Author: Evelyn Pyburn

State Pauses Site Search for Mental Health Facility

10 September 2025
Evelyn Pyburn
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By Evelyn Pyburn

Confronted with a lot of questions from local officials that are going without answers, State officials have stepped back from their pursuit of finding a site for a behavioral health facility, funding for which was approved by the Montana State Legislature.

After conducting a tour of potential sites in several communities, Director of the Board of Investments,  Dan Villa, who has been charged with the task of finding a site, announced that he needs more direction and information from legislators, the Governor’s office and the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) in order to better answer the questions he is being asked by county and city officials about what kind of facility is envisioned and how it will operate.

The Montana Board of Investments was assigned the task of assisting DPHHS in finding a site for the proposed facility following the approval of $26.5 million by the 2025 Montana Legislature to build the long-discussed need for a facility. The facility will serve an ever-growing waiting list of inmates in need of mental health services. The Montana Board of Investments manages state-owned lands, and it is hoped that a property can be found that is already owned by the state as  a site, thus saving in its cost.

Senate Bill 5, which advanced the proposal in the state legislature, states that construction should start on the facility by June of 2026. Some comments from legislators, recognizing its urgent need, have suggested that it needs to be completed in two years.

As Villa visited the prospective sites – especially in Billings which has been broadly discussed as the preferable location – he was pelted with questions about how the facility would operate, what expectations would be imposed upon the community and taxpayers, and even whether it is to be a general “behavioral health facility,” or a “forensic facility,” which would accommodate criminals serving sentences, who need mental health treatment.

In June, it was reported that Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services Director Charlie Brereton told a state commission that they hope to locate a new facility “in the Yellowstone County region.”

In making the announcement, last week, that the search for a site is being put on hold, Villa told his Board of Investments that he needs more guidance to answer questions, especially in Billings where concerns run high that the addition of such a facility will just add to the burden of providing social services for the mentally ill and other unhoused, unemployed, indigent people.

County and city officials in Billings have asked how the patients or inmates of the facility will be processed, concerned that they will eventually be discharged with no support, compounding social problems and imposing additional costs on taxpayers. The lack of information that Villa has been able to provide has generated charges that the State is not complying with the state’s public information requirements.

Montana Senator Mike Yakawich, Billings SD24,  who served on the legislative committee that dealt with how to address the issue of behavioral health in Montana, said that it is estimated that the proposed facility would be about 50 beds and would hire 50 people or more.

The idea of building a second location for a behavioral health center is not a new idea, said Yakawich. It’s been around for about 20 years.

The only other option for inmates needing mental health care has long been Warm Springs, which can accommodate about 100 patients, which has faced its own struggles over the past couple of years. However, it too received funding from the recent State Legislature, which is expected to help solve some of its problems — problems which resulted in it losing its federal accreditation and federal funding.  Sen. Yakawich said that he is confident that Warm Springs will regain its accreditation this year.

Some state officials have stated that they believe Billings is a preferable location for a second location for several reasons, including a more strategic location to better serve Eastern Montana.

As Sen. Yakawich commented, it’s a very long drive for communities in Eastern Montana to transport prisoners to Warm Springs in Deer Lodge County. Transporting prisoners across the state from Eastern Montana communities is an onerous and costly process, he said.

Even those questioning plans going forward readily concede the need for an additional facility in the State. Many of the inmates that are being held in local jails – including the Yellowstone County Detention Facility – should be in a facility that provides mental health care but there are no openings. Others are waiting long stretches in jail for mental health assessments they cannot get because of a lack of health care professionals.

Billings is the best choice for the site, say some civic leaders, because it has a wide variety of support services and a bigger workforce, as well as a larger community that might better attract prospective workers.  A shortage of prospective workers is a problem that has plagued Warm Springs, as well as law enforcement and jails, and other medical providers across the state.

That Billings is a preferred location because it already has other support services is exactly what makes the county commissioners and some city council members concerned about what such a facility could impose on the community and especially on taxpayers.

County Commissioner Mark Morse pointed out that the services that Billings has are beyond full capacity, with little or no funding available to expand them, while demand continues to grow.

Morse also emphasized that Yellowstone County decided some time ago to “invest in themselves” and take care of some of its needs for which county taxpayers have paid. They were not intended for use by the state nor should county taxpayers be expected to pay for the needs of the state, he said.

