Columns

Succulents and cacti have taken the world by storm in the past several years. Even prior to the pandemic, an explosion of interest in these small aesthetically pleasing plants, has steadily risen. Aided by Instagram and a desire to be more in harmony with nature, windowsills across the globe were quietly being taken over by little pots containing these unique plants. Looking back at history, plant obsessions are a frequent occurrence. Think of Tulip Mania in the Netherlands during the 1600s or Fern-Fever in the UK during the 1800s. In more modern times, air plants, orchids, and the Venus flytrap have been the victims of flora fads. On the surface, such trends might seem positive because ...

I recently sold the house I’d lived in for more than 20 years. During that time my family and I had accumulated infinite memories and related “stuff.” I wanted to keep the memories, but longed to rid myself of much of the stuff. When you plan a move across the country, less is more. Poss...

September is “Library Card Sign-up Month.” There is nothing more empowering than getting your own library card. It gives you access to technology, resources, and services to pursue your passions and dreams. If you don’t have a library card, stop in today and sign up. It’s free. We ...

Montana farmers and ranchers across this state have been waiting far too long for their elected representatives to secure their right to repair their own agricultural equipment. When a combine breaks down in the field during harvest season, a farmer needs to get it up and running as quickly as possible to av...

The ACLU of Montana is profoundly disturbed by the recent reports in Canada of unmarked mass gravesites at currently six of the 139 Indian boarding schools. Over 1,300 children and innumerable future generations were taken by the racist, genocidal settler-colonial project of Canada. Moreover, the Indigenous ...

The August 4th Valley Journal published an article related to the collection of irrigation fees by the Lake County Treasurer’s Office. For decades the treasurer has collected those fees and distributed them to the districts upon demand. The Lake County Commissioners are considering ending this service ...

I have a question for you: When was the last time you sat down and watched a movie? The last time you watched an episode of a show? I don’t know about you, but the frequency I indulge in one is very different from the other. More broadly, I have noticed a similar trend amongst my peers with an overwhel...

Montanans used to joke that we had two distinct seasons: winter and road construction. Now we have three seasons: winter, road construction and fire season, and the latter is punctuated by searing temperatures and long dry spells brought on by a never-ending high-pressure system that stokes smoky weather and...

Our annual Summer Reading Program is nearing the end. Join us for our final program on Thursday, Aug. 5, at 10 a.m. in Sacajawea Park with Karen Duty of Hellroaring Kennels and the Mission Valley Animal Shelter. There will be adorable puppies and kittens to cuddle while you learn about how to properly care f...

In Montana private land elk hunting is moving toward 11 weeks for people who can pay thousands of dollars for trophy bulls, while others are left to hunt cows in deep snows and bitter cold when they’re struggling to survive the winter.  That’s the proposal of the Gianforte administration,...