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Local Dillon Volunteer Fire Department, Fireman Chris Hall is competing in the LLS Firefighter Stair climb. The LLS Firefighter Stair Climb is described on their website as: THE WORLD'S LARGEST ON-AIR STAIR CLIMB COMPETITION. At 788 feet of vertical elevation, the Columbia Center in downtown Seattle stands as the second tallest building west of the Mississippi, and the tallest in Seattle. It takes 69 flights of stairs and 1,356 steps to reach the highly acclaimed Sky View Observatory overlooking the Emerald City. On March 8, 2020, over 2,000 firefighters from across the United States and around the world will ascend the tower to support the mission of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Over the season, these inspirational men and women will raise funds for blood cancer research and patient services. This consistently sold-out event is open solely to career or volunteer firefighters who must complete this challenging course in full structural turnout gear, while on-air. Completing the climb is a physical triumph in itself, but is also symbolic of, yet pales in comparison to, the strenuous journey that blood cancer patients endure. As firefighters race to the top, they keep in mind that every step forward is representative of moving toward finding a cure for all those battling this terrible disease. In 2019, this group of phenomenal climbers brought in a record $2.9 million for blood cancer research and patient services. Now in its 29th year, this event has raised over $20 million for LLS. How can you help our local fireman in this challenge? Tonight local bars will be donating 50 cents for every beer sold between the hours of 5 to 9 pm. Bars that are helping with this event include, Klondike, Kupfer Club, Moose Bar, Dillon Tap House (will also have live music from 6-8), Macs Last Cast, Beaverhead Brewing Company, Knotty Pine, The Office, and The Golden Bar. Show your support by going out tonight and having a cold one, if you are unable to make it and would still like to donate, you can here. https://www.facebook.com/donate/2198430823593487/2198430846926818/

Dillon Public Library, along with the Dillon Garden Club, are hosting a local seed lending library for those with a green thumb or wishing to attain one. What is a seed library? A seed library is the same principle as a book library. A person can go in and check out the available seeds, they then plant said seeds and hope something grows. After the plant grows and produces seeds, you harvest the seeds and return them back to the seed library for others to check out the following year. The program running today has topics of Seed Lending vs a Seed Bank. Participants could be some of the first to see what new seeds are available. Discussions will also include what your fellow gardeners grow in Dillon and the basics of seed harvesting. After participants learn the basic, they will have a hands on demonstration followed up by the Garden Clubs meeting from 2:30 to 3 today

TGIF and it is going to be a busy weekend for sure! So let's get started with things to do in Southwestern Montana. Friday the 21st Tai Chi (free class) Free Tai Chi classes held at The Elks Lodge from 9:30 am to 10:20 am. UWBC Pint Night Hosted by United Way of Beaverhead County and Beaverhead Brewing. Starts at 5:30 pm and runs til 8:30 pm. Help United Way of Beaverhead County celebrate the end of another successful campaign by stopping by the Beaverhead Brewery. We will be sharing our final campaign numbers for this cycle, drawing for our Patagonia Jacket Raffle, and kicking off our 30th year of service to Beaverhead County! Saturday the 22nd Emotion Coaching workshop starts at 9 am and goes until 3 pm. "Emotional intelligence is learned, and a child's first teacher about emotions is his or her parents. You can help your child develop emotional intelligence by "coaching" him/her, using principles researchers have found work well. "Emotion coaching" can help you avoid common pitfalls as you guide your children toward becoming successful, happy adults. Emotion Coaching is helpful for all parents, no matter what their child presents with. It is based on empathy and focuses on helping parents to tune in to their child’s emotional world, while also setting limits behaviorally. Emotion Coaching is a theory that was developed by John Gottman though research and clinical experience, and is explained in his book Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child. The cost of the workshop is $30, which includes a full day of information, snacks, and a great workbook you get to take home." 2020 Youth Connections Polar Dip Fun starts at 11:30 am out at the Blacktail Meadows Kids Fishing Pond. There will be pizza and hot chocolate to all jumpers, even those who take the "chicken route". Your Library Is Going To Seed Join Dillon Garden Club at the library this Saturday at 12:30 to 2:30 pm for a program on seeds, seed harvesting and the seed lending library. Learn what new seeds are available at the library for you to plant this spring. This is also an opportunity to visit with other Dillon gardeners about what grows well in Dillon. Remembering M.A.S.H. 4077th at The Dillon Elks Lodge will have a costume contest 5 pm reveille, 6 pm chow hall opens. $5 induction fee, and they will be having a silent auction as well. Judging for costume contest at 8 pm. Horses and Hunting in Wild Alaska (Will Koehler) "Many people have asked me to put together a slide show presentation of my experiences working with horses in the back country of Alaska so I will take crack at it on Saturday, February 22 at 6 pm at the Shovel and Spoon in Sheridan." Cole Snider hosted by The Club Bar. Come down and listen to Cole Snider play his great music live this Saturday night!! Music starts at 7:30 pm. As always, there are plenty of other activities to do in and around Dillon. The Big Sky Cinema has Underwater playing and Sonic the Hedgehog for the whole family. Or we still have plenty of ice on Clark Canyon, so stop on by Rocky Mountain Supply to pick up all your fishing needs. If you don't want to deal with this cold weather, stop by The Book Store and grab a new book and stay home next to the warm fire. Thank you for reading our weekend rundown. We try to include links in the article to make it easier for you. If you are curious about an event and it is highlighted, just click on it, and you will be directed to another page with more information on that event. If you would like to see your business as a sponsor of the Weekend Rundown call us at (406) 660-7041.

