Havre City Council needs your help with some ideas as to what to do with Medical Marijuana businesses

The City Council Committee charged with handling zoning and planning again discussed the medical marijuana issue Tuesday night and decided to recommend to the full council that a 90 day moratorium be placed on growers and dispensers of medical marijuana until they could more fully develop a plan.

Suggestions from the audience included an outright ban of medical marijuana and related business in both Havre and Hill County. Committee chairwoman Janet Tretheway suggested a big license fee of between a $1,000 and $5,000 that could be given to someone like a law enforcement agency to monitor and inspect these marijuana businesses. Implementing a business license fee for all businesses has been suggested with a nominal fee paid by everyone so city and county officials would at least know what kind of businesses were operating in city limits and where they were located. Restricting marijuana businesses to specific zoning areas has also been suggested. Havre’s zoning laws presently do restrict business from operating from many residential areas but the problem is that there are currently scores of home businesses operating in violation of present law and the city has done nothing to enforce these laws. Growers had told this committee at earlier meetings that they were “legitimate” and just want to be able to do business like every other business. People attending these meeting have also voiced concerns about the safety of their children if these businesses are allowed in residential areas, the likelihood that illegal sales of marijuana will increase to high school kids, there could be a decrease in their home value if a perspective buyer knew a marijuana business was in the neighborhood. One thing that seems apparent is that under the current State of Montana Department of Health there is virtually no oversight or regulation of these grow operations. There is not an adequate policy in place to regulate this “industry”

Considering the fact that there is two distinct sides to this issue what do our readers think can be done to make everyone reasonably happy. We would like to hear your ideas. We have heard plenty from the growers and users that think this is all a wonderful drug with many benefits and the status quo is wonderful. We have also heard plenty from the folk that think allowing this to continue is a travesty of justice and not what the voters intended when they passed this law. We understand that there are two sides to every issue but what can be reasonably done to end this current problem? We would like to hear some concrete well thought out suggestions as to what a possible solution would be to this problem that both sides could live with. Some of your local city council people do read this blog. Let’s give them some ideas

The committee’s recommendation for a 90 day moratorium will be made and voted upon by the full council at next Monday’s council meeting at 7pm in city hall

Medical Marijuana Zoning Meeting

To those of you that have an interest in what is happening with the Medical Marijuana issue in the City of Havre there will be a meeting of the City Council Planning committee tonight, March 30th at 5:15 pm in council chambers to discuss zoning issues pertaining to location of these operations,

Five-Day Mail Delivery?

Thoughts on Five-Day Mail by Tad DeHaven

posted on the website called "Down Sizing the Federal Government

http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/thoughts-five-day-mail

The USPS has taken the first step toward reducing mail delivery to five days a week by sending a request to the Postal Regulatory Commission. However, it will be ultimately up to Congress whether or not Saturday delivery is eliminated.

The USPS, which is in a death spiral, views the elimination of Saturday mail delivery service as a step toward regaining its financial footing. Not surprisingly, the decision is proving controversial among some members of Congress.

Here’s a better idea: give Americans the freedom to choose the mail services they want by repealing the USPS monopoly. That way consumers and businesses could choose to provide and use mail services zero days a week or seven days a week.

Online movie rental services like Netflix offer a small example. A lot of folks time their Netflix rentals so that they have movies for Saturday night. Eliminating Saturday delivery will necessarily degrade the quality of online movie rental services that people are paying for. With competition, Netflix could offer Saturday (or even Sunday) delivery through a private alternative. Perhaps there would be a surcharge, but at least consumers would be allowed to make that choice.

Supporters of the government mail monopoly regularly cite their amazement that they can drop a letter in a mailbox and it will arrive unharmed in another mailbox clear across the country. As a $70 billion operation with the largest workforce in the country, I would hope the USPS can pull off such a feat.

I find it more impressive that I can go into a grocery store almost anywhere in the country and be met with an incalculable number of choices. Take Coke products for instance. I recently made a list of the various Coke products available to me at a local grocery store. The following is just a sample: regular Coke, Diet Coke, Caffeine-Free Coke, Diet Caffeine-free Coke, Coke Zero, Coke with Splenda, Coke with Lime, Coke with Lemon, and Diet Coke Plus. Don’t like Coke? There’s a similar array of Pepsi products. Don’t like either? The grocery stores also offer pricier micro-brands with all sorts of unique flavors.

These choices reflect the awesome power of the market, which provides nearly all the goods and services people want without any direction from officials in Washington. It would interesting to see what sorts of innovations and products private mail deliverers would come up with if the government’s mail monopoly didn’t exist. Instead, Americans are stuck with a government operation whose floundering business model will require it to raise prices while simultaneously reducing its services. So much for freedom of choice.

REDISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH

Isn’t Senator Max Baucus a great guy? First, when he decided to be the ring leader shoving mandated health care down our throats we jumped to the conclusion that it would bankrupt us. Now according to the “real” plan we can see the method to his madness. There will be a redistribution of assets and wealth so we can all be on a level playing field. No more rich guys getting richer according to Max. We will all be chipping in to help the folk with no current coverage.

American Disability Act --- MSU-Northern

A news report by KRTV exposes some accessibility issues at MSU-Northern.  Any comments or ideas?

COMMUNITY APATHY – WHAT IS THE ANSWER?

I have spent a little time reflecting this weekend as to some of the things that go on around Havre and peoples response to those same things. For instance, the Corrector has posted numerous stories about many of the questionable decisions that the Havre School board continually makes, yet the filing deadline came and went with only one challenger to any of the board positions. A hearty thank you to challenger Mark Magelsson for stepping up to the plate. Judging by the scores of comments that were posted on each of those stories you would have thought we would be beating off challengers with a stick yet that isn’t the case. Fridays HDN reported that one of the incumbent candidates stated that they were running again because they wanted to make sure the school budget stayed on track and wanted to help the students. The HUH? heard here in blogger land sent all of us into a weekend depression. (keep the budget on track by wasting 200 G?)

What do you think it would take to get people to get involved with what is happening about town? A quick tally amongst our blog contributors found that we average 2-3 night at home and not involved in some meeting, function, or other because of concern for the community. As we attend these meetings and so forth we find there are a very small number of people that actually care enough to get involved. We are at a loss

WHAT IS THE ANSWER?

IS REPRESENTATIVE WARBURTON WRONG TO SUPPORT THE PERSONHOOD AMENDMENT?

We have been reading the responses to the Thackery letter to the editor about Representative Warburton “politicking” at church in respects to her views on Pro-Life and the Personhood amendment which she supports. Currently Montana does not require parental consent before their child can obtain an abortion. We have to wonder after all the comments on our previous blog if our readers who are parents would be ok with what has happened yesterday in a Seattle Washington High School.

