Our man in Afghanistan a good one

Inter Lake editorial

Frank Garner came back home last week with plenty of stories to tell of his latest adventure.

This adventure for the former Kalispell police chief is in Afghanistan, where Garner is helping train people for the Afghan National Police.

It was barely six months ago that Garner was closing out his law-enforcement career here. He went from the relative garden spot of the Flathead Valley to the harsh landscape of Afghanistan, which he described as a lot of rock mixed with sand.

Garner told tales of abject poverty and stark living conditions in Afghanistan.

But he also related stories of hope for the beleaguered nation. And it's a hope that he is helping to build.

A photo of him at work showed the quintessential Garner as he handed out candy and crayons to Afghan children (he had to explain to the children - who had not been to school - that the crayons were for drawing, not eating).

He was ever the people person when he was here in the Flathead, and it's obvious that Garner's personal skills are serving him well halfway around the world.

The Afghans are lucky to have a man of Garner's caliber helping them out.

Will a new owner be able to restore Kalispell's Outlaw Inn to its former glory?

That's the hope of Bryan Scott and his Kalispell Hospitality Co. Last week Scott announced he and his firm had purchased the landmark south Kalispell hotel from Red Lion Hotels.

Scott and his partners - his grandfather Gerald Scott and Guy and Pat Lavoie - plan a complete remodeling over the next couple of years to bring the Outlaw "back up to a quality hotel," in Scott's words, "more classy like it used to be."

They even plan to preserve the signature mustache logo for what will be called The New Outlaw Inn.

The new owners have their work cut out for them in restoring the Outlaw, which in its heyday was THE place to go in the valley.

But over the years the Outlaw's dominance declined at the same time as many more options for lodging and entertainment were built in and around Kalispell.

We wish the new owners luck on their new venture and applaud them for their confidence in Kalispell.