By MARILYNN MILLER and GERALDINE BECK Guest columnists In early March, Montana House Judiciary Committee Chair Barry Usher made a public statement equating the role of women to that of female wildlife as “nurturers and birthers.” Usher’s ridiculously narrow view of the contributions of women is sadly emblematic of the regressive attitudes and actions of […]

Eight minutes, if things go right. That’s how long it takes for a wolf — or for someone’s beloved pet — to strangle to death in the snare traps approved for use by Montana House Bill 224. But sometimes things don’t go right. When the snare cinches on either side of the trachea the suffering […]

In 2020, Congress passed the historic National Suicide Hotline Designation Act, making 988 the future phone number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and paving the way for states to fund 988 the same way as 911. We now have the opportunity to do that in Montana with House Bill 315. Gov. Gianforte co-sponsored the Designation […]

It is bad enough that Sen. Steve Daines opposes the historic nomination of Rep. Deb Haaland to be Secretary of Interior. The irony of his statement that, “Her confirmation will hurt Montana & the Western way of life as we know it,” is beyond belief given that, unlike Daines, her ancestors have lived in the […]

In our Montana Legislature, Senate Bill 260 is atrocious. If passed, this bill could cost Montana hundreds of millions of dollars. Similar bills have been enacted in other states, only to be repealed a few years later because they are so very costly to the states. Similar bills have also been introduced in past Montana […]

Are you kidding me? According to the “Rural Montana Foundation,” astroturf not grassroots, ranches are overrun with elk. I’m sure everyday Montana hunters would love access to same, but something tells me they can’t get it. These elk are basically locusts, yet these poor ranchers somehow can’t entice hunters to reduce their numbers. Not even […]

I was pleased to read in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle that Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) re-introduced the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act (NREPA) to the U.S. House of Representatives last Wednesday. NREPA leaves no Roadless Areas as “sacrifice zones.” All inventoried roadless areas in the Northern Rockies bioregion would be designated as wilderness under the […]

Daines should recognize importance of public lands Montana’s public lands are priceless. They generate annual revenues that sustain Montana’s tourism economy. A Bozeman-Yellowstone alliance was established 150 years ago this summer. The 1871 Hayden Survey explored the territory that would become Yellowstone National Park. The expedition, based at Fort Ellis, was comprised of thirty four […]

A Newspaper Column from Evan Barrett March 16, 2021 Passage of SB 215, with a shadow title of “Establish the Religious Freedom Restoration Act,” opens the door for advancing discrimination in Montana, changing us from an open and tolerant state to one of bigotry and intolerance. Let’s look at history.  Twenty-nine years ago, Billings set […]

It is bad enough that Sen. Steve Daines opposes the historic nomination of Rep. Deb Haaland to be Secretary of Interior. The irony of his statement that, “Her confirmation will hurt Montana & the Western way of life as we know it,” is beyond belief given that, unlike Daines, her ancestors have lived in the […]