Montana
Northwest Montana Sees Rise in Drownings – Flathead Beacon
In response to an uptick in statewide drownings this summer, officials say local resources are being strained while many tragedies would have likely been prevented if the victims were wearing life jackets.
Flathead County Sheriff Brian Heino and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Game (FWP) Warden Captain Nathan Reiner said at a press conference held at Foys Lake in Kalispell on Aug. 15 that there have been eight statewide drownings this summer, six of which were watercraft-related.
“We’re seeing a lot of calls for service in the last couple of days – we probably had three or four incidents where search and rescue, deputies and Fish, Wildlife and Parks have had to respond,” Heino said.
In Flathead County, rescuers on July 29 recovered the body of 63-year-old Randy Gilpin in the Hungry Horse Reservoir near Wounded Buck. Officials also continue to search for 33-year-old Emily Rea, who went missing in the reservoir on July 16 while she was solo paddleboarding.
Search and rescue crews in late June recovered the body of a 40-year-old Idaho woman who drowned while kayaking on the Kootenai River in Lincoln County and divers on July 3 recovered the body of a Missoula man who drowned at the southern end of Flathead Lake.
In Glacier National Park, the body of a 26-year-old visitor was found in Avalanche Creek while a 28-year-old visitor drowned in Lake McDonald.
None of the victims were wearing life jackets.
To help prevent drownings, Reiner encourages the public to utilize the FWP life jacket loaner program, which are available in kiosks at state fishing access sites, state parks and at the regional office on North Meridian Road in Kalispell.
“We have a lot of life jackets that are cooler and more comfortable – that’s the biggest thing,” Reiner said. “We’re seeing a lot of non-motorized boats and standup paddleboarders where people do not have life jackets on.”
Heino attributes the high call volume to a rise in water sport popularity as the state’s population continues to grow along with a lack of safety knowledge among users. An unusually cool spring and early summer this year also contributes to the high call volume, which caused some waterways to hover around 50 degrees.
On the main stem of the Flathead River, Heino says river users frequently get hung up on strainers, which are woody debris that can trap victims underwater and cause drownings.
“We’ve seen a lot of people on the main channel of the Flathead River in inner tubes or low-quality watercrafts and they don’t have the ability to navigate … there are places to do this, but the main channel is not one of them. We’ve got deep water and logs and a lot of hazards,” Heino said.
Crews have responded to multiple nonfatal water incidents this summer, including the rescue of a 42-year-old male and a 12-year-old girl who were trapped on a log on the Flathead River after their kayak flipped.
As the summer winds down, officials encourage the public to wear life jackets on the water and to carry extra safety gear like throw bags to prevent tragedies.
“[We] are out there to assist you, but it is taxing on our resources,” Heino said.
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Miley Cyrus recalls ‘Hannah Montana’ casting journey
Miley Cyrus thanks Disney for taking a “chance” on her in “Hannah Montana” as the show celebrates its 20th anniversary with a new special.
Hannah Montana once sang that “Nobody’s Perfect,” a sentiment fans are echoing regarding Starbucks’ new drink honoring the fictional pop star ahead of her iconic Disney TV show’s 20th anniversary special.
Thought to be a drink that Hannah Montana would order at Starbucks, the coffee chain launched the Secret Popstar Refresher on March 23 as a celebration ahead of the “Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special”, set to be released on Disney+ on March 24. The drink consists of a grande Strawberry Acai Refresher with raspberry cold foam, two pumps of raspberry syrup and no strawberry inclusions – the dried strawberries typically in the refresher, according to the Starbucks app.
However, fans were quick to point out that the beloved TV show’s main character, Miley Stewart (Miley Cyrus), who lives a double life as teen pop star Hannah Montana, notoriously hates raspberries. Her disdain for raspberries was established in Season 1 of the show.
Stewart’s disgust is rooted in a childhood experience, during which she got sick after eating too much raspberry pie. Her hate for the fruit is exacerbated when Hannah Montana has to advertise a raspberry-scented perfume.
Now, fans of the show have taken to social media to speculate on Starbucks’ inclusion of raspberry.
