When Emily Mikoski's son was diagnosed with hearing loss, she set out to find a children's book that would help explain what he would be able to hear with hearing aids. After coming up short, she decided to write her own book and at the end of March she self published “Max and His Hearing Aids”.

Emily's son, Max, now four, was diagnosed with hearing loss as a newborn and has been wearing hearing aids since he was around five months old. Having never known a child with hearing aids, Emily says there was some initial uncertainty about what it would be like.

“For me it was very foreign,” says Emily, “It was very scary.”

The first hearing aids came with information pamphlets and booklets as well as book featuring an elephant who wore hearing aids. Emily says the elephant book was not only unrelated, but highly technical and difficult for a small child to understand.

Many families take to the open road over Memorial Day to take advantage of the long weekend and to celebrate the unofficial start of summer. Idaho State Police wants to remind all drivers to remain safe.

Last year there were 129 crashes in Idaho with 81 injuries and two fatalities. Idaho State Police has provided these safety reminders which are great for both Idaho and Washington drivers:

Wear Your Seatbelts: Police in both Idaho and Washington will be strictly enforcing seat belt laws and drivers with children are reminded to make sure all children are in age appropriate safety seats and that children under 12 are in the back seat.

Designate a Driver: Nearly 30 people a day die in an alcohol related crash. Make sure to designate a driver before anyone in your party drinks.

The scenic and historical Hiawatha bike trail opens for the summer on May 25th. This 15 mile stretch of abandoned railroad is considered the “Crown Jewel” all rail-to-trail bike projects in the country.

The last train passed over the Milwaukee Railroad rails in 1980. The old rail way was converted into packed gravel trails that are an easy ride for every one including children and seniors. Riders can enjoy beautiful views of the Bitterroot Mountains while riding down the 1.6 percent grade.

Hiawatha is operated by the Lookout Pass Ski Area under special permit use of the U.S. Forest. Lookout offers bike rentals, as well a shuttle to take you back to the top of the trail head once you reach the end. It takes about two and a half hours to complete the ride going at a leisurely pace.