Ravalli County Sheriff Steve Holton, in conjunction with Ravalli County Commissioners Chris Hoffman, Jeff Burrows, and Greg Chilcott released information regarding the Governor’s Mask Directive as it relates to citizens in Ravalli County.
We encourage all residents to educate themselves and conduct their business as safely as possible during this pandemic. We ask our residents to always treat each other with compassion, and respect each others right to make decisions about their own health.
Private business owners may choose to enforce the Governor’s Directive. Everyone has the right and ability to shop or patronize businesses they feel comfortable in.
Criminal citations will not be issued for violations of the mask directive. The RCSO will however, investigate and enforce trespass and disorderly conduct complaints.
Collectively, we thank our neighbors and citizens of Ravalli County for their continued diligence in helping keep our communities safe.
Healthcare Worker in Hamilton says
What is it going to take for everyone to put their political views aside and care for those around them and themselves by wearing a mask??
If your your wife, husband, mother, father, child, sibling, or best friend dies from this virus will you still protest the usage of masks? Will you feel guilty if your refusal to mask up in public businesses directly leads to the loss of someone else’s life?
Quit being selfish and find your humanity!
Wear a mask when in public!
ravalli scientist says
What is it going to take to get people to use logic reason and facts to make decisions about their own safety instead of emotion and fear?
My decision to not wear masks in public is based in facts not politics.
Wear a mask, that is your choice, but don’t belittle and fear monger others into behaving as you want them to.
Not much point in good health without liberty.
Kelsey Milner says
Are you really a scientist? Doesn’t sound like it!
ravalli scientist says
I avoid public interactions. I wear masks for work and anywhere that asks me to.
There is no science supporting anything besides n95 or better masks being effective.
You have a 0.008% chance of contracting and dying from covid. If you contract covid, you have a 4% chance of dying. Your chance of contracting covid is 0.18%.
It is a little less virulent than influenza ; however, it is about 40 times more likely to kill you.
My source is the New York Times. These numbers were accurate as of yesterday.
These numbers are for the world, and vary a little based on your age, health and access to medical attention. Covid is very real and people should certainly take measures to protect themselves if they are among the vulnerable.
That being said this amount of death does not necessitate the level of mass hysteria we are seeing today.
As I said before, I base my decisions in fact not politics and fear.
David Welch says
You said “…people should certainly take measures to protect themselves…” In your opinion, should a person take any measures to protect others when it is in his/her power – with very little effort – to do so?
I drive cautiously in residential areas, not because of any laws, but because I’m mindful of the well being of others ( children playing, seniors strolling, etc ). Is that an hysterical overreaction on my part? Should I only be thinking of my own self interest?
ravalli scientist says
David Welch, false equivalence is a logical fallacy in which an equivalence is drawn between two subjects based on flawed or false reasoning.
A child walking in a neighborhood has less than a 0.008% chance of contracting and dying from covid. Children being struck by cars is the third leading cause of death for kids 5- to 9-years-old, and kids up to age 15 make up a disproportionate number of pedestrian casualties worldwide.
It is moral to drive safely, it is immoral to demand other people around you behave as you believe they should.
Morals are not equivalent to laws.
Your safety is YOUR responsibility, to demand others put your safety over their own liberty is not only hysterical it is absolutely unfounded, as no one can be more vested in your safety than you.
Viruses are submicroscopic, generally ranging in size from 5 to 300 nanometers. If you believe the masking to be effective in helping others, do so. That is the beauty of liberty. Masking is effective in only one instance, and that is making people feel better, it is statistically insignificant in stopping the spread of covid. Driving irresponsibly is statistically significant in the national death toll of people struck. As an aside there is data currently being generated that points to the masks also doing harm due to long term usage.
My point is, most people have given up on using reason, logic, and facts in their decision making process. We seem to now be a community that has accepted making decisions based on fear, and politics. Most allow CNN or FOX to make their decisions for them. This flies in the face of the scientific method, yet CNN and FOX purport to bring you “facts” from the “scientists.” Well, as a scientist let me be the first to inform you that in science what we know changes with each new study. That is THE primary tenant of the scientific method. I make my decisions based on the data that we have thus far, and I suspend judgment of those around me that don’t behave as I do because I believe in liberty. If my decision changes a 4% death toll to a 5% death toll it sucks; however, that’s a drop in the bucket compared to the tens of millions who have died to guarantee that liberty to me, you, and our children. Liberty will always be more important than any human life, your children or my own.
GiGi says
I am old and therefore at risk. Though I can wear a cloth mask that will protect others, I cannot purchase N95 respirators that protect me from those not wearing masks.
I know the risk is slight, but I have to be safe. Until I can buy N95 respirators, I will be doing all my limited shopping in Missoula, a community of individuals who care about others as well as themselves.
Craig says
Thank you to our Sheriff and the Police Chief of Hamilton for using common sense. Lets look at some facts. On the governors actual order, it is not a mask mandate. it is “use of face coverings in certain settings” mandate. NOT masks It states .“Face covering” means a fabric, paper, or disposable face covering that covers the nose and mouth and which does not have an exhalation valve.”
I know it may make people feel good to cover their face with fabric or paper, but unless you are wearing a mask rated to filter Covid 19 you are not stopping the spread. Covid 19 is less than 1 micron, average fabric masks are good at stopping around 40 microns and larger.