At last nights City Council meeting Chief of Police Don Guiberson announced the Dillon Police department will be hiring a new officer. Only this one will have four legs and the ability to smell drugs and track people. Chief Guiberson, explained that the city police have a drug fund, this funding comes from seizures, court cost, and donations. They had been looking at a police dog but he was not keen on the idea. The main deterrent was he did not want a "bite dog." This would be the type of canine you see on tv when they release a dog to take down a suspect. They started looking at some of the kennels and trainers that offer police dogs, but could not find a match for what he wanted. They started to work with a local Montana trainer and fellow police officer, who contacted the Dillon Police to let them know they had a dog, who was not interested in biting, due to a broken canine tooth. The dog passed all other requirements but due to the broken canine it would not work as a bite dog. An average police dog with training can run upwards of $20,000 dollars. The owner of this canine lives in North Carolina and would rather see the dog be used, instead of having to come to Montana and get the animal. The only cost to the police department would be to pay for the training of the dog which was $5,000. Officer Rumsey who will be the dogs handle, then talked to local groups and organizations and was able to get a donation of $3,500 from the Beaverhead Foundation, as well as local vets and other citizens who have donated for care and food for the dog. Officer Rumsey will go through training the second week in April and the police department will be welcoming Mac the newest officer to the police force.

What is the Community Affairs Committee? A group of citizens whose mission statement is as follows: The overall mission of the Dillon Community Affairs Committee (DCAC) will be to serve the city by assisting its businesses, homeowners, churches, service organizations, and overall community by promoting community involvement. The DCAC will prioritize working with existing organizations and efforts to strengthen rather than duplicate valuable community resources and effort. Where appropriate, the DCAC may hold events in the community to achieve the objectives of the committee. Committee members include Russ Schwandt, Bill Shafer, Raymond Graham, Stacey Roundy, Candi Whitworth, Debbie Sporich, Stan Smith, Mitch Staley, and brenda Womack. Today's meeting was centered around plans for a tourism grant to help fund a new event Dillon History Days. The first annual Dillon History Days will be held on July 24th and run through July 26th. The event will be held in downtown Dillon and the outskirts of Dillon. There will be tours of the historical buildings and houses, along with tours and demonstrations of historical agricultural, mining, logging and other artifacts. Activities for this event will be based off the history of Dillon's beginnings. Members discussed ways to get local organizations involved with old time basketball games, old time baseball games and other events that they would hold in the past, as a way to bring the community out for a good time. The DCAC would like to get more public input and would like to have community members show up with their ideas for the Dillon History Days. The next meeting will be held on March 4th at 12 pm at the city council chambers.

The Dillon Jaycees are seeking nominations from all clubs, organizations, or other interested parties for the 2020 Distinguished Service Award and Outstanding Young Man. Men that are nominated should have good character, leadership abilities, and a willingness to work and be very active in the community, church, and or civic activities. Nominations for Outstanding Young Man must be between the ages of 18 and 40 and nominations for the Distinguished Service Award are 41 and up. Nominees will be evaluated by a panel of judges from throughout the community of Dillon. The awards presentation will be held Friday, March 20th at the Lewis and Clark Room at the University of Montana Western. Please submit a detailed letter of nomination to the Dillon Jaycees, PO Box 334, Dillon, MT 59725 or email them to jmpeck@trappercreekranch.com. Nominations must be received by March 13th. For more information contact JM Peck at 406-660-0494.

