Blackfoot Valley Dispatch - The Blackfoot Valley's News Source Since 1980

With the holidays behind us and Congress gearing up for a new session, I look forward to continuing my mission fighting for our Montana way of life in Washington, D.C. Under... — Updated 1/24/2023

Submitted on behalf of Speaker of the House Rep. Matt Regier, Speaker Pro Tempore Rep. Rhonda Knudsen and Major Leader Rep. Sue Vinton The 68th Montana Legislature is officially in... — Updated 1/16/2023

As Montanans, we care for each other. Across the rural-urban divide, generational divide, and Brawl of the Wild divide. Of all our constituents across Montana, the most deserving... — Updated 1/10/2023

The 68th Montana Legislature is officially in session. As Senate leadership, we're excited to see Senate Republicans getting to work on enacting conservative policy for our state.... — Updated 1/10/2023

I'm not a pro-marijuana guy. I voted against Montana's adult-use cannabis initiative (I-190) in the 2020 election. However, since Montanans approved the initiative and recreational... — Updated 12/17/2022

The Biden administration has proposed a massive expansion of the IRS. Let's be clear about what that means for taxpayers. Biden's IRS expansion will have more-onerous filing... — Updated 12/5/2022

As a fifth-generation Montanan, I didn't choose Montana - Montana chose me. Over 100 years ago, my great-great-grandmother homesteaded 23 miles east of Conrad, and that's how my... — Updated 11/25/2022

The Lincoln Valley Chamber of Commerce meeting that is scheduled for 5:30 p.m., Thursday Nov. 10 at the Lincoln Library will center on how to keep the business organization viable... — Updated 11/11/2022

Election Day is around the corner, and one of the most fundamental rights we have as American citizens is the right to vote. With so much at stake this year, I encourage you to ask... — Updated 11/1/2022

Do you like scary movies? You don’t have to rent a horror movie this Halloween to feel spooked—just take a look at what President Biden and the Democrats have done since they... — Updated 11/1/2022

Americans, and Montanans in particular, are blessed to stand on the shoulders of giants. Fortunately for us, wise and brave leaders have shown us the way forward to fulfill the... — Updated 10/29/2022

It's election season, also known as the season of misleading information. A prime example is what appears to be Montana Democrats' main talking point on legislative races: "If the... — Updated 10/21/2022

As a pediatric hospice and palliative medicine physician for many years, I can speak directly to the unfathomable harm that a ballot initiative called LR-131 would cause. Titled... — Updated 10/21/2022

This November Montanans will vote on an important referendum called "An Act Adopting The Born-Alive Infant Protection Act." This act will do just what the title states, protect babi... — Updated 10/17/2022

In 2019, WWII veteran Forrest Allen passed away, bequeathing 5,677 acres in Golden Valley County to the Shodair Children's Hospital. Today, as a member of the Board of Land... — Updated 10/17/2022

For the past ten-and-a-half years I've seen Lincoln move from a town stuck in an economic rut to one that began to take control of its own destiny. The successful development of... — Updated 9/21/2022

The only reason you're not rich is you're lazy. My mother told me that. She didn't buy my moaning about low pay in the state bureaucracy. Mom had a point. If I had been willing to g... — Updated 9/21/2022

This is sort of a surreal column for me to write this week. While it’s not my last column ever, it is the last one to be in print…for now. If you would have asked me, almost thr... — Updated 9/21/2022

Several days ago, Marc Racicot and Bob Brown published an editorial arguing Montana should adopt a top-two or a top-four primary election system. While both of these gentleman have... — Updated 9/7/2022

There is a special event happening in Lincoln Montana Sept. 16 and 17. At Hooper Park there will be joyous celebration of the 50th anniversary of the federal legislation... — Updated 9/7/2022

There are legislators working to call a special session 90 days before the next regular legislative session to address the billion plus dollars in surplus taxpayer funds. While the... — Updated 8/23/2022

untry to stage dramatic hearings about January 6th. Hiring a TV producer to create the greatest impact on the public. Characterizing this event involving a few hundred people as... — Updated 8/9/2022

The way many of us learn about how the things we own work is when they stop working. Like your toaster. Or maybe your car. And in the year 2022, we all started to learn about... — Updated 7/27/2022