By John Fuller An often over-looked office in the quadrennial election season is the statewide election of the superintendent of public instruction. Besides being a member of the Land Board, the state superintendent supervises the disbursement of both state and federal education funds as well as executes the administrative rules of the Montana State Board […]

Congress returned from recess last week but no one expected it to get much done. That’s probably best, anyway. Then, if lawmakers pass any meaningful legislation – say, the five-year Farm Bill extension to provide certainty to an agriculture industry dealing with one of the worst droughts in the country’s history – those lowly expectations […]

If you value your right to own a firearm, you should consider the consequences of voting for President Barack Obama and Sen. Jon Tester in November. Obama nominated two of the most anti-gun individuals in Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan to the U.S. Supreme Court. Jon Tester, along with a Democrat majority in the Senate, […]

1989 was the 100th anniversary of Montana’s statehood. Teachers were instructing students about the history and importance of statehood and the reasons for the centennial celebrations. One teacher and her students developed what turned out to be the most interesting and far-reaching of all centennial projects. A Helena teacher, Mrs. Sandy Heffelfinger, and students at […]

Even when business is going well, it’s not unusual for a business owner to take a hard look at their payroll. When they pass you in the hall, it’s entirely natural for them to wonder to themselves… “Is that person pulling their weight?” Outside of that situation, you should know if your staff members are […]

Political figures must set aside differences, come together, and focus on issues that matter to our kids’ future. Montanans deserve leadership that gets along. Gov. Brian Schweitzer worked well with Republicans during his eight years serving Montana. During a prime-time slot and at the last night of the Democratic National Convention, Schweitzer said, “We’ve had […]

The idea for a University Center at Flathead Valley Community College should be vigorously pursued. Some four-year degrees are already offered at the school, but working with the state’s universities to set up satellite campuses on Kalispell’s existing one could have a huge impact on this area. The school announced recently that its board of […]

By John Fuller The news that unemployment has been stuck at over 8 percent and GDP at less than 2 percent for the last four years brings up the question of what is the proper solution to our problem of over 24 million people without jobs and millions more underemployed. The answer is simple: create […]

Choosing a president is not a personality contest. The ability to mesmerize voters with eloquent oratory catering to special interest groups is not the criterion for leading our nation. Many examples could be given of the following points if space permitted. President Barack Obama’s administration has eroded our free enterprise system to the extent that […]

A recent letter from a Kalispell resident provided definitions of “treason” and “traitor” to bolster her claim that, as she put it, “our government has been infiltrated openly with socialists, communists, Marxists and the Muslim Brotherhood.” She also asked readers whether they want to “live under the rule of the United Nations or the Constitution.” […]

Is the Flathead destined to become the LOST Best Place? It’s a serious question. Ask tourists, new businesses, and most residents and they will tell you they came to the Flathead because it truly is one of the Last Best Places in the country. Ask economic development specialists and they will tell you that the […]

Last week, we discussed a big reason why clients won’t take your advice. Reader David commented about a fairly common situation: Interesting concept but whenever I have tried to apply it (which has been many times before reading this post) I find the client still wont listen and will ignore my advice. This leaves me […]

August 28th’s smoky red midnight moon sure was impressive. With the mountains hidden, we had about 6 to 10 miles of visibility, with Montana Department of Environmental Quality’s (MDEQ) station at Flathead Electric peaked at a Total Suspended Particulate (TSP) level of 59 at 4 p.m. Monday, Aug. 27. In terms of health, 100 micrograms […]

That’s what’s being discussed among city leaders as the Core Revitalization Plan is passed around. And, for good reason, it has provoked some excitement from residents who have seen it. To be sure, there are some who believe downtown Kalispell is just fine the way it is. I’m not one of them. I love the […]

By John Fuller As the 2012 presidential campaign reaches full frenzy, the Democrats have decided that an effective campaign tactic is to accuse the Republicans of conducting a “war on women” when Republicans resist governmental trampling of religious values. Republicans are condemned for being “extreme” for voicing moral values that reflect time-honored Christian views. Ever […]