 Census State Championship will get not only bragging rights with a trophy to prove it, but will also receive their fair share of federal funding for the next 10 years, accurate representation in the state Legislature, and the knowledge that they contributed to the possibility of Montana regaining a second seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Game on, Montana!” There will be two winners for counties and two winners for tribal nations based on the percentage increase in self-response rates, as well as for the increase in the number of households that respond to the 2020 Census from today until September 30. To enter the championship, Montana residents who have not yet responded to the 2020 Census can do so at MY2020CENSUS.GOV , by calling 1-844-330-2020 or by mailing in the paper form if they received one. Track each community's progress here . The U.S. Census Bureau suspended all field operations from March to early May to slow the spread of COVID-19, and then cut short the deadline to September 30 to respond to the Census. As a result, Montana’s self-response rate is below the national average, with 59.2 percent of Montanans having self-responded to the 2020 Census, compared to the national average of 65.9 percent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau . Even with door-to-door counting by U.S. Census workers, Montana’s overall response rate is below the national average, and tribal nations and rural counties in Montana are at risk of an undercount. The federal government is responsible for counting all households every 10 years, while the state supports the effort to educate and promote the importance of the Census. In June, Governor Steve Bullock allocated $530,500 to the Montana Department of Commerce to continue Census education and outreach efforts. The Montana Department of Commerce is using that funding to partner with the Montana Nonprofit Association, Western Native Voice, Forward Montana Foundation and Missoula-based marketing agency Windfall to conduct targeted outreach aimed at low self-responding areas of the state to encourage residents in those areas to fill out the Census. For every Montanan not counted, the state stands to lose an estimated $20,000 in federal funding over the next decade. Census information is also used to draw local voting and school districts, and it determines whether Montana will receive a second seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. You can track your community’s progress in the 2020 Census State Championship here . And respond to the 2020 Census today at MY2020CENSUS.GOV , by calling 1-844-330-2020, or by mailing in your paper Census form if you’ve received one.

DATE OF DETECTION: August 29, 2020 CAUSE: Lightning CURRENT SIZE: 3,140 acres (increase due to burnout operations) COMPLETION OF OBJECTIVES: 50% LOCATION Approximately 16 miles NE of Whitehall, 2 miles NE of Whitetail Reservoir JURISDICTION: Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest RESOURCES ON THE FIRE: 2 Medium Helicopters, 1 Water Tender, 1 Skidgen, 6 Type 6 Engines, 1 Smoke Jumper Module (7 person), 1 Rappler Module (4 person) 1 Type 1 Crew (18 person), 1 Type 2 IA (20 person), 1 AI crew (7 person) and miscellaneous overhead for a total of 160 personnel. The State Creek Fire was detected August 29, 2020. This fire is located on the Butte Ranger District and currently is 3,140 acres in an area difficult for firefighters to access due to rough terrain, numerous snags, and a significant amount of dead and down trees. Some of the strategic objectives for this fire include protect private residences and structures, protect heritage sites, keep fire off private land when possible, minimize effects to fish populations and minimize the spread of noxious and invasive weeds. YESTERDAY’S ACTIVITY: Crews continued with the burnout operations, re-enforcing fire perimeter. Planned burnout operations were completed by end of shift Aviation was used to slow fire growth to the north. TODAY’S WEATHER/FIRE BEHAVIOR: Red Flag Warning in effect from noon to 9:00 p.m. today. Predictions are that very dry conditions will develop over the fire area. Increased southwesterly winds are expected which should rid some of the smoke causing a high Haines Index (HI). HI Is a numerical value that indicates the potential for large wildfires to experience extreme fire behavior. Very dry conditions will remain through Monday night. Smoke is also expected to return Monday night and Tuesday. Fire activity may increase with these predictions. TODAY’S PLAN: Crews continue to hold and improve the existing fire perimeter. Helicopters may be used, when visibility allows, to prevent fire on the northside of FS Road 8572 from spreading east. Prep work is being implemented to stop any fire progression to the south. SPECIAL CONCERNS & CLOSURES: Public and firefighter’s safety is always the primary concern . The Forest Service (FS) and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) issued closure orders for the area around the fire including roads and trails. A Temporary Flight Restriction is in effect for the fire area. Please check InciWeb for the current order if recreating in the area .

