Multi-Million Dollar Grant Delivers New MRI to Local Hospital
Ferdinand, ID · November 6, 2026
Dig out the ski jackets from the back closet early — the annual ski swap opens tonight down in Grangeville, right as overcast skies start sliding toward the freezing mark.
The Lead
Prairie healthcare is taking a significant step forward following the award of more than $4.8 million to St. Mary’s Health in Cottonwood, part of an $8 million regional allocation from Idaho’s Rural Health Transformation Program. The state funding targets essential diagnostic upgrades, most notably the acquisition of a permanent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner and modern replacements for aging X-ray machinery.
For families in Ferdinand and neighboring farming communities, the investment removes a major barrier to routine and emergency care. Prairie patients regularly face lengthy drives down the grade to Lewiston or delayed appointments tied to visiting mobile imaging trailers. Bringing dedicated high-resolution imaging directly to the prairie clinic ensures quicker local evaluations for joint injuries, neurological issues, and screenings without highway travel. Hospital administrators are currently finalizing facility retrofit blueprints, with contractor bids scheduled to open before winter ends.
Local Pulse
- Noon on Main Opens in Cottonwood Business The new eatery began welcoming lunch diners this week inside the mini-mall space formerly occupied by Amy's.
Today's Outlook
- High 53°F · Low 31°F — Overcast
- Keep a warm jacket handy as overcast skies chill toward freezing overnight.
What's On Around Town
Today
Snowhaven Ski Swap Grangeville Elementary Middle School (400 S Idaho Ave), Grangeville, 5:00–8:00 PM Browse winter outerwear, skis, and snowboards before slopes open.
2A State Football Quarterfinal: Prairie vs. Garden Valley Lewiston High School (3201 Cecil Andrus Way), Lewiston, 7:00 PM Cheer on the Pirates as state playoff action kicks off.
Tomorrow
- Snowhaven Ski Swap Grangeville Elementary Middle School (400 S Idaho Ave), Grangeville, 8:00–11:00 AM
- Idaho State Elks Winter Convention Grangeville Elks Lodge (111 S Meadow St), Grangeville, 9:00 AM
Sunday
- You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown Silverthorne Theatre (500 8th Ave), Lewiston, 2:00 PM · Free
Spotlight & Story
- Camas Prairie Food Bank Operating out of a 6,000-square-foot warehouse on East North Street in Grangeville, this volunteer crew quietly assists up to 500 prairie households each month. Distribution always surges in November as seasonal agricultural and timber work tapers off ahead of the hard freeze.
Ferdinand Daily Digest — compiled from local sources every morning. For breaking updates, follow your local newsrooms.
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