The Blackfoot Valley's News Source Since 1980
The Blackfoot Valley's News Source Since 1980
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When four hunters used a specially constructed ladder to step from one corner of public land in southern Wyoming to another, the ripples from that decision were initially small but have since ignited an impassioned debate that could open - or unequivocally restrict - access to more than eight million acres of public land across the West. In a three-part series, Montana Free Press will explore "corner-crossing" and what it might mean for public access in Montana. This is the...
Despite the historically warm and dry winter Lincoln has been experiencing the Ponderosa Snow Warriors had a good turnout Feb. 24 for their annual Vintage Rendezvous. More than 40 vintage snowmobiles, including some very rare machines, graced the oval at Hooper Park after warm weather prompted cancellation of the Snow Moxie and the move to town from the Rodeo Grounds. "We didn't want to tear it up," Snow Warriors President Forest Mercill said. "We'd harvested snow and we were...
HELENA, Mont. – March 4, 2024 - From March 4 through March 15, the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest will be accepting applications for twelve entry-level permanent wildland firefighter and dispatcher positions. These positions allow for paid training and travel, overtime, hazard pay, and federal employee benefits, such as medical and retirement. Additionally, these positions enable employees to gain experience and knowledge to be promoted within a fire management c...
HELENA, Mont. – March 5, 2024 - The Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest has partnered with the Montana Conservation Corps to offer five AmeriCorps positions that would serve together as part of the newly formed Helena Youth Corps. "We are excited about this new partnership and hope to better engage young adults in meaningful work experiences across the forest," said Recreation Program Manager Rory Glueckert. "One of the projects interested applicants may work on is p...
Farm numbers across the United States are dwindling and the mountain states are no exception. Our country lost 7 percent of farms from 2017 to 2022, and all of the mountain states were above the national average. As a farmer in the region, I understand the stress of this profession, and if our country continues on its current trajectory our region's agricultural future looks bleak – more consolidation and less food security. From 2017 to 2022, Idaho, Montana, Washington, a...
My wife Doreen and I recently returned from a tour of the southern border in the Douglas, Arizona area. Since we once lived there and managed a Registered Charolais ranch between Douglas and Bisbee, we wanted to see for ourselves the differences from when we were there. The evening we arrived in Douglas we stopped at a convenience store and by chance ran into three Border Patrol agents with three horses in a horse trailer just going out on patrol. We had a conversation on the...
Russia's invasion of Ukraine began just over two years ago, and the devastating war that has followed has been a catastrophe for Ukrainians and Russians alike. Tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians have been killed, tens of thousands more have been wounded and maimed, and an almost incomprehensible level of destruction has occurred across much of Ukraine and parts of Russia. While the immense human and material toll of the war cannot be undone, the fate of democracy,...
Some readers, especially those with Scandinavian heritage, may be familiar with the stories of Sven and Ole. I grew up hearing them from my late grandfather. One story comes to mind in the context of our current political climate. Sven and Ole, were two farmers with neighboring farms who had always been very competitive. Ole's father had always been a Ford man, and the bigger the better, especially the F-350s. So, of course, Ole grew up as a Ford man, too! Sven's father had...
The 1970s was a tumultuous time, full of upheaval on many fronts, from the end of the Vietnam War to the dawn of personal computers. It makes sense that its music had a similar helter-skelter feel. The early '70s were a musical melting pot where rock, reggae, funk, and pop could coexist. Ingenuity was essential, and as artists were wary of the mainstream music industry, they began doing things unconventionally and bolder than ever. Punk and funk rose to popularity after the...
When asked about the origins of daylight saving time, you may imagine farmers in the distant past getting an extra hour of sun to tend to animals and crops. If you do, you're not alone. The myth that farmers are at the root of daylight saving time has proliferated a common understanding of the practice for a long time. But if the agriculture industry didn't advocate for the start of daylight saving time—and evidence suggests that farmers were, in fact, opposed to its i...
