Submitted by Cabinet Peaks Medical Center
Cabinet Peaks Medical Center would like to announce that they will once again host the annual Health Fair on April 30th at the Memorial Center from 9:30 a.m. to 12 pm. For the past 25 years it has grown to become a valuable resource to many throughout the community. As always, many vendors will participate by sharing information on health and wellness options to everyone in attendance.
The Health Fair is on pace to be as exciting as ever with many new and repeat vendors participating. Among the booths and fair exhibits will be wellness related displays and activities featuring healthy food options, alternative therapies, the effects of drugs & alcohol, stroke prevention, outdoor recreational activities, and the ever-popular Kids Zone.
CPMC notes one significant change to be made to the Health Fair this year. The Lab Voucher Program will not be available on the day of the fair, however, CPMC is excited to announce they will be continuing to provide lab vouchers to the community. The Lab Voucher Program is an opportunity to help the uninsured and under insured receive free and discounted lab testing to detect and prevent illness. To ensure those in Lincoln County can still take advantage of the benefits of the program, vouchers will now be available through their local primary care providers. The tests available through Cabinet Peaks Clinic, CHC, Family Health & Wellness, and Libby Clinic.
Paula Collins, CPMC Marketing & Public Relations Manager, commented “This annual health fair is just one more way that Cabinet Peaks Medical Center can give back to the community that it serves. Our employees really enjoy the event. They love being given the opportunity to educate the public on health, wellness, and all the things they do in their jobs every day to make lives better for the people of Lincoln County. We are also thrilled to be bringing back the Kids Zone. This special area will be full of fun activities, as well as health and wellness related information that will appeal to your little ones. It is a fantastic addition to the event!”
For more information regarding the Health Fair or the Lab Voucher Program contact Paula at paula.collins@cabinetpeaks.org.
Safety Project North of Libby on Pipe Creek Road
Submitted by
Montana Department of Transportation
The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) would like to announce construction on Secondary 567 (S 567), known as Pipe Creek Rd, north of Libby beginning the week of April 18. Construction is anticipated to last approximately one month.
Two curves north of the intersection of S 567 and Michaels Draw Rd will have the roadway shoulders widened to 4 feet, the roadside slopes will be flattened, and rumble strips will be placed on the edge of the driving lane. These improvements are intended to enhance the safety and prevent roadway departure crashes through the curves.
During construction, travelers should anticipate delays of up to 15 minutes and single lane closures with traffic controls in place.
The public is encouraged to contact District Public Relations Specialist Megan Redmond at (406) 396-1978 or Project Manager Ryan Paulsen at (406) 751-2046 with any questions or comments.
Alternative accessible formats of this document will be provided on request. Persons who need an alternative format should contact the Office of Civil Rights, Department of Transportation, 2701 Prospect Avenue, PO Box 201001, Helena, MT 59620. Telephone 406-444-5416 or Montana Relay Service at 711.
Kids Fishing Day 2022 – May 7
Sponsored By the Rotary Club of Kootenai Valley
Submitted by Rotary Club of Kootenai Valley
Hey kids get your fishing pole, bait and parents and meet us at the Miller Fishing pond at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 7. No fishing license is required. Fishing is open to children ages 2-11 but they must be accompanied and supervised by a responsible adult. A free snack will be provided when fishing is done at 11 a.m. We will also have participation prize drawings and trophies given for 3 age groups at 11 a.m.
Adult fishing is not permitted. Adults may assist a child who is actually fishing.
Limit 1 fish per child can be kept per day, it is a catch and release pond.
Children may be photographed during the event.
Registration forms will be passed out at school but are also available at the Libby Chamber, The Montanian Newspaper and The Printing Press and may be returned to those locations when completed.
For more information please call Gary Huntsberger at 406-293-5363.
The Rise of Electric Vehicles
By Karen Morrissette
Electric vehicles, often know as EV, are becoming more common across the country. It’s interesting to note that this is more of a resurgence, as the first electric cars were developed in the first half of the nineteenth century. The first EV in the United States was developed in Iowa in 1891. What followed was perhaps until recently the heyday of electrical power in transportation. Electric cabs zipped around London, while in the United States large opulent electric carriages were the boast of the wealthy. After World War I, improved roads that demanded vehicles with a longer range and the ability to mass-produce gas powered vehicles, courtesy of Henry Ford, led to the decline of the EV world-wide. While research into improved battery technology was reignited by the space program in the 1960’s, it wasn’t until the 1990’s that interest in mainstream development of EV really began to take off again.
Early models, such as the Toyota Prius, were hybrids that began to enter the market in the United States at the turn of the millennium. These had the combination of an internal combustion engine and an electrical propulsion system, and were touted as options to improve gas mileage and decrease emissions, as well as noise. There are nearly 30 different hybrid models currently available. More recently however, the push has been for fully electric vehicles. While the Tesla Roadster was first made available in 2008, the Nissan Leaf became the first fully electric vehicle marked to the masses in the United States in 2010. Since then, especially with growing concerns worldwide regarding climate change, development of the EV market has continued to expand.
In the more populous areas of the state, like Missoula, the push for EV has expanded past individual cars to public transportation. The University of Montana Office of Transportation, lead by its student board, began the transition to zero emissions buses in 2016, the first university in the country to do so. They will have 6 electric buses by the end of this year and have cut their diesel fuel use by two-thirds. Mountain Line, Missoula’s public transit, followed shortly afterwards. They currently have 12 electric buses in their fleet, with a goal of zero-tailpipe-emissions by 2035. The University of Montana reports that while the initial cost of the vehicle is significantly more than for traditional buses, the elimination of gasoline and the decreased maintenance costs make the electric buses cheaper over the lifetime of the vehicle.
The biggest limiting factor in moving towards EV, especially in more rural states like Montana, has been the lack of infrastructure to charge them. Much of the money to develop that infrastructure has come from the Volkswagen settlements reached with the Environmental Protection Agency in 2016 and 2017 for that company’s violation of the Clean Air Act. Two billion of those funds were designated for Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Investment. Montana received $12.6 million for which the Department of Environmental Quality has provided oversight. In addition to the proprietary Tesla charging network already in place, which EV from other manufacturers are unable to use, and scattered stations primarily sponsored by dealerships or local utilities, the ZEV funds are being used to expand availability of charging units across Montana through the Fast Charge Your Ride program. Especially in the state from Billings westward, there are currently plans for 27 either fast charging or Level 2 stations that accommodate all vehicle models at 16-17 different sites along the I-15 and I-90 corridors, as well as parts of Highways 2 and 93. This includes Libby, Dillon, Gardner, Seeley Lake, Big Timber, Billings, Conrad, Deer Lake, Great Falls, Hardin, Helena, and in proximity to both Yellowstone National Park and Glacier National Parks. Many of these are being installed in cooperation with Northwestern Energy and Town Pump. The goal is to provide service within 1-2 miles of the corridor and within a half mile from major amenities.
Continued on Page 5