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I was born in 1934 and had a real good memory of that time frame. Our fall of ‘48 wasn’t as bad as it was in the Dakotas and Nebraska. We lived 32 miles south of Ismay, MT. Ismay was a big shipping point for horses, cattle and sheep on the Milwaukee Railroad (600 hundred people) until the depression hit in the 30’s. During Christmas vacation of ‘48 we cleaned out a spring and I remember it was 60 above. December 31st my dad took us to town with team and sled, with mother and four of us boys, it took all day. He stalled...
Dear Editor and Fellow Constituents, Montana’s election process belongs to the people. We want to facilitate open and fair discussions during our primaries. The National Republican Senate Committee-Chairman Daines- does not need to choose the Arizona candidates or the candidates for Montana… Montanans can pick our own candidates, we do not need rich establishment politicians spoon feeding us our choices for Federal or State offices. We want fair and honest Elections not Selections. Now is a time for the Grassroots of Mon...
As a fifth-generation Montanan, I have fond memories with my Grandpa Daines of learning how to fish and hunt north of Big Timber, and my goal is to pass these traditions on to my own children and grandchildren. There is no better way to experience Montana than backpacking, hunting, hiking or fishing. I share this passion with many Montanans, which is why improving access to our public lands is such a high priority. That’s why I introduced my “Montana Sportsmen Conservation Act.” Montanans should determine what is best for o...
1-13-24 Representative Schillinger Reports, Happy New Year! We’re getting some good old fashioned January weather! My last report, was at the end of April as the end of the 68th Montana Legislature drew near a close. After an abrupt and unexpected motion to Sine Die (adjourn), was passed in the Senate on the 88th day of session, we in the House recessed, reorganized, took care of the business we were able to at that point, and voted to adjourn as well at about 10 p.m. that e...
by Sens. Ken Bogner, John Fuller, Russ Tempel, and Barry Usher For years, Montana has had one of the highest rates of military participation and veterans per capita in the nation. The 2023 Legislature took many steps to both help our men and women in uniform protect our state and country going forward, as well as recognize and honor their service. First, we passed a new law that prohibits foreign adversaries from owning critical infrastructure and agricultural land in Montana. This is crucial to national defense, making it...
Last year after a visit my daughter was returning home, in Wyoming she realized she had not left a set of my keys. Along the way she stopped to mail them back. The package arrived – the package had been opened – keys removed – replaced with a number of photos and paper. This year she mailed a package from C.A. – a homemade gift – package again was opened – evidently contents not of interest – gift was broken but arrived. Have always had confidence in the Postal Service but for this to happen twice in a year’s time – leaves m...
submitted by Anthony Gunderson The days were getting shorter, and the weather began to get colder. Winter? Yes, but something else, something I look forward to every year, hunting season. I can still remember being twelve and living in Rapid City, that year was my first deer. I came down to Baker, like many hunters from all around do and learned how to shoot a gun. I can still remember my grandpa steadying the gun when my hands started to shake when I saw the deer that would be mine. I ate that deer, and deer meat is still on...
Dear Editor, Tomorrow November 11th, is Veterans Day, and yesterday November 9th, I had the honor of helping put on the Veterans Appreciation Program at the School. There were quite a few Veterans, several who had been adopted by each class and others as well. In planning the Program I attempted to make it a Program that would be entertaining to all, educational to our future and a show of appreciation to who mattered, our local Veterans, and Veterans we don’t know near and far. My father was in WWII, and I am very proud o...
The most important global issue of the day is that of the middle east conflict. The barbaric evil of Hamas was in full display October 7th. The reports are undeniable; “The IDF told CNN that women, children, toddlers and elderly were brutally butchered in an ISIS way of action.” (CNN, Oct. 13) LA Times, Oct.12 wrote, “Reporting on the violence by Hamas and response by Israel…. is requiring onscreen warnings before showing pictures of how the Hamas onslaught killed families and children in their homes, leaving behind blood-s...
Montana collects $2.1 billion in property tax, with allocations as follows: 56% to schools, 28% to counties, 11% to cities/towns, and 5% to special districts. The 6 statewide university mills stay at the state, while the 95 statewide school mills are redistributed to local community schools, accounting for 35-40% of the $1.1 billion annual state school funding distribution. According to the latest Department of Revenue (DOR) appraisal, Montana properties have a total market value of $259 billion, spread across 18 tax and...
October 4, 2023 Mr. Eric Lovec RE: BLM wells for CO2 Carbon sequestration project Dear Eric Just a comment on the BLM meeting to be held October 12; I doubt if any objections will stop the eventual plan, however this is an ill advised idea based totally on political construct to sequester money and power and not on science. Scientists who have looked at the climate change claim by the likes of Al Gore, Pres Obama, Biden and others have pronounced the claim as completely false. First the IPCC doctored their computer program...
To the voters of Ekalaka and surrounding area in regard to the coming vote on the school’s housing bond: The school is already fleecing the taxpayers in town and in the county. The school has already purchased property and housing, removing said properties from the local tax base. The town of Ekalaka exists on taxes. The county owns a lot of ground in Ekalaka with the courthouse, museum, hospital, fairgrounds, old county shop, and Carter County Schools — all non taxable grounds. Everyone likes to complain about streets and...
