Troy Chamber meeting and election
Submitted by
Troy MT
Chamber of Commerce
The Troy Chamber of Commerce board of directors recently voted to postpone its annual membership meeting which normally occurs each January.
Annual elections of board members will in turn be held by mail only this year.
Currently, the board is seeking submissions for two open positions.
Secretary: keeps the meeting minutes, maintains board and membership
directories, confirms attendance, and determines quorums.
Treasurer: receives funds, makes deposits, makes payments, accounts for funds, provides reports, obtains annual audits, maintains non-profit status, and manages taxes.
Members seeking consideration for these positions must have 2021 dues in good standing.
Submissions for consideration must be received by mail no later than Friday, February 12, at 5 p.m. in order to be considered for this year’s election.
Please mail submissions:
Troy MT Chamber of Commerce
P.O. Box 3005
Troy, MT 59935
Those interested in seeking membership with the Troy Chamber of
Commerce may do so by calling 295-1064 or visiting troymtchamber.org.
Due to the hardships which COVID-19 has imparted on several of our area businesses, a grace period will once again be offered to chamber members who may need more time to fulfill their 2021 membership commitment.
Winter Ecology Tour follows wild tracks
By Brian Baxter
On Saturday, Jan. 16, a small group of cold-weather enthusiasts headed outdoors to explore the world of winter ecology. The morning was cool and clouds masked the mountain peaks. A heavy mist enveloped the small caravan of four-wheel drive trucks headed for a private chunk of land. Upon arriving, everyone geared up, socially spaced, and began a slow, quiet walk into a landscape of fir green multi-species trees, shrubs, and ground cover.
Pine squirrels chattered as ravens chortled overhead. A snowshoe-hare zig-zagged across the light dusting of snow that had fallen recently on the base of frozen snowdrifts. The group began discussing how everything in sight was inter-related. The large grand fir sheltered the hare as she nibbled on the Prince’s pine shrub. Bunny pellets were scattered along the trail of the hare, identifiable by the large imprints of its rear feet landing like snowshoes in the ivory fluff.
A side path into deeper forest revealed the tracks of a small predator which came out of the woods and onto the travel way of numerous hares moving through. Its front tracks were about two inches in length and approximately two and one-half inches wide. The predator did not sink much at all.
The group followed the tracks of the four-toed creature and discovered when it had climbed up slope a bit, it showed claw marks which were not present on the flat land – the bobcat’s tracks revealed the pattern of a stealth hunter with retractable claws.
Other observations made along the first stop of the day included bull moose tracks and the unique parasitic forb known as pine drops. The mist then dissipated and the clouds raised off the lower peaks as the winter adventurers moved to their next stop, the Kootenai River.
Upon arriving, discussion unfolded about riverside habitats. The group took note of various vegetative species which included douglas fir, ponderosa pine, black cottonwood, various willows, black hawthorn, and many species of birch.
Breaking out their binoculars, several winter birds were then spotted including hooded and common mergansers, golden-eye ducks, bald eagles, a red-shafted flicker, and a golden eagle above a distant ridge.
With a little help from the day’s adventure guide the group also took note of beaver sign, American dipper tracks and moose scat. As the sun later came out, laughter echoed as the daytrip explorers welcomed the warm rays. Canadian geese, ducks, and eagles then flew overhead.
A full day of exploring the local winter landscapes then ended as the participants from the day gathered to reflect on their ventures over an evening meal. To learn more about the Libby Hostel Base Camp Outdoor Education Program and its next calendar event – Winter Sojourn – email b_baxter53@yahoo.com, or call 291-2154.
Cabinet Peaks to offer
antibody therapy in
effort to combat COVID-19
Submitted by
CPMC of Libby
Beginning the week of January 18, Cabinet Peaks Medical Center will be offering another new line of defense for the public in the fight against COVID-19.
Monoclonal Antibody
Therapy, also known as
Bamlanivimab, helps to quick start the immune system to build up antibodies to fight the COVID-19 virus.
Monoclonal Antibody Therapy is only for people who have recently been diagnosed with COVID-19 who meet very specific medical criteria.
It is administered through a one-hour infusion which is followed by a required one-hour observation period during which time the patient must remain with the infusion nurse at Cabinet Peaks Medical Center.
This therapeutic service is a one-time treatment for patients. It has been known to lead to a better patient outcome and to help avoid hospitalization and severe illness for people with COVID-19.
For more questions about Monoclonal Antibody Therapy, or to find out if you qualify for this treatment, please reach out to your primary care provider.
Winter Ecology Tour follows wild tracks
By Brian Baxter
On Saturday, Jan. 16, a small group of cold-weather enthusiasts headed outdoors to explore the world of winter ecology. The morning was cool and clouds masked the mountain peaks. A heavy mist enveloped the small caravan of four-wheel drive trucks headed for a private chunk of land. Upon arriving, everyone geared up, socially spaced, and began a slow, quiet walk into a landscape of fir green multi-species trees, shrubs, and ground cover.
Pine squirrels chattered as ravens chortled overhead. A snowshoe-hare zig-zagged across the light dusting of snow that had fallen recently on the base of frozen snowdrifts. The group began discussing how everything in sight was inter-related. The large grand fir sheltered the hare as she nibbled on the Prince’s pine shrub. Bunny pellets were scattered along the trail of the hare, identifiable by the large imprints of its rear feet landing like snowshoes in the ivory fluff.
A side path into deeper forest revealed the tracks of a small predator which came out of the woods and onto the travel way of numerous hares moving through. Its front tracks were about two inches in length and approximately two and one-half inches wide. The predator did not sink much at all.
The group followed the tracks of the four-toed creature and discovered when it had climbed up slope a bit, it showed claw marks which were not present on the flat land – the bobcat’s tracks revealed the pattern of a stealth hunter with retractable claws.
Other observations made along the first stop of the day included bull moose tracks and the unique parasitic forb known as pine drops. The mist then dissipated and the clouds raised off the lower peaks as the winter adventurers moved to their next stop, the Kootenai River.
Upon arriving, discussion unfolded about riverside habitats. The group took note of various vegetative species which included douglas fir, ponderosa pine, black cottonwood, various willows, black hawthorn, and many species of birch.
Breaking out their binoculars, several winter birds were then spotted including hooded and common mergansers, golden-eye ducks, bald eagles, a red-shafted flicker, and a golden eagle above a distant ridge.
With a little help from the day’s adventure guide the group also took note of beaver sign, American dipper tracks and moose scat. As the sun later came out, laughter echoed as the daytrip explorers welcomed the warm rays. Canadian geese, ducks, and eagles then flew overhead.
A full day of exploring the local winter landscapes then ended as the participants from the day gathered to reflect on their ventures over an evening meal. To learn more about the Libby Hostel Base Camp Outdoor Education Program and its next calendar event – Winter Sojourn – email b_baxter53@yahoo.com, or call 291-2154.
Pictured left to right:
Winter Ecology Instructor, Brian Baxter, was joined on Saturday January 16, by Roger Murchison, Joe and Collette Southwick, Judy Ball, and Pamela Carlin for a full day of observational exploration in the Libby area.
Photo courtesy of John Carlin