Baucus to be in Red Lodge for public meeting

[keithjx]

Baucus to visit damaged highway

By SCOTT McMILLION, Chronicle Staff Writer

Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., will fly over the Beartooth Highway early next week to assess damages there, then meet with people from Red Lodge and Cooke City to hear their concerns, Baucus' office announced Thursday.

"I'm heading to Red Lodge to see what we can do to help get that road fixed as soon as possible," Baucus said in a press release. He said he called U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta Wednesday and urged him to commit resources to getting the road open again.

A series of mud and rock slides heavily damaged portions of the scenic, high-elevation highway and it is closed indefinitely on the Red Lodge side of the mountain. On the Cooke City side, about 10 miles will be opened to the public Friday, Yellowstone National Park officials announced. That stretch of road runs from Cooke City to Long Lake.

The focus of Baucus' meeting will be how best to temper the economic hit to the area's small business, he said. "I'm very concerned about the economy in Red Lodge and Cooke City as a result of this slide and I'm committed to doing all I can," Baucus said.

Baucus' public meeting will be Tuesday, May 31, at 1:30 p.m. at the Red Lodge Pizza Company, 115 Broadway.

http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/articles/2005/05/27/news/maxsavesbeartooths.txt

KJ