And, the State does not have a good record as far as the County Commissioners are concerned, in doing their part to support the full cost of State prisoners in the county jail. For more than a decade the State has refused to fully pay the county the daily cost of housing State prisoners. The State pays the county  $82.59 a day, while the County calculates the true cost at $117.

Morse further asked what will the State do when they release an inmate – just turn them out onto the streets of Billings?

In the past, there have been complaints from other county officials, who claim that other communities appear to give their troubled citizens a one-way bus ticket to Billings, which often means they are homeless and vying for the same over-capacity services in Billings.

Another county department head said that Yellowstone County does not have the workforce that the State is talking about. She said that while nationally they are claiming that there are two job openings for every worker, the figure is much higher in Yellowstone County. Every health care department, county sheriff and jail, as well as businesses, are struggling to hire the labor they need.

Questions about what the State’s plans are, went unanswered by the state officials, complained Morse and city officials. He said that in attendance during the site visit to Billings, there were representatives of a design firm and a construction contractor – “you don’t have them” unless there are plans available.

Yakawich pointed out that many of the answers about what the facility will be is probably not yet known because most of the planning won’t happen until a site is proposed.

Yakawich said he “gets” the concerns of the community, but has no problem with the facility locating in Billings. Yakawich said he understands the acute need not just for the State, but also for Yellowstone County and Eastern Montana to have a second health care facility.

Exposition Drive to be Revamped

10 September 2025
Evelyn Pyburn
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Plans to revamp Exposition Drive, which passes by MetraPark, connecting the intersection of US Highway 87 and 1st Avenue North, which extends to Main Street in the Heights, are being pursued by the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT).

The community is invited to attend an open house to learn more about the Exposition Drive and 1st Avenue North Intersection project. The open house will be held at the Billings Public Library Community Room located at 510 North Broadway, on Tuesday, August 19 from noon to 1:30 p.m. and  4:30 to 6:30 p.m. 

The open house is designed to be an informal event for community members to meet the project team, ask questions, and provide feedback. As such, no formal presentation will be made. Information regarding the project’s design and schedule will be available. Information from the open house is also available on the project website.

The project is in the stage of design development and right-of-way acquisition.

Construction is projected to begin in 2027, although that is subject to change depending on funding availability, design completion, right-of-way acquisition, and other unforeseen factors.

“MDT is excited to discuss the project and share design concepts that aim to address capacity and queuing issues, enhance safety and mobility, as well as improve pavement conditions, drainage, and the pedestrian and bicycle environment,” said Mike Taylor, MDT Billings District Administrator.

The Exposition Drive (Main Street) & 1st Avenue North project will enhance safety and improve bicycle and pedestrian connectivity, vehicle capacity, freight, drainage, and pavement condition within the project area. These improvements are intended through the following project components:

Safety

* Installing raised medians on sections of 1st Avenue North.

* Improving lighting on Main Street and 1st Avenue North.

* Removing the unsignalized, eastbound slip-lane at the Main Street and 1st Avenue North intersection.

Bicycle and Pedestrian Connectivity

* New sidewalk and shared-use path connections on Main Street and 1st Avenue North, including a connection to the Jim Dutcher Trail.

* New or improved crossings at intersections throughout the project area.

Vehicle Capacity

* Converting the westbound right turn-lane at the Main Street and 1st Avenue North intersection to free-running movement.

* Adding a fourth northbound travel lane on Main Street from 1st Avenue North to 4th Avenue North.

* Improving storage lengths of turn lanes at the Main Street and 1st Avenue North intersection.

 Partnering with the community is an important part of properly planning for future projects. MDT welcomes the public to provide ideas and comments on the proposed project. Comments may be submitted online at mdt.mt.gov/contact/comment-form.aspx or in writing to Montana Department of Transportation, Billings office, PO Box 20437, Billings, MT 59104-0437. Please note that comments are for project UPN 7908000.

 Questions from the public should be directed to Design Project Manager Shaun Sampson at 406-4449413.

The Dream of Shoeboxes

23 July 2025
Evelyn Pyburn
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By Evelyn Pyburn

Some noted figure recently said that the only way to end the housing crisis is to build more houses.

Totally true.

And, Bozeman, where the crisis could hardly have been more acute, is proving that.

Rents are dropping like stones in Bozeman, where 3,042 rentals have been built since 2021. Rents that formerly ranged in the $2000 to $3000 area are dropping to “several hundred,” if you are sharing rent. Landlords are even offering months of free rent as a signing bonus or $500 gift cards.

