The fist suspected death from H1N1 flu has been reported in Bayfield County Tuesday. Mike Simonson has the KUWS Radio News briefs.

The Bayfield County Health Department isn’t releasing the person’s name, age, sex or home town…and says they’re still waiting for confirmation from tests. They do say the person is an adult and cultures testing are pending. The family knows of the person’s passing.

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The Twin Ports Veterans Administration Clinic in Superior has landed a major grant. Twin Ports VA Medical Director Clyde Markon says they’re getting a Rural Health Management grant worth up to $240,000 to help them connect with area doctors and clinics.

He says it'll assist in better tracking of medical records and procedures done elsewhere, reducing the number of medical procedures that has to be done at the VA Clinic, even reducing trips to the Minneapolis VA facilities.

Markon says they’ll add two nurses and one advanced clerk to better hook-up with local providers.

Markon says this grant is in addition to this fall’s announcement of a $24-million expansion and reconstruction at the Superior facility.

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The Duluth Transit Authority will roll out their new electric hybrid buses this week. DTA General Manager Dennis Jensen says four 400-foot electric buses along with four hybrid clean-diesel buses will go into service this week.

The buses will use electrical power until it gets up to 10 miles per hour, increasing fuel economy 22% and will cut emissions by 90% from the buses they’ll replace.

They’ll use nickel metal hydride batteries that have a six year life.

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