Community briefs

Oct. 31—Kootenai Climate Group hosting free film Nov. 9 at Maki Theatre

The Kootenai Climate Group will host a free showing of the film "2040" on Thursday, Nov. 9, at the Maki Theatre in Libby.

The film will be shown at 7 p.m. at the the theatre, located next door to the Memorial Center in Libby.

Released in 2019 by Australian director/producer Damon Gamear, this feature documentary assesses what the future could like if we embraced climate solutions that already exist.

Gamear imagines what life could be like for his 4-year-old daughter in 20 years with brief but clear depictions of the precariousness of our current carbon overload and its consequences.

Most of the movie is about inventions and initiatives already in place that, if more broadly adopted, would slow the heating of the earth so that we could live in a safer, cleaner and more equitable world.

The film maker contends that the biggest risk in fighting climate change is an overwhelming sense of helplessness. Through visits to different places in the world where people are already enacting creative alternatives to our current fossil fuel dependent system, he shows us that a better future is possible.

The mission of the Kootenai Climate Group is to increase climate change awareness and empower our community to take action to reduce the causes of climate change and improve our resilience.

The film will be followed by a discussion afterward for those who want to stay and there will climate information available for folks to look at.

Libby Friends of the Library book sale, open house Nov. 3

The Libby Friends of the Library will have its next book sale from 10 a.m. to 5 p,m. Friday, Nov. 3 in the Book Sale Room downstairs at the library.

There will be some Thanksgiving books featured this month as well as craft books that will help you get ready for the holidays.

Purchase of items is by donation, with all money received going to support programs for the library.

There will also be an open house from 10:30 a.m. to noon in the main library room. The Libby Friends of the Library is looking for new members so stop by for some refreshments and learn about the various ways you can volunteer to help support our Libby Library staff and programs.

Youth trapping skills class scheduled in Kalispell

A free youth trapping skills course in Kalispell is open to registration.

This course is part of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks' outdoor skills program. The class in Kalispell will focus on basic leghold and snare trapping for coyotes, fox, raccoons.

Certified trapper education instructors will teach the course. The course is geared toward youth and parents/guardians are invited to participate as well.

The course is scheduled for Nov. 11-12, 2023, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The class will start at the FWP Region 1 office, 490 N. Meridian, on Nov. 11.

To register, visit https://fwp.mt.gov/hunt/education/advanced-education and select "Find a Course Near You" under the Advanced Outdoor Skills section. Trapping licenses are not required.

The following topics will be covered: — Regulations and ethics — Landowner permission — Safety — Navigation and mapping — Fur handling

Most of the class will be outdoors and students should dress for cold weather.

For more information, contact Tom Fieber at tfieber@bresnan.net or 406-250-3386.

Scholarships available to designers of alcohol responsibility billboards

The Montana Department of Revenue's Alcoholic Beverage Control Division is a member of the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association and has received an alcohol education grant from this organization.

The state group will award five, one-time, $2,000 scholarships to Montana students who come up with designs for billboards dedicated to the question: What does "Alcohol Responsibility Matters" mean to you and your community?

The national association's mission is to support member jurisdictions in their efforts to protect public health and safety and ensure responsible and efficient systems for beverage alcohol distribution and sales.

Billboards in high-traffic areas across Montana will be used to promote the importance of responsible alcohol consumption. The billboards will have a consistent theme centered on Montana and the tagline "Alcohol Responsibility Matters" and the existing logo along with the student's original design.

ABCD's hope is to provide community-centered messages that remind individuals 21 and over of the importance of being responsible when consuming alcohol. This will support the overall theme of Alcohol Responsibility Matters for Alcohol Awareness Month in April.

For more detailed information and the scholarship form, please go to the ABCD's webpage https://mtrevenue.gov/alcoholic-beverage-control/ and click on Learn More About Requirements and FAQs or contact the ABCD Outreach and Education Unit at dorabcd-o&e@mt.gov.