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Thursday, September 02 2010 @ 04:43 PM MDT

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Hospital projects could drive county's economic future

by Richard Werst and John Q. Murray

Mineral Community Hospital this month announced a set of related projects that could achieve many of the area's long-held economic development goals.

CEO Steve Carty and Board President Maureen "Muffy" Bullock unveiled the often breathtaking scope of their plans at a public meeting Aug. 17 in Superior:

* A woody biomass energy system. The proposed $1.5 million system would be a joint venture between the hospital and the Superior schools---the first such joint venture in the state. It is expected to save $4.5 million in energy costs over the 30-year life of the system, and could also be expanded to include electricity generation.

* A new medical facility. After approving their preliminary application for $14.2 million, federal officials asked the hospital to submit a full application.

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Historic Morrill Act on display at MSU

by Tracy Ellig

Bozeman - The Museum of the Rockies at Montana State University will play host to a document signed by President Abraham Lincoln and considered a "national treasure" from Sept. 2 through Oct. 2, 2010.

The Morrill Land-Grant College Act of 1862 is considered by the National Archives to be one of the 100 "milestone documents" that influenced the course of American history. It shares this designation with the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Civil Rights Act.


Caption: Museum of the Rockies Registrar Pat Roath, right, holds a light so National Archives conservator Terry Boone can check the glass housing of the Morrill Act for fingerprints. The rare document was installed Wednesday at the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman. MSU photo by Kelly Gorham.

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You can help us finish our tennis courts

Letters to the editorTo the editor:

U Serve Libby, Inc., a 501(c)(3) organization, in partnership with Northwest Regional RC&D, has been working to construct six community tennis courts in Libby, Montana. We have been very fortunate to receive several grants which, when added to fundraisers, in-kind services and the numerous donations received, have allowed us to complete most of the job. We have exhausted our local resources. The Pepsi Refresh Project is providing over $1 million in grants per month for community projects and we all can have some say in how that money is allotted. The projects with the most votes get the funding. We need Montana’s help.

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Community Health Centers offer primary care safety net

by John Q. Murray

Community Health Centers are an excellent way to provide health care to the entire community, according to the executive director of such a center in Bellingham, Washington.

Mineral Community Hospital recently announced its intention to organize a Community Health Center. The Chronicle spoke with Desmond “Des” Skubi to find out how such a center works.

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Baucus presses for state control over wolves

by Kathy Weber

Montana’s senior U.S. Senator Max Baucus yesterday called on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to move to allow all Montana ranchers to actively protect their livestock. Baucus pressed the Service to make the change now as he crafts legislation to put Montana wolves back under the state’s successful management plan.

"This debate on wolves has gone on long enough. I'm working to craft a bill that will put wolves in our state back in our control once and for all, because nobody knows how to better manage wolves in Montana than Montanans,” Baucus said. “In the meantime, the Fish and Wildlife Service needs to do the right thing and allow all Montana ranchers protect their livestock regardless of arbitrary boundary lines.”

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'The Big Read' coming to library

by Joyce Doyle

The Big Read is coming to Missoula. Missoula Public Library is orchestrating a community-wide reading of Dashiell Hammett’s classic detective novel “The Maltese Falcon.” The library will be giving out more than 2,200 copies of the book thanks to a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and partnering with multiple community groups and businesses to hold six weeks of “Maltese Falcon” programs Oct. 5-Nov. 13.

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Kade Parkin wins Superior's Crazy Cabbage contest

by Penny Henderson

Each year Bonnie Plants sponsor The Crazy Cabbage contest throughout the United States. They provide giant cabbage plants to all third graders interested in competing. They award a $1,000 college savings bond to the winner from each state. In 2006 John Holecz, from Superior, won the savings bond for Montana.


[Caption: Five Superior students participated in the Crazy Cabbage giant cabbage growing contest this summer. Standing: Margaret Parkin, Jacob Tufts, Kathryn Parkin. Kneeling: Kaylee Cahalin, Kade Parkin.]

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MSU wins $3.85 million grant to study fire, climate change

by Melynda Harrison

BOZEMAN – Faculty at Montana State University, the University of Colorado, the University of Idaho and collaborators at the USDA Forest Service received a $3.85 million grant to study fire and climate change in sensitive forests in the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand.

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Court Appointed Special Advocate program to serve Mineral County

Volunteers needed; informational meeting Sept. 14 in Missoula

by Megan Fochs

CASA of Missoula has recently received a $23,420 grant allowing us to expand our program to Mineral County, and we are looking for dedicated and caring individuals who might be interested in volunteering for the CASA program. Once the Mineral County community knows more about the impact they could make, we can work towards making sure every child in Mineral County has a safe home and a chance for a positive future.

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Sen. Tester pledges support for Montana biomass projects

by John Q. Murray

Sen. Jon Tester (D-Montana) expressed his strong support for biomass energy production and pledged to support Montana-based projects, such as the Mineral Community Hospital woody biomass project.

The senator made his statements in response to the Clark Fork Chronicle during his monthly chat with Montana newspaper reporters earlier this month.