As of Friday, February 18, 2022. Montana reports 261,722 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 894 new cases of coronavirus infection reported since yesterday: 258 new cases in Flathead County, 164 new cases in Cascade County, 89 new cases in Glacier County, 68 new cases in Lake County, and more new cases in 36 more Montana counties. The number of active coronavirus cases in Montana is 3,690. Of Montana’s 56 counties, 52 report active cases. Currently, 197 people are being treated in Montana hospitals for COVID-19. 3,105 people have died in Montana of COVID-19. Six more people’s deaths have been reported since yesterday. Nationwide, more than 930,000 Americans have died of COVID-19. There have been 78,200,000 cases of coronavirus in the US, and counting.

The wolf hunting and trapping season ended in the southwest corner of Montana on Thursday after total kills in Region 3 reached the threshold of 82 wolves. In last year’s Montana Legislature, Republicans removed hunting and trapping quotas in the districts outside of Yellowstone National Park, which has caused a disproportionate number of the park’s wolves to be killed.

A proposed ballot initiative would prohibit new permits for pollution being discharged into portions of the Gallatin and Madison rivers. Citizen Initiative 24 seeks to apply the state’s Outstanding Resource Water designation to 35 miles of the Gallatin River, from the Yellowstone National Park boundary to the Spanish Creek confluence, and to about 55 miles of the Madison River, from Hebgen Lake to Ennis Lake. It would also amend the designation to prohibit temporary pollution sources. The standard currently applies only to permanent ones.

The Fish Hawk Campground at Canyon Ferry Reservoir is closed until further notice due to public misuse such as large amounts of trash recently being dumped at the site. The campground has six picnic sites and 10 fire rings and is south of the dam on the west side of the reservoir.