Governor Steve Bullock today announced additional funding from the Coronavirus Relief Fund will be directed to the Montana Meat Processing Infrastructure Grant and Social Services Nonprofit Grant programs to fully address identified needs. “The impacts of the coronavirus pandemic have drawn attention to challenges faced by our nation’s meat processing systems. And by addressing this complex issue here in Montana, we are building resilience to future supply chain interruptions in communities across the state,” Governor Bullock said. “ In-state meat processing facilities are critical for producers. Ensuring the proper infrastructure exists to provide them with reliable, value-added markets to sell their meat is essential to bolstering our food security, especially during these times.” Governor Bullock announced additional funds will be committed to the Montana Meat Processing Infrastructure Grant Program. The impacts of the pandemic have created challenges for meat processing systems across the country and supporting processing in Montana will help protect producers and consumers from future supply chain interruptions in communities across the state. Many processors have used the grants to invest in new equipment to increase their processing capacity and scale up their operations to meet an increased demand for local foods from Montanans who may have traditionally only bought their meat from grocery stores. This decreases the number of livestock shipped out of state for processing and puts more money directly into the pockets of Montana producers. When the program originally accepted applications, it received an incredible amount of interest, and there was more demand than anticipated. Governor Bullock initially committed $2 million to the program and added funding to the program to award $7.5 million in grants. The Montana Department of Agriculture will review existing applications that have not yet been funded to determine additional awards through the program. Governor Bullock also announced he is committing an additional $25 million to nonprofits and issued new guidelines for nonprofits to seek another round of funding. Larger nonprofits have communicated that the first round provided stabilization but identified additional need to continue programming and services continue over the long term. Eligible nonprofits can now receive up to 10 percent of their 2019 annual operating budget, or a maximum grant of $150,000. Nonprofits must have an annual operating budget of at least $20,000 to apply and submit a budget of proposed uses of grant funds and certify that funds will be used only for pandemic-related purposes. As many grantees did with the business stabilization grant, nonprofits may request less than what they qualify for. The application will be available on September 15. Those who received a first round of funding will be contacted and invited to submit additional materials to be considered for the second round. New applicants will apply at http://covidrelief.mt.gov [nam05.safelinks.protection.outlook.com] .  Over $1 billion of $1.25 billion in Coronavirus Relief Funds have been committed with over $407 million of that awarded, including in grants to support nearly 12,000 Montana businesses and organizations. There are new applications being reviewed for accuracy and compliance in accordance with federal guidelines daily and additional funds are awarded daily. A transparency dashboard is available to provide information on which businesses dollars are going to, in every community of the state, at: https://commerce.mt.gov/Montana-Coronavirus-Relief/Awarded-Grants [nam05.safelinks.protection.outlook.com] [nam05.safelinks.protection.outlook.com] .

Governor Steve Bullock today announced outbreak response protocols to support K-12 schools as they respond to suspected or positive COVID-19 cases and take public health-based measures to minimize the spread and keep students safe and healthy.  “The Outbreak Response Protocols provides guidance requested by school nurses and other education advocates to ensure K-12 schools are responding to COVID-19 consistently and taking measures backed by science,” Governor Bullock said. “By following these protocols in consultation with local public health, our schools can properly quarantine, recommend testing, and take other measures to minimize the spread and keeps kids healthy while preserving in person learning for the students and families who depend on it.” Governor Bullock brought together a group of public health experts to develop the Outbreak Response Protocols after school nurses and education advocates requested guidance. The document is based on an outbreak response plan put together by Rhode Island and includes best practices from the CDC and other expert groups to provide high level guidance for schools as they work with their local public health agency to respond to suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19. The response protocols include information on COVID-19 symptoms, when to call for emergency care, determining close contacts, when to quarantine, isolate, and recommend testing, and when to allow students and staff to return to school. The document also includes information on when to involve local public health, how to screen symptomatic students and staff to determine if testing or isolation is appropriate, and guidance on athletics and extracurricular activities. Many schools, especially those without school nurses, have requested information from public health on when individuals should be quarantined or isolated, testing protocols, and when they can return to school. The document includes different protocols for a case with symptoms that are not suspected to be COVID-19, suspected COVID-19 cases, confirmed COVID-19 cases, and close contacts. For example, if a student or staff member has COVID-19 related symptoms, the protocol includes sending the individual home to isolate, recommending testing, and a requirement to get a test or recover before returning to school. For students in athletics and extracurricular, the guidance recommends hand sanitizing, wearing face coverings when appropriate, and prioritizing activities where physical distancing can be maintained. Other recommendations include minimizing travel, keeping practices or events small, and sanitizing equipment and frequently touched surfaces. Based on national guidelines, an athlete who tests positive should be cleared by a healthcare provider before resuming participation. Schools should have plans in place for isolation, treatment, and appropriate transportation for a visiting traveling athlete, extracurricular activity participant, or staff who develops COVID-19 symptoms. The guidance has been distributed to public health officials, schools, and education advocates. The full plan can be read here: https://covid19.mt.gov/Portals/223/Outbreak%20Response%20Protocols%20K-12.pdf

