Columns

Mental health: awareness and reflections

The events of 2020 were traumatic on a worldwide scale. Our nation faced a global pandemic, social unrest, and a tumultuous election. Doom reading and scrolling became a normal part of our days as we looked to the news or social media to see what was “next.” Things have yet to settle down and return to “normal.” Social distancing, masks, and restrictions on everything from dining out to religious services and cultural events reshaped how we interact with each other, our community, and our world.

The 67th Montana Legislature: historic and successful

Montana voters spoke clearly last November. They elected Republicans up and down the ticket, giving legislative Republicans a clear mandate to make good on our campaign promises of protecting the Montana way of life, improving economic opportunities, protecting Montanans’ rights, and preventing government overreach.

Montana House leaders recap the 67th Legislative Session

The 67th Session of the Montana Legislature is one that Montanans can be proud of. Voters sent us to Helena with a mandate to change the way state government does business. At the beginning of the session, we made policy promises that we are proud to report we have delivered on.

Joe Biden reaffirms Washington’s message to the world: never, ever trust us

In February 2020, US President Donald Trump announced a peace deal with the Taliban, giving US forces 15 months to get out of Afghanistan. Nearly a year later, with the withdrawal nearly complete and only 2,500 US armed forces members remaining on Afghan soil, incoming President Joe Biden took the oath of inauguration and instantly began complaining that the May 1 deadline would be “hard to meet.”

Now is not the time to punish local governments for fighting COVID

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Over the last year the COVID-19 epidemic has burned a hole through Big Horn County in a way that is difficult to describe, especially if you don’t live here. Each week I’ve sat in front of my computer screen calculating mortality rates, infection rates, the difference between these rates among the age demographics, seven-day averages and other math formulas that I could never memorize despite repeating them no less than 365 times.

SB 379 Creates Possibilities, Not Obligation

Every session we have bills that create new potential for Colstrip, those bills are constantly surrounded by media misinformation that is meant to confuse and mislead lawmakers and the public. This session is no different, and the current bill in question is Senator Fitzpatrick’s SB 379. Fitzpatrick’s bill creates a pathway for a Montana utility, like NorthWestern, to acquire or lease an additional interest in a coal fired generating unit such as those at Colstrip.

Joe Biden’s latest ‘gun violence’ fairy tale

A White House “fact sheet” tells us that “the President is committed to taking action to reduce all forms of gun violence.”

What does the Beaverhead Ambulance Special Service District have to do with you?

We in Beaverhead County believe in taking care of each other— especially in our greatest times of need. There may be no time of greater need than when one of us is sick or injured and requires the services of trained emergency medical responders and transport in an ambulance. There are no guarantees in life, but when a few minutes or even a few seconds can mean the difference between life and death someone must be available to answer the call.

Time to get government off our lawns

It’s spring, and for many Americans that means it’s time to drag out the mower and trimmer, invest in various seeds, feeds, pesticides, etc., and quite possibly put the water bill on steroids with daily sprinkler operation. According to the American Time Use Survey, the average American spends 70 hours -- nearly two full work weeks -- on lawn maintenance every year.

Farm Bureau speaks out against Fish & Wildlife Service grizzly announcement

Yesterday’s announcement by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service recommending that grizzly bear remain threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) is being met with dismay from Montana Farm Bureau and other agricultural groups. Although their report claimed that recovery is robust, the FWS is still maintaining that the predator needs protection.