Gallatin Media Center

For immediate release: March 14, 2022

Media contact:
Amanda Hartman
406-582-3270
amanda.hartman@gallatin.mt.gov

The Big Sky Country State Fair is now accepting entries for the various competitive
events taking place in the 2022 Fair. These events range from the much-loved Barnyard Brawl (think Calf
Scramble, Mutton Bustin’, and more!), the hair-raising Bozeman Roundup Ranch Rodeo, and the
traditional competitive exhibits with fun NEW classes!

Open Class Competitions in horticulture, photography, fine arts and quilts – to name a few – are a
mainstay in Fair programming and connect directly to the cultural landscape of the region. The Big Sky
Country State Fair is excited to see these skills passed down through the generations and is proud to be
able to provide a platform where they can be showcased to the public and next generations.

The Big Sky Country State Fair is pleased to offer all new Divisions and Classes this year! Creative Arts
Division has a new High School Related Projects Division and Digital Arts Division for both youth and
adults, new classes include leather and metalwork classes. Culinary Division has a new Healthy Baked
Goods Division, Homemade Beer and Wine Division, with all new themed classes this year! Horticulture
Division added new classes including Kale, Berries, Cilantro, Petunia, Flavored Basil, Themed Classes,
Edible Landscape and Team Container Grown Plants. Photography Division added a NEW Wedding
Photography Division along with a Videography Division! The Big Sky Country State Fair is also taking
Digital Photography entries this year!

Information on all competitions, as well as entry forms, are available at 406StateFair.com. Big Sky
Country State Fair is held Wednesday, July 20 through Sunday, July 24 in Bozeman, MT. The Fair opens
to the public Wednesday, July 20. Tickets and admission packages are available starting Friday, May 27,
2022. Check out 406StateFair.com for continual updated information on entertainment, tickets, and
competitions.

The Big Sky Country State Fair is managed by the Gallatin County Fairgrounds, under direction of
Gallatin County. The first fair – called Inter-State Fair – was held in 1902 and morphed over the years to
its function today. The Fair serves citizens of the Gallatin Valley and regional visitors from agricultural,
urban, rural and tourist backgrounds.

PRESS RELEASE

Little Bear Search

On March 13, 2022, at 4:53pm, Gallatin County Dispatch received a call for a snowmobiler that had not returned home. The snowmobiler said they would be up Little Bear Rd and would return by home by 3pm and would be no later than 4pm. The snowmobiler was alone and had many years of experience in backcountry snowmobiling.

 

Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue volunteers from the Valley Section responded to the bottom of the road. They deployed three teams of snowmobilers to search for the missing person. 

 

Search and Rescue teams located the snowmobiler at the last known location and discovered they had been stuck for a few hours. Search and Rescue teams escorted the snowmobiler back and conducted a medical assessment. The snowmobiler sustained no injuries. 

 

Sheriff Dan Springer would like to remind recreationalists that even with experience, conditions could change suddenly, so remember to travel with another person, dress for the ever changing weather, and to bring enough food and water so you are prepared for unexpected situations. 

Photos courtesy of Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office.

 

 

 

For immediate release: March 10, 2022

Gallatin County voters will be asked to decide on two local-option marijuana taxes as part of this year’s primary election ballot.

On Tuesday, March 8, the Gallatin County Commission unanimously voted to add the following two questions to the June 7 ballot for Gallatin County voters’ consideration:

• A 3% local-option sales tax on all non-medical (recreational) marijuana products sold in Gallatin County.
• A 3% local-option sales tax on all medical marijuana products sold in Gallatin County.

In November 2020, Montana voters passed Initiative Measure 190, which allowed for the operation of various categories of marijuana businesses and taxation of marijuana retail sales in Montana counties in which a majority of voters approved the initiative. The initiative passed in Gallatin County with 65.6% of the vote.

State law does not allow county governments to impose similar taxes on any other product. The state already imposes at 20% tax on recreational marijuana and a 4% percent tax on medical marijuana.

“This is a really unique, brand-new feature in state law and that’s the reason we have this opportunity to even put this question in front of the voters,” said Gallatin County Commissioner Zach Brown. “We’re not making this decision on behalf of the voters. The voters get to weigh in.”

If voters in an eligible county pass a local-option marijuana tax, 50% of the tax must be retained by the county, 45% apportioned to the cities and towns in the county based on population, and the remaining 5% given to the Montana Department of Revenue to defray state costs associated with the tax.

State law allows counties or cities and towns that receive local-option sales tax revenue for any activity, undertaking or administrative service authorized by law, including costs resulting from the imposition of the tax.

If passed, the local-option taxes would go into effect on Oct. 1, 2022. Gallatin County Commissioners say that, if passed, they will use the county’s portion of the local taxes to fund mental health services.

Other Montana counties that have already asked voters to decide on similar local-option marijuana taxes include Yellowstone, Missoula and Park counties. Lewis and Clark County has opted to also put questions on their June ballot. And Butte-Silver Bow is also considering the ballot questions as well.

Media contact:
Whitney Bermes, Gallatin County Communications Coordinator
406-595-8963
whitney.bermes@gallatin.mt.gov

PRESS RELEASE

TEPEE CREEK LOST SNOWMOBILERS

On Sunday, March 6, 2022, at 5:42 p.m., the West Yellowstone Police Department received a 911 call from a group of snowmobilers who had become turned around and were unable to find their way back onto the trail system. Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue in West Yellowstone responded to the GPS coordinates received from the 911 call 15.68 miles north of West Yellowstone. A deputy made contact with the snowmobilers and requested they remain stationary and turn off all but one of their cellphones to preserve battery life.