BILL THACKERY TAKES EXCEPTION TO PRO-LIFE MOVEMENT SPEECHES WHILE IN CHURCH

Corrector readers that still bother to get the Havre Daily “news” may have noticed yet another insular letter to the editor from William Thackery, now calling himself a member of the Democrat Central Committee instead of his usual “Senior professor emeritus, MSU-Northern Havre”, in which he was belly-aching about alleged political speeches which were being made in Havre churches by Representative Wendy Warburton. Not unlike Professor Thackery’s former college classes, his letter is full of half-truths, innuendos, and off topic left-wing rhetoric. Thackery’s letter to the editor that ran in the HDN is posted below as it ran, complete with the poor grammar and misspellings that only the professor himself could do.

Wendy, a church is no place for a political speech

Editor:
Open letter to Rep. Wendy Warburton, Republican candidate for the Legislature from District 34 in Havre and Hill and Blaine counties. I enjoyed your speech to the congregation at Fifth Avenue Christian Church as much as the other people who were there awaiting a spiritual message. I'm sorry to say, however, that your message was not spiritual, despite your spirited delivery. After all, you had filed for the House of Representatives once again, just the week before your campaign speech in church. I think you must know as well as I do, a political campaign speech does not belong in church on Sunday morning, delivered as an alleged sermon.

I checked with church members of both political parties, and I assure you both were upset by your antics. I also checked with the Federal Election Code, by which all political campaigns are run. You risked the "tax-exempt status" of this church as well as other churches in the community where you apparently delivered the same campaign speech. I might have ignored your conduct, but now you have a highly qualified Democratic opponent, Dana Sapp Seidel. Your opponent assured me thatshe could not talk politics with me in her ofice, where she is employed in a public service position.

Wendy, your opponent knows more of the law and fair campaign practices already than you do, and she did not serve a term in the Legislature as you did. She does not have other big advantages, as you do, since you attended Liberty University, Jerry Falwell's campus. Wendy, your indiscrete carelessness with law means you do not deserve a second term.

William Thackery, member Hill County Democratic Central Committee

The Corrector received several e-mails last night after the letter to the editor appeared asking us to do a post to “CORRECT” some misleading lies the good professor scribbled in his letter to the editor. First, Representative Warburton did not make a political speech. She in fact was invited by various churches to come and speak as to the “personhood amendment” and to talk about a group of Montana citizens that are gathering signatures for an amendment to be placed on the ballot this November. Pro-Life members of each of the churches visited are involved with gathering these signatures which were also being collected in each respective church on the Sunday’s when Representative Warburton spoke. The following link explaining the personhood amendment was sent to us by a reader and has been reprinted below. http://www.montanaprolifecoalition.org/Downloads/What_is_Personhood.pdf

What is Personhood? Why a Personhood Movement? What will a Personhood Amendment do?

• Every human being, from the beginning of their biological development, deserves equal protection under the law. This is the principle of personhood. That human life begins at conception is based on science, not philosophy, political ideology or theology. The 1973 Supreme Court ruling of Roe v Wade removed all legal protection from the unborn.
• Throughout modern history, advancement of civil rights has in every case been because of emphatically demonstrating the personhood of the victim. During the Roe v Wade hearing, it was admitted that if the personhood of the unborn was established abortion would have no defense.
• Personhood removes the politically charged rhetoric of the debate and replaces it with the commonsense principle that the right to life begins at each human being's biological beginning. It is a concept easy to grasp and embrace, gets to the core of the abortion tragedy and is pivotal to overturning Roe v Wade.

Why is Establishment of Personhood Critical in Montana?

• Did you know that in Montana right now there are absolutely no state restrictions on abortion, up to the moment of labor? Did you know that parents in Montana have absolutely no right to know if someone takes their teenaged daughter to get an abortion? Why? Because the courts have stretched the privacy provision of the Montana Constitution beyond all common sense in order to strike down the pro-life laws that the elected legislature of the State of Montana has enacted in the past. Parental notification was even upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court, but then struck down by a lower court because of Montana's flawed Constitution which offers no protection for the unborn. The Montana Constitution must be amended to recognize that unborn babies are people, too, and therefore, they have rights and deserve protection. Legal protection based on personhood also applies to the elderly and disabled, and their need for protection is escalating as our culture further devalues human life.

The personhood movement is gaining momentum nationwide. Personhood Montana seeks an amendment to the Montana Constitution stating that personhood begins at conception. It is written in the context of due process in Article II section 17: “No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law.” If we get close to 50,000 signatures, you will see the following on the November 2010 ballot:

[] FOR amending the Montana Constitution’s due process section to define “person” to include every human being from the beginning of the human being’s biological development.
[] AGAINST amending the Montana Constitution’s due process section to define “person” to include every

Judging by the response the Corrector has received from this letter it is apparent that Bill Thackery is again trying to pull the wool over the HDN reader’s eyes. Thackery went on to say that he “checked with church members of both political parties, and I assure you both were upset by your antics.” What the people that e-mailed us were in fact upset with, Mr. Thackery, was the fact that you cornered everyone you could in the church service to try to get people to help you in putting a stop to the signature gathering at church services. Where do you think most Pro-Life folk do congregate? Aren’t the church folk doing what they believe they have been instructed to do by the Bible which is protecting life and the helpless?

Thackery went on in his letter to say that Warburton “risked the tax-exempt status” of these churches but what he failed to mention is that he took it upon himself to run all over town like Captain Kangaroo on Prozac in a failed attempt to try and get various members of his Democrat Party to file a complaint about this apparent Pro-Life rallying of church members by a person who happened to be an elected representative. To the local Democrat leader’s credit, they refused to get involved with a guy that obviously doesn’t have all his cornflakes in the box.

William Thackery is positive proof that the policy of tenure for college professors needs to be revisited
.

Who is going to challenge the Havre School Board?

It appears that everyone is waiting to the 11th hour to consider filing for school board? As of this morning there was not one person, other than the incumbents that have filed. Tomorrow, Thursday, March 25th at 5pm is the deadline to file for one of these three positions. The paperwork can be picked up at Robins School and don’t forget you also need 20 signatures when you file.

From the comments submitted on the Corrector we are baffled as to the lack of candidates for these positions. I guess not everyone is that upset with the wasting of hundreds of thousands of dollars by the current board as they have made out in the comments nor care about the out of town work force presently working at the HighLand Park school

MEDICAL MARIJUANA DOCTOR COMING TO HAVRE

This is an advertisement that is running in the Havre Daily “News”. Apparently our local growers are seeking new customers, opps, err patients. Interestingly the name “The Healing Center” is one and the same with what is posted in the window of the Zak Jones 1st street location. I wonder of the Havre Daily “news” is going to give us another glowing report with some coverage of these medical appointments?

