Deer poisoning generated outrage

Readers were outraged this week over a story about a Ferndale man who had been poisoning deer to keep them from eating his landscaping.

And rightly so. Hopefully, this case will discourage others who might consider poison as an option for controlling troublesome deer, even though the man was fined only $85.

The problem with poison is that it's not likely to be effective in "teaching" animals to stay away from a particular property, and it can have unintended consequences. Pets or animals that consume poisoned deer can also be affected.

Some folks felt the $85 fine was far too light, but there was a reason for that in this case. The justice of the peace, who processes some 900 tickets a month, did not have all the information surrounding the case when he imposed sentence, only a ticket citing an obscure misdemeanor offense.

Had the judge known that the man had been putting out poison for years, there likely would have been a much stiffer fine. But ultimately in a case like this, it is the public outrage that is the greatest punishment - and the greatest deterrent.

Kalispell's Kala French has finally won confirmation to the state Board of Regents.

The Montana State University student was appointed to fill the seat by former Gov. Judy Martz , and by all accounts she has done a good job in representing students' interests on the board.

But because French is a Republican, and the new governor and Legislature are Democratic, it seemed as though she might be kept off the board strictly for political purposes.

As it is, she will now only serve until the end of the year instead of into 2007 as originally intended by Martz. Too bad - it will be hard to replace her with someone who has the same combination of toughness, intelligence, and grace.

Good luck to her as she completes her term.

A round of applause is also in order for Bigfork Summer Playhouse owners and producers Don and Jude Thomson.

The longtime Bigfork couple was honored Saturday by the University of Montana School of Fine Arts for contributions to the arts that have spanned more than four decades. Through their summer-theater program they've provided an opportunity for hundreds of aspiring actors and musicians to hone their skills.

Though it's difficult to measure their influence, here's one tangible bit of evidence from the lives they've touched: 30 playhouse alumni have appeared on Broadway, 10 of them in leading roles.

The Flathead Valley is fortunate to have people like the Thomsons who have devoted their lives to the arts. It's not only the young thespians and musicians who benefit from their passion; it's also area residents who have been treated to top-notch productions.