Last Best News (https://montana-mint.com/lastbestnews/tag/billings-public-library/page/2/)
“Vote with your fork.”
That was one of the overriding themes at the Homegrown Prosperity Conference, sponsored by the Northern Plains Resource Council at the Billings Public Library last Saturday. (more…) Continue Reading →
At least one of the artists featured in the “Bitter Pill” exhibition at the Billings Public Library deals with the problems of prescription drug abuse practically every day. Vanessa Ready is a nurse who works for RiverStone Health at the Yellowstone County Detention Facility. Many of the medical cases she deals with involve drug abuse in some way. “Sometimes when I work too much,” she said, “I wonder, is there any good left in the world?” (more…) Continue Reading →
The Rev. Michael Mulberry is passionate about food, but in ways most people most likely have never considered. He considers food from both a political and a spiritual perspective, looking at what we do to the earth and to ourselves in the growing and the eating of it. Along the way, he talks about immigration and the prophet Daniel and Daniel’s refusal to eat “the king’s meat.” He talks about the abundance and diversity of food promised by God in Genesis, about agricultural practices, “food deserts” and victory gardens. (more…) Continue Reading →
The beginning of a new year is often a time when people and organizations try to find ways to improve. Despite being one of the largest and newest libraries in the region, the Billings Public Library isn’t immune to this process: During the recent annual retreat of the library board, members discussed ways in which the library could better serve its patrons in the new year and beyond. (more…) Continue Reading →
Nobody said it was going to be easy. Billings authors Adrian Jawort and Russell Rowland took on a complex, divisive and longstanding problem when they started the Native American Race Relations and Healing Consortium last year. Their inaugural event, an all-day symposium featuring three different panel discussions, attracted nearly 75 people to the Billings Public Library in August. (more…) Continue Reading →
This is a busy week for Shametrius Long. Long, who is in Billings with AmericCorps Volunteers in Service to America, was the main organizer of two events being held today to examine aspects of hunger and homelessness. And working with another Vista, Sade Johnson, Long organized a food drive this week that will help Family Service Inc. prepare Thanksgiving boxes for needy families. (more…) Continue Reading →
Three experts on the role of money in politics painted a dire picture of American democracy at a forum in Billings Thursday night. But they also offered up some fairly simple solutions to the problems posed by “dark money”—the kind that now flows by the tens of millions from anonymous sources to influence politicians and shape public policy. (more…) Continue Reading →
I was recently asked by a community group that will be interviewing Billings City Council candidates if I had any questions for the candidates. My suggestion wasn’t really a question, it was this: “Name your three favorite books.” (more…) Continue Reading →
I was unable to attend an all-day Native American Race Relations and Healing Symposium at the Billings Public Library two weekends ago. And then I didn’t see Stephen Dow’s story on the symposium in the Billings Outpost until a week after the fact, by which time I thought it was too late to run his story on Last Best News. (more…) Continue Reading →
Editor’s note: Adrian Jawort helped organize the Native American Race Relations and Healing Symposium, a daylong series of panel discussions scheduled for Aug. 22 at the Billings Public Library. A companion piece, with a schedule of events, by co-organizer Russell Rowland, is published below. Click here to see it. Aurelia Brien Jawort is a bright and reserved Crow and Northern Cheyenne girl (with a quarter of German blood via her grandpa on her father’s side) who just graduated from kindergarten. Continue Reading →
