Columns
This is the first of a two-part column. Because trees not only require but deserve two parts of our attention. Magestic. Beautiful. Larger than life. Strong. All-knowing. All-seeing. Reaching skyward. Extending downward. Life-providing. Life sustaining. Simple. Complex. Miraculous. Useful. Worthy. Alive. Silent. Trees. Trees don’t fight traffic or scramble in the morning hoping not to to be late to work. They don’t ever cross the street or engage in friendly gossip. They don’t cross the street because they don’t move (at least not on their own). They don’t gossip because they don’t talk. If only trees could talk. Think of the stories ...
The “United” States aren’t anymore. Politically, our country is a train wreck: polarized, partisan, and divisive. We have lost our moral compass: no longer united in the underlying democratic principles that gave birth to our republic; failing to work together to address existentia...
The yearly calendar tells us (or at the very least gives us clues) as to what we should dwell on - a.k.a. think about at any given time. We just passed the back-to-school, number-two pencil, don’t wear white after Labor Day stage and are entering the spooky, scary movie, costumized, pumpkinized, tri...
It’s no secret that I don’t look like most of my colleagues in Washington DC. They don’t run a farm when they’re back home, you won’t find them swapping out duck foot shovels or greasing a combine, and to my knowledge no one else is missing a few fingers from an unlucky childhoo...
Montana is again being recognized as a leader on protecting our citizens’ privacy in the age of technology. The Electronic Frontier Foundation recently ran an article with the headline “Montana’s New Genetic Privacy Law Caps Off Ten Years of Innovative State Privacy Protections.” ...
October 1st is the deadline to claim your $675 property tax rebate for this year. Tens of thousands of Montana property owners have already claimed theirs. If you’re a Montana resident who pays property taxes on your primary residence, head to: getmyrebate.mt.gov as soon as possible to claim yours.&nbs...
I write as a concerned tax payer in Lake County. I’ve learned the Ronan City Planning Board is reviewing a proposed major subdivision (as defined by Montana law). The proposal is to create a 221 lot subdivision, with allowance to have duplexes for a total of 442 units (w/additional lots in a future rev...
Wow, what a busy summer. We have had so much happening at the library both in our temporary space and with our building renovation. We wrapped up our annual Summer Reading Program Aug. 17 with ice cream, prize giveaways and children’s book author Valerie Bolling. What a treat! Valerie read to over 100 ...
We are currently facing three inter-related existential crises: —Climate change causing droughts, storms, floods, killer heatwaves, wildfires and rapidly approaching global tipping points. In addition to the death and destruction resulting from these natural disasters, some experts predict more than...
The 2023 legislative session wrapped up less than five months ago. Many bills don’t go into effect until Oct. 1 of this year, Jan. 1 of next year, or later. But several of the bills that became law this spring and summer are already having a noticeable impact in Montana. Perhaps the most stark...
