Are you ready for some playoffs?
It’s hard to go anywhere in the Flathead Valley these days without experiencing a serious case of football fever.
The excitement is justified, since four of our teams take the field this weekend in state playoff action.
Three playoff games are home contests — Butte at Glacier tonight, Havre at Columbia Falls on Saturday and Baker at Bigfork on Saturday. The fourth playoff contender, Whitefish, heads to Belgrade for a quarterfinal contest Saturday.
The four Flathead Valley teams ranging from Class B to Class AA have racked up a total of 34 wins against three losses so far this season, so there is ample room for optimism that our young gridiron heroes can succeed in their quest for state titles.
Good luck this weekend to the Wolfpack, Wildcats, Bulldogs and Vikings.
Applause for AAUW
Many locals know the Kalispell branch of the American Association of University Women for one of its most visible events: the annual used book sale each spring that raises money for the organization.
Some may not realize, though, that AAUW’s contributions to the Flathead County span eight decades. The Kalispell branch is celebrating its 80th anniversary, taking note of the many projects that have been launched during that time to advance equality for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy and research.
We applaud these women for their tireless efforts through the years, taking on the issues of the day. As longtime member Nancy Rose so aptly put it, “This branch keeps morphing to deal with what’s relevant.”
This is a dedicated group that’s bound to keep chipping away at its mission, and we’re all the better for it.
Election countdown starts
It seemed to take long enough, but Montana’s lone congressman, Steve Daines, finally pulled the trigger this week and announced he is running for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Max Baucus.
That’s a significant move that creates a much more clear picture of next year’s campaign season. Republicans are right to be optimistic about Daines being a formidable candidate to assume a seat that’s been held by Democrats for decades.
But Democrats aren’t relinquishing it without a fight. Former Lt. Gov. John Bohlinger piggybacked on Daines’ widely expected announcement, making his own surprise announcement that he will be challenging current Lt. Gov. John Walsh in the Democratic primary election for the seat. Other candidates could emerge as well — in both parties!
And with Daines entering the Senate race, the runway is cleared for several Republicans who have already annnounced their candidacies for Montana’s lone House seat, including former Whitefish state Sen. Ryan Zinke.
Let the politics begin!
Editorials represent the majority opinion of the Daily Inter Lake’s editorial board.