Montana
updated
4:44 p.m.
Realtors Hiring Out of Staters to Protect Out of Staters from Paying Fair Share of Taxes
We haven't had much opportunity to discuss the Montana Realtors' effort to foreclose real estate transfer taxes through a Constitutional Amendment this November, but this should be taken for what it is -- an invitation to more speculation that leads to housing bubbles and a "Please Change the Fabric of Our State" invitation for fancy pants characters from California. More interestingly, the campa...
Left in the West - 4:21 p.m.
Why MT Republicans' Glass House is Shattering
The Republican Party in Montana is fracturing under the weight of a series of double and even triple contested primaries that threaten to sink the party's already deeply troubled other candidacies (Rehberg, PSC). The GOP's problems, which include infighting and ideological splits , lack of funds, multiple scandals at every level, hypocrisy , and crisis of leadership underline arguments mad...
Left in the West - 4:03 p.m.
Inhuman
I think I need to make a new tag for this post. "The incomprehensibly, unbelievably, overwhelmingly and undeniably fucking stupid". Dan Riehl, who will never get a link from me, opines that "we" ought to euthanize Harry Ried's wife. If......
A Chicken is not Pillage - 3:23 p.m. - 4 clicks 
Land Board Dems to Rule, Again, on Otter Creek Coal
When at its December 21, 2009, meeting the Land Board voted 4-1 to auction 1.3 billion tons of coal buried beneath the Otter Creek valley, it summarily ignored a landslide majority of testimony to the contrary. Over a hundred strong filled the meeting chambers at the Capitol that day requesting the Land Board save Otter Creek and keep the coal in the ground. In fact, the official public comment pe...
Left in the West - 2:04 p.m.
Yellowstone Celebrates 15 Years of Trash...and Progress
Educating more than one million people a year about being "good stewards" is part of the job at Yellowstone National Park - and it has been that way for the last 15 years. The anniversary of the park's "Greening of Yellowstone" effort is being observed at a event Tuesday, when the successes and challenges of the project will be discussed in Bozeman. Jim Evanoff is an environ...
New West Missoula - 10:44 a.m. - 3 clicks
Health Reform Enters Final Stretch, Good Impacts for Montana
Finally. Health care reform is entering the final stretch in Congress. All sorts of stories will be written in the next few days, but the bottom line is that the Congress is about to pass the most significant economic justice legislation in 40 years and the most fundamental rewrite of our social contract since the New Deal and Social Security. Like Social Security, Medicare, and, well, everythin...
Left in the West - 10:23 a.m. - 2 clicks
Mark Spragg's "Bone Fire" Returns to Familiar Ground
Bone Fire by Mark Spragg Knopf, 304 pages, $25.95 Mark Spragg's understated yet satisfying third novel, Bone Fire, takes several characters from his first two novels and binds them together in a story in which some of the people are struggling to find a way to leave the town of Ishawooa, Wyoming, while others are trying to return to it. In Bone Fire, Einar Gilkyson and Crane Carlson, tw...
New West Missoula - 7:09 a.m.
STATE AA BOYS' BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT: Rustlers crush Bears for title
Missoula dot Net - Sun 3:05 a.m. - 5 clicks
STATE AA GIRLS' BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT: Just short: Billings West edges ...
Missoula dot Net - Sun 1:46 a.m. - 3 clicks
The Misunderestimations of Weak Minds
4&20 Blackbirds - Sun 12:49 a.m. - 25 clicks
STATE AA GIRLS' BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT: Just short: Billings West edges ...
Missoula dot Net - Sun 12:21 a.m. - 2 clicks
Secession sentiment in Upper Swan Valley continues to simmer
Missoula dot Net - Sat 11:09 p.m. - 5 clicks
Missoula demolition takes down Front Street bank building
Missoula dot Net - Sat 11:09 p.m. - 5 clicks
THIS WEEK IN GOVERNMENT: Missoula County takes up growth policy amendment
Missoula dot Net - Sat 9:28 p.m. - 4 clicks
wow!
I never fail to be amused by the Saturday HateMail-aplooza at Daily Kos. But this one? This one is shear and unadulterated classic! From beginning to end. It's great. And just for you haters out there, half the letters beg......
