News

I spent the New Year’s weekend covering for my colleagues at St. Luke Community Healthcare, admitting patients to the hospital. I saw firsthand how we went from a nearly empty COVID-19 unit to filling half the beds. We have a light at the end of the tunnel with the vaccine, but it is still important to wear the mask and social distance.  January is expected to bring a more significant surge, and some parts of the country are having to prioritize ICU care. We have been fortunate, so far, in Montana, but there is also some data suggesting that, because COVID is using up a lot of resources, care for patients with other emergencies, like heart attacks, strokes and car accidents ma...

Some people have a difficult time managing their depression. Sometimes, their depression and fears can get the best of them. As a result, here are some techniques that a person can use to help manage their depression. 1. Challenge your negative thinking with positive statements and realistic thinking: whe...

Years ago, I decided the only way to make peace with Montana’s long, gray, and often-frigid winters was to get outside and find ways to enjoy them. Since downhill skiing fell by the wayside, I’ve amped up my cross-country skiing. It’s a much cheaper pursuit than its downhill cousin (for the...

The fresh start of a new year often prompts the desire for change, especially when it comes to our health; however, that burst of energy we feel on day one can fade over time as the reality of the work involved begins to set in.  Before long, the yoga mat gets pushed to the back of the closet, the du...

The fresh start of a new year often prompts the desire for change, especially when it comes to our health; however, that burst of energy we feel on day one can fade over time as the reality of the work involved begins to set in.  Before long, the yoga mat gets pushed to the back of the closet, the du...

News from Big Sky Fit Kids MONTANA — Registration is open for Big Sky Fit Kids Challenge, a program of the Big Sky State Games. The BSFK Challenge is a free youth physical activity and nutrition program where students track physical activity and fruit and vegetable consumption Feb. 1 to April 1. B...

News from Shape Up Montana MONTANA — Registration for the 19th Annual Shape Up Montana program is underway.  Since it began in 2003, over 85,000 Montanans have logged more than 15 million activity miles. Shape Up Montana is a team-based healthy lifestyle program of the Big Sky State Games tha...

News from the office of Senator Daines U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines today announced that beginning this week, Montana small businesses heavily impacted by the pandemic are able to apply for the second round of Paycheck Protection Program loans. “This PPP funding is critical for...

News from USDA WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture) will provide additional assistance through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, expanding eligibility for some agricultural producers and commodities as well as updating p...

News from ACLU of MontanaNews from the office of Governor Gianforte HELENA  — In response to a request from the National Guard Bureau and federal authorities, Governor Greg Gianforte recently announced Montana will send 150 Army National Guard soldiers to the nation’s capital for the up...