In Brief

Yearbook assistance for students

Donors are needed to support a fund to assist students who cannot afford to buy yearbooks. Donors are asked to pay half the cost of the yearbook in order to allow the students to purchase the book for half cost. Each half is $30.

For more information or to donate, contact Sarah Barrick at 293-8802 ext. 1959 or send a check to LHS Publications, 150 Education Way, Libby, MT  59923.

Field study on forest health

Montana Wilderness Association is hosting a day of mushroom identification and field study of forest fungi, diseases and insect pests. The day will include visits to several field sites to observe and identify some of the more commonly occurring pathogens that attack our local coniferous and deciduous tree species. Participants will also be identifying some edible mushroom species, but emphasize that the ingestion of edible mushrooms is an individuals choice and ultimate identification is their responsibility. Bring lunch, water, and good hiking boots. This class will be instructed by three experienced foresters with over 100 years total combined experience. To register go to wildmontana.org and select Flathead/Kootenai Chapter Hikes.

Meet at the intersection of Bull River Road (highway 56) and the South Fork of Bull River Road (road # 410) at the large turnout and parking area near the mailboxes. This intersection is about 3/4 mile South of the entrance to Ross Creek Cedars, but is on the east side of the Highway 56 and is fairly obvious. This class will run from 9 a.m. until around 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 4. 

Montana gas prices rise slightly

Average retail gasoline prices in Montana have risen 6.1 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.24 per gallon yesterday, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 615 gas outlets in Montana. This compares with the national average that has increased 6.1 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.28 per gallon, according to gasoline price website GasBuddy.com. 

Including the change in gas prices in Montana during the past week, prices yesterday were 30.5 cents per gallon lower than the same day one year ago and are 19.2 cents per gallon higher than a month ago. The national average has increased 15.1 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 46.1 cents per gallon lower than this day one year ago.

Self-help law program rep in Libby June 9

The representative from the Self Help Law Program will be at the Lincoln County Courthouse, second floor, in the law library on Thursday, June 9, 2016, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. to provide free forms and information on legal resources to self-represented litigants in the areas of divorce, name change, stepparent adoption, custody, child support, debt collection, eviction and more. Walk-ins are accepted but appointments are encouraged. Please call (406) 758-2496 to schedule an appointment to see the representative.

Libby Dam Visitor Center to open May 27

The Libby Dam Visitor Center will open for summer operations May 27, Memorial Day weekend. Hours are 9:30 a.m. until 6 p.m., daily through September 5, 2016, Labor Day weekend. 

Limited Libby Dam tours begin May 27. Tours are available at 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., May 27, 28, 29 and 30. No tours are available May 31, June 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 22 and 23. The visitor center will still open 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., during no-tour days. 

The seven-day-a-week summer tour schedule will begin June 8 with four tours a day at 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Anyone wishing to go on a tour must arrive 15 minutes before the tour starts to register. Photo identification is required. Tours last about an hour and involve 1.5 miles of walking on concrete, indoors and outdoors. Tours can be canceled due to weather or operational reasons. 

The Souse Gulch Day use area is now open daily 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. For picnic shelter reservations, questions about tour availability or other Libby Dam recreational opportunities call the Libby Dam Visitor Center at 406-293-5577 or visit the center.

Changes to television programming May 31

Libby Video Club will be adding three new channels Tuesday, May 31. There will be an interruption of service with intermittent signals during the day. Viewers will need to rescan their channels in order to reprogram televisions.

For more information call Jim Nelson at 293-1393.

Libby receives tourism grant of $5,175

Governor Steve Bullock and Montana Department of Commerce Director Meg O’Leary announced the award of $50,000 in grant funds to seven Montana communities through the Montana Main Street Program.  The recipients of the downtown improvement grants include Butte, Deer Lodge, Libby, Miles City, Sheridan, Stevensville, and Thompson Falls.  The Department of Commerce is also pleased to announce that the Main Street Program has accepted Red Lodge and Roundup as new community members.

“The Montana Main Street Program helps to strengthen the economic vitality and unique historic character of downtowns throughout the state,” Director Meg O’Leary of the Department of Commerce said.  “We look forward to working with these communities in both their planning efforts and improvements to downtown infrastructure.”

Libby’s grant of $5,175 is for a tourism assessment study to develop an action plan of prioritized implementation strategies to grow the local tourism industry.