News you can use
News you can use
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It could have exploded. Ben woke up and automatically reached for his phone. The auto reach; it is a generational thing. The phone was so hot it burned his hand. He jerked the plug from the phone and from the power strip. The power cord connection to the phone had melted into the phone. The cord itself was fried. He said, “I’ve never heard of this kind of problem.” Oh, man; Oh, crickets; Have to buy a new phone. Ben, of course, has one of those phones with which he does every...
Editor, Sen. Steve Daines seeks to create better public banking. Postal Banking would help Montanans gain better access to banking services. Federal law requires one post office per zip code, but this isn’t the same expectation for banks. U.S. Postal Service can already complete banking services like check cashing and money orders; this bill would allow them to offer bank accounts and even offer short-term, small dollar loans. Rep. Greg Gianforte wants to stop robocalls by requiring telecommunications companies to ...
This year, Montanans can elect a proven leader — someone with executive experience, a background of creating high-paying jobs and conservative values. This is exactly what Montana needs in our next governor, and that’s why I support Greg Gianforte for governor. A successful entrepreneur and businessman, Greg and his wife, Susan, started RightNow Technologies in a spare bedroom of their home in Bozeman. Not only did he create hundreds of high-paying jobs here in Montana, but he also helped kick-start our state’s rapidly growi...
I spent the weekend in New York City. I hadn’t been to New York in quite a while. I was performing at a theater conference and so was traveling alone, without my husband, Peter. New York intimidates me — as all big cities do. I am not a nervous traveler, generally, but I keep my possessions close at hand and my eyes open — which is why I noticed the young man in the black athletic shirt on the subway. I was taking the subway for the first time in a long time and, so far,...
Montana’s Sen. Steve Daines has introduced the Montana Water Rights Protection Act — MWRPA — to provide federal settlement of the water rights claims of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes — CSKT. Without this legislation, Montana will face years of expensive litigation and uncertainty in trying to resolve these claims, and will assuredly reach a worse conclusion. This is due to the undeniable fact that in water law, a settlement allows you to structure protection for junior water rights in a way that a trial does not...
The other day my son Ben, here in Etzatlan to help me in recovery, showed me a video he and his daughter Lexi had enjoyed. The animated video by a German scientist with an unpronouncable name demonstrated characteristics and world migration of Argentine Ants. “Arrgh!,” I shouted. “I know those ants. Intimately. I’ve eaten some. Inadvertently. They are a kitchen plague. All of us here battle them continuously. Now I can name them. Imagine that.” Argentine Ants. These buggers a...
There is something to be said for consistency, and there is also something to be said for change. A great quote from Rear Adm. Grace Hopper is “The most dangerous phrase in the language is ‘We’ve always done it this way.” During my past career, in product design, companies used the phrase “evolve or die.” Change is important, and yet there is something to be said for consistency. Some would call it reliability. For instance, it’s nice to know that the newspaper will be delivered to your house the same time every day or...
I made bread pudding yesterday — I know it’s not the rocket-science of baking and it’s not fancy, but I wanted to treat myself to one of my favorite foods. It was made extra-special because I used real-vanilla extract, and the bread pudding smelled divine. And when I say divine, I mean irresistible. While it was cooling on the counter I would actually pause in whatever I was doing, close my eyes, tilt my nose to the air a bit and inhale deeply, letting my breath out with...
Surgery successful — Hooray! Hooray! I have a repaired hip. My legs are both the same length again. I promise not to show you the scars. The news on the other end of that spectrum is that I will be immobilized for two weeks. My expectation, courtesy of previous experience, was that I would be up and walking the day following surgery. Shattered expectations had my emotions running wildly about unclothed and unfiltered for a couple days. And what is this strange motormouth r...
Next week, members of the Montana Legislature will head back to Helena to participate in “Legislative Week.” This is an opportunity for our state lawmakers to continue to engage each other and the broader public in important policy topics on the minds of many Montanans. Just three short years ago, Montana faced massive cuts to the state budget, which decimated services across the state. As a result of the budget reductions, many communities lost access to behavioral health services, workforce training offices, and public ass...
“What do you think?” my husband, Peter, asked about the link he’d sent me as we prepared to head home from the holidays. “The funeral home?” I asked. “Yeah, that one.” “I thought it was a joke.” “No, it’s right on our way.” “We’re going to spend the night in a funeral home?” “It’s very inexpensive!” I suddenly felt like I was in the opening scene of every horror film I’d ever watched. Peter wanted us to spend the night in a historic funeral home on our way home. The funeral ho...
A Maryland woman has proven that, when it comes to Christmas gifts, it’s not the giving that counts — it’s the giving, then taking it back and then cashing it in for $50,000 that really counts. Unified Payments International reported Dec. 27 that Deirdre Stokes of Maryland bought some scratch-off lottery tickets as Christmas presents and the one that she bought her husband was a $50,000 winner. She said she only buys tickets around Christmastime to give as little gifts for f...