Summer is in the process of winding down and fall is in the air. This week we found a few things going on, not much though. Friday Sept 11th Tai Chi (free classes) 9:30 AM – 10:20 AM Free Tai Chi classes continue. Please practice social distancing. Beaverhead County vs Butte Central Catholic 7 PM – 10 PM Watch On CBS : http://bt.livedirect.tv/hs.php The Butte Central Catholic (Butte, MT) varsity football team has a neutral conference game vs. Beaverhead County (Dillon, MT) Absarokee vs Twin Bridges Football Live 2020 7 PM – 11 PM Absarokee vs Twin Bridges Football Live 2020 Watch Live: http://herbal.tjsport.xyz/hsfootball.php Montana High School Football Road Agents 8 PM – 11 PM Live local music!! at Rocky's Road House Saturday Sept 12th RACE 4 RENEWAL Registration is the morning of the run at the Masonic lodge between 830-930 am. Adults are $30 and kids twelve and under are $10. The half marathon will start at nine and the rest of us lazies will start at ten. Bring your kids, dogs on leashes, bikes shoes and appetites! The stained glass beauties in the event picture above are up for raffle! You can purchase tickets when you register for the race. Dan Henry at Ruby Valley Brew 5 PM – 8 PM It is always a good time at the Ruby Valley Brew and Dan Henry will be strumming away on his trusty guitar with plenty of harmonica and percussion for everyone. Take to the highway and we'll all have an evening full of cold beer, delicious food from Bread Zeppelin, and the music of Dan Henry. That is all we could find for happenings this weekend, archery season is in full swing and its still nice enough to get some camping in before winter. Have a fun and safe weekend Southwestern Montana.

Since New Zealand mudsnails were detected at Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks’ Bluewater Fish Hatchery Tuesday, Aug. 18, the department continues to look at whether infected fish were stocked at lakes or reservoirs and what led to the infestation.   The Bluewater Fish Hatchery, located near Bridger in southcentral Montana, is a trout hatchery and is the third largest production facility in the state. This is the first time New Zealand Mudnsails (NZM) have been found at an FWP hatchery. The likely cause of the infestation is a drainpipe from the hatchery that drains into neighboring Bluewater Creek, which is positive for NZM. The operating procedures for the hatchery call for the pipe to be elevated above the creek, but over the years, the pipe has become submerged. NZM were likely able to make their way up the pipe and into the hatchery. New Zealand mudsnails are an aquatic invasive species. It was first discovered in Montana in 1995 in the Madison River above Hebgen Lake Reservoir. Since then, New Zealand mudsnails have been detected in multiple locations across the state.  NZM can be eaten by fish and other animals, like birds, but unlike native snails, they are undigestible and can be spread by fish and wildlife into other waterbodies. In a confined facility, like a fish hatchery, NZM can be quickly eradicated and the facility decontaminated. However, due to the detection, the fish at the hatchery – about 20,000 pounds – were euthanized and disposed of. FWP had about $85,000 into rearing the fish. FWP staff are working on a containment and mitigation strategy. The plan is to make up the losses from Bluewater with surplus fish from FWP hatcheries.  Prior to this detection the Bluewater hatchery had contributed to relatively few releases in 2020, all of them into state/public waters.  Monitoring for New Zealand mudsnails and other invasive species will continue in these waters and others.  All hatcheries in Montana are inspected annually for AIS and fish pathogens. The mudsnails at Bluewater Fish Hatchery were detected during the hatchery’s annual inspection. To help prevent the spread of AIS, people working and recreating in and around our waterways must practice clean, drain, dry. For more information on AIS, please go online to CleanDrainDryMT.com .

