New West Network

My Page: Bill Schneider

<< Newer articles <<    Author Home     >> Older articles >>

LET'S GET OUR WORDS STRAIGHT

Have you ever heard somebody say they prefer "multiple use" over Wilderness? I have what seems like a thousand times, and every time I hear it, I say to myself, wrong!

So, it seems like a good time to say it out loud because the words, "multiple use" have been lost in the Wilderness. [more]

CLASS ACTION SUITS TO BE FILED TUESDAY IN ARIZONA, COLORADO

Enough is enough, say the owners of our national forests. And they may have finally found a way to spike the Recreation Access Tax or RAT.

After years of working through cumbersome administrative channels and several rounds in criminal court, people interested in reasonable and free access to their public land have dragged the Forest Service (FS) into civil court. In addition to asking for injunctions against collecting "illegal" fees while the case is being litigated and if successful the fee program terminated, the plaintiffs in the class action complaints--to be filed tomorrow morning in Arizona and Colorado--want all fee collection signs removed and all fees collected through the years under the program returned to the people who shouldn't have had to pay them.

Suffice to say, it's panic time in the FS offices back in Washington, D.C. [more]

mICROBREW mONTANA

When I'm interviewing brewery owners for the Microbrew Montana series, I always ask the same question: What's different about your operation compared to the other 26 Montana breweries?

When visiting Tamarack Brewing in Lakeside, a rapidly growing berg on the west shore of expansive Flathead Lake, I thought I knew the answer as soon as I walked through the front door. But when the co-owner Craig Koontz brought out the brandy snifters, I realized I knew only part of the answer. [more]

2008 COMMENTS WORTH REPEATING III

Over the past two years, I've been periodically posting selections of my favorite comments from readers of my columns and articles. I plan to continue doing this, but differently. Instead of listing comments chronologically, I've edited them into general subject areas. In this case, here are a few insightful comments that came in over the past few months on several articles on the wilderness drought and the green group feud that keeps it alive and if not endless. Enjoy.

Editor's Note: For a complete list of Comments Worth Repeating, click here.
[more]

MICROBREW MONTANA

When visiting Lang Creek Brewing, getting there is half the reward.

I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised. The owners left a clue right on the top of their website by advertising themselves as "America's most remote brewery."

So, be sure to call ahead for directions. If you don't, you might be too old to enjoy those tasty brews when you finally get there.

Editor's Note: For a complete list of Microbrew Montana articles to date, click here. [more]

WILD BILL ON THE BEER TRAIL

In a moment of weakness, I decided to take on a new challenge, a year-long tour of Montana's microbreweries and write an article on each one, plus related news on this rapidly growing micro-industry. In addition to NewWest.Net most articles will appear on on the Travel Montana website, visitmt.com. Here's a chronologcial list of the postings so far. [more]

A TECTONIC FIX LONG OVERDUE

Last month, the General Accountability Office (GA0) announced it was studying a plan to take the Forest Service out of the Department of Agriculture and merge it into the Department of the Interior. Predictably, this news was met with a chorus of yawns because we've heard many grandiose plans for reorganizing federal land-managing agencies. In every case, after significant wasted staff time and much stress for employees, nothing happens.

But this one wasn't a yawner for me because something like this really needs to happen. This time, let's get serious and seize this opportunity to remake the Forest Service (FS), an agency lost in the today's political landscape. [more]

2,864 BEERS. 644 BREWERIES IN COMPETITION

Montana Brewing of Billings scored big at what's considered "the most prestigious beer competition in the world," the World Beer Cup held April 19 in San Diego.

World Beer Cup 2008 winners were selected by an international panel of 129 beer judges from 21 countries. A massive field of 2,864 entries from 644 breweries in 58 countries made up the competition. More than 3,800 breweries in 100 countries were invited to compete. [more]

12 OTHER BREWERIES SHARE JUDGED AWARDS

Flathead Lake Brewing, nestled away up at Wood's Bay on its namesake, Flathead Lake, won the big prize at the second annual Montana Beer Festival, held April 11 in Bozeman for Rising Sun Espresso Porter.

The participants of the beer fest decide the People's Choice Awards. At the gate, everybody received a ballot with their tasting glass and rated the brews as they sampled the 85 craft beers throughout the evening. [more]

WATCH OUT FOR THE NEW KID ON THE BOAT

The 21st running of the Montana Governor's Cup Walleye Tournament on Fort Peck Reservoir in eastern Montana has been scheduled for July 10-12, according a recent press release sent out by the Glasgow Area Chamber of Commerce & Agriculture.

And there's a rumor striking fear in the ranks of walleye fishing pros that a rookie tournament angler is coming this year who could threaten their dominance of the event--none other than old Wild Bill from NewWest.Net. Check back in July to see how the amateur does against the pros. [more]

<< Newer articles <<    Author Home     >> Older articles >>