State halts, restarts Billings dairy producer

By DARRELL EHRLICK | Editor-in-Chief

Happy Friday, folks. You made it. Let me be the first to welcome you to the end of this very hot, smoky week. Today, we start with something you probably don’t think about often: How your milk gets to you. But the state has stepped in to force a dairy that had been cited for violations, including residue left on equipment, to formulate a plan to correct the problems, and announced state inspections.

Also, Gov. Greg Gianforte has asked for — and received — applicants for suspended Public Service Commissioner Brad Molnar, who is challenging his suspension on the all-Republican board.

Leaders of Footloose Montana say that the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission should stop wolf hunting because the state’s population estimating software is so flawed.

A federal judge has blocked Democratic states that attempted to stop new work requirements from going into effect for Medicaid. Montana is one of the states where that new work requirement and constant verification is now the law, even as opponents say it will become an impediment for those who really need the insurance coverage.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, who helped lead the American government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, has been held in contempt by the United States Senate for refusing to answer questions about his tenure as one of the nation’s leading public health officials.

Despite a definitive and resounding United States Supreme Court ruling that upheld the traditional definition of birthright citizenship, President Donald J. Trump issued two executive orders on Thursday that seemed to reimpose his view.

In Idaho and other places around the country, citizens have voiced concerns about Flock cameras, which record vehicles and people. The concerns center around right-to-privacy and an increasing police state.

Todd Blanche, whose nomination as United States Attorney General should be considered any day by the U.S. Senate, told a group that he is hopeful to impose “Dobbs”-like restrictions on abortion drugs access throughout the country.  

You know the old phrase “truth is stranger than fiction?” Well, we feel it on today’s “The Hook.” You can often search your music memory and record books for song titles, and some of them are obvious. We’ve probably featured no other song more than “Summer In The City” by the Lovin’ Spoonful because of the requests. We try not to repeat songs, but dozens of “Hooksters” cannot be wrong. It’s much harder to find a song, say, on flat-taxes or mill levies.

Then, there are other songs that make you wonder: How did this topic ever find its way into a song? And then, you wonder: How did it become popular?

That’s the question I have for today’s song, “No Milk Today,” by Herman’s Hermits. Of course, I never thought we’d have the perfect opportunity to use it, but then the state stepped in, threatening to stop a large dairy company in Billings from production.

The song was a Top 40 Billboard hit in 1966, and the genesis for the song was seeing a sign in a window of a shop (or, as our friends across the pond would say, “shoppe”). The sign stuck and became a metaphor for lost love. Again, how does a song about milk sell nearly a million copies worldwide?

Ask a group whose largest hit was “I’m Henry VIII, I am.”

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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