Potomac
Potomac, MT · Health
mtpr.org
Report finds gaps in Libby water contamination regulations
A former lumber mill owned by International Paper contaminated the water supply for a large part of the city of Libby. It’s the lesser-known Superfund site in the town widely known for asbestos contamination. In order to protect residents, federal regulators worked with the city to implement a ban...
Bigfork Eagle
Meeting set for concerns over Lakeside sewer rate increase, new wastewater treatment plant and traffic
Citizens for a Better Flathead, Upper West Shore Alliance and North Shore Water Alliance will co-host a community meeting on Thursday, Aug. 7 to discuss proposed changes to Lakeside sewer rates, as well as ongoing concerns about traffic on U.S. 93. The event will feature a presentation and a question-and-answer session focusing on the Lakeside County Water and Sewer District’s proposed sewer rate increase, according to a release sent by the watchdog groups. The watchdog groups believe the district has not provided adequate reasoning for the proposed rate increase and have environmental concerns surrounding the new wastewater treatment plant, which will be built near Somers as an expansion to the district’s current facility. The district’s board tabled the decision to raise rates until their August meeting, following pressure from ratepayers. The district plans to raise its sewer rates this year by 61.7%, with a new monthly flat rate of $78.62, starting in September. For non-compliance users, the monthly flat rate will go up by 37.9% to $109. The increased rates will cover the cost of improving the district’s wastewater system, ongoing operational expenses, debt service payments to outstanding bonds and future additional bonds and establish appropriate reserves, according to a
Valley Press - Mineral Independent
Missoula Hospice Center serves Mineral and Sanders counties
Hope Hospice Center in Missoula is now open for patients and families from across Montana. Addressing the state's hospice care needs, Hope Hospice is the only dedicated inpatient hospice center located in Western Montana and only the second operating in the state. The opening of the state-of-the-art center, featuring 12 private patient care rooms and gathering spaces for families and the community, marks a significant milestone in addressing Montana’s hospice care needs. Hope Hospice was built and is owned and licensed by Partners Hope Foundation, the Missoula nonprofit founded in 2017 by a group of community members and medical professionals who envisioned a dedicated hospice center where the final stage of life is valued and embraced. The foundation has contracted Partners In Home Care, the region’s largest nonprofit provider of in-home and hospice services, to be the clinical care provider at the center. “Hope Hospice Center is a community promise to care for our neighbors through all of life’s stages,” said Amanda Yeoman Melro, executive director of Partners Hope Foundation. “When dying at home is not possible or not ideal, Western Montana now has a dedicated hospice center where patients and families will receive expert and compassionate 24/7 care.” Partners
The Western News
EPA hosting meeting about contaminated groundwater in Libby
The Environmental Protection Agency will host a public meeting in Libby about the Libby Groundwater Contamination site Tuesday, Aug. 5. The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. in the Ponderosa Room at City Hall at 952 East Spruce St. The agency’s presentation will include the seventh five-year report. The report has been prepared because hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants remain at the site greater than levels that allow for unlimited use and unrestricted exposure. The site consists of two operable units (OUs), both of which are addressed in the report. OU1 addresses the alternative drinking water supply initiative and OU2 addresses contaminated soil and groundwater in the upper and lower aquifers. Groundwater contamination occurred following the operation of a lumber and plywood mill between 1946 and 1969. Mill operations included treating wood with creosote, pentachlorophenol (commonly referred to as PCP) and other chemicals. Spills and disposal practices at the site contaminated soil and groundwater with hazardous chemicals. Compensation from companies for groundwater contamination in Libby dates back to 1985 when Champion International Corporation instituted a “Buy Water Plan.” That year, Champion purchased St. Regis Co., which — along with J. Neils Lumber Co. — was responsible for wood treatment
Lake County Leader
St. Luke receives national recognition for stroke, heart attack care