DENNY REHBERG ON HEALTHCARE

SENATOR TESTER ON HEALTH CARE

HILL COUNTY COMMISSIONERS GIVE MOTEL OWNERS GOOD SWIFT KICK TO THEIR “NUGGETS”

Corrector readers might recall that we reported back towards the end of February that a group of motel owners had came to the Hill County Commissioners and offered them a source of revenue with which to promote tourism with Havre as the final destination. The motel owners offered up this bag of golden nuggets at no cost to the taxpayers or county and offered to place a self-assessment on their business of one dollar per night for every room they rent. This money was to be used to promote Havre but according to State law they had to have a governmental body to approve of the action and agree to hold the assessed monies before the program could be implemented. The motel owners were to take care of all expenses relating to book keeping and collection and just needed the County Commissioners approval. http://havredailycorrector.blogspot.com/2010/02/local-motels-band-together-to-promote.html

The Hill County Commissioners made the motel owners linger on the sidelines for a whole month while the Commissioners wrung their hands and sang the “What to do?, What to do?” song of the lazy do nothings who want no positive change or promotion of Havre’s tourism business before they voted to give the private enterprise motel owners making this free gift offer a good solid kick to their golden nuggets and voted NO to any participation by the County.

Why you may ask? Well it appears the Commissioners don’t want any outsiders or tourists coming to quaint little Havre and spoiling our negative self-defeating back woods ways.

Why have we heard nothing of this in our local “news” paper?

TOFU ANYONE?

It’s true. The Corrector likes to bash our local politicians that seem to be always doing something stupid. Whether they are wasting money like the courthouse debacle, tossing cash into the wind like the school board, or just passing around HOHO’s like the treasurer’s office we seem to find plenty of things to complain about.


Today is the exception, we are going to yell out a hearty “THANK GOD, at least our dumbbells aren’t as ignorant as the Governor of Michigan, Jennifer M. Granholm"  It seems the Tofu industry or some such nonsense has finally gotten to one of our countries professional politicians who just declared March 20th No Meat Day

The following directly from the office of the governor in Michigan http://www.michigan.gov/gov/0,1607,7-168-25488-232493--,00.html

Whereas, A wholesome diet of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains promotes good health and reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and other chronic diseases, which take the lives of approximately 1.3 million Americans each year; and,

Whereas, The number of those who choose to live the lifestyle of a vegan or vegetarian has increased and so has the availability and selection of meat and dairy alternatives in mainstream grocery stores, restaurants, and catering operations; and,

Whereas, Reducing the consumption of meat or not eating meat at all can significantly decrease the exposure to infectious pathogens such as salmonella, E. coli, and campylobacter, which take the lives of several thousand Americans and sicken millions more each year; and,

Whereas, The benefits of a plant-based diet can consist of increased energy levels, lower food budget costs, and simplified food preparation and cleanup; and,

Whereas, It is encouraged that the residents of this state get into the habit of healthy living by consuming a diet that is rich with vegetables, fruit, and whole grains, and by staying active;

Now, Therefore, be it Resolved, That I, Jennifer M. Granholm, governor of the state of Michigan, do hereby proclaim March 20, 2010, Michigan Meatout Day in Michigan. In observance of this day, I encourage the residents of this state to choose not to eat meat. Eating a healthy diet can be fun. Explore the different recipes that can be created by using fresh ingredients and by having a sense of adventure.

We wonder if brilliant thinking like this is why Michigan is one of the leaders in unemployment in the entire nation?

LaToya Egwuekwe on CNN, December 2009

SEEMS EVERYBODY IN HAVRE IS BEING KEPT IN THE DARK

We were talking to some folk this week and were told that Mayor Tim has yet to have a department head meeting since he took office back in January. He has talked to some of the department heads individually but not to all and Mayor Tim has never been to the city shop. Wouldn’t you think you should do that occasionally so they can work as a team? Apparently the City is running without the Mayor’s supervision which leaves us to wonder what the Mayor is actually doing. You may recall that Mayor Bob had a department head meeting each Monday morning so everyone in all the City’s departments were being kept abreast of what was happening in the city so they could all pull together. Mayor Tim did say during his campaign that the department heads would have a freer hand but when even the Mayor doesn’t know what is happening things are going a little too far.


We understand that former Mayor Bob was accused of micro-managing the department heads but for a Mayor to have total disregard for what his various departments are accomplishing, if anything, is ludicrous. Or is Mayor Tim taking the stance that since this is his second job; he must devote most of his attention to his county job? Some of the department heads themselves are asking why they never get any input from the Mayor. When we call any of the City Council people for clarification on anything, they never know what is going on in the city unless they happen to be in charge of a particular committee and have knowledge of what the committee is doing. City council people tell us that they hardly ever have any mail in their city mail boxes to keep them abreast of what is going on. Mayor Bob’s policy, love him or hate him, was to make copies of everything that was pertinent to the city and place them in the city council peoples boxes each week. Why is the current Mayor keeping everyone in the dark?

What do you think? Shouldn’t at the very least, the council be kept abreast of what is happening with the operation of the city?

HAVRE’S BIG HERD OF DEMOCRAT CHALLENGERS AGAINST DEMOCRAT INCUMBENTS

Let’s forget about all the “who done its” regarding Havre’s newest enterprise of pot growing and get back to what is going on at the courthouse. By now everyone knows that there have been 2 challengers to the Hill County Treasurer and one, Sandy Brown, has risen up from within to challenge her boss, Carrie Dickson. We hear a couple gals in the treasurer’s office are squealing like stuck hogs about a recent visit by former Democrat Chairwoman Debi Friede who actually gave challenger Sandy Brown the old one two about daring to rise up without the local democrat party blessing to try and unseat Dickson. Apparently Ms. Friede doesn’t take kindly to not having control with an iron tight grip on all the Democrats in this town. What is interesting is the fact that Ms. Friede is no longer the local Democrat chair but relinquished that post to John Musgrove sometime back but that doesn’t stop her from making a scene.


But back to the question to which our readers may be able to give us some insight. What is going on in the courthouse that has brought all the Democrat challengers to the Democrat Incumbents? I am starting to think Obama’s new approach to bad schools where they are going to throw all the staff out and start over with all new people may just be the only solution to the current problems in the courthouse offices.

What do our readers think?

(MEDICAL)? MARIJUANA "BUSINESS" TRANSACTION?

