Riding the bus just makes sense
Inter Lake editorial
Flathead Valley commuters have welcomed changes in local bus service, and so do we. Route changes and new commuter routes have led to a 25.6 percent jump in ridership for Eagle Transit, the primary mass-transit provider for the valley.
Of course, $4.50-per-gallon gas last summer might have helped somewhat, but there is also a logic to using mass transit on the major routes in the valley.
Riders typically include college students, teachers and city and county employees, according to Eagle Transit officials. And while Eagle Transit has long served the disabled and seniors, people going to work or shopping make up a growing proportion of bus riders.
Increased use of Eagle Transit is welcome news both from economic and environmental standpoints. It's undeniably cheaper to take the bus, and anything that reduces strain on our highways is welcome.
Continued growth of Eagle Transit is certainly possible as the valley grows and its traffic hassles grow as well.
Although some of the impetus for taking the bus has been diminished by the plunge in gas prices (It's still unbelievable that gas is approaching the $1.50-a-gallon range!), we can't expect that good fortune to last long.
When gas prices start to go up again, Eagle Transit will be even more valuable. Saving money, after all, still is the best incentive for riding the bus.
Young theater-goers are in for a treat this month when "Peter Pan" is staged at the O'Shaughnessy Center in Whitefish.
In addition to elaborate costuming and the retelling of the classic tale of youth and dreams, this play really will take off - literally.
In what is believed to be the first flying production in the Flathead Valley, the Whitefish Theatre Company has enlisted a Las Vegas company to set up the rigging and training so the actors will be able to fly across the stage.
The aerial effects promise to make Whitefish Theatre's production of "Peter Pan" a special thrill for children and their parents, too.
"Peter Pan" opens tonight and runs on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Dec. 21.