Serving Proudly As The Voice Of Valley County Since 1913
Serving Proudly As The Voice Of Valley County Since 1913
Sorted by date Results 126 - 150 of 328
Valley County will apply for $5 million in federal monies to make improvements to Duck Creek Road via the Federal Land Access Program (FLAP). “It is available to us because it accesses federal lands,” Mary Armstrong, Valley County commissioner, said during a discussion and decision meeting at the courthouse on April 14. “We have agreed to provide a $50,000 match. A13.64% match is required.” US Fish and Wildlife Services will provide about another $267,000 for the project and the Army Corps of Engineers about $220,000, Armstrong said. “In exc...
Trying to find a balance between the livelihood of farmers and an ancient fish on the verge of extinction is not an exact science, but a best guess based on available data. Area farmers are worried about how a planned increase then reduction in water flow next year from Fort Peck Dam to stimulate the natural spawning cycle of the Pallid Sturgeon may result in expensive repairs or retrofits to irrigation systems. But, the flows may also allow the sturgeon to reproduce in Upper Missouri River Basi...
Work continues to finalize a job description for the newly created position of Valley County Refuse District Manager. During a meeting on April 7, the three county commissioners spoke at length with representatives from the Valley County Refuse Board about the job description, which must be finalized before the position is advertised to the public. Brian Austin, Valley County Landfill manager, would need to reapply for the newly created position, and would face competition should other candidates apply as well. The commissioners voted to table...
The County Commissioners gave the Hinsdale Ambulance Service the final boost needed to purchase a new ambulance for western Valley County. Using monies raised from payments on low-interest rural development loans from decades past in Hinsdale, the commissioners were able to present the ambulance service with a check for $50,230.77 and bringing the campaign to the total amount needed to buy a new ambulance for just under $150,000. County Commissioner John Fahlgren told the public while presenting...
Dear Valley County, The Valley County Commissioners have asked the County Planning Board to undertake an update to the Valley County Growth Policy. The current policy was first adopted in 2006. The County Growth Policy will serve as the County's guidance document for economic development, local services, infrastructure, and land use. The updated County Growth Policy will assist the County in applying for public grants and other funding sources for infrastructure improvements and as the basis... Full story
The Montana Senate voted on party lines to reject the appointment of Andrew McKean of Valley County to the Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission on Feb. 19. The vote to reject McKean passed 31 to 18 with the entire Republican caucus voting against and the entire Democratic Caucus voting in favor of McKean. In November of 2020, then-Governor Steve Bullock appointed McKean to serve out the remainder of former commissioner Logan Brower's term, who moved from Scobey to Helena that same year. McKean's...
Montana Governor Greg Gianforte issued an executive order on Feb. 12 allowing the statewide mask mandate to expire following his signing of a law protecting businesses from COVID-related liabilities. The news was not a surprise. Gianforte had said he intended to lift the mandate once businesses were shielded from liability by the Montana state legislature and a significant number of vulnerable residents had been vaccinated. “Since January 5th, I have provided a clear, consistent path to rescinding the mask mandate,” Governor Gianforte sai... Full story
The Valley County Commissioners received word from Governor Steve Bullock on Dec. 21 that the county had been selected for A community Development Block Grant. The $450,000 grant award is for water system upgrades to water mains, a storage tank and installation of water metering in the St. Marie water district. Craig Erickson, certified grant writer with Great West Engineering, led a presentation and discussion in August during a public hearing on CDBG funding available, which originates from Housing and Urban Development. At that meeting,...
When Pam Weinmeister's career at the Glasgow office of the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation began over 37 years ago, it had a familiar start for some in northeast Montana. "I needed a job," she explained. "My husband was a farmer and we just weren't making it." So, she applied to work as a compliance technician in the water rights division of the local DNRC office, and she never left. After 34 years in the role, she took a promotion as Water Rights Specialist and she even...
At their regular weekly meeting on Oct. 21, the Valley County Commissioners announced they had unanimously selected Marie Pippen for the soon-to-be vacated Clerk and Recorder and Superintendent of Schools position. Pippen will replace Taryn Aberg, whose resignation will be effective Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2020. The Commissioners received four applications for the position and narrowed their selection to three. After independently reviewing the resumes of the applicants, they came together to discuss their findings. Pippen was selected because the...
Over the past week, Valley County has added 65 new cases and five hospitalizations to the county’s COVID-19 numbers. As of press time, there are 58 active cases with 137 recovered for a total number of cases of 195, and 12 total hospitalizations with four active. The increase in county numbers come as the state hits record highs in new cases. On Oct. 12, the state recorded 7,432 active cases, which is the highest it’s been since the state started regularly publishing COVID-19 information in March and as of Oct. 11, there have been 210 COV... Full story
It’s Time Our county is experiencing a large uptick in active Covid-19 cases. It’s in the schools, the nursing home and FMDH, in addition to our businesses and government offices. It’s time to take social distancing recommendations seriously. Mask up, stay six feet away and wash your hands. If we can all do that, we will contain this virus and allow our essential service personnel to continue to provide our residents with the critical services we all need. When our hospital and clinic personnel contract the virus, or are required to quara... Full story
Valley County Clerk & Recorder/Superintendent of Schools Taryn Aberg submitted her resignation letter to the county commissioners on Sept. 21. Aberg was elected to her position in 2018 and the four-year term will expire Dec. 31, 2022. Aberg’s resignation is effective Wednesday, Dec. 2, of this year. “I have decided to dedicate more time to my children and family,” she wrote. “Due to relocation, I am unable to fulfill my term as Clerk and Recorder.” In Valley County, the position of Election Administrator is also filled by the Clerk & Recorder/S...
