News you can use
News you can use
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Havre Trails, a volunteer group of people who like to walk, and the city of Havre have come to an agreement that can lead to vast improvements to one local park and adjacent walking trails. It can be a model for the way to handle the problem the city has of diminishing resources — working with volunteers to get some necessary services provided. Havre Trials will be working to get a grant to improve the trails and buy picnic tables and benches placed in US Bank Park. They also want signs that can tell people of the birds t...
Here is a modest proposal: The Montana Legislature ought to give itself a raise. Legislators earn an average of about $10 an hour. Even though they enjoy some good health benefits with the pay, it‘s almost to the point that if Sen. Jonathan Windy Boy’s proposal to hike the minimum wage to $10 had been approved, it would have affected the lawmakers who voted on it. We’re not proposing that our lawmakers should be paid the obscene amounts that other state dole out to their lawmakers. We are proud that we have a citizen legis...
Laurel — Jack Johnsrud won the 49th annual Hill County Spelling Bee this week. Havre Middle School should be proud. They say that spelling is out of date with all the spell-check equipment we have these days. That’s not true, and Jack has proven that to be the case. Dart — Montana House Democrats always say they are the party of transparency, and they have a record to prove it. But they didn’t live up to their reputation this week. Unanimously they voted against legislation offered by Rep. G. Bruce Meyers, R-Box Elder, to hav...
Laurel — Thousands of people are in Havre this week for the District 9-C basketball tournament. Small towns in Montana — and especially the Hi-Line — go crazy over basketball. The tourney is a social event as well as an athletic event. It is the time when even teams with the worst records can get a shot at the championship. Some of these small towns, we’re sure, have more people in Havre than at home. Welcome to Havre everyone. It’s great to have you here. Dart — No pig wrestling at the Great Northern Fair? We think that...
In coming weeks, Havre city officials will be looking at the possibility of a major infrastructure renovation project. It calls for improvements for streets and perhaps sidewalks and stormwater systems. Over the next 20 years, city officials said, they could spend as much as $100 million to improve all the streets and sidewalks that now need or will need repairs. Anyone who drives on Havre streets or walks on sidewalks realizes that there is a need for some major fixes. It’s not quite as obvious, but there is also need for r...
Laurel Business woman Renelle Braaten and Montana State University-Northern Interim Chancellor Greg Kegel are among the winners of the Montana Ambassadors award. The two have served the community in different ways, though they share in common that they are fans of the Lights and Skylights. Braaten started a small business that has turned into a worldwide operation. She has not forgotten her roots and has done a great deal for the community she calls home. Kegel won the award for all the work he has done to make the biodiesel...
Editor: To the people of Havre and the staff and students at Montana State University-Northern, I just want to express my concern to learn by way of the Monday article in the Havre Daily about the psychic-paranormal investigator and tarot card reader that Northern's Student Union has chosen to bring on campus for supposed entertainment. This is not suitable for a college campus. It's certainly not acceptable that he is paid $4,000 for this. Students might see this as just a fun amusing thing, but it has a very dark spiritual...
For the decade-plus I have served, I have consistently refused to be intimidated into taking votes or signing pledges demanded by out-of-area special interest groups, insisting instead to always review legislation while listening to those I represent. Sadly, Montana, with its low population, is considered a "cheap date," thus is a favorite place for out-of-state "policy tanks" to lobby outcomes and do legislative experiments. Consider for example this past summer when...
People who receive farm supports of any kind. County employees who plow our roads. City workers who keep our water and sewer systems working even on holidays. Contractors who build our state-owned buildings and highways in good shape. People who are down on their luck and need Temporary Assistance for Needy Families to feed their children. Private attorneys who do contract work for the state. Police officers who keep our streets safe. Lawmakers who we send to Helena to make laws to protect us. These are just some people who r...
Dart — The Montana House’s State Administration Committee tabled a bill that would have allowed people to register to vote online. That would have made it easier for people, especially those in rural areas and those who are disabled, to register. It’s too bad making it easier to vote has become such a partisan issue. Republicans would be way better off if they spent their time, money and energy trying to convince the electorate to vote for them instead of trying to make it harder for them to vote. Laurel — Montana State U...
The people of Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation have undergone a lot of trauma in recent years. Many prominent residents have been charged with embezzlement and other felonies. With their off-reservation cohorts, they are alleged to have plundered millions of dollars from tribal coffers. Some have already been carted off to prison. At the same time, there has been a bitter rift between two political factions, the tribal establishment and a reform group headed by Ken St. Marks. Not much can be done about the first problem. From a...
Bravo to the Montana House for its approval of legislation that would further protect reporter sources. The House voted overwhelmingly — and the Judiciary Committee voted unanimously — to ban authorities from subpoenaing reporter notes kept electronically. The entire Hi-Line delegation backed the proposal. It now goes to the Senate where it will hopefully will receive an equally warm reception. Montana’s Shield Law is one of the strongest in the nation. Notes taken by reporters for news stories cannot be seized by autho...
