Lady Bobcats battle at divisional tourney

They battled their way out of the tangled world that is Montana Western 14C high school volleyball.

Cabbage patch kids raise vegetables in Plains

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, 2.4 billion pounds of cabbage were produced in the U.S. in 2005. This year, 33 pounds of that number will belong to 10-year-old Sophia Brown, Plains’ winner of the Bonnie Plant Farm 3rd Grade Cabbage Program.

Hot Springs 'turns up the heat' on Hanna

Number of players available, or lack thereof, can have an adverse affect on a high school football team. Not so in Hot Springs’ 6-man season opener last Friday night against J.C. Charyk of Hanna, Alberta, Canada.

DUI Task Force hopes to curb highway fatalities

Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol has severe and sometimes, fatal consequences. There were 187 fatalities on Montana roads in 2016, with 94 of those accidents relating to impaired driving, according to a Montana Department of Transportation report. In Mineral County, 61 people have been either killed or seriously injured due to impaired driving between 2006 and 2015. Some reports even say that Montana’s I-90 is one of the most dangerous roads in the nation in terms of drunk driving fatalities.

Multitude of crashes, one fatality in county

Last week saw emergency responders extremely busy with a number of call-outs, including multiple vehicle wrecks with one fatality.

Belts aplenty at Blue Heron Karate Academy

What does Shorin Ryu mean? It is a small forest school and it honors the Shaolin Kung Fu from China.

A dream fulfilled

The brand new Andre J Melief lodge at Quinn’s Hot Springs Resort is now officially open for guests to book a stay in one of the luxurious rooms.

District ranger provides update

Superior District Ranger Carole Johnson met with Mineral County Commissioners on Jan. 19 with an update of current projects her department has been working on. The update included information about salvage projects in the area, the upcoming large mushroom harvest as a result of the fires, and personnel issues facing the department.

Cool Summer Nights lights up Trout Creek

The 2018 Cool Summer Nights Car Show at the Lakeside Motel and Resort in Trout Creek last weekend pulled out all the stops for this year’s event.

Locals advised to be drug aware in their community

Drug Awareness within the local community is one area that needs attention. Sanders County Undersheriff Lanny Hensley is passionate about ensuring everyone knows just how it can really effect locals and their families.

Meet Mineral County's new attorney, Ellen Donohue

Ellen Donohue is the new Mineral County Attorney, replacing Marcia Boris, who left at the end of last summer. Donohue was hired for the position by a selection committee, and will work for the rest of Boris’ term, which ends in 2018.

Public land priorities shaping up

Montana’s study of federally managed public lands is set to wrap up within the next few weeks. Reducing catastrophic wildfire conditions, protecting multiple use access, and increasing economic productivity are the most serious priorities I see emerging from our effort.

Health Center reminds of flu season risks

MINERAL COUNTY – With the county in the heart of flu season and with winter weather making colds more common, it is important for people to take steps to protect their health. According to Peggy Stevens, a health nurse with the Mineral County Health Department, there have been a few confirmed cases of influenza in Mineral County this season. She said there have been three strains of the virus identified this year, which are being tracked by the Center for Disease Control. As of Feb. 15, the Montana Department of Health and Human Services said the most common strain in the state was the H1N1 strain of Influenza type A. Shirley Iwata, administrative assistant at the health department, said there were at least two cases of flu, which had the strains tested. She said the Mineral Community Hospital and Mineral Regional Health Center confirmed the cases as Influenza A. The flu, or influenza virus, is most common between October and May. While anyone can catch the virus, it has the most serious impact on children and the elderly. The CDC recommends cases of the flu be watched closely as the disease can lead to pneumonia, dehydration and seizures among other potentially life threatening conditions. Statistics from the CDC say thousands of people in the United States die each year from the flu. Many more are hospitalized with complications. To avoid these problems and getting sick in general, it is important to take steps to avoid catching the flu in the first place. The health department recommends people get a flu vaccine every year. The CDC considers this the best way for people to protect themselves against catching the virus. Mineral Regional Health Center and Mineral County Health Department both offer vaccinations to the public. There are two main vaccinations offered at the health center. One vaccine is inactive and uses dead or dormant samples of the virus to prepare the body against the disease. This is commonly referred to as the flu shot and is administered by needle injection. The other common flu vaccine is an active vaccine. This is commonly given in a nasal spray and contains live influenza, which has been rendered harmless. Stevens also had a few recommendations for how to avoid catching the flu. She said keeping the hands washed is a good way to avoid the virus. She also recommended not touching the eyes or around the mouth as these areas can help the virus get into the body. “We recommend people…do universal precautions as far as preventing getting sick,” Stevens said. One of the best ways to keep the number down is to remain vigilant and not let the virus into the body. Another big recommendation Stevens gave was for people who are sick to stay home. Because the flu is airborne, the best way to avoid spreading it is to not expose others. Staying home will also be helpful in a person’s fight against the virus and their recovery. For more information about the flu, or flu vaccinations, contact the Mineral County Health Department at 822-3564. Information can also be found online at cdc.gov/flu and dphhs.mt.gov/influenza.

