Latest
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Shut It Down, Then Sell It Off
What’s happening in Libby isn’t random—it’s a pattern. First, local industry gets shut down. Mining and logging projects face lawsuits, delays, and endless regulatory barriers. The recent Cabinet Mountains exploration project is just the latest example, challenged over water, wildlife, and federal review concerns. Then the economic backbone disappears. Jobs leave. Wages drop. The community shifts from a self-sustaining resource economy to tourism and service work. Property values change. Locals get priced out. Outside money moves in.Next, “acceptable development” gets redefined. Resource industries are blocked—but other types of development, often backed by outside investors, move forward. Land use tightens. Growth…
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It’s a simple question that we should ask ourselves – possibly ask ourselves frequently. It is, essentially, the basis of our legal system. I am less offended by an apple core thrown from a car window than a bottle or a can. I am much less offended by the mojado who works on a southwestern…
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As I read the City Journal – https://www.city-journal.org/article/crime-disorder-safety-affordability-cost-cities?skip=1 – I found this paragraph: “They then provided estimates for 13 offense categories. For example, the direct or tangible costs of a single murder exceeded $1.2 million. The total cost of a murder to society—once intangible and crime career harms are included—came in just under $9 million. Murder, for obvious reasons,…
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When only 8 to 24 people are consistently showing up, the most important factor is not theory, it’s this: Can a small group quietly control everything, or not? Only one system consistently breaks that pattern: Strong Mayor–Council Because it: Final Thought No system is perfect. Every system can be abused. But in a town with…
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Ambrose Bierce has been missing since 1913. He was a Union officer during the war between the states, but kind of limited by traumatic brain injury and asthma. After leaving the army, he earned a living by writing. Some of his writings still seem relevant over a century later. It’s amazing how many Bierce quotes…
local
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When I went to get some repair work done, the person I was consulting advised fixing the structural issues and then putting the same ancient dilapidated siding back on the building. The rational? Property taxes. Last summer, we joked about how much the nice flowers my mother had on their porch raised their taxes. They…
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I spent most of a year away from the school after I finished my term. I attended a couple of board meetings because I was asked – on one hand, there was, at the least, the appearance of an unlawful board meeting . . . unlawful because it appeared to violate Montana’s open meeting law.…
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Historically, independent voters, and voters for minor third parties, do not get a large percentage of votes. Often, they’re considered “spoiler” candidates, who lose the election for someone by dra4wing critical support away during a close race. Or their thought of as simply “protest candidates” with no chance of winning. In Montana, for the presidential…
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Not many years ago, if you were faced with a cluster of unacceptable clowns on your ballot, you could write a name in and cast a protest vote. Hell, I guess you still can – the thing is, your write-in protest vote won’t be counted or reported. With the elimination of subsection 7 last year,…
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I’m having trouble summarizing this one, not least because I lost my notes. In short: The meeting did discuss prayer, but did not discuss a four day week. About prayer: The discussion was specifically with regards to having prayer on the agenda as a part of each school board meeting. The result- no. Community presence…
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The proposed library district has me looking at taxation again. One of the great things about Lincoln County is that, with three high school districts, it’s easy to figure out which communities provide the funds that keep our county going. Market Value Taxable Value Percentage Libby $1,687,186,708 $21,911,499 36.42% Troy $831,354,553 $10,966,329 18.23% Eureka $1,974,407,031…
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Now it takes a single click to get the data. So what does it mean? I measured the record lows back in 1977 – this chart, from the Grave Creek site, shows how the critical snowfall that brings us up to normal or above occurs between the February measurements and April 1. I don’t know…
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The USDA has updated plant hardiness zones, and despite last winter’s impressive cold, we’ve jumped up a zone (to 5a from 4b in 2012; the average low went up by 6 degrees) Hardiness zones are a (partial) climate description that’s been in existence for a bit over a century, though the government didn’t get involved…