Bozeman Health is a nonprofit tax exempt hospital and is required to conduct a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) every three years to identify major health problems and gaps in services. In 2020, the CHNA again identified mental health as the number one priority health need locally. The lack of inpatient psychiatric care at the […]

By AMANDA CAHILL and KRISTIN PAGE-NEI Guest columnists An overwhelming number of Montana voters are concerned about tobacco use. So why do some members of the Montana Legislature continue to push bills on behalf of tobacco companies and against the wishes and health of Montanans? For example, Senate Bill 398, sponsored by Sen. Jason Ellsworth, actually […]

The United States House of Representatives recently voted to remove the deadline for ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). The ERA simply states that, “Equality of Rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any other state on account of sex.” The House passed this bill 222 […]

By ALISON FOX Guest columnist The Montana State House Agriculture Committee earlier this month voted unanimously to table HB 677, a bill that would have prohibited certain nonprofit organizations from buying agricultural land. This proposed legislation would have been a brazen violation of private property rights. It would have inserted government in between willing buyers […]

I applaud President Biden for issuing an Executive Order that commits the United States to a “30 by 30” goal, which commits to conserving 30% of the nation’s lands and waters in a “natural state” by 2030. Deja vu. Five years ago, Edward O. Wilson, Harvard Professor Emeritus wrote Half-Earth: Our Planet’s Fight for Life. […]

By ZACK STRONG Guest columnist Gov. Greg Gianforte made national headlines recently after it was revealed that he illegally trapped and killed a radio-collared Yellowstone National Park wolf in February just 10 miles north of the park’s boundary, after failing to take a mandatory trapping class. Meanwhile, Montana legislators are clamoring to advance a series […]

If you voted Republican and sent millionaires Daines back to the Senate and Rosendale to the House, you must realize that if they had had their way you would have lost all the benefits of the $1.9 million American Rescue Plan. They have no compassion for the plight of ordinary Americans during the pandemic —500,000 […]

By MIKE BATISTA Guest Columnist Over the last year, the pandemic has opened our  yes to the reality that highspeed internet is essential for Montanans across the state. The pandemic also reminds us of the painful truth that Montana ranks 50th in the nation when it comes to this vital service. Since the pandemic began, […]

By ROXA RELLER Guest columnist 1,269 bills and resolutions have been introduced by Montana legislators as of this writing. Atop that mountain of proposed legislation, one bill stands alone as the worst abuse of power in terms of corporate cronyism and threats to Montanans’ pocketbooks. Senate Bill 379, introduced by Sen. Steve Fitzpatrick (R–Great Falls), […]

Today I watched our Gallatin County Republican Legislators, J. Hinkle, C. Hinkle of Belgrade and J. Gillette, West Yellowstone, Big Sky, Gallatin Gateway and Four Corners, vote for the COVID Relief Bill HB 362 which strips Gallatin County of its fair share of the Federal Covid money supplied by the Democrats of Congress. Gallatin County […]