Slow down and enjoy the road work

Patience will be a virtue on area highways this summer.

Creative trip planning might also benefit travelers confronted with a variety of road construction.

One of the most challenging routes might be U.S. 93 between the Flathead and Missoula: There are five major construction jobs scheduled this year between Evaro and Polson.

While the end result will be an improved highway, getting to that point will require some patience on the part of drivers. If you're heading south this summer, plan a little extra time to navigate the construction zones.

Closer to home, Meridian Road and West Reserve Drive promise some adventures for motorists.

The final part of the Meridian Road widening job will be in full swing this year, except for a mandated shutdown during the Northwest Montana Fair. Drivers should be prepared to find some alternate routes at times to avoid Meridian madness.

Repaving of West Reserve Drive between U.S. 2 and U.S. 93 also awaits unwary drivers this summer. This road upgrade should prove to be challenging, too, since West Reserve is one of only two main east-west routes in Kalispell.

Wherever you go this summer, be prepared to go a little more slowly.

Mumps may sound more like a cute pet than a disease, but it is in fact a dangerous viral illness that can lead to encephalitis, meningitis, arthritis and deafness, among other complications.

Fortunately a vaccine was introduced in 1967, so the occurrence of this disease has declined markedly in the past 40 years. Today, the vaccine is mostly given to children as part of the MMR vaccine to prevent measles, mumps and rubella.

The bad news is that a strain of the disease has reached what scientists are calling epidemic proportions in Iowa. It's possible this is a new strain that is not prevented by the vaccine, but it is also possible that parents who don't have experience with mumps themselves are not taking the precaution of getting their children vaccinated.

That would be most unfortunate. Vaccines have helped spare the world of the scourge of many illnesses such as polio and measles, and everyone should realize that the health of the entire world is at risk. Indeed, authorities say a decline in vaccinations was partly to blame for an outbreak of measles in England that recently led to the death of a 13-year-old boy, the first such fatality in that country in 14 years.

The combination of these two stories should be fair warning to parents and the rest of us. Communicable childhood diseases have largely been brought under control by modern medicine, but we must not grow lax or careless, or we will pay the price.

Sen. Conrad Burns has completed the task of giving away the money he received from convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his associates.

The Inter Lake had prodded the senator to do so back in December to avoid the whiff of scandal as the election neared. Oddly, it proved a difficult task to give away the money, and some recipients refused it.

Now, at last, the $150,000 has found a variety of good homes in Indian country. We are glad Burns got the message. This money was not doing him any good, and we hope the money is well spent for the benefit of many people instead of one political campaign.