Greetings! Here are the topics for today’s column:

• Great Falls Public Library
• Montana AG Austin Knudsen
• Storm the Capitol

GREAT FALLS PUBLIC LIBRARY:

Over on the Nextdoor app, Terry Bjork provides an update about the Great Falls Public Library and there appears to be some rumblings from the library haters. The part that caught my attention was the discussion between Library Director Susie McIntyre and City Commissioner Rick Tryon. According to Bjork:

• Commissioner Tryon warned McIntyre that the 7 mill “management agreement” money that’s existed forever might be on the table in order to fund public safety this year and going forward.
• Commissioner Tryon also chose to rather loudly and belligerently question/berate McIntyre for failing to anticipate that electricity cost increase (presumably the big citywide increase that hit the city on Feb 9, 2023 surprising the heck out of the city manager as well the commissioners, but possibly the one the public service commission approved for Northwestern in October 2023), as well as for not anticipating the 8% pay increase that he and his fellow commissioners approved for union employees on July 5, 2023 (a good month after the library levy vote). Director McIntyre answered that the budget numbers used for the levy were prepared and presented to the commission in December 2022. Specifically that was to a December 20, 2022 commission work session, the minutes of which indicate Tryon was present for that budget presentation, but oddly enough must have not anticipated those higher costs in December 2022 either, as there’s no record of him mentioning the subject in the minutes.

It seems Tryon is a very sore loser in that the library levy passed and his safety levy was soundly defeated. I voted for the library levy and against the safety levy.

I suggest Tryon go check out a book to learn something and not screw with our wonderful library.

You can read the full report from Bjork HERE.

MONTANA AG AUSTIN KNUDSEN:

Montana said on Tuesday it was appealing a decision by a U.S. judge in November to block Montana’s first-of-its kind state ban on the use of short-video sharing app TikTok. Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen filed a notice that the state is appealing the ruling to the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. (Source)

I don’t know about you, but I feel safer already! Not really – Knudsen is wasting valuable taxpayer dollars that could better be used to fight drug trafficking, drunk driving, and human trafficking. I wonder if anyone is keeping a tab on the money Knudsen has spent on frivolous lawsuits that do nothing but give him a few minutes of publicity and make Montana look like it is run by a bunch of morons.

Meanwhile, I am still enjoying TikTok every day (@bigsky1959).

STORM THE CAPITOL:

Frequent reader Larry forwarded me an email (western_word@yahoo.com) to let me know about a new board game called, “Storm the Capitol” that is set for release.

From Newsweek:

A new board game is being released this weekend to commemorate the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.
“Storm the Capitol — TrueAnon Edition” will be available for purchase beginning Saturday, which marks the third anniversary of the attack on the Capitol. The limited-edition game, which is designed for 4 to 7 adult players and is being sold for $64.99, is based on the events that unfolded on January 6 and allows players to “Relive one of the funniest days in American history!”

According to Newsweek, the goal is to get 100 ballots and make it to the final room, where former President Donald Trump waits for players so that he can take them on his helicopter and change the results of the 2020 election to his favor “or ratify the real results of the 2020 election,” which amounts to winning the game.

Great googly moogly.

Check out the Newsweek article HERE.

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