What Has Been the Montana News Lately, Part 2

So a quick search of the Billings Gazette for a radio guest host yielded three more stories that caught my eye:

American Indian Caucus honored by Montana ACLU

Okay, I appreciate the involvement of Native legislators in the 2023 session, especially in the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People.  I would like to know what a "community-led" search for a missing person looks like.  From this article or from the ACLU, I am curious what "blatant and subtle racism and discrimination" this caucus received and from whom.  Perhaps wearing body cameras will put an end to that behavior.

The Caucus strongly opposed a resolution that would ask the U.S. Congress to look into alternative ideas for the American Indian Reservation system.  Why stand against a fresh look?  Is the status quo actually preferred, with the disproportionate drugs and crime?  Does this Caucus have their own solutions, and will the Montana ACLU actually assist in these solutions?

Downing Snags Trump endorsement in eight-way primary race

The primary votes are likely being counted as I write this.  So if Trump picked Troy Downing for the US House seat, does that mean our votes don't matter?  Of course not, our votes matter all the same.  For Auditor Downing, this endorsement may be double-edged.  What if he loses the primary the next day?  Can he live it down?  "You had the blessing of the beloved President Donald J. Trump, and you still didn't win??"

Townsend middle schooler gets DEQ involved after science fair presentation

This is a cool story of a 6th-grader named Isaiah who discovered elevated levels of arsenic in the school's drinking water, which got the attention of the town's Public Works Director and the state Department of Environmental Quality.  Both official entities verified the students results and quickly added that the level still doesn't exceed the EPA water standard.

The unmentioned and best part of this story, in my opinion: no additional tax dollars spent or needed!  A mil levy was not on the ballot in Townsend to test the water.  No impact to the school budget for a science fair project.  The expense of follow-up tests didn't require a reallocation of funds.

Maybe we should scale back government research and instead promote kids' science projects.  Similar results that cost significantly less.

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