Harrison area rancher and angus cow breeder Bob Sitz hadn’t bought hay since his father passed away in 1989. Typically, his 40,000-acre operation produces enough hay to feed 1,400 cows with enough excess to sell about 3,000 tons of it each year.
Following suit with other agencies, Madison County Commissioners approved a Stage 2 burn ban for the county, effective as of July 27, 2021.
The ban includes most the items listed below, as well as a ban on tiki torches, and a ban from 1 p.m. to 1 a.m. on construction site activities, not including utility and emergency construction.
The November municipal general elections may seem far off, but preparations are underway and the candidates slated for the official ballots have been announced. Here’s a breakdown of which Madison County communities will be included in the Nov. 2 election.
Ennis
The grizzly attack-related deaths of a woman in Ovando this month and a man in West Yellowstone earlier this summer have brought the unfortunate reality of the increasingly common encounter between human and grizzly into the news as of recent.
Something seemed weird. The Western Meadowlark perched atop a small aspen outside the window for a long time, looking around and clucking. Most Meadowlarks are skittish, keeping their distance from people and dogs. This one wasn’t. And the clucking noise sounded odd.
The haze of wildfire smoke has officially descended upon Madison County. While a number of blazes are to blame for the smokey smog, the largest contributor could be the Goose Fire. It’s burning in the Hidden, Cliff and Wade Lakes area in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, 32 miles south-southeast of Ennis near Hoodoo Pass.
The sign posted on the Gravel Bar door says it all: “Closed Mondays until further notice. We hate to do it but until we get more help we have no option. Anybody want a job?”
While the major wildfires in Montana are now under control, drought remains high on the minds of government officials. Following the June 30 release of the Summer 2021 Drought Forecast Report, Governor Greg Gianforte on July 1 declared a statewide drought emergency, calling on the USDA to declare Montana a drought disaster area.
Whether you’re a large contractor with job sites throughout Madison County or a homeowner who’s trying to build a house for your young family while staying within budget, it’s the same frustration: building costs have soared, supply has dwindled and it’s hard to plan for the future.
Commuters take note: road improvement work is coming soon to the three-mile stretch of Jack Creek Road managed by Madison County.
65 N. MT Hwy 287
Ennis, MT 59729
406-682-7755
www.madisoniannews.com