Opinion

David Crisp: After all these years, newspapers still needed

By: |
Adieu

Last week, I was asked to speak to the American Association of University Women about the meandering path that brought me to Last Best News. What follows is a condensed, and possibly improved, version of those remarks.

To begin at the beginning, a long, long time ago, in a place far, far away, I was born.

That beginning is more relevant than it may sound, because even before I really knew how to write letters properly, I was already self-publishing little family newsletters, commentaries and magazines, sometimes using little toy printing presses that my brother and I had. Continue Reading →

CapreAir_Variable
Montana

Colstrip: At the intersection of coal and climate change

By: |
Drag

On a blustery December evening, Gene Wier and his grown son Bryan are wrenching on hand-built hot rods in their machine shop on the edge of Colstrip. There’s bright light, good grease smells, a football game on the TV. They tell me to come on in.

When Gene ran for town council a few years back, he recalls, he was asked to sum up what makes this town of 2,300 residents unique. His answer cut to the basics: “We have a coal plant in our front yard, and a coal mine in our back yard.”

And like most people around here, he likes it that way. Continue Reading →

Montana

Montana Ethic Project: ‘Citizens United’ and fair elections

By: |
Bullock

This is the eighth chapter of the 32-part video series “The Montana Ethic Project.” This chapter features Montana Gov. Steve Bullock speaking on “Citizens United v. Montana.” When the interview was taped in 2011, Bullock was the Montana attorney general. In that role, Bullock challenged the U.S. Supreme Court’s “Citizens United” decision by defending Montana’s 100-year-old ban on corporate campaign expenditure. The court ruled against Montana in a 5-4 vote. You can watch the whole video below. Here is how it begins:
“Often we don’t think that a U.S. Supreme Court case can have an impact in our daily lives or political life. But there was one that was decided, just early 2010, that I think really can. Continue Reading →

Culture

Steen comes home to head up kitchen at Northern Hotel

By: |
Steen

Nick Steen has been summoned back to Billings. He has returned to his hometown to command the kitchens at the Northern Hotel.

With the four-letter word—CHEF—emblazoned on the fingers of his right hand, his intentions are obvious. Soon Steen will interweave his style of fire and ice through the hotel’s food offerings for events, meetings and the restaurants TEN and Bernie’s Diner. Continue Reading →

Opinion

Opinion: Young people need to know of changes to MIP law

By: |
DZ

Montana’s minor-in-possession laws have changed slightly, but the results won’t change unless young people know about those changes.

The new law simply says that if underage people seek emergency medical attention for themselves or another person, law enforcement can’t ticket them for a minor-in-possession. This MIP medical immunity measure was passed by a strong bipartisan majority during the 2015 state Legislature. Continue Reading →

Culture

Dancer-director’s debut drama keeps it ‘real, raw, live’

By: |
Group hug

Last year, for the Sacrifice Cliff Theatre Company’s New Works Festival, company co-founder Patrick Wilson went out on a limb and asked two non-writers to submit a piece for the collection of 10-minute one-act plays.

The collaboration between Krista Leigh Pasini, a dancer and choreographer, and Matt Taggart, a musician and sound artist, resulted in “All Together Now,” which used music and movement, and no dialogue, to explore the dynamics of a family coming together for Sunday dinner. Continue Reading →

Opinion

Opinion: Power to the people? It will take some work

By: |
Evan

“The people,” said a farmer’s wife in a Minnesota country store while
her husband was buying a new post-hole digger,
“The people,” she went on, “will stick around a long time.
“The people run the works, only they don’t know it yet — you wait and see.”
— Carl Sandburg in “The People, Yes” (1936) —

The people running things. Powerful thought. But, is it just a nice sentiment or could it be a reality? Is it a genuine possibility, or just rhetorical candy for the masses, distracting them from the harsh reality that money rules the roost in America? Continue Reading →