BUTTE — Several months after celebrating the announcement that the Mining City would be granted $20 million to fund a state-of-the-art recreation center Butte-Silver Bow is announcing that the grant has been canceled MTN first brought news that the new “resilience hub” that is part of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Community Change Grant appeared on a list of grants that the Trump administration was working to cancel "The EPA’s termination of the Community Change Grant is a devastating setback for Butte and the future of the Butte-Silver Bow Community Hub." "This project was designed to provide safe shelter and strengthen our economy," Gallagher continued "Thanks to the Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation securing $15 million with an additional $2.5 million in matching funds Losing federal support now threatens a carefully planned We will continue fighting to ensure Butte receives the investment it rightfully deserves." Butte-Silver Bow says the resilience hub would focus on the health and well-being of citizens and would be equipped with solar power and satellite communication as well as other modern amenities like an air filtration system WATCH PREVIOUS: Questions surround fate of Butte's EPA grant for $20 million 'resilience hub' Environmental Protection Agency has abruptly canceled a $20 million grant for a Community Resiliency Hub The funds from the Community Change Grant had already been appropriated by Congress via the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act from 2022 and the grant had already been awarded to Butte-Silver Bow with a press conference celebrating the occasion back on Jan Butte-Silver Bow had been unable to access grant funds until this past Friday morning and then they received a notice of termination just a few hours later This is something we went at and worked at hard so we think it should still be funded and move forward for our community,” said Gallagher cites an inconsistency “with EPA funding priorities.” we went through almost nine months of meeting all the provisions within the grant to make sure we met all the requirements within it and then they changed the rules after they awarded the grant to us,” said Gallagher and we know there have been a lot of changes there Gallagher says they plan on appealing the ruling as allowed by the EPA prior to 30 days after the date of the termination letter It was an incredible blow to the community and all the work that we put into this,” said Gallagher our grant application was probably the most substantial and complete grant that was there that checked all the boxes So for them to say that we’re not meeting the requirements of it or that they changed the game afterwards – you can’t play in a playing field that they change the whole field halfway through the implementation of it.” The project had already received a $15 million matching grant from the Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation and Gallagher says that pledge will stand as they go through the process of trying to get the grant back so we’re going to continue to keep them in the know about everything that’s happening here and work with them on what that’s going to be But their match was not intended to build the whole facility and so we don’t want to turn around and put that on them But we’ll continue to work with the Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation and Montana Resources in keeping that community partnership going,” said Gallagher the center would be on city-county owned land adjacent to the Butte Civic Center and would provide a safe clean-air shelter during wildfires and other disasters and cultural education opportunities for all ages “It’s about the health and welfare of our community It allows for people to have a place to recreate but also a safe place to go if we have times of fire or earthquakes We just don’t have that center available to us especially a place where you can get clean air we already have our first wildfire of the season up in the Big Hole,” said Gallagher “So it’s challenging times and we feel like this meets the requirements Steve Daines provided this statement: "Senator Daines is in contact with the Trump administration to ensure critical services and jobs for Montanans are uninterrupted as President Trump works to reduce wasteful spending in the federal government." Here are the busiest stretches of road in Montana according to data from the Montana Department of Transportation The federal government canceled a $20 million grant for Butte-Silver Bow to build a community recreation and wellness center only hours after county officials were given the OK to start drawing and spending the money said Monday the Environmental Protection Agency sent a cancellation notice late Friday afternoon Department of Government Efficiency’s spending cuts nationwide under the Trump administration County officials knew the funding was in jeopardy but Gallagher had previously expressed optimism it would still come through and the center would be built near the Civic Center in the next three years This is an early artist rendering of a community recreation and resilience center planned near the Butte Civic Center as part of a $20 million grant from the EPA “The crazy part about the termination was we were just given authorization to start drawing down funds from the grant Friday morning,” Gallagher told The Montana Standard early Monday He said Butte-Silver Bow is considering a legal challenge to the decision saying the county had signed a contract for the grant He noted that numerous lawsuits have been filed across the country in response to DOGE cuts “It’s a kick in the stomach for sure,” he said He elaborated on his frustration later Monday saying the EPA’s decision was a “devastating setback for Butte and the future of the Butte-Silver Bow Community Hub.” The Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation announced in March that it was giving a $15 million grant to support construction of the so-called Butte CommUNITY Hub in Butte That and the potential for another $2.5 million in foundation money is still on the table in case the federal grant is reinstated But it was “matching” money to