Whenever a tax is involved the issue is sure to be criticized, often with merit. But there is little to dislike about the recently created Kalispell Tourism Business Improvement District, which allows participating hotels to charge guests a $1.25 fee per night and use that money to promote tourism in the city. The room for […]

After attending a public forum on gill netting of lake trout in Flathead Lake, I have decided that the practice will pose a huge threat to the tourism economy for the Flathead. Just as everyone knows that Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks destroyed the salmon fisheries; likewise they will know that the Confederated Salish & […]

The roller coaster ride of the national and Montana economy continues at a frantic pace. The good news-bad news scenarios are in the headlines on a daily basis and it is really difficult to sort out the wheat from the chaff. As I’m certain all are aware, the drop in the housing market nationwide is […]

I’m wondering if you’ve become an expert at mining. It’s a critical skill if you’re concerned about keeping your business pump primed with new and returning customers – especially returning ones. When I say mining, I mean mining your customer/order database. Yellow pads, QuickBooks and shoeboxes Regardless of what tool you use to keep track […]

I’ve already made up my mind for the primary election, so I decided to peek at what ballot issues we might be deciding in November. I’ve never favored direct-vote ballot issues as a regular means of doing “the people’s business.” I prefer to elect someone (with a clue) to do all that on my behalf. […]

Elena Kagan is nominated for the U.S. Supreme Court. Meanwhile, BP has been unsuccessful in its attempts to stanch an oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico. HIGH ELENA KAGAN – President Obama nominates the solicitor general to replace Justice John Paul Stevens on the Supreme Court, though it’s unclear how tough of a confirmation […]

Isn’t it time we did something about repowering America? Most assuredly we consumers are playing a part in global warming. Most of us are dependent on fossil fuels for energy. I drive a vehicle, heat and light my home and office and I best most of you do also. With an oil well environmental disaster […]

Most of us consider Montana’s primaries to be “open” in that anyone can vote by simply choosing to fill out a Democratic or Republican ballot on June 8. But there are limits to that openness since, while you don’t have to register with either political party to participate, you are still pigeonholed into picking between […]

Shame on the Beacon for making the Nazi film showing front page news (May 5 Beacon: “Nazi Films Inflame Tensions in Kalispell”). And shame on the Kalispell library for making the decision to show the film. It’s clear that Karl Gharst is running low on “new members” to add to his Neo-Nazi group from Hayden, […]

One of the first things that you hear from business people after a story in the news about a failing school or troubled teacher is that schools need to run like a business. Listen to the news about today’s natural disaster response and you’ll hear the same about community organizations. “Run them like a business […]

Last month we saw the tragedy of a little boy, flying alone on an airplane to Russia returned by his adoptive mother to a place he barely recalled. This sad event became an international news story, if not an international incident. As with many tragedies, this one could have been prevented. Intermountain, a 100-year-old children’s […]

The United States of America continues to get more polarized politically. There is absolutely no chance of that changing. In the absence of a Civil War to see which side wins, since both sides are heterogeneously mixed together, I have a recommendation of how to end the stalemate: Let’s divide the nation in two along […]

Ivan Keeney lands a monster pike in Smith Lake. Meanwhile, Flathead County owes local deputies thousands of dollars in back pay. HIGH CONOCOPHILLIPS – This Houston-based oil giant is relinquishing its interest on 169,000 acres of oil and gas leases along the North Fork. IVAN KEENEY – This beginning fly-caster may have set a North […]

I was wondering who is Mr. Kephart? Who is he working for? And where does he plan to hunt after the dust settles on I-161? If he is successful he has succeeded in deregulating one of the most regulated industries in the state. Instead of helping sportsman secure more private land he has actually seriously […]

As expected, Kalispell City Council voted last week to prevent any new medical marijuana dispensaries from opening up by adopting a zoning ordinance that prohibits establishing businesses within town limits that conflict with federal law. The timing is ironic, since the state of Montana is currently involved in a highly publicized lawsuit that challenges federal […]