'No Kings' were there, but plenty of Montanans showed up.

By DARRELL EHRLICK | Editor-in-Chief

"It is outrageous that the Flathead is forging ahead with a project that will impact grizzly bears and bull trout without proper compliance with the court’s order on the Forest Plan while also attempting to sidestep consultation with the Fish and Wildlife Service on West Reservoir. This is not an emergency; it is a regular timber sale plain and simple – they must follow the law." – Arlene Montgomery, program director for the Friends of the Wild Swan, on a timber sale proposed by the U.S. Forest Service in the Flathead National Forest.

Conservation groups say that the United States Forest Service has not taken into account the impacts to endangered species like the grizzly bear in its latest logging proposal in the Flathead National Forest.

Clint Bushman, the fire chief in Wolf Point, is accused of a felony after an investigation and audit of a fund that is used to purchase equipment and supplies for the volunteer fire department is missing around $20,000 in cash and has approximately $40,000 in questionable purchases from Amazon.

The United States Department of Justice has confirmed that it has turned over information that it received from various states about voter data to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, raising concerns about how and what data is being shared. Even though Montana’s Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen has said she turned over data, it’s still unclear what data the federal government has and how it’s being used, despite the Montana Constitution’s guarantee of individual privacy.

The United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives have both produced different versions and both have different visions of how to fund the Department of Homeland Security, and the Transportation Security Administration, which handles security and safety at airports. For nearly two months, the workers of the TSA have been required to show up to work, without pay though.

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Our friends at the North Dakota Monitor report that Republican state officials are fighting with some of the GOP candidates as questions remain: Who gets to choose the candidates — the voters or the party? Well, in the latest battle, the Republican Party pushes to ensure that the central party gets the final say on the candidates.

The New York Times reports that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has personally struck two African-American women from a list of promotions to one-star general, something that is exceedingly rare for a cabinet-level officer to do. Sources say that Hegseth has fought with Pentagon leaders because he believes that too many women and minority soldiers have been promoted, and there are reports that President Donald Trump does not want to be seen standing next to a black female general.

Meanwhile the Ohio Capital Journal reports that the Ohio Legislature, controlled by Republicans, has passed a ban on drag performances in public areas, saying that lawmakers have an obligation to protect the public from sexually obscene public displays, but free speech and free expression advocates say the law is likely unconstitutional.

Former U.S. Attorney for Montana Mike Cotter writes that President Donald Trump’s nominee to the federal bench in Montana, Katie Lane, does not have the qualifications and experience necessary to be on the federal bench. She has only one trial to her name, and she was third chair counsel among four in that case. Furthermore, she has less than six years of practice. Surely, he argues, Montana has more qualified attorneys for the position.

Well, what a weekend.

If you weren’t one of the thousands of Montana who joined in the “No Kings” rallies across the state, you may have enjoyed this tremendous spring weather — which is arguably the best season in the Treasure State.

Today, we’re going to start off with a hidden gem, in my opinion. As I have said often, there may be no other artist whom I have more of than Jerry Lee Lewis. That’s a function of his longevity — he produced album after album for more than 50 years. And, I could probably be happy if he sang the dictionary (I used to say “phone book” but that dates me … just like having to search for a spelling or a definition in a big ol’ book).

I love the song “Before the Next Teardrop Falls,” and most people associate it with the legendary country artist Freddy Fender. While his version must be played loudly and sung at the top of your lungs for maximum enjoyment, “The Killer” did the song long before Fender. In 1968, on the album “Another Place, Another Time,” there is a version of the song, it’s another that is certainly worth a listen.

And like Fender’s version, it also can be played loudly.

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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