Pink and blue lights to illuminate Capitol

HELENA - The March of Dimes will color the state Capitol pink and blue next month to raise awareness about premature births in Montana.

Premature birth is the number-one killer of newborns, and those babies who do survive can be disabled for life. In the U.S., half a million babies are born prematurely every year, including 1,200 babies in Montana.

"That's why the March of Dimes has designated November as Prematurity Awareness Month," said Debbie Donovan, March of Dimes Prematurity Campaign Chair. "Pink and blue lights on Montana's Capitol building will symbolize our efforts to send a message of hope for premature babies and their families, as well as call attention to the crisis."

Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds programs of research, community services, education, and advocacy to save babies. It will light the Capitol pink and blue on Nov. 13 and 14.

For more information, visit the March of Dimes Web site at marchofdimes.com.

Shodair to dedicate $3.9M expansion

HELENA - Members of Shodair Children's Hospital and friends of the late James H. Foley will gather tomorrow to dedicate the hospital's new 20,000-square-foot addition.

The $3.9 million expansion, to be dedicated in Foley's honor, includes a new 20-bed acute care unit, a swimming pool, additional office space and storage.

Located on Colonial Drive, the hospital will add staff to support additional services. Another psychiatrist, more nurses, a mental health therapist, teacher and a teacher's aide, a recreation aide and support staff will be added.

"The need for mental health care for youth in Montana is critical," administrator Jack Casey said. "Over 25,000 children and adolescents in the state have ongoing needs for psychiatric and mental health care. But those services are pretty limited."

Shodair is the only facility in Montana that offers acute care in tandem with residential treatment. The hospital provides psychiatric care for children and adolescents from communities throughout the state, regardless of ability to pay.

Last year alone, the hospital provided more than $4 million dollars in non-reimbursed care.

Big questions on snowy roads

BOZEMAN - The open road isn't the best laboratory for researching large-scale questions related to cold weather and rural transportation, said Eli Cuelho, research engineer with MSU's Western Transportation Institute.

For a safer, more controlled environment, the institute will build an outdoor laboratory at the Lewistown airport. The Lewistown Cold Region Rural Transportation Research Facility will provide four miles of track that will allow scientists to test various aspects of one problem.

Researchers might test a salt brine mixture, for example, to see how it melts ice.

Then they could examine the pavement, look at effects on the environment and see what happens with snow plows. Researchers might use snow makers to simulate blizzards or snowy roads.