Starting today and running into tomorrow the Old Depot Theater will be the host of the Dillon Fiddle Contest. Presented by the Dillon Junior Fiddlers, the contest will host both adult and kids competitions as well as a variety show Saturday night starting at 7pm. The contest begin each day at 9 am, and will run most of the day. Youth contestants compete in three age categories, Peewee, Junior-Junior, and Junior. The adults compete in the general or championship division decided by the first round of play. Judges for the event include Tiffany Boucher and Lilly Platts, both women are former Montana State Fiddle champions. The variety show will have both judges playing as well as many other talented artist. If you would like to attend the variety show tonight at 7 pm tickets are $5 at the door. If you would like to go check out the competition tickets are $10 and put you in a drawing for some prizes.

Weekend Rundown for Friday, February 14th through Sunday, February 16th. Friday February 14th Today is Valentines day so don't forget something for your Valentine. Southwest Montana RAC Meeting starts at 9am. The Southwest Montana Resource Advisory Committee is scheduled to meet at the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest Supervisor’s Office 9 a.m. Feb. 14. The meeting, which is open to the public, will include review of 23 project proposals within Beaverhead, Madison, Jefferson and Silver Bow counties. At the conclusion of the meeting, the committee will recommend projects for funding under Title II of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000. Valentine's Sweetheart Dinner at The Shack Valentines Sweetheart Dinner. 4-8 Prime rib, Shrimp, mystery Dessert. for reservations call 684-5050. Valentines Single Day Dillon Tap House from 4 to 10 pm First 12 single ladies will recieve a Valentienes Day rose. Judd will be bartending! Valentine Dinner and Show - Southwest Montana Arts Council Treat your special valentine to dinner and a show at the Dillon Elks Lodge! Dinner features 8 oz. sirloin steak with prawns, salad, vegetable, potato, dessert and coffee. Show is "Love Letters" by the Southwest Montana Arts Council. Please RSVP by February 10th. Tickets are available online at smacarts.org, by calling the Southwest Montana Arts Council at 683-6208, at the Dillon Elks Lodge, or by calling the Dillon Elks Lodge at 683-5552. Willie's Distillery Valentine's Day Party Grab your sweetheart for the Willie's Distillery Valentine's Day Party! Friday, 2/14, from 5:30-7:30pm in our tasting room. There will be hors d'oeuvres catered by Jill Schweder, live music by Todd Green, and a featured Valentine's Day cocktail! Hope to see you there! Many other restaurants around Dillon and the surrounding areas are having Valentine days specials as well. Don't forget Rocky Mountain Supply is having a special with some great gifts for the ladies. Saturday February 15th Maverick Mountain Ski Area live with Beat Deaf music will start around 3 pm. Love Letters by Southwest Montana Arts Council hosted by the Elks Lodge Entertainment by Southwest Montana Arts Council "Love Letters." Hors d'oeuvres $18. 2020 Dillon Jr. Fidder's Annual Fiddle Contest at The Old Depot Theater. Contest starts both days at 9am. Concert and Variety show Saturday the 15th 7:30pm Sunday February the 16th Sunday Brunch Buffet Sunday Brunch Buffet $15 for adults, $10 for kids 12 and under Come Celebrate Our One Year of Owning Tavern 287!!! Eggs and Bacon Veggie and Breakfast Meat Quiches Chicken and Waffles Banana Bread French Toast Fresh Fruit Tomato Basil Bisque Delicious Breakfast Pastries and Desserts 2020 Dillon Jr. Fidder's Annual Fiddle Contest at The Old Depot Theater. Contest starts both days at 9am. Concert and Variety show Saturday the 15th 7:30pm Thank you for reading our weekend rundown. We try to include links in the article to make it easier for you. If you are curious about an event and it is highlighted, just click on it, and you will be directed to another page with more information on that event. If you would like to see your business as a sponsor of the Weekend Rundown call us at (406) 660-7041.