Big Tyme Sportswear and Design is happy to be working with the Beaver Booster Club to bring you some new Beaver Gear.  The unique one of a kind Beaver that our very own Mandy Morton designed for us has a silhouette of the Pioneer Mountains, Beaverhead River, and the Beaverhead Valley.  We have put together a website with options for everyone and a portion of every item sold through the website will be donated back to the Booster Club to help them provide for our Beaver Students future needs.  We have extended the deadline to order so that you will have through the weekend do get your order in.  All you need to do is visit https://dillonbeavers.itemorder.com/ and place your order by noon on Monday September 14 th .

Every year hunters across Montana donate thousands of pounds of wild game to local food banks through local meat processors. With the discovery of chronic wasting disease in Montana, Fish, Wildlife & Parks is urging hunters to have their deer, elk and moose tested and have a negative test result in hand prior to donating no matter where in Montana these animals are harvested. “We know this will be a shift for both hunters and processors, but with a little planning ahead, it should still be a smooth process of getting healthy wild game from the field to the homes of foodbank customers,” said Ken McDonald, Wildlife Division Administrator with FWP. The funding for much of this donated meat comes from hunters through a program called Hunters Against Hunger. Hunters are asked to donate to the program when they purchase their license each year. The donations go to offset the cost of processing the wild game. Donations to Hunters Against Hunger and other donation options are welcome anytime and can be done online at fwp.mt.gov or at any license provider. Each year more than 50,000 pounds of wild game are donated to food banks across the state. In 2017, CWD was discovered in deer in southcentral Montana. Since then, the disease has been found in multiple locations across the state. CWD is a fatal neurological disease infecting deer, elk and moose. It is not known to infect humans. However, the Centers for Disease Control advise against consuming meat from CWD positive animals. The CDC also recommends testing animals harvested in CWD positive areas prior to consumption. TESTING Testing for CWD involves removing lymph nodes in the neck, just below the jaw. Hunters can have their deer, elk and moose tested for CWD in a few ways. They can take the samples themselves and submit them to the FWP Wildlife Health Lab in Bozeman. Instructions can be found online at fwp.mt.gov/cwd /getyouranimalsampled. Or they can bring the animal’s head with a few inches of neck meat attached to an FWP regional office or CWD sampling station and FWP staff can take the sample. The samples will be submitted to the Montana Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory for testing. Results should be available within three weeks and posted online at fwp.mt.gov . Hours of operation and locations of CWD sampling locations will also be posted online. Due to the COVID pandemic, staff presence in FWP offices can vary as many continue to work remotely. To have a sample taken at a regional office, please call ahead so that FWP can ensure the visit is timely, quick, and smooth. Also, please come prepared to wear a mask, as required by Gov. Steve Bullock’s directives, should social distancing be difficult to achieve. FWP staff will be wearing a mask as well.   For more information about CWD and for instructions and a video on collecting and submitting samples, visit fwp.mt.gov/cwd .

WHAT: Wildland Fire DATE OF DETECTION: August 29, 2020 CAUSE: Lightning CURRENT SIZE: 2,354 acres CONTAINMENT: 0% LOCATION Approximately 16 miles NE of Whitehall, 2 miles NE of Whitetail Reservoir JURISDICTION: Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest PERSONNEL AND RESOURCES OF THE FIRE: 1 Type 2 Crew from Oregon, 1 (10 person) Crew from the Kootenai National Forest, 1 (9 person) Smokejumper Module from West Yellowstone, 1 Water Tender, 1 Type 3 Engine from Jefferson County, 3 Forest Service Type 6 Engines and miscellaneous overhead totaling 70 personnel. NARRATIVE: The State Creek Fire was caused by lightning on August 25th and went undetected until Saturday, August 29th. This fire is located on the Butte Ranger District and currently is 2,354 acres in an area difficult for firefighters to access due to rough terrain, numerous snags, and a significant amount of dead and down trees. YESTERDAY’S ACTIVITY: Yesterday’s cold front brought lower temperatures and some moisture to the fire. Crews patrolled the indirect lines around the fire and re-enforced them as necessary. TODAY’S WEATHER/FIRE BEHAVIOR: Today will be sunny and clear with highs in the low 50’s. North to northwest winds will be 6-9 mph. Tonight’s lows will be near 26°. The fire behavior will be low after yesterday’s moisture, low temperatures and high humidity. SPECIAL CONCERNS & CLOSURES: Public and firefighters safety is always the primary concern . The Forest Service issued a new closure order effective September 6, 2020. Please check InciWeb for the current order if recreating in the area. Smoke may be visible from Whitehall, Boulder, 1-90 and 1-15.