Volunteers located the snowmobilers in good health and escorted them safely back to town.

Sheriff Dan Springer would like to commend the snowmobilers for quickly recognizing their need for assistance and subsequently calling for help in a timely fashion. This allowed rescuers to quickly locate and assist them back to town safely.

PRESS RELEASE

TWO TOP SNOWMOBILE CRASH

On Saturday, March 5, 2022 at 11:00  a.m., Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue in West Yellowstone responded to the Two Top trail, 7.8 miles south of West Yellowstone for a snowmobiler who had suffered a leg injury after striking a berm with the snowmobile.

Volunteers located the patient using the GPS coordinates from the 911 call. The snowmobiler was transported back to West Yellowstone before choosing to have a friend transport them to the Big Sky Medical Center for evaluation.

Photo courtesy of Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office.

Gallatin County Superintendent of Schools

 

For immediate release: March 4, 2022

The 2022 Treasure State Spelling Bee will be held in Bozeman on Saturday, March 12. The event will be at 1 PM at the Montana State University Strand Union Building, Ballroom A.

The Treasure State Spelling Bee features the top 60 spellers from grades 4-8 from over 200 public and private schools from nearly every county in Montana.

This year’s bee is the 57^th annual event and will be held in Bozeman for the first time. It is also the first in-person, oral state spelling bee since 2019. The 2020 bee was cancelled due to COVID, and the 2021 bee was held using an online testing platform with no competition.

The Treasure State Spelling Bee is the final competition for determining the one winner who will represent Montana at the 2022 Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. in May. Prizes will also be awarded to the top spellers.

Chrysti “The Wordsmith” Smith will be pronouncing and television journalists from the bee’s sponsor Montana Television Network will be officiating. Approximately 300 people will be in attendance.

MSU President Waded Cruzado and Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen will speak at a luncheon for the contestants and their families prior to the competition at 11:30 AM.

Gallatin County Superintendent of Schools Matthew Henry is the director of the state bee.

Media contact:
Matthew Henry, Gallatin County Superintendent of Schools
406-582-3090
matthew.henry@gallatin.mt.gov

PRESS RELEASE

Tepee Creek Trail Rescue

On Thursday March 3, 2022 at 4:45 pm, Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue in West Yellowstone, responded to a request for assistance from a snowmobiler on the Tepee Creek Trail, 17 miles northwest of town. An individual riding a snowmobile in the backcountry collided with one of their riding partners, causing an upper leg injury.

Search and Rescue volunteers, Custer Gallatin National Forest Law Enforcement and Yellowstone National Park Rangers responded with a specialized rescue sled and were able to treat the patient on scene before transporting to a nearby helicopter landing zone on the mountain.  Care was transferred over to Air Idaho and the patient was flown by medical helicopter to the Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center.

Sheriff Dan Springer would like to remind everyone riding off trail to be aware of your surroundings and to be extra careful as you are often a long distance away from emergency responders.

Photos courtesy of Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office.

For immediate release: March 2, 2022

At approximately 5:35 PM, the convoy was spotted passing through Butte. We expect it to be further delayed and arriving in Belgrade closer to 7 PM.

For immediate release: March 2, 2022

Belgrade traffic update: The estimated arrival time for the convoy in Belgrade is now 5:30 to 6 PM.

For immediate release: March 2, 2022

For people interested in watching the U.S. Freedom convoy in Belgrade this afternoon (March 2), we have a few requests:

• Arrive early as there could be significant traffic in the area starting well before 4 PM.
• We ask that supporters begin to arrive absolutely no later than 3:30 PM.
• Please park safely in legal parking areas.
• Please DO NOT park alongside Interstate 90 or on any on-ramps or off-ramps at the exits.
• Please be respectful of private property and DO NOT block driveways or business accesses.
• Please follow all traffic and pedestrian laws.
• Please be patient and respectful of others in the area!

Convoy vehicles driving eastbound on I-90 are expected to exit into Belgrade at exit 298 at Amsterdam Road and head to the Flying J at the intersection of Amsterdam Road and Jackrabbit Lane. Following their stop, they will be directed to return to I-90 eastbound at Jackrabbit Lane.

It is anticipated that only trucks seeking services will exit at Belgrade and trucks not needing services are encouraged to continue east on I-90. We ask citizens to take this into consideration if when selecting a place to view the convoy.

Jackrabbit Lane at the interchange could be closed to through traffic for a period of time as convoy vehicles move through the area. We will work to keep traffic flowing as normally as possible.

Drivers heading both north and south on Jackrabbit Lane near the I-90 interchange may experience significant delays. There may be times when traffic is also impassable on Amsterdam Road between the off ramp and Flying J.

While the exact timeframe of how long traffic will be impacted is unknown, we anticipate the heaviest delays will be between 4 and 6 PM.

Law enforcement will be in the area and may be directing traffic to help alleviate impacts to drivers as best as possible. Signs will also be placed to help drivers find alternate routes.

We encourage drivers to plan ahead and utilize the following roads to avoid the interchange:

• I-90 exit 299 at Airway Boulevard
• Valley Center Road
• Thorpe Road
• Frontage Road

We appreciate the public’s help in ensuring this event is safe for all involved.

Media contact:
Whitney Bermes, Gallatin County Communications Coordinator
406-595-8963 (cell)
whitney.bermes@gallatin.mt.gov