Poplar native Hunter Azure lost his Ultimate Fighting Championship match in a split decision against Jack Shore on Saturday, April 3. The two judges going for Shore scored the fight 30-27. The other judge had Azure winning by a 29-28 margin. Azure accounted for more total strikes and significant strikes. Shore finished with the takedown advantage and had a higher percentage of total strikes.

The Department of Public Health and Human Services has confirmed that a man from Richland County has been diagnosed with hantavirus. According to DPHHS, the individual contracted the illness while working out of state where he had occupational exposure to mice. The man was hospitalized but is now at home recovering. Hantavirus infections are relatively rare in the U.S. and in Montana. Early symptoms

The Montana VA Health Care System is starting to administer COVID-19 vaccines to all veterans, spouses and caregivers this week as a result of bipartisan legislation championed by Senate Veterans’ Affairs committee chairman U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont.. President Joe Biden signed the Strengthening and Amplifying Vaccination Efforts to Locally Immunize all Veterans and Every Spouse Act (SAVE LIVES

The Culbertson airport, Big Sky Field, will receive $396,900 through Airport Improvement Program funding in the government funding and COVID-19 relief package. U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., announced the grants last week. He secured the funding for the relief package during December. “As air travel begins to pick up and Montana prepares for a busy summer season, I’m glad to see local

Rainbow trout are expected at Ike’s Fishing Pond and Walking Tail at the end of the month. Approximately 1,000 six-eight inch trout will be introduced to the pond by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. A public notice appears on page five of this issue of the Community News. Starting May 8, anyone with a valid fishing license is welcome to fish. Visitors can keep their catch. Project

As part of his efforts to prevent significant financial losses for Montana electric co-ops and rural telecom providers due to the coronavirus pandemic, U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont.,introduced his bipartisan Flexibility for Rural America Act to give co-ops the option to refinance Rural Utilities Service debt at market rates, making it easier to deliver their critical services to rural America.