Wild Card/Thursday — 9.4.14

I first met Duane Hagadone 37 years ago at a dinner at the old Outlaw Inn that he bought for management of the Kalispell Daily Inter Lake. I was the paper’s news editor then. Later, I became the managing editor for four years. Duane was 44 at the time. He was a larger-than-life figure even back then. He sat across the table from Mrs. O and I at dinner. I still remember asking him: “What plans do you have for your newspapers chain?” He responded: “I’m going to make it the best damn newspaper chain in the United States.” He certainly has improved his corner of the Inland Northwest. Here’s wishing him a great birthday — and many more. Now for today’s Wild Card …