FVCC enjoys a 'big leap' year

Inter Lake editorial

Flathead Valley Community College recorded a rather remarkable 38 percent increase in enrollment for the fall semester, which is a testament to the tenacity of both the school and its students.

Enrollment showed a big leap from 1,287 students a year ago to 1,789 this year.

Partly, that reflects the continuing dedication of the college's trustees and administrators to serving the changing needs of the Flathead Valley. Indeed, FVCC is one college that takes pride in its identity as a "community" college, and strives to provide education that is useful as well as enlightening.

Of course, the growing enrollment probably also reflects an economy in transition. With so many jobs disappearing over the past year, community members are in need of retraining and a fresh start. They are to be commended for their resolve.

MONTANA Fish, Wildlife and Parks is making a commendable and overdue effort to improve a state access on Foy's Lake.

Shoreline plots of land acquired by the department in the early 1990s have been haphazardly "pioneered" by the public with trails and even vehicle tracks to reach the water.

But now the department is pursuing land trades to consolidate its ownership on the lake, and improve parking, trails and general management at the popular access site.

It's a good idea that should proceed as soon as possible.

IT SEEMS THERE was much ado about nothing in the frenzied lead-up to President Barack Obama's address to students on Tuesday.

Before he even uttered a word, Obama was assailed by detractors who found it shocking that a president would have the temerity to speak to American schoolchildren.

Some conservatives urged parents and students to boycott the speech because they feared the president would promote a political agenda.

And what a "political agenda" it turned out to be: Obama urged American youths to stay in school, work hard and "develop your talent, skills and intellect so you can help solve our most difficult problems."

That's hardly controversial advice.

We know there are people who don't like Barack Obama's politics, but they just did their own cause harm by their paranoid warnings about what turned out to be an innocuous and even informative speech.