Hospitals are economic bright spot
The Flathead Valley’s top-notch medical facilities have made this area a regional center for health care, and North Valley Hospital is responding to the need for increased services.
The Whitefish-based hospital just broke ground on a fourth operating suite to keep pace with a surgery volume that’s increased 22 percent over the last four years — the same years the Flathead otherwise has been in an economic slump.
Equally as encouraging is North Valley’s plans to expand its Birth Center. It was built in 2007 with a plan for 250 births a year, but the number of births has reached nearly 500 annually, indicating the need for additional labor and delivery rooms, postpartum rooms and a larger nursery. A capital campaign is quietly underway.
North Valley Hospital’s expansion comes on the heels of a major surgery addition to Kalispell Regional Medical Center. It’s clear our hospitals are becoming huge economic drivers in our community. That bodes well not only for those needing quality heath care but also the local economy as a whole.
More good news in Kalispell
Elsewhere on the economic front, a proposed new vehicle dealership in south Kalispell passed its first hurdle Monday when the Kalispell City Council gave initial approval to a planned unit development for Glacier Volkswagen.
This is a positive step toward DePratu Ford and Volkswagen’s plan to build the dealership on vacant land on the southeast corner of U.S. 93 and Lower Valley Road.
There still are other challenges that the project will have to surmount, including concerns over water and sewer connections, but the possibility of a major car dealership is a positive step for the south end of town.
Problem bears and you
Being bear aware should be more than an afterthought at this time of year, particularly in foothill areas in the eastern Flathead Valley along the Swan Range, where there has definitely been some bear activity recently.
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials are aware of a female grizzly bear with two yearling cubs that were encountered by a turkey hunter. The next day, another hunter spotted sign from the family group. A motion camera captured the image of a large male grizzly bear in the same area.
The thing is, this is not unusual.
The foothills are prime bear habitat, particularly when natural food sources are more scarce at higher elevations. Folks living in bear country should do everything possible to make sure these bears don’t pick up bad habits that encourage them to stick around rural homes.
Keeping bird feeders inside, along with securing garbage and other attractants should be a priority. Problem bears shouldn’t be regarded as other people’s concern. They commonly move on to cause trouble elsewhere, so let’s all work together to make sure the problems don’t happen in the first place.
Editorials represent the majority opinion of the Daily Inter Lake’s editorial board.