A cleaner river will run through it

I

At long last, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is pushing BNSF Railway Co. to clean up portions of the Whitefish River where lingering contamination from railroad diesel fuel has been a problem.

An oily sheen on parts of the river at times and sediment that looks like black, oily gunk don't bode well for a river that is so heavily used for recreation, or for a community that consistently makes water quality a priority.

It was a citizen complaint made two years ago, by a whistle-blower if you will, that finally got the attention of state and federal officials. That shows the difference one person can make.

ALTHOUGH THERE was an obvious downside for firefighting contractors, it was good to get through the 2009 fire seasons with relatively little fire activity in Northwest Montana.

Last week was about as busy as it got, with the Baldy Fire west of Lakeside and the Ninko Creek Fire in the North Fork causing a stir among firefighters. But that's about it - this week's cooler temperatures and rain have hopefully put a lid on significant fire activity for the rest of the season.

Congratulations to the teams of firefighters, air- and land-based, who gave their all to make sure damage was kept to a minimum in a highly dangerous situation.

THERE'S SOMETHING refreshing about a new agriculture-based business being launched in the Flathead Valley, where agriculture was king for almost 100 years.

The Hedstrom family, a fixture in the local dairy business for 30 years, is opening a milk processing facility called Kalispell Kreamery west of Kalispell.

It will produce milk, ice cream and cottage cheese as well as unhomogenized milk that will be for sale at the Lost Creek Drive creamery. Home delivery is a possibility in the future.

This promises to be a worthwhile venture in value-added products that are grown and processed locally and is a reminder that local traditions can often be an inspiration for future success.