You have probably heard arguments from some individuals and groups that are critical of the proposed increase in coal movement through Montana by rail. One of the concerns is the health issues caused by coal moving through cities and towns. Coal has been moving through Montana on a regular basis since the early 70s. Coal […]

“If you’ve got a business – you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen.” – President Barack Obama, Roanoke, Va., July 13, 2012 Are you kidding me? What a silly, uninformed statement to make! Wouldn’t you think that one of the jobs of the president of the United States is to encourage those whose […]

Dave Skinner’s Aug. 15 column (“Cruel and Unusual”) on the American Civil Liberties Union of Montana’s lawsuit challenging the state’s lethal injection protocol did readers of the Flathead Beacon a disservice by its effort to inflame emotions of rage and vengeance by focusing on details of the crime committed by Ronald Smith. The issues placed […]

The old Gloom, Despair and Agony” TV sketch reminds me of a lot of business news these days. Is this what you take in every day by watching and reading mainstream business press? Do you have any idea how it poisons your mind? As election material, it’s expected. At the office, it’s poison. As “mainstream” […]

Last week, after months of rumors, news came that American Prairie Foundation (APF) will buy the so-called South Ranch in Valley County from Page Whitham Land and Cattle, giving the foundation control over another 150,000 acres. What a shame … but that’s capitalism, right? Not quite. In case you don’t already know, APF is a […]

In recent weeks, both Democratic Sen. Jon Tester and his challenger, Republican Congressman Denny Rehberg, have worked to distance themselves from policies supported by their respective parties and may be unpopular in Montana. It is a competition between the two over who can establish himself as more independent, or (what’s that hollow, overused word?) a […]

By John Fuller FDR’s Vice President John Nance Garner allegedly said, “The office of the vice president isn’t worth a bucket of warm spit.” And John Adams, the first vice president, said, “As vice president, I am nothing; but I could be everything.” In the uniquely American system of choosing our chief executive, we also […]

As hard as it is to believe, the leisurely days of summer are drawing to a close as schools across the country are opening their doors for the first day of school. Students in Flathead County will return to classes on Aug. 29, and this year’s group of kindergarten students will be the graduating class […]

I read with interest the about the battle between homeowners needing shoreline protection and speedboats pulling skiers on Echo Lake (Aug. 22 Beacon: “Flooded Again, Echo Lake Residents Call for No-Wake Zone”). For 18 years I’ve owned a home on the lake. Watching my shoreline erode is painful. This is the second high-water summer that […]

If you live in Montana, chances are you know someone who has headed to the Bakken in search of it.? ? Thanks to that large source rock formation, and the technology that makes it accessible, North Dakota has now vaulted to the No. 2 position among oil producers in the United States, following only Texas. […]

The Montana Supreme Court ruled that Legislative Referendum 123 was unconstitutional and could not be placed on the ballot. The Montana Legislature improperly delegated its constitutional authority to allocate taxpayer money for public services like education, fire protection or foster care, and enact tax cuts. The Tea Partiers of the last Legislature put the question […]

Recently, I spoke at a national organization’s regional trade show here in Kalispell. As you might expect, we talked about personalizing their businesses – in their very narrow market context. What always makes me wonder about these events is why they aren’t standing room only. Why aren’t people lined up at the door, so to […]

The other day at the gym my teacher forewarned the class in front of him that the next exercise made a previous student puke from exhaustion. So goes the slog to get and maintain the physique to keep up with many of my colleagues, specifically my friend and second-in-command in the newsroom Myers Reece. Reece […]

I am very concerned about our entire political system, Democrats and Republicans alike. And I realize the tremendous frustration in America today with unemployment, deficits, health care problems, family financial problems, and the great desire for all this to be solved, and that possibly a change in presidential leadership is the answer. Well, before we […]

It’s no secret that President Barack Obama thinks that businesses should pay more in taxes. However in Roanoke, Va. he recently made some sorely misguided statements about business success when he said: “If you’ve been successful, you didn’t get there on your own. You didn’t get there on your own. I’m always struck by people […]