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Uncommon Ground

Uncommon Ground

What Happened?

It’s unclear why state lawmakers are intent on shortchanging nursing homes and allowed a dozen rural facilities to close in just one year

By Mike Jopek
Uncommon Ground

Show Us the Green

Lawmakers' political lode star is guiding the state to give our surplus federal money back to local people. And we’ll take it. 

By Mike Jopek
Uncommon Ground

Decades Later

During my time in Helena, the chamber was twice split 50/50 between the parties. There was no policy without compromise.

By Mike Jopek
Uncommon Ground

Ringing in the New Montana

Proposed changes to the state Constitution include everything from making voting more complicated to outlawing abortion

By Mike Jopek
Uncommon Ground

Extreme

It’s Christmastime, readers; donate to help alleviate valley wide homelessness amongst fellow humans

By Mike Jopek
Uncommon Ground

Teach Newcomers Local Kindness

I remain hopeful the youth of today and elected policymakers embrace the politics of kindness and compromise

By Mike Jopek
Uncommon Ground

Less is More

Property tax surges are directly related to the unwillingness of Montana lawmakers to mitigate the cyclical effects of property reappraisal during the western land grab

By Mike Jopek
Uncommon Ground

Here We Are

Buckle up for the upcoming state Legislature. It’ll be a bumpy ride for reproductive freedom, basic rights, and local control.

By Mike Jopek
Uncommon Ground

State Control

The 2021 Legislature spent significantly more time debating how to discriminate against transgender kids than it did mitigating rapidly escalating property taxes for homeowners due to the pandemic-era land grab that consumed Montana

By Mike Jopek
Uncommon Ground

Constitutional Reverence

If voters throughout Montana don’t turn out to cast ballots, particularly in swing state House districts like Columbia Falls, Whitefish, and Kalispell, the upcoming Legislature will intensify their work to dismantle our constitutional rights and freedoms

By Mike Jopek
Uncommon Ground

Voting Out Ideological Firebrands

If you want change, Jack Fallon is your guy. He won’t appear on the ballot, however; voters must fill in the oval to the left of the empty ballot line and write 'Jack Fallon' in the blank space.

By Mike Jopek
Uncommon Ground

Political Rapprochement

Someday soon, voters will reconcile politics and send people to the state Legislature who align with local priorities

By Mike Jopek
Uncommon Ground

Freedom to Live

Something happened over the past two years in Montana and suddenly housing and rent is unattainable

By Mike Jopek
Uncommon Ground

Working Town

House District 3 is one the two independently minded swing districts in the north valley electing Democrats or Republicans based on the candidate

By Mike Jopek
Uncommon Ground

Cold, Clean Water

As the north valley continues to rapidly grow, good leadership with a focus on people and jobs, community and schools, teachers and nurses is vital to opportunity remaining achievable to hard-working families

By Mike Jopek