supplement the project and provide more programs at the center County and EPA Region 8 officials announced in January that the facility would receive a $20 million grant from the agency’s Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants Program the center would serve a host of functions ranging from providing recreation and wellness programming and facilities to a shelter during times when wildfire smoke diminishes air quality and threatens health The cancellation notice came late Friday afternoon in an email letter from Sarah Hulstein “This EPA Assistance Agreement is terminated effective immediately on the grounds that the remaining portion of the Federal award will not accomplish the EPA funding priorities for achieving program goals,” she said in the letter The priorities include “ensuring that the Agency’s grants do not conflict with the Agency’s policy of prioritizing merit and excellence in performing our statutory functions,” the letter said it is vital that the Agency assess whether all grant payments are free from fraud as well as to assess whether current grants are in the best interests of the United States,” it said The letter said Butte-Silver Bow had 30 days to appeal the decision to the EPA Gallagher suggested an appeal might come in the form of a lawsuit “This project was designed to provide safe shelter and strengthen our economy,” he said in a statement Monday afternoon “Thanks to the Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation “Losing federal support now threatens a carefully planned “We will continue fighting to ensure Butte receives the investment it rightfully deserves." President Donald Trump created DOGE through an executive order on the day he was inaugurated on Jan saying it was needed to combat “massive waste and fraud” in government spending amid a $36 trillion national debt Trump put billionaire Elon Musk in charge of the effort and the agency said last week it had cut at least $160 billion so far The cuts have sparked protests across the country and an anti-Trump rally in Butte last week drew an estimated 200 people but the agency says it has no intentions of slowing down Gallagher said county staff had spent a "ton of time" on the wellness center project and the center would have benefited "everyone from toddlers to seniors." Gallagher knew for weeks in late 2024 the grant was a possibility and on Jan at a ceremonial announcement at the Civic Center he and federal officials declared it a done deal even as DOGE cuts and other Trump administration actions gained steam Gallagher was hopeful the grant wouldn’t be affected “The funding has been appropriated by Congress and while there were concerns about the potential for the award to be retracted it appears that this is unlikely,” Gallagher said then He said Monday that “everything was a go” as of Friday morning when he received an email from an EPA grants office in North Carolina saying the county could start drawing the money in seven to 10 business days Gallagher said Butte-based Water and Environmental Technologies had been chosen to oversee the construction project and a contract for the work was to go before commissioners in a week That all changed late Friday afternoon when he received the cancellation notice That made Friday's cancellation even more frustrating “We believe we have really good legal standing” to challenge the decision Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris won Butte-Silver Bow County by 7 percentage points in the November election and she won Anaconda-Deer Lodge County by a single point But Trump won all of Montana’s 51 other counties won the state by 20 percentage points and won the presidency with 312 electoral college votes Mike Smith is a reporter at the Montana Standard with an emphasis on government and politics Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter Email notifications are only sent once a day Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account A man was sentenced to 20 years in prison Thursday morning for spraying Montana Highway Patrol troopers with bear spray in Butte last year Colby Zier was sentenced in Butte District Court to 10 years in prison each on two counts of assault on a peace officer and 20 years with 10 years suspended for criminal possession with intent to distribute fentanyl Zier used bear spray on two patrol officers during a brief standoff after a car chase that ended in the 1700 block of Elm Street in Butte One officer fired his gun during the incident there might not be a student athlete in Butte High history with as diverse and accomplished a resume as Tocher Lee the senior competes in four sports: football earning all-state or all-conference accolades in all of them he hardly gets to do much track because of baseball and he still pops off a clutch jump and qualifies for the state meet in the long jump,” said longtime Butte sportswriter Bill Foley I want to win and I’m just a competitor all-around,” said Lee noting that Lee has recovered from two injuries earlier this year that could have derailed his senior season if you looked up Butte Tough in the dictionary you’d probably see Tocher sitting there wearing his four different hats from four different sports that he’s playing for Butte High.” Whether it’s returning a punt to the house His favorite moment came on the hardwood as a junior hitting the game-winning 3 to send the Bulldogs to state We see it in basketball when he hits the 3-point shot to send Butte High to state if the bases are loaded in a tie game in the ninth or you’re down by one run equal to just a small handful of Bulldogs all-time who was drafted by the Las Vegas Raiders a week ago just seeing him get drafted is really cool but it’s just an honor to be in the same group as him,” said Lee Once Lee’s spring sports career comes to an end at the conclusion of the American Legion baseball season as he’s signed on to play for his hometown Montana Tech Orediggers on the gridiron at wide receiver It seems like a really great family that Coach (Kyle) Samson has going up there and if you need a big play or you need someone in the clutch there’s nobody better than Tocher,” said Foley the frontman for the eighties rock band The Alarm he