Here is a story that was e-mailed to the Corrector with an eye-witness account of an alleged medical?? marijuana buy. To those that think their locations shouldn’t be revealed we have X’ed out the name of the grower in question. If this is true, the worries about these “businesses” voiced at the council meeting have some merit. Tell us what you think

On Monday evening about 5:50 PM I was dropping off mail at the post office and pulled in behind a vehicle moving erratically. I did not immediately recognize the driver, but went about placing my mail in the drop and proceeded on out the driveway. The vehicle in front of me was still sitting in the lane and both the driver and female passenger were looking down and not paying attention. After about 30 seconds or so I tooted my horn and the driver looked up and proceeded out onto 1st Ave. northbound. He stopped at the 1st Ave and 2nd St intersection and proceeded north. I was behind him still at this point. Once we approached First Street, the driver slowed to a stop and once again looked down. He was not pulled all the way up to First Street to see beyond the Havre Laundry building. Again I waited about 30 seconds or so and tooted my horn and the driver looked up and proceeded out onto First Street without stopping and nearly collided with oncoming traffic. I wondered if the driver of this vehicle, an older Toyota Landcruiser, was inebriated so I followed him as he continued down 1st Street until he stopped in front of a first street location. As I drove by I recognized the driver as XXXXX, a person that had identified himself as a medical marijuana grower from the City Council meeting and he was smoking what appeared to be a marijuana cigarette. As a non-pot smoker I could be not be certain, but I do know the difference between holding a cigarette between two fingers or the typical thumb and forefinger grip and/or roach clip used by pot smokers and the passing of the joint back and forth between the two people in the vehicle.

I pulled into a parking lot across the street and spent a few minutes watching the couple smoking. I then noticed an additional vehicle pull up behind the Landcruiser and a young man got out at which time the driver of the Landcruiser got out and both drivers went into the building. I continued watching the female passenger left in the vehicle a number of minutes when both the young man and the grower person came back out and got into their respective vehicles. The young man pulled out heading east bound and the grower and female passenger followed after him

Should I have called the authorities yes, but what good would it have done. If I called in a person for driving while high could the police do anything? It seemed certain to me that I had just witnessed a buy, but did the buyer have a medical marijuana card? Apparently these businesses are operating in broad daylight right under the noses of the police and every passerby on First Street! I still can’t believe they thumb their noses at the police by smoking pot right on First Street.

I had my doubts as to the Corrector’s wisdom posting the pictures of Malley’s operation but after witnessing this transaction I now have changed my mind and think all of these growing businesses, if you can call them that, need to be identified. Maybe Alice from the HDN should do a story about this First Street operation also and the HDN should attempt to investigate where the rest of the grow operations are?

The Corrector thanks you for submitting this story. And as far as the HDN and Alice doing an actual fair and balanced investigative story, we would guess that the HDN doesn’t have a reporter that could learn the location of a grow operation even if it was located across the alley from their back door where the reporters all stand to have their cigarette breaks.

CITY OF HAVRE TO PLACE MORATORIUM ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA FOR 90 DAYS

The Corrector just received a report on what went on at the Havre City Zoning and Planning committee hearing last night regarding medical marijuana. The committee consists of Chairwoman Janet Tretheway, Andrew Brekke, Pam Hillary, and Woody Woodwick. There were about 65 people in attendance and people spoke both for and against marijuana use, however this city committee is only empowered to deal with zoning issues relating to these new marijuana businesses. Initiative 148, which made the use of medical marijuana legal passed with 62% of Montana voters favoring the legalization. The committee heard testimony both pro and con in a meeting lasting about two hours and finally a motion was made to place a 90 day moratorium on the granting of any new variances for any new businesses in Havre until the Zoning committee had a chance to receive public input and start the process to bring the City’s archaic zoning regulations up to date. Currently medical marijuana growing and dispensing businesses do not fall under any of Havre’s zoning regulations.

It has become obvious over the last few weeks that the administrative rules implemented to correspond to Initiative I-148 have many aspects of the marijuana business left to vague interpretations and this next year’s legislature will have to implement some additional laws, rules, and regulations to oversee this business.

With that in mind the Corrector would like to point out the elected officials and candidates that have shown concern with working within our political system to get a handle on the deficiencies in our current State Medical Marijuana law and that attended the Tuesday night meeting. House District 33 Representative Wendy Warburton, Senate District 17 candidate Rowlie Hutton, and no candidates for House District 34. Even though the law enforcement community was represented by numerous officers there were no Hill County attorney candidates in attendance, no Hill County Justice of the Peace candidates, and no Hill County Commissioner candidates other than Mike Anderson. It was painfully obvious that there are but a few candidates that think this issue deserves any further consideration.

Do the absent candidates for this year’s elected offices not want us to know their feelings in regards to the regulation of medical marijuana?

Though the Corrector has came out against Democrat Commissioner and Candidate Mike Anderson this election, we humbly tip our hat to him for not only attending, but voicing his concerns involving the lack of regulation and oversight on the new medical marijuana businesses and sharing his thoughts as to what needs to be done.

The next meeting is to be held in council chambers on March 30th at 5:15 pm

ANOTHER GREAT JOB HAVRE SCHOOL BOARD

HERE IS A PICTURE TAKEN MONDAY MORNING OF THE SMOKIN' PROGRESS UNDERWAY AT THE HIGH LAND PARK SCHOOL IN THE LAST 5 MONTHS

I went by the High Land Park School on Monday and they are making some smoking headway. The contractor Anderson had a little trailer pulled on the lot, which I assume is some kind of office or tool storage. There were a few dozen little plastic landscape flags stuck around in the lot that looked like they may be marking out the general shape of the addition.


The story of the Highland Park school boondoogle was first posted on the Corrector on October 17, 2009. http://havredailycorrector.blogspot.com/2009/10/grandaddy-of-buy-at-home-boondoogles.html

I am sure everyone remembers the controversy about awarding the contract to an out of area taxpayer instead of one of our local school district taxpaying contractors that said he wanted to get started ASAP so he could be closed in before winter and give his crew employment in these economic hard times. I am sure our readers also remember that our Havre school board wanted the “very best” for the Havre School, which of course, can only be obtained through purchasing out of town with our in town tax dollars. Funny thing is though, here it is 5 months later and we have some little flags stuck in the ground. I am just glad Harvey and Shad from the board are on top of things or we would really be in trouble.

So much for our School boards claim to “getting’ er done” so they could get the project underway last fall. Maybe Harvey and Shad should get someone with more construction expertise to help them? Like Commissioner Anderson perhaps

ONLY $44,000 MORE (this year anyway)

Leave it to the HDN Our View Opinion, anonymous author by the way, to think the Havre taxpayers ought to just buck up and pass the mill levy for another $44,000 plus because “it’s for the kids”. It appears that next year’s school budget is going to fall short if voters can’t find it in their hearts to put aside their anguish over the Mahon debacle and reach deep for one more bet on the superintendents crap table.

The school currently has a combined budget of around 13 million dollars and if they aren’t able to figure out how to cut a mere $44,000 out of next year’s budget, they need new management. That brings to mind the question. Is there not one soul in Havre that is willing to run for school board to put an end to this madness? The filing deadline is drawing near. 
Show some respect for yourselves and the taxpayers footing the bill for this government tax sucking bureaucracy run amuck.
VOTE NO TO THE MILL LEVY UNTIL WE GET $200,000 WORTH OF ANSWERS!