St. Luke Community Healthcare has been nationally recognized by the American Heart Association for its commitment to delivering high-quality, guideline-directed care for both stroke and heart attack patients, earning the following Get With The Guidelines awards in 2025: • Gold Plus Award for Stroke Care, signifying excellence in consistently following the most up-to-date stroke treatment protocols; • Target: Stroke Honor Roll, highlighting rapid and effective stroke intervention; • Gold Award for Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), recognizing top-tier care for heart attack patients; • Bronze Award for Rural Stroke Care, acknowledging effective stroke treatment in a rural setting; and • Bronze Award for Rural CAD Care, recognizing commitment to heart care for rural populations. The Get With The Guidelines program supports hospitals in implementing research-based protocols to ensure patients receive timely, coordinated care. St. Luke’s awards reflect performance in several lifesaving areas, including timely administration of aspirin and clot-busting medications; rapid EKGs and transfers for heart attack patients; consistent stroke response times and outcomes; and continued care coordination and follow-up support. “These awards speak to the dedication and collaboration of our entire team,” said Stephanie Prentice, Emergency Department Manager at St. Luke. “We may be a small hospital, but we bring
Flathead Beacon
A Pathway Out of Fee-for-Service Healthcare
When Camee Ridgeway began looking for healthcare after she moved to the Flathead Valley from Chicago nearly four years ago, she found herself on hospital waitlists and denied by neurologists whose patient lists were full. “I was like, ‘yikes.’ What’s going on with the healthcare system?”. For...
Hungry Horse News
Ruis shares plans for Teakettle Heights development on former CFAC land
Developer Mick Ruis shared preliminary plans last week for his vision of the former Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. property called Teakettle Heights. He said he’s working with Glencore officials on possible tenants for the site’s commercial space, which would sit on the footprint of the former plant. He considered a data center, but noted it would not bring many jobs to the area and he wanted businesses that would employ people. The commercial property is about 400 acres. On the residential side, Phase I covers 75 acres and would have 126 single family homes, 58 townhomes and 240 multi-family units. Phase II, which is 77 acres, includes 232 single family homes, 123 townhomes and 432 multi-family units. It also includes sports fields, pickleball and basketball courts and a baseball field. Both phases straddle Aluminum Drive, with Phase I to the south adjacent to the existing Aluminum City neighborhood and Phase II to the north pf Aluminum Drive. Future expansion would include higher end homes to the north, but it also includes 1,200 acres of recreational lands, which would primarily be to the east along Teakettle Mountain, outside of the actual Superfund site. Ruis said he hopes to bring plans to
The Western News
Cabinet Peaks Medical expands cardiology with addition of Haats
Cabinet Peaks Medical Center (CPMC) is pleased to announce the addition of Nikki Haats, FNP-C, a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner with specialized training in cardiology, to its growing medical team. This strategic hire reflects the hospital’s ongoing commitment to expanding specialty services and improving access to quality healthcare in Lincoln County and beyond. Originally from Charlo, Montana, Haats began her nursing career in eastern Montana before moving to Libby in 2011 to work as a Registered Nurse. In 2016, she earned her Nurse Practitioner degree and joined Rocky Mountain Heart and Lung, where she received extensive hands-on training in cardiology. Her experience and passion for cardiovascular care make her an outstanding addition to CPMC’s clinical team. “I’m incredibly excited to join the team at CPMC and to help expand access to cardiac care right here in our own community,” said Haats. “It’s truly rewarding to be part of a team that’s committed to delivering exceptional care and reducing the need for patients to travel long distances for specialized services.” Haats brings nearly a decade of experience in both nursing and cardiology to the role. Her addition marks a key step in CPMC’s efforts to grow service lines that meet the
Bigfork Eagle
Med student from Bigfork placed in summer internship at Blackfeet hospital