The final night of the PRCA Rodeo hosted by the Dillon Jaycees did not disappoint. All the contestants came out knowing it was the last performance of the weekend, and the last shot at a paycheck. The steer seemed to catch on early in the steer wrestling that if they came out and stopped the cowboy would ride pass them. The bulls seemed angry last night as they gave the cowboys a ride for their life. The barrel racers pushed it to the limits one even coming in to the first turn a little too hot, and the Ramblin Rose drill team did not disappoint. A huge shout out to our Jaycees for adapting to this year’s pandemic and still having a great show. The final standings are as follows: Steer Wrestling Curtis Cassidy 3.3 Jace Melvin 3.5 Chance Gartner 3.5 Sam Shelton 3.8 Bareback Richmond Champion 87.00 Caleb Bennett 87.00 Clay Stone 86.00 Nate S, McFadden 80.50 Team Roping Bird/Sporer 4.5 Sherwood/Yates 4.6 Schmidt/Koch 4.7 Massengill/Pulham 4.7 Tie Down Roping Ryan Jarrett 8.1 Haven Meged 8.2 John Douch 8.5 Tyson Durfey 8.7 Barrel Racing Cheyenne Wimberley 17.13 Tiany Schuster 17.35 Nellie Miller 17.36 Donna Kay Rule 17.38 Bull Riding Shane Proctor 85.00 Preston Louis 84.50 Beau Nordahl 82.50 Hawk Whitt 81.00

Last night the Jaycees hosted the 64th annual PRCA rodeo at the Harry Andrus Arena. Although scaled back this year do to COVID last nights performances did not disappoint. Rodeo standings as of Friday Night are as follows: Steer Wrestling Ty Erickson 4.0 Baylor Roche 4.1 Riley Butler 4.1 Jake Nelson 4.4 Bareback Clay Stone 86.00 Cooper Bennett 79.00 Jake Kesl 72.00 Colton Clemens 72.00 Team Roping Duncan/Fisher 5.3 Tsinigine/Lockett 5.5 Ullery/Edwards 5.7 Jones/Evans 11.8 Saddle Bronc Josh Davison 77.50 Austin Amick 70.00 Keenan Reinhardt 68.00 Tie Down Roping Ty Hedrick 8.9 Catfish Brown 9.5 Brady Boyce 10.0 Vance Ruff 13.4 Barrel Racing Ashley Castleberry 17.60 Mary Aller 17.81 Donna Toavs 18.15 Emmy Llgen 18.15 Bull Riding Preston Louis 84.5 Beau Nordahl 82.50 Hawk Whitt 81.00 Parker Breding 78.00 We will cover the final rodeo tonight at 5:30 pm and have the final results and pictures up tomorrow.

