Opinion
Montanans used to joke that we had two distinct seasons: winter and road construction. Now we have three seasons: winter, road construction and fire season, and the latter is punctuated by searing temperatures and long dry spells brought on by a never-ending high-pressure system that stokes smoky weather and obscures the iconic Big Sky. Tourists who come here expecting the advertised bluebird skies are quickly disappointed by the amorphous haze that hides the state’s towering peaks and expansive great plains. Now, like winter, we dread our seemingly endless summer fire season and the malaise that represses Montanans’ natural impulse to go outside, where land, sky and water al...
Our annual Summer Reading Program is nearing the end. Join us for our final program on Thursday, Aug. 5, at 10 a.m. in Sacajawea Park with Karen Duty of Hellroaring Kennels and the Mission Valley Animal Shelter. There will be adorable puppies and kittens to cuddle while you learn about how to properly care f...
In Montana private land elk hunting is moving toward 11 weeks for people who can pay thousands of dollars for trophy bulls, while others are left to hunt cows in deep snows and bitter cold when they’re struggling to survive the winter. That’s the proposal of the Gianforte administration,...
To the Mission and Jocko irrigators: this spring, water users were sent a note about the history of homesteading the Mission, Jocko, Camas Valleys, which is also a historic record about the Mission, Jocko, and Flathead irrigation districts involvement in securing liens on land that formed the districts and g...
Editor, Kudos to Gov. Gianforte for dedicating $31 million in ARPA funds to increasing availability of child care for working parents. These funds will be directed to grants to increase capacity and hours of service for existing day care businesses. The issue of child care is personal for us, as ...
As we continue to emerge from the pandemic, there’s a sense of relief and optimism that things will return to normal. Long-awaited family gatherings, birthday parties and graduation ceremonies are finally happening in person. Sporting events have fans in the stands, airports are busy, and we all ...
How is it that a picture of our dog ended up on our neighbors’ Christmas trees? I smile every time I think about it. Her name was Holly. Holly Noel. Born on Halloween, she was a Christmas gift to my husband Boone. He’d wanted a hunting dog and I’d always wanted a golden retriever. I foun...
Editor, The American Experiment has been a fascinating story and a study in contrasts. We have proven to the world that a democratic republic can work; it provided opportunity for immigrants who faced poverty and oppression at home; it fought a powerful fascist movement and won; and it made our country an...
Editor, Fear is a mighty powerful trait. It grips and motivates all wildlife, including humans. Fear motivates many actions from hiding to fighting. Add to this the human trait of greed and we have what we are presently experiencing in our nation. Greed has always played a role in politics. Today, however...
It’s not too late to sign up for our Annual Summer Reading Program. We have lots of great prizes and incentives from local businesses, and so many awesome programs coming up. On July 15 we have Georgia Smies from Salish Kootenai College to talk about aquatic invasive species and the impact they could h...
