News you can use
News you can use
Sorted by date Results 2171 - 2195 of 3210
Being gray doesn’t bother me. After all, at least I still have a full head of hair. I don’t have to do comb-overs, shave my head or wear a baseball cap backward 24 hours a day to pretend that I still have hair. Plus, gray hair looks distinguished. Strangers might mistake me for a doctor, a lawyer or even a high school graduate. At least they might, until I open my mouth and they realize that they’ve been cruelly deceived. The fact is that gray hair just means you’ve got a little age under your belt. But like many men, fo...
NorthWestern Energy’s property tax payments are going up this year, not down. In fact, they are going up 10 percent. NorthWestern’s property tax bills have made lots of headlines across Montana recently. We are the state’s largest property taxpayer, and our property taxes are one of our largest costs of doing business. As Montana’s largest provider of essential utility services, our prices are based on the cost of providing that service. Given that property taxes are a significant portion of our customers’ bills, it is ext...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The entire political world is in a swivet. Worst election ever. Horrible candidates. Shameful dialogue. Awful conduct. What a disgrace. Hard to argue with any of that. But years from now, when this election is either a colorful or horrifying anecdote, history may look back on it as an important moment in the American passage, and a consensus may emerge — as it has about other difficult episodes, such as the confrontations of the civil rights movement, now embraced as a shining American moment — that some...
I flipped through the morning television shows this week and I didn’t know who any of their “famous” guests were. Obviously, I am not watching enough TV. “Here’s what’s-his-name, the star of that new hit show on our network! So everyone wants to know: When’s the baby due?” I have never seen the new hit show, so I didn’t know who the star was, much less with whom he was having a baby. The last time I’d watched a morning show, the featured guest was the person who’d been kicked off “Survivor” the night before. Wow! Lucky that t...
Politics are such a torment that I would advise everyone I love not to mix with them. Wait, that’s not me talking in 2016. That was Thomas Jefferson, writing to his daughter in 1800. In other words — if it makes us feel any better, if perspective can perchance calm our nerves — the 1800 presidential campaign was just as vicious as what what we’re seeing now. Incumbent President John Adams and his surrogates slimed Jefferson as a God-hater who, if elected, would close the churches and import French revolutionaries to wreak v...
It’s been a while since I’ve broke a horse, but it’s time for my youngster to learn to be responsible grownup. I am reminded that progress in training horses isn’t linear. For the first time ever, I’m going to outsource the actual first 30 rides — to a cowboy in the Bear Paws — but I do feel the responsibility to get some of the nonriding parts of the training done before the horse gets shipped out. My work is due, in part, to a sense of diligence and knowledge that the outs...
Last week Bonnie called the Rancho Esperanza residents together for the first meeting in years. Understandably, it is difficult to have a meeting when the casas are, for the most part empty. This year has brought changes. Do hotcakes sell fast? Well, these casas are selling like the proverbial breakfast staple. The meeting was called to announce that we would have meetings. Oh, yes, there’s more. First, the nuts and bolts — choose officers to preside. Bonnie’s vision is to fo...
With our increasing life expectancies, age-related diseases are becoming more prevalent. Despite the pressing need for research to develop new treatments, there is a lack of adequate support for the research necessary to find cures. The result is a tidal wave of neurological diseases that threatens our well-being and also threatens our financial system. Alzheimer’s disease alone costs more to treat each year than either cancer or heart disease, and yet the only treatment options are palliative, and there has not been a new d...
The Havre Area Chamber of Commerce and members of the business community — along with many local organizations — have organized many holiday events from bazaars to the Community Tree Lighting at Town Square for all to enjoy this holiday season. Everyone is invited to bundle up and gather to bask in the glow of one of Havre’s holiday traditions while joining family and friends at Town Square for the ceremonial lighting of the community Christmas tree Saturday, Nov. 26, with activities starting at 5 p.m. Join members of the H...
Montana, as all of us who live here know, is remarkable state, blessed with extraordinary natural resources. Glacier National Park is a jewel. Montana’s water network feeds the continent’s major river basins. And the state hosts the greatest diversity of mammals. But what tarnishes our public lands is the constant risk of walking into traps … both by hikers and their companion animals. This is far more than a nuisance. It’s an horrific encounter that’s potentially lethal to our pets. Hamilton-based veterinarian Dr. Alan Appl...
Every two years, we Montanans elect a judge to our Supreme Court. This is one of the most important votes we cast. It must be based on accurate information or we run the risk of electing the wrong person. As lawyers, who have represented Montanans for decades, allow us to share our thoughts. First, why is our vote important? Something like 90 percent of the judicial decisions affecting our lives are made by our Montana Supreme Court. Everything from access to our lands and waters to the safety of our families and communities...
Editor, At the time of writing this opinion, our next and last public hearing will be Nov. 1 at the City Hall chambers at 7 p.m. First thing, I, as the chairman of the Local Government Review Commission, want to state that it was over a year before I felt this recommendation we’ve proposed in unanimous decision was the appropriate change to offer you, the voters, along with the charter. In 1996, the last Havre Local Government Review Study Commission — Dorothy Gail Radar, chair, Robert W. Keeler and James P. O’Leary — studied...