Thousands of Montanans do not have enough money to give themselves proper health care. As a result, they decline preventative health care measures, and they put off doctor visits on minor problems until they get seriously ill. This should not happen in a civilized society. Health care, in the 21st century, ought to be a right. These 71,000 Montanans fall between the cracks. They are not poor enough to be eligible for Medicaid, but they don't make enough to qualify for coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Why doesn’t the A...
Laurel — Hill County officials, headed by County Commissioner Mark Peterson, are fighting to get Helena’s attention on the problem of flooding along Beaver Creek Park. Attack the federal government all you want, but the Federal Emergency Management Administration has come to the county’s rescue several times in recent years to help alleviate the effects of floods on the creek. But the feds don’t have deep pockets, and they want the county to take some action. The state doesn’t have deep pockets either, but we think the state...
Despite hysterical fears that it would be the end of freedom and liberty as we know it, not much has changed since the city of Havre banned use of cellphones while driving in the city limits. Except perhaps there have been fewer accidents and near misses. Now, state Rep. Virginia Court, D-Billings, is proposing that the ban be made statewide. Montana would become one of the last states to prohibit use of cellphones while driving. Several Montana cities have joined Havre in prohibiting use of cellphones by motorists. It’s q...
Dart — Some fool thought it would be fun to call a bomb threat into Havre High School Wednesday. The threat caused all kinds of problems to the school district, disrupted the education and activities for students and caused undue alarm to parents. Havre police had to drop what they were doing and oversee operations at the scene. Havre police hope they will find the responsible person. We hope courts deal with the guilty party severely. Everything went well Wednesday, but with all that kind of unexpected activity taking p...
Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., started his Senate career off exactly the wrong way last week when he signed on to the idea of term limits for the U.S. House and Senate. Term limits have been tried and failed in Montana, and we see no reason to extend the mistake to Washington. Under Daines’ plan, voters would be allowed to re-elect a senator once, but would be prohibited from sending a senator to Washington a third term. House members could be re-elected six times, but if voters want to put them in office for a seventh term, t...
Dart — Montana prides itself in having a citizens’ government where everyday people make decisions that affect the common good. But for everyday people to be able to make decisions, they have to be trained in some of the complexities of local and state government. The Local Government Center at Montana State University in Bozeman has done that for more than 30 years. All kinds of local officials in Hill and Blaine counties have gone to those seminars. Now, funding for the center has been dropped from the proposed state bud...
Laurel — Welcome to Missouri Valley offensive coordinator Aaron Christensen who will be Montana State University-Northern's head football coach. It's a great football town, coach. And few towns support the local college like we do. Best of luck. Laurel — Havreite Mike Zook told the story of how he and his wife adopted their two daughters. It was a touching story,. There is a need for more adoption in this country and this world. We laud Zook for coming forward with the story and hope it prompts others considering ado...
As we end 2014, we see so many things that people of Hill County and the Hi-Line have accomplished, and yet, so much that still needs to be done. New Year’s Day is always a good time to take stock of what we have done and what needs to be worked on. See if you agree with our prognosis. Thumbs up: Hi-Line neighborliness The astronomical number of benefits, special-help programs and other ways of helping people in need continues to skyrocket in Havre and the vicinity. There is something unique to the Hi-Line here. It seems t...
We in the newspaper business often spend our time covering the dark side of society — the fires, arrests and political corruption. But we also spend a lot of time dealing with some really great people. Many are the people who stay in the background because that’s the way they want it. They volunteer in the community, they go the extra mile, they help people when no one is watching. They are the last ones to want to be mentioned in the newspaper. As we look back at 2014, we reflect on just some of these people we worked wit...
Hats off to Havre City Councilwomen Pam Hillery and Terry Lilletvedt for taking up what might be the politically unpopular issue of raising taxes. The two lawmakers want the city to undertake a massive effort to improve the city’s deteriorating infrastructure. That will go over well with the voters. And they are putting out options on how to best pay for that undertaking. That will not be popular. But the need for improvement to streets, sidewalks, sewers and water systems is pretty clear to anyone who travels around the city...
Laurel — There's nothing to do in Havre? Look at the Christmas events that have been held in Havre this week and the upcoming events. Schools, college, reservations, community groups and a lot more are putting on events that are fun for the whole family. Take the opportunity to take part, Dart — Sony Studios let the civilized world down when it buckled under to terrorist cyber attackers this week. The cyber bullies, apparently people with close ties to the North Korean government, didn't like a picture. "The Interview," SON...
Laurel People from senior citizens to Havre High School Key Club members are ringing the bell at Salvation Army kettles around town. It’s a tough job, standing out in the cold asking for money. But it’s a fun job. Volunteers talk to people, laugh with old friends and enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that they are helping a lot of people in need. If you are interested in joining the people who take part in the activity, call the Salvation Army at 265-6411. Dart Montana Attorney General Tim Fox says Barry Beach has alr...
Laurel The Havre-Hill County Library has some great programs for young people. Children in one of the programs, Story Time, stayed late this week and made Christmas cards for soldiers stationed in Liberia. It is sort of a forgotten war these soldiers are taking part in. It's the war against Ebola. Soldiers help medical professionals in the effort to stop the deadly disease from spreading. It is important work — as important to our national security as an military operation. But these military personnel are sometimes f...
