Don't panic over wandering wolf

Having a confirmed wolf in Kalispell near the middle school over the weekend was the first encroachment of its kind we can recall, but the reality is that wolves, bears, moose and other wildlife are roaming the periphery of the Flathead Valley and from time to time they wander into town.

In this case, video of the wolf showed a very skittish animal that was ready to get out of town as fast possible, and it did. But the visit was enough to make some residents skittish too, prompting a report earlier this week about another wolf, but that turned out to be false.

Folks shouldn’t get unduly frightened about wolves in town, because it’s likely going to be a long time before it happens again. Better off worrying about loose dogs that do cause harm on a regular basis.

WELCOME TO all of the celebrity guests in the Flathead Valley this weekend to help raise money for families who need help with pediatric medical expenses.

For 27 years the Whitefish Winter Classic has been a worthy fundraiser, bringing many NFL favorites and other VIPs to town for a good cause. About $50,000 annually is given to local families whose children are in need of medical care outside of Northwest Montana. These donations cover transportation, housing during hospital stays and specialty equipment.

Thanks to former Miami Dolphin standout Doug Betters of Whitefish for his tireless pursuit of helping children in need. Get details of the weekend events at www.whitefishwinterclassic.org.

EVERYONE likes a happy ending, and that’s exactly what Navy veteran George Vincent of Kalispell got last week when he was reunited with his dog, Vanilla, after nearly a year’s separation.

Vincent had to leave the dog with his mother in Florida when he became homeless for a time. He suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and had trained Vanilla to function as a service dog to help him control his disorder.

There were many participants in the group effort that led to the reunion of a very grateful veteran and his best friend. It’s another classic example of neighbors helping neighbors here in the Flathead.