 A vacancy rate of 20 percent is being reported in Bozeman and hundreds of units are reportedly standing empty. But that is only for apartments, the demand for real homes is still acute.

According to one report, the City of Bozeman is even offering “incentives” to builders. They will relax building code regulations, such as building height, setbacks from the street and parking requirements! And, voila, they got it. They have hit upon the crux of the problem. The ONLY reason the market will not deliver a product – any product — to eager consumers is GOVERNMENT.

Building thousands of rentals – even if they are “shoebox” towers — proved that the law of supply and demand still functions. But in most cases the additional rentals only became viable because of REGULATORY changes, which enabled builders to affordably build them – but still it remains that other than long, looming walls of high-rise shoeboxes, regular housing (you know a house with a yard and picket fence) is still unaffordable and unavailable in Bozeman, as well as in most other Montana cities.

But in Bozeman, many of those wanting such accommodations have enough wealth to be influential, so city overlords are being compelled to pay attention. It’s rather nice of them to allow property owners to exercise their property rights, don’t you think?

Study after study of housing shortages across the country, by all kinds of entities, have consistently concluded that such regulations are the reason – the ONLY reason – that housing is unaffordable. Supply is not being built to meet demand. No one has denied that that is true, but it seems to not make much difference. Despite the study results, most city bureaucrats in Montana have done nothing to back off regulations. In fact, in some cases they seem to have doubled down.

That certainly seems to be the case in Billings, where over and over we hear that builders avoid building within city limits because of oppressive regulations – and where downtown buildings stand vacant because regulations to renovate them is so onerous that to do so is a high risk venture.

Like Bozeman, the State changed laws enough that builders have been able to affordably build high-rise shoeboxes in Billings. They now mar the landscape across the western edge of Billings, and many people can be heard to express their dismay at seeing them. “What is the idea of that?” one man was heard to exclaim.

The idea is to cram the blight of so many people into as small a space as possible.

Don’t think so? Go read the dreams and strategies of the top down centralized planners. This has been their long-term strategy of how to deal with the nuisance of people.

They didn’t even invent the idea. High-rise shoeboxes are exactly how poor countries have long dealt with their government’s inability to provide housing. But government is not supposed to be providing housing in the US – it is supposed to be a market commodity. We are not a poor country. People seeking homes are not poor. If left to their own devices, they would be building beautiful homes everywhere. So it became the goal of society planners – who see human beings as a blight upon the planet – to cripple the market — to restrict options as much as possible. The truth of the matter is they do not want you to be able to build the home of your dreams, so they impose restrictions that pile on costs, which means only the very rich and privileged can strive to build the home of their dreams.

High-rise shoe boxes is the goal!

Sure there are reasons that a city government should have requirements to safely integrate traffic and to connect to municipal systems, but go read the regulations – they extend far, far beyond that. They even mandate where to store garbage, where to plant vegetation, fencing material, or how wide a garage door or window must be.

Consider how little innovation there has been in how homes are built. That’s because less expensive approaches to building and innovations are seldom explored because implementing any new concept would require changing regulations for every town, city and county, across the land. The regulatory burden makes new ideas impossible for builders or home owners, ie. PROPERTY OWNERS. How we are to live has been left to the whims of bureaucrats, planners and new age visionaries, whose only ideas are about how to control and coerce.

Things – like high-rise shoeboxes — are going pretty much as “planned.” So don’t be fooled by bogus expressions of sympathy about affordable housing. Get used to high-rise shoeboxes because unless citizens step up and demand their property rights, this is the future of America – a real home that was long the “American Dream” is not part of the New World Order of those in charge.

Human Trafficking – a Hidden Crime; and a Big Problem for Billings

23 July 2025
Evelyn Pyburn
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By Evelyn Pyburn

Human trafficking is a bigger problem in Billings than most people know – in large part because it is a hidden problem.

It happens behind the scenes. Its victims are most often silent. Its evidence isn’t recognized and there is little to almost no support for the victims.

Britney Higgs is determined to change all that. Last week, Britney launched the first lap of a 35-day trek from Billings to Denver, to bring awareness and hopefully to raise funds for survivor homes and resources to help re-establish a life for the survivors.

Britney began her trek on Elysiann Road west of Billings, cheered on by family and friends and board members of HER, an organizations formed to address the “gap” in the means available to rescue survivors of human trafficking.

