New West Network

My Page: Matthew Frank

Ski Area Environmental Scorecard

Report cards are out, and Western ski resorts' environmental grades are up.

The Ski Area Citizens' Coalition annual Ski Area Environmental Scorecard shows that energy retrofits, more efficient snowmaking equipment, increased use of biodiesel, and tapping renewable energy resources have contributed to improved environmental marks for ski resorts across the West. [more]

A few Western Montana races and measures on Tuesday's ballots were, when boiled down, all about growth -- how (if at all) to plan for it and protect land from it.

On the whole, proponents of growth management didn't have a good night.

In Ravalli County, voters repealed the Growth Policy, thereby blocking any planning and zoning regulations, and reelected Republican County Commissioner Greg Chilcott over John Meakin, a pro-streamside setback, pro-Growth Policy, pro-zoning Democrat.

In Flathead County, voters shot down a $10 million open space bond, and voted overwhelmingly in favor of pro-development, self-described property rights champion County Commissioner-elect Jim Dupont. [more]

Missoula County voters overwhelmingly supported Sen. Barack Obama for president, reelected Democrat Max Baucus to the U.S. Senate and Republican Denny Rehberg to the U.S. House while they chose several new legislators, rejected an emergency operations bonds and replaced Republican County Comissioner Larry Anderson with Democrat Michele Landquist.

Also, according to unofficial results, Seeley Lake residents approved creating a resort area there and passed a resort tax. [more]

election '08

For a while there it looked like Wyoming Democrat Gary Trauner might win the House seat once held by Dick Cheney, but it proved too tall a task in the Cowboy State, as Republican Cynthia Lummis was winning by 10 percentage points with 98 percent reporting late Tuesday night, 53 percent to 43 percent. [more]

From The New West Blog

Only in Montana.

A Whitehall man parked a load of manure across the street from the Democratic campaign office there to protest presidential hopeful Barack Obama. [more]

The Secretary of State's Office office has received a few complaints about text messages encouraging individuals to wait and vote on Wednesday because of long lines at polling places today. [more]

On the eve of Tuesday's general election, it appears that a Libertarian may again be poised to play the spoiler's role in 2008.

No stranger to running for office, W. David Herbert, of Riverton, ran against Michael Enzi and Kathy Karpan in 1996, competing to fill the seat of retiring Senator Alan Simpson. That means Herbert is also no stranger to defeat.

This year, too, Herbert concedes that his chances of winning outright on November 4 are "not realistic at all." Herbert says his main reason for running is "to keep my party on the ballot." [more]

watching the polls

A day before Election Day, a new poll (PDF) shows that Barack Obama has a slight lead over John McCain in Montana, 48 percent to 47 percent, with Ron Paul -- who beat McCain in the primary here -- taking 4 percent.

According to the poll, conducted by Public Policy Polling, Obama holds a 61-35 lead with those who have already voted, while McCain is up 53-40 with people who plan to vote on Election Day. [more]

Every hand went up when I recently asked my students at the University of Montana if they plan to vote. And if student activism in this liberal college town is any indication, Barack Obama has considerable support among 18- to 24-year-olds. The only problem is that when it comes to actually casting ballots on election day, the kids aren't alright. They're consistently the most apathetic demographic among a less than inspiring voting public.

Will it be different for Obama? History says no, but he does have some unique advantages that previous candidates lacked. If young Americans turn out en masse for Obama on November 4, historians will have to look anew at the question of age and voter participation. [more]

From The New West Blog

A report on the effects of climate change in Montana, particularly on trout, will air tonight on PBS's The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer.

Titled "Trout and Drought," the report features interviews with Governor Brian Schweitzer; Professor Steve Running, Regent's Professor of Ecology at University of Montana; well-known fishing guide Craig Mathews, of West Yellowstone; Jenny West, a fishing guide from Hamilton; Walt Sales, a farmer in the Gallatin Valley; and Missoula Mayor John Engen. [more]