Our View: Hi-Line darts and laurels, February 7, 2014

Laurel — Rocky Boy High School has won statewide acclaim for its efforts to fight their high rate of school dropouts. Working with Graduation Matters, a program launched by Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau, the school has increased its graduation rate from 52.5 to 66 percent in the last three years. That’s not enough — students entering the workforce from the reservation will have enough problems without having to face the future without a high school diploma — but the school is sure headed in the right direction. And the number of students who are continuing their education after high school is also impressive.

Dart — Kevin Biggs, 28, was being questioned at Bozeman Police headquarters Sunday night when police left him, alone in an interrogation room. Biggs faced charges of raping and kidnapping a woman. Facing a lengthy stay at Deer Lodge, Biggs saw his opportunity and went for it. He walked out of the unlocked room and strolled right out of the unlocked police station. Police believe he may be responsible for two robberies in Missoula Thursday. The robberies prompted the University of Montana and other area schools to go on a lockdown. Bozeman police say they will take precautions to ensure nothing like this happens again. That’s reassuring.

Laurel — It’s too bad that “Winter in the Blood” didn’t show in Havre earlier, but it certainly was worth the wait. It was a high-class movie. It was great to see local spots highlighted in the movie, but it had a lot more to offer than familiar locations. It was a movie that had a real story to tell. We hope that Alex and Andrew Smith, the co-directors, find a distributor who will be able to market the film nationwide.

Laurel — Perhaps it is just our hometown pride, but we were especially impressed with the performances of Alex Escarega and Yancey Hawley in “Winter in the Blood.” Alex, from Rocky Boy, and Yancey, from Fort Belknap, performed exceptionally well in their respective roles as the young Virgil and Mose First Raise. We predict a great acting future for them.

Laurel — State Senate President Jeff Essman, R-Billings, took a courageous stand in asking Sen. Jason Priest, R-Red Lodge, to step aside from his Senate duties while he is awaiting trial on family abuse charges. Priest allegedly beat his wife. If Republicans are to maintain their image as the party of family values, they will have to hold their leadership responsible for flagrant violations of family laws. We hope Essman maintains his stance for the duration of the Priest episode. If Priest is convicted, Essman ought to suggest he look for a different line of work.