As a former Mayor of Bozeman, I cannot help but wonder what it would be like to serve now. Since the first of the year, the city commission has hired a new city manager, worked with the county and the board of health to create a uniform response to the previously unknown, but lethal, COVID-19, met […]

Romano best candidate to lead Montana’s schools I was a public school teacher for 35 years in Minnesota. Retired, I have lived in Montana for six months a year for the last 11 years. I am supporting Melissa Romano for superintendent of Montana’s Office of Public Instruction because I believe she is the best candidate […]

Gianforte, Daines fail to hold Trump accountable The great American experiment of democracy may be on its last legs as Trump threatens to destroy 200+ years of hard work and efforts to create a government “of the people, by the people and for the people.” Due to Trump’s rhetoric, actions, lies and bullying, the country […]

Voters should not put up with Daines’ doublespeak Steve Daines’ habit of promising one thing to Montanans, then voting differently in D.C., is tiresome. Daines repeatedly placates moderates while voting with his extreme base. Hopefully Montanans are catching onto his routine lies and hold him accountable for how he votes rather than what he says. […]

Our Public Service Commission has been in the news for bickering, spying on and retaliating against one of their own. The “odd man out” has been Roger Koopman, who angered his fellow Republicans by pointing out that the Commission was spending too much on travel, was not following good hiring practices and was not being […]

By JOE MCCARTY Guest columnist One thing we can agree on in these difficult times is that our future won’t look at all like our past. From Depression-era unemployment levels, a failed federal government response to our national health crisis to schools, to deep economic pain, we’re facing big challenges. The good news in this […]

A recent letter argued that having made a lot of money qualifies Gianforte to be governor, but that Mike Cooney’s career of service on behalf of Montanans does not. Which is the greater proof of a person’s commitment to Montanans? Gianforte has used a lot of his wealth to promote organizations and politicians that demean […]

Gianforte’s lack of leadership tells voters plenty The recent surge in COVID-19 cases in Montana prompted Gov. Bullock to sensibly act to require masks for indoor public spaces. It was right; it will save the lives of Montanans. It took courage, political and moral. He didn’t do it alone. His team included Lt. Gov. Mike […]

It seems that Sen. Steve Daines has gotten much quieter about his ties to China recently. It’s not hard to see this for what it is — another election year flip-flop from a senator getting quite good at flipping and flopping. Daines can try to scrub away his record of cozying up to China, but […]

Forest Service has failed to protect the wilderness The recently released Custer Gallatin National Forest Service plan shrinks interim wilderness protections for the 155,000-acre Hyalite Porcupine Buffalohorn Wilderness Study Area (HPBH WSA). The HPBH WSA was established by Senate bill S. 393 in 1977. Among the mandates in the Act: SEC. 3. (a) says: “Except […]