Our View: Hi-Line darts and laurels

Laurels — The late-Terry Schend and the late-Kevin Keim did tremendous work in planning and constructing Town Square in downtown Havre. The park has become a centerpiece of Havre life. Saturday Market and Sounds on the Square take place there. Other festivities and political gatherings have also been held in the park. The Havre Area Chamber of Commerce, which spearheaded the effort to build the park more than a decade ago, honored Schend and Keim for their work by naming them recipients of the North Star Award this week. This is a tremendous tribute to these men who did so much for the Chamber and a host of other community activities.

Laurels — Chandra Moomey has taken over as president of the Havre Area Chamber of Commerce as it begins its 104th year. It is both a difficult and an easy job. Difficult because there is so much work to do and so many priorities to set as Havre tries to move forward on a variety of fronts. And it's easy because her job will be to promote the city, its business community and its people. It's a great city, a tremendous business community and some of the best people in the world. Best of luck, Chandra.

Darts — Sen. Jon Tester and his Republican rival for Senate this fall, Rep. Denny Rehberg, agree that the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline should have been approved, and both were displeased that President Barack Obama rejected, at least for now, the construction. Since they agree, there must be a temporary cease-fire in the never-ending sniping back and forth between the rivals, right? Wrong, The two sent zingers back and forth all day Monday, each claiming to be more against Obama's stand than the other, citing a series of votes on parliamentary procedures on a variety of bills. We trust both of you guys. You are for the pipeline. Now let's move on to sniping over things you actually do disagree about.

Laurels — Our colleagues and sometimes competitors at the Great Falls Tribune did a tremendous public service this week when they shed light on unethical practices by the Montana Commissioner of Political Practices. Commissioner Dave Gallik resigned — none too gracefully — after the Trib reported on staff complaints that he failed to get his work done and billed the state for time he spent on his private law practice. Why should newspapers survive the current media shakeup? There is not enough room here for us to list the reasons we think our profession is important. Why do newspapers have to survive? Because no other media can provide the fine investigative coverage like the Trib did this week.