A distinguished career and life
Inter Lake editorial
"A great officer and an even better man."
"A very nice guy [who] truly cared about kids."
"He touched many lives and made a difference in this world."
Those were some of the tributes left by readers of the Inter Lake on our website after the death of Kalispell Police Sgt. John Ortiz, who died last week at the age of 57 after a heroic battle against pancreatic cancer.
Ortiz exemplified the service-oriented spirit of our best lawmen, and the fact is he did make a huge difference in the world both through his career and his caring.
He will be missed, but his legacy of service will continue to impact the community for many years to come.
PICNIC SCENES last weekend in East Glacier and along Lake McDonald launched a big year for Glacier National Park.
It's a 100-year birthday celebration for Glacier, inaugurated by Sunday's picnics and continuing with a long slate of activities extending into next summer.
The celebration includes festivals, concerts, art displays, lecture series, poetry and photo exhibits - all geared to recognize the century since Congress established Glacier as a national park on May 11, 1910.
The land we now know as Glacier, of course, was shaped by millions of years of geological, glacial and other natural forces.
What we're really celebrating is 100 years of man's enjoyment of the panoply of splendor that is Glacier Park.
As Glacier heads into its second century, it's definitely a time to appreciate all the wonders contained in its million acres.
OUR MOUTHS are still watering as we think about biting into one of James Monroe's Bubba Burgers.
Monroe recently put Eureka and his restaurant, The Cutting Board, on the map by placing second in the Ultimate Hometown Grill Off on the "Live! with Regis and Kelly" morning TV talk show. He lost 'shall we say by a pig's tail) to a pulled-pork sandwich from Mississippi, but Monroe is a real hero to those of us in Northwest Montana who appreciate a good burger.
The Bubba Burger, which features a mesquite-fired patty topped with Cajun sausage, jumbo shrimp, cheese and chipotle sauce, seems like the epitome of good home cooking with a creative flair. Yum.