Have you ever been driving down one of the many dirt roads around Montana and Noticed a big white dog watching the sheep or livestock? Those dogs are a special type of dog that spend countless hours guarding livestock. Livestock Guard Dogs will be hosted by People and Carnivores and Blackleaf Guardians, this Tuesday February the 18th, at the Elks Lodge. The event is described as follows. Ranching in a landscape with grizzlies, wolves, mountain lions, and coyotes can present challenges for livestock producers. Come meet and learn about Livestock Guard Dogs and how they are helping ranchers protect livestock and reduce the risk of conflict with large carnivores. People and Carnivores has teamed up with Blackleaf Guardians to offer an informational presentation on Livestock Guardian Dogs (LGDs) and other proactive measures to reduce losses to predators. We will be discussing LGDS protecting all classes of livestock: sheep, goats, cattle, chickens, and even farmstead guard dogs. Blackleaf Guardians will Share their experience ranching on the Eastern Rocky Mountain Front amongst dense carnivore populations Discuss different breeds of LGDs and different methods for protecting livestock Facilitate a question/answer session (current LGD users are encouraged to share their own experiences) Show you four LGD breeds and some puppies in training! Meeting is free and open to the public. Snacks and beverages will be provided. For more information, contact Kim Johnston, 406-599-9424.

Poetry Out Loud held its third regional Poetry Out Loud competition today at the University of Montana Western small auditorium. This was the third competition in the four regional events. Fourteen students came to compete in this event, seven from Butte High, five from Capitol High, and two from Sentinel High. Sadly Beaverhead County High School was not represented. Poetry Out Loud is described as: "Now in its fifteenth year, the 2019-20 Montana Poetry Out Loud program welcomes the participation of high schools across our state! Created and supported by the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the Poetry Foundation, Poetry Out Loud engages students in learning about poetry through the memorized recitations of works by recognized poets, both contemporary and from throughout history. Through their participation students gain public speaking skills while finding their own voice. Beginning in individual classrooms, students have the opportunity to advance to schoolwide contests, regional competitions, the Montana State Finals and—for one Montana student—the National Finals in Washington D.C.  To learn more about the program or to explore the online anthology, visit poetryoutloud.org." Judges for today's event were Sally Cobau, English teacher for the Youth Challenge and University of Montana Western, Marley May, student at U of M Western, and Professor Alan Weltzien of the English Department. Students would recite from memory a poem of their choosing. They were judged on physical presence, voice and articulation, dramatic appropriateness, evidence of understanding, overall performance, and accuracy. With this event in Dillon, judges had a difficult decision ahead of them, due to not one of the students stumbling on their poem's lines or needing a prompt to remember the words. After all was said and done, the three judges had chosen four winners and one alternate. Masie Kroon was awarded the alternate position Jasmine Kunda placed fourth Katy McCumber was awarded third Clara Hahn took home second place Savannah Holm came out in first place On March 7th Helena will host the State Finals. The winner from the state final will then go on to compete in the National Finals, held in Washington D.C. on April 27-29, 2020.

Big Sky Cinema was host Sunday afternoon to the Montana premier of the movie Atomic Apocalypse. Along with writer and producer Martin Gooch and lead actress Krista Demille, movie goers were able to screen a film that used some local talent, as well as a lot of local spots many will recognize in the film. The film is a sort of post apocalypse glimpse into the future. It starts out with a family on vacation then jumps two years into the future after nuclear devastation hits the world. The film takes a refreshing twist on the end of the world scenario that seems to be playing out in Hollywood. Instead of using the tried and true zombie genre, they go for a nuclear twist and the literal fallout of humanity afterwards. Originally named The Big Oops as his first draft, director and writer Martin Gooch then changed the name of the film to Black Flowers, which plays a key role in the film. Later on, marketing decided they would change the name to Atomic Apocalypse to help sell the film. Atomic Apocalypse starts out with action and it rarely dies down from there. With the lead actress Krista Demille facing many trials and tribulations along the way, she tries to keep her family together without the modern conveniences they have grown accustom to. Featuring local talent Cory Burkenbuel, Travis and Michael Stuffelbean, Stan Smith, and Karle Jane as set extras and fill ins wherever they where needed, this film is sure to leave a lasting impression on the audience. If you are from Montana, some of the locations will have you saying, 'hey I know where that is'. The film is a must see for anyone who loves small budget films. Yes, it does have some corny moments, but this is what film making is all about. A group of people with a vision who come together and make it work with what they have. Atomic Apocalypse delivered above my expectations and didn't have me looking at my watch, which is more than I can say for many of the high budget movies coming out of Hollywood as of lately. If you get a chance to see this film, I would recommend it. Dillon has had a couple film screenings in the past, and as more people are drawn to Montana to shoot with our beautiful scenery, we will more than likely see a lot more screenings at the Big Sky Cinema. If you get a chance to go to one of these films, don't hesitate, as it is one way to experience a small piece of the puzzle that goes into the making of a film.

