News you can use
News you can use
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Several years ago, while I still lived in Washington, I visited Dad in Harlem. It was during the last days when my step-mom was still able to do simple things for herself. She put the meal on the table. She was never a good cook. She’d raised 11 children and her meals were made to feed hungry bellies. Nothing was thrown away, ever. I don’t remember the meal. Certainly a meat, potatoes, perhaps a cabbage slaw since it was toward the end of Dad’s garden. But I will never forge...
Badger-Two Medicine: From Birch Creek and Family Peak in the south, to Lubec Ridge and Elk Calf Mountain in the north, the headwaters of Badger Creek and the Two Medicine River flow down from the sacred summits of Feather Woman and Heart Butte, Scarface and Morningstar, Half Dome and Kiyo Crag, Goat Mountain and the Bruin Peaks. This is classic east-of-divide country with the northern Great Plains of the Blackfeet Nation stretching far to the east. Immediately south of Glacier National Park, this wild, mostly roadless...
My husband, Peter, is fascinated by hummingbirds. This year has been a difficult year for hummingbird watching as there has been a lot of competition at the feeder. First, the ants wouldn't leave it alone. Then a bear smashed the feeder to bits. Right after Peter replaced the feeder, wasps found it. Peter gave up for a while and took the feeder down, replacing it with a fancy wasp trap that worked surprisingly well. Wasps were lining up to commit suicide in this hive-shaped...
According to SAMHSA, COVID-19 is creating widespread uncertainty, panic, depression, PTSD, suicide, and spouse and child abuse across America. This is true at Rocky Boy and other reservations in the state of Montana, where we are also seeing an uptick in illegal drug and alcohol use as people attempt to cope. These problems were brought about by the current major economic devastation, and disconnect from families, supportive community resources and support systems. Tribal people are very family oriented. I would like to...
Our state, and our country, has never faced a challenge like the one we are confronted with today. COVID-19, and the ensuing shutdown sent shockwaves through our economy. The consequences have been devastating, and we are only beginning to see its full impact. Over the last few months, we’ve experienced economic carnage unlike any period in my lifetime. Many business owners had to make the difficult decision to tell loyal employees that the paycheck they were depending on wouldn’t be coming. Countless others have been for...
Reliable, cost-effective public transportation for rural America is an important economic building block for our communities and often a vital service for our residents. But unlike our urban counterparts, rural public transportation options are often elusive, and seem to get caught in the political crosshairs of the federal government. Whether it’s funding for transit systems, Essential Air Service or Amtrak, public transportation in rural America often fights for the crumbs that are left after metropolitan and urban areas a...
Editor’s note: This version corrects the time of Thursday’s Hill County Park Board Haying and Grazing Committee meeting. We are owners of Beaver Creek Park and so are you. All residents of Hill County share ownership and responsibility for this one-of-a-kind park. Several Havre citizens first envisioned a public park in the 1910s. Eventually, in 1950, a land patent was issued by the federal government to Hill County designating this land for a park or recreational purposes. With care and proper management, Beaver Creek Par...
I just wanted to do a little research, to be healthy and now I don’t even know myself anymore. Of course, I already knew that all living organism, including humans, live in a sort of symbiotic relationship with microorganisms — itty bitty bacteria and fungi and even viruses and pathogens. It’s part of why manure is good for gardens and why we are encouraged to eat live culture yogurt. It’s also why you have to “condition” a septic system. It’s also what makes beer, wine, c...
I woke up with yellow eyeballs. The color was not quite glow-in-the-dark neon yellow, but definitely, the whites of my yes sported a sickly yellowish cast, gunked with matter. In lieu of a thermometer, I felt my Ford-bumper with the back of my hand. Felt normal to me. All systems functioning. Next I did what any modern person with access to internet knows not to do but does it despite themselves. I consulted Dr. Google. “What causes yellow eyes, O Great Oracle?” Frankly, I d...
It’s my birthday this week. This is not normally cause for a big celebration, and this year it is less than usual. Still, unlike my husband, Peter, I actually do celebrate my birthday. I don’t expect anyone else to celebrate — although it’s nice to know my parents remember I was born and still seem to think it was a good thing. But I’m puzzled by reports of people my age who have huge celebrations, or pout if they don’t get a party. My grandmother had a big party on her 100t...
I owe an apology to all of our readers. We ran a story Friday about Hill County Commissioner Diane McLean questioning the reasons for Gov. Steve Bullock issuing a directive telling people to wear masks and questioning its legality. Some people have complained that we ran the story at all. McLean’s comments were news and our job is to report the news. When one of the top elected officials in the county questions a governor directive, it is news. But I forgot to make sure the comments were placed in context. Other stories on t...
In these difficult times, politics are the last thing we need. Over the past two weeks, we have seen a significant change in Hill County. Our cases have surged to 30-plus and counting. We now have what appears to be community spread. And we see that it is affecting anyone regardless of age. Montana has also seen a surge in cases and a surge in hospitalizations. This was to some extent expected, but what we do next will help shape our outcomes, for better or worse. Through the beginning of COVID-19, Hill County has had a...
