Those attending the North Valley Public Library’s annual ‘chocolate and authors’ fundraiser last week not only got to meet some local authors and talk about their works, but also got a glimpse of what the library could look like if the Library Board of Directors could only come up with a couple million dollars. According to board chairman John Conlan, at this point, it is more than a dream, it’s a plan. And you don’t have to stretch your imagination to get a picture of how a $2 million new library building would fit into its current location on Main Street, you just have to look at the architectural model provided by Ben Lloyd of Comma-Q Architecture in Bozeman.

Conlan said that the library board decided about a year ago to get serious about a new building. He said the current building suffers from structural deficiencies, electrical problems and other issues that were being addressed in a piece meal fashion.

“That just wasn’t working,” said Conlan.

Conlan said that the board was impressed with what the Darby community had accomplished with its library and contacted a few members of the Darby Library Board. He said they were very helpful and that the NVPL Board is using Darby’s successful efforts as a model for how to raise funds and generate the momentum required to build a facility that can better serve the community’s growing needs.

As part of the process the NVPL hired an architect, Ben Lloyd, to design a new facility that would increase the usable space from the current 6,800 square feet to about 11,000 square feet. By the end of the summer the Board had also hired a contractor, Martell Construction, out of Bigfork, and Vice President Steve Conway and Project Manager Ryan Dunn have been working with Lloyd in developing the conceptual design.

The board hopes to hold three public meetings, hopefully beginning in March, to introduce the community to the new building design and garner public input before anything is finalized.

The current design, according to Conlan, involves moving the community room to the second floor, allowing the entire first floor space to be devoted to the library services. A larger children’s room is also in the plan.

“Use of the children’s room is growing rapidly,” said Conlan. He said the new floor plan provided for good flow and also provided a few quiet spaces where people could read undisturbed, as well as a good sized computer usage area.

“The overall design is fairly open,” said Conlan.

The aim is to launch a rather intensive fundraising campaign, modeled on Darby’s, mixing grants and donations to raise the estimated $1.7 to $2 million to complete the project.

“It could take us three years,” said Conlan. “We’ve done a lot already, but there’s a long way to go.”

Hamilton Rotary hears about virology lab

By Michael Howell

Dr. Heinz Feldman, chief of the Laboratory of Virology and chief scientist of the Integrated Research Facility at Rocky Mountain Laboratory (RML), gave Rotary Club members an overview last week of the work going on at the local laboratory with some of the world’s most dangerous pathogens.

A BSL-4 laboratory is the most secure form of laboratory designed for studying highly infectious diseases in a safe and secure environment and Dr. Feldman knows a lot about them. He has nearly 20 years of experience working in BSL-3 and BSL-4 laboratories in four different locations, and while working for the Public Health Agency of Canada in Winnipeg, has trained some of the most highly skilled BSL-4 researchers working around the world. Unaware at the time that he would one day be working in Hamilton, Dr. Feldman was a National Institutes of Health adviser in planning the design of the local BSL-4 lab at RML.

An adviser to the World Health Organization, Dr. Feldman has been part of field research and outbreak management teams studying the SARS virus in China, Ebola virus in the Republic of the Congo, Marburg virus in Angola, Nipah virus in Bangladesh and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus in Iran.

Now, working in the BSL-4 lab that he helped design in Hamilton, Dr. Feldman is involved in groundbreaking research related to the Ebola and Marburg viruses and has recently developed a vaccine that is effective in preventing Ebola and Marburg viruses from spreading in laboratory animals, even if given after the animals are exposed.

The vaccine has not yet gone through the rigorous testing required before it can be used on human subjects. One human, however, a scientist working in a laboratory with the Ebola virus, was potentially infected when she accidentally stuck herself with a syringe used on laboratory animals infected with Ebola. Ninety percent of people infected with Ebola virus die of the disease. Dr. Feldman said that they were able to get clearance from health officials to use the vaccine and were able to get a dose and administer it within 48 hours of the accident. Dr. Feldman said that following the vaccination no signs of the disease developed in the woman, but it does not necessarily mean that the vaccine is effective on humans since there is no real evidence that the woman was actually infected.

Dr. Feldman said that studying exotic viruses like Ebola that are currently only found in isolated parts of the world, in this case parts of Africa, is important. A vaccine effective in treating Ebola could save the gorilla population in the Congo, for instance, where it is estimated that up to 80 percent of the gorillas have died from Ebola infection.

But that is not the only reason to study such exotic diseases. If the Ebola virus were to escape containment in the Congo, it could quickly become a worldwide emergency. Dr. Feldman has had some experience with such a scenario when he worked as part of the field research and outbreak management team that responded to the SARS outbreak in China.