A Chicken is not Pillage - Sat 2:46 p.m. - 21 clicks
Way to politicize charity
Bunk in the West - Sat 10:06 a.m. - 18 clicks
Missoula health officers sound alarm on colon cancer to improve screenings
Missoula dot Net - Sat 6:48 a.m. - 4 clicks
Rustled up: Huestis, CMR too much for Spartans in State AA semifinals
Missoula dot Net - Sat 4:25 a.m. - 6 clicks
Alarm sounds on colon cancer to improve Montana screenings
Missoula dot Net - Fri 10:47 p.m. - 4 clicks
GOP Blocked Ban on Using Taxpayer $$ for Golden Parachutes Before Tapping Parachuter as Leader
As The Dude would say, "New s has come to light" in the Bowen Greenwood scandal. It turns out that a bill that would have prevented lawmakers from using your tax dollars to give out lucrative golden parachutes to political staff like Bowen Greenwood, Executive Director of the Republican Party of Montana, failed to pass in the 2009 Legislative Session on a party line vote. Guess which party...
Left in the West - Fri 8:06 p.m. - 4 clicks
Belgrade Superintendent search ends with hire of Missoula educator
Missoula dot Net - Fri 7:23 p.m. - 4 clicks
Missoula's 10th for best places to start a small business
Missoula dot Net - Fri 7:23 p.m. - 6 clicks
Schweitzer's Drug Play
The idea of reimporting cheap prescription drugs from Canada, where drugs cost a fraction of what the identical medicine costs here, has been dormant for many months, if not years. Then, yesterday, Schweitzer stormed into the china shop and shattered some dishes .Two questions arise. FIRST why had the issue gone dormant? Short Answer: The Obama Administration cut a deal with the Pharmaceutical I...
DailyKos (Montana) - Fri 4:09 p.m. - 39 clicks
Molnar violated campaign finance rules, examiner finds
Ah, good ol' Brad Molnar - the Montana Republican party's highest ranked statewide officeholder. Now, LiTW has written a bit about the Public Service Commissioner, mainly about Molnar's complete ignorance - or contempt? - for campaign finance law. This is a man who was, after all, accused of soliciting money from the corporations he oversees for campaign literature , then huffed and puffed thro...
Left in the West - Fri 2:26 p.m. - 4 clicks
A Smelly Carcass
Here is a ten-point rack of antlers, some political reading-between-the lines of what we have learned in the press so far, regarding Poacher-gate. 1) Notice, so far, that Lance Lovell, the Republican hack who got a ?few headlines out of the Schweitzer-ethics charge back in 2008 (but never any blood) is saying things like Vogel "is innocent of these charges" and is "presumed innocent." He is couc...
Left in the West - Fri 2:26 p.m. - 6 clicks
Private Concessionaire: We Aren't Trying to Take Your Land
New West Bozeman - Fri 1:06 p.m. - 9 clicks
Private Concessionaire: We Aren't Trying to Take Your Land
Editor's Note: Two weeks ago I posted a hard-hitting column about recreation fees leading to privatization of our public lands and how the Forest Service facilitates the process by turning over management of so many campgrounds and other recreation areas to private concessionaires. After this commentary went online, I was contacted by Warren Meyer, who runs one of the major companies involved in p...
New West Missoula - Fri 12:47 p.m. - 4 clicks
STATE AA GIRLS' BASKETBALL: Sentinel sends Big Sky home, 48-40
Missoula dot Net - Fri 12:09 p.m. - 4 clicks
Rehberg against earmarks... and also for them
Montana's only Congressman is out there touting his support for a ban on earmarks (also called "appropriations") for fiscal year 2011. In case you missed this tweet from Dennis Rehberg: "I supported the GOP-wide EARMARK MORATORIUM. It's time for an all-of-the-above approach to TRUE spending reform. This is only a first step." So, this means we can expect Dennis Rehberg not to request...
Left in the West - Fri 9:45 a.m. - 3 clicks
Cheap Canadian RX drugs! Thanks Brian!
It seems that Gov. Brian Schweitzer has finally jumped back on the band wagon to help Montanans obtain cheap Canadian prescription drugs. This could mean a savings of up to $40 MILLION DOLLARS!!! In a state with under 1 million people that is some major coin! Here is a link to the Helena IR article: http://www.helenair.com/... My question is, why can't other states do wh...
