Chouteau County, MT

FORT BENTON, Mont. - The Chouteau County Health Department reports that a resident has died from COVID-19 related illness. In a Facebook post, they wrote: It is with great sadness we announce another Covid death in Chouteau County. This person was not over 40 and died very quickly from Covid pneumonia.

Chouteau County Health Department reported Tuesday another COVID-19-related death. The department reported it was a person not older than 40 who died very quickly from COVID-related pneumonia, and urged people who have not done so yet to get vaccinated. The state tracking map this morning reported no new cases, 510 total, none active, 7 deaths in Chouteau County.

In the wake of announcements about the dispersal of over $28 million in American Rescue Plan funds to counties and cities across north-central Montana little guidance has been issued by the federal government about how these funds can be used. While some county- and city-level officials in the area have...

The Montana Farm Bureau is applauding Governor Gianforte for signing HB 554 which states that before the federal government can establish a national heritage area, the Montana Legislature must approve it. This bill gives farmers and ranchers a layer of assurance that there will be local input on designations that might impact their ability to use certain practices.

MSU Northern Agricultural Research Center (NARC) and MSU Extension in Phillips, Blaine, Chouteau and Liberty Counties will be hosting several field days this year. These field days highlight the work being done on Northern Agricultural Research Center test plots within the different counties. Speakers for each of the events include...

Big Sandy High School senior, Katherine Bold with Chouteau County Conservation District Chairman, Henry Nagamori. Katherine is the 2021 recipient of the CCCD Henry Nagamori Ag Scholarship and daughter of Lawrence and Anna Bold of Big Sandy, MT. Katherine is registered to attend Carroll College in Helena, MT this fall...

Unoffical count of ballots for school District #2, Chouteau County, Montana, fo teh election held on May 2, 2021.

Darin Ray was found guilty of four felonies of aggravated assault by accountablity. His sentencing was held on April 20th. In the Minute Entry, the Montana District Court in Chouteau County reads, “The court sentences the defendant on Count I to a six-year deferred imposition of sentence with a $5000 fine. On Count II, a 6-year deferred imposition of sentence with a $5000 to run concurrent with Count I. On Count III, a 6-year deferred imposition of sentence with a $5000 fine to run consecutive to Counts I and II. On Count IV, a six-year deferred imposition of sentence to run concurrent with Count III. If mental and chemical evaluations are completed and making good-faith payments, the fine amount may be adjusted. Conditions apply as well as fees and surcharges. Jury costs are assessed based upon the defendant’s ability to pay.”

The annual RECYCLING BONANZA is back this year. It will be held Saturday, May 1, 2021 from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm at the Dedman Foundation Animal Shelter at 2400 High Street in Fort Benton. We will be accepting recyclable scrap metal and appliances, household batteries (sorted by chemical type), clothing and shoes (gently used or better), paint (usable condition, all kinds), steel canned food cans (rinsed and label removed), aluminum cans, tabs removed from the aluminum cans, mixed paper including copy/printer paper, newspapers and magazines, cardboard, eye glasses and…electronic waste (computers, cell phones, printers, office equipment, etc). Please be aware fees will be charged for CRT and LCD screens and devices requiring data destruction. If you have items you are not able to transport to Fort Benton, if you give our office a call, we are willing to work out a plan to get those items to the Recycling Bonanza.

The Chouteau County Soil Moisture Survey was started by Judee Wargo in 1993 to assist farmers in determining recropping potential on cereal grain stubble. After 28 years, the Chouteau County Extension Office continues to compile data for determining recropping potential and providing the state drought committee with soil moisture information.

The food being promoted through Montana Harvest of the Month for April is chickpeas. Harvest of the Month is a program which showcases Montana grown foods. You will see posters and events in the schools, other education facilities and healthcare institutions across Montana. These places promote the locally grown item by serving it as a meal and/or snack along with displaying educational literature and displays. Many of your children may have mentioned during school they learned about these locally grown items and/or had a taste test. The primary goals of the Harvest of the Month program are to expose children and adults to new, healthy foods and to support local farmers and ranchers.

Ed Lehman told me his father opened the business in 1959. That is 62 years of doing business as Lehman’s True Value, the only hardware store in Chouteau County. The Mountaineer encourages shopping at home, and Lehman’s True Value Hardware is the closed hardware store we have. He is pleased...

Tom Mathews, a new Chouteau County resident, has lived in Montana 36 years of the past 40 years. "I was stationed at Malmstrom in 1980, and after orders to Germany, I spent time in Colorado and Florida before moving back to Great Falls in the early '90s." Tom is originally from Clark, NJ, and enlisted in the Air Force right out of high school.

With the “spring forward” of the clocks this past weekend, it is a good reminder to give some attention to those forgotten, yet important household tasks which may be overdue. An important one to start with is your fire alarms. While testing the fire alarm with the test button is...

Northern Ag Research Center Posts Top Yielding Spring and Winter Wheat Varieties for the Loma Area. MSU Northern Agricultural Research Center (NARC) has posted 2020 wheat yield data for the McKeever plot north of Loma. A special thanks to Peggy Lamb (NARC agronomist) and the NARC staff for establishing and maintaining the Chouteau County test plot near Loma. In addition, the Extension office would like to thank the McKeever family for donating the use of their land for MSU research. A field day at the test plot will take place on June 22, 2021. More information on the field day will be distributed later on in the growing season.

Eighth Annual Chouteau County Agriculture Day for 4th and 5th Graders. The eighth annual Chouteau County Ag Day for 4th and 5th graders will take place at the Chouteau County Fairgrounds on April 27, 2021. All 4th and 5th graders in Chouteau County are invited to attend. Home school kids who are interested in participating need to contact the Chouteau County Extension Office at 622-3751.

How safe do you think your house is of poisonous household products? Poison is all around us, affecting anyone, anytime. The best preventative measure to avoid poisoning, is to take the time to look around for poisonous products which are at an accessible by height by children, use child resistant closures and use the products according to the manufacturer’s label.

A Montguide titled Deer-Resistant Ornamental Plants for Your Garden is available at the Chouteau County Extension office or can be mailed to you upon request. The document is also available online at: https://bit.ly/3sn0aTH. The Montguide is written by Cheryl Moore-Gough (Previous Extension Horticulture Specialist). Deer are very destructive to a...

Compiled by Zoe Merrillhe following was a news release: “Approved by BOH February 23, 2021. In accordance with CDC recommendations and Governor Gianforte’s encouragement for “wearing of masks as a show of respect and care for the people around us”; the Chouteau County Public Health Department proposes the following mask policy for Chouteau County:

Darin Ray was found guilty on four felony counts of assault with a weapon. The incident took place in June 2020. After an argument at the Mint Bar, those involved left the Mint Bar and went home. After this, a gun was pointed out of a pickup at four separate individuals at Shane Silvan and Heather Wolery’s home. Chouteau County Sheriff’s Deputy Dennis Hale was present at their home when a gun was pointed at himself and Shane Silvan, Heather Wolery, and Taylor McDougle. The trial lasted two days, but the jury deliberated only one hour and returned with a unanimous verdict of guilty.