My Page: Brianna Randall
Climate Change
Two Missoulians Pedal to Peddle Energy Independence for Montana
Betsy Hands and Nicky Phear are two Missoulians who sought solutions from the seats of their bicycles. What they found on their 10-day, 700-mile pedal across central Montana was a vision for the future: homegrown fuels, energy independent communities, and a state with a flush pocketbook.
“Al Gore missed a lot by only focusing on the problems in his new movie,” says Hands, a candidate for Montana House District 99. “We wanted to find the people working to solve some of the climate change problems by addressing our energy needs here at home.”
The two women structured their pedaling around visits to innovative, on-the-ground renewable energy projects. From June 30 to July 9, they met with Montanans using all types of energy sources, from small-scale wind power that runs a single farm to cities installing solar panels on public buildings.
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Missoula Events
LA-Based Dance Troupe Brings “Healing Blue” Benefit Dance to Missoula
Not many performers give all of their profits to charity. But Hilary Thomas, founder of Lineage Dance, a Los Angeles-based modern dance troupe, not only choreographs and performs stirring routines with the six women in her company, she also donates the money from their shows to very worthy causes.
The Northern Rockies (and Missoula) is the company's first stop on their national summer tour where they'll be "dancing for a cure" by performing Healing Blue, a benefit concert for breast cancer.
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Paddling
Learning the Language of the LochsaThe Fish Creek put-in was in full circus mode as we pulled off of Highway 12. Colorful boats littered the pavement, spilling onto the sandy spit near the river. About 75 people were milling with the requisite beer in hand, wearing a diverse array of water repellent materials. The sun was shining, a rare occurrence in this moist, cedar-laden watershed, and the excitement was palpable among the boaters as they traded stories of past river carnage.
Welcome to the Wild and Scenic Lochsa River during spring runoff. It's early May, and a special weekend here: The Rendezvous. This annual event brings thrill-seekers from several states to this northern Idaho river, where they play in tiny kayaks and inflatable rafts on a 30-mile stretch of class IV rapids during peak flows.
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Local Politics
Engen, Carey Stress City-County Cooperation in State of Missoula Address
Levity was one ingredient at today's State of Missoula address given by Bill Carey, Missoula County Commissioner, and John Engen, Missoula's new Mayor. Another was pride in the growing inter-jurisdictional coordination between the county and the city.
Engen and Carey each spoke for about 25 minutes at the Chamber of Commerce-hosted luncheon at the Doubletree Inn downtown, after an exuberant welcome by Missoula Chamber President, Monte Turner. The two politicians informed the several hundred people in attendance of the current condition of the Missoula area, including everything from the lack of Medicare funding for dental health to the state of transportation plans and emergency services.
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Water Rights
Sharing the West’s Liquid GoldFish get pretty scarce when creeks run out of water. But farms and ranches don’t last long without water to grow their crops, either. That’s why water in the West is more precious than gold—not only is water scarce, it’s also essential for our ecology and economy.
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