DailyKos (Montana) - Fri 9:09 a.m. - 18 clicks
Growth of Montana's Wolf Population Slows in 2009
The following is a press release the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Department and is part of NewWest.Net's bulletin board, which offers press releases with a wide variety of views and news about the West. At least 525 wolves inhabit Montana according to the 2009 annual wolf conservation and management report released today by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. FWP's report, which is avail...
New West Missoula - Fri 8:09 a.m. - 5 clicks
Toxic soil from lumber mill to be dumped at Missoula landfill
Missoula dot Net - Fri 8:09 a.m. - 4 clicks
How Does the AFL-CIO Endorse Without Going to Its Members?
4&20 Blackbirds - Fri 7:40 a.m. - 13 clicks
Schweitzer's Drug Play
The idea of reimporting cheap prescription drugs from Canada, where drugs cost a fraction of what the identical medicine costs here, has been dormant for many months, if not years. Then, yesterday, Schweitzer stormed into the china shop and shattered some dishes. Two questions arise. First, why had the issue gone dormant? Short Answer: The Obama Administration cut a deal with the Pharmaceutic...
Left in the West - Fri 2:41 a.m. - 5 clicks
Department insider files as Independent candidate for Missoula County sheriff
Missoula dot Net - Thu 10:06 p.m. - 2 clicks
h.r. 4789
4&20 Blackbirds - Thu 9:44 p.m. - 6 clicks
Human remains found in Clark Fork River were those of longtime Missoula transient
Missoula dot Net - Thu 7:26 p.m. - 6 clicks
Pass the Bill
4&20 Blackbirds - Thu 6:05 p.m. - 5 clicks
Rehberg Staffer Randy Vogel’s Fascinating Defense
To some extent, I have to admire Randy Vogel, the top Rehberg aide accused of poaching an elk in November. He seems to work harder than his boss, offering not one, but two credibility straining statements to the press to explain the charges against him. Statement number one? He’s being framed by political enemies of Representative [...]...
Intelligent Discontent - Thu 3:42 p.m. - 37 clicks
Rocky Mountain Bird Conservation More Critical Because of Climate Change
Land birds found throughout the Rocky Mountain West need human help. Dr. David Pashley, Vice President of American Bird Conservancy -- the nation's leading bird conservation organization -- cautioned today that as climate change impacts are increasingly felt throughout the United States and beyond, conservation efforts affecting birds will take on a doubly important role in protecting not only b...
New West Missoula - Thu 11:47 a.m.
No Child Left Behind, Unless They Can't Keep Up
Today marks the end of Week 1 of MontCAS testing at Missoula public schools. Montana Comprehensive Assessment System is a series of standardized tests administered each spring under the heinous, deceptively-named No Child Left Behind program implemented by Congress in 2002. You would think from the very title of the program that the federal government will be providing assistance to lagging or und...
New West Missoula - Thu 10:22 a.m. - 4 clicks
Jihad Jane and racial profiling
The terrorist attacks on 9/11 were terrible on so many levels. From the first, numbing shock of seeing bodies falling from the burning towers on live television, to the wicked exploitation of the event by conservatives for political gain, the events surrounding 9/11 for me are inextricably entwined with anger and disgust. One of the cruder side effects was a new outpouring of racism. Chatter abo...
Left in the West - Thu 9:26 a.m.
Harry Reid, the New Public Lands Enemy No. 1
UPDATED Friday, March 12, 1 pm: I used this headline once before when writing about Mark Rey, former Bush Administration Undersecretary of Agriculture and boss of the Forest Service. Prior to Rey's Reign of Terror, California Republican Congressmen Richard Pombo held the honor of being the biggest enemy of public lands. Voters booted him in 2006, but he's back, running for Congress again this ye...