and his band filmed a music video right here in Butte forever cementing the Welsh rocker with the Mining City and some local fans and it was exciting to meet him because I’ve been a big fan of his since the mid-80s,” said longtime fan of The Alarm and Butte resident Kevin Olson Peters fronted the Welsh band The Alarm which had several hits in the 80s the band filmed a video for their single "Sold Me Down the River" in Butte Watch longtime Alarm fan Kevin Olson talk about meeting Mike Peters: so I think they had that association with the Butte kind of a mining culture,” said Olson Olson was able to meet Peters when he played a gig in Missoula in 2000 it’s like grabbing on to a relic,” said Olson Sold Me Down the River was one of the band’s biggest hits in the U.S Peters battled cancer for nearly three decades before dying from the disease on April 28 at age 66 Irish Johnny is extremely proud of his homeland of County Armagh Spend any amount of time with him and you’ll quickly realize he loves Butte too and wears that admiration on his sleeve as well Irish Johnny is shown with a memorial harp he recently purchased The restaurateur runs Shawn O’Donnell’s American Grill and Irish Pub in Butte "This harp stands in gratitude to those people of Butte who have contributed to the cause of Irish freedom." Irish Johnny is a partner in Shawn O'Donnell's American Grill and Irish Pub in Uptown Butte and his dedication recently earned him a prestigious award from the Butte Local Development Corporation — entrepreneur of the year If further proof of his commitment to Butte is needed among the many vintage Butte photos hanging on the walls purchased by Irish Johnny from the Staggering Ox at 549 S The plaque on a memorial harp that Irish Johnny purchased in 2024 was seen on Saturday 2025 at Shawn O’Donnell’s American Grill and Irish Pub in Butte Irish Johnny felt it had to remain in Butte While harps have been an integral part of Ireland’s history for hundreds of years it wasn’t until the Irish Free State became a reality in 1922 that it became official and was named the country’s national emblem “Ireland is the only country with a musical instrument as its national emblem,” said Irish Johnny Barbed wire replaced traditional strings on a memorial harp that Irish Johnny  purchased for Shawn O’Donnell’s American Grill and Irish Pub in Butte represents Irish resistance to British occupancy of the six counties in the north of Ireland It also represents his deep appreciation for Butte’s Irish immigrants and the sacrifices they made to the Irish cause That’s why a gold plaque was added to the bottom of the harp with the inscription “This harp stands in gratitude to those people of Butte who have contributed to the cause of Irish freedom.” Irish Johnny said the plaque is to recognize Butte’s commitment “Butte was an ally to Irish freedom,” he said is now considered a centerpiece of the restaurant and is referred to as the “heartbeat of the pub.” Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter These counties have the highest reported crime rates in Montana per capita police were called to a disturbance between a man and a woman in the 10 block of East Second Street Nelson reportedly was not in the mood to talk and tried to walk away She then allegedly kicked him in the chest and legs She also reportedly tried to escape out of the patrol car She was jailed for obstructing justice and assault on a peace officer causing bodily injury It was reported Wednesday morning that two male students attending West Elementary School got into an argument while walking to school One of the boys reportedly threw the other boy’s cell phone reportedly threw coffee around the room and into the air conditioning unit A warrant has been issued for the temporary tenant who already checked out late Wednesday morning A bottle filled with water was used late Wednesday to put out a stick that was on fire The stick was found smoldering near the westbound ramp just off Montana Street A man had reportedly outstayed his welcome Thursday night at the Town Pump and was advised by a police officer to leave the area Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email The Dam Site Marina has 181 spots for boats to park at Elephant Butte Lake in Sierra County A vibrant New Mexico sunset paints the sky above Dam Site Marina at Elephant Butte Lake in Sierra County A Yorkie enjoys a day on the water near Marina Del Sur at Elephant Butte Lake in Sierra County Marina Del Sur houses 20 rental boats and features 140 boat parking spots at Elephant Butte Lake in Sierra County is where the lake’s in-house boat mechanic works New ownership of the marinas at New Mexico's largest lake has pumped new life into the area Elephant Butte Lake’s marinas are getting a makeover just in time for summer season at the lake led by husband-and-wife duo Peter and Erin Meiusi The two have been on a mission to elevate the lake experience with new upgrades and activities ever since Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content Kylie Garcia covers retail and real estate for the Albuquerque Journal. You can reach her at kgarcia@abqjournal.com The new owners of Elephant Butte Lake’s marinas have poured new life into the lake’s lineup of events and activities June 13: Friday Night Live music from 6-8 p.m July 11: Friday Night Live music from 6-8 p.m Get the latest on local happenings delivered straight to your inbox Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: it provides narrative coverage of local trends going beyond the headlines to keep you informed Stay informed with the latest top headlines from your trusted local source the Albuquerque Journal—delivered to your inbox every day Stay in the loop with the top stories of the week delivered straight to your inbox every Saturday Sign up to see what’s trending and get the latest on the stories that matter most to our readers Get breaking news and important alerts sent straight to your inbox as they happen Stay up-to-date with the latest sports headlines and highlights from the Albuquerque Journal find everything you need for your yard at the highly-anticipated annual spring plant sale at Red Butte Garden You'll also find the best selection of