Columns

Born into a Republican family in Louisiana, a state increasingly painted in shades of red, I grew up amidst conservative dialogues with honest values. My childhood was steeped in Republican ideologies, shaping my early political outlook. However, as I matured, my views began to diverge from my family’s, leading me on a journey through America’s polarized political landscape. My first significant political shift occurred during my college years. Drawn to Bernie Sanders’ progressive policies and candid demeanor, I found myself aligning more with the Democratic Party. Sanders’ message of social justice and economic equality resonated with me, contrasting sharply with...

We all have our reasons for getting alarmed about the climate crisis. With bare ground at Christmas and no snow on the horizon, my neighbors just got theirs. This Northern Maine valley nestles against the border of Canada – and winter without snow is unfathomable. Snowmobiling is a big deal around h...

There’s no way Republican legislators would rather ring in a new year than with lower taxes, and that’s exactly what we’ve done to kick off 2024.  As of January 1st, Montanans of all income levels are now paying lower income taxes, thanks to legislation that just went into effect. T...

I read a quote that resonated with me on multiple levels. Upon checking it out, it originated from someone known as MrsMopar on iFunny and it went something like this: “I admire those with hairstyles. I don’t have a hairstyle, but thankfully I have hair. Most days it has zero caterpillars in i...

It’s hard to imagine, given how invested I feel in a slate of consequential elections that are still almost a year away, that we began 2023 with an equally consequential legislative session.  A 90-ish day gauntlet in the dead of winter, this session saw a historic supermajority for the Republic...

Historic drought conditions and weather extremes have hit the outdoor industry hard in Montana and other states throughout the West. Shorter winters, brought on by a changing climate, are driving these hard-hitting delays in the season. “There’s definitely been a shift in the weather in the la...

“You don’t really appreciate what you’ve got until it’s gone.” These wise words came out of the mouth of my 16-year-old son; surprisingly, he wasn’t referring to a Snicker’s bar. I’ve always known he is an old soul, but this particular insight was unexpected...

As principals we strive to ensure our schools are engaging, safe and healthy environments that promote learning. However, youth vaping in Montana is threatening our kids’ health and safety and creating unnecessary barriers to academic success. Montana has a serious problem with youth e-cigarette use...

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Or is it? People enjoy decorating for the holidays, cooking, baking, writing those non-brag family letters and finding the ideal gift for everyone on their list.  Or do they? For some, many even, this is the most wonderful time of the year. Peo...

Mid-morning sunshine poured through the windshield feeling much like a warm hug during a recent weekend trip to the office. I was headed to work on this week’s newspaper pages. And this week’s issue is special. It is our 1000th. The 1000th consecutively published Valley Journal. As I drove in sil...