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It could be that once in a lifetime chance to get away that you spent a lifetime planning or at the very least thought about. Now it is on the presuppose of the trip actually taking place and the excitement of this once in a lifetime opportunity is part of the actual memory that will stay with you for the rest of your life. Maybe it's an all-inclusive vacation getaway to a Caribbean or Mexican resort that you take each year or maybe it's a summer excursion for Mom, Dad and the kids to get away...

Under Governor Steve Bullock's Phased Reopening of Montana, retail businesses were allowed to reopen their doors on Monday, April 27, and become operational with reduced capacity. Some Blaine County business owners were eager to get back to work while others expressed hesitation, preferring instead to continue to telework. Bonnie Weber, owner of Shores Floral & Gift in Chinook, shared her feelings about the Governor's Directive: "My feelings are a little mixed on opening the doors, truthfully....
Under Governor Steve Bullock’s Directive for a Phased Reopening of Montana, beginning May 7, all schools have the option to return to in-classroom teaching delivery. Despite that option, Chinook School District’s Superintendent, Darin Hannum reports that almost all of the Hi-Line school superintendents will recommend to keep online instruction because of prohibitive aspects of the governor’s Directive. Harlem School District held a special school board meeting at noon on Monday, April 27, to discuss their options: Whether schools would reope...
The Blaine County Health Department, the Board of Health (consisting of the three Blaine County commissioners and two appointed community members), and the Health Officer are acutely aware of the public health emergency that is ongoing with pandemic COVID-19. Our priority is the health and safety of people who live and work in our county. We recognize that county healthcare providers have seen fewer patients over the last two weeks with upper respiratory symptoms. We also recognize that providers in Blaine County have the capacity to test...
On May 1 and May 2, from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., Shores Floral & Gift will be hosting photographer Adrianna Standiford from Images by Adrianna, who will be set up in the greenhouse to photograph children and families, just in time for Mother’s Day gift giving. With Mother’s Day approaching, Bonnie Weber, owner of Shores Floral & Gift who has a history of supporting artists, decided to collaborate with Standiford and create an event for the community. Each portrait session will be fifteen minutes and will produce five digital pho...
In a press conference on Wednesday, April 22, Governor Steve Bullock issued a Directive that provides guidelines for a Phased Reopening of Montana. The Directive establishes guidance applicable to all three phases and specifically provides direction for Phase One, including lifting the Stay at Home Directive on Sunday, April 26 and reopening non-essential businesses on Monday, April 27. Bar and restaurant closures, however, are extended to May 4, and school closures remain in effect through May 6. Although this recent Directive establishes cond...

Since the beginning of April, the City of Chinook has advertised openings for the positions of Swimming Pool Manager and Lifeguard at Chinook City Pool. That they have had no applicants to date is worrisome to Chinook's Mayor, Keith Hanson. "With the jobless situation what it currently is, I'm surprised that we have received no applications for these vacancies. If we can't get any interest, I'm afraid that we won't be able to open the pool this summer," Hanson said. Chinook City Pool typically...

In the upcoming primary election, two candidates are running for the position of District Clerk of Court in Blaine County. Tami Mitchell, the incumbent, is being challenged by Jim Doyle. The current Blaine County District Clerk of Court, Mitchell interacts directly with the judiciary system. To the position, she brings her years of experience served as well as more than seventeen years of experience as a Blaine County Employee. During her service with Blaine County, she has worked as an...
Located at 112 Sixth Street West in Chinook, the Chinook Food Pantry is a member of the Montana Food Bank Network (MFBN). As a partner agency, it provides direct service to individuals and families in need by distributing food and grocery products to clients in their service area. During this time of economic insecurity, the volunteers of this donation-based entity remind the community that the Food Pantry is a resource available to them. One of those volunteers, Wilma Melville reported that there has been no increase in those requesting the se...

On April 17, 2020, Montana State University-Northern in Havre, MT, announced the recipients of the Student Excellence Awards, which is the highest honor that a student can receive. One local student received this award. Erika Anderson is a junior pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture Operation Technology and an Associate of Science in Diesel Technology with plans to eventually work in the agriculture industry. She has served in a variety of leadership roles on campus including as a...
One year ago, almost to the day, the Blaine County Journal published an article for the local animal shelter in Chinook. P.A.W.S was ready to close its doors if they couldn’t find reliable volunteers. Starting over 25 years ago, the idea that our animal shelter might face closing was shocking. I contacted Bonnie Weber and asked what could be done. Volunteer. That was the only answer. They needed people in seats, or in kennels as it were. I attended a board meeting and the very next day I was sweeping kennels, playing fetch and trying to e...
Many people are respecting social distancing and even wearing masks when they go out into the public to conduct essential business. Grocery shopping is one of those essentials, and three of Blaine County’s grocery store managers report that things are starting to level out as supply chains regain their health and merchandise continues to flow into stores. However, shoppers are spending less time in the stores so as to minimize potential exposure for themselves and others. In two area stores—Albertsons in Harlem and Finley’s Food Farm in Chino...
Enumerating several reasons and believing that the best way to get the largest attendance, the Zurich Association of Parents (ZAP), who are planning the Zurich Elementary School All-Class Reunion, has announced that the event will be postponed. The tentative reschedule date is June 19, 2021. “For those wondering what we’re going to do, I guess we have a plan,” Committee Chair Betty Billmayer stated. “Not that plans necessarily go the way we expect!” In a Zoom video conference meeting held on Monday, April 13, members considered feedback from mu...
The Hill County Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program, administered through the Hill County Health Department, is accepting new clients in Hill and surrounding counties. As the nation’s most successful and cost-effective public health nutrition program, WIC is designed to influence lifetime nutrition and health behaviors for participating families. Nationwide, WIC provides healthy food, nutrition education, breastfeeding support and other benefits to more than 7 million people, including 16,000 participants in Montana. The program provides...
WASHINGTON – Congressman Greg Gianforte (R-Mont.) and U.S. Senator Steve Daines today announced that the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will ensure more Montana taverns have access to federal emergency relief resources amid the COVID-19 outbreak. “Like small businesses throughout Montana, bars and taverns have been shut down by government order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and save lives. We need to help them keep workers on payroll and set them up to reopen after the public health threat has passed,” Gianforte said. “I appreci...
Helena, Mont. – The Montana Department of Agriculture is now accepting applications for the Montana Agriculture Student Loan Assistance Program. The program was established with the signing of HB 431 during the 2019 legislative session. Applications can be submitted at funding.mt.gov and the application deadline is June 1, 2020. More information, including eligibility requirements can be found on MDA’s website. “Montana’s young ag producers are the future of our industry, and there are tremendous opportunities out there,” said MDA Director...