National Academies of Sciences, did studies on the Effectiveness of Fabric Masks for the COVID-19 Pandemic (NAS 2020), which concludes, “The evidence from…laboratory filtration studies suggests that such fabric masks may reduce the transmission of larger respiratory droplets. There is little evidence regarding the transmission of small aerosolized particulates of the size potentially exhaled by asymptomatic or presymptomatic individuals with COVID-19.”
ravalli scientist says
Absolutely love to see a sheriff upholding his oath of office. Spot on!
Lori says
Wait until someone in the sheriff’s department comes down with Covid or a family member. The tables will turn then.
Mary Barton says
“Collectively,” you are all the things I taught my children not to be.
ravalli scientist says
And this is exactly what I teach my children, personal liberty outweighs personal security or comfort. Always.
Your personal security is your responsibility, no one elses.
Corvallis Vet says
Wow not surprised to see that our corrupt justice system will only enforce the laws it wants. It’s my body but still I have to wear shoes to operate a motor vehicle. Democrats in ravalli county have been threatened with armed posses and now our sheriff has made it clear he does not intend to discharge his duties with fidelity.
ravalli scientist says
Edicts from the governor are not laws. If you want laws pass them.
David Welch says
Ravalli Pseudoscientist, Directives from the Governor issued under powers granted to him/her by the Legislature in Title 10, Chapter 3 of the Montana Code Annotated ( MCA ) have the force of law.
ravalli scientist says
Hello again David Welch.
Title 10, Chapter 3 of the Montana Code Annotated ( MCA ) does not grant the govenor any authority over the people of Montana, as enumerated in the exerpt below.
10-3-406. Authority of principal executive officer. (1) Upon the declaration of an emergency or disaster under 10-3-402 or 10-3-403 and the issuance of an order as required by 10-3-404, the principal executive officer may:
(a) direct and compel the evacuation of all or part of the population from an incident or emergency or disaster area within that political subdivision when necessary for the preservation of life or other disaster mitigation, response, or recovery; and
(b) control the ingress and egress to and from an incident or emergency or disaster area and the movement of persons within the area.
(2) Subject to 7-33-2212(4)(a), the authority to control ingress and egress, as provided in subsection (1)(b), includes the authority to close wildland areas to access during periods of extreme fire danger.
These come into play only during a declared state of emergency and grants powers to “direct and compel” which is not force of law. No law grants power to supersede the constitution of the United States, regardless of your wishful thinking and personal interpretation of legalese.
David Welch says
The governor has declared a state of emergency. His directives do have the force of law as do any directive, regulation, etc. which is provided for by statute.. This is true regardless of your muddled thinking and inability to understand simple english.
Now if you want to challenge this particular directive on some nebulous constitutional grounds, knock yourself out. In the meantime, it’s the law. So stop lying by saying it’s not..
ravalli scientist says
How about you show the clause verbatum instead of repeating something some one told you. I proved you were wrong, and all you can do is call me names like the child you obviously are.
Ad hominem (Latin for ‘to the person’), short for argumentum ad hominem, is a term that refers to several types of arguments, most of which are fallacious. Typically this term refers to a rhetorical strategy where the speaker attacks the character, motive, or some other attribute of the person making an argument rather than attacking the substance of the argument itself. This avoids genuine debate by creating a diversion to some irrelevant but often highly charged issue.The most common form of this fallacy is “A makes a claim x, B asserts that A holds a property that is unwelcome, and hence B concludes that argument x is wrong”.
Mike N Stevensville says
First off, “wear a mask” isn’t a “Law”; it’s a ‘decree’.
Second, it’s not illegal to drive barefoot.
Third, suuuure they were. Did you miss the part where the Sheriff/Council state “The RCSO will however, investigate and enforce trespass and disorderly conduct complaints.”
Jim Gablick says
If we all aren’t on board with this, it’s a mute point. The alternative seems likely to be more shut downs. Seems worth a try to me; but hey, I for one, fully recognize that we all have the right to not give a damn about anybody else.
Terry Kelly says
Thank you. I care about others that is why I wear a mask.
Tammy says
I quit shopping in Missoula when they issued a mask mandate. Now that Ravalli county has to wear a mask I will order online!
Mike N Stevensville says
In fact, it wasn’t Ravalli County that issued a mask mandate.
Earl says
Finally, a voice of reason. Thank you Sheriff Holton!
Paul Rogers says
Roger, you’re correct. Then we must legalize abortions in all stages of pregnancy. Their body, their choice.
Roger Mitchell says
My thanks and appreciation go to the Sheriff’s Office and the county commissioners who participated in this statement which was well-worded, considerate, and clearly delineated the line between liberty and criminal activity.
I support your position on this matter without question or reserve.
David Welch says
You support these people “without question”? Heil, mein Fuhrers?
michelle kirsch says
Wear a mask. It’s not political. I’d like to be able to shop locally as of now I drive to Missoula because their businesses require mask. I quit shopping in Hamilton 3 months ago.
Roger Mitchell says
Your body, your choice.
As far as shopping goes, I’ll pick up where you left off. Ravalli County businesses will get my business IF they don’t require me to wear a mask.
If you want to wear a mask, then do it, however, don’t try to tell me that I have to wear one because you want me to.
My body, my choice.
GiGi says
No, My body, your choice.
You wear a surgical-style mask to protect others, not yourself. My mask does not protect me much when you cough near me without a mask, If you are infected, you can spray coronavirus all over my face. However, if I’m wearing a mask, even if you’re not, little of my cough reaches you.
Your choice not to wear a mask is indeed yours, but the effect of doing so is not limited to your person. You have the potential to hurt me seriously.
Tristin says
Spray all over your face…. I’m sure you are used to that hahaha