State Creek Fire September 6, 2020 Contact State Creek Fire Information: 406-356-6521 WHAT: Wildland Fire DATE OF DETECTION: August 29, 2020 CAUSE: Lightning CURRENT SIZE: 1000 acres CONTAINMENT: 0% LOCATION Approximately 16 miles NE of Whitehall, 2 miles NE of Whitetail Reservoir JURISDICTION: Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest PERSONNEL AND RESOURCES OF THE FIRE: 1 Type 2 Crew from Oregon, 1 (10 person) Crew from the Kootenai National Forest, 1 (9 person) Smokejumper Module from West Yellowstone, 1 Water Tender, 1 Type 3 Engine from Jefferson County, 2 Forest Service Type 6 Engines and miscellaneous overhead totaling 70 personnel. NARRATIVE: The State Creek Fire was caused by lightning on August 25th and went undetected until Saturday, August 29th. This fire is located on the Butte Ranger District and currently is 1000 acres in an area difficult for firefighters to access due to rough terrain, numerous snags, and a significant amount of dead and down trees. YESTERDAY’S ACTIVITY: The fire was very active due to the high winds experienced yesterday. Burn out operations were conducted to consume unburned fuels keeping the fire within the indirect lines. Helicopters assisted with bucket drops but were grounded later in the day by high winds and low visibility Air attack dropped several loads of retardant. Firefighters from the State Creek Fire, Beaverhead-Deerlodge NF, Butte Silver Bow, and Jefferson County also assisted with 4 new fire starts during the day. TODAY’S WEATHER/FIRE BEHAVIOR: This morning will start with wide-spread haze becoming sunny with highs in the mid-80’s, northwest winds will be light and variable in the morning. Winds will again pick up in the afternoon with gusts as high as 23 mph. SPECIAL CONCERNS & CLOSURES: Public and firefighters safety is always the primary concern. Closure orders have been issued by the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management closing the area, including roads and trails, near the fire. If fire activity increases today, closure orders may also change. Pleae check InciWeb for the current order if recreating in the area. Smoke is visible from Whitehall, Boulder, 1-90 and 1-15.

Governor Steve Bullock yesterday evening issued an executive order declaring a state of fire emergency due to extremely hazardous wildland fire conditions throughout Montana.   “Local, state, and federal partners, and the brave men and women on the front lines are working together to take on this fire season and we are prepared to use every resource available to protect Montana lives and property,” said Governor Bullock. “At the same time, I know that Montanans will continue to take this seriously and stay safe, stay informed, and continue to support our firefighters and our communities impacted by fires.” Many factors including above-average temperatures, unpredictable winds, and low humidity have resulted in extreme fire conditions. On Wednesday, seventeen new fires burned over 100,000 acres. Moderate to severe drought conditions continue to exist throughout most of the Central and Eastern portions of Montana. The hot and abnormally dry conditions are predicted to continue through the middle of September, and under current conditions, new wildland fire starts are likely throughout the state. This declaration allows Governor Bullock to mobilize additional state resources and the Montana National Guard to combat the fires to protect life, health, and property, and to expend funds to meet the contingencies and needs that may arise from them. The emergency order also suspends hours of service regulations for drivers of commercial vehicles while providing support to fire suppression activities and temporary fuel permits normally required for vehicles providing supplies to help support response to the emergency. Commercial motor vehicle carriers cannot require or allow fatigued drivers to operate a motor vehicle. Additionally, the emergency order suspends the brand inspection permit fee requirement and the brand inspection requirement prior to removal, as well as allows the Montana Department of Livestock to issue transportation permits by phone when necessary to cope with the emergency. In August, Governor Bullock doubled the state’s fire fund, reaching its statutory maximum of $101.5 million or enough to cover nearly five average wildfire seasons. State wildfire suppression costs as of August 30 are estimated to be at $4.5 million.

Today we had the Market Hog show and Showmanship, Breakaway Team Roping, Team Branding, and the Ranch Rodeo.