The 2020 Montana Winter Fair, which was billed as the premier event "Celebrating Montana Agriculture and Our Western Way of Life for 75 Years," is in the books. From the exhibition, four Blaine County livestock showmen and women brought home several awards. With over twenty-five attractions, Montana Winter Fair took place at numerous locations throughout Lewistown on January 18-26. With events like Skijoring, Polar Plunge, Ranch Rodeo, Arm Wrestling, Savor the Flavors of Montana, Fiddle...
For the first time in history, election polls in Blaine County and across Montana will be closed on Election Day. Montana's June 2 primary will be conducted primarily through the United States Postal Service in an effort to allow people to vote without being exposed to large groups in close quarters. Citing concerns about exposure to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), Governor Steve Bullock used his emergency powers and signed a directive on March 25, allowing counties to expand voting by mail and early voting in the June 2 primary election....
Applying what they know about infection control and adhering to Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, the Sweet Memorial Nursing Home administration and staff are making the necessary adjustments amid the COVID-19 crisis to protect their vulnerable population. In providing an update on how the COVID-19 situation has affected the residents of the rest home, Rebecca Shackelford, Administrator at the Sweet Memorial Nursing Home (SMNH), reported that during the week of March 9, staff inventoried what they had on hand for...
WASHINGTON – Following a request from Congressman Greg Gianforte (R-Mont.), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced it will award $30 billion to nearly 320,000 health care providers nationwide, including more than $110 million to nearly 1,500 providers in Montana. “As our nation and state confront the COVID-19 outbreak, Montana health care providers, including our hospitals and health centers, need resources to keep their doors open, treat patients, and protect our communities,” Gianforte said. “I appreci...
It’s time for landowners enrolled in the federal Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) to sign up for the state-sponsored Open Fields for Game Bird Hunters. Open Fields is a voluntary extra incentive offering aimed at further conserving productive game bird habitat enrolled in CRP and expanding access to hunters. Open Fields is offered through Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks’ Upland Game Bird Enhancement Program and is available to private landowners with existing and newly enrolled CRP that have a minimum of two years left on their federal contrac...
Following the extension of Montana Gov. Steve Bullock’s directive that out of state travelers must quarantine for 14 days, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks director Martha Williams has suspended nonresident hunting seasons for spring turkey and black bear until at least April 24. On Tuesday, Gov. Bullock extended the mandatory quarantine directive related to COVID-19 through April 24 for travelers arriving in Montana from another state or country. The quarantine directive for out-of-state travelers applies to public outdoor recreation, grocery s...

Over the past weeks, we have all likely heard news reports about healthcare professionals using recommended disposable equipment in unprecedented fashion. When these supplies were no longer keeping up with demands, nurses and other hospital professionals across the nation began reporting that they were at times working without adequate access to personal protective equipment (PPE). That's when community activism took the form of several mask construction projects. In Blaine County, quilters,...
Total Cases in Montana 296 6 Deaths Gallatin County 115 Cases --- Yellowstone County 40 Cases --- Flathead County 25 Cases 1 Death Missoula County 21 Cases 1 Death Toole County 16 Cases 3 Deaths Lewis and Clark County 14 Cases --- Silver Bow County 11 Cases --- Cascade County 11 Cases --- Madison County 9 Cases 1 Death Lincoln County 7 Cases --- Park County 4 Cases --- Broadwater County 4 Cases --- Lake County 4 Cases --- Deer Lodge County 3 Cases --- Jefferson County 2 Cases --- Ravalli County 2 Cases --- Carbon County 1 Case --- Beaverhead...
As conditions continue to evolve and shelter-in-place mandates grow more intense, Blaine County residents are feeling the pinch of inconvenience, economic strain, and escalating stress. Several entities shared reports on the pandemic and how we might all remain committed to coping. According to officials at the Sweet Medical Center, social distancing should not keep a person from enjoying the beauty Montana has to offer. Their Facebook page announced that National Take a Walk in the Park Day, which is celebrated on March 30 each year,...