heirloom vegetables Red Butte's friendly and knowledgeable horticulture staff and volunteers will be there to help you make selections and find the best options for your needs there's no better to explore all the beautiful possibilities or just want a colorful hanging basket for your porch you'll find great options and friendly advice All purchases support the Garden's mission to connect people with the beauty of plants and living landscapes Come enjoy a fun Mother's Day Weekend outing with family or friends There will be a coffee truck onsite as well and then the public is invited on Saturday and there's free admission through the Amphitheatre gates For more information please visit redbuttegarden.org. OROVILLE, Calif. — Butte College to host first ever 'Festival de Nuestras Voces' on Wednesday, May 7. Butte College said the festival seeks to highlight Latino and Hispanic heritage through music performances, food, art and storytelling. Translated 'the festival of our voices,' entertainment for the event includes Chico High School Ballet Folklorico, local performers and Yosimar Reyes a nationally recognized poet and activist who will be the keynote speaker. The festival takes place at the Butte College Main Campus center lawn on 3536 Butte Campus Dr., Oroville. from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account. BUTTE — I already told you about a small sinkhole that opened on East Broadway earlier this week. Well, now, a second, much bigger sinkhole has opened on Butte’s west end. “You’re going to hear it over and over, Butte’s built on 10,000 miles of underground mines, tunnels and such, and so, you know, unfortunately, some of the wood’s going to rot and some of that is going to cave in,” said Butte’s World Museum of Mining Director Jeanette Kopf. That latest sinkhole was found on April 24 on a vacant lot at Quartz and Henry streets. A crew with the city cordoned off the area with a large fence. A smaller sinkhole was reported the day before on East Broadway and quickly filled in. An engineering student who lives in the area of the large sinkhole stopped by to check it out. “As an engineer, it’s cool just to get to see the old workings and how everything’s underneath, the infrastructure that’s been built here,” said Kodis Campbell. I’m about 65 feet underground in the Orphan Girl mine at the World Museum of Mining. It used to be an active mine, and its shaft goes all the way to the surface and down about 100 feet. And it’s shafts like these that are usually the cause of the sinkholes we’re seeing in and around Butte. “And a lot of them are coming from the undocumented mines that people when they got down working those, they threw plywood and dirt on top of it and walked away, so we don’t know where they’re at,” said underground mine guide Michael Kopf. Though this sinkhole is close to his home, Campbell said he’s not worried. “I know they’ve got extensive scans and models of the underground workings, so I know they do their best making sure nothing’s built over the old workings where it could cave in,” said Campbell. People should call the city if they notice sagging on the ground in town. “Because you never know when or where it’s going to happen. You just hope for the best and pray that nobody gets hurt,” said Jeanette Kopf. BUTTE, Mont. — Butte-Silver Bow officials announce a section of Granite Street will temporarily close on Monday, April 14. The closure will be near the Water Department Building, where crews will reportedly remove the damaged flagpole using a crane and lift. Officials say traffic control will be in place at the intersection of Granite and Main along with the intersection of Granite and Montana. The work will reportedly take a few hours to complete and will mostly occur in front of the Water Department Building. Butte-Silver Bow posted about the closure on Facebook: Join us for a 12-hour food drive Friday, 6am to 6pm, in Redding or Chico. Help stuff a RABA or B-Line bus at Les Schwab with food donations! LIVE UPDATESHabitat for Humanity's Women Build empowers female volunteers in Butte Countyby Hannah Gutierrez — Thirty female volunteers took up power drills and electric saws in Paradise on Friday to help construct the walls of two new homes on the Ridge The initiative is part of Habitat for Humanity of Butte County's annual 'Women Build,' which offers women the chance to learn new skills alongside experienced Habitat contractors while helping to provide homeownership to two families Volunteers not only built and lifted the walls of the homes but also worked on constructing sheds and fences for the future homeowners This event serves as Habitat's only fundraiser each year Volunteers expressed the project's significance especially following the devastation of the 2018 Camp Fire with another group of 30 volunteers set to continue the work on Saturday Officials estimate that the homes will be completed and families will move in by the end of the year Report a correction or typo Read through the obituaries published in The Montana Standard Funeral Mass was celebrated at 11 a.m.… Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m.… 2025 at his home in Butte following a courageous battle with liver cancer Earl Wayne Paffnausen passed away at his residence in Butte Friends may call on Saturday after 10 am in the Duggan Dolan Mortuary Chapel.