OPINION: One year from today, America will observe its semiquincentennial. That’s a milestone worth celebrating, as few forms of government have lasted 250 years. Our republic’s longevity is a testament to the truth of the propositions set forth in 1776. Donald Trump will rise to the occasion. When the Army knocked on his door, saying Read More…
Officers can well identify the potential trouble ahead when they see neon-colored, candy-flavored disposable nicotine vapes. They also can – and should – help authorities track them to the distributors and international smugglers who poison our children and fund their drug and arms businesses. I have spent more than four decades walking evidence lines, logging Read More…
OPINION: The judicial resistance sustained a major setback last week. Thanks to a long-overdue Supreme Court intervention, lone judges can no longer hold the nation hostage to their whims. In the 5½ months since President Trump’s second term began, Justice Amy Coney Barrett sat on the sidelines with Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. Their Read More…
X Story Stream recent articles Buried in the 940-page “big, beautiful” budget blueprint is an unprecedented tax credit that, if approved, will be a long-sought victory for the private school choice movement in its drive to expand and break into Democratic states that for decades have blocked its path. The tax credit program, which would Read More…
OPINION: Sometimes the desert can turn into a swamp. It happened last week in Phoenix, when Arizona politicians gathered for the end of the legislative session to tell their constituents one thing before proceeding to do the opposite. There’s no better example of legislative legerdemain than the state House’s decision, by a 34-22 vote, to Read More…
Montana’s wide-open spaces and fluctuating climate make water a precious resource. Across the state, irrigation is central not only to agriculture but also to the health of residential landscapes and community green spaces. From century-old canal systems feeding hay fields to backyard sprinklers keeping lawns green in dry summers, water use in Montana requires careful Read More…
Expanding Opportunity Some 10% of entrepreneurs who started their own businesses last year identified as LGBTQ, according to Gusto. LBGTQ-owned businesses contribute $1.7 trillion to the U.S. economy, according to the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce. Small business owners have found support amid DEI backlash Liz Whalen co-owns Rebel Rebel, a hair salon in Libertyville, Read More…
OPINION: President Trump is on a roll. By Friday, the stock market had recaptured the value lost after traders sustained a severe case of tariff jitters. A successful strike against Iran’s nuclear development sites ended with a ceasefire. And the One Big Beautiful Bill Act cleared Senate procedural hurdles Sunday. These victories are precarious, as Read More…
Franck Groeneweg, owner of Living Sky Grains in Three Forks, grew up on a potato and wheat farm a 100 miles outside of Paris, France. At 19 years old, Groeneweg settled in Iowa, where he met his wife, Kari. They moved to Saskatchewan, farmed there and built a family — but wanted a mountainous landscape Read More…
OPINION: Europe’s decline into authoritarianism was on display in Belgium last week as an appeals court condemned a former member of the Federal Parliament to a year in jail over internet memes. The politician, Dries Van Langenhove, wasn’t even the one who shared the offending content. As the appellate panel stated, “It is not the Read More…
The new Small Business and Technology Survey from the National Federation of Independent Business on Main Street shows how smaller firms are using AI. The survey found that only 24% of owners said they are using AI, including ChatGPT, Canva and Copilot in some capacity, compared to 76% who are not. Notably, 98% of those Read More…
Pollinators are the backbone of the food webs that humans, and nearly every animal on earth, are part of. Scientists estimate that 87% of flowering plant species and many of the leading global food crops rely on pollinators to produce seeds. And here in Montana, native and nonnative pollinators forage on almost 40 of the agricultural Read More…
Today’s Utterly Moderate podcast episode focuses on the positives and negatives of President Trump’s first 100 days in office in this his second term. We are joined by Jim Swift, a longtime Republican and senior editor at The Bulwark. If you aren’t familiar with the work that they do over at The Bulwark, it is an online Read More…
Expanding Opportunity Logo with QR code for Fantuan Asian food delivery service in the Silicon Valley, Mountain View, California, January 3, 2021. Smith Collection/gado | Archive Photos | Getty Images NEW YORK – When Kelly Wu feels sick and wants a delivery of congee, the Chinese porridge she grew up eating, she opts for a Read More…
Currently, many pass-through businesses use a workaround — the pass-through entity, or PTE, tax — to bypass the $10,000 limit on the federal deduction for state and local taxes, known as SALT. The House-approved bill could block certain pass-through businesses from using the popular state-level tax break. However, this provision could still face changes amid Read More…
Isshiki Matcha is the latest business venture of 25-year-old Angel Zheng, who started her career as a fashion influencer. Zheng credits the Japanese concept of “ikigai” for helping her find purpose and success. Angel Zheng at Isshiki Matcha in New York, NY on May 21, 2025. Lisa Kailai Han | CNBC Angel Zheng is relying Read More…
For 2025, the Section 199A deduction for qualified business income, or QBI, is worth up to 20% of eligible revenue, with some limitations. This applies to so-called pass-through businesses, including sole proprietors, partnerships and S-corporations, along with some trusts and estates. The House Republican bill would make the deduction permanent, raise the maximum tax break Read More…
We can thank pollinators for at least every third bite of food we eat. Approximately 75% of the world’s flowering plants and 35% of our food crops rely on animal pollinators to reproduce (MT NRCS). They’re essential not only for fruits and vegetables, but also for crops that provide us with spices, medicines, raw materials, Read More…
The Trump administration trade deal with China which paused the steepest tariffs on Chinese goods is not offering much relief to importers that face “stacking” of multiple import taxes sending the true cost well above 30%. From apparel to footwear, swimsuits to backpacks, tariff bills range from 40%-70%. Walmart said this week that prices will Read More…
The Gallatin Valley Farm Fair hosted more than 1,100 local fourth grades earlier this month. The annual event gives local students a chance to experience agriculture and livestock and working with the land.
