Molnar is back (...at least for now)

By DARRELL EHRLICK | Editor-in-Chief

"The Supreme Court also found that the number of voters late registering on Election Day is nearly equal to the number of voters who late register during the preceding 29 days combined. Election Day Registration serves as a critical safeguard for Montana voters who encounter issues with their voter registration." – District Court Judge Adam Larsen in a ruling about Senate Bill, 490 which would have stopped same-day voter registration.

Columnist and attorney Doug James wonders why the Montana Chamber of Commerce along with two other local chambers have sided with faceless, nameless corporations over the people of Montana.

The former acting head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency Cameron Hamilton, who was sacked by the White House during the Department of Government Efficiency initiatives led by Elon Musk, has been nominated to lead FEMA permanently in a sort of “reverse course” change.

Big changes are on the way for those who want to borrow money for college. The Trump administration has made changes that will go into effect on July 1. They will change how much money students can borrow, and set other limits that could have an impact on how many people will be able to afford college.

The California man who has been charged with four felonies, including trying to assassinate President Donald Trump, has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges stemming from the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner at a Washington, D.C., hotel.

Note: some links may lead to stories behind a news organization's paywall

President Trump drew the ire of some historic preservation groups when his presidential motorcade toured the Washington Monument reflecting pool, which he is remodeling with a painted blue bottom surface. While many of the groups have objected to the project because it changes the look of the historic monument, others are upset that he drove his vehicle on the ground for what appears to be a media event, according to PBS.

The Smithsonian magazine said that it may have uncovered a portrait that has never previously been identified as an accurate drawing of Anne Boleyn, one of the wives of King Henry VIII. Researchers used artificial intelligence to help clarify the find, leading some to wonder if the portrait is really the result of wishful (artificial) thinking.

Montana Chronicles, a conservative online news outlet in the Treasure State, had a fascinating article about our neighbors to the north in Alberta. Apparently, there’s a growing movement for the province to secede from Canada.

If you grew up in the 1970s or 1980s and you were in Montana, there is a very, very good chance that on some television, a family member would watch “Hee Haw,” the goofy, slapstick variety show of comedy sketches and country music stars. I can still remember the terrifying pompadour of Conway Twitty and polyester suits of purple and pink.

Still, for all of its homespun humor, Buck Owens and Roy Clark were excellent musicians in their own right and would have been stars without the show. The weekly airplay had to help a lot, even though I have never been able to get excited about Clark.

It’s hard also to imagine country music without Buck Owens, given that he is often credited for helping to invent and popularize the “Bakersfield” sound, which others like Merle Haggard used so well. That sound was a bit of a paradox — on one hand, it had plenty of twang, but there was also a smoothness that other twangy honky-tonkers simply couldn’t match. To show how much Owens transformed country music, you only have to look to The Beatles, who idolized his songs, including their own version of “Act Naturally.”

That’s why it’s hard to imagine exactly what folks thought in 1960 when the self-titled “Buck Owens” album appeared on the record-store shelves. They couldn’t have known how big he’d become. This was before the Buckaroos and before polyester Nudie suits, before “Hee-Haw.” And it’s impossible to imagine what country music would sound like had he not been successful. Without Buck Owens, there would probably not be any Dwight Yoakam and folks like Randy Travis, who also took that smooth sound and added their own twists.

But even in 1960 on that debut album, listeners can still hear all of the hallmark sounds that would transform Owens into one of the biggest country stars in the genre’s history, including the earnest, “aw shucks” kind of persona that made him so popular. And since it’s Tuesday — which can feel a long way from the weekend — we’re going to feature his song about trying to work hard just to make ends meet, “Tired of Living.” As we talk about increasing costs and inflation, it’s probably telling that such an old song (66 years) can sound so contemporary.

If you have a song that you’d like to share, or would like to get in touch with us, please send us a note at [email protected]

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