It is Britney’s goal to walk about 20 miles a day along back roads. Sometimes her 14-year-old son, Asher, will join her. She has a support crew. Following along behind in an RV, will be her husband, Sammy, and their other three children, Judson, 12; Emlyn, 6; and Jeremiah, 4.

Britney hopes her effort will draw attention to the problem and generate contributions. She will be walking 580 miles and hopes she can get a thousand dollars for each mile — $580,000. [Contribute by going to the HER website, https://hercampaign.org/walkforher/]

For the survivors of human trafficking, the road to recovery is a lot longer. “We get calls weekly,” said Britney, “for survivors who need immediate placement.” It isn’t unusual for the survivors to be in fear for their lives, if they remain in the community. So, besides immediate shelter, sometimes they also need to be placed in another community to reduce their risk.

Sammy and Britney learned about how serious the problem is when the filming company they own was engaged to film a documentary about human trafficking. The gig took them to other countries around the world, and brought home the vivid reality of the crime, as well as the stunning realization that Montana ranks as one of the more problem states for human trafficking – especially in Billings.

“Coming back, my heart was broken for the restoration of survivors,” said Britney, “And it was happening in our own back yard!” The Higgs had learned that even if rescued from a situation, the lack of support services left them with nowhere to go. “There was a gap between rescue and freedom,” said Britney, who determined there had to be something more.

Britney founded the organization, HER, and, with the help of others, started developing a program and establishing a blueprint for the program, so that it can be taken up by other communities across the nation. Besides raising funds, Britney hopes that her walk will capture the attention of other communities who can duplicate the program.

“It takes a high level of care to come along side of the survivors,” said Britney. Besides needing an immediate safe house, they need crisis stabilization and long term care and support.

By the time they are rescued, many are so devastated that moving forward hardly seems an option. Britney said that one woman told her that even though she was physically free, “I wish I had died in captivity because I have nothing left to give.”

In Billings, now, there is immediate placement in a safe home, with the opportunity to move into a long term program to help survivors rebuild their lives, train for employment, get a job and gain the confidence to move forward – to gain 100 percent recovery. The program can serve as many as six people at any one time. In Denver, too, they have safe homes and a stabilization program which can serve 13 survivors at any one time. HER accepts women, women who are pregnant, and women who have a child under age 3.

The state of Montana has made some efforts to improve upon the situation. Emergency responders are being trained to recognize situations, which involve human trafficking. The Department of Justice has established a process of tracking statistics, a process which has improved 1400 percent, said Britney.

Who are the victims of human trafficking and why has it grown to be such a problem in Billings?

The victims are most often women, and all too often children.

The legalization of drug use catapulted human trafficking in Montana. Human trafficking goes hand in hand with drug use, said Britney. While there are cases where a victim is kidnapped and transported to a different location, quite often it happens right on the street where you live. And, it’s not just in the “bad part of town.” It can happen in any home where someone – a spouse, a boyfriend, a parent, etc. becomes addicted and needs money to buy drugs.

Britney explained that the process usually begins with “grooming” their victim to sell sex for money, and then force them to do so. It becomes increasingly difficult for the victim to break free. They are often involved in broken homes or are victims of child abuse. They are reluctant, and often afraid, to tell anyone about their ordeal and have nowhere to turn for help.

About 85 percent of the victims were in foster care. Many are native people, said Britney.

Stacy Zinn, a board member of HER, and former special agent with the Drug Enforcement Agency, was among those supporting Britney at the start of her 35-day trek. Zinn commented that she wished more people were aware about the seriousness of human trafficking in Billings. “They can say it is not happening,” she said, “because the activity happens in the darkness.” Victims don’t talk about it. Drugs are often involved. And, often kids and the very young are taken advantage of, said Zinn.

The number of cases tracked by the Montana Department of Justice increased from 7 in 2015 to 143 in 2023, an increase of 1,900 percent.

County Faces a “Big Ask”

23 July 2025
Evelyn Pyburn
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“It’s a big ask.”

Persistent overcrowding at the Yellowstone County Detention Facility (YCDF), the county’s jail, has brought forth a proposal from consultants to expand the jail by 512 beds with support systems at a cost of $225 million.  The expansion and updating of current facilities would carry the county to meeting needs through to 2039, as well as prepare options for future expansion.

“A year’s long -worth of work,” by consultants, Justice Planners, A&E Design and HDR Engineering, was presented to County Commissioners and other public officials last Wednesday. The consultants were engaged by the County Commissioners, at the recommendation of a County Attorney appointed sub-committee, the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC), made up of people representing various aspects of the community.