Sheep & Goats Hogs

Its Labor Day "Montana's Biggest Weekend" but COVID has struck again. The fair is empty, and it looks abandoned. But do not worry a few businesses are still carrying on the Labor Day tradition. We have found a few things to do this weekend. Friday Sept 4th Tai Chi (free classes) 9:30 AM – 10:20 AM Free Tai Chi classes continue. Please practice social distancing. 2020 Beaverhead County Fair 2020 Beaverhead County Fair Arena Events . Come join us for 5 days of arena action. Make sure to follow social distancing protocols. Mask mandate in effect. Please stay home if you feel sick or have a compromised immune system. Labor Day After Party starts at 5 pm Music every night! Cornhole Tournament every night! Labor Day weekend with Mac’s Last Cast and Levi Blom starts at 9 pm Music, dancing, drinks and great weather. WIld Horse Calcutta 8 PM – 12 AM It's that time of year again. We're going to do it outside this year. Come have a one of a kind good time! Steve Rose live at RVB 6 PM – 8 PM Steve Rose! This Friday night! 6-8pm! Saturday Sept 5th Garden Market 10 AM – 12 PM the Jeffers Garden Market is open again this Saturday.....see you there Duckworth POP-UP Store 10 AM – 6 PM Stop by Birkenbuel Brands 25 S. Idaho St. in Downtown Dillon, Montana during Montana's Biggest Weekend for Duckworth Pop-Up store. Duckworth is offer discounted prices on wool clothing. Stop by and grab some Montana grown wool and American made clothing. Muffalettas At The Brew 1 PM – 5 PM Muffalettas will be at Beaverhead Brewing Co. Labor day weekend sat/sun cookin up muffalettas! Live Music with Cole Snider Starts at 5 PM at The Den Levi Blom Live Labor Day Weekend 9 PM – 12:30 AM Join us for some great entertainment Labor Day Weekend on Montana street in front of Mac's Last Cast & Blacktail Station with Levi Blom! Bring your lawn chairs and please practice social distancing and masks are highly recommended. Golden Saturday 7 PM – 11 PM Come on down to the Golden Saturday and enjoy some live tunes on the patio! Stories From the Darkside: Tales of the Macabre & The Unusual 8 PM – 10 PM Join us Saturday, September 5th for the dark and creepy stories from Bannack's past! $25 per person Preregistration is required! To register, call Bannack State Park (406) 834-3413 These are not the Ghost Walk Tours Dillon Jaycees PRCA Rodeo Starts at 7:30 pm Harry Andrus Arena Sunday Sept 6th Duckworth POP-UP Store 10 AM – 6 PM Stop by Birkenbuel Brands 25 S. Idaho St. in Downtown Dillon, Montana during Montana's Biggest Weekend for Duckworth Pop-Up store. Duckworth is offer discounted prices on wool clothing. Stop by and grab some Montana grown wool and American made clothing. Dillon Jaycees PRCA Rodeo Starts at 7:30 pm Harry Andrus Arena Live Music Fast Foward with Shay Wacker music starts at 7:30 PM at The Den Levi Blom Live Labor Day Weekend 9 PM – 12:30 AM Join us for some great entertainment Labor Day Weekend on Montana street in front of Mac's Last Cast & Blacktail Station with Levi Blom! Bring your lawn chairs and please practice social distancing and masks are highly recommended. Labor Day - Sunday starts at 6 PM 6pm-close - Bar & Lounge open 7pm-midnight - DJ music by Adam Hooten *Free Pool* Correction: Mimosas are $3 Golden Sunday Matinee 4 PM – 7 PM Come enjoy a Sunday Matinee on the patio! Live 𝚂𝚝𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚐 Eli Young Band At (US) | Fullᴴᴰ 2020 7 PM – 10 PM Live Streamᴴᴰ : https://bit.ly/34Zva3F ----------------------------------------- Additional details : Date : Sunday 06 September 2020 Venue : Dillon Jaycee Rodeo, Dillon, MT, US, US ----------------------------------------- Don’t Miss Out!!! Save this event to your plans and we'll remind you when it's coming up! ATTENTION : For easy registration,please register now to keep from network busy or access full, before the performance begins Don't forget the parade will be Monday at 10 am. We will be in the parade and also, we will live stream it. If you plan on partying this weekend, please be safe and have a fun Labor Day Weekend.

Beaverhead County Fair saw the greatly scaled back version today, lacking the carnival exhibits and food booths. However they had the market beef and breeding beef shows, along with the Market goat show, market sheep show, and breeding sheep show (Congratulations to Grand Champion Senior sheep showman Cash Atkinson and Reserve Champion Senior sheep showman Katie Van Slyke!). Tonight at 7 pm was the Team Roping Jackpot. Although the fair is scaled back we still would like to give all the FFA and 4-H kids a huge shout out for all their hard work.

