Honoring a soldier's sacrifice

The war in Afghanistan at times seems like a conflict far, far away.

But the grim reality of war was brought home this week with the news that one of our own, Army Pvt. Nicholas Cook of Hungry Horse, was killed in combat in Afghanistan.

Cook, a member of the airborne infantry, was a 2008 graduate of Columbia Falls High School, an excellent athlete and avid snowboarder.

He had planned to make a career out of the military.

Cook is the fifth Northwest Montana soldier to lose his life in the line of duty in Iraq or Afghanistan.

He leaves behind the grandparents who raised him as well as an appreciative and mournful Flathead Valley who salute his ultimate sacrifice.

HARD TO BELIEVE that a quarter century has passed since then-NFL star Doug Betters first sponsored the Winter Classic to raise funds to help pay non-medical costs needed to take care of sick kids.

Time flies when you’re having fun, and this event — now known as the Whitefish Winter Classic — has been nothing but fun from the beginning. Even the volunteers — who put in hundreds of hours over the course of the year — always seem to have a smile on their faces.

This year’s celebration features Lex Hilliard, a Flathead High School standout who now plays for the Miami Dolphins, the same team that Betters played for when he was a star defensive end in the 1980s.

THE MARCH 15 deadline for filing for state and local elections is fast approaching, and fortunately, some competitive races have developed in Flathead County.

Races for county commissioner, sheriff, justice of the peace and a new district judge position have multiple candidates, meaning voters will have actual choices.

There are two legislative races with multiple candidates and there are others with at least two candidates, but four races have uncontested candidates and seven races have no Democratic candidates — so far.

In past elections, Democrats have waited right up to the deadline for filing, and hopefully they’ll have some surprises in the next few days. It’s invaluable for voters to have a choice at the ballot box.