The consultants spent the past year looking at projections, assumptions on growth, options, the current condition of the facility, recommended options and staff analysis.

They looked at a 20 year projection for the YCDF and also at the youth facility (Youth Services Center) which was stated to be in dire need of updating, with the recommendation that the County consider doing so in the near future.

The proposed $225 million cost is a sobering one for County Commissioners, to whom Sheriff Mike Linder commented, “It’s a big ask of the county taxpayers.” Building such a facility would undoubtedly require asking taxpayers for additional tax levy and spending authority. But, the proposal comes as a result of years of overcrowded conditions at the jail, a situation that has often prevented jailing perpetrators of lesser crimes, which generated disrespect for law enforcement and complications throughout the entire judicial system. The current capacity of the YCDF is supposed to be 434 inmates, but its daily population invariably ranges between 600 and 630.

The study shows that total projected Average Daily Population, by 2049, would be 1,030. By 2049, 1,277 beds would be needed to operate the facility safely and what would be considered best practice. It recommends the addition of another 512 beds in 2049 to carry the facility through to its projected total operating capacity need of 1,552.

The $225 million proposal is one of ten options explored by the team of consultants, which projected estimated costs ranging from $48.3 million to $469 million. A&E Design CEO Dusty Eaton explained that the selected option would include the top priorities for the facility, in addition to increasing total capacity to 946 (including 12 medical beds + 82 short-term beds). He pointed out that the construction of a short-term facility that is currently underway, would bring total capacity for the county jail to 1,040, which is expected to accommodate inmate population through 2039.

Eaton said he didn’t think they could get the cost lower “without compromising safety,” adding, “We are spending money today to plan for the future.”

The proposed option includes $144,954,000 for new construction, almost $8 million for an addition and almost $4 million in renovations. It also includes the cost of relocating and rebuilding outside buildings that must be moved in order to make room for the addition to the YCDF, located on King Avenue East. Eaton said that there is not enough room at the current jail site to add the addition, without removing outside buildings such as the Evidence Building. The buildings will be moved across the street to county-owned property.

Eaton also commented, “The existing jail is aging but is in pretty good shape. It needs some investment and upkeep.”

Even without adding capacity, the consultants said the YCDF needs at least $9.5 million in improvements to deal with the most pressing problems.

Melissa Williams, Chief Civil Attorney, Yellowstone County Attorney’s Office, who served on the committee, pointed out that many of the instituted efforts by the judicial system in Yellowstone County to drive down the jail population, have shown evidence that they are working. For example, without the new Arraignment Court, the current jail population would be 70 more per day than it is now. These impacts have been calculated into the projections for the addition to the jail.

Building is one aspect of expansion, staffing is another. The consultants’ study also looked at those costs.

“You have to have a certain level of staff to be safe, you need to reduce overtime  – -to eliminate staff fatigue and burnout,” said Alan Richardson, founder and president of Justice Planners. Staffing numbers should be reviewed at every milestone, he recommended.

Current staffing at the YCDF is 111.5 FTEs (Full Time Equivalent employees). Recommended for a 1040 bed facility is 243 FTEs at an estimated cost of $18,748,952, annually.

The biggest challenge to staffing is finding and keeping good employees. Sheriff Linder noted that the YCDF is down only four staff members currently, which is the closest they have come to having a full staff in a number of years. He commented that every day, the staff at YCDF, perform Herculean efforts.

Sheriff Linder said the problem with jail over-capacity is that more inmates are staying longer in jail. He also noted that the vast majority of the criminals are local.

Linder also went on to ask that since it is ‘such a big ask’ of taxpayers, which they might reject, “Do we have another option? Do we have a Plan B?”

County Commissioners Mike Waters and Mark Morse recognized the “Herculean efforts” of the jail staff and expressed their appreciation.

Morse commented, that “a big issue that has to be dealt with at every level in the state is that of mental health” of some inmates. “It is one of the biggest problems,” the detention staff has to deal with. “Some are in the facility for as much as a year.” He said he doesn’t see anything “on the horizon” that would solve that problem.

Waters added, “The cost is enormous.” He also noted that the county has been tightening its belt and cutting other budgets in anticipation of the cost the jail expansion will bring.