In light of recent revelations regarding Donald Trump’s past, admitted sexual assaults on women, new and emerging allegations regarding the same, and Trump’s anti-democratic comments regarding his unwillingness to respect the outcome of the 2016 presidential elections, many Montanans are looking afresh for an alternative to supporting the Republican nominee for President. For many, they will hold their noses and vote for Hillary Clinton. But for any voter who prioritizes fiscal discipline, limited government, civil lib...
As fall set in and hunting season has gotten into full swing that old rivalry between man and beasts of the wild is getting into full swing. The polar wars Some disputes are expected, like from polar bears, which aren’t anywhere as cute and cuddly as a white teddy bear. NBCNews.com reported Sept. 13 that five meteorologists conducting research on a remote island high in the Russian Arctic had been trapped in their weather station for two weeks by a gang of polar bears. The m...
For the past 30 years, Montana has ranked in the top five states for suicides and currently has the highest suicide rate per capita. This is an ongoing and serious problem and we must all work together to stop the unacceptable losses we are experiencing. On any given day across this nation we lose an average of 20 Veterans to suicide. Montana is not immune to this painful reality but our state and nation have vowed to be better and are taking active steps to provide resources to those who have served this nation. Earlier...
As a 23-year U.S. military commander, I’ve always been mission-focused, and no mission is too big or too small to take on with everything I have. Whether it’s hunting terrorists in the Middle East, winterizing the house or fighting for Montana in Congress, I always take the same mission-critical approach as your representative in Congress. For the past 21 months, you’ve tasked me with the mission to strengthen Montana’s voice in Congress. It’s no secret that Montana priorities were being ignored. Before you sent me to Congre...
Editor, Elsie Arntzen and Greg Gianforte both want to divert tax dollars to fund private schools, limit access to public lands and sell those lands off to the highest bidder. That is wrong for Montana. Greg Gianforte dismisses Steve Bullock as a career politician. Governor Bullock is a career public servant who has worked to better the lives of all Montanans. He has funded public schools, kept public lands public, worked across party lines to expand Medicare to Montanans without health care and works tirelessly each day for...
Back in March, the first day I moved into my wee casita, a noise, like a 747 on the runway awaiting clearance for take-off, startled me into combat position. (It ain’t pretty.) Once my heart quit pounding in my ears, I realized the racket came from my refrigerator. Three days later I began accompanying the noise with pilot to control tower “conversation.” Another three days and the sound was background noise, like cars on the highway, ignored. Something is wrong. The fan r...
Our state cannot afford to ignore the very serious brain diseases and disorders and mental illnesses that affect tens of thousands of Montanans and their families. Montanans of all ages are impacted when our loved ones are dealing with devastating diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, PTSD and depression. We strongly encourage all Montana voters to support the Montanans for Research and Cures initiative (I-181), which will responsibly fund innovative research toward treatments and cures, giving hope to...
It’s crazy to me that we have to vote for medical marijuana again in Montana, but we do. So allow me to explain how we got here, what the proposed law actually does and why everyone should vote yes on I-182. In 2004, 62 precent of Montana voters approved Montana’s first medical marijuana program, providing access to medicine for thousands of patients with serious medical conditions. In 2001, the Republican Legislature pulled one of their favorite moves — they repealed and replaced the voter-mandated law with a new syste...
When I was the tender age of 28, I learned what I was supposed to be if I ever grew up. It was really a thing of beauty, the way it happened and all. I was staring at my laptop, in the middle of the day, unemployed and recovering from a failed relationship, when an ad to a writing program miraculously appeared on the screen. Then — suddenly! — an arch of bright light swopped over the screen and an invisible choir of angels sang a harmonious and epiphanous Ahh! I had seen the light. I was supposed to write. I spent the nex...
This election, Montana voters will be deciding the future of medical marijuana in Montana. This is quite literally a life and death issue, and I hope that my fellow Montanans will vote with compassion by casting their ballots with a yes on Initiative 182. This issue is personal for me. My wife, Peggy, has suffered from multiple sclerosis for 37 years. None of the medications prescribed to treat her excruciatingly painful leg spasms have worked. Tears come to her eyes when the spasms strike. Painful, sleepless nights occur sev...
The continued unfair and dishonest bashing of RightNow Technologies, as a way to try to undercut Greg Gianforte, needs to stop. This has created huge buzz in the technology and business communities. The bashing is being perceived as anti-business, and, in our view, it is damaging to the business climate in Montana. Democrats, the Bullock campaign, and much of the media are at fault. Gianforte’s successful business career and the creation of an outstanding tech company in Bozeman is an amazing story against all odds. It is p...
A famous line in poetry says “Good fences make good neighbors,” but Canada is proving instead that good websites make good neighbors. The country which has already given us the Canadian standoff of politeness (“Go ahead.” “Oh, no, you go.” “Thank you, but I insist you go.” “Thanks so much, but I couldn’t possibly. You go.” “No, please ...”), has just launched www.TellAmericaItsGreat.com. Reported by the New York Times as the brainchild of Toronto-based agency Gard...
Taxes. Most people don’t seem to like paying them. But, most people probably would miss what they would lose if they didn’t. A major part of governing wisely is looking at what services the government will provide and how to pay for those services. A few items on the November ballot in Hill County ask the voters to decide whether they want to pay for some county services. One is a request to continue a tax level that would drop unless the voters approve its continuation. The county took out a bond to build, across from the...