INQUEST INTO LONG SOLDIERS DEATH

The Corrector has been told that the inquest into A.J. Long Soldier’s death while in the custody of the Hill County Jail is set for this week at the Hill County Courthouse. Dick Brown, Fergus County coroner will head up the inquest with assistance from Hill County Attorney, Gina Dahl to make sure there was no wrong doing on the part of the Hill County Detention Center. You may recall that 18 year old Long Soldier, who died on November 23 while in custody of the Hill County Detention Center, was noted as one of the leading players on the Hays-Lodge Pole High School basketball team when they won the Class C tournament. Coroner Dick Brown was also the coroner that led the inquest into the death of Eric Jones who died February 27, 2009 while being held at the Hill County Detention Center for the beating death of Kimberly Calf Boss Ribs.

Those of us at the Corrector have to wonder about the wisdom of Coroner Dick Brown using the assistance of County Attorney Gina Dahl in this inquest when her husband, James Dahl is the head of the detention center.

Great Falls Tribune related article here  http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20100211/NEWS01/2110307/Date-set-for-inquest-into-death

UNRESOLVED MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROBLEMS

Let’s just for discussion purposes consider that everything we have heard about cannabis usage being a useful tool for pain relief is correct. It is obvious from previous discussion that everyone is not going to agree and that the regulations and rules being currently followed by Montana growers are grossly inadequate in the minds of most of us that are not currently caregivers or patients.

Here’s something that we haven’t talked about on this blog. Since marijuana is legal for medicinal purposes what happens if your job requires that you take a drug test as a condition of employment? An article in the Tribune yesterday got me to thinking about the boat load of problems that could come with the use of medicinal marijuana. People I have talked to that work at the railroad think that since they are under federal safety regulations and the use of marijuana is still illegal at the federal level that the use of this “medicine” is not an option for them. What about truck drivers and people that drive for a living? Considering the fact that marijuana can be found in your system even after the effects has worn off how can someone with one of these jobs make use of marijuana  safely under the current Montana laws?

When reading through the information on the DPHHS website it is apparent that a lot of issues are left unresolved as are many of the issues and opinions that have been posted in our comments section the last week or so. This wrongful discharge story is just one example.

Please review the Tribune article below and tell us where you think we should go from here. Also, what do you think the Havre City Council and the Hill County Commissioners should do to keep both sides of the issue happy?  What is your solution to the problem before the City Council?

By TRAVIS COLEMAN • Tribune Staff Writer • March 13, 2010
A man who is HIV-positive is suing Loaf-n-Jug, claiming he was wrongfully terminated because he used medical marijuana.  Mike Babbitt is seeking $500,000 in damages from the company, which is a division of the Cincinnati-based Kroger Company. Babbitt says he was discriminated against, lost wages and suffered other monetary damages.

Loaf-n-Jug Arthur Stawski said the company does not comment on pending litigation.  The complaint filed earlier this month says Babbitt was hired by a Loaf-n-Jug in Great Falls in August and informed management that he is a qualified to receive medical marijuana. Babbitt was told he could be employed if he provided a clean pre-employment drug test.

When Babbitt told management he received his medical marijuana card, he was told it was no problem, the complaint states. But Babbitt was fired in November after a drug test from the previous month showed the presence of marijuana. Babbitt wasn't allowed to present an explanation for the test results, the complaint states. Babbitt's attorney is Mark Frisbie. The complaint states that Loaf-n-Jug's drug policy prohibits employees from using illegal drugs at work or while reporting to work, but Babbitt's marijuana use falls
under the company's definition of legal medication.

"Defendant's policy ... defines legal medications as 'prescribed and over-the-counter medications which have been legally obtained and are being used for the purpose for which they are prescribed or manufactured."  Babbitt wasn't using medical marijuana at work or during working hours and that his marijuana use didn't affect his ability to work, the complaints states, adding that it is illegal to discriminate against someone using "a lawful product that is legally consumed."

OBAMA ---- FISH OR JOBS?

The Corrector would like to thank Fishneedbikes for pointing us to today’s story.

Even though the present Obama administration clamors on about saving jobs at every turn they apparently don’t think the fishing industry needs any protection. Hundreds of anglers protested the closing of various saltwater fisheries by the Obama Administration’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. An Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force was appointed by President Obama to create a plan for managing ocean and coastal waters as well as the Great Lakes. What has recreational anglers worried is an Administration that has given the power to arbitrarily close fishing as they see fit without regard to the jobs that would be lost due to such closures. Anglers also worry that this will likely lead to Federal intervention in local States fish and game laws.

Take a look at the articles on ESPN Outdoors and read about this dastardly plan to shove yet another government dagger into free enterprise and our personal rights under the guise of “big brother taking care of the people”

http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/saltwater/news/story?id=4663915
http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/saltwater/news/story?id=4945625

ALICE CAMPBELL'S MEDICAL MARIJUANA STORY IN THE HDN THURSDAY

Wasn’t that just an enchanting story in Thursday night’s Havre Daily News spiritualizing local Pot grower Dustin Malley? I just had to close my eyes and through the descriptive words used by HDN reporter Alice Campbell I could literally see a kind, compassionate Dustin softly and tenderly singing old hippie songs to his infamous pot plants that he cares for, as Alice puts it, like they were his own “green, leafy children”. Alice’s well chosen words portraying Dustin as nothing more than a hurting farmer tending his own special kind of “garden” sanctuary while awaiting his version of the Great Pumpkin nearly brought tears to my eyes.

Alice further went on to do a wonderful job describing all the aches, pains, suffering, and the malady of afflictions that Dustin endures because of a prior injury which is what lead Dustin to become a “Doctor of Pot” or a caregiver, as the State law terms the word. The modern users of Dustin’s product are no longer to be referred to as potheads, stoners, burnos, tokers, druggies, or weedheads as the new political correct term is “patient”.

However, the Corrector does take exception to some of Alice Campbell’s “facts” in this story.

According to www.dphhs.mt.gov  8,604 people are registered as patients, and 109 of those reside in Hill County. Out of the 2,231 caregivers in the state, 15 are in Hill County.

The fact of the matter is using the same source Alice cited in her story we see 10,582 people are registered as patients in Montana, 139 which reside in Hill County. Of the 2,635 people that are registered as the growers, or caregivers, 20 reside in Hill County. Even more interesting to the Corrector is the 288 new patients that received medical marijuana cards in a reporting period from March 1st to March 7th. We are sure Alice’s facts were correct a couple weeks ago when this story first broke but the change in numbers just shows how rapidly this business is growing. Check the facts yourself at this link; http://www.dphhs.mt.gov/medicalmarijuana/mmpcurrentpatientcount0110.pdf  The Corrector is of the opinion that this could become a runaway train if this “industry” is left unsupervised as is now the case in the State of Montana. Is this really what the people voted for?