In looking at the need for an updated Juvenile Center, the consultants recommended a 48-bed facility with support spaces including food service, laundry, staff support spaces, etc. The facility is planned to be a separate stand-alone facility of approximately 55,000 square feet including education services. The cost was projected at $59,336,253.

Billings Animal Family Hospital Builds New Facility

23 July 2025
Evelyn Pyburn
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Having served the pets of the citizens of Billings for the past 30 years, Dr. Edie Best, DVM, DABVP, CVMA came to a fork in the road – to retire or go for the dream?

She is going for the dream, the ground breaking was held on July 3 at 1616 1st Avenue North. “Why not?” said Best in speaking to the friends and clients and dignitaries who gathered to celebrate the new facility for Billings Animal Family Hospital. It’s a dream come true for Best, who said that her clients and their pets, as well as her staff, deserve it.

Best and a team of financial, architectural and construction supporters have been working on that dream for the past four or five years. With construction now underway, it is expected to open in the spring of 2026.

Best purchased Billings Animal Family Hospital in 2008, with the goal of providing a greater level of personal care for pets and their entire family.  “. . . I hope that a lot of my clients would attest to that, we try to treat you like family,” said Best, who views her business as one big family, of whom many were in attendance at the groundbreaking with their pets in tow.

Best noted that their location at 1321N. 27th Street in Billings is cramped; it doesn’t have great street visibility and parking is limited. My team and clients deserve the new clinic, declared Best.

Mike Burke of HGF Architects, who designed the new clinic, praised Best for pursuing “her vision,” adding that it will be “a great addition for downtown. Customers deserve it, the city deserves it and Edie deserves it,” he said.

The Billings Animal Family Hospital is being whole heartedly welcomed into “The Bird” — The East Billings Urban Renewal District (BIRD), a TIF district that serves the area from downtown Billings to MetraPark. The clinic, in fact, received $475,000 in tax-increment financing dollars for the project.   

Best also thanked Big Sky Economic Development for their assistance in getting financing through the US Small Business Administration.

“There is so much potential for this part of town,” said Best.

The new location will have high visibility from 1st Avenue North, as well as provide ample parking. Th clinic will be state-of-art, larger, plus waiting rooms, additional exam rooms, and upgraded facilities.

Best also announced that they will be partnering with Rocky Vista’s proposed new veterinary clinic, providing an opportunity for training for third and fourth year students. She stressed how important the new school will be, given the shortage of veterinarians that exists in Montana.

Best also recognized some of her staff including Dr. Sarah Bruggman, Associate Veterinarian & Medical Director; Dr. Esther Musselman, Associate Veterinarian, and Dr. Mark Albrecht, Orthopedic Surgeon.

Best was born in Hardin, Montana where she grew up on her family’s cattle farm. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Montana State University and graduated with honors from Colorado State University with a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine.

Dr. Best and her husband, Les, have two dogs, four barn cats, and two old horses.

Best is dedicating the new clinic to all pets, including her deceased pets.

If you can keep it.

30 June 2025
Evelyn Pyburn
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By Evelyn Pyburn

“If you can keep it…”

Can we?

Those were the words of founder Benjamin Franklin as he emerged from the signing of the new Constitution of the new United States, when asked by Elizabeth Willing Powel “Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?”

Benjamin Franklin’s response was, “A republic, if you can keep it” (September 17, 1787)

Now seems to be a moment in time when we all – individually — must answer that question. Can we keep it? The  question was posed to each of us, by Franklin, who seemed far more clairvoyant about the challenges of the future than one could have imagined.

It was a challenge – not to our military or politicians – but to each citizen individually. It is our challenge today because we are threatened by the potential loss of our liberty and it’s not about the outcome of a military struggle or political maneuvers  — it’s about whether we each individually can defend “the very idea of it.”

If we do not understand the “very idea of it,” enough to persuade, we will lose the battle because the only alternative, other than surrendering, is to use force which of course is the idea’s very antithesis.

The concept that Franklin and his cohorts, on that day, proposed was essentially a new idea. The idea that each individual should be free to live as they choose. Not as the King dictated, nor as the church scolded, or the family position designated, but as the individual person chose.  It was a revolutionary idea, one that ignited the Revolutionary War. It was the supreme idea that was the goal of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

That idea is what is being attacked by those in the streets destroying buildings, throwing Molotov bombs, fighting police, undermining laws and defending criminals. While they pursue violence and coercion – and we may try to defend ourselves – in the long run, the plunderers can only be defeated if each one of us can intellectually defend this idea. How many people can do that?