Special announcement from Debbie at The Bookstore: Join us Saturday, February 8th as we welcome poet, Lee Robison. He will be reading and signing copies of his book, Have from 1:00-3:00. Call 683-6807 if you have any questions. HAVE Many of the poems in this book draw from Robison’s experiences growing up on a Montana ranch for their subject matter, imagery and themes. In the poem “Native,” ranch and farm imagery is contrasted with the imagery of Montana’s pre-history to ask to whom does this land belong, and what validates that possession. What is it that make this Valley, this River, these Mountains ours? In “Requiem for a Rancher” the question becomes what can an old rancher take with him when he dies? And just how much of him remains in the land and the landscape he formed in his lifetime? Brian Kahn, author of Real Common Sense and host of Montana Public Radio’s Home Ground writes “Robison’s words span cultures, place and time, ringing deep and true. These poems are rich in often hard sentiment, there is no sugared sentimentality. In Robison’s world, human life is hard, sometimes good.” Robison is currently working on organizing a collection of his short fiction which he expects to finish sometime in the next year. He is also preparing a collection of his Haiku, which has a working title of Montana Zen—Cowboy Haiku.

Weekend Rundown for Friday, February 7th through Sunday, February 9th. Friday February 7th Great Harvest is raising dough, Today will be the last day to get yourself some of their bake goods. Runs from 7 am to 2 pm, offering all sorts of breads, cookies, and sandwiches. Elks Lodge Tai Chi Classes, free from 9:30 am to 10:20 am Beaverhead Brewing Company hosting Love is a Dog, starts at 5 pm. Jackson Hot Springs Lodge will have Levi Miller, starting at 7 pm and will be hosted by Don Forbes "The Bitterroot Mountain Troubadour" Saturday February 8th Cowpie Classic Hockey tournament hosted by DAHA and Beaverhead Brewing Company Hockey is going to start around 9 am.  Food and drink will be available starting at 11 am. There will be two Dillon teams and two Butte teams.  The community is welcome and encouraged to come out to watch a little hockey, enjoy some local food and drink, and have a little winter fun at the rink! Downtown Winter Bar Olympics Registration is at noon, start time 1 pm, 4 person teams, must be 21 to enter. Cost is $10 per person and $5 for the Poker Run. Book Signing with Lee Robison at The Bookstore. Join us Saturday, February 8th, as we welcome poet, Lee Robison. He will be reading and signing copies of his book, 'Have' from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. Call 683-6807 if you have any questions. Grand Opening Celebration at Beauty Mark Grand Opening Celebration located inside HighCounty Glass at 26 East Bannack Street in Dillon Montana. Join us for hors d' ouvres and enter to win a free permanent cosmetic procedure of your choice, worth up to $500 (must be 18 to enter). $50 off any procedure coupons will also be given away. Celebration will be held from 1-6 pm. Dan Henry at Ruby Valley Brew Making his way back February 8th to one of the best venues for a solo artist in the state of Montana, Dan Henry will travel to Ruby Valley Brew in Sheridan, Montana to set up for an evening of good beer, good people, and a all around good time. Also, there are some delicious pizzas being baked right next door at Bread Zeppelin, and they'll even pass then through the conjoining window so you can drink your beer and eat your pizza too! Show start at 5pm and rocks till we drop. Addison Thompson and Amanda Stewart at The Moose Addison Lea Thompson and Amanda Stewart of Sweet Sage are headed to the Moose Bar in Dillon for a song swap after Dillon's Bar Olympics!! Come on down and get your drink on with a night of country and Honky Tonk Music! Sunday February the 9th Atomic Apocalypse at The Big Sky Theater Movie starts at 1 pm followed by an after party to celebrate the release follows each screening at a venue nearby. There’ll be a short Q & A with the director and the film’s local cast and crew, with faux-Oscar awards presented by the producers to local cast, crew, and supporting community! Meet and Greet with Tom Woods at the Beaverhead Brewing Company Starts at 5 pm and runs to 7 pm. Maverick Mountain will be open over the weekend with a lot of new snow. Thank you for reading our weekend rundown. We try to include links in the article to make it easier for you. If you are curious about an event and it is highlighted, just click on it, and you will be directed to another page with more information on that event. If you would like to see your business as a sponsor of the Weekend Rundown call us at (406) 660-7041.

