Opinion / Column
Sorted by date Results 26 - 50 of 2432
Keeping kids in school, safely
As Montana families are preparing to send children back to school, we are confronting the uncomfortable fact that the COVID-19 pandemic is not over, much as all of us dearly wish it were. Late spring brought big reductions in... — Updated 8/13/2021
Vaccine hesitancy mystifying
I received my COVID-19 shots last winter when people were standing in line for them. I’ve been increasingly mystified by the vaccine resistance since then. The whole country seemed to be behind “Operation Warp Speed” as the... — Updated 8/11/2021
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The Postscript: Taking no chances
The renovations to our new home continue. We didn’t expect to be refinishing the floor. But when we tore up the flooring that was buckling and warping in the summer humidity, we... — Updated 8/11/2021
Continuing to work while planning to run again
This past four-and-a-half years representing Senate District 14 has been an honor that I hope to continue. Judy and I have talked at great length about the commitment involved in serving one more term in the Senate. Having had... — Updated 8/10/2021
We can end this pandemic
We do not need to repeat history. In 2020, COVID-19 was the third-leading cause of death in Montana and by the year’s end, more than 1,100 COVID-related deaths occurred. For the first time since 1907, when birth and death... — Updated 8/9/2021
View from the North 40: The trouble with COVID
The trouble with COVID is that it is a public relations nightmare. Where’s the angle? The hook? For starters, the name. COVID-19 hardly strikes fear in the heart of mankind let... — Updated 8/6/2021
Carz: Part II. The Flim Flam Man
After our mutual agreement last week that Ariel’s car with Four-in-the-Floor and not enough wiggle room would not be a good car for my needs, Ariel went on the search for the... — Updated 8/5/2021
May I propose another solution?
Controversy and conspiracy continue to shadow COVID-19 policies of many organizations. Despite decisions being thoughtfully considered and evidence-driven, the divide witnessed in our community and nation continues to widen. Most... — Updated 7/30/2021
View from the North 40: Due to high temps, all humor is canceled until further notice
Normally I like baked goods, but when the good being baked day after day after day is me, not cookies or caramel rolls or those little personal-sized quiches, I do not approve. The... — Updated 7/30/2021
Looking out my Backdoor: The little red VW bug fantasy
“Mom, are you having a mid-life crisis?” asked my daughter. “I can’t have a mid-life crisis. I’m too old.” “Last week a dog. This week a car. What are you... — Updated 7/29/2021
The Postscript: The Treat Lady again
The dogs are missing me. My husband, Peter, predicted this after we moved. “All the dogs will miss you!” he said. “They are going to be looking for the Treat Lady. Don’t you... — Updated 7/28/2021
Why are we letting the world go up in smoke?
Montanans used to joke that we had two distinct seasons: winter and road construction. Now we have three: winter, road construction and fire season, the latter of which is punctuated by searing temperatures and long dry spells... — Updated 7/26/2021
Our View - Pandemic will continue while vaccinations lag
It’s astounding. Some people seem to have the attitude that the COVID-19 pandemic is over. It is not. In response to a story published last Friday in Havre Daily News about Hill County Commission approving the county health... — Updated 7/23/2021
View from the North 40: Space, the final investment opportunity
When I see people celebrating three multi-billionaires racing to get into space I have that same visceral trigger I get when I watch scary movies and nobody, but nobody, turns the light on when they walk into a dark room. I know it... — Updated 7/23/2021
Looking out my Backdoor: It's a doggy dog world
My friend Peggy used to ask me, in her booming voice, "What's your motive?" She caused me to examine stuff I'd really rather have left swept into the bulge under the rug. Peggy is g... — Updated 7/22/2021
Shoulder seasons not meant for public lands
In Montana private land elk hunting is moving toward 11 weeks for people who can pay thousands of dollars for trophy bulls, while others are left to hunt cows in deep snows and bitter cold when they’re struggling to survive the w... — Updated 7/22/2021
The Postscript: Adventures everywhere
Years ago, I had trouble with my septic system. If you’ve ever had that kind of trouble, you know what kind of trouble it can be. I was living in my old farmhouse out in the... — Updated 7/21/2021
Mac on Movies: Marvel's "Black Widow" decent, but standard fare
I have been a fan of comic books and their movie adaptations since the first “Spider-Man” film featuring Tobey Maguire came out in 2002 I was roughly 7 or 8 years old then, so... — Updated 7/21/2021
Mac on Movies: 'Space Jam 2' flop is a matter of perspective
As someone who grew up on "Space Jam," I walked into Havre's Cottonwood Cinema 4 this past weekend fully prepared to hate "Space Jam 2: A New Legacy" but some 48 hours removed, I... — Updated 7/20/2021
Biden and Tester plan to rein in the corporate ag monopolies
President Joe Biden signed 72 directives in a series of executive orders to try to rein in corporate abuse and to create a more competitive marketplace. These directives are instructing agencies to investigate anticompetitive... — Updated 7/16/2021
View from the North 40: If I get to pick my magical windfall, I'm going big
Barrington, New Jersey resident Louis Angelino III has earned the title of Cleaning Fairy after a Cherry Hill, New Jersey, couple arrived home to find that Angelino had mistakenly... — Updated 7/16/2021
How many times have you said …
If only I could live my life over knowing what I now know? Well, guess what. If you woke up this morning still breathing, you can indeed. Live your life over. Start right now.... — Updated 7/15/2021
The Postscript - Lost in the move
I’m not sure when a house becomes a home, but I don’t think we’re quite there yet. My husband, Peter, and I have moved into the new place. All our stuff is here, but that does... — Updated 7/14/2021
View from the North40: In the end, the heart wants what the heart wants
This whole thing started, as many trips down the rabbit hole of research do, with a random shared post on Facebook. This one shared a lot of cool things about horses, my passion,... — Updated 7/9/2021
From the Fringe … If it's this hot and dry, then fireworks should not have been allowed in Havre and Hill County
Are we in a drought or aren’t we? Is it dry here or isn’t it? The National Weather Service and USDA both say we are and say it is. And it’s those kinds of institutions that I... — Updated 7/9/2021
