Our View: Hi-Line darts and laurels, November 22, 2013

Laurel — Lots of area people will help out Thursday at the annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner at St. Jude Parish Hall. Volunteers, headed by Debi Rhines, put on a full-fledged Thanksgiving meal for several hundred people of all walks of life who usually show up. There is a lot of work, but it is also a lot of fun. If you have some free time, join in with the volunteers. And if you need something to do for Thanksgiving, join in by dining with several hundred other Hi-Liners who will be on hand.

Dart — Stealing from any agency is deplorable, but taking funds from a veterans group whose funds are already depleted and whose members are getting older is totally disgusting. Larry Longfellow, 68, took $140,000 from Montana VFW over seven years. The state VFW is now in debt. “He was placed in a position of great trust and betrayed everything for which our veterans worked,” said State VFW Commander Ed Croucher. It’s sad to see a man his age jailed, but its hard to argue with state prosecutors who want to see Longfellow locked up for 18 months two two years.

Laurel — A sad number of World War II veterans are dying off, and it seems that insufficient tribute is being paid to them. That’s why it was so great to read about 96-year-old Edmond Harjo, a Native American code talker who was one of thousands of Native Americans who used their native languages to outwit the Japanese during World War II. Harjo was honored Thursday at special ceremonies in Washington.

Laurel — The Great Northern Fair is a Hi-Line tradition that has been great entertainment for generations of area residents. We hope the spirit of the fair never changes. But some things must change with the times. Hill County Commissioner Jeff LaVoi and Fair Board Chairman Bert Corcoran had some ideas that are worth talking about. LaVoi supported bringing back the grandstands, which sounds like a great idea, though a little pricey. Corcoran says the fair ought to emulate some of the ideas incorporated in the Native American Week festivities at Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation this year, especially the Ultimate Warrior competition, which drew large crowds to Rocky Boy. Both sound like ideas that ought to be investigated.