The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Council would like to thank the representatives and senators who came forward to support the proposed Water Rights Compact entered into by the Tribes, the State of Montana and the United States of America. The compact was an elegant solution to the complex pattern of land-ownership and water use […]

As the coal debate heats up on the West Coast, our state is left hoping and waiting for the approval of five proposed coal export terminals in the Pacific Northwest. Our state economy is closely connected with the coal industry —keenly feeling the ups and downs of this industry. And, right now, the proposed Pacific […]

Development of the coal industry in eastern Montana will affect farming and tourism industries. You might wonder how? As both political parties push for more “dirty” coal development to create jobs and a better Montana economy, it will mean that there will be a increase in the number of trains that travel through the Flathead […]

Just 90 days into his role as Montana’s sole congressman, Representative Steve Daines has expressed support for legislation that will protect 400,000 acres of Forest Service lands on the western boundary of Glacier National Park. To say that this is a landmark occasion might be an understatement. Daines is to be commended for his actions, […]

The Texas district attorney and assistant district attorney are assassinated along with his wife. The media blurbs that “… it must be the white supremacist, KKK.” Where do they get this information? The left wing is toying with disaster, and no one recognizes its infantile behavior. The American people should be wary and see if […]

A case could be made that the false impression many Americans have in regards to “assault weapons” is the direct result of both the NRA misrepresenting them (beginning in the late ‘80’s through to the present) and not holding educators of U.S. history accountable for incomplete or revisionist history. When assault weapons were first widely […]

I am having a hard time understanding why any of the Flathead County commissioners are dragging their feet on agreeing to a new site for the Agency on Aging. The AOA provides many services to our elderly citizens. The need to have a safe and adequate building to do this job is important to all […]

According to Montana’s Board of Oil and Gas we now have over 11,000-plus active oil and gas wells in Montana, which include 750 new wells in the Bakken since 2000. It appears that the saying “If you have it, they will come” rings true with oil and gas. Unfortunately for Montana taxpayers, in 1999 our […]

As a longtime resident and homeowner on Rose Crossing, my neighbors and I are deeply concerned about the proposed manmade water ski lake and Rosewater subdivision planned for our area. Our concerns deal with the PUD overlay on the property that is zoned SAG-5; and the safety and suitability of this type of development with […]

I would like to offer a very different perspective on the budget issues in national parks stemming from my experiences working for the Park Service from 1979 through 1986. I realize that is some time ago but it appears that the same tactics are in place today. I worked in Yellowstone National Park on the […]

I cannot understand why some of the commissioners are procrastinating on getting the new building for the senior meals and programs going as soon as possible. I had my own business for over 50 years and the time to get prices and bids for a project was usually best when the economy was slow because […]

The “Red Barn” on Kelly Road is no longer adequate for Flathead County Area Agency on Aging. This building has housed offices, congregate meals, Meals on Wheels and volunteers on a temporary basis for over 10 years. The facts are before us. The multi-purpose of the AOA has grown. The population of seniors has grown. […]

The commission established to investigate the 9/11 attack determined the terrorist organization, Al Qaeda, was responsible. This commission also determined the annual budget for Al Qaeda to be $30 million. The American people were told that in order to keep them safe from threats like this in the future it was necessary to establish the […]

The recent news about cuts to federal agencies under sequestration (Feb. 27 Beacon: “Glacier Park’s Great Uncertainty”) has me worried. If these arbitrary cuts go through, there will be numerous impacts here in Montana, including Glacier National Park. If there’s a fall off in tourism due to delays in opening Going-to-the-Sun Road or reduced flights […]

The story on Montana Fish, Wildlife and Park’s ten-year study of declining moose populations (Feb. 20 Beacon: “What’s Happening to the Moose?”) seems to be a case of “ignoring the elephant in the living room.” Barely mentioned is the wolf factor. If FWP collared 12 cows, how will they record the killing of the calves? […]