Gazette Opinion
Gazette opinion: Educator for a Day brings local leaders into public schools
The nearly 70 business people, state legislators and city officials who participated in Educator for a Day are commended for taking the time from their busy schedules to look inside our local public schools. They committed their time to gaining the insight that is vital to engaging the co…
Nov 20, 2009 | 12:00 am | Loading…
