No punishment can fit this crime

Joseph E. Duncan III pleaded guilty this week to Idaho charges of murder and kidnapping.

That will spare his surviving victim, 9-year-old Shasta Groene, from having to testify about her ordeal, but it is fortunately not the end of the story.

Shasta was kidnapped along with her brother Dylan from their home near Coeur d'Alene last year. Their mother, her boyfriend, and an older brother were killed at the family home by Duncan before he took Shasta and Dylan to Montana, where he sexually molested them and later killed Dylan.

So far, Duncan's guilty pleas have guaranteed him at least three consecutive life sentences, but that doesn't begin to approach payment for the damage he has done.

Fortunately, federal prosecutors also intend to bring charges against Duncan for the interstate kidnapping, and they plan to seek the death penalty. Good. Whatever moral conundrum the death penalty presents for some people, no one can deny that Duncan has earned it.

The Department of Transportation announced last week that it had decided to honor a community request that the south side of the new Kalispell bypass be built first.

That segment runs from near the Gardner's RV business on U.S. 93 south of Kalispell to U.S. 2 just west of Appleway. The bypass generally follows an abandoned railroad right-of-way.

Although a committee had recommended building the north half of the bypass first, many interested parties in Kalispell thought that the southern half would have a more immediate and positive impact in traffic conditions.

It was also noteworthy that the Department of Transportation agreed to make the West Reserve Loop at the far north end of the bypass a priority. With all the new retail there, along with a new high school and plans for homes, there is a need for improved traffic flows at West Reserve immediately.

Congratulations to Columbia Falls High School graduate Joe Bereta for breaking into the big time as a comedy writer.

Bereta, 23, teamed up with a comedy partner named Luke Barats while attending Gonzaga University in Spokane. With their background in improv, and their willingness to use the new medium of the Internet, Barats and Bereta attracted an audience of millions with their short comedy videos posted on YouTube and elsewhere.

Now they have a chance to write under contract for NBC for at least a year. There are no guarantees in show business, but we wouldn't bet against this hard-working, funny duo.