As of Wednesday, April 21, 2021, Montana reports 107,537 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 167 new cases reported in the last day: 75 in Gallatin County, 15 in Yellowstone County, 13 in Flathead County, 9 in Missoula County, 8 in Cascade County, and more new cases in 22 more Montana counties. The number of active coronavirus cases in Montana is 957. Currently, 63 people are being treated in Montana hospitals for COVID-19. The most active cases are in Gallatin and Yellowstone Counties. 1,557 people have died in Montana of COVID-19. Five more deaths have been reported since yesterday. Nationwide, more than 568,000 Americans have died of COVID-19. There have been 31,800,000 cases of coronavirus in the US, and counting.

The U.S. Interior Department is cancelling oil and gas lease sales from public lands through June amid an ongoing review of how the program contributes to climate change. President Joe Biden on Jan. 27 ordered Interior officials to review if the program unfairly benefits companies at the expense of taxpayers and its impact on climate change. The action does not affect existing leases and the agency has continued to issue new drilling permits during an open-ended review of the program that was ordered by the White House.

A 25-year-old Helena man was arrested after allegedly threatening to carry out a school shooting. Christian Tyler Davidson is charged with felony intimidation.

April 22 is Earth Day, and there are a number of celebrations today. If you’re looking to get your hands dirty and give back on Earth Day, a local nonprofit is looking for volunteers to help prepare their gardens at Story Mill Park. Gallatin Valley Farm to School’s event, in collaboration with Gallatin Valley Food Bank is Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and individuals are asked to volunteer to prepare and seed garden beds, turn compost piles, organize the tool shed, clean the perimeter of the garden and clean the Bozone Ozone Bus, or BOB. Children can volunteer if accompanied by an adult. The Story Mill garden is used during the nonprofit’s full-day camp program during the summer. The camps take place outdoors and each week features a different food and garden-related topic. The student activities include gardening, cooking, science investigations, art projects and games. Social distancing measures and masks will be required for the event, and tools and equipment will be disinfected between uses.