Opinion
Editor, A Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) report in 2020 determined that 35% of our river miles and 22% of our lake acres are impaired by harmful levels of nutrients. The fact is, these figures do not even include waters being polluted by industrial waste from coal fired power plant operations, radioactive wastes from fracking, wastes from mining activities, oil and gas leaks, pesticides, plastics, and pharmaceutical contaminants. Why would Montana’s GOP Legislators and Governor Gianforte risk further impacting our remaining high quality water resources by not using the best available tools to protect this invaluable resource? As a result of the recently passed Se...
Editor, Polls showed that the Freedom to Vote Act was favored by the majority of Americans. Yet Senator Steve Daines voted against it. Last week he sent emails about his vote against it saying it was a federal takeover. While we don’t necessarily agree with every provision in the voting rights...
Editor, I want to thank Ronan businesses and the Ronan Chamber of Commerce for putting together the Parade of Lights Raffle. I won first prize and it was very generous. I am so proud to be part of this community. Thank you so very much. Sincerely, Wanda Turner Ronan
Editor, On returning home to Polson, as I approached the Polson Hill on Hwy 93, I saw a disturbing red, white and blue billboard on the west side of the highway which stated “Forced Vaccines? My Body, My Choice. No Fear...Vax Off!” Is this any way to welcome everyone to our community of &ldquo...
Editor, There is a lot of talk about “Saving our Democracy.” My son told me about an especially significant article in Atlantic Magazine by Burton Gellman, a journalist and bestselling author. The article’s opening: “Trump’s next coup has already begun. January 6 was p...
Editor, As Congress deliberates voting rights, we should remind our representatives of just how bad things were in a “United” States that was segregated. I grew up, many decades ago, in Jim Crow Texas. My father was a schoolteacher with five children, but, because African Americans commanded i...
Our rights to not have our property or persons searched or seized without a warrant, to not be harassed by the government without good reason, and to conduct our own peaceful affairs with minimal intrusion are increasingly challenged by new technology. Our smartphones track our every movement, many personal ...
There’s something about a new year that often has me reflecting on time. I guess that’s fairly natural. For many of us, January is a time of assessing priorities, setting goals, wrapping up the old year and planning for what’s to come. This year, those thoughts were punctuated by a note ...
One of the great motion pictures of all time was the 1939 Academy Award blockbuster directed by the legendary Frank Capra called Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. The movie was based on an unpublished manuscript by Lewis R. Foster with the title, “The Gentleman from Montana.” Columbia pic...
Editor, Good job Bob McClellan. I hope we see more letters like this. I hope we see more letters like this. We need the laughs and not all the depressing letters. Let’s lighten this year up. Last year was bad enough. Ethel McCready Missoula
