Opinion
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 1244
By 
Infrastructure package comes through
HELENA - We are coming up on our last week here in the Legislative session. During the 2018 election, I said that if you elected me to represent you in Helena that I would chair the states infrastructure committee and work to shepherd a complete...
Spring at last
Everywhere I went this last winter seems like everyone sez "Are you tired of winter yet?" Ya, I guess the older I get the more I long for spring. At about the 21st of March, the red, red robin came bo...
The importance of collaboration on the North Fork
The North Fork Blackfoot River is an iconic Montana River. Flowing through the heart of the Blackfoot Watershed, the North Fork is a stronghold for native bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout owin...
Abortion is murder plain and simple
Of all the subjects being discussed today, the one most polarizing is abortion. As a Christian I believe all abortions are an affront to God. This is clearly spelled out in the Scriptures. Genesis 1:27 states, “So God created man in his own image,...
Opioids – Paying the price for the minority who abuse
Several years ago I was involved in a severe single-car auto accident when a left front tire blew out on a country road. I was intentionally placed in a coma for a few months as my body worked to recover from multiple spinal fractures and other...
Actively take care of firefighters - Not just passively
Representatives and Senators, HELENA - Senate Bill 260 was signed into law on April 3, 2019, establishing the Trenton Johnson Memorial Highway, for the sake of honoring the risks wildland firefighters accept in order to save the lives and property...
Revolver or auto?
When asked that question, my reply is, “what do you want the gun for?” Let’s talk about only concealed carry for now. I will address other purposes later. There are so many choices it can be...
Many unknowns in the home stretch
The Legislative Session is coming to an end. I have heard rumors that Republican and Democratic leadership are thinking we might be done by Easter but we hear that leadership wants us to be done early every session and it usually doesn’t work out....
Fire Adapted Community? Everyone's invited!
In recent years, agencies and homeowners alike have raised the question "How can a fire adapted community benefit me?" It's not until we start asking around to other communities in the northwest do...
The choice
"Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?" Pontius Pilate, the Roman prefect of Judaea, was faced with a dilemma. Finding Jesus not...
Public Service Commission needed to protect Montana
An Open Letter to Montana State Legislators and Governor Bullock: As former and current Montana Public Service Commissioners, we represented Montanans across this great state in balancing the needs of utilities with the needs of consumers. We took...
State Budget closing in on final days
HELENA - Monday was the final day for general bills to transmit back to the chamber they originated in, so any policy bills that weren’t returned to the House or the Senate, depending on where they started are now dead. Moving forward, most of the...
Consciousness varies
In past articles, I described consciousness as awareness but we must ask: Does awareness differ from person to person? Clearly, everyone has consciousness, however, like so much of psychology each...
Take the opportunity to tent it
I know how you're feeling...Spring is here! Mountain Bluebirds have returned. Robins are prominently flying around town. A few early-season bugs splattered on my windshield on a recent drive. The...
Desert diversity
I love the desert. From the dry heat to cool nights to flash floods, there is a mystery about the desert to me that causes me to be filled with wonder at it. Having never lived in the desert, there is an unfamiliarity to it that seems to keep me...
House Bill 710 Helps Stop Pharmaceutical Greed
Americans pay the highest brand-name drug prices in the world. Congress, the Administration, and importantly, our own Montana State legislators must take action now to lower prescription drug prices, the root cause of this problem. That’s why AARP...
Don't take life for granted
MISSOULA - They call it the widow maker. It’s also called the left anterior descending (LAD) artery and one year ago mine was almost completely blocked. Had my occlusion been total, I’d likely not be penning these words today, which explains the...
Sprinkler woes and when to start planting
Q: Watering always is a problem for us. We hand water some raised beds but that doesn't work if we are going to be gone for several days. If we use sprinklers with timers, we end up watering areas...
Prevent loneliness from wrecking your retirement
Dear friends, Retiring in Seeley-Swan Valley? What does that look like? We know it is an extraordinarily beautiful landscape. We absolutely love it here for many reasons: fishing, hunting, hiking,...
Ridge-top to ridge-top conservation through education
Over the last few months, watershed students young and old experienced a variety of Blackfoot Challenge program work first-hand. In the following paragraphs we'll guide you through their journey, each...
Closing in on transmittal
HELENA - This week was the final week before transmittal, meaning that every bill that started in one chamber, had to pass through to the other chamber in order to stay alive. So at this point, any bill that started in the House and has not passed...
Down the bunny trail
Every spring followers of The Way celebrate the risen Christ. “Up from the grave He arose!” so the old hymn tells us. And I believe it. Should one of the two greatest events in human history be shared with Peter Rabbit? I’ve been around the...
Special thanks to Montana's Legislators
This week, our republican and democratic state legislators notched a victory for Montanans. Working together with the Governor's office, they agreed on legislation that would permanently reauthorize Medicaid Expansion. This is good news for Montana...
Income inequality
In Robin Hood’s time the rich (government) were rich at the expense of someone else. Everything was limited. A coat might take 100s of hours to produce. The rich had food, others had to starve. Gold, silver and land belonged to the king...
A picture is worth a 1,000 words...
SEELEY LAKE – We’ve received a handful of comments regarding the editorial cartoon printed in the March 14 issue on page 2. We always appreciate constructive feedback – it helps us better serve our readers. First, the editorial cartoon was not...
