Columns

My name is Lisa Pavlock, and I just finished my first campaign for election to the House of Representatives in District 93.  It was a hard-fought race, and although I was deeply saddened not to win, I was grateful for the chance to run to represent the people of Lake County. Upon hearing the results, the leadership of the Democratic Party recommended I get in touch with my opponent, Joe Read, to congratulate him.  And, as difficult as it was, I understood the importance of this act – as an athlete who has played and coached in hundreds of games – it is the way we acknowledge the humanity of our competitor. It is a way of thanking them for the dance we just went t...

Hide-and-seek has changed at our house, as many things change when you progress from being nearly 2 to nearly 2-and-a-half. That is the case of our granddaughter. My how time flies.  According to Wiki, hide-and-seek can be played with two or more players and is appropriate for children 3-years and...

This column is dedicated to friends. Old friends. New friends. New friends who will one day be old friends. Family you’d chose as friends. Best friends. Casual friends. Facebook friends. Editor friends I’ve never met. Peripheral friends. Understanding friends. People you casually encounter who ma...

With the continual increase in COVID-19 cases in Lake and surrounding counties, we have taken a few stricter measures to help protect our staff and patrons and to help keep us open. We are asking everyone to keep their visit to 30 minutes or less. For those needing to do essential work on a computer, we are ...

When it comes to driving, I’ve always allowed my husband to take control of the wheel. Sitting in the passenger seat is so much easier than differentiating the brake from the gas pedal or driving between the lines, so I figure I’ve gotten the better end of that deal. But with driving comes the ot...

In my recent tenure as Chair of the Flathead Basin Commission, I wrote several opinion pieces raising concerns about Steve Bullock’s administration. I have a public record of criticizing Bullock. Yet, I am writing today to urge you to vote for the governor, and send Senator Daines packing. Here’s...

The drive from Big Sandy to Great Falls is awfully familiar to our family. Jon drives those 70-some miles twice a week as he travels between our farm and the Senate. Often we drive together — for farm parts, haircuts, you name it. The drive is second nature. But lately, it has taken on a new meaning. ...

For 28 years, we had the great honor of serving Montana as Superintendents of Public Instruction. In that time, we increased funding for Montana’s public schools, improved graduation rates and defended our public education system against those who would privatize it. Unfortunately, the current offic...

We enthusiastically support Gerry Browning’s candidacy for Montana House District 12. Some past local representatives were polarizing and seemed to use their elective offices as mere stepping stones to other offices. We are confident that Gerry will reach across party lines in the Legislature and will ...

There is one week set aside each year to salute newspapers for the important role they have played in our nation, a role that goes back to the beginning of these United States.  This year, however, waiting until Oct. 4-10 and National Newspaper Week has been difficult because the coronavirus pandemic...