Dog owners (and their canine counterparts) already know what a great place the Hugh Rogers Wag Park is.

Now the rest of the country does as well. The popular Whitefish dog park has been named by USA Today as one of the Top 10 Best Dog Parks in the United States. 

Whitefish’s dog park, named after beloved Whitefish veterinarian Hugh Rogers (who died April 1, 2009, in a plane crash), is located in the Armory Park complex east of Whitefish.

The five-acre park has benefited from recent improvements including a community pavilion, additional paved pathways, the addition of an agility course, a small dog area, trees and a safe, clean swimming pond for dogs.

Next up in the ambitious plans to improve the park is a dog wash to hose off pets after they’ve frolicked in puddles or rolled in mud. 

The USA Today honor is well deserved for the Hugh Rogers Wag Park.

Von Trapps: A proud legacy 

The last decade has been an amazing musical journey for the four von Trapp siblings who grew up near Somers and stepped onto the world stage at very young ages. They’re the great-grandchildren of Capt. Georg and Maria von Trapp, whose singing family was portrayed in “The Sound of Music.”

Their tie to a famous musical family may have been their foot in the door to the music business, but it’s clear their talent now stands on its own. The von Trapps — now all in their 20s — live in Portland and have their own indie band that’s releasing an album of original music this month.

Beyond their musical ability, these siblings are well-grounded young adults who are mindful of their heritage and appreciative of their opportunities. Melanie von Trapp said in a recent Inter Lake interview they are “very grateful” the von Trapp story told in “The Sound of Music” is “a legacy we can be proud of and can share... with people who love it.”

In this 50th anniversary year of the wildly popular musical, the hills are still alive with the sound of music, thanks to this generation of von Trapps.