The top 10 of 2004 - maybe

Paul Fugleberg

Leader Staff

As usual for the last issue of the year, I've tried to pick the "top 10" categories of stories the Leader has carried during the past year. Seems like 2004 has been quite an eventful year. Selection of the top stories are purely subjective. Ask 10 different people and you'd probably get 10 different rankings. But, for what it's worth, here are my top 10:

1. The House District tie vote between Democrat Jeanne Windham and Constitutionalist Rick Jore. At presstime, the matter was still before the State Supreme Court for a ruling.

2. Land controversies included the proposed Lake County Density regulations, Northridge subdivision at Lake Mary Ronan and Cougar Ridge subdivision at Polson.

3. The ongoing tragedy of minors literally drinking themselves to death continued.

4. The deck collapse at the Diamond Horseshoe supper club injures 80 and made national news.

5. The pain of war came home with the death of Kane Funke in Iraq. He was buried in Lakeview Cemetery following a funeral service in Immaculate Conception Church.

6. Polson High School girls brought back state titles in track and softball. Track championship meet was marred when record breaker Kasey Harwood collapsed in her final appearance. She earned 13 gold medals in her high school career. The Lady Pirates softball team's title was the third in four years.

7. The Polson Pirates reached the state football finals only to lose 13-7 to Anaconda Central for the championship.

8. Piecemeal construction of Highway 93 improvements gets underway.

9. The State and Confederated Tribes reached a preliminary water rights agreement.

10. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Confederated Tribes reached an agreement that turns over parts of the National Bison Range management to the Tribes. The controversial issue is now being reviewed by Congress.

Yes, there were plenty of other major stories, too, including: a smoke-free summer for the first time in two years due to no major forest fires in western Montana; surging gas and fuel oil prices; criminal activities involving domestic violence, vandalism, sex offenses; Polson's water shortage of last year remedied by placement of the waterline across the river to tap a well above the airport; removal of the moratorium on new water connections at Polson; Mission's 150th anniversary; the hike in solid waste fees from $103 to $135 (down from a proposed $150 following many protests); Salish Point plans; Lake County residents' generosity to families facing medical or other emergencies; conviction of Swan Delavergn Smith for the 1999 murder of Raymond Dunnwebber; the rejection of the special 20-mill request from the sheriff's office to help meet the increasing costs of law enforcement; and, of course, the deaths of many well known, longtime residents and community leaders.

There are many more events that perhaps should have made the top 10.

Those are mine. What are yours?