Editor, Pretending that opposition to continuing Montana’s “Medicaid expansion” had anything to do with the federal budget deficit is a joke that is almost as funny as the proposal by state Sen. Sales earlier this Montana legislative session... Full story

Earlier this week a friend of mine was puzzling over why English speakers use the word “disgruntled” all the time, but we never drop the “dis” prefix and say “gruntled.” A “disgruntled” customer can file a complaint, but why don’t...

Editor, Due to decreasing enrollment the Cottonwood School District’s contribution received from federal and state funds will be reduced again for the coming school year. In order to remain open, the school must run a general levy to raise $30,000...

On April 2, 2019, Montana Senators Jon Tester, Democrat, and Steve Daines, Republican, announced their bipartisan support of the Autism Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education, and Support — CARES — Act to fund research, training, and...

Polls consistently show that Montanans support public lands and access to them. And yet, the 2019 Montana Legislature consistently opposed bills that improve access and supported bills that reduce it. Of the four bills that would have improved...

For the record, I don’t need anyone to applaud me or approve of the way I negotiate life for me to feel validated, but sometimes that kind of support makes me want to laugh like a jerk, “haaaa haaa hah!” while pointing my bust-a-cap fingers in...

The first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, activated 20 million Americans from all walks of life and is widely credited with launching the modern environmental movement. The passage of the landmark Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species...

An open letter to Montana state legislators and Gov. Bullock: As former and current Montana Public Service commissioners, we represented Montanans across this great state in balancing the needs of utilities with the needs of consumers. We took our...

This past couple of weeks, Judy and I were blessed to have family here to visit and show the grandkids the Montana State Capitol. Mari and kids here from Washington and Maci and kids from Wyoming. It was too bad their spring breaks weren’t at the...

Americans pay the highest brand-name drug prices in the world. Congress, the administration and importantly, our own Montana state legislators must take action now to lower prescription drug prices, the root cause of this problem. That’s why AARP i...

As a Montanan, veteran, and state senator, I am proud to sponsor Senate Bill 300 — a bill that protects property rights. The bill would create a grandfather clause for owners in HOAs to keep only their most basic property rights that were...

Editor, I am upset by the cruelty of those in Congress who would allow a born-alive baby to die. But also by those who promise us a “fantastic” health care plan that we will have to wait 20 or more months to see. I would like to suggest they...

Editor, Wow — wow — wow to the Havre High students and directors for the presentation of “Little Mermaid,”  it was excellent in every aspect — music exceptional as was the acting and singing. Try going on Broadway!  A full house every...

Dear Editor, First I would like to congratulate this year’s Havre High School Girls Basketball State Champions! Havre has a strong tradition of excellence in sports and I’m proud to be part of the state championship legacy. But part of the Havre...

I attended the Town Hall meetings at Plentywood to discuss hour reduction at the U.S. Port of Raymond-Regway Canadian Port of which is a 24-hour commercial port. The proposed hours of operation would be from 6 a.m. to midnight. Canada — Regway...

This past week, the Montana House of Representatives passed both House Bill 652, the Long-Range Bonding bill, and House Bill 658, the Medicaid Expansion bill. The Bonding bill passed the floor with 68 yes votes and 30 no votes, and the Medicaid...

Editor, To the person, out at Walmart, who picked up an envelope full of cash: it belonged to an elderly lady on disability. You should have turned it in. You should be ashamed of yourself. What comes around goes around. Susie Webb...

It’s spring, so the annual harassment has begun about my fat horses. It didn’t help that we went to see some friends over the weekend and all their horses looked trim and fit. Apparently the difference between our horses’ physiques was...

I am a passionate defender of property rights. They are a foundational principle of our U.S. and Montana Constitutions. But as a resident and owner in a Montana community with a homeowners association, or HOA, I am both saddened and outraged that SB...

Mark Twain is credited with saying, “History does not repeat itself, but it often rhymes.” And so it is with SB 331, which is winding its way through the legislature. This bill authorizes NorthWest-ern Energy to buy more interest in old coal...

Editor’s note: This corrects the amount of the proposed opiod flat tax which was changed in Tempel’s letter due to an editing error. One of the things discussed this week in Energy Committee was net neutrality on internet providers. Basically,...

Last summer, I met a woman in Lewistown who told me she made too much money to qualify for Head Start but couldn’t afford to have her son in the kind of quality program that would give him a great start. I met parents in Wibaux who had to drive 30...