Last week at Montana West Economic Development’s (MWED) August E2 (Entrepreneur-to-Entrepreneur) session, I had the pleasure of moderating a panel of business owners whose business have, as I call it, hit “cruising altitude”. The E2 panels started back during Liz Marchi’s service as Executive Director of MWED and continue to this day, where they are […]

Things have been pretty interesting on the energy front the past month – as you would expect when energy gets mixed with politics. Most folks know that Flathead Electric Cooperative has been installing a partial “smart grid” here, in hopes of efficiency gains and better cost allocation. But will things pan out? Consider this bit […]

Dave Skinner’s recent commentary (Aug. 18 Beacon: “Glacier National Park: Our Ticket to the Third World?”) is shameful; advocating for mining and manufacturing in Glacier National Park? Are you kidding me? This non-sensible stance exemplifies why the far-right Tea Party Republicans have fallen off the cliff. This kind of extreme talk clearly does not represent […]

The argument that gambling is unethical is fast losing to the one that it is necessary to shore up state coffers. On the east coast, where placing bets was limited to Atlantic City and Indian reservations, states are now jockeying for more gamblers’ money by lifting restrictions and encouraging casino development. Montana was in a […]

Based on recent letters to the editor in local newspapers and comments made by county officials at a July 27 public gathering, the $124,000 state-funded feasibility study for an unpaved 10-mile section of heavily traveled North Fork Road appears to be headed for the filing cabinets and DVD storage. In these times calling for fiscal […]

Ready or not, here they come! Of the more than 80 million students in the United States who will start school within the next two weeks, approximately 10,000 of them will be walking through the front doors of the Flathead Valley school system. As we prepare to start a new school year, it is time […]

I spend 99.9% of my time here writing things aimed at employers/business owners, but today this one is for the employees and those who would like to be employed. Lately, I’ve noticed a few things that make it not all that surprising that some folks aren’t having much luck getting work, so I have a […]

In response to Larry Parsons (Aug. 18 Beacon: “Motocross Track Would Benefit Community”), I also say be a good neighbor. Do not build a motocross track on your highest ground when you have dips and depressions in which to build it to try to lessen the noise. Do not ask to race from 6 a.m. […]

I love Glacier National Park. It’s the reason I moved here and the reason I stay. But I am beginning to abhor camping there. While we enjoy backcountry camping, we also enjoy spending time on Glacier’s beautiful lakes with our sea kayaks, in the front country campgrounds. But these campgrounds are a far cry from […]

American Dream Montana recently launched a petition to repeal Flathead County’s growth policy. That gives the pro-property rights group 90 days to gather 5,353 signatures to place the referendum on the 2012 ballot, since the deadline has already passed for the upcoming general election. If successful, it would either change the rulebook county officials use […]

Bill Schneider’s recent support for U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood was totally irresponsible (Aug. 11 Beacon: “Transportation Policy Takes a Right Turn”) and a disservice to the people of Montana. Schneider supported LaHood’s call to put bike paths on an even par for federally funded road projects. In Montana today, 20 percent of […]

Here in Montana, August brings us the county fair and farm harvests. And this year we also celebrate a harvest of victories for Glacier National Park, the North Fork Flathead River and Flathead Lake. In addition to commemorating Glacier’s first 100 years, citizens from across the Montana-British Columbia border, Gov. Brian Schweitzer, B.C. Premier Gordon […]

I really try to avoid talking about survival. I think it’s the wrong target because it places your business in a risky position. A bad month or a consecutive series of just two or three bad months can shift many businesses from a survival position to just-plain-closed. However, there are a lot of folks out […]

In this centennial year of Glacier National Park, it’s been a busy time for the Crown of the Continent, hasn’t it? The excitement started with British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell’s declaration that B.C. was banning minerals production in the Canadian part of the North Fork Flathead. Sens. Jon Tester and Max Baucus responded by introducing […]

What has Raceway Park contributed to the valley’s economy, lifestyle, and family entertainment? Will a Motocross park please more people than it might offend? I say be a community and encourage anything that provides a healthy activity for participants and spectators (mom, dad and the kids). I say be a good neighbor. This is done […]