Flathead Valley Commentary: Kalispell, Montana News

Energy. It is the lifeblood of the American economy. For this reason, it is no surprise that energy policy discussions receive a great deal of attention. Done wrong, energy policy can significantly harm the economy. That is a real concern as the U.S. Congress and individual states debate legislation that aims to address climate change and potentially overhaul our country's energy system.

Montana is blessed with abundant natural resources that help fuel the economy. As a provider of North American energy sources, Montana contributes to our nation's energy security. Increasing our energy security should be a central goal of any energy policy. However, policy proposals being considered in Congress and by the Western Climate Initiative (of which Montana is a member) would put our energy security and our economic prosperity at risk.

I have had a love affair with snowflakes ever since I saw them for the first time. They fell on the beach at the mouth of Topanga Canyon during a winter storm in 1930, or was it 1931?

It would be five years before I finally got to slip and slide on it in my homemade toboggan. I had built it in my junior high school woodshop. It was for two people, and I had fastened the steam bent oak to the cross beams with copper rivets. This would also be the first time I ever saw skiers making turns.

When 19 seniors complete their Griz career in the approaching weeks, they will represent the most successful football group in school history.

But even more impressive than the number of victories these men have piled up is that more than two-thirds of the players are from Montana high schools.

And we’re not just talking about AA schools in Billings, Kalispell and Missoula. The majority of these athletes graduated from the state’s smaller towns and schools.

Unnoticed by many, two members of Congress from Washington have decided it's about time to do something to resolve the seemingly endless debate over the future of our last roadless lands.

Sen. Maria Cantwell and Rep. Jay Inslee, both Democrats, have re-introduced the National Forest Roadless Area Conservation Act (S.1738, H.R. 3563) to codify the Clinton-era Roadless Rule that has been on a legal roller coaster for the past nine years.

Your SD5 education tax dollars were well spent last week.

Remember the Beacon story that talked about Kalispell School District 5's failed levy?

Just in case you missed it, here's the reason why your tax dollars were well invested...

This is part two on the subject of beverage licensing in the state of Montana – “The Politics of Drink” was last week’s subject – but this week my intent is to deal with the non-political and practical issues.

First, let me acknowledge and thank those of you who wrote to express your opinions about the issue. Unfortunately, many were off the mark and took the opportunity to impart their own rants on socialism and other non-germane topics. Some, however, got the point.

It was not surprising that Tammi Fisher won Kalispell’s mayoral race, but the margin with which she did it certainly was. She beat incumbent Mayor Pam Kennedy by more than 25 percentage points (63-37) in a defeat that cannot be blamed on low turnout in an off-election year. At 31 percent, it was actually quite robust for this city.

To be clear, this election wasn’t even close.

I recently attended a public showing of the film “Not Evil, Just Wrong” in Kalispell. Sponsored by the Northwest Montana Patriots, it was billed as a documentary exploring the economic impact of global warming “hysteria.” I hoped it would broaden my perspective on climate change issues, but the film was a disappointment.

First, while I hoped for an intelligent refute to the mainstream understanding of greenhouse gas pollution, the film instead fixated on Al Gore and, strangely, Rachel Carson. It was a transpicuous attempt to distract audience attention from science and focus it on anger toward individuals. Especially in the case of Rachel Carson, an author and scientist whose most famous work was completed 50 years ago, the film squandered valuable time that could have been used exploring pertinent climate change issues.