Big heart pumps in endurance swimmer

One of Flathead County’s newest deputy county attorneys has set a big goal by taking on a self-imposed challenge to swim the length of Flathead Lake.

If she succeeds, Emily von Jentzen would be the first woman to complete the 27.3-mile swim, and only the third person ever to go the distance over the entire length of Flathead Lake.

While it’s an admirable goal for the triathlete and swimming sensation, what’s inspiring about von Jentzen’s quest is that she’s doing it as a fundraiser to help out a 3-year-old with leukemia. As she so aptly said, “It’s about doing something bigger than yourself.”

Godspeed, Emily. We’ll be rooting for you.

Let’s give Lakeside residents a hand for taking law enforcement into their own hands.

OK, that may be an overstatement, but the community’s continued efforts to place a decoy patrol car along U.S. 93 to slow down speeding drivers is an effective enforcement tool.

Every day, members of the volunteer organization SLOW — Saving Lives on the West shore — take turns driving the decoy patrol car and its mannequin driver, “Lucky,” to various locations on the highway.

The Lakeside community swells with summer visitors and crosswalks often are bustling, so it’s especially important this time of year to obey the posted speed limits along the West Shore.

The group just finished a fundraiser to help raise $7,500 for maintenance and the purchase of a speed indicator trailer and two radar guns. It’s not too late to donate, though.

If you’re so inclined, pitch in a few bucks to the cause. Send donations to Flathead Community Foundation, Flathead Bank, attn: Muffie Thompson, 7265 U.S. 93, or P.O. Box 769, Lakeside, MT 59922. Checks should note “Lucky” or SLOW in the memo line.

We’re glad to see horse racing returning to the Northwest Montana Fair this year. Thanks to the determination of All Breed Turf Club member Janis Schoepf and others, racing will be held Aug. 21-22 during the last two days of the fair.

The Turf Club and Blackfeet Tribe will sponsor the event and promise a full race card. Now it’s up to us to go to the races if we want it to remain a part of the fair.

The public lamented when Flathead County gave up the long held tradition of horse racing in 2006 citing sizable financial losses.

Let’s give race organizers the support they need to make our fair better than ever this year.