The HDN story with Alice’s apparent fixation on the positive aspects of this controversial business went on to portray many of the things that Dustin has done to insure the safety of his business and clients. Dustin purposely chose his growing operation’s location in an area in Havre that was zoned commercial intermediate to enable him to meet his “patients” in a safe area. He uses a systematic approach to growing with air systems, PH balanced water, organic fertilizers, timed and metered lighting and his grow rooms being kept clean and sterile. The newspaper story portrays the thoughts and considerations put into this operation as truly breath taking. The Corrector wonders if the only thing balanced in this home is the ph balanced water? I can also close my eyes and visualize the pain-free smoking daddy playing happily with his children in amongst the pot growing operation with a HDN reporter fawning over him and it is absolutely touching.

Alice Campbell of the HDN certainly has written a descriptive story but it lacks that fair, balanced, and unbiased aspect that newspapers attempt to convince us they always portray. Your personal convictions, prejudices and opinions should be left to blogs or the opinion page, rather than a source we trust for accurate news. What was the editor thinking in allowing an article such as this in an above-fold position in our local “news” paper?

What do our readers think of Alice’s story? http://www.havredailynews.com/cms/news/local_headlines/story-170203.html

The following are some exterior pictures of the “clean, sterile, and well operated” growing operation depicted in Alice’s organic farmer caregiver story.

HILL COUNTY COMMISSIONERS DRAFTING PLANS FOR YET ANOTHER “STEPS” REDO

The Corrector’s first order of business this fine morning is to “fess up” to an inaccuracy in one of our previous stories about the Hill County Courthouse. Earlier we had reported that the Hill County Commissioners had spent in excess of 1 million dollars remodeling the courthouse basement with that botched up “contracting” job overseen by our in-house contractor, Commissioner Anderson. We have just been told by a person with access to the books that we have been sadly mislead on our figures and the true amount spent was closer to 1.3 million than the one million we reported. Now to make matters even worse, our wonderful commissioner dream team is talking about going back to work on that money sink hole they fondly refer to as the “front steps” project. Plans are being developed to pour a 6” to 7” concrete cap over the existing steps that are not meeting the building code. We wonder how that high-dollar snow melt system with the new water piping in the steps will work with all that extra concrete covering it? We guess it doesn’t matter as the taxpayer funded heat bills at the courthouse have a never ending source of revenue via you, the taxpayer.

Also, are our readers aware that the Hill County Courthouse and Annex have an IT contract with Paul Rainy at the Computer Center? This 5-year contract was signed by the commissioners a couple of years ago at $65,000 per annum. From what we can learn from the self serving people at the courthouse whose number one concern is hiding the facts and covering their own rears, this contract somehow now costs the county around $80,000 per year. Nice little 20% unchecked boost there for someone. The sad part is that this computer contract only covers the courthouse and annex, the rest of the counties’ departments are not included in this contract and pay for their system needs on a by the hour as needed basis. We also have learned that this IT contract person is also the brainiac behind the decision to put all the data cabling in cable trays in the floor of the courthouse instead of the typical overhead in the ceiling approach that private businesses use and can be completed for minuscule amounts in comparison to the tray approach. Again, cost is no object when you have a bottomless pit of ever increasing tax revenue. Wouldn’t the county taxpayers be better served by just hiring a fulltime IT person that could deal with all of the counties computer needs without the biased eye towards what recommendation would generate the most revenue for his business?

One final caveat to the people that occasionally e-mail us “tips” that are employed at the courthouse; the Computer Center has total control over the county’s computer server so DO NOT e-mail us from your work computer or you can and will be tracked down. We welcome your “tips” but for your job security please e-mail us from your personal home computers. Anyone with further information they would like to add please e-mail us the facts to havredailycorrector@bresnan.net

UPDATED MEDICAL MARIJUANA INFORMATION

The Department of Public Health and Human Services updated their website today with some additional information regarding medical marijuana. ttp://www.dphhs.mt.gov/medicalmarijuana/index.shtml


Here is the verbiage we voted on in 2004 Montana Medical Marijuana Act INITIATIVE NO. 148 http://www.dphhs.mt.gov/medicalmarijuana/i148text.pdf

You can now read the TITLE 50 - CHAPTER 46 - MEDICAL MARIJUANA ACT as is now in its entirety here after some “tinkering” with administrative rules. http://www.dphhs.mt.gov/medicalmarijuana/title50chapter46mma.pdf


What I find most interesting is the updated Montana Medical Marijuana Program Historical Database as of 3/7/10. http://www.dphhs.mt.gov/medicalmarijuana/mmphistoricaldata.shtml

The data base says there are 10,582 legal patients in the State of Montana with 139 of those residing in Hill County. The report further goes on to state that there are 2,635 people they call “care givers” or what we would call “growers” in Montana, 20 of which are registered in Hill County.

The Medical Marijuana Policy Project of Montana, which has a Washington D.C. address, donated $554,505 to the 2004 ballot initiative passage of I-148 or over 99% of all the proponent money raised. The cat is now out of the bag and it appears that the oversight of this cash “industry” is sadly in a state of disarray. It really seems funny that our legislative leaders have missed this potential for yet another over-taxed cash cow that seems to have missed the “sin” tax advocates radar.

REPUBLICAN BARB SALERNO FILES FOR PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR

My name is Barb Salerno and I have just filed for the position of Public Administrator. I have lived in Havre for 27 years of which 26 of those years I have been employed by Erickson-Baldwin Insurance Associates as their Office Manager/Commercial Lines Agent/CSR.

Prior to moving to Havre, I was employed for 11 years by the State of New York in the Business Office at Newark Developmental Center. I was supervisor for the following departments: In House Post Office, Print Shop and Inventory Control Unit for the entire facility. I also worked at the Federal Bureau of Investigation as a Fingerprint Technician.

I am married to Chuck Salerno who is employed by Tilleman Motor Co. We have no children – only a little pug.

I look forward to serving our community as Hill County Public Administrator.

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE STUDENTS, OR SO THEY SAY

The Havre School Board will be meeting Tuesday at 6:30 pm at Havre High School to decide if they should place a mill levy on the ballot to raise approximately an additional $44,000 for the high school district. Currently the Havre elementary and high school combined budget is close to 13 million dollars per year and the proposed mill levy request will, as reported by school clerk Zella Witter, “only” add an additional tax of $3.91 on a home valued at $100,000. Over 51,000 of these 100 thousand dollar Havre homes would have to pay this added tax to offset the $200,000 our local school board threw like chaff into the wind to rid themselves of a superintendent they thought should just be gone. The current school board still doesn’t see fit to tell the taxpayers any reasons or details pertaining to that decision yet they now feel comfortable coming to the taxpayers to make up the shortfall.

Just how much does that taxpayer with the $100,000 home now pay?

