The Blackfoot Valley's News Source Since 1980
The Blackfoot Valley's News Source Since 1980
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Helena, MT - The first draft of the Lewis and Clark County Growth Policy and Future Land Use Map are now available for public review, and the County is calling on residents to provide their feedback. This marks the second round of public engagement for the Growth Policy update following an online survey and a series of open houses, community meetings, and discussions with stakeholder groups earlier this year, which were instrumental in shaping this first draft. What is a...
Oct. 10, 2024 - In cooperation with Lewis and Clark County, the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) and Sletten Construction are replacing the Dalton Mountain Road Bridge over the Blackfoot River, 3 miles west of Lincoln. A detour is in place via Herrin Lake Road, Stemple Pass Road, and Montana Highway 200 (MT 200). Deck curing is underway. This week, crews are working on riprap placement, bridge end backfills, and preparing roadway approaches for the concrete pavement...
Sept. 19 - In cooperation with Lewis and Clark County, the Montana Department of Transportation and Sletten Construction are replacing the Dalton Mountain Road Bridge over the Blackfoot River, 3 miles west of Lincoln. A detour is in place via Herrin Lake Road, Stemple Pass Road, and Montana Highway 200. This week, the installation of the first two loads of steel trusses for the north and center spans is underway. This involves bolting the trusses and associated beams to the...
HAVRE – Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks game wardens want to remind hunters and homeowners that baiting deer and other game animals for hunting purposes and/or purposely feeding game animals in Montana is illegal. Many sporting goods stores in Montana offer feed, supplements, and other baiting attractants that are targeted to these various game animals. Although it is legal for venders to sell these attractants, it is not legal for Montanans to use them for hunting purposes. B...
Missoula, Mont., Sept. 10, 2024 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service's Northern Region announces investments of more than $8 million on two National Forests in Montana, in support of the Collaborative Wildfire Risk Reduction Program. These investments will be funded by hazardous fuels funds from the Inflation Reduction Act. CWRRP is designed to significantly reduce wildfire risk on National Forest Service lands outside of the 21 designated Wildfire Crisis...
DESTINATION: WESTERN MONTANA (REGION 2) After a colder and snowier 2022-2023 winter, we returned to a milder and much less snowy winter during 2023-2024 (although there were a few cold snaps). Given the milder winter conditions and the decent fall leading up to it, animals fared well and were observed to be in good late-winter/early-spring body condition during our annual spring surveys. Spring green-up arrived early this year, benefiting wildlife. We suspect that the mild...
Sep 9, 2024 3:22 PM Montana's millions of acres of private land offer some excellent hunting opportunities-the only catch is gaining the landowner's permission to hunt. It is Montana law that hunters obtain landowner permission to hunt on all private land. Here are a few things to keep in mind that will greatly improve results when attempting to secure hunting access to private land. *Show courtesy to the landowner and make hunting arrangements by calling or visiting at times...
This year FWP will continue chronic wasting disease surveillance and monitoring in specific areas known as Priority Sampling Areas across southwestern, central, and central-eastern Montana. *Carcass disposal requirements: Carcass parts, such as brain, eyes, spleen, lymph glands, and spinal cord material, should be left at the kill site when possible. If the animal is transported for taxidermy or meat processing, the brain and spinal tissue must be bagged and disposed of in...
HELENA – Attorney General Austin Knudsen is encouraging Montanans to be on high-alert and take measures to protect their identity following reports that billions of records, including social security numbers and other sensitive information, may have been compromised. According to reports, a hacking group USDoD allegedly stole personal records of 2.9 billion people and claims to be selling it online for millions. The data includes names, address histories, relatives, and S...
The Lewis and Clark County Commission is seeking interested citizens to serve on the following boards: Airport Authority Board Board of Adjustment Compensation Board Consolidated City and County Planning Board Forestvale Cemetery Board Forestvale Historic Preservation Committee Lewis and Clark County DUI Task Force Lincoln Parks Board Lincoln Solid Waste Board Noxious Weed Board – Augusta, Wolf Creek Open Lands Citizens Advisory Committee Scratchgravel Solid Waste District A...
The subadult female grizzly bear wasn't hanging around to wait for the trap door to open all the way. She was done with confinement. With the buzz of a drone above her and the Wyoming high country in front of her, she bounded out the culvert-shaped trap when the door was only halfway up. Before her was the wild heart of Wyoming, an entire state away from where she had lived just one day prior. This female grizzly bear, all 204 pounds of her, represents a coordinated and...
HELENA – The wolf population in Montana remains healthy, according to the 2023 Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Wolf Report. Increased harvest during the 2023 wolf season has not yet resulted in an estimated decline to the statewide total. However, FWP biologists expect to see a moderate decline in wolf numbers next year resulting from the increased harvest in early 2024. "We are committed to following the law to reduce wolf numbers to a sustainable level, which means ensuring M...
