Hi-Line Darts and Laurels

Laurel — After 12 months of dawdling, public officials have taken some action in the case involving former Police Chief Jerry Nystrom and his wife, Ashlie, for their alleged role in a barroom brawl last year. We have no idea if they are innocent or guilty. But rumors, innuendo and allegations of coverups have run rampant in the community over the past year. Now assault charges have been filed, and the Nystroms can face their accusers in court. The public can now be assured that the case will be heard in court, not in the coffee shops and taverns. One way or another, justice will be done.

Dart — The U.S. House of Representatives pulled a boneheaded move by stripping away funds for biodiesel research. Of course we are biased. Montana State University-Northern is a center for research in biofuels, and there's no doubt the federal action would hurt the college. That aside, in a time of uncertainty, we think it is necessary to have all kinds of energy exploration. We should look at coal, oil, solar, natural gas, wind and, yes, biofuels. Maybe we should decrease the tax breaks we give oil companies a fraction of 1 percent to pay for the needed biofuels research.

Dart — Larry Reinlasoder has been sacked as police chief in Colstrip for a variety of misconduct, including showing a female dispatcher pornography on a city computer. City officials were apparently right in getting rid of the chief, but one has to wonder why Reinlasoder was hired in Colstrip in the first place. He had just "resigned" in Billings, a few hours before he was to be given the boot. He used city resources to run background checks for his private law enforcement consulting business. Then-Billings Police Chief Jim Tussing, in a termination letter, said he was stunned that Reinlasoder would engage "in such illegal and blatantly unethical conduct."

Laurel — The Boys & Girls Club of the Hi-Line won two awards at the Boys & Girls Club of America National conference in San Diego in early May. The club's "Be Connected Campaign" won the Marketing and Communications Gold Award, The club also won the MAC Gold Award for Advertising. The club has a long history as being the little train that could. It's a small club by national standards, but in marketing itself and in providing services to the children of the area, the Boys & Girls Club has an outstanding record.