Sheriffs take an oath to support, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the state of Montana. We will uphold our oath, protect public safety and respond to our shared constituency through open communication and education as we continue to face the public health risks of COVID-19. As leaders in your community and the elected officials who represent you and your constitutional rights, we want to ensure we are all doing our part to protect the vulnerable citizens in ur state while also...
In these difficult times, politics are the last thing we need. Over the past two weeks, we have seen a significant change in Hill County. Our cases have surged to 30-plus and counting. We now have what appears to be community spread. And we see that it is affecting anyone regardless of age. Montana has also seen a surge in cases and a surge in hospitalizations. This was to some extent expected, but what we do next will help shape our outcomes, for better or worse. Through the...
I’ve spent my career fighting for our public lands, and I have a track record of delivering results for Montanans. Growing up in Montana shaped who I am and the values I carry with me. Like many Montanans, I know how lucky we are to spend time outdoors on our public lands — hunting, fishing, hiking and camping — making long-lasting memories with friends and family. Generations of Montanans have fought to protect our public lands, rivers and streams. That fight continues to this day. We need to be clear-eyed about the threa...
We are pleased to announce that the Montana Cattlemen’s Foundation has been awarded a $50,000 grant to benefit our Beef On Every Plate program! The grant was issued by the state of Montana to help increase food security for Montanans hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. For those of you who are not familiar with this program, ranchers donate cull cattle and MCA pays for the processing of the beef into one-pound hamburger packages. We then arrange delivery to the local food banks. Since we began this program, we have p...
Putting water to beneficial use in a semi-arid state like Montana is dependent on two truths. Water must be physically available, and the corresponding truth is that there must be a legal right to use that available water supply. As the recent failure of Drop 5 on the St. Mary/Milk River Diversion system and the impending lack of adequate supplies in the Milk River later this summer make clear, the infrastructure to make the physical delivery of that water must be rebuilt and repaired. We must be thankful that the irrigators...
I know what you’re thinking, because I’ve been thinking it, too: What this pandemic — and, frankly, all of 2020 — needs is a good old-fashioned treasure hunt. Someone already found the $1 million treasure stashed “somewhere” in the Rocky Mountains by art dealer, author, multi-millionaire and part-time oddball Forrest Fenn. He hid that treasure more than a decade ago, and June 6 he announced someone had finally gleaned the location from his writings and they claimed the prize....
Now and then, I am reminded how utterly unimportant I am. Sometimes a nudge from memory. Or a “knowing” I’d forgotten. Being alone as much as I am with only a couple flesh-and-blood people to talk with, face-to-face with appropriate two meter social distance, I have a tendency to be inward. Self-centered is the better term. I begin to think my thoughts are important, that they matter. When people are around, I voice my thoughts and friends laugh at me, put me in my place...
I’ve worn out a pair of slippers. To be fair, I wear slippers quite a bit under normal circumstances, but over the past four months my slipper use has exceeded previous records. I was reading the news one morning (I imagine you know what that’s like). The takeaway for me was that I was going to be wearing slippers for a while. I looked down at my slippers and gave in to the inevitable. I ordered new slippers. I’ve actually forgotten what shoes I own. I looked in my closet and...
I trust everyone had a fun safe Fourth of July, our Independence Day. This past month or two has been a real test of the fabric of our nation and the loss of very valuable pieces of history is devastating. Now protesting is one thing but looting and trashing historical monuments is a crime in more ways than one. Don’t get me wrong, I did not do well in history in school, but I hope what I do know is breaking the law is wrong. If you do not pay attention to what has happened in the past, you are doomed to make the same mistake...
I just wanted to be a real adult, but it ended up like that Pleasure Island scene in Disney’s “Pinocchio” where our little, wooden, not-a-real-boy makes seemingly innocent, but morally delinquent, life choices and starts turning into a donkey. This week, my computer asked me — yet again — if I wanted to download the most recent version of my system, and normally — by which I mean every time since the first personal computer arrived in my home — I hit cancel or no or whateve...
Last week I forbade, with wagging finger, I forbade Leo, our Rancho gardener who mothers all of us oldsters, to get sick. The next day Leo landed in the hospital. No, he does not have the virus. But we all had a frightening couple days while Leo was sent to a specialist in Guadalajara for advanced imaging. That’s doctor-speak for a second guess. Leo’s got the rocks, as they say it here in Mexico. The doc said it will pass. The gall stone giving him such pain is tiny and sho...
A decision by the United States Supreme Court last week could put Montana’s quality public schools at risk. The U.S. Supreme Court issued a 5-4 decision in Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, holding that states must offer taxpayer dollars to private religious schools if they provide tax money to secular private schools. Though the program at issue was small, it could have major effects if future political leaders in Montana don’t maintain our commitment to fully funding public schools. In short, with the Supreme Cou...
My husband, Peter, and I miss having a dog. I see a lot of dogs on the trail during my daily hike, and so Peter (who is always full of good ideas — usually about things I should do) suggested I carry dog treats. Dog treats have changed my life. When I see a dog approaching me on the trail, I say, “Can I give your dog a treat?” Now and then someone will say, “No, she doesn’t need one.” These dogs look to me like they might have a different opinion. But most dog owners are...