Dr. Feldman recalled how eerie it was when his team flew into the Hong Kong Airport in response to the outbreak. One of the largest and busiest airports in the world was empty, he said, when their plane arrived. The city itself was like a ghost town as they made their way to the hotel where it was suspected the outbreak had begun.

At first the team could find no evidence of the SARS virus at the hotel. But following some ingenious exploratory work by one of his colleagues, signs of the virus were discovered under the carpet in the hallway in front of the room occupied by the initial victim of the virus. It was then determined that 11 other people who all became infected were staying in rooms in the same hallway and must have picked up the virus as they walked by the infected man’s room.

Those 11 people, without knowing they carried the infection, then flew to locations around the world. Within a short period of time the infection had ‘gone viral’ and was rapidly infecting people all over the world. Before the outbreak was contained, over 8,000 people at locations around the world were infected and about 800 died.

Dr. Feldman emphasized that despite the highly infectious nature of the viruses that are being researched at the lab, there is virtually no chance for these viruses to escape into the community. He said safety measures at the lab are extreme and extremely redundant. He described the different safety measures incorporated into the building and the suits that protect laboratory workers. The doors used in the laboratory facility, for instance, with their various safety features including an inflatable gasket, cost $68,000 each. The lab has 22 such doors. No cost was spared, apparently, on the lab’s safety designs.

Besides coming up with a potential vaccine for the Ebola and Marburg viruses, Dr. Feldman was also part of the team that developed a mobile diagnostic procedure that quickly detects 10 types of hemorrhagic fever viruses for use in remote locations.

Hamilton Special Projects Director placed on administrative leave

Hamilton Mayor Jerry Steele confirmed that Special Projects Director Dennis Stranger has been placed on administrative leave while an investigation is being conducted concerning his job performance. Steele refused to comment further on the exact nature of investigation. Stranger could not be reached for comment.

Schedule change for Senate hearing on “Ditch Bill”

The Senate committee hearing scheduled to discuss HB 309, the “Ditch Bill” that would make changes to the state’s Stream Access Law, has been rescheduled to meet on Tuesday, March 8 in the Senate Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation Committee at 3 p.m. Several conservation groups from around the state have scheduled a rally in support of stream access on the third floor of the Capitol Rotunda from 2 to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 8 to coincide with the Senate committee’s deliberations.

Local Angus breeders recognized nationally

Cara P & Thomas W Ayres, Stevensville, have been recognized nationally by the American Angus Association for having 1 registered Angus cow included in the Association's 2011 Pathfinder Report. Genetic Connection, Stevensville, has been recognized nationally by the American Angus Association for having two registered Angus cows included in the Association's 2011 Pathfinder Report. Scattering Creek Ranch, Stevensville, has been recognized nationally by the American Angus Association for having one registered Angus cow included in the Association's 2011 Pathfinder Report.

Only 2,099 of the nearly 30,000 American Angus Association members are represented in this year's report, according to Bill Bowman, chief operating officer and director of performance programs of the Association with headquarters in Saint Joseph, Missouri.

The Pathfinder Program identifies superior Angus cows based upon recorded performance traits that are economically important to efficient beef production. These traits include early and regular calving and heavy weaning weights, Bowman says. Over 1.9 million eligible dams and more than 6.2 million weaning records were examined to determine Pathfinder status. All registered Angus cows that meet the strict Pathfinder standards are listed, along with their owners, in the Pathfinder Report that is published annually by the Association.

The 2011 Pathfinder Report lists 9,083 individual cows and 242 Pathfinder sires. It is published online at www.angus.org and printed copies are available from the Association. The largest number of Pathfinder cows from a single herd this year is 86. Started in 1978, the Pathfinder Program continues to recognize outstanding breeders participating in the Angus Herd Improvement Records (AHIR) Program.

Youth summer jobs available at Metcalf Refuge

Applications are now being accepted for a Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) crew at Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge in Stevensville for outdoor conservation work.

Applicants must be age 15-18, and have transportation to and from the Refuge Monday–Friday. Find application on line at www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/ycc and submit to Refuge Headquarters by April 20, 2011. For more information call Erin Holmes at 777-5552.

Corvallis high school choir on television

Corvallis High School will join Tim Janis on Montana PBS for “Celebrate America!” Corvallis High School has now joined the ranks of over 15,000 of our nation’s most outstanding young performers who have participated in this unique public television project. The Corvallis High School Choir will be presented in “Celebrate America” on Monday, March 7 at 7 p.m. on Montana PBS.