Wokal Field, the Glasgow-Valley County Airport, played host to an unusual visitor Aug. 25. A C130H plane touched down, part of the Montana Air National Guard's effort to improve community relations across the state and improve their domestic operational capability in Montana. The 100,000 pound cargo plane landed just before 11 a.m., and taxied to a position just outside the airport building in front of an excited crowd. Recruiters set up a station out front and an airman answered a number of...
The Valley County Health Department confirmed nine more cases of COVID-19 in the county over the past week. Cases 38 and 39 were announced on Aug. 26, case 40 was announced on Aug. 29 and cases 41 through 46 were announced on Sept. 1. Case 38 is a female age 50-59 who is not hospitalized and is isolating at home. This individual is asymptomatic and was identified through contact tracing. The investigation and contact tracing was ongoing. Case 39 is a male age one to nine who is not hospitalized and is isolating at home. This individual is sympt...
At their regularly-scheduled meeting on Aug. 19, the Valley County Commissioners voted unanimously to move to a mail ballot election, with the option of in-person voting, for the 2020 general election. Ballots will be mailed out for the Tuesday, Nov. 3, election on Oct. 9. Voters may vote in person at the county election office (in the Valley County Courthouse) 30 days prior to the election. Same-day registration will also be in place. Valley County Clerk and Recorder Taryn Aberg gave three reasons for recommending the county move to a mail...
Dear Editor, Nick Chiechi did not out of the sky raise rates! Due to the additional cost of Dry Prairie $14.25 EDU for all St. Marie water users, public hearings were held and a proposed rate increase was discussed. Montana Rural Water provided their formula arriving at the needed rate increase to cover the $7,000 monthly water source bill from Dry Prairie. Alice Hawkins, who was working on NVCW/S District budgets at that time, arrived at about the same dollar amount fee increase. With our main...
At their regular meeting on Aug. 26, the Valley County Commissioners unanimously voted to approve the recommendation from Valley County co-Fire Wardens Bob Hanson and Rob Brunelle to move the county to State I Fire Restrictions. The restrictions will go into effect at 12:01 a.m., Friday, Aug. 28. The region remains at high risk of fire due to dry conditions and weather concerns during harvest. Multiple fires have broken out across the county already this season including the Hill fire, caused by a lightning strike, which has burned over 3,000...
The Valley County Commissioners hosted their required first public hearing on Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Funding on Aug. 4 in the Valley County Courthouse. The hearing was to inform the public about the various programs available and how these programs can be used to serve the community, with particular attention to persons of low to moderate income. Craig Erickson, certified grant writer with Great West Engineering, led the presentation and discussion. He outlined for the gathered interested community members and commissioners...
Valley County will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, Aug. 4, at 5:30 p.m. in the office of the Valley County Commissioners located at 501 East Court Street, Glasgow. The purpose of the hearing is to obtain public comments regarding the County’s overall community development needs (public facilities, economic development, and housing needs), including the needs of low and moderate-income persons. Valley County will also seek the views of citizens on the activities that should be undertaken to meet the identified needs and their relative p... Full story
Summer hours for the Pioneer Museum through August are Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Fort Peck Interpretive Center is now open daily, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors are asked to wear masks and remain six feet from others outside their household while in the building. The Senior Citizen Center will continue Meals on Wheels. Grab n’ go meals are available on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays for those age 60 plus with a $5.50 suggested donation. Please call 228-9500 by 9 a.m. to reserve a grab n go meal. Tuesday, Aug. 4 – Pulled Por...
July 1 Update: Since the publication of this story, an additional lab-confirmed case of COVID-19 has been identified in Valley County. Case #4 is a male in his 30s who is not hospitalized and is isolating at home. The case was identified through contact tracing and had been undergoing quarantine. The individual does not have symptoms. Valley County reported two lab-confirmed cases of Covid-19 on June 28. Both cases affect Valley County residents currently in the county. According to county health officer Dr. Anne Millard, the two cases were inf... Full story
Dear Valley County, The Valley County Commissioners would like to apologize, and issue clarification, regarding the current health orders and obligations that apply to visitors from outside Valley County. In response to significant public concern regarding out of county contractors who are present in our communities for essential work purposes, one of the companies partnered with the County Health Officer to wear pink wrist bands following their 14- day quarantine. This was implemented to help alleviate community concerns about the potential sp...
Looking ahead and self improvement. Before a viral outbreak in China became an epidemic, before that epidemic spread across the world and became a pandemic, and before it was even considered likely that the novel coronavirus, that causes COVID-19, would even appear in Valley County, the County Health Officer Dr. Anne Millard was already preparing for such a scenario. That is because Dr. Millard had seen a need in the community over two years ago and filled her already sparse spare time with... Full story
To the residents of Valley County, The Valley County Sheriff’s Office is working closely with the County Commissioners, County Attorney, County Health Department, and the County Health Official during this COVID-19 virus pandemic. We ask that you continue to follow the directives from the County Health Officer and the Governor. Please stay informed with the most recent recommendations from the County Health Department. You will find this information on Facebook, @Valley County Health Department, @KLTZ Glasgow, and @Glasgow Courier. A... Full story