Former Bigfork resident Michael Bedford is heading to Browning for a few weeks this summer to participate in a medical internship at Blackfeet Community Hospital. The second-year medical student said it’s part of his long-term goal to work in rural communities. Bedford was accepted into the University of Washington School of Medicine’s WWAMI program, an acronym for a program covering Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho. Students from those states can complete their first 18 months there and get in-state tuition. A 2018 graduate from Bigfork High School, Bedford currently attends Montana State University in Bozeman. He said he applied to the Rural Underserved Opportunities Program to get more clinical experience over the summer. Under the mentorship of Dr. Joe Gray at Blackfeet Community Hospital, Bedford will be immersing himself in the heart of Browning from July 13 to Aug. 9. The Blackfeet Community Hospital is a 28-bed facility and includes a CT unit located within a fully digitized radiology and lab service department. Bedford said he’s passionate about making health care better in rural communities, particularly on reservations. “I wanted to be at least a small part of helping the community, whether that be in medicine or volunteering. I
The Western News
Northwest CHC celebrates National Health Center Week 2025
Northwest Community Health Center is proud to celebrate National Health Center Week 2025, taking place Aug. 3-9. The annual event highlights the essential role Community Health Centers (CHCs) play in improving public health and providing Americans with an equal opportunity for health. CHCs represent the nation’s largest primary care network, serving 32.5 million patients nationwide. This year’s NHCW celebration, launched by the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), focuses on the theme: “America’s Health Centers Celebrating 60 Years of Improving our Nation’s Health.” CHCs across the country join the celebration through a host of scheduled events that include resource fairs, back-to-school drives, health screenings, and visits to CHCs by local, state and national leaders. With a mission to make high-quality, affordable care available to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay or insurance status, CHCs save lives and healthcare costs on the front lines of our nation’s most pressing public health challenges. They are powered by a workforce of over 310,000 dedicated professionals who reach beyond the walls of the exam room with effective services that not only prevent illness but also address the factors that may cause it. Over 1,500 CHCs nationwide are the health care home to:
mtpr.org
Polson hospital expansion; Teacher training; Oil & gas leases; Invasive trout
Polson medical center expansion will double primary care services. Providence’s St. Joseph Medical Center in Polson began a multi-phase expansion this week. The first phase will double primary care services. Part of that will include a new “rural health clinic.” The hospital says it struggles to keep up with patient demand as surrounding communities have grown.
Char-Koosta News
Ground Broken for New Rural Health Clinic in Polson, First Step in Major Health Care Expansion
POLSON — On July 14, Providence St. Joseph Medical Center broke ground on a new rural health clinic that will double access to primary care services across the Flathead and Mission Valleys. The clinic is the first phase of a multi-phase campus transformation and is fully funded through community donations.
cutbankpioneerpress.com
Some changes are happening at Logan Health
Rumors in regards to the Logan Health - Shelby Care Center (nursing home) and the Logan Health - Cut Bank hospital have been circulating the area for the past couple of weeks. Until just recently, nothing had been substantiated in regards to either facility. On Thursday, July 10, an anonymous...
KPAX
$31M transformation coming to Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Polson
msuexponent.com
Polson health clinic expansion aims to meet growing community needs
POLSON, Mont. – Providence St. Joseph Medical Center broke ground on a new rural health clinic, marking a significant step in enhancing health services for the Flathead Lake area. This development is part of three major projects aimed at improving healthcare in the region. The expansion is a vital...
NBCMontana
Providence St. Joseph to host groundbreaking for new health clinic
POLSON, Mont. — Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Polson announces its hosting a groundbreaking ceremony for its new health clinic on Monday. Construction of the new clinic marks the start of the first phase of a three-phase project. Officials say the goal of the project is to expand...
kalispell.com
VA Clinic 750 Reserve Pl.
Knife River will be performing construction work at 750 Reserve Place to build a new approach for the upcoming building at this location. The project is scheduled to begin Monday 07/21/2025, and is expected to take 3 days, unless delayed by weather or unforeseen circumstances. Reserve Place will only be closed between the hours of 8am and 5pm during the day.