I’m writing to you today from warm and sunny Glendive. Mom had her hip repair surgery on Thursday, the 26th. Merry Christmas! The post from her original hip replacement had slipped down into the bone. The doctors knew this and knew they could fix it. After opening her up, while she was still awake (with a nerve block), the doctors discovered the slippage was worse than they had thought. The metal post was grinding and eating away the inside of the bone. Mom explained how t...
I glanced up as the bells rang to herald new customers walking into the used clothing store. I was looking for a pair of warm dress pants. Visiting my parents in Minnesota, I had forgotten entirely about the possibility of extreme cold and the idea of going out that night in tights and a skirt seemed preposterous. Luckily, I found a like-new pair of black jeans with just a little sparkle on the pocket for a good price. I was wandering around the store with these jeans in my...
NorthWestern Energy’s most recent management plan lacks meaningful information regarding energy storage or solar production. They propose to be the major owner of the Colstrip power plants, which have limited years of usefulness, repeated non-compliance, looming expensive upgrades, increasing costs of coal and eventual cleanup costs that will be staggering. Ratepayers will shoulder the costs in cleaning this future superfund site as NorthWestern Energy is lawfully guaranteed a return on their investment, no matter how careles...
I trust your Christmas was fun-filled with family, friends and shared. Our holidays were spent with family and friends that included some sledding with grandkids. We now look forward to a New Year that may hold opportunities or challenges. Legislative Week will be in the middle of January, which is something you might want to track. It will be a precursor of the subjects to be covered during our next Legislative Session in 2021. A hot subject for Legislative Week is the discussion of having session every year. There are a...
We had no television at our ranch because my father thought its absence would encourage his kids to read. I’m extremely grateful to him. I remain an avid reader of history, and discovered Theodore Roosevelt during my childhood years. “Theodore Rex” may have been the most complex and remarkable American who ever lived. Despite severely poor eyesight, he won the Medal of Honor leading a hell-for-leather charge. He also received the Nobel Peace Prize for his skill as a negotiator and peacemaker. He was the first president to dr...
As you take stock of the past year and look forward to the new one along with the renewed hope for the future that it brings, I urge you to consider the traits you wish to develop in the future — traits that will help you become a better human. I have already begun this process by compiling a list of the top three animal traits I would like to have to make me not just a better human, but a super human. Play along with your own list if you wish. I warn you, though, to c...
Here in Montana, we understand the dangers of wildfires and structure fires, especially in rural areas. We appreciate the men and women who lay their lives on the line to protect us, and we know that the majority of them are volunteers. So when the phone rings and the caller asks for assistance for Montana’s firefighters, our first instinct is to say yes. Unfortunately, that is just what the scammers are counting on. The Montana State Fire Chiefs’ Association is so grateful for Montanans’ backing but wants to make sure your...
December comes to a close with Christmas. Whether one believes the Birth of the Christ Child to be myth or metaphor, history or hysteria, is of no matter. My belief makes it neither one nor another. The timeless story is filled with all one could want: drama, animals, mean people, travel, shepherds, kings and a Baby. In my own personal dictionary, incomplete, abridged, and filled with mis-information, the definition of Baby is hope. After a year such as 2019, who can argue...
I went with my parents to get a Christmas tree. All the trees were wearing hangtags shaped like bells and all the bells had hand-lettered names on them. At first, I assumed these trees were spoken for and the names indicated the person who had reserved the tree. Then I realized that, no, the names were for the trees. This was a fancy place and apparently, when you spend as much as this store was charging for a tree, the tree came complete with a name. Actually, for what they...
Back in 2007, a hunting organization, the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, undertook a massive effort to identify the most important regions in the state for Montana hunters. They produced a heat map based on input from over 40 sporting clubs. The more an area was identified as being important, the brighter it got. I recently looked at this map and was struck that north-central Montana was lit up like a Christmas tree. I suppose it’s no secret. Missouri River Country has some of the best hunting in the state. T...
Havre Public Schools Education Foundation’s is getting ready to host the 15th Annual Holiday Hoops Blue Pony Alumni Basketball Games. It is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 27, at Havre High School gymnasium at 7 p.m. Admission to the game is a non-perishable food item or toiletry item to be donated to the Havre Public Schools Pantry. All Havre High alumni are invited to participate, young and old, guys and girls, whether you played during your school years or not, it’s an evening of friendly competition. To sign up to play you may...
I grew up in the “Bewitched” era, and that after-school TV fantasy sitcom probably ruined me forever. I have believed in magic ever since. I’ve looked for it, longed for it. I was absolutely sure that if I could get my nose to wiggle side to side I could do magic. Not card trick and sawing women in half magic, I’m talking real magic — disappearing, doing all my chores done in a blink of an eye and conjuring a flying horse. I wasn’t messing around with this goal. I worked at i...
Lani and I sneaked off to breakfast at Calano’s this Sunday morning. It is something we do now and then. We don’t go often, usually, like today, on a whim. If you don’t ride whims, you are missing out. I recommend jumping on every whim you possibly can. Since Lani and I are the only full-timers here, over these few years we have developed a special friendship. This little outing has become a small enjoyment to which we look forward. It’s nothing special except that we make it...
