At the U.S. Department of Agriculture we’ve made record efforts in the past four years to support homegrown energy. This year, we’re looking ahead to a promising future for biofuels. Biofuels have already contributed a great deal to our economy, to our energy security and to the bottom line on our farms and ranches. Today […]

Darn. Only three months after the last election, the political slime spigot has already been turned on again: Most of us saw the cheesy Super Bowl ad trying to pin the National Rifle Association, “independently” paid for by billionaire nanny Mayor Mike Bloomberg’s Mayors Against Illegal [For Peasants] Guns. I was going to discuss what […]

Does talk of hiring diversity make you cringe, or does it mean something positive? “Hiring diversity” often takes on highly-charged meanings due to personal experiences, historical events and/or substantial media attention. Fact is, diversity means many things, each of which can strengthen a company – just as the introduction of a foreign substance like reinforcing […]

Since Kalispell does not have a strong mayor system in place – that is, a full-time elected city administrator – whoever replaces Tammi Fisher is less consequential to the overall direction of city government. But it still matters. Whether fair, the title alone conjures high expectations. In reality, the next mayor will simply be the […]

A recent editorial made a plea that we must retain “same-day voting/registration,” as it appeals to the dignity of the voter. If the dignity of a voter hinges on their registering and voting on the last day, Election Day, it speaks volumes to me and should to you. I feel many voters didn’t give any […]

Dear Senator Baucus, While I commend you on your effort to help out our returning veterans (I am a veteran myself), I write to share my mixed feelings about adding additional rules and laws to the already existing laws. We have in existence the Uniformed Services Employment and Re-employment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA), amended […]

At the top of our state capital building in Helena sits a beautiful copper dome. Nearly a century ago, that copper dome wasn’t just for decoration. It was a symbol of the copper barons and their ultimate power to decide who represented the people of Montana. While miners risked their lives working thousands of feet […]

Recently, a friend posted a simple exercise to help her clients see that no matter where they live, there are lots of people who need what they do even “in our terrible economy”. In summary, her suggestion was: “Next Friday or Saturday, go to the most expensive restaurant in town and get a table (if […]

The sordid details of legislative infighting made statewide newspaper headlines. That’s not new to Montana politics. The Montana Legislature often exhibits its ruthless political mannerisms. What was surprising in the leaked political emails was not the tone, nor the quest for raw political power, but rather a seemingly simple redistricting statement by Senate President Jeff […]

When the ABC reality show “The Bachelor” arrived in Whitefish last fall, it was a big deal. Central Avenue was shut down. Country singer Sarah Darling performed on stage. Hundreds of people lined the street. And there was Sean Lowe, the star of this season, embracing one of the contestants under perfect lighting. The scene […]

By John Fuller Whenever a mentally ill person commits a heinous crime, people wonder how such a person escaped being diagnosed. Society also debates the feasibility of earlier intervention to include involuntary incarceration. And everyone would like to know which people harbor evil in their hearts and minds. Previous to the reforms of the mid-20th […]

I woke up recently to a wonderful new realization. I am one of the top wage earners in our country. No, it’s true. Remember all through the election how Obama kept saying that it was time for the top earners to pay their fair share. When I picked up my paycheck from payroll last Thursday, […]

Yet another year of gridlock has passed. It’s time for our lawmakers to finally come together and pass the Forest Jobs and Recreation Act (FJRA). If implemented, here’s what will happen locally on the Kootenai National Forest (KNF): • The act would mandate that 3,000 acres be mechanically treated annually for a minimum of 10 […]

There is nothing like a grandchild to conjure up memories of the past, and provide glimpses into the future. When I watch my grandkids swim in the clear waters of Beaver Lake, see the marvel in their eyes when they catch their first fish, and when they ride their bikes on the Whitefish Trail, it […]

During Amazon Web Services’ (AWS) November re:Invent conference, there were a number of interesting talks. Psst…Don’t run away, not-interested-in-technology folks, this is barely about tech if you look closely. I got the most out of the sessions centered around the strategic design decisions that Amazon.com (an AWS customer) and other AWS customers were making. These […]