A reality based independent journal of observation & analysis, serving the Flathead Valley & Montana since 2006. © James Conner.

11 August 2015

Flathead briefs

Forest fires. The Reynolds Creek fire in Glacier National Park has expanded to 4,300 acres. The Thompson Fire is estimated at 1,900 acres. MODIS imagery of the Thompson Fire still is not available at geomac.gov. These fires are not that big, but the acreage of the park they’ve shut down is mounting.

Today, tomorrow, and Thursday will be hot, in the upper nineties, with thunderstorms possible tomorrow and Thursday. Lightning could ignite more fires.

School District 5’s anti-discrimination policy. The school board meets tonight at 1800 at Glacier High School for the third reading of the proposed revisions to the policy. Montana Cowgirl reports the Flathead Republican Party is urging opponents to attend, while human rights groups are urging supporters to attend, and to wear light blue shirts. I may attend to observe the affair, but if I do, I’ll wear a white shirt. I support the proposed changes, but not the identity politics practiced by the human rights groups.

Flathead Electric community solar. This project gives FEC a unique opportunity to educate the community on the science, and to a lesser extent on the economics, of solar power, and solar power in the Flathead. FEC has the technical expertise to do the subject justice, and through its newsletter, Light Reading, and website, the means to communicate directly with the public. So far, Light Reading has lived up to its name, but that approach can be changed.

Kalispell westside bypass. Congress finally came through with the funding for the last section of the road, which will run from Highway 2 north to the connector west of Costco. Apparently, construction will start in mid-October. Two Mile Drive residents west of the bypass are not looking forward to this. The bypass will run under a bridge on Two Mile. While the bridge is built, traffic will be detoured around it, probably with aggravating delays, and if the bridge is built in winter, with ice, snow, and mud. The state’s highway department should wait until spring to start the Two Mile bridge, then work 24/7 to finish it in short order. It should also prefabricate the bridge somewhere not nearby, then assemble the components onsite. That would lessen the disruption considerably.

Bernie Sanders support group in the Flathead. There is such a beast. I’ve made contact with its leader and will report back to Flathead Memo’s readers once I learn more.