Local

All one needs to do is look outside to see that fire season has come to our region, particularly Southwest Montana where several forest fires are presently burning. The smoke in Southwest Montana has been particularly thick and hot, dry weather has settled in over the past couple of weeks. This increased danger does not mean the end of summer outdoor recreation, but it does mean that you will need to be mindful of conditions and vigilant in preventing wildfires when venturing onto public lands. We sat down with local forester and outdoor recreation enthusiast, Jocelyn Dodge, who offered advice on the steps that need to be taken.

Stage 1 Fire Restrictions have gone into effect on the Beaverhead-Deer Lodge National Forest. What does this mean?

For a festival that has hosted names like Luke Bryan, the Charlie Daniels Band, Hardy and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in previous years, it may be a bit of a stretch to say that this is the best lineup in the history of Headwaters Country Jam. But then again, looking at the 2024 lineup for the three-day festival that gets underway Thursday afternoon in Cardwell, Montana, just between Whitehall and Three Forks on Highway 2, it may be a stretch to say that it isn't. With two rock-solid mainstream acts as the headliners on Thursday and Friday, a young legend closing the festival on Saturday and a heaping helping of underground acts and local talent, Headwaters Country Jam 2024 is a festival you need to know about.

Threatening storm clouds loomed in the near distance throughout the afternoon and early evening here in the Mining City on Thursday but it was not enough to deter a huge crowd from showing up to Rocky Mountain Car Wash on Harrison Avenue for KMBR's second Cruise Nite of the summer. In the end, everyone stayed dry and had a great evening of classic cars and classic rock.

The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) and its partner, L&J Construction Group LLC, have substantially completed improvements on North Interchange Road in Dillon. The half-mile segment received new pavement, seal and cover (chip seal), bridge repairs, new guardrail, and new signage. Permanent epoxy pavement markings are expected to be completed in late August.

"All the world's a stage, and the men and women merely players," William Shakespeare famously wrote in Act II of "As You Like It" back in the year 1599. Here in the year 2024, the literal stage will be set across several Southwest Montana parks and the players will be the men and women of Montana Shakespeare in the Parks with several upcoming performances scheduled in our area throughout the next several weeks.

How are you handling the midsummer heat? With temperatures frequently in excess of 90 degrees, many residents are looking for ways to cool off and we had a chance to chat with local forester and outdoor recreation enthusiast Jocelyn Dodge about the role that area lakes and rivers can play in your family's plans and important steps you need to remember if you plan on heading into the great outdoors.

After braving the heat a couple of weeks ago at Redline Sports, KMBR's second Cruise Nite of the season looks like it's going to be another hot one as things move down the street to Rocky Mountain Car Wash at 3410 Harrison Avenue for Cruise Nite #2 this Wednesday evening.

Well, the big weekend is finally here. The Montana Folk Festival has arrived, and we can expect three days of incredible music from all over the globe, unique cuisine, one-of-a-kind crafts and thousands of people converging on the Mining City. With several stages spread across the eastern perimeter of Uptown Butte and several street closures going into effect, parking will again be a challenge this year.

You've got to hand it to our Butte-Silver Bow Fire Department. Not only are they ready, willing and able to race into burning buildings, risking life and limb at the sound of an alarm bell, as a regular part of their job. That goes without saying. So you have to particularly admiring the men and women of the department who have given up their day off on one of the hottest days of the summer to stand on Harrison Avenue collecting money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.