As Whitefish High School makes a strong push to begin drug testing its students, school officials supporting the policy should heed the wisdom they pass on to many of their pupils: Don’t overreact. That is not to advocate complacency, especially if the drug problem there is as grave as what was described at an April […]

Half the soldiers killed in Vietnam weren’t old enough to vote. The monumental injustice of that triggered the adoption of the 26th amendment in 1971, which lowered the voting age to 18. Montana Sen. Mike Mansfield noted that his leadership role in lowering the voting age was perhaps his proudest achievement in his long life […]

As Gov. Brian Schweitzer wrapped up an interview with my colleague recently, I quickly interjected to ask two dumb questions: What do you think your chances are at the Democratic vice presidential nomination and whom do you plan on endorsing in the presidential election? He scoffed at the first and ignored the second, deflecting attention […]

In fiscal year 2006, the hard working people at the Flathead County Solid Waste District disposed of 125,318 tons of solid waste. Valley Recycling recycled a total of 6,000 tons of material in 2006. That included mixed paper, cardboard, #1 and #2 plastics, and non-ferrous metals. That’s a recycling rate for the Flathead Valley of […]

On April 23, I joined a packed house attending the City of Whitefish vs. Flathead County Board of Commissioners hearing before Flathead District Court Judge Kitty Curtis. The main point of the argument presented by Whitefish attorney John Phelps was that irreparable harm would occur were the county to resume zoning jurisdiction. Flathead County counsel […]

Few have the gall of John Earl Petersen. And that’s a good thing. The Spokane man believed to have masterminded the $11 million collapse of Mountain Bank of Whitefish in the mid-1990s was captured in Boulder, Colo., last week. Among his belongings: a blond wig, several dismantled cell phones and a book titled “How to […]

At what point should a community support the businesses operating in and near it? Should city and county officials publicly state appreciation for the tax dollars and many other contributions businesses, large and small, make to the well-being of a town and its residents? Or, should they all wait quietly until a closure happens and […]

Recently two state departments have reinforced stereotypes that neither wants. It’s become easier to accuse the Montana government of wastefulness upon revelations that its employees are playing video games and swapping dirty e-mails on taxpayers’ dime. Late last year, a Department of Corrections employee reported receiving an objectionable e-mail from a co-worker. A subsequent investigation […]

For the last few years, the issue of global warming has risen to the forefront of our country’s political debate. Here in Montana, the Legislature will probably have dozens of bills in the 2009 session to address the concerns surrounding climate change. As the discussion over the scientific opinions on global warming continues, a new […]

Our previous Wilderness 101 class covered how Bob Marshall almost single-handedly created the “wilderness movement” in American politics and set the stage for the eventual passage of the law governing wilderness areas on American public lands: The Wilderness Act of 1964. When Marshall died in 1939, various federal agencies had set aside roughly 5 million […]

As Whitefish and Flathead County officials dig in their respective heels for what is sure to be a drawn-out litigation battle, it’s clear the wedge between the two municipalities involves more than the law of the land. As legal arguments focus on who controls the outskirts of a city and what soil can be developed […]

Last month hundreds of us stood on the banks of the Clark Fork River which courses through 120 miles of the largest superfund site in the nation. We were there to watch the river run free for the first time in 100 years. In doing so we were recognizing the advent of a new economy […]

Shay Joshua Garnett acknowledged last week that he has a warrant out for his arrest in Indiana. Despite his legal woes, he promised to continue his fledgling campaign for the Republican nomination to challenge U.S. Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., in the upcoming election. And who can blame him? Several elections for higher office, here and […]

My 30-year professional history has focused on destructive thinking and behavior patterns in sexuality and drugs and alcohol. I wish to comment on the proposed Whitefish High School mandatory drug and alcohol testing policy for all youths in any sanctioned activities. Though exaggerated in some recent media articles, I agree with the committee that there […]

It must be spring. After all, environmentalists have “sprung” at least six or seven new lawsuits on the Northwest court system the past couple weeks – and Earthjustice is about ready to file against delisting Northern Rockies wolves. But it’s a just-dismissed lawsuit that has my attention, especially since I just got “carded” for this […]