Fans react to the raspberry Hannah Montana drink
Fans on social media quickly caught the raspberry reference after the drink’s launch on March 23, which many felt was an oversight by Starbucks, as they seemingly did not take Hannah Montana’s past into account.
Multiple comments on Starbucks’ Instagram post announcing the drink question the product’s flavor, including messages like “Why raspberry tho…didn’t Miley/Hannah hate raspberry,” “but she hates raspberry,” and “brooo there’s an episode in Hannah Montana (the perfume ad) where she doesn’t like raspberry!!!!”
The post’s caption appears to poke fun at the episode, reading: “For the fans who remember the raspberry saga, this one’s for you.”
Other comments under the post from Disney accounts also seem to acknowledge the raspberry inclusion as intentional, with the official Disney+ account commenting, “This completes the circle,” and the official Disney Channel account commenting, “the raspberry lore lives on!”
How to order a Hannah Montana drink at Starbucks
The Secret Popstar Refresher will be available for order through the Starbucks mobile app until April 5, according to a Starbucks statement obtained by USA TODAY.
The drink is a “secret menu exclusive,” meaning it is not on the official Starbucks menu in stores or drive-thru. Customers who know the recipe or use the Starbucks mobile app can order the refresher variation.
However, like any drink variation at the coffee chain, the refresher can be ordered at any time, as long as Starbucks has the required ingredients.
How to watch ‘Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special’?
The “Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special” became available to stream on Disney+ on March 24.
Reflecting on the past two decades, the special is an intimate sit-down interview with Miley Cyrus and “Call Her Daddy” podcast host Alex Cooper. The interview was filmed in front of a live audience in a recreation of the iconic Stewart ranch-style home.
Contributing: Greta Cross, USA TODAY
Montana
Now a true pop star, Miley Cyrus returns to her ‘Hannah Montana’ roots to fete anniversary special
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sporting that “Hannah Montana” blonde hair and bangs, Miley Cyrus went back to her roots — celebrating 20 years of the TV show that launched the career of a real-life pop star.
Cyrus reunited with cast members of “Hannah Montana” in Los Angeles Monday evening for the premiere of the “Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special.”
Cyrus told The Associated Press that the milestone has given her a chance to see the character and series from “a new perspective.” Cyrus, who began the Disney Channel show at age 13, played Miley Stewart, a tween and middle-schooler hiding her secret life as a famous pop singer.
“Getting to be on the outside now, getting to be grown and be a part of it in a way that I couldn’t when I was in the middle of it before, and all the chaos and the schedule and the performing of it all,” Cyrus said, “now it just gets to be a celebration. So it is a new perspective. I love that.”
The anniversary special, which started streaming Tuesday on Disney+ and Hulu, celebrates 20 years since the show’s premiere. Filmed in front of a live audience, it features music, archival footage and an interview with Cyrus — now 33 and a genuine pop star — conducted by podcast host Alex Cooper.
Addressing the audience at the premiere, Cyrus paid tribute both to fellow cast members and fans. “Without you all, this show would have never been what it is, and I love saying what it is, not what it was,” she said.
“Tonight isn’t about looking back into the past, but it’s about what it means to us still tonight,” she said.
Jason Earles, who played Miley’s brother Jackson, told the AP that watching the show now highlights how much time has passed.
“I think if you go back and you watch the episodes, there’s enough dated references like old flip phones and stuff that you go, ‘Oh no, no, this show was a little while ago,’” he said.
Cody Linley, who played Miley’s on-and-off boyfriend Jake Ryan, reflected on the impact of portraying a teen heartthrob.
“It’s hard to believe that there were girls that had pictures of me with my shirt off in their locker and they would have me sign it,” Linley said. “And it’s hard not to let it go to your head, because you have to remember that it’s an image that they are seeing. It’s not you.”
Also attending the premiere was country singer Lainey Wilson, who recalled working as a “Hannah Montana” impersonator early in her career.
“From 8th grade to 12th grade, five years of my life, I would open up the show as Lainey Wilson, I would run behind a tree and put on my ‘Hannah Montana’ get-up,” the singer said. “I did birthday parties, fairs, festivals … I was hitting the roads.”
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