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8 www.DesertMessenger.com April 3, 2019 Desert Messenger News offers FREE Classified Ads! Here's the small print: Items for sale under $1000. Private Party Only. 1 per month. Yard/Garage/Craft Sales, Wanted, Give-a-ways, Free, Lost & Found, etc. (non-commercial) For more information, contact Rain at 928-916-4235 or Email: Editor@DesertMessenger.com La Paz Regional Hospital buys new MRI Parker, AZ - Anyone that saw the huge crane at La Paz Regional Hos- pital knew that something big was happening. The hospital purchased a new and upgraded MRI. The GE Signa Excite MRI was removed from the MRI building after the crane lifted off the roof of the build- ing. The new Cannon Vantage Titan MRI will be delivered and lowered inside once the floor and ceiling are renovated for the new machine. The new machine has a 1.5 Tesla magnet. While the old unit has a weight limit of 250 pounds, the new machine can handle weights up to 500 pounds. The circular bore, that part that looks like a huge donut, is increased in size from 60 cm to 70 cm. According to Rick Graybeal, Imaging Director, the new Cannon Titan is twice as fast as the GE Ex- cite, and has improved image quali- ty. "This larger machine will reduce cancellations due to claustrophobia in our patients and double the pa- tient size we can accommodate," added Graybeal. The whole process of evaluation, in- cluding site visits to inspect various models and negotiations, took over a year. Dr. Jack Dunn, M.D., Radi- ologist; Tom Zimmer, MRI Tech- nologist; and Rick Graybeal trav- eled to several sites in Wyoming, California, Arizona and Nevada to review MRI operations in their de- cision making process and chose the Canon machine as the best fit for our community. Interior installation and testing will take about six weeks. During the down time, the hospital has con- tracted for a mobile MRI unit to continue to serve patients during the transition. "We are scheduled to be ready for our first patient on May 6," Graybeal noted. "At $1.3 mil- lion, this MRI is a major upgrade for the hospital and we wanted to find the best model for our needs,:" said Kevin Brown, CEO. "We are excited to offer this improved service to our communities." READER'S OASIS BOOKS 690 E. Main - Quartzsite (one block east of Family Dollar) Advanced technology provides easy access to road conditions PHOENIX – A modernized, mobile-friendly Arizona 511 Travel Informa- tion System website and phone line are now available from the Arizona Department of Transportation. The new system uses the latest technology to provide a customized experience with real-time updates from ADOT, the premier source of information on Arizona's highway system. The new AZ511.gov website allows users to save their favorite routes and most used traffic cameras. Before leaving for a destination, drivers can log onto AZ511.gov to view incidents along their route, get estimated travel times to their destination and receive alternate route suggestions. Travel- ers may set up text or email alerts for their routes. Users can also call the 511 phone line to hear personalized updates. The 511 phone line is now easier to navigate and voice recognition has been upgraded. "Drivers have always turned to ADOT for the most accurate information on Arizona's highways. The improved website and phone line make it even easier to access the information drivers need to make informed decisions when traveling throughout our state," said ADOT Director John Halikows- ki. "As Governor Ducey has said, the principal job of state government is to protect and improve the quality of life for our citizens. Embracing new technology and offering better information to support motorist safety aligns with his charge to state agencies." The new site is easy to navigate and includes information not previously available. Speed maps for all of Arizona's roadways are displayed. Motor- ists can see the weather forecast, radar, and National Weather Service watches and warnings. Border wait times have also been added. ADOT's Twitter feed is visible on the home page, making it easy for travelers to get their questions answered by ADOT public information officers. The 511 phone system includes the ability to transfer directly to state and national parks, airports, and other transportation-related contacts. Ad- ditionally, the phone system will allow callers to transfer to the Arizona Adopt a Highway system to report those who litter. Soon to follow is an AZ511 mobile app for iOS and Android that will of- fer route planning, advanced monitoring of route conditions, and "drive mode" that will read off critical alerts to drivers. "The new Arizona Traveler Information System was born out of demand from Arizona motorists for more information – especially during criti- cal events like snowstorms or highway closures. With a 24/7 operations center, ADOT is the principal source of this information," said Dr. Timo- thy Tait, ADOT's director of communications. "While these new services have officially launched, we are still adding features, addressing issues and catching bugs. If you see something we can improve, be sure to look for 'contact us' under the 'About' link on the website." ADOT set up its statewide 511 phone line in 2002 and is part of the na- tionally-designated three-digit phone number for traveler information. Over the past year, AZ511.gov had more than 65 million hits and the 511 phone line received more than 430,000 calls. The new AZ511 system is part of a range of tools used by ADOT to help driv- ers safely navigate the state. With the ADOT Alerts app – available at ADO- TAlerts.com – more than 65,000 users are receiving alerts about crashes, serious weather or closures of highways to help them make informed driv- ing decisions based on their location using geofencing technology. Enhanced AZ 511 info launched

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