Columns

In simple terms, life can be summed up as moments of “good news” and “bad news.” I’ve come to believe it’s best to embrace both: the good and the bad because each makes us who we are. Each molds us. Each helps us grow as we are supposed to, meant to, during our time here on this earth.  Embrace the positive and negative just as surely as you embrace those you love. (And I hope you do that often.) The good news: You were born. The bad news: You will die (or maybe that’s good news also; we shall see.) All the rest is made up of the middle, good and bad. Today was no different. I struggled with an issue with my car. I am traveling a...

Recently opinion pieces and information sent to legislators regarding the counties decision to levy 77.9 mills instead of the State directed 95 mills has been circulating in both statewide newspapers, and internal legislative correspondence. It appears that the message being distributed is counties are gi...

Heads probably turned as we entered the early 1900s red brick town house in Warrenton, Virginia on a warm September morning. It happened to be the headquarters of the Fauquier County Republican Committee. Its chairman, Greg Schumacher, was welcoming me along with his Democratic counterpart, Max Hall. This...

LEWISTON, MAINE — Eighteen killed, 13 injured in a rampage by a guy with an assault rifle. The shooter: a certified firearms instructor and a member of the US Army Reserves. The community locked down until he’s placed in custody. Press conferences; school classes cancelled; politicians falling al...

As the first snow is falling, and freezing temperatures hit, we are getting pummeled with another huge energy rate increase, thanks to the five Republicans on the Montana Public Service Commission. On Wednesday, the Commission unanimously approved a 28% rate increase from last year, the majority of which ...

Don’t let all the bad news get you down. True, we’re facing lots of crises, some of which even carry a risk of human extinction (nuclear war, climate change, maybe even AI). But there is hope, and you can start experiencing it simply by chatting with your neighbors.  A few months ago, I w...

Montana collects $2.1 billion in property tax, with allocations as follows: 56% to schools, 28% to counties, 11% to cities/towns, and 5% to special districts. The 6 statewide university mills stay at the state, while the 95 statewide school mills are redistributed to local community schools, accounting for 3...

Hunting season has arrived! As hunters flock to the hills in pursuit of Montana’s treasured big game species, we want to take a moment to acknowledge the good work that was done in this spring’s legislative session for hunters, landowners, and conservationists alike.  Wildlife issues have...

The Legislature’s major zoning reforms to increase the supply of affordable housing in Montana have made a lot of news, but there was also another significant pillar of our pro-housing work during the session: cutting red tape.  Excessive government regulations have been one of the barriers to ...

Note to readers (and self) super glue does not mix well with granite countertops. Recently I had the opportunity to experience this noxious combination in the comfort of my own kitchen. This was not of my doing. But you already knew that. Late one night (when all the excitement happens at my house) my ...