Opinion
It’s hard to imagine, given how invested I feel in a slate of consequential elections that are still almost a year away, that we began 2023 with an equally consequential legislative session. A 90-ish day gauntlet in the dead of winter, this session saw a historic supermajority for the Republican Party, which, empowered by a Republican governor and attorney general, ushered through a slate of conservative legislation touching everything from income taxes to LGBTQ+ rights, expression and medical care. This year also saw the launch of Capitolized, a regular newsletter (twice weekly during the session, once a week since) investigating the depths of Montana’s politi...
Historic drought conditions and weather extremes have hit the outdoor industry hard in Montana and other states throughout the West. Shorter winters, brought on by a changing climate, are driving these hard-hitting delays in the season. “There’s definitely been a shift in the weather in the la...
“You don’t really appreciate what you’ve got until it’s gone.” These wise words came out of the mouth of my 16-year-old son; surprisingly, he wasn’t referring to a Snicker’s bar. I’ve always known he is an old soul, but this particular insight was unexpected...
Editor, I can’t think of a better way to open a letter than was presented last week by the Ashcrafts. After all, if someone has also submitted a letter to the Missoulian....well what can you suspect. He/she must be “one of those.” Because the author identified a judge who retire...
Editor, On 11/11/2023 at 11 p.m. Dick Christopher died. On 12/15/2023 at 11 a.m. we laid my father to rest with military honors. We would like to truly thank our community and people who knew him, shared him with us and helped us through our loss. In the days following his death, we learned more of the...
As principals we strive to ensure our schools are engaging, safe and healthy environments that promote learning. However, youth vaping in Montana is threatening our kids’ health and safety and creating unnecessary barriers to academic success. Montana has a serious problem with youth e-cigarette use...
It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Or is it? People enjoy decorating for the holidays, cooking, baking, writing those non-brag family letters and finding the ideal gift for everyone on their list. Or do they? For some, many even, this is the most wonderful time of the year. Peo...
Editor, December is National Impaired Driving Prevention Month. It opportunely coincides with the holidays when folks are going to parties, reconnecting with old friends, and maybe indulging more than they do the rest of the year. Wherever you’re going this Christmas season, please never get b...
Editor, Our nation, the United States of America, is presently in political crisis. We have never had a person running for president who wanted to lead our nation with a political system other than a democracy. Donald Trump is the first person trying to accomplish this with an autocratic/dictatorial form ...
Editor, We are writing in response to an article written by James C. Nelson in the Dec. 6 issue of the Valley Journal. He is also a frequent contributor to the Missoulian. Mr. Nelson was an associate justice of the Montana Supreme Court from 1993-2012 and was appointed by Marc Racicot. This position, by d...