If we cannot define and defend the concept that shaped our country, and about which our forefathers debated long and hard, we will lose, because it is this idea that most terrifies our opponents – all those people in the streets, throwing bombs, destroying buildings and threatening lives. They do not have the capacity nor the intellectual arguments to thwart this amazing idea – and the thing is, THEY KNOW IT. That is why they are perpetrating violence, whether it’s in the streets or advocating it in the rhetoric they use, or as they use force to silence those who dare to utter otherwise.

From at least that moment, when Benjamin spoke to Elizabeth in 1787, to be able to intellectually understand this idea and to defend it, became the challenge of all freedom- loving people, just as it became an eternal threat to the thugs who oppose it. “The very idea of it” became the eternal conflict that will underlay all future conflict of mankind – that will rouse all political struggles – and foster all wars.

It is fear of this idea that, over the past decade, prompted the power mongers to coerce social media to censor the ideas on their platforms. It is the fear of this idea that inspires the collectivists to control all means of education and to muffle, as much as possible, all media. It is the fear of this idea, and their inability to counter it, that keeps collectivists from participating in any public exchange of ideas on media or in public debates. THEY KNOW, going in, that they’ve got nothing – no reasonable argument to defeat the efficacy and power of this idea.

The very idea of it is why the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights says “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”

It was understood by the authors of the Bill of Rights that being able to speak to intellectually defend this idea would be our last line of defense against those who will always be there trying to eradicate the idea from existence — from our minds.

Theirs will always be a futile effort if each one of us takes it upon ourselves to know why this idea is so important and to know how to defend it in words and deeds and to do so at every opportunity – most especially in teaching the next generation. That is what Benjamin Franklin challenged in stating “…if you can keep it.”

Can we?

NW Energy Explains Rate Increase

16 June 2025
Evelyn Pyburn
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In opening remarks before the Montana Public Service Commission on the first day of the hearing on NorthWestern Energy’s request for a regulatory rate review, Sarah Norcott, Director of Regulatory Corporate Counsel for NorthWestern explained how the company’s investments benefit customers—both now and in the long term.

“We understand that any increase in utility bills is difficult, especially when families are already managing rising costs in other areas,” Norcott said. “That’s why we’ve worked hard to keep the impact as low as possible while still making the critical investments needed to keep the lights on and the heat flowing.”

Norcott said that although NorthWestern invested more than $800 million in its electric system over the past two years, the electric settlement results in a 1.7% revenue increase, below the originally proposed 8.3%. For the average residential customer, this translates to a 4.2% increase in their electric rate.

“NorthWestern accomplished this feat by making prudent decisions, managing costs, and always keeping our customers’ needs at the center of our planning,” she said.

Norcott detailed how those investments strengthen Montana’s energy infrastructure:

* $158 million in electric transmission infrastructure, including substation rebuilds and wildfire mitigation.

* $197 million in electric distribution infrastructure, supporting wildfire mitigation and customer growth.

* $390 million in electric generation, including upgrades to hydro facilities and the construction of the Yellowstone County Generating Station (YCGS).

“These aren’t abstract numbers,” Norcott said. “They represent real improvements that help prevent outages, reduce wildfire risk, and ensure we can meet demand during Montana’s coldest nights and hottest days.”

She also emphasized that the YCGS project will ultimately reduce costs for customers.

“Customers will see a benefit overall in their net rates due to YCGS over the long term,” she said.

“Who is NorthWestern?” Norcott asked. “We are the people who show up—because we live here too.”

She shared an example. One cold evening this year in Anaconda, 71-year-old Derinda Johnson slipped on her icy sidewalk while taking out the trash. Alone and unable to get up, she waved desperately for help. It was Tom Wind, NorthWestern’s Anaconda Town Manager, who noticed her while driving home. He turned around, rushed to her side, and helped her safely back into her home.

“According to Derinda, he saved her life,” Norcott said. “This story personifies NorthWestern and what we are about.”

“While there is a lot of noise and opinions about the decisions NorthWestern makes, we take our responsibility seriously to keep the lights on and the heat flowing,” Norcott said. “The evidence in this case will show that the decisions NorthWestern has made over the last two years were prudent and comply with Montana law. What I ask is that you hear the evidence, you remember the reasons NorthWestern made these decisions – to provide safe, reliable and affordable utility services.”

