Our View: Hi-Line darts and laurels

Laurel — The Boys & Girls Club of the Hi-Line has unveiled its new facilities to the public. The expanded building provides more services to the young people the club serves. Just a dozen or so years ago, when the club opened, organizers weren’t sure enough kids would show up to the club. Now they couldn’t keep them away. There is room for even more with the new addition. And there will be a large room that can be used for community events — such as the club’s annual Festival of Trees. It’s been a lot of work for organizers of the club. In addition to taking care of hundreds of young people every day they have to find funding to keep the club operating and to expand the facilities. They have done a great job. Thanks to them.

Dart — Plain Green, the high-interest loan company that technically has its base at Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation, has suffered a defeat in a federal court ruling in Chicago. The judge’s ruling raises the question as to whether people who take out loans are legally required to pay them back. Companies such as Plain Green prey upon people in financial trouble, prompting them to take out loans they will have a hard time repaying. It is technically owned by the Chippewa Cree Tribe so it can qualify as a Native-owned company, but most of the profits go to out-of-state companies, and only a handful of jobs are created at Rocky Boy. There is a desperate need for economic development at Rocky Boy, and we wish the tribe the best of luck as they look for businesses to provide jobs to the reservation. But they don’t need Plain Green.

Laurel — Rocker Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam remembers his hometown area. Last week, Havre celebrated the opening of its expanded skate park. Ament was a skater as a youngster — he still is today. He wants to make sure young Montanans of today have a better park to use than he did when he was a young Big Sandy resident, so he built skate parks in Big Sandy, Browning and Havre. The celebration, led by Mayor Tim Solomon, was a celebration of small town life. And a celebration of Hi-Liners who never forget their roots.

Laurel — Festival Days is a time of celebration of smalltown community life. There is a new part of Festival Days this year. Chris Preputin, the owner of Custom Collision, is starting an essay contest. He would like one family to receive a van he and Bergren Transmission are repairing. Lots of people need transportation to get around these remote parts, he figures. He is willing to put his time and money on the line to help them out. That is part of the Festival Days spirit.