Our View: Hi-Line darts and laurels

Laurel — Thousands of people are in Havre this week for the District 9-C basketball tournament. Small towns in Montana — and especially the Hi-Line — go crazy over basketball. The tourney is a social event as well as an athletic event. It is the time when even teams with the worst records can get a shot at the championship. Some of these small towns, we’re sure, have more people in Havre than at home. Welcome to Havre everyone. It’s great to have you here.

Dart — No pig wrestling at the Great Northern Fair? We think that’s a bad idea. The pig wrestling contests have gotten a lot of attention and public support in recent years. It’s good, clean fun. Well, clean if you are not participating. We hope the fair board reconsiders.

Dart — The news from State Sen. Kris Hansen, R-Havre, is that things are looking up for the annual $400,000 allocation to the biodiesel research center at Montana State University-Northern. It’s a sad ritual that every two years Northern and its supporters have to grovel to Helena powers-that-be to get the money for the program that is so vital to Montana. Hansen has been a strong supporter of the program for three legislative sessions in a row, though she says that some lawmakers are turned off by the word bio. Boo to them. Bio. Bio. Bio.

Laurel — We are proud, though, that the research center provides quality research into biodiesel energy, among many good things it does. The goal is to be able to provide inexpensive biodiesel energy.

Laurel — A lot of people had a good time and put on some calories last week for the annual Friends of the Library Pie Sale. Some of the best pies in the area were sold and consumed. In the process, more than $1,000 was raised for the Havre-Hill County Library.