As of Tuesday, February 23, 2021, Montana reports 99,040 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 240 new cases reported in the last day: 45 in Gallatin County, 41 in Yellowstone County, 26 in Flathead County, 22 in Lewis & Clark County, 12 in Missoula County, 10 in Cascade County, and more new cases in 29 more Montana counties. The number of active coronavirus cases in Montana is 1,922. Statewide, 4,554 people have been hospitalized. Currently, 85 people are being treated in Montana hospitals for COVID-19. The most active cases are in Yellowstone, Flathead, Gallatin, and Lewis & Clark Counties. 1,346 people have died in Montana of COVID-19. Five more deaths have been reported since yesterday. Nationwide, more than 502,000 Americans have died of COVID-19. There have been 28,300,000 cases of coronavirus in the US, and counting.

Experts worry that a variant-fueled surge of Covid-19 could be weeks away, but cases will likely fall again by summer. the highly contagious B.1.1.7 variant first detected in the UK is likely to fuel another surge of cases in just a matter of weeks. The predicted surge is why many experts highlight the need to double down on safety measures like face masks, social distancing and avoiding crowded areas. Helping to lower cases will also give the virus less of a chance to spread further and mutate. Vaccinating as many people as possible will also be a big help in slowing any more surges — and the vaccine arsenal may be bolstered soon. Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose Covid-19 vaccine has met the FDA’s requirements for emergency use authorization. To speed up vaccinations, one report suggests the US should consider skipping second doses for now of two-dose vaccines produced by Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna. People over 65 should go to the front of the line since they’re by far the most vulnerable to severe disease and death.

Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte is not using the state plane for travel, instead flying in his own personal plane. Previous governors had used the state plane and pilots to travel Montana, but Gianforte, who has vast personal wealth, owns his own aircraft and hires his own flight staff. Gianforte purchased the plane in December. when the governor flies while conducting official state business, the state assumes liability in the event of a crash or other incident. A year ago, then-President Donald Trump’s tax reform allowed individuals and companies to write off 100% of the cost of a new or used private jet against their federal taxes. And the 2017 tax bill codified a tax exemption for private jet owners. While regular citizens pay taxes on every flight to support the FAA and other critical air services, Congress exempted private jets from those costs. High-performance private planes make up about 10 percent of U.S. flights under air-traffic control, yet pay less than 1 percent into a trust fund that finances air-traffic control and other Federal Aviation Administration operations

A Bozeman lawmaker is taking aim at application fees charged to prospective renters. Sen. JP Pomnichowski, Democrat-Bozeman, introduced Senate Bill 241 to the Montana Legislature. The bill mandates refunds for costs not incurred by landlords or property managers. The bill seeks to curtail rental application fees by limiting fees to costs for specific services. If the prospective renter does not enter a rental agreement, application fees outside of those services would be refunded. Particularly in places with highly competitive rental markets such as Bozeman and Missoula, prospective renters may need to apply for multiple units before approval, supporters of SB 241 told the committee. With rental fees that may exceed $100 per application, the costs can range from burdensome to prohibitive for many seeking housing. The Senate Judiciary Committee has not taken action on the bill. You can write your Montana lawmakers by going to leg.mt.gov to express your support or opposition to a bill.