July hopefully holds an end to our latest drought

by Northern News Now meteorologist Dave Anderson

Last month, NOAA put out their seasonal forecast for summer in the Upper Midwest. It said we would be near normal for both tem­peratures and precipitation. Well, that’s true so far. Temperatures have been near normal and rain has been right where it should be for both the month of June and the year so far of 2023. That’s thanks to heavy rain late in June.

Incredibly, the U.S. Drought Monitor still claims we are in the category “abnormally dry” to “moderate drought” around the re­gion. The cure, I guess, is even more rain. For July, NOAA thinks we will be near normal for both temperature and precip. The Old Farm­ers Almanac is similar. They think we will be cooler than normal with rain getting back to normal. That’s two votes for regular rain and let’s hope it pays off.

July 1 to Independence Day should be showery and cool. The 5th to 10th should be normal for temps with a few more showers. The 11th and 12th offer a narrow window for a warm spell and some thunderstorms. From the 13th to 15th, a cool snap will follow. The 16th to 26th will be another period with near normal temperatures and a few scattered thun­derstorms. The 27th to 31st will be sunny and cool.

Sawtooth Mountain Clinic Welcomes New Provider

June 30, 2023 – Sawtooth Mountain Clinic is pleased to announce that Dr. Alexys J. Hillman will be joining our team of providers this August. Dr. Hillman brings rich experience to the SMC team and will offer full-spectrum and high-qual­ity primary care services to residents of and vis­itors to Cook County and Grand Portage. “Dr. Hillman’s career demonstrates a commitment to compassionate care for all people. She shares this value with the SMC team and will be a won­derful addition to our medical staff” notes Kate Surbaugh, SMC CEO. Paul Terrill, SMC’s Chief Medical Officer adds “Dr. Hillman’s background and training have prepared her well for a rural clinic like ours. Her skill set will naturally com­plement that of other SMC providers and will of­fer patients expanded primary care options.”

Dr. Alexys J. Hillman was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA, where she graduated magna cum laude from Temple University in 2007. At that time, she was also recognized as a Distin­guished Military Graduate from the Temple Uni­versity Army ROTC Program, from which she received her commission as a second lieutenant. She went on to attend and graduate from Western University College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific with a Doctor of Osteopathic Medi­cine degree in 2011. She entered active duty in the U.S. Army in 2011, where she completed her family medicine residency and achieved her board certification. She served honorably until 2017, including assignments at Fort Benning, Georgia, and Seoul, South Korea. From 2018 to 2021, she operated her own private practice in Pensacola, FL, which at the time was Northwest Florida’s only informed consent clinic for trans­gender healthcare.

Dr. Hillman’s professional interests include end-of-life planning and grief and she has re­ceived certifications both as a death doula as well as a Grief Recovery Method Specialist. In her spare time, she is also an amateur filmmaker and screenwriter. Her first docu-series, How To Dream, has received several awards and was a finalist in the 2021 Swedish International Film Festival. She also enjoys ghost tours, crochet­ing, and reading. She is moving to Cook County with her husband and two sons.

We look forward to welcoming Dr. Hillman and her family to Cook County. If you are in­terested in establishing care with Dr. Hillman, you may call Sawtooth Mountain Clinic at (218) 387-2330 after August 1st and speak with one of our Patient Access Specialists.