Weekly influenza numbers continue to rise in Montana. For the weekend ending February 8th 1,612 influenza were reported an increase from 1,467 the week before. Hospitalizations also increased from 72 patients to 85 during the same time frame. So far this flu season 20 deaths have been recorded in Montana. The RSV positivity rate also climbed to the highest it’s been all season with 11.65% of 412 tests coming back positive. COVID-19 case numbers declined from 224 cases to 215.
Basin Electric Power Cooperative owned by 139 member cooperative systems across 9 states including Montana is set to build the largest capital expenditure project it has ever done a nearly $4 billion natural gas-fueled generation facility near Epping in Williams County North Dakota next to Eastern Montana. The Bison Generation Station will produce approximately 1,470 megawatts of electricity to help meet electric load growth in the region.
The Trump administration has halted funding for federal programs to reduce wildfire risk in western U.S. states and has frozen hiring of seasonal firefighters as part of broad cuts to government spending. A spokesperson for the Agriculture department which oversees the Forest Service says all programs and personnel are under review. About 15,000 seasonal firefighters are hired each year.
The national REAL ID requirement deadline is May 7th but right now only 31% of Montanans have one. , Travelers will need a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license to board domestic flights or gain access to military bases and some federal buildings. Montanans can visit their local Motor Vehicle Division office to apply for a REAL ID. An alternative would be a passport.
Governor Greg Gianforte’s budget office is home to tens of millions of dollars generated by accruing interest on unspent COVID-19 relief Montana. It estimates it’ll have $101 million by the deadline to spend it of December 31st 2026. There are virtually no restrictions on how it can be used.
Habitat for Humanity will look to build six homes on what is now a baseball field on Railroad Street in Columbia Falls. The program is designed to help working-class families get into a home of their own so there are income requirements to qualify for a home. The project is being completed in cooperation with the Northwest Montana Community Land Trust.
Efforts to address contamination in the Deer Lodge Area is scheduled for February 25th at the Powell County Community Center and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality is looking for public input on the project. The meeting will include talk about the progress made on the remediation process and will also touch on the declining fish populations in the Upper Clark Fork River.
The debate over whether to move forward with a four-day school week has been a discussion since at least 2009 in Florence but a recent survey largely of parents and teachers shows support. A sample schedule has Fridays off with each school day starting 10 minutes earlier and ending 20 minutes later than the current schedule resulting in 21 fewer school days.
The Fort Benton School District held a special election and passed two levies for building maintenance on the Elementary and Middle High Schools. The ten-year levies will provide $823,000 to the elementary school and $647,000 to the middle/high school. With a reported 50% voter turnout both levies passed with 67% in favor.
NorthWestern Energy and the Missouri-Madison River Fund Trust have awarded funding for six public recreation improvement projects on the Missouri and Madison rivers. The grant and matching funds will supplement public agency and partner contributions for projects to be implemented this year.
