Our View: Hi-Line darts and laurels

Dart — Every four years, editorial writers decry the ugly state of politics claiming that it is worse than it ever has been. This year, it’s worse than it ever has been. The nasty name-calling has lowered the level of public discourse. We can blame Donald Trump, but many others have lowered themselves to his level.

Laurel —That’s why it’s great to live on the Hi-Line. It’s hard to imagine a race with sharper ideological differences than they have in District 28, Havre’s seat in the Montana House. Republican Stephanie Hess is very conservative. The two Democrats running to oppose her, Jacob Bachmeier and Will Rawn, are progressive. We’re confident that the race will be conducted professionally without resorting to name-calling.

Laurel — The Brewfest to be held at 5 p.m Saturday at the Central High gym will celebrate Montana beer-making and raise funds for the Bear Paw Ski Bowl. The ski bowl is a monument to the spirit of Hill County. Volunteers do the work, and the Chippewa Cree Tribe provides the land free of charge — all so people can ski without traveling long distances. Saturday, people can drink some beer and help out the ski bowl.

Laurel — Montana House Speaker Austin Knudsen, R-Culbertson, and his staff responded promptly when The Associated Press filed a public access request for records in his office. The AP filed the request as part of Sunshine Week, the annual week set aside to stress the importance of open government records. Montana has a long tradition — at least since the days of the 1972 adoption of the new state constitution — of letting the public see the records and take part in government proceedings.

Dart — Gov. Steve Bullock’s office and the office of state Senate President Debby Barrett took quite a while to get back to The AP. Barrett dawdled because she said the AP had to be specific in which emails they wanted to see. State law is clear. Emails, even those coming from personal computers, are public information if they concern public policy issues.