Superior fire chief to retire

SUPERIOR – Beginning next month, the Superior Volunteer Fire Department will have a new fire chief after the current chief steps down after nine years serving the community.

Plow driver works for county community's safety

Lady Bobcats take on Lady Panthers in volleyball

SUPERIOR – After a well-played match, filled with great plays by both teams the Superior Lady Bobcats came out on top when they faced off against the Alberton Lady Panthers.

Task force work continues

MINERAL COUNTY – Mineral County Commissioners were busy last week at their annual meeting passing several measures including one that will maintain an organization devoted to keeping Mineral County residents safe from those who make bad choices behind the wheel.

Little guy wrestling ends; four competitors place

Library to hold Spring Fling fundraiser

SUPERIOR – In the finest traditions of spring, the old will make way for the new as the Mineral County Public Library holds a book sale at their annual Spring Fling event this weekend. The event is being put on with help from the Friends of the Library, a group who helps with the library and raises money to support their community projects. These events include the library’s summer reading program, the October pumpkin decorating contest and visit by Santa in December. The sale will focus mostly on books. These will be books with a low circulation, which have not been checked out in a long time. There may also be a number VHS tapes available. The goal is to get rid of old stuff and make room for new stock to be brought in. According to Rachel McGillivray, an employee at the library, there will be something for everyone. She said they had lots of fiction, non-fiction and a few children’s books going into the sale. Around 3:00 p.m. everything will see big discounts as the final sale starts. The goal is to get rid of everything by the end of the day. “We don’t really want to bring anything back,” McGillivray said. Anything extra will be donated to an organization who sends books and other items to Africa to help the education system in those communities. The Friends of the Library will also provide a soup lunch for patrons to enjoy. Approximately 11 baskets and a quilt will be raffled off during the sale. People will be able to buy tickets and put them in the jar for the basket they want. A silent auction for a painting and baked goods will also be held. “Tons of people from all around the churches [and] the school, they’re going to make a bunch of stuff for us to sell,” McGillivray said. Some community members will also have tables to sell their own goods at the sale. This is the fourth year of the library’s Spring Fling fundraiser. In the past it was held in Superior’s 4H building, but it grew out of the space. The event quickly began to need a bigger venue. “It definitely uses up a lot of space,” McGillivray said. “So the elementary school gym is perfect because we can put all our books out on tables.” McGillivray said the Spring Fling has been popular in the past. The library has been able to make lots of changes to the facility with the money raised at the event. “People really enjoy it, they love coming out,” McGillivray said. “It gives them something to look forward to in the middle of all the snow and not being able to go anywhere.” The Spring Fling fundraiser was originally planned to be held on Saturday, March 1. It was cancelled because of heavy snow and blizzard-like conditions, which led to several accidents around the county. The event was rescheduled to this week. The fundraiser will now be held Saturday, March 8. It will be in the Superior Elementary School gym from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Letters to the Editor - Feb. 19