Helena MT – Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton has lifted evacuation warnings for the Black Mountain Fire near Lincoln, Montana. Under the evacuation warning, access to the area north of Highway 200 from Lone Point Drive to the east just past Stonewall Creek, north of Lone Point Drive and Tamarack Lane, north of North Lincoln Gulch/Morris Drive, north of the intersection of Beaver Creek Road and Stonewall Creek and all feeder roads north of that intersection had been r...
Helena, MT – With fire danger rising and to reduce the risk of human-caused fires, the Lewis and Clark County Board of Commissioners passed a resolution today to establish Stage 1 Fire Restrictions throughout the county. The resolution was recommended to the Commission by the Lewis and Clark County Rural Fire Council and Sheriff Leo C. Dutton, Fire Warden. Under STAGE 1 FIRE RESTRICTIONS, the following acts are prohibited until further notice: * Building, maintaining, a...
Starting on July 8, the Montana Department of Transportation and Sletten Construction, in cooperation with Lewis and Clark County, will close the Dalton Mountain Road Bridge for demolition and reconstruction. During the closure, traffic will be detoured around the project site on Herrin Lake Road and Stemple Pass Road. The detour length is approximately 11 miles, bridge end to bridge end. Detour directions from the north side of the Dalton Mountain Road Bridge: Head north on D...
HELENA, Mont., July 2, 2024 - With nearly 2.9 million acres to explore and over 30 developed campgrounds to choose from, the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest is a great place to celebrate Fourth of July. Many people and animal companions are sensitive to the sounds of fireworks, so national forests can be an excellent escape to find peace and connection. The Forests are also part of the heritage of this country that we celebrate this Fourth. Before you head out, here...
HELENA – The Montana Department of Justice's Office of Consumer Protection (OCP) is receiving reports of fraudsters, posing as law enforcement, attempting to scam unsuspecting Montanans out of thousands of dollars by calling individuals claiming there is a warrant for their arrest because they missed jury duty. The scammers are directing individuals to go the bank, withdraw cash, and then deposit the funds into bitcoin machines or ATMs, such as Coinstar kiosks, and not to tell anyone what they are doing. The scammers also h...
HELENA – They look so cute and helpless. But your efforts to help could end up harming the animal and reducing its chances to survive. It's important to understand that wildlife care for their young much differently than humans. One strategy that some species, particularly those species typically preyed upon by other animals (deer, rabbits, birds), use is to distance themselves from their young for many hours at a time. This helps to keep predators away from their young. F...
Helena, MT – Lewis and Clark County is actively updating its County Growth Policy and is thrilled with the ongoing community engagement! Over the past few weeks, we've hosted six successful open house events and had numerous insightful conversations. Now, to gather more perspectives from across the County, we're launching an exciting new online interactive map and survey. Why is this Important? The Growth Policy is a crucial document that articulates the County's goals and v...
Lincoln, Montana – June 3, 2024 – Simulation in Motion Montana (SIM-MT), in partnership with the Area Health Education Center (AHEC), is excited to announce an upcoming trauma training session for Lincoln EMS. This essential training event, set for June 3, 2024, will focus on preparing emergency responders to manage motorcycle and motor vehicle accident trauma. The training will take place at the local fire department and hospital. Lee Roberts, a representative from SIM...
HAVRE – With the onset of spring weather, both species of Montana bears are active. Much of Montana has both black and grizzly bears, with grizzlies showing up further and further east each year. Recently, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks confirmed a grizzly bear sighting in the Bear Paw Mountains east of Big Sandy. "Though not common, grizzly bear sightings around central Montana have increased over the years," said FWP Region 6 Supervisor Drew Henry. "This emphasizes the n...
HELENA, Montana – Lewis and Clark Public Health officials, in collaboration with PureView Health Center, St. Peter's Health, United Way of the Lewis and Clark Area, Rocky Mountain Development Council, and the Montana Department of Health and Human Services, are overseeing a first-of-its-kind community health survey in a multi-county area that spans Lewis and Clark, Jefferson, Powell, Broadwater, and Meagher counties. Scheduled for late June, the Community Assessment for Public...
HELENA – Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, along with 24 other attorneys general, filed a lawsuit Thursday against the Biden Administration’s unlawful electric vehicle (EV) mandate that threatens the economy, puts jobs at risk, and undermines the reliability of the electric grid. This is the 42nd lawsuit Attorney General Knudsen has filed against the Biden administration. The new emissions rule, put in place by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), forces unattainable standards on passenger cars, light-duty tru...
Helena, MT - Lewis and Clark County Public Health (LCPH) is teaming up with St. Peter's Health and the Helena Police Department to enhance and expand behavioral health and crisis intervention services through the Mobile Crisis Response Team (MCRT) Community Coalition. "When someone in our community experiences a behavioral health crisis, be it mental illness or substance misuse, we have a team of first responders that can partner with law enforcement and help take the lead on...
HELENA – Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is accepting applications from landowners who are interested in participating in the 2024 Block Management Program. Application deadline is June 1. Through the Block Management Program, landowners and FWP work together to help manage wildlife and public hunting activities on enrolled lands. Landowners and FWP enter into voluntary agreements that determine how hunting will be conducted on the landowner's property. Items such as per...