SCHOOL

Name:  Levies:  Percentage:  Dollar Amount:

Elementary General 116.12 15.365%  $349.5212

Elementary Transportation 10.41 1.377%  $31.3341

Elementary Adult Education 0.00 0.000%  $0

Elementary Bus Reserve 3.67 0.486%  $11.0467

Elementary Technology 7.24 0.958%  $21.7924

Elementary Debt Service 1.72 0.228%  $5.1772

Elementary Building Reserve 11.16 1.477%  $33.5916

General School Elementary Equal. 33.00 4.366%  $99.33

Elementary Retirement 28.61 3.786%  $86.1161

High School General 64.05 8.475%  $192.7905

High School Transportation 8.31 1.100%  $25.0131

High School Bus Reserve 3.13 0.414%  $9.4213

Adult Education 0.95 0.126%  $2.8595

Technology 3.09 0.409%  $9.3009

High School Building Reserve 9.52 1.260%  $28.6552

High School Debt Service 0.90 0.119%  $2.709

General School High School Equal. 22.00 2.911%  $66.22

High School Retirement 13.03 1.724%  $39.2203

County Transportation 5.00 0.662%  $15.05

TOTAL = 341.91 mill levy which is 45.241% of a city taxpayers total property tax or $1,029.15 per year school tax on that $100,000 home

We at the Corrector feel the pain of those with a tight budget in these economic hard times but we must advocate voting no to any and all additional mill levy requests until the school board offers the taxpayers some transparency in regards to their recent superintendent “payoff.” In addition, 3 school board members are up for reelection this year and we also advocate for their replacement with 3 people that will give the taxpayers an “open and honest” school board.

Furthermore, it is very interesting that the City of Havre would allow a campaign sign advocating this mill levy to be hung on city property when they deny political candidates the same right. You may recall that last presidential election, Joe Skornogoski and Gerry Vies both erected “Elect Barack Obama” signs that were 4 foot x 8 foot in front of their homes only to have the city contact them to remove them because they were too big to comply with the city sign ordinance. Apparently signs out of compliance are now ok as well as allowing the use of city property for these signs. In addition, we could find no disclaimers on the sign in this picture as to who paid for the sign or other details that are required by the Political Practices laws.

I guess it all depends on who is putting up the signs and what the message is as to whether a campaign sign is in compliance in this town. Yet another example of a city ordinance that is either not enforced or is “selectively enforced”

Remember the deadline to file for one of the open positions on the school board is March 25th and you must have 20 signatures of registered voters to be placed on the ballot. Pick up the school trustee packet from the Robins School administrative office.

FREE POLITICAL ADVERTISMENTS

Worried about the high costs of your campaign advertising? Here is an opportunity for election exposure that is FREE! FREE! FREE!


The Havre Daily Corrector would like to extend an invitation to the political candidates running for seats in our local area to post their Bio’s and campaign information on our blog. Our readers are an intelligent bunch that likes to be informed before they cast their votes for a particular candidate. If you are a candidate please tell us why you think you are the best choice for your office. What are the issues you see where you can make a difference? If you are an incumbent, what have you accomplished during your tenure in office and why should you be retained? We also welcome articles about specific issues in addition to your campaign bios. If candidates are interested in making “the pitch” to our readers, just e-mail us your story to havredailycorrector@bresnan.net.  Send us your campaign photo also if you wish.

The Corrector will post your article in its entirety exactly as you submit it with no editing, corrections, or modifications just as we did with the article submitted by Travis Kavulla, the District 1 PSC candidate. We even extend this invitation to those candidates the Corrector thinks need replaced this election, such as Commissioner Anderson and all of the school board. Send us your Bios and even your defense to our previous posts because we are willing to publish both sides to every story.

For all you potential candidates, remember the last day to file for office is March 15th.
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HEALTHCARE: UP OR DOWN?

President Obama is calling on the House to just give the people a vote on healthcare. Obama would like the House to quit dragging their feet and just pass the bill as it was presented to them from the Senate and then he promised that the Senate could “tweak” the bill by using the process of “reconciliation”. Democrat Senator Durbin would call on the Senate to make “adjustments” by using this process, commonly called the “nuclear option,” which only requires a simple majority.

OBAMA: It is time to act on healthcare speech


It is interesting that the Democrats would stoop to using the nuclear option considering what they had to say about this tactic 5 years ago when the Republicans tried to implement it to pass one of their bills. In 2005 the Democrats said the nuclear option is an arrogant abuse of power and was against our very constitution. I guess it all depends upon who’s doing it.

This is what the Democrats had to say about the process 5 years ago.

What do our readers think? Should the House just send the bill as is and then hope for the best once it gets back to the Senate? Or should the House members demand that the corrections be made now? Don’t you just love it when either the Republican or the Democrat party hacks try to cram something down your throat? What is really troubling is the thought that the 300 million of us that voted for these 545 congressional people are not being heard now that they are in Washington.

CITY COUNCIL LOOKS AT MEDICAL MARIJUANA ISSUES

The Medical Marijuana zoning issue was presented to the City Planning, Development and Zoning committee last night with about 45 people in attendance. As you might guess there were numerous people in attendance that had concerns about people growing and selling marijuana in residential neighborhoods. Their concerns ranged from just being a bad example to our youth, safety of the neighborhoods due to increased traffic, impaired driving while in route to the growing businesses, the additional possibility of crime around the business, decreased property values, the likelihood of the growers patients selling their legal marijuana for illegal use, and general disruption of their quiet neighborhoods as well as concerns regarding the use of chemicals and other potential problems. Committee chairman Janet Tretheway also said her firefighter husband had some concerns about all the grow lights causing potential fire hazards. Several growers were also in attendance and attempted to educate the audience as to the aspects of their respective businesses and respond to the audiences concerns. When an audience member asked where it was legal to smoke the medical marijuana chairman Tretheway responded that the Montana Public Clean Air act would regulate that the marijuana could not be smoked in any of the places where tobacco products are now forbidden.


Two individuals, Zack Jones and Dustin Malley identified themselves as growers and explained their perceptions of the current law and how they were abiding by it. Malley stated that he currently has 18 patients, which includes himself, and he has 91 plants growing which adequately supply his customers. Dave Stockdill identified himself as a patient and said it was convenient to be able to buy from Malley instead of going out of town. Malley stressed that the growers buy locally and support the community economy.

We at the Corrector think that the City committee charged with this need to further research the potential problems that singling out these growers for special zoning might cause. We currently have an ordinance that forbids home type businesses in residential areas that is not being enforced. If they forbid growers to operate in residential areas are they going to likewise forbid these home businesses? And more so, are they going to enforce the current ordinances that are currently being ignored? We at the Corrector are reserving comment until further research and facts are completed.

The next committee meeting where this will be discussed is on March 16th at 5:15 pm in the City Hall. The council members that are assigned to this committee are Chairman Janet Tretheway, Andrew Brekke, Pam Hillary and Woody Woodwick.

