As of Saturday, March 6, 2021, Montana reports 100,842 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 143 new cases reported in the last day: 26 in Gallatin County, 21 in Flathead County, 19 in Missoula County, 17 in Yellowstone County, 13 in Silver Bow County, 13 in Lewis & Clark County, and more new cases in 16 more Montana counties. The number of active coronavirus cases in Montana is 1,660. Currently, 63 people are being treated in Montana hospitals for COVID-19. The most active cases are in Yellowstone, Flathead, and Gallatin Counties. 1,381 people have died in Montana of COVID-19. Two more deaths have been reported in the last day. Nationwide, more than 520,000 Americans have died of COVID-19. There have been 28,900,000 cases of coronavirus in the US, and counting.

Rural Americans in pharmacy deserts are hurting for COVID vaccines. As the Biden administration accelerates a plan to use pharmacies to distribute COVID-19 vaccines, significant areas of the country lack brick-and-mortar pharmacies capable of administering the protective shots. 111 rural counties, mostly between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains, have no pharmacy that can give the vaccines. That could leave thousands of vulnerable Americans struggling to find vaccines, which in turn threatens to prolong the pandemic in many hard-hit rural regions. And in those areas without pharmacies, rural residents may have to drive long distances to get shots, and do so twice for two-dose vaccines. 89% of Americans live within 5 miles of a pharmacy. But more than 1.6 million people must travel more than 20 miles to the nearest pharmacy, which can mean facing difficult weather and road conditions in remote areas.

Imerys Talc America, the company operating the talc-milling plant in Three Forks, was purchased out of bankruptcy by Magris Resources Canada Inc. on Feb. 16. For $223 million, Magris purchased substantially all of France-based Imerys S.A.’s Canadian and United States assets. In addition to the Three Forks mill, Magris now owns the other Imerys sites in Montana—the Yellowstone Mine in Cameron and mill in Sappington. The three North American subsidiaries of Imerys filed voluntarily for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Feb. 13, 2019, in the midst of thousands of lawsuits charging the company’s products cause cancer, which the company denies. As part of the bankruptcy process, the company was permitted to continue operation, and a trust fund must be established as a mechanism to settle the personal injury claims.

The Montana Democratic Party is now the first state party in the country to establish a Democratic Tribal Committee. At 11:30 am on February 25th, the Fort Peck Democratic Tribal committee elected Maria Vega and Lance Four Star to its leadership team. With their election, Maria Vega and Lance Four Star become the first ever Chair and Vice-Chair of a Democratic Tribal Committee. “Establishing Democratic Tribal Committees is a core part of the Montana Democratic Party’s plan to lift Native voices and focus more work on the needs of Native populations,” said Donavon Hawk, Montana Democratic Party Treasurer. “This historic action guarantees that tribal members have a permanent and valued voice in Montana Democratic politics.” Democratic Tribal Committees give Native Americans a seat at the table, an important decision-making role in the Democratic Party, and a louder voice in the political process. The Montana Democrats plan to establish 8 Tribal Committees in total.