By John Fuller Once President Barack Obama was re-elected, he no longer had to stifle his anti-Second Amendment beliefs. Seizing upon the atrocity in Connecticut, Obama and Democrats have mounted a full-court press on American citizens’ right to “keep and bear arms” with a plethora of restrictive bills. Claiming to curb “gun violence,” not one […]

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 […]

In Montana all taverns are licensed for the retail sale of alcohol, with different privileges available depending on the license held. Breweries in Montana are licensed as beer manufacturers. Since 1999 breweries have been allowed to sell samples of their beer through a special exception to the licensing requirements. Tavern owners across Montana helped support […]

Next week Montana’s Legislature begins hearings on the most critical bills of the session. Lawmakers must choose whether to expand Medicaid in Montana, with the federal government paying for 100 percent of the cost over the next three years and 90 percent thereafter. Over the next eight years Montana’s economy could see a $6 billion […]

You may not like to sell, particularly if you are a technical person. It’s even more likely if you’re a technical person who has built a job rather than a business – meaning you might be chief cook and bottle washer as well. It may be an overused stereotype that technical people don’t like sales […]

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 […]

Last month, a legislative subcommittee approved a $28 million increase in spending on higher education, which will effectively freeze tuition for in-state students through 2015 if Montana’s universities and colleges meet certain performance standards. That’s a decent tradeoff, especially as student loan debt begins to resemble a bubble. The amount of money students borrow to […]

By John Fuller Expanding the Medicaid rolls is Obamacare’s primary way of dealing with the uninsured. The law offers politicians the opportunity to pad Medicaid rolls because it promises 100 percent federal funding until 2018, and then 90 percent of the cost thereafter. In the past, states determine eligibility rules, but this expansion puts the […]

Not long ago, the Flathead basin had the largest and healthiest population of native bull trout in the country with possibly 20,000 or more adult fish. Angler harvest of bull trout in the Flathead River system was 6,000 to 8,000 bull trout each year. Some of those fish reached more than 20 pounds. Today, because […]

When Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced his resignation from the Obama Administration, attention turned instantly to a successor. But President Barack Obama shattered the mold when he nominated Seattleite Sally Jewell, CEO of Recreational Equipment, Inc., known as REI. Born in England, Jewell came to America at age four when her anesthesiologist dad […]

Are experts cheap or expensive? You may not be old enough to remember the Fram guy, but he’s the perfect example of the expert who can be cheap or expensive. The cheap expert is the one who gets paid to take care of routine maintenance that prolongs the life of your asset – in this […]

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 […]

It’s true. We have been down this road before. A developer or organization proposes a performing arts, convention or town center in the Flathead Valley. And those plans either stall or are scrapped entirely. In 2008, the Kalispell City Council approved the largest development in the history of Flathead County. Glacier Town Center would have […]