We made it to Friday! Congratulations!
Here are the topics that caught my eye this week…
- Gun Violence in Montana
- Blogging Under Attack
- Lee Newspapers
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
- The Huntress
- One More Thing
GUN VIOLENCE IN MONTANA:
MTN News reported this week that the first two months of 2023 have seen three gun-related deaths in Billings and in 2022 the state saw a record number of firearm arrests. And on Wednesday, a group of county and federal law-enforcement officials said they’re working to reduce those numbers. A news conference was held at the U.S. Attorney’s Office Wednesday addressing gun violence in the community.
The report said, “…a group of county and federal law-enforcement officials…” so I guess state officials, like Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, were too busy or they were out looking for shipments of Fentanyl coming in from the southern border.
It was also reported that U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said in 2012 the number of firearm-related crimes was 63 and the community has seen an almost “300% increase in 10 years.”
I thought since everyone owned a few guns in Montana, we would all be safe. I guess that talking point went down the toilet…
Read the article from MTN HERE.
BLOGGING UNDER ATTACK:
Hey fellow bloggers – they are coming for us:
Florida Sen. Jason Brodeur (R-Lake Mary) wants bloggers who write about Gov. Ron DeSantis, Attorney General Ashley Moody, and other members of the Florida executive cabinet or legislature to register with the state or face fines. (WFLA)
I can say that all across the fruited plains we have seen some of the wackiest bills introduced by Republicans. Many of those bills are in the Montana legislature.
Some blogs still use “Anonymous” or “Staff” as the person who wrote it instead of their real name. It would be tough on them if they had to disclose their identity.
Read the complete article from WFLA HERE.
LEE NEWSPAPERS:
I felt sad when I read a story from MTN News about Lee Enterprises requiring employees at all its newspapers nationwide to take a total of two weeks of unpaid leave between now and the end of September.
MTN says that the furloughs will include employees at Lee papers in Butte, Billings, Hamilton, Helena, and Missoula.
These are tough times for newspapers. The paper I subscribe to, the Great Falls Tribune, is just a shell of what it used to be.
We need strong newspapers in this country. I don’t care if they are liberal or conservative leaning, we need them. They make us better. They make us think.
Read the MTN report HERE.
SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM:
This week several sources were reporting that the pandemic-era Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) was coming to an end in 32 states.
CBS News reported:
Wednesday marks the end of extra food benefits for more than 30 million people in the United States. Low-income families in 32 states who take part in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, will see their monthly benefits cut by at least $95. Some families will lose more than $250 per month.
The program, which started in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, is estimated to have kept 4.2 million Americans out of poverty.
While our leaders are more worried about TikTok and Drag Queen story hours, millions in the United States are hungry. That should not be the case.
If you can, donate to your local food bank. They will be busy, and they will need our help.
Read the CBS News reports HERE and HERE.
THE HUNTRESS:
Amber Rose Barnes is again in the news all around the world. In case you forgot, and as MTN News reported, she is the woman who shot, killed, and skinned an abandoned husky near Martin City last September.
Barnes posted pictures of her “trophy” on social media saying she had “smoked” a wolf pup. The wolf pup was actually a husky.
A puppy.
Several sources reported this week that she has been sentenced. MTN News reported:
Barnes received a six-month deferred sentence in Flathead County District Court. That means her record will be wiped clean of the incident if she meets the requirements of her sentencing.
Barnes must also complete an online hunting course and cannot use her hunting rifle for six months.
She was also given a $585 fine, but that is suspended.
This sentence seems pretty weak, but I guess maybe the judge felt she suffered enough since she was ridiculed on social media.
You can read the MTN report HERE.
ONE MORE THING:
I’ll give up blogging when you pry the keyboard and mouse from my cold, dead hands…
The Western Word 
On a bright note the rationality fairy must have swung by the Montana House yesterday and sprinkled some magic dust:
“Legislators in the House said “no” on Thursday to “constitutional sheriffs,” to partisan Montana Supreme Court elections, to “roofying” others, and to moving the Cowboy Hall of Fame away from Great Falls.”
All are good but IMO we should take special pride in our hard-working representatives for “All members of the House agreed Montanans shouldn’t be roofied without their consent.” Apparently this was not a crime up til now?
https://dailymontanan.com/2023/03/02/house-kills-partisan-justice-elections-bill-constitutional-sheriff-bill/
I think we owe a huge debt of gratitude to Jackie for publicizing our concerns about our own constitutionalist sheriff. He was the only blogger in the state at the time reporting on this new phenomenon and its ramifications. No one really knew what this entire constitutionalist thing was about. But as a result of Jackie’s reporting on the issue, suddenly no one could claim ignorance any longer, especially after MHRN did their in depth report on Slaughter. Missoula immediately canceled any further law enforcement training provided by Richard Mack’s group. And suddenly the entire state and particularly LE dropped these goofballs like a hot potato.
So now, even the MAGAs in the legislature as treasonous as they are, realize that they better leave this one alone. Openly aligning themselves with a racist and seditious organization at this time just isn’t worth it.
My big concern is that Slaughter continues to plan to bring his bizarre message to schools in the area. Hopefully the schools will figure this nonsense out in time and reject it just like the legislature and law enforcement did.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/18u8WqVu27Z1n60BZ1bCDeoodogU1Txbp/view
Flunitrazepam, also known as Rohypnol among other names, is a benzodiazepine used to treat severe insomnia and assist with anesthesia. As with other hypnotics, flunitrazepam has been advised to be prescribed only for short-term use or by those with chronic insomnia on an occasional basis. Wikipedia Don’t know if the first one transmitted 🙂 I like this better than roofies. I only doped my women with the same drug I was taking 🙂
Terry, do you mean rohypnol ?
Flunitrazepam, also known as Rohypnol among other names, is a benzodiazepine used to treat severe insomnia and assist with anesthesia. As with other hypnotics, flunitrazepam has been advised to be prescribed only for short-term use or by those with chronic insomnia on an occasional basis. Wikipedia
https://apple.news/ADYhv6Fq7SRyGZa8wBThz6A
Male coyote hunters f up too.