Fond farewell
To the community of Whitefish: As of May 15, 2009, I officially resigned as head boys basketball coach for the Whitefish School District.
I would like to extend my warmest and most sincere gratitude to the community and its members for all the support and generosity they have shown the boys basketball program and myself for the past two seasons. I greatly appreciate the opportunity and memories that I have experienced during my time as head coach.
I especially would like to thank all the fine young men I have had the pleasure to coach, their parents and guardians, the Whitefish School district staff and personnel, Julio and Benilda Delgado, Craig Audet, Tim Murphy, Lynn Akey, Charlie Abel, John Kalbfleisch, Tim Olson, Sean Duff, Jeremy Anderson, Mark Casazza, Clint Peters, Tom Bertelsen, Derek Schulz, Colleen Sullivan, Terry and Carol Trieweiler, Art Krueger, Dean McFadden, Darney Tripp, Dylan Tabish, Dave Lesnick, Karl Hennell, Shane Moss, Frank Barnes, Tim Neff, Kent and Joan Paulson, Collette Gardiner, Jenny Havens, Tim Mahoney, Randy Dawdy, Carey Finberg, John Hollow, Karl Tait, Wally Winslow, Steve Woll, Jim Epperly, Lyle Whitehead, Irv Heitz, Fred Febach, Mark Harkinson, Mark Duff, Kelly Haverlandt, the best bus driver ever Dave Bauer, and all the Bulldog fans and supporters.
Take care and go Dogs.
Eric Stang
Whitefish
Music program
We were saddened to learn of the proposed reduction in elective time available to the music programs of the Whitefish Middle School.
Any reduction of such an outstanding existing program, which boasts not only a history of progressive increase in enrollment but also forms the basis for the high school music program, can only result in a serious impact on music education in Whitefish.
The orchestra and choral teacher, Jenanne Solberg, recently recognized by Yale University as one of the 50 outstanding music educators in the country, is uniquely qualified to help lead in the continued growth in both the quality of, and participation in, the middle school music education program.
As the Education Committee of the Glacier Symphony and Chorale, we agree with the opinions already expressed by other concerned community members and music educators — that a reduction in music education represents a significant cultural loss to our community.
We encourage those who shape the course of education in Whitefish to take whatever steps may be needed to continue the outstanding program already established at the Whitefish Middle School.
To quote Solberg from a recent interview, “I am teaching about life through music … in music students learn a universal language; they discover how to cooperate within diverse groups; and these are not winners or losers.”
B.J. Carlson
James Bonnet
Glacier Symphony
and Chorale
Education Committee
Crazy speeding
I know it’s crazy, but in Montana I try to drive the speed limit. Though I don’t do it to make people mad, other drivers often send themselves into the upper realms of the tension scale, so indignant they are at another’s lawfulness.
Speed limits are the computation of variables, such as road layout, grade, sinuosity, traffic volume and surrounding terrain. With few exceptions, they exist for good reasons. Nevertheless, many motorists seem to regard speed limits as arbitrary, and will even lash out at drivers adhering to the law with angry words and hostilities.
Indicative of hurried and impatient lives, our tendency to let small inconveniences bring on fits of anger is as disturbing as it is unnecessary. Having a tantrum on the road makes one’s driving more dangerous and causes general unpleasantness for everyone involved. For all the talk we hear of rejecting things Californian, many Montanans seem all too eager to emulate their driving habits and hair-trigger tempers.
With more than 40,000 motor vehicle accident deaths in the U.S. each year, we would do well to drive with more temperance and less urgency. Many have yet to learn that when it comes to driving, it’s a lot easier to take it easy.
Joe Welke
Whitefish