This Saturday February 8th DAHA will host the Cowpie Classic Hockey Tournament, at the Chris Craft Park. Starting at 9am. There will be food and drinks from Beaverhead Brewing and The Branding Iron starting at 11 am. They will have two teams from Dillon as well as two teams from Butte. The community is welcome to come out to the rink enjoy some hometown hockey, while having some amazing food and drinks. With the weather looking to go back down on the thermometer regular rink programming will resume next week as well.

Winter Storm Warning URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Great Falls MT 549 AM MST Thu Feb 6 2020 MTZ008-070100- /O.CON.KTFX.WS.W.0004.000000T0000Z-200207T1800Z/ /O.CON.KTFX.WW.Y.0012.000000T0000Z-200207T1800Z/ Beaverhead- Including Big Hole Pass, Wisdom, Dillon, Monida Pass, and Wise River 549 AM MST Thu Feb 6 2020 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM MST FRIDAY BELOW 7000 FEET... ...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM MST FRIDAY ABOVE 7000 FEET... * WHAT...For the Winter Storm Warning above 7000 feet, but also for the Big Hole Valley, heavy snow occurring. Additional snow accumulations of mostly 10 to 24 inches. Winds gusting as high as 45 mph in the mountains. For the Winter Weather Advisory below 7000 feet, but also for the Monida Pass area, snow expected to develop this morning. Total snow accumulations of mostly 3 to 7 inches, except 1 to 3 inches in the Dillon area. * WHERE...Beaverhead. * WHEN...Until 11 AM MST Friday. * IMPACTS...Travel could be very difficult. Areas of blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility over mountain passes. The hazardous conditions could impact the morning and evening commutes. There will also be increased avalanche danger for backcountry recreation. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Snowfall will decrease somewhat this afternoon, possibly allowing it to partially melt on lower elevation roadways, then refreeze this evening. Snowfall will increase again overnight, creating a greater icing hazard. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Slow down and use caution while traveling. If you must travel over mountain passes, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency. The latest road conditions for the state you are calling from can be obtained by calling 5 1 1. && $$ Winter Weather Advisory URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Great Falls MT 549 AM MST Thu Feb 6 2020 MTZ008-070100- /O.CON.KTFX.WS.W.0004.000000T0000Z-200207T1800Z/ /O.CON.KTFX.WW.Y.0012.000000T0000Z-200207T1800Z/ Beaverhead- Including Big Hole Pass, Wisdom, Dillon, Monida Pass, and Wise River 549 AM MST Thu Feb 6 2020 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM MST FRIDAY BELOW 7000 FEET... ...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM MST FRIDAY ABOVE 7000 FEET... * WHAT...For the Winter Storm Warning above 7000 feet, but also for the Big Hole Valley, heavy snow occurring. Additional snow accumulations of mostly 10 to 24 inches. Winds gusting as high as 45 mph in the mountains. For the Winter Weather Advisory below 7000 feet, but also for the Monida Pass area, snow expected to develop this morning. Total snow accumulations of mostly 3 to 7 inches, except 1 to 3 inches in the Dillon area. * WHERE...Beaverhead. * WHEN...Until 11 AM MST Friday. * IMPACTS...Travel could be very difficult. Areas of blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility over mountain passes. The hazardous conditions could impact the morning and evening commutes. There will also be increased avalanche danger for backcountry recreation. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Snowfall will decrease somewhat this afternoon, possibly allowing it to partially melt on lower elevation roadways, then refreeze this evening. Snowfall will increase again overnight, creating a greater icing hazard. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Slow down and use caution while traveling. If you must travel over mountain passes, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency. The latest road conditions for the state you are calling from can be obtained by calling 5 1 1.

