Conservatives complained bitterly about outside interference during the June 3 primary

Grizzly bears were first listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 1975

8:50 a.m. A puppy on a chain climbed a wood pile and leapt over the fence. An animal warden found the enthusiastic little animal wrapped up in a bike in the neighbor’s yard. 9:24 a.m. An Evergreen woman reported that her former renters destroyed the carpets and left the water running with a broken pipe. […]

4:22 a.m. An employee of local grocery store reported that a woman was hiding stolen dog food in her purse. 6:25 a.m. A coffee stand owner reported that someone broke in during the night and stole a grinder, a blender, a toaster and some syrup. 8:23 a.m. Someone reported seeing an unrestrained toddler standing on […]

9:21 a.m. A campground host in Hungry Horse caught a young girl smoking marijuana. Her parents, who were out of town, were notified. 10:29 a.m. A Coram man confessed to busting a window out of a car that was parked outside of a local bar. 11:21 a.m. Two horses jumped their fence and ran free […]

As is often the case at debates, in Butte the third-party candidates at once provided answers of substance and some comic relief

The recent Republican Primary election results provided plenty to argue about.

Often, at least in news reports, drones, or Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), are affiliated with government overreach or targeting terrorists in far off lands.

If you’re like me, you’ve already planned most of your summer. You’ve marked each weekend on your calendar from now until the middle of September. There are festivals, camping trips and weddings that must be squeezed into the fleeting sunny months. It flies by, but luckily has only begun.

The beginning of the summer and winter seasons are the best of each. The possibilities seem, even if they aren’t, endless. Jamming it all in is impossible. Something always interferes, like rain, sunburns and unexpected visitors. You must have a plan, then a backup plan.

After a heated primary like this one, I often wonder about the fallout, about those awkward moments when opponents and their allies run into each other at the local bar, or Pachyderm meeting or the cereal aisle at the grocery store.

That’s not to say supporters and critics alike shouldn’t voice their opinions about various candidates. After all, we’ve printed many of their letters on these pages. A robust debate is healthy, even within the same political party.

Last week, Tom Lutey of the Billings Gazette reported on an upcoming whistle-stop tour featuring the governor where he would announce a $45 million aid package for eastern Montana towns affected by the Bakken oil boom. The story was straightforward, explaining how Gov. Steve Bullock had previously vetoed legislation that would have delivered similar funds following the last legislative session. Lutey also interviewed lawmakers in the region who suggested, “people were putting pressure on” the governor to help.

The real problem with the failure to pass the North Fork Watershed Protection Act is how it happened. Others can argue over the merits of the legislation, but let’s take a look at how the sausage was made. Or, in this case, not made.

Both Montana Sen. John Walsh and Rep. Steve Daines, who is challenging Walsh in the forthcoming U.S. Senate election, appeared eager to pass this bill and lay claim to protecting an area that conservation groups and energy companies alike agree should be off limits to new mineral development. To be clear, this is a rather noncontroversial bill. In a letter, ConocoPhillips’ vice president expressed support for the added protections.

At a recent Kalispell Chamber of Commerce luncheon, Flathead Valley Community College President Jane Karas said that she’s often asked about the prospect of adding a football team, to which she responds, “We’re ready, whenever someone gives us $20 million.”

Karas was joking, but even if such a donation came through, it’s likely not enough. The school would need a new football stadium, budget for travel and scholarships and perhaps even money to pay its prospective athletes.

The U.S. Census Bureau released all sorts of statistics last week that, if you’re like me, make for fascinating reading. I pay especially close attention to population numbers across the state and try to glean trends that may predict what Montana will look like in five, or 10, years from now.

Of course, trends can reverse course, but the latest stats at least tell us a little bit about potential growth in Northwest Montana and elsewhere in the state. And reading population estimates in Flathead County, a question quickly arises: How long until we crack 100,000 residents.

When the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded on Jan. 28, 1986, I first learned of the tragedy from a teacher in a building named after an astronaut. I was too young to fully grasp what had happened as I sat in the second-grade classroom at Alan B. Shepard Elementary School in Bourbonnais, Ill. But I was familiar with rockets – after all, that was the school’s mascot.

Years passed before I began to understand the extent of the tragedy. Seven crewmembers died, including a teacher. Shuttles were grounded for 32 months. NASA was in crisis mode. The program finally continued on Sept. 29, 1988, when Space Shuttle Discovery lifted off into space.