One of the good guys retires
We bid a fond farewell to a mainstay in local law enforcement, Ernie Freebury, whose last day of work with the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office is Saturday.
In his 35 years with a badge, Freebury was known for his ability to laugh and make others do the same even during the most tragic of circumstances.
His communications skills — whether consoling relatives of victims of tragedy or calming cornered crime suspects — served him well and gave him a solid reputation in the community.
His summation of his long law-enforcement career bears repeating: “I got to save a few lives, touch a few lives and put some bad people in jail,” he said. “And I had fun almost every day for almost 35 years.”
Ernie will surely be missed.
IT REMAINS to be seen if an agreement can be hammered out that makes everyone in the Whitefish “doughnut” happy, but it’s encouraging to see a new draft of an interlocal agreement for Whitefish’s two-mile planning area.
One of the options would require the county to jointly weigh in and make decisions on planning issues affecting the doughnut. It seems that option would satisfy most of the doughnut residents who feel they have no representation because they can’t vote in Whitefish city elections.
Attorneys for the city, county and intervenors in a doughnut lawsuit are working toward a solution, and a committee of city and county residents is bringing a layman’s viewpoint to the table. We hope for an equitable resolution to the longtime doughnut dilemma.
HIT THE TRAIL, pardner!
Or should we say trails? Throughout the valley, new walking and bike trails have been springing up, and this week three of them were in the news.
Construction got under way Monday on the new Sam Bibler Memorial Trail along Willow Glen Drive. That project will soon be joined by trails along Blacktail Road in Lakeside and along the Swan River Road in Bigfork.
This takes a considerable investment of resources and volunteer time as well as more than a modicum of vision. We are grateful to live in a community where such projects are not just dreamed about, but accomplished.