Article from our friends at The Big Hole Breezes, also Southwestern Montana News will be covering this event with some great Video and Photos.

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Great Falls MT 347 AM MST Wed Feb 5 2020 MTZ008-012-015-050-053-054-052300- /O.UPG.KTFX.WS.A.0003.200206T0000Z-200207T1200Z/ /O.NEW.KTFX.WW.Y.0012.200206T0000Z-200207T1500Z/ Beaverhead-Cascade-Madison-Judith Basin-Broadwater-Meagher- Including Big Hole Pass, Wisdom, Dillon, Monida Pass, Wise River, Kings Hill Pass, Ennis, Norris Hill, Raynolds Pass, Twin Bridges, Virginia City, Raynesford, Toston, Townsend, Winston, Martinsdale, and White Sulphur Springs 347 AM MST Wed Feb 5 2020 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 5 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 8 AM MST FRIDAY... * WHAT...Snow expected. Total snow accumulations of 6 to 12 inches at lower elevations, except 12 to 24 inches at higher elevations. Winds gusting as high as 40 mph. * WHERE...Portions of central and southwest Montana. * WHEN...From 5 PM this afternoon to 8 AM MST Friday. * IMPACTS...Travel could be very difficult to impossible. Widespread blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility. Increased avalanche danger is possible across steep mountain terrain. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... 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.

Monida pass was closed on 02/03/2020 at 12:01 am, when they placed the barrier across the Barretts exit and would only allow local traffic through. Traffic past Lima was completely shut down, as no one was allowed on the roads heading south. They reopened Monida pass at 10:25 am Monday morning, which created nearly a ten and a half hour time frame where most travelers were stuck in or around the Dillon area. While this creates a great deal of stress for travelers and professionals who use the highways to transport goods and services, could this same issue open up a window of opportunity for the local Dillon businesses? Taking a short trip out to the Gateway Travel Plaza, one could see cars backed up on the side roads, as well as semis pulled over on I-15. What if local businesses could open for these travelers who are stranded. Many restaurants and small coffee shops in Dillon have set hours, but if some of these smaller eateries were able open their business doors after hours and make the experience of being stranded in Dillon a little less stressful on those travelers, what possibilities would this open for the Dillon economy. They could show the hospitality of our town to people who otherwise may have never stopped. One of the many issues our small town faces is how do we entice the 66,000 people a month travelling I-15 to stop in Dillon. With the recent Monida pass closures, opening up our town and helping those travelers out could be one way to leave a lasting impression on those that might have otherwise passed us by. Some people have offered Lyft services during Labor Day and also New Years Eve, but could they also offer these services to those who are parked in lots outside of town, offering rides to local restaurants, coffee shops or just a place to get warm and shop while waiting on the pass to open. Dillon is looking at ways to bring more people into town and most suggestions have relied heavily on areas that do not interest the average traveler or that take them outside of Dillon. Downtown Dillon is a diamond in the rough; many people fail to see the potential Dillon has to offer. We have stores with the greatest grilled cheese sandwiches in Montana ( Muffaletta's ), signed memorabilia from Val Kilmer to Alice Cooper (Emporium 406), along with many great local artist shops and hangouts. We have The Patagonia Outlet that brings people from all over the world to small town Dillon, USA. The history in our buildings alone could entertain a person. Dillon just needs a way to attract those passerby cars to see us as more than small place to get gas and get back on the road. By taking just a little extra time out of our day, we could come up with ways to help those stranded while showing off our town. If you are a business owner or just a concerned citizen that has suggestions for our town, we at Southwestern Montana News encourage you to attend one of the Chambers Convention Visitor Bureau meetings, or come to Coffee Club every Monday morning from 7:30 to 8:30 am at Sweetwater Coffee. Dillon is an amazing place with a lot of great things happening, if you have business ideas or ways to improve on things, make your voice heard. Otherwise the economy here will always stay the same, and growth will be far from our reach.

BEAVERHEAD CTY 911: Interstate 15 closed at Monida Pass due to high wind, blowing snow, drifting and poor visibility.

If you wanna get out of the house but don't want to be fighting the wind, the winter farmers market is going on today, from 10 to 2 pm at the Beaverhead County Fairgrounds. Located inside the 4-H building, the market has about fourteen vendors on hand. Offering everything from handmade items, baked goods, to slime they have something you are looking for.