New West Missoula - Thu 2:41 a.m. - 3 clicks
The Bard handled in a punk kind of way | Philadelphia Inquirer | 03/11/2010
Missoula dot Net - Thu 2:03 a.m. - 6 clicks
US Freestyle Kayak Team Trials to be held on Brennan's Wave in Missoula
Missoula dot Net - Thu 1:20 a.m. - 4 clicks
No… The University Can’t Pay for It
4&20 Blackbirds - Wed 11:42 p.m. - 10 clicks
Google Fiber
Missoula dot Net - Wed 8:41 p.m. - 4 clicks
Griz fans to travel to Big Sky Conference Tournament in Cheney, WA
Missoula dot Net - Wed 6:25 p.m. - 6 clicks
Congressional Democratic candidates forum
4&20 Blackbirds - Wed 4:29 p.m. - 5 clicks
Missoula Children's Theatre holds auditions for 'King Arthur's Quest'
Missoula dot Net - Wed 3:03 p.m. - 7 clicks
Tennessee man arrested at Missoula motel with abducted kids waives extradition
Missoula dot Net - Wed 11:08 a.m. - 8 clicks
Marc Glass: Misunderstanding opened door to Griz basketball career and beyond
Missoula dot Net - Wed 9:42 a.m. - 6 clicks
Creative Competition for Google Ultrafast Broadband
4&20 Blackbirds - Wed 9:05 a.m. - 7 clicks
Salazar Says Feds Aren't Poised for Western Monument 'Land Grab'
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar says talk of his department creating new national monuments in Montana and other Western states was just "brainstorming." The issue became big news after after an internal memo about the subject was leaked last month, setting off alarms in many, if not all, Western congressional offices and certainly across the Rockies. Montana Rep. Denny Rehberg is even ...
New West Missoula - Wed 8:27 a.m. - 8 clicks
Salazar Says Feds Aren't Poised for Western Monument 'Land Grab'
New West Bozeman - Wed 8:27 a.m. - 5 clicks
Montana Book Awards, "Obit" on Stage, and More
It might not be spring yet, but it sure feels like it here in Colorado, where our piles of November snow have finally started to melt and some crocuses are peeking out of the ground. With the change in season comes a bunch of regional book awards and event announcements: • Stories on Stage, a Denver theater company that presents literature through performances by professional actors, will ...
New West Missoula - Wed 7:29 a.m. - 5 clicks
Top Rehberg Staffer's Crimes Revealed Including Poaching, Obstructing Police and More
Left in the West - Wed 6:23 a.m. - 5 clicks
Funding flagging: Missoula Flagship program plans fundraiser to avoid summer ...
Missoula dot Net - Wed 2:46 a.m. - 5 clicks
Missoulians can't enjoy spring while running themselves ragged
Missoula dot Net - Wed 2:46 a.m. - 5 clicks
Rehberg State Director Charged with Big Game Violations; Placed on Unpaid Leave
4&20 Blackbirds - Tue 5:28 p.m. - 20 clicks
Chamber of Commerce ready to benefit from Citizens United
Left in the West - Tue 12:24 p.m. - 4 clicks
The North Fork of the Flathead: The Gem of the Continent
Montana is home to some of the most gorgeous landscapes in the world. From the plains of the east, to the mountains of the west, we are incredibly blessed to be able to call it home. And there is one area that holds a special place for me: the North Fork. One of the best parts of my year is when the weather starts to turn warm and I can get away for a weekend to Glacier or the surrounding area...
New West Missoula - Tue 12:04 p.m. - 10 clicks
The North Fork of the Flathead: The Gem of the Continent
New West Bozeman - Tue 12:04 p.m. - 7 clicks
Champion mountain biker in Missoula for showing of race film at Roxy
Missoula dot Net - Tue 12:02 a.m. - 7 clicks
Missoula youth advocate says parents, kids need to be media literate
Missoula dot Net - Tue 12:02 a.m. - 7 clicks
Missoula City Council awards $2M contract for Miller Creek Road project
Missoula dot Net - Mon 10:28 p.m. - 6 clicks
Havre man hospitalized after assault in downtown Missoula
Missoula dot Net - Mon 10:28 p.m. - 9 clicks
Missoula firefighters rule the world at stair-climbing competition
Missoula dot Net - Mon 7:27 p.m. - 7 clicks
Democratic Congressional Candidates Forum Tuesday, 7:30 P.M.
4&20 Blackbirds - Mon 6:48 p.m. - 20 clicks
And the opening keynote speaker for Netroots Nation is...
Out here in the Rocky Mountains, where the imagery is reminiscent of the lyrics from America the Beautiful (amber waves of grain, purple mountains majesty) progressives have made tremendous strides in the last few years with our populist approach to issues vital to our region and country. ...