Montana is facing a growing housing crisis, driven by an influx of out-of-state home buyers and telecommuters. This is pushing up prices, making it difficult for Montanans to find affordable housing, and increasing residential property taxes. A solution I propose for consideration is to change the way property taxes are calculated for vacation homes and short-term rentals. Currently, all residential properties are taxed at the same rate, regardless of whether they are owner-occupied, rented out long-term, rented out...
We scored a big win for Montanans’ privacy and against invasive surveillance technology during this year’s legislative session. My Senate Bill 397 severely restricts government’s use of facial recognition technology and is now law in the Last Best Place. Legislators conducted a study of facial recognition between the 2021 and 2023 legislative sessions. We learned how state government was beginning to deploy the technology and even discovered that at least one school distr...
Aug. 27, 2023 I just returned from the Days of ‘85 Rodeo and I watched the movie “Feek’s Vision.” This was an exciting day and brought my mind back to another even more exciting day!! Our country school hadn’t started and my dad said that I could go with him to the Tooke Ranch for the day. Feek Tooke asked my dad to buck out some horses for him. My dad was an outstanding bronc rider in the 1930s! (See the Ekalaka Eagles of August and September of 1933.) So at the Tooke’s rodeo grounds he bucked out eighteen horses that day. T...
submitted by Senator Shannon O’Brien SD 46 406-274-3805 shannonformontana@gmail.com Every parent remembers the day we took our child to their first day of school. It pulls at your heartstrings. Fortunately, in Montana, we knew our children were in good hands. They were entering schools with teachers who were well qualified and supported, learning lessons from curriculum we had approved, and following the rules set by school boards we had elected. As a mom, a teacher and a legislator, I believe that the work Montanans have d...
The leadership team at DMHA is honored and humbled to recognize our nurses the month of May for their personal dedication, commitment, courage, and unwavering compassion. The American Nurses Association encourages a month of celebration and professional exploration into the complex layers of what it means to be a “nurse.” DMHA is providing recognition throughout the month in alignment with the American Nurses Association (ANA). May is the month that we recognize and celebrate the profession of nursing. The American Nur...
4-29-23 By the time most of you read this, I hope to be home on a tractor or sprayer! Fortunately, Brett and Boomer are putting seeds in the ground while we wrap up business in the 68th Legislative Session. At this point, committee work is done for most members, leaving only Floor session work as the formal task. Of course, there is still a lot of behind-the-scenes lobbying going on for the policy bills still with unfinished business. On the appropriations side of the coin...
Where to start? It’s a rush to the end. Day 79 is in the books. It’s that point in the session when the can can’t be kicked down the road much longer. Typically there may be several bills that are similar in their mission to accomplish relatively similar outcomes. They all have a price tag, so the job becomes one of weeding out some or all, maybe parts of several bills becoming one. Just for fun, Friday evening, a couple of other reps and I, sat in on the Senate Finance and C...
I hope everyone had a Blessed Easter. Friday after a morning floor session, Appropriations Committee, and informal appropriations get together, we were out for Easter break! After a quick change of clothes, I jumped in my pickup and headed East. Thanks to longer days I was able to pull into home shortly after dark, where I was greeted by son Brett, granddaughter Bryn and grandson Keny. Keny brought a plate of treats he had prepared and got the tv prepared with a movie to...
As a third-generation rancher from Big Sandy, I am absolutely aware of the importance of water, water rights and the protection of Montana’s primacy over the water resources of this state. That is why I have traveled to Helena to testify in both the Senate and the House in support of SB 72 pending in the Montana Legislature. SB 72 will protect and assure that Montana’s own courts will continue to have the exclusive jurisdiction over the distribution of water and water rights both before and after the adjudication of exi...
One of my top priorities this legislative session has been to provide financial relief to Montana taxpayers as families throughout our state are struggling with inflation and the high cost of living. I’m happy to report we have already accomplished a lot on that front. With the first-ever Republican supermajority in the Legislature this session, we have passed legislation to return $764 million dollars from the state budget surplus to taxpayers via income and property tax r...
4-1-23 Happy birthday Granddaughter Kass, six years old April 1! It’s been a full week, starting with the floor session last Saturday. Most days this week typically started at 7:15 or so with whip meetings, caucus meetings, or full Appropriations Committee meetings. This week Appropriations was every morning, break for floor sessions at one, then back to Approps after that. We typically went til six or seven, but Friday night broke at about nine p.m.. Saturday April 1 s...
3-24-23 Legislative day 56, Tuesday March 21st we convened our Floor session at 8 a.m. to begin presentation and debate on House Bill 2, which I described last week in some detail. HB2 is the State’s main operating budget for the coming 2024-2025 biennium, it was presented in five main sections A-E. I presented C, Natural Resources and Conservation. This budget consists of nearly 50% federal funds, primarily in Transportation and Department of Health and Human Services. T...
John Scott came from Texas in ‘48 or ‘49 with some well bred ranch horses. Good feet, flat bone, cinched up big, could travel over the rough country and really could get down and turn a cow. Desentio, Eddy 40, Sugar Bars bred. Top horses if you could ride “em!” Tookes had the best bucking horses in the country. You could work ‘em maybe. Albert Phelps brought in a good thoroughbred stud. Poddy Askin brought in a stud named Steve Reed, that crossed good on any mare. Bickles had a few remounts from Fort Keogh that were good...