Results for the Market Beef Show and Showmanship are in. Beef Market Class 1 Walker Nygren, Blue Ribbon, Animal Weight 1110 Cole Freitas, Purple Ribbon, Animal Weight 1115 Malcolm Peterson, Red Ribbon, Animal Weight 1145 William Ellis, Red Ribbon, Animal Weight 1190 Quirt Crafton, Blue Ribbon, Animal Weight 1190 Class 2 Piper Gaasch, Purple Ribbon, Animal Weight 1220 Savanna Freitas, Blue Ribbon, Animal Weight 1220 Jon Peterson, Blue Ribbon, Animal Weight 1230 Dakota Abbey, Blue Ribbon, Animal Weight 1250 Garrison FFA, Red Ribbon, Animal Weight 1250 Ryder Gaasch, Blue Ribbon, Animal Weight 1270 Class 3 Zeke Ellis, Red Ribbon, Animal Weight 1280 Scarlett Garrison, Blue Ribbon, Animal Weight 1280 Emily Matamoros, Purple Ribbon, Animal Weight 1295 Sarah Welborn, Blue Ribbon, Animal Weight 1300 Kylie Konen, Blue Ribbon, Animal Weight 1315 Tianna Wagenfehr, Purple Ribbon, Animal Weight 1315 Class 4 Kale Konen, Blue Ribbon, Animal Weight 1325 Austin Schuett, Purple Ribbon, Animal Weight 1325 Gavin Garrison, Blue Ribbon, Animal Weight 1340 Andrea Gonzalez, Blue Ribbon, Animal Weight 1340 Zane Garrison, Blue Ribbon, Animal Weight 1350 Halle Fitzgerald, Blue Ribbon, Animal Weight 1355 Kalen Martinell, Purple Ribbon, Animal Weight 1355 Class 5 Aven Pflieger, Blue Ribbon, Animal Weight 1365 Calahan Hoffman, Purple Ribbon, Animal Weight 1380 Tracy Pauley, Purple Ribbon, Animal Weight 1380 Rowdy Mattison, Blue Ribbon, Animal Weight 1390 Molly Crafton, Blue Ribbon, Animal Weight 1400 Kaden Kiewatt, Blue Ribbon, Animal Weight 1430 Tyrell Probst, Purple Ribbon, Animal Weight 1435 Class 6 Chelsey Kiewatt, Blue Ribbon, Animal Weight 1465 Hunter Turk, Blue Ribbon, Animal Weight 1470 Taryn Martinell, Blue Ribbon, Animal Weight 1480 Tucker Sitz, Blue Ribbon, Animal Weight 1515 Kaz Schuett, Purple Ribbon & Grand Champion, Animal Weight 1520 Hunter Probst, Purple Ribbon and Reserve Champion, Animal Weight 1540

MONTANA – The Montana Department of Commerce announced Thursday that the eight tribal nations in Montana will receive a share of $160,000 to support small businesses through economic and business development organizations. Each tribal community will receive $20,000 to support the development of Native-owned small businesses through Commerce’s Native American Business Advisors (NABA) program. The program assists tribal entrepreneurs with resources to launch or grow a small business, application guidance for Indian Equity Fund small business grants, assistance in writing business plans and financial counseling. “Native American Small Business Advisors support new and growing private-sector businesses that are vital to the sustainable development of local economies across Montana,” Montana Department of Commerce Director Tara Rice said. “ These grants support Native-owned small businesses by providing technical assistance needed to sustain or launch local businesses.” Funds will be awarded to the following organizations: Bear Paw Development Corporation (Chippewa Cree Tribe) - $20,000 Nakoda-Aaniiih Credit Agency (Ft. Belknap Indian Community) - $20,000 Great Northern Development Corporation (Ft. Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes) - $20,000 NACDC Financial Services (Blackfeet Tribe) - $20,000 Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians (Little Shell Tribe) - $20,000 People’s Partners for Community Development (Northern Cheyenne) - $20,000 Plenty Doors Community Development Corporation (Crow Tribe) - $20,000 CSKT Tribal Economic Development Department (Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes) - $20,000 “The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes appreciate our continued work with the Montana Department of Commerce Indian Country Economic Development Programs to assist tribal entrepreneurs in obtaining capital for their business start-ups and expansion,” Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Economic Development Planning Director Janet Camel said. “This program is a tremendous boost to our local business owners and we look forward to helping those businesses achieve success.” Learn more about the NABA program at INDIANCOUNTRY.MT.GOV .