Opinion

There are three words many of us agonize over. I know I spent much of my lifetime doing so. They are words with great meaning and connotations and one shouldn’t take them lightly. “I love you.”  It’s an easy sentence to utter out loud. Eight letters in total. Three simple syllables. Or maybe not. They are only three words - and short ones at that. But for much of my life, they didn’t trip easily off my tongue. Quite the opposite. Saying them felt risky, scary even. Because what if the person receiving them didn’t share my sentiment? In this, I’m not just talking about romantic love. I’m talking about love for my parents,...

Thanksgiving is a day of gratitude, but it’s also so much more, not the least of which is food. Oh my goodness, is there food! It is the start of the food season, also known as the holidays, where eating is akin to breathing and a variety of homemade cookies somehow become a staple in everyone&rsquo...

Montana’s 130,563 small businesses make up 99.3% of all Montana businesses. These small businesses are the heartbeat of our communities; they drive innovation, create jobs, and provide economic stability in towns and rural areas across Montana. As we enter the holiday season, the U.S. Small Business Ad...

Editor, “I will never get over it!” a friend emphatically stated at a recent gathering. Y’all know what “it” is. And so I write. I write on behalf of my entire family, a multitude of tender-hearted friends, half of the country, the sensitive creatives, the hurting quiet on...

“When hate feels easy, be very wary, lest your hate becomes greater than the one who is hated. Because it is at that point you turn the corner toward evil.” Today, I’ve been contemplating hate.  It’s a definite switch for me. I prefer for focus on love, because love is so m...

Editor, As Thanksgiving approaches, the members of the Bread Basket Board reflect on the many, many individuals and organizations that support our efforts to assist food insecure families in the communities of Ronan, Pablo, Charlo and Moise. Businesses who regularly donated goods to the food bank inclu...

In an era of political polarization and widespread civic illiteracy, an unlikely group is spearheading a movement to reinvigorate American democracy: middle school students. Over 6,000 students in 28 states devoted countless hours to prepare for the National Civics Bee this year. Their enthusiasm highligh...

Editor, I write this in deepest concerns of the tribes’ council in just simple words without any opinions from anyone in the community. This is just an opinion / question type message. Our tribal members are suffering and no one’s doing anything about it. And many years have passed since distr...

In March, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized the nation’s most stringent tailpipe emissions rules to date – a move that has been met with much pushback. To comply with these mandates from the EPA, two-thirds of all new vehicles will need to be electric by 2032. The impacts of thi...

We have had such a beautiful fall and now we are ready for the holiday season. This is the last month for our fall drink specials in the Joyful Cup – the pumpkin spice lattes are delicious, so be sure to get yours before they’re gone for the year. The winter menu is coming. You can stop into the ...