Our View: Hi-Line darts and laurels, February 21, 2014

Laurel — Havre High School‘s wrestling team has done the town proud again by winning the Montana Class A championship. This is the second year in a row. There were some exciting matches, en route to the title, including the championship match between the Adams brothers.

Dart — Montana officials believe that governments closest to the people should be making decisions — unless the government closest to the people is the city of Missoula. A few years back, the city passed an ordinance banning discrimination against gays. Conservatives were in a lather, saying only the state would do that. And then the state refused to do that. Now the city wants to charge a $309 permit for groups bringing megaloads through the city. City officials say the money will cover costs the government undertakes while megaloads are driven through the city. Why not let Missoula act in what it believes is its own best interests?

Laurel — The We Love Northern Ball took in $38,000 this year. The money will go for scholarships and to help build the new exhibit for the university's Northern Montana Plains Indians collection.

Dart — Very few people have provided a greater public service to Montana than Matt Kuntz, the director of National Association of Mentally Ill-Montana. But we’re thinking he may be a bit off in his warnings against banning those who have been involuntarily committed to institutions from owning guns. In the interests of public safety, the state ought to be very careful before allowing the mentally ill to own firearms.

Laurel — Welcome to all the people who are visiting Havre this weekend for the District 9C basketball tournament. The tournament is America at its best. Small town residents from Big Sandy to Turner are here to cheer on their teams. Next year, we look forward to having people from Chester and Fort Benton join in the festivities.