DailyKos (Montana) - Mon 5:25 p.m. - 24 clicks
Missoula to apply for Google ultra-high-speed Internet project
Missoula dot Net - Mon 3:47 p.m. - 2 clicks
Obama Willing to Trade Losing House this Fall for Reelection in ‘12???
4&20 Blackbirds - Mon 3:47 p.m. - 2 clicks
Teddy In A Week
This is not the same dog as a week ago. Sarah warned us that he would regress going to a new home, and he did. But some of her work shown through almost immediately, and we took it from there.......
A Chicken is not Pillage - Mar 7 - 10 clicks
Where Did You Go?
4&20 Blackbirds - Mar 7 - 21 clicks
One and done
Missoula dot Net - Mar 7 - 8 clicks
Catching up with Andy Garland: Garland leading man for Fighting Saints
Missoula dot Net - Mar 7 - 9 clicks
Clash of the Titans
Bunk in the West - Mar 6 - 11 clicks
Benefit Concert, Auction Today 7 p.m. for Missoula's Dave Huerta Who Needs Kidney Transplant
4&20 Blackbirds - Mar 6 - 8 clicks
Benefit concert, auction to be held at Northstar Aviation for man in need of ...
Missoula dot Net - Mar 6 - 7 clicks
With Missoula story set to close, Macy's defends throwing out items
Missoula dot Net - Mar 6 - 4 clicks
Win or go home
Missoula dot Net - Mar 6 - 3 clicks
Take back the trail: Volunteers, police, residents demand action against ...
Missoula dot Net - Mar 5 - 9 clicks
Boots on the Ground
Bunk in the West - Mar 5
Straight outta' Missoula, Frenchmen Lamy Chappuis captures Nordic Combined ...
Missoula dot Net - Mar 5 - 3 clicks
Ignite Missoula
Missoula dot Net - Mar 4 - 5 clicks
A house fire gutted a home on the south side of Missoula this morning.
Missoula dot Net - Mar 4 - 5 clicks
Hund Day 5
Holy Crap, this boy is wearing me out. On our walks, we've taken to running for stretches. It seems to keep him focused, but I'm in no shape for such shenanigans. In truth, he is making incredible progress in learning.......
A Chicken is not Pillage - Mar 4 - 4 clicks
GOP legislators criticize Schweitzer for hold on grants to local governments
Missoula dot Net - Mar 4 - 3 clicks
Ranger district says Missoula's Rattlesnake rec area, wilderness weathering use
Missoula dot Net - Mar 4 - 6 clicks
Push on to place Missoula fairgrounds on national historic register
Missoula dot Net - Mar 4 - 4 clicks
Watauga Arts Council Accepting Registrations for Summer Arts Camp and Missoula ...
Missoula dot Net - Mar 3 - 3 clicks
Is Wood Biomass Electric Generation Renewable and Carbon Neutral?
Left in the West - Mar 3 - 3 clicks
Grounded: Helena Capital ends Big Sky's season with 69-36 decision
Missoula dot Net - Mar 3 - 3 clicks
The Coal Cowboy
Left in the West - Mar 2 - 3 clicks
Missoula County elections office still needs hundrends of poll workers
Missoula dot Net - Mar 1 - 4 clicks
The party of No
Left in the West - Mar 1 - 4 clicks
Missoula Councilwoman Walzer pleads guilty to DUI per se, vows to stay in post
Missoula dot Net - Mar 1 - 5 clicks
Hund Day 2
Teddy is bonding well with Chris and I. Chris has quickly become a momma figure to him, to the point where he's worse when she goes to work than when I leave. Of course, it helps that I leave at......
A Chicken is not Pillage - Mar 1
Quote Of The Day
From the ever prescient Brad Bard, at Sadly, No! You can’t make this shit up. If Altmire is to be believed, there are scores of Democrats who are chomping at the bit to tell their constituents that they voted for......
A Chicken is not Pillage - Mar 1
Mental Health Trust Fund Formed As Part of State Settlement with Eli Lilly
4&20 Blackbirds - Mar 1 - 4 clicks
San Diego arts
Missoula dot Net - Feb 28 - 2 clicks
