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The Montana Districting and Apportionment Commission is responsible for redrawing state legislative districts to reflect every community in Montana. Voters need to be able to elect legislators who represent different viewpoints and can come together to solve the problems our state faces. This responsibility requires the Commission to ensure voices are heard in every part of our state, and no one is left behind. That is why it was so unfortunate that when the Commission proposed maps earlier this month, the Republican Commissioners put forward two proposals that would both eliminate majority-minority districts and quash the possibility for Native Montanans to elect the candidates of their ch...

“Your bloodwork shows your Vitamin D levels are low,” my doctor admonished me. “Start taking supplements.” Not even sure what vitamin D was for, I followed her advice. Within a week, the pain in my knees had gone away. Amazing, I thought. How often can you solve a problem by simply...

As I helped my 83-year-old grandfather set up his new VR headset recently, I thought about how much technology has changed in the last 30 years alone.  As a ‘90s kid, I was a child of the “Tech Boom,” exposed to constantly and rapidly changing technology at a key time in my developm...

Ever heard the common superlative that something can be “The best thing since sliced bread?” While, I will admit to using this phrase on occasion, my opinion has begun to change since moving to Europe. Perhaps this commonly held wisdom isn’t so accurate. Let me explain. Bread is one of t...

As primaries roll out around the country, we’re tracking voter turnout. Raised on Schoolhouse Rock’s cartoon civics lessons, I know that being a good American means voting. Those 1970’s cartoons weren’t wrong. Voting is the most fundamental act of democratic citizenship. That&rsquo...

During the 2021 Legislature, we set a budget to adequately fund state government operations. It turns out that the State Treasury received a lot more tax revenue than we projected. In almost every area, tax receipts have exceeded our expectations. The cause of that can be debated, but it does not change the ...

One of the first lessons I learned on becoming a state legislator was to make it as easy as possible for other legislators to agree with me. I saw how those who demonstrated both competence and good will were taken seriously and achieved the greatest success in accomplishing their goals. Several decades a...

Commonplace items and their history have nearly an unmatched grip on my curiosity. What I find most striking are the accidental and unexpected origins that make me say “Wait, what?” Hopefully, this spark of curiosity will inspire you, too. I hope the wordplay is not more than you can “candl...

We’re into the final days of the annual Summer Reading Program. You must register and log all of your reading no later than Aug. 13. Be sure to come into the library to pick up your level coupons and enter your tickets for the prize drawing before Thursday, Aug. 18. On Aug. 18, join us in Sacajawea Par...

I’m told my great-grandmother was a child protégé on the violin, one who graced prestigious stages with her music. However, about 80 years ago, her mother had her put down her violin for reasons no one fully understands and she never picked it up again.  From that point on, her vi...