“Celebrate America is a national program designed to give our nation’s youth a life enhancing opportunity by showcasing their choirs on Public Television,” says Janis. The production and filming of this event is made possible through the hard work and dedication of both Montana PBS and the Tim Janis staff. “Contributing to community through the arts has always been a big part of Public Television’s contribution to the community,” says Janis. “I am genuinely overwhelmed by the incredible talent and professionalism each music educator brought to the table. The students of Corvallis High School demonstrated tremendous dedication in the preparation of their performance. They’re an undeniable musical force and a shining example of the commitment of today’s youth when encouraged to pursue the arts!”

In November 2010, thirteen High School Choirs were selected to participate in the televised series “Celebrate America” from around the area. Corvallis High School elected to perform “On Eagle’s Wings” under the direction of Nancy Brown in the Celebrate America program.

Janis says, “Public Television is an invaluable resource for staying connected to local programs and the community. PBS programming helps to bring the community together. In a time when conversations are often replaced with texts and the internet is one of the primary sources for staying connected to the world around us, the programs offered by PBS ensure that the value of community is never lost.”

Tim Janis is respected and well known for the work he defines as “Music with a Mission.” His career has extraordinary and inspiring highlights which include producing and supporting many philanthropic projects with artists such as Paul McCartney, Billy Joel, Ray Charles, Andre Previn, and The New York Philharmonic. Additionally, Tim has produced fund raising programs for PBS along with George Clooney and James Earl Jones. Highlights and video clips from past Celebrate America broadcasts and additional information can be found at http://www.montanapbs.org/.

Florence Civic Club seeks nominations for service award

The Florence Civic Club is currently seeking nominations for the annual Florence Community Service Award. The award will be presented to an individual or group that has made a significant public service contribution by serving others in the Florence community in the past year.

Anyone wishing to submit a nomination for this service award should write a letter describing how the nominee has served others. The letter should include the following information: nominee name, type of contribution, results achieved, duration of service, and a description of how the service has made a positive, significant influence in the Florence community.

Nomination letters should be mailed to the Florence Civic Club, P.O. Box 544, Florence MT 59833, and must be received by April 16, 2011.

The Florence Civic Club meets on the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Florence-Carlton School Administration Building on Old Highway 93. Meetings are open to the public and anyone interested is welcome to attend.

Coffee roasting company receives organic certification

Big Creek Coffee Roasters, a new specialty coffee roaster located in Hamilton, has recently been granted an Organic Handler Certificate by the Montana Department of Agriculture.

In order to sell coffee as organic, coffee roasters must complete a lengthy and intensive process where they demonstrate a willingness and ability to comply with the USDA’s National Organic Program Standards. The standards are in place to ensure that certified organic handlers will uphold the integrity of organic ingredients, and that they will properly handle, label, store and sell organic products.

Big Creek Coffee Roasters is one of only two roasters in Ravalli County to hold this certificate, and one of only nine certified organic coffee roasters in Montana.

Big Creek Coffee Roasters can be reached at 369-6217.

Help with childcare costs available

Does your family need help paying child care costs? A family of three can earn $2,289 per month and qualify for child care assistance. A family of four can earn $2,756. Child Care Resources can also help with your search for quality child care and provide information for finding the facility that best meets your individual needs. Contact CCR at 728-6446 or 800-728-6446 or www.childcareresources.org for further information.

Births

Births at Marcus Daly Hospital, Hamilton

1/12/11

Girl, 7 lbs., 2 oz., 19-3/4 inches, to Jenna Cahoon and Shane Jones, Hamilton

1/12/11

Boy, 8 lbs., 12.5 oz., 23-1/2 inches, to Malorie and Brandon Cook, Hamilton

1/19/11

Boy, 6 lbs., 11 oz, 19-1/2 inches, to Rebecca Roberts and Courtney Lewis, Corvallis

1/21/11

Girl, 6 lbs., 15.8 oz., 19-1/2 inches, to Holly and Chris Smith, Hamilton

1/22/11

Girl, 7 lbs., 19-1/2 inches, to Brandi Schultz and Joseph Stanford, Darby

1/25/11

Girl, 7 lbs., 8 oz., 19 inches, to Anna Saylor and Donald Burrow, Hamilton

2/11/11

Boy, 7 lbs., 2 oz., 18-1/2 inches, to Anna and Wade Wandler, Stevensville

2/12/11

Girl, 7 lbs., 10.7 oz., 20 inches, to Stephanie and Kevin Roebke, Stevensville

2/16/11

Girl, 7 lbs., 7.5 oz., 20-1/2 inches, to Mandy Jenson and Jake Roberts, Stevensville

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