Small Business Playbook Events Women business owners express more concern about inflation, the economy, and a potential recession than male counterparts, according to the latest CNBC|SurveyMonkey Small Business Survey for Q2 2025. Approval ratings of President Trump and his tariffs policy are both much lower among women who own businesses than among male small business Read More…
Founding Members CNBC CFO Council Just 30% of small business owners said they would rate the current state of the economy as excellent or good, according to the latest quarterly CNBC|SurveyMonkey Small Business Survey. While inflation and consumer demand continue to roil small business owners, it’s the threat of the potential Trump tariffs that is Read More…
Harnessing the power of the wind goes back millenniums. Wind is kinetic energy created by the sun and earth’s rotation, creating air currents. Sailors used it to fill their sails on journeys across seas. By the 1000 AD, windmills were used to pump seawater to make salt in Sicily and China. By the 1180s, windmills Read More…
For some Canadians, President Donald Trump’s tariffs may mean an erosion of trust with trade partners. Canadian national pride has sparked resistance and inspired action from small businesses. Canadian entrepreneurs are deciding which side of the border will absorb the costs of new tariffs. Close-up of ‘Shop Canadian’ poster displayed in a local storefront in Read More…
On Saturday, the Trump administration said it would exempt technology products like the iPhone, PCs and chips from much of the recently imposed Chinese tariffs. But for most businesses in the U.S., orders from China are being canceled and Chinese freight being shipped could be abandoned. Without a wider pause in the trade war with Read More…
U.S. egg prices hit another record high in March costing $6.227 per dozen on average, according to the St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Egg prices are up from $5.897 per dozen in February and $4.146 per dozen at the end of 2024.
President Trump’s new country-specific tariffs, on top of existing trade levies, will raise the cost of imports for U.S. businesses by an exponential amount, though in an announcement during the day Wednesday Trump said some countries, excluding China, would receive a 90-day reprieve. Rick Muskat, president of family-owned shoe retailer Deer Stags which imports its Read More…
As winter fades and the days finally start to grow longer, the arrival of spring brings a sense of renewal and vitality. Nature awakens with vibrant colors, fresh blossoms, and the promise of new beginnings. From agriculture to community events, this season presents a wealth of opportunities to embrace sustainability, growth, and connection. Spring and Read More…
Local lawmakers helped advance a bill through the Montana House that would ban the sale of lab-grown meat in the state. The bill, HB 401, passed the Montana House of Representatives on March 6 with the help of Rep. Jedediah Hinkle (R-HD 67), and his brother, Rep. Caleb Hinkle (R-HD 68) who both represent portions Read More…
The state senator representing Belgrade was among legislators who failed to revive a bill that would expand wolf hunting. Sen. Shelley Vance (R-SD 34) was among the 24 senators who voted Tuesday in support of reconsidering HB 176 after having tried unsuccessfully the day before to pass the bill on final reading through the Montana Read More…
Birds in a Gallatin County backyard flock have tested positive for bird flu, the state’s Department of Livestock announced Friday. The owner of a backyard flock of poultry noticed several dead birds after they returned home from work early this week, according to Dr. Tahnee Szymanski with the Department of Livestock. Tests confirmed highly pathogenic Read More…
Jim Bryson and Martin Kimm were honored March 14 at the Annual AG Appreciation Banquet in Bozeman. Kimm was recognized with the 2025 Outstanding Farmer/Rancher Award. Martin Kimm Gallatin AG Committee Jim Bryson Gallatin AG-Committee
Why is soil health so important? And why is it so important to those who may not be a farmer or rancher? Well, studies show that soil health is directly correlated to human health. Sara Keough, a certified nutritionist and creator of her own company, spoke about this very topic at the annual Soil Health Read More…
President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canadian products, along with the escalating trade war and rhetoric between the two nations, is starting to squeeze some small businesses in Vermont. Concerns for those small businesses include a decline in merchandise shipments to Canadian customers, a drop off in Canadian tourism and higher prices from imported products. “I Read More…
This episode of the Utterly Moderate Podcast deals with liberal bias in higher education and what to do about it, with a specific focus on the field of sociology. According to Gallup, a strong majority (68%) of Americans believe that higher education is headed in the wrong direction. Barely more than a third (36%) of Americans Read More…
U.S. President Donald Trump is cutting $1 billion in federal funding for schools, food banks and preschools to buy food from local farmers and ranchers. The programs, which have been utilized in Montana and other states, aim to help connect local farmers with the local school and food banks with a focus on lower-income communities. Read More…
Meta’s head of business AI, Clara Shih, tells CNBC’s Julia Boorstin in an interview for CNBC Changemakers that she expects AI to transform every job and every business, including the hundreds of millions of small businesses that use WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook to connect with customers. Meta Platforms is among the U.S. tech giants leading Read More…
U.S. President Donald Trump has retreated more on 25% tariffs against Canada and Mexico after Wall Street opened with big losses for stocks Thursday and businesses and consumers worry about higher prices and a potential recession. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told CNBC Thursday that products and materials governed under the current North American trade Read More…
The U.S. Department of the Treasury on Sunday said it won’t enforce the penalties or fines associated with the “beneficial ownership information,” or BOI, reporting requirements. Previously, the Treasury set a March 21 deadline for businesses to comply or risk fines of up to $10,000. The Treasury will also propose regulation to apply the BOI Read More…
Expanding Opportunity While many in Altadena’s entrepreneurial community remain optimistic about a recovery, multiple business owners described lengthy and difficult roads ahead. Some businesses were burned entirely to the ground, while others face long-term displacement due to damage or smoke. For those fortunate enough to have brick-and-mortar properties still standing, they’re surrounded by what some Read More…