New Sign for Metra

16 June 2025
Evelyn Pyburn
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It’s time to replace MetraPark’s digital advertising sign at 6th Avenue. “The controller is shot,” reported staff in seeking the county commissioners’ pre-authorization to begin the process sooner rather than later due to the length of time it will take to pursue the process. It was planned to begin the process in September but there is much initial work that could begin sooner, said MetraPark’s Assistant Manager Tim Goodridge.

The project is included in MetraPark’s budget for next year.

Goodridge said that the electronics for the sign must be updated. They have received a quote for $187,000 to bring the technology up to date, a process that will create a larger and sharper display area.

Discussion on Wednesday with the Commissioners yielded ideas for other improvements which, if cost effective, could result in generating more revenue from the sign and result in an entirely new sign.  Goodridge agreed it would be a good idea to issue a request for proposal that would include a second alternative which could push the cost up to $250,000, but would be worthwhile if it generated more revenue. He commented that the sign has been a great marketing tool.

Never to be Forgotten

16 June 2025
Evelyn Pyburn
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By Evelyn Pyburn

In the name of freedom, the world around, we cannot let the events of Tiananmen Square be forgotten.

June 4 marked the 36th anniversary of the massacre at Tiananmen Square, of hundreds and maybe thousands of peaceful protesters. The exact death toll has never been released by the Chinese government, but some have suggested it was as high as 10,000, in part because after the event many were later executed.

For most of the world, the words “Tiananmen Square” instantly evoke the image of a lone man standing valiantly in front of a tank that leads a row of tanks into Tiananmen Square, where the Chinese dictatorship murdered peaceful protestors seeking greater freedom.

The protestors – largely Chinese college students, were totally unarmed. As the tanks entered Tiananmen Square, a lone, unarmed man, who had apparently been shopping, deliberately walked in front of the line of tanks, carrying two shopping bags.

A photographer, who was some distance away, snapped a picture at that moment – a picture that has since become widely heralded as the most famous picture in history. For millions of people around the world, just a glimpse of that iconic picture is instantly recognizable for the statement it makes.  That lone individual, peacefully confronting the tyranny of a massive government military attack conveys an unmistakable and profound message to all who have ever struggled for freedom anywhere, throughout history. By simply standing peacefully, unarmed and determined, in front of such aggressors, this unidentified man made clear for all to see, the true nature of this enduring struggle.

It speaks to everyone – including the aggressors. For that reason the Chinese government has most forcefully and aggressively clamped down on all references and reminders of the incident in the hope that future generations of Chinese citizens will have no knowledge of the nature of their government and its dreadful actions on that day. Their efforts have been largely successful because most young people in China, today, are unaware of anything about Tiananmen Square.

As one Chinese reporter explained, since many of those who were involved or knowledgeable about the horrific event, have either died or are in their 70s and soon will be gone, it will indeed be up to the people in other countries of the world to keep the truth and the memory of Tiananmen Square alive. They must make sure it is never forgotten, because it is as sacred a day in the annals of human freedom, as any can be.

The reporter said, “Few dates are as difficult to say out loud in China as June 4,” adding that in the past few years the repression has increased.

Family members of those murdered were prohibited from mourning and have since been kept under constant surveillance by government officials. Their lives have been that of constant terror for 36 years. Each year as the anniversary date approaches, surviving family members of those who were murdered are required to leave their homes and go into seclusion so they are not accessible to journalists or other inquirers.

One of the unshakable things I read at the time about Tiananmen Square was from an observer who wrote that when the Chinese college students approached US journalists covering the demonstrations, to explain the reason they were demonstrating, they would frequently quote verbatim words from the US Constitution and other founding documents, only to have the journalists stare at them blankly – not recognizing the words they were hearing.

The journalists did not know that the Chinese college students were referencing American history and ideals. They did not understand that those young students knew more about the journalists’ history than they did. The journalists did not recognize that the Chinese students were trying to explain that they were carrying forth that same quest for individual liberty.

How appalling, and undoubtedly a foreboding of the current state of US media today.

Among the 70-year –old survivors, are those who formed a group called the Tiananmen Mothers, who have spent the past 36 years trying to keep the reality of Tiananmen Square alive. Realizing that for the most part younger generations in China do not know about the event, and as the membership of Tiananmen Mothers dwindles, they have resigned themselves to their failure and declared that in the future “reporting on the massacre will be limited to outsiders.” 

So while their voices have been silenced that doesn’t mean the rest of the world must be silent. We can remember on behalf of those who have been silenced.