Thursday, September 24, 2020 | $1.00 Vol. 106 No. 39 ISSN (1041-3340) Independent-Press.com Telephone (406) 346-2149 ‘Remarkable increase’ Fires brought under control here Wednesday Staff Report Two fires remained burning in Rosebud Coun- ty early Wednesday morn- ing according to the Rose- bud County Sherriff’s office. On Tuesday evening, there were six active fires in Rosebud and Treasure counties. In a 2:30 a.m. Wednes- day Facebook Post, the Sheriff’s Office said fires near Vassau Ranch and Sweeney/Butte Creek were the only ones con- BLM photo by Mark Jacobsen tinuing to burn and that Remnants of the “Wiltse Fire” fire crews were working northeast of Ashland smoul- to contain both. They also der last week. IP PHOTO/Andy Prutsok reported that all Treasure Rosebud County Library Director Heather Johnstone displays some of the “Covid Care Kits’ the library is distributing this County had been con- east of Ashland, had week. The ktis include various toiletries, anti-bacterial soap, hand sanitizer, dental floss, laundry detergent, sanitary wipes, etc. tained, but that fires were burned 882 acres by to help raise awarness of the Coronavirus pandemic and arm patrons with the tools they need to maintain their health. The burring south of Tullock Wednesday, last week. The project is sponsored by the Rosebud County Department of Public Health which received grant funding for it. Johnstone said Creek in Big Horn County. Rosebud County Office of about half of the 50 available kits had been distributed by noon Wednesday. “With these fires there's Emergency Management a lot of smoke in the area,” reported then that hazy the facebook post read. smoke from the fires in Gov., health officials urge Covid-19 caution “Dispatch is aware of it. If the West had made the you see a new fire that fire difficult to detect. It may not have been report- took remote sensing in the face of 50% spike in new cases ed please call it in.” detecting a hot spot from By Andy Prutsok Rosebud’s active case load had traced to “congregate sites,” of The “Wiltse Fire,” locat- a burning coal seam to Staff Writer fallen to 149, moving it from the which schools are included along ed about 15 miles north- reveal the fire’s existence. second highest in the state to with long-term care facilities and Montana saw a “remarkable fifth. jails and prisons, with cases increase” in Coronavirus cases “It’s a pretty dramatic increase impacting both residents and Reimagining Rural Sept. 29 last week with more than 1,200 and we can pretty much figure staff members. new active cases reported, a out where these cases came She noted, too, that some of the Session focus on ‘idea spike of more than 490 cases from,” cases are tracing back to Labor over the previous week. According to Lead Communi- Day gatherings. At a press call Tuesday hosted cable Disease Epidemiologist Officials used the press call friendly’ attitude by Gov. Steve Bullock and state Stacy Anderson, the increases and the increase in cases to Staff Report On Tuesday, the pair health officials, Montanans were are being seen across all age stress basic safety measures to will introduce their “idea urged to return to observing groups, with the largest increas- prevent spread of the disease, The Save Your.Town friendly” approach to basic prevention efforts to pre- es centered in younger people. measures which will become organization is coming to community work that will vent the increased virus activity There was a 90% increase in increasingly important as the Forsyth again Tuesday energize local folks into from spinning out of control. cases in the 0-19 age group and a influenza season approaches. Sept. 29, as part of the trying new ideas. Nineteen of 56 Montana coun- 50% increase in the 20-39 group. Until we have an effective vac- statewide Reimagining “We need to be more ties had increases over the previ- Rosebud County registered 20 cine against Covid, the way to Rural Virtual Gathering. open to new ideas,” ous week with six counties regis- new cases on Wednesday, 14 of protect yourself and the people Becky McCray and Deb McCray said. “Iowa State tering “significant increases.” which were under the age of 39. around you is to maintain social Brown, the organization’s University studied 99 Those counties were Deer Lodge, Those increases have been distancing,” Anderson said. founders and small town small towns over 20 years Rosebud, Flathead, Roosevelt, largely attributed to school open- “When you can’t do that wear a enthusiasts, believe small and found that the com- Missoula and Yellowstone. Mon- ings — as of Friday 62 Montana mask, and wear a mask correctly towns can be saved by munities that survived the tana saw cases grow from early schools and universities have (over your nose), Don’t go out their own people using best were the ones that June to mid-July but since that reported Covid-19 cases. Custer sick, avoid others who are sick. their own resources. were open to new ideas. time, the number of cases had County District Schools are Wash your hands frequently.” McCray and Brown say And it makes sense. If you leveled off about 800 per week, among those that have experi- Bullock noted that Covid-19 is choosing the name Save are open to new ideas, you making the recent spike cause enced cases. now third leading cause of death Your.Town for their orga- can deal with new chal- for concern. “Some of the local public in the United States, but that due nization was deliberate. lenges.” On Tuesday, Montana reported health investigations have found to early shut down and preven- “You have to save your This session is the sec- 275 new cases. The number some individuals are attending tion measures, it only recently town,” McCray said. “No ond in the three-part dropped to 214 on Wednesday. social events and things like cracked the top 10 causes in one is coming to do it for series, Reimagining The new cases bring the total that,” Anderson said, listing par- Montana, having recently over- you. No factory or big Rural. The series is a col- number of confirmed cases in ties, gatherings with families or taken motor vehicle accidents. business is going to save laborative effort between the state to 10,912, 8,510 of which going to bars among the reasons “While we all have Covid-19 you. No outside expert MSU Extension, Montana are active. The death toll is Mon- for the increased spread. has the one right answer. Continued on Page 2 tana is 163. As of Wednesday, Anderson also noted increases It’s you.” Continued on Page 2 Kristen Juras, candidate for Lt. Gov, stumps in Forsyth By Andy Prutsok University of Georgia Montana residents, reduc- With fossil fuels being a Staff Writer School of Law in the ing taxes and reducing big part of the Rosebud 1980s. Juras and her hus- regulations. County economy, Juras Republican Lt. Gov. band Jon have three sons, Another big concern of said she and Gianforte are candidate Kristan Juras Mark, Luke and Evan. Juras’ is the methamphet- supporters. stopped in Forsyth Friday Juras said she’s an amine epidemic in the “Greg and I believe we on a campaign swing advocate of keeping Mon- can develop fossil fuels through eastern Montana. state. She noted Montana tana’s small communities has the second highest responsibly,” she said. She had coffee with sup- vital and enjoyed hearing “We support development porters at The Joseph percentage of its children from area residents dur- living in foster homes, of our natural resources cafe and talked to the ing her trip. and believe we should which she said the meth Independent Press while She said a big focus of a manage and develop our epidemic is largely in the area. Greg Gianforte-Kristen public lands. responsible for. She said Juras, of Great Falls, is Juras administration She said that growing dry courts and treatment a native of Conrad. She would be tackling over up in Conrad, she’s a big earned a BA from the Uni- regulation in order to help would be central to their supporter of Montana’s versity of Montana and Montana businesses flour- plans. public lands and noted her law degree from the ish. Submitted Photo “We need to get the that her son built a row- University of Georgia “We’ll do a top to bot- Republican Lt. Gov. candidate Kristen Juras stopped in For- dealers in jail and keep boat and traveled in it School of Law in 1982. She tom review, eliminating syth Friday to greet supporters at Joseph’s Cafe. Shown them there, and offer from Three Forks to the ran unsuccessfully for a unnecessary and burden- here, from left, are Celeste Rohrich, Juras, Nancy May, Jeri treatment for users,” Gulf of Mexico. seat on the Montana some regulations,” she Custer and Duane Ankney. which she said would cost “We are strong support- Supreme Court in 2016 said. “Businesses need to a fraction of harsh sen- ers of public lands and for line on state spending and plays.” and is currently an be able to get to a yes or o tences. She noted that 70 increasing access,” she find inefficiencies. If elected, she pledged adjunct professor at the answer more quickly. percent of treatment pro- said. “We want to find “Greg believes you win the Republican ticket University of Montana She also said she and gram graduates to not bet solutions which respect a game by four or five- would focus on increasing School law.