POT HEADS HIGH ON HAVRE

Medical Marijuana providers / growers could be coming to Havre. The Havre City Council Development and Planning Committee will meet tomorrow, March 3 at 5:15 pm in the City Council Chamber to discuss zoning to allow medical marijuana growers in the city limits. In November 2004, Montana voters passed Initiative 148 which made the use of medical marijuana legal.
How does a person qualify to legally smoke pot?

o In Montana, patients and caregivers must register with the Quality Assurance Division of the Department of Public Health and Human Services. Department of Public Health & Human Services: Montana Medical Marijuana Program21 To register, the patient or caregiver must: \
2. Complete the application form. You must have a valid Montana driver's license or state identification card.Department of Public Health & Human Services: New Application Form 22

3. Provide written certification from a doctor that the patient is a qualifying patient.Department of Public Health & Human Services: Frequently Asked Questions

4. Send the application, written certification and a $50 application fee to Department of Public Health and Human Services / Quality Assurance Division; Licensure Bureau; PO Box 202953; Helena, MT 59620-2953.Department of Public Health & Human Services: http://www.dphhs.mt.gov/medicalmarijuana/ 
http://www.dphhs.mt.gov/medicalmarijuana/frequentlyaskedquestions1.pdf

CORRECTION  for the Corrector from someone from the State of Montana medical marijuna registry.  Thankyou for pointing this out  To the Editor, I administer the state medical marijuana registry. The following paragraph (4) excerpted from your marijuana article is incorrect. The registration fee is $25 for a new patient and $10 for a renewal. I can only assume you have an old or a broken link. Here is the correct link to the state website for the FAQs.
http://www.dphhs.mt.gov/medicalmarijuana/frequentlyaskedquestions.shtml 

In Billings on Sunday 800 Montana's were expected to register for medical marijuana cards at a workshop sponsored by The Montana Care Givers Network. http://www.montanacaregivers.net/

Watch the report of this weekend’s activities on KULR8 in Billings

If you have an opinion be sure and show up at City Hall at 5:15 on Tuesday

TRAVIS KAVULLA FILES FOR DISTRICT 1 PSC SEAT

Travis Kavulla, former National Review editor and Great Falls native, begins campaign for Public Service Commission, vowing energy development and advocacy

"This is not a job to retire into. Joining the PSC, a highly technical regulatory body, is sort of like going back to college to get an economics degree. It isn’t easy, and it isn’t for everyone," said Kavulla, 25, a fourth-generation Montanan and Harvard graduate who has worked previously as a journalist and analyst. He gave his announcement speech at the Lincoln-Reagan Day Dinner of the Cascade County Republican Central Committee on Feb. 27.

"Others in this race have been politicians for decades. But the Public Service Commission calls for a fresh mind, an independent mind. I have no baggage tying me to the industry which, as a PSC commissioner, I will have to regulate, and my top priority will be to protect the taxpayer and ratepayer.”

“As well, I pledge that I will do everything I can to promote energy development and carve out a future in Montana for those young people who want to stay, but cannot find jobs.”

Energy Development
“Montana’s economy will always be linked to its natural resources. Montana has enough coal to last our nation a millennium and a supply of wind which is virtually limitless. Our natural-gas reserves are greatly underdeveloped.”

"Wind and fossil fuels are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they need one another. Wind is unreliable and it needs to be firmed by another source, usually natural gas. I am for developing any and all of Montana's natural resources. My only criterion is that a project be practical, and the most practical project in my book is that which gets the lowest-cost power to consumers.”

“In addition to the lowest-cost-possible power for Montanans, we must become an energy exporter. Since everyone needs electricity, and since West Coast states are incapable of generating enough for their needs, energy development will bolster Montana’s economy in good times and bad. I am dedicated to putting in place a transmission network that protects Montana consumers even while allowing Montana to become a large energy exporter.”

Kavulla said that Montana’s leaders had failed to stand up to the federal government. “At the moment, we have a Department of Interior which cares more about a sage grouse than a Montanan. We deserve an advocate who will not roll over for out-of-state radicals, but who will instead be willing and able to point out the absurdity of federal policy, and work to resolve it.”

Carbon taxation
"Many Montanans get their electricity from coal-fired plants. Their rates will skyrocket if cap-and-trade or any other form of carbon taxation is adopted. Whatever one thinks of global warming, it is obvious that this policy would tie one hand behind our backs and put our nation and our state at a competitive disadvantage. We must be pragmatic, and this is not a reasonable policy at all."

Experience
Kavulla has been involved in the Great Falls City Commission inquiry into Electric City Power and the Southern Montana Electric Co-op (SME), and developed many of the questions which the city commission posed to the consulting firm Burns & McDonnell about the issue. "We're going to get to the bottom of this," Kavulla said. "Taxpayers and co-op members have subsidized big businesses’ energy bills to the tune of millions of dollars. A commissioner needs to be willing to have oversight over a developer who treats co-ops’ and taxpayers’ dollars as a slush fund. I am all for development, but not when it is done for the benefit of a few, at taxpayer expense, in extraordinary secrecy."

Kavulla is a fourth-generation Montanan whose great-grandfather came to the state to mine coal in Sand Coulee. His father was a teacher in Highwood, and Kavulla went to school there and in Great Falls. He was a U.S. Senate page for Conrad Burns, a member of Boys State and Boys Nation, and a two-time Class AA debate champion.

While a student at Harvard, Kavulla majored in history and was listed by U.S. News and World Report as one of the nation’s best student columnists. After graduating with high honors, he was recruited to become the youngest editor on the staff of National Review, the conservative magazine founded by William F. Buckley. His work has appeared in a broad range of media, from the Wall Street Journal to Fox News to Catholic World Report.

District #1 of the PSC spans 19 counties in central, eastern, and northern Montana. Kavulla said he is making plans to appear throughout the district. Kavulla welcomes the public to call his cell phone 788-3419 or email him at kavulla@gmail.com  to discuss energy or any other matter. Kavulla says he will continue to write on state and local energy issues on the blog http://www.electriccityweblog.com/  throughout the campaign so constituents can know what’s on his mind.
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PRESIDENT OBAMA TARGETS "TROUBLED" SCHOOLS

Does anyone remember the “No Child Left Behind” program that was implemented in our schools during President Bush’s term in office? The program attempted to tie federal school funding to school performance.


President Obama today announced that his administration has plans for over 900 million dollars in grants for schools currently ranked in the lowest 12% of our schools that are producing 50% of our drop-outs. This grant money can also be used for drastic measures such as dismissing current teachers and administrators to begin anew under new management that is more in tune with the student’s needs and problems. Obama went on to say that “Replacing school staff should only be done as a last resort" Take a look at this press release and let us know what you think.