… and even some schoolchildren from the local Head Start in Butte gathered on one of the city's busiest intersections to protest news that the program may be closing "You know it’s really—it makes me sad because they’re just trying to defund it and everything else .. and then the only people that are really going to suffer are the children," says Kim Bowen Bowen has been a Head Start teacher for 14 years she was the parent of Head Start school children She says along with providing a structured learning environment and meals Head Start helps children learn social and emotional skills that give them a boost when they enter elementary school "That’s the main objective of Head Start is to help children to build that foundation so when they get into grade school they can learn what they need to learn," says Bowen According to a report by the Associated Press President Trump’s draft budget proposal would dramatically deepen cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services "So the federal government is considering not giving Head Start any funding in their next budget starting in October," says Bridgette Raybould a family engagement coordinator and coach for the Butte Head Start Raybould says the program serves 125 children locally and employs almost 40 people but there are over 3,000 kids in Montana who utilize Head Start Services the program stands to lose over $60 million "People should care about educating children because they are our future and Head Start helps the entire population by helping these kids get the best Head Start that they can get," says Raybould Raybould says ultimately it will come down to Congress to decide the fate of Head Start and concerned parents or citizens should contact their Montana Representatives with their concerns an updated winter weather advisory was issued by the National Weather Service in effect until 3 p.m "Snow Butte/Blackfoot Region above 6000 feet Likelihood of developing or ongoing minor to moderate impacts from around 1 to 3 inches of snow is 80 percent expect a few inconveniences to normal activities Closures and disruptions to infrastructure may occur," adds the NWS "Slow down and use caution while traveling The latest road conditions for the state you are calling from can be obtained by calling 5 1 1." Winter's icy grip often turns roads treacherous leading to over 6,000 weather-related vehicle fatalities and more than 480,000 injuries each year When you find yourself on snowy or freezing rain-slicked roads it's prudent to assume icy patches on the road and adjust your driving accordingly Be on alert for ice accumulating on power lines and tree branches avoid driving in these conditions altogether choose routes with fewer trees and power lines Here are additional winter weather driving tips: When venturing out of town in hazardous winter weather be sure to inform family or friends of your destination Ensure your gas tank is full and equip your vehicle with essential winter supplies Notify someone about your situation and location Attach a cloth to your car's antenna or mirror to signal that you require assistance Make your vehicle more visible by using the dome light and flashers Keep an eye out for snow plows and provide them with ample room to pass Only overtake a plow when you have a clear view of the road ahead verify the current road conditions to make informed travel decisions These winter driving tips from the NWS are your key to a safer journey on snow-covered roads you can significantly reduce the risk of accidents and ensure your well-being during challenging winter weather ​This warning was produced by United Robots using National Weather Service data Get the daily forecast and severe weather alerts in your inbox BUTTE — A sinkhole opened up in the middle of East Broadway Street in Uptown Butte earlier this week it’s loaded with tunnels and abandoned mine shafts that can cause sinkholes Our history is underground mining; we have more than 10,000 miles of underground activities under Butte,” said Montana Tech mining professor Sonya Rosenthal Patrick Peck noticed the hole in the street across from his home in the 300 block of Broadway the morning of April 23 Sinkholes sometimes occur in Butte when dirt in back-filled shafts from old mining activity subsides and causes empty spaces “And then with just enough rain and activity a bit of gravity doing its work,” said Rosenthal The Bureau of Mining and Geology at Montana Tech has maps of most of the underground tunnels and shafts that expand for more than 10,000 miles “Now that I’ve had one in front of the house and one behind the house I’m worried about what’s going to happen if the middle decides to go seeing that my house is sitting on it,” said Peck Rosenthal said sinkholes are still rare and people living on the hill shouldn’t worry BUTTE COUNTY, Calif. — Two Humboldt County men, Samuel Ashley, 43, and Wesley Evans, 45, appeared in Butte County Superior Court on Thursday for a preliminary hearing related to a double murder in the Cherokee area of Butte County Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey said Judge Kimberly Merrifield ruled that the prosecution presented sufficient evidence to proceed to trial on the murder charges The preliminary hearing faced a two-day delay after Ashley was hospitalized due to a fentanyl overdose in the Butte County Jail while the hearing was in recess The investigation began on January 30, 2025, when the charred remains of two men were discovered in a vehicle on Condor Road in Cherokee Ramsey stated that the investigation revealed Ashley and Evans traveled with the victims from Humboldt County to Butte County for a drug and firearms deal It was determined that the victims were shot in the car before it was set on fire identified through DNA samples collected from family members Ashley and Evans remain in custody and are scheduled to return to court on May 14 to select a date for the jury trial Ramsey encouraged anyone with information about the case to contact the Butte County Sheriff’s detectives at (530) 538-7671 — Butte officials and residents gathered outdoors on a picture-perfect Thursday evening to honor working people of the past and present in the community Joined by Montana Supreme Court Justice Jim Shea Deacon Bernard McCarthy and Father Patrick Beretta led an outdoor mass in Centerville to celebrate the Feast of Saint Joseph as the Patron Saint of all Working People Dozens of Butte residents were in attendance to honor those who perished in the mines as well as the spirit of the working people who helped turn the Mining City into the community it is today “The reason why work is so noble is that our motivation is loving and nurturing and helping others beautiful example of the nobility of work and the generosity of work that the people who work and died on this hill practiced for a generation,” said Beretta “You grow up in Butte and there’s so much about our identity that is just inextricably intertwined with being working class “If you go off to college and you become a billionaire there’s just something inextricably intertwined with being working class and being blue collar.” The mass was held at the Granite Mountain Speculator Mine Memorial, the site where 168 people were killed back in 1917 in what remains the deadliest underground hard rock mining disaster in American history. LIVE UPDATESButte County's evacuation plan wins national award enhances rural public safetyby Hannah Gutierrez — Butte County's Emergency Evacuation Plan has been recognized by the American Planning Association's Small Town and Rural Planning Division with an award for an outstanding comprehensive plan The plan was developed through collaborations between the Office of Emergency Management and Developmental Services to enhance public safety in unincorporated areas of the county County Planning Manager Dan Breedon told KRCR the award highlights their commitment to building a wildfire-resilient and prepared community The plan includes maps specific to various communities These maps were created using advanced wildfire risk modeling that considers fire behavior and emphasizes high-risk areas Public input meetings were held to gather opinions and concerns from residents who were then provided with the plan to use in the event of disasters like wildfires To view all the evacuation maps included in the plan, click here — In a fast-paced and high-quality ballgame that took just under 90 minutes to complete the Butte Bulldogs earned a critical 7-2 win at home over Lone Peak to stay in the thick of the postseason race Butte ace Lucas Harris-Huerta had a phenomenal game on the mound and at the plate throwing 63 strikes on 88 pitches and striking out 9 with one of them coming on a fielder’s choice The Bighorns runs all came in the third inning via a 2-run blast to left center from pitcher Ebe Grabow that gave the visitors a 2-1 edge But the Bulldogs would score 2 runs in the fourth and 5 in the fifth to turn the contest on its head and earn the victory Butte posted 6 hits on the day from six different players A successful squeeze play from Gunner Bushman in the fourth inning that gave the Bulldogs the lead for good BUTTE - A man was sentenced to 20 years in prison Thursday morning for spraying Montana Highway Patrol troopers with bear spray in Butte last year — A man accused of aggravated kidnapping and distributing dangerous drugs in Butte made his first district court appearance on Wednesday entered not guilty pleas to 10 felony charges and seven counts of criminal possession of drugs with intent to distribute at his arraignment before Judge Robert Whelan The alleged incident occurred on Dakota Street on Feb when law enforcement received a call from someone saying they were taken against their will and assaulted by two people before escaping a garage noting that a second victim had been tied to a chair Webster was stopped by police when leaving the garage and had $6,000 cash on his person either by Webster or co-defendant Kyle King One of the victims told law enforcement that the defendants slammed a cell phone into his face and put him in a choke hold while punching him in the face 72 grams of suspected counterfeit Xanax pills and 17 grams of mixed unknown suspected counterfeit pills The scene matched the descriptions provided by the two victims and the tools used in the alleged assault were located and seized Among items recovered included a loaded handgun magazine They also photographed a ledger documenting drug debts Bond remains at $500,000 and an omnibus hearing is set for May 14 King faces felony charges of aggravated kidnapping and is scheduled to be arraigned next Thursday Those convicted of aggravated kidnapping are subject to up to 100 years in prison (This story has been updated to correct an inaccuracy If the Benton County Planning Commission denies the proposal to expand Coffin Butte Landfill an appeal would go to the Board of Commissioners.) Benton County staff have recommended that the county’s planning commission deny an application to expand Coffin Butte Landfill Phoenix-based Republic Services has requested a conditional use permit from the county which would allow it to expand the 178-acre landfill located north of Corvallis county officials say Republic Services “did not provide sufficient evidence to support a finding that odor and noise impacts would not ‘seriously interfere’ with adjacent land uses.” The county has received more than 500 comments opposing the expansion ahead of public meetings on the proposal that begin April 29 Coffin Butte Landfill accepts about a third of the Mid-Willamette Valley’s garbage Republic Services is the second-largest waste disposal company in the United States The expansion attempt comes more than two years after the Benton County Planning Commission unanimously denied a previous request for a conditional use permit Among the concerns were plans to close an access road and its impact on those who live nearby the planned expansion is 50% smaller than proposed in 2021 and would be on land owned by Coffin Butte and zoned for a landfill It would add six years of life to the landfill about half of what the company requested in 2021 The road has been a point of contention with neighbors who say the road is their only escape route in the event of a fire or other natural disaster county officials say the proposal would exceed the regulatory noise thresholds set by the state Department of Environmental Quality a standard the company had asked to be used County officials also noted inconsistencies in the model used to determine whether odors would be considered a nuisance that would be more likely to be sensitive to odor impacts than others the Benton County Environment and Natural Resources Advisory Committee voted to recommend denial of the conditional use permit Benton County Democrats and Linn-Benton Green party all passed resolutions opposing the expansion State and local environmental groups also are asking the planning commission to deny the application Landfilling is not a safe or sustainable option for long-term waste management 350 Salem and Valley Neighbors for Environmental Quality and Safety (VNEQS) “Approving this application to expand Coffin Butte would increase local fire hazard and risk exacerbate local air quality and odor problems and increase environmental damage done to the Willamette River and all who recreate It would be a decisive step in the opposite direction of responsible management of environmental resources for Oregonians,” said Mark Yeager How to weigh in on Coffin Butte Landfill’s expansion proposalThe Benton County Planning Commission will hold a series of public meetings on Coffin Butte Landfill’s expansion proposal beginning April 29 Members of the public can sign up to give verbal testimony during the hearing Written testimony will be accepted until the commission decides to close the public hearing Information about providing verbal and written testimony is available at www.bentoncountyor.gov/coffin-butte-landfill All meetings will be held at the county’s Kalapuya Building If the planning commission denies the proposal an appeal would go to the county Board of Commissioners which also would hold a public hearing before making a decision Tracy Loew covers the environment at the Statesman Journal. Send comments, questions and tips: tloew@statesmanjournal.com or 503-399-6779. Follow her on Twitter at @Tracy_Loew many through Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency are having impacts throughout the country as well as here in the valley cutbacks in backcountry rangers on Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land has gotten the most attention but other federal cutbacks are suddenly coming without much warning and are also impacting local programs The federal government announced last week just before the weekend that contracts associated with AmeriCorps were being terminated Local non-profit organizations like Mountain Roots and local government including the town of Crested Butte employ AmeriCorps personnel As reported in the Washington Post on April 25 DOGE Service has ordered AmeriCorps to terminate close to $400 million in grants — roughly 41% of the national service agency’s total grant funding which deploys thousands of young people to work on community service projects across the United States The decision to eliminate millions of dollars in grants affects 1,031 organizations and 32,465 AmeriCorps members and senior volunteers…” AmeriCorps members are embedded in organizations like GV-HEAT Western Colorado University’s Center for Cold Climate Food Security and Gunnison Country Food Pantry filling gaps where staff capacity and resources fall short Executive director Holly Conn said the move puts these and other local non-profits into a state of deep uncertainty “Mountain Roots Food Project currently hosts 25 AmeriCorps members across six rural Colorado communities — with 18 members serving right here in the valley,” Conn explained “These members are the boots on the ground: coordinating food distribution supporting low-income families and building resilient local food systems.” Conn continued “One of their most visible impacts is food security AmeriCorps members help pack and deliver more than 100 boxes of fresh People don’t realize how high the need still is We’re still serving twice the number of households we did before the pandemic — and it’s rising again.” Mountain Roots AmeriCorps members described the work they were doing as not always easy They noted they helped harvest 3,000 pounds of food last season and helped at-risk households secure food They also mentioned the importance and success of building trust with local immigrant families AmeriCorps members aren’t just helping — they’re essential,” concluded Conn immigrant families — will feel it immediately.” Another such AmeriCorps member impacted is Alexa Luger who is working in the Crested Butte town hall through CivicSpark which is a subset of AmeriCorps focused on community identified priorities such as sustainability Her work is largely focused on establishing CB data tracking for energy use and emissions Crested Butte town manager Dara MacDonald said that because the Crested Butte Sustainability department is a one-woman department they knew Dannah Leeman Gore who heads it up would be out on maternity leave this summer “We brought on Alexa to keep some of these ongoing sustainability efforts moving forward during Dannah’s leave that starts in May,” explained MacDonald in an email this week “Her work is largely focused on establishing our data tracking for energy use and emissions She is also taking on a number of smaller projects such as outreach on things like the composting program Alexa’s work is ongoing in the Town’s exploration of possible steps to reduce single use plastics in the community She will also be helping Astrid this summer as we go into the building code update to compile data and report back on the impact (good and bad) of the electric-only code that we adopted almost three years ago.” MacDonald said that Luger is from Greeley and a recent graduate of the University of Colorado “It’s been a win/win as she has been able to get some on the job experience and we have benefited from her bright mind and hard work for a very low cost to the Town She really wants to stay and finish out the summer and the various projects she has underway so we are looking at ways we can find the needed money to get her through the summer.” the State of Colorado filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration’s abrupt cuts to funding and services that help Colorado prevent wildfires and ensure Coloradans’ access to mental health care through AmeriCorps AmeriCorps members are on the front lines: supporting wildfire mitigation Their work touches every part of our state and these cuts are taking important services away from Coloradans and our communities,” said Governor Jared Polis Gunnison Valley Regional Housing Authority (GVRHA) executive director Melissa LaMonica said another federal budget cut impact being felt at the food pantry is that a Mountain and Plains Environmental Justice (MAP EJ) grant GVRHA’s GV-Heat program was awarded has been put on hold “It is a new EPA grant that we have never applied for and was not budgeted or allocated internally yet so it only effects potential program expansion,” said LaMonica The GV-Heat program facilitates several energy assistance programs in the valley energy efficiency upgrades and rebates and weatherization improvements for income-qualified households to help reduce energy bills in an extreme climate The Gunnison Watershed School District has also seen support services pulled back and as an example the Gunnison Valley Mentors program had to cut two full-time staff positions this week and two additional staff are slated to phase out over the summer due to funding cuts Gunnison Valley Mentors’ School-Based Mentoring program provides support to students where they are matched with a mentor who works closely with them to improve attendance Gunnison Valley Mentors executive director Tina McGuinness said the organization employed eight paid mentors two mentors work with youth in both Gunnison and Crested Butte and the remaining five work with Gunnison youth “We will be reducing paid mentor hours in the fall unless we can find funding to replace what’s been lost,” she said McGuinness said their current budget loss of $8,000 per month does reduce the amount of funding available for school-based mentors we can continue working in the schools with limited capacity Each full-time school mentor works with about 12 students so we’re looking at 24 fewer students receiving services,” she said McGuinness said there is possibility of losing another $10,000 a month we’ll likely be forced to eliminate any paid mentoring that is specifically in the schools,” she said “We’ll still (hopefully) have some paid mentoring staff in community-based matches who can provide limited support for their mentees in school “We are all trying to keep our boats afloat with holes breaking out unexpectedly,” concluded McGuinness and all of us are working hard to make the necessary pivots we will continue to do the best work we can with the resources we have.” Gunnison County is dealing with contract reductions in their health and human services department and general lack of clarity on what is coming “At the end of March we received a stop work order for three contracts from CDPHE [Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment],” said Gunnison County assistant county manager for health and human services Joni Reynolds we received a suspension for the issued stop work orders  We have heard potential impacts to local public health and human services funding but have not yet seen correspondence or direct information on any impacts for Gunnison County,” she summarized “We work closely with many State and Federal agencies,” continued Reynolds “We have heard about staffing cuts and federal organizational changes but are unclear on the direct impacts for Gunnison County.”  County manager Matthew Birnie commented that while the county has yet to see major impacts “We remain concerned given the lack of clear communication and clarity.” Gesture considered to right a wrong with impacted family [  By Mark Reaman  ] After … Police in Butte say there were two dozen DUI arrests over the holiday weekend — The long St Patrick’s Day weekend is now behind us and local law enforcement released details on how the festivities went from their perspective Butte-Silver Bow Sheriff Ed Lester says 39 arrests were made between Friday Lester said 24 of those arrests were for driving under the influence with six of them made by local police and 18 from Montana Highway Patrol Lester says he is disappointed by the high number of DUI arrests “For the most part the crowd over the weekend was well behaved given the large number of people celebrating throughout the uptown area there are a few people who make poor decisions after having a few too many beverages," said Lester in a press release "I am disappointed to see the number of DUI arrests I am very appreciative of the Montana Highway Patrol and their assistance in the traffic enforcement and also on foot patrol during the celebration.” He also thanks local Public Works and Parks and Recreation employees for cleaning the streets of Uptown on Tuesday morning you’d never know that there was a huge party going on this time yesterday This is a tribute to the cleanup crew from Public Works and Parks and Rec," said Lester Pats is always a great celebration for Butte It does tend to tax our first responders and other county departments but it is a fun day overall and we like to see people coming back year after year.” The Deschutes National Forest closing the Cabin Butte Vegetation Management Project area south of Bend Thursday for at least one year.  This will force out illegal campers in the China Hat Road area.   If you need help accessing the online public file due to a disability, please contact us Built on Envisionwise Technology. A list of counties with the highest motor vehicle crash fatality rates in Montana using data from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Just before 1 a.m. on Saturday, an unidentified 36-year-old Butte man was seriously injured after crashing into a building while riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle. According to a police report, the man was allegedly going at a high rate of speed when he lost control, went off the road and then struck the front entrance of the Butte Spay and Neuter building on South Excelsior Street. The man was life-flighted to another medical facility. Just before 1 a.m. on Saturday, an unidentified 36-year-old Butte man was seriously injured after crashing into the Butte Spay and Neuter building on South Excelsior Street while riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle.  Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. LIVE UPDATESCal Fire Butte County urges caution as burn permit enforcement begins May 1by Hannah Gutierrez BUTTE COUNTY, Calif. — As warm weather begins to grace Butte County, Cal Fire Butte County is urging property owners to exercise caution with outdoor burning. Enforcement of burn permits will commence on May 1 Residents are reminded of the rules and regulations surrounding property burning Additionally, Carhart reminds residents to always keep an eye on their burns to mitigate the risk of escape. Residents must also verify permissible burn days through the Butte County Air Quality Management District to minimize the risk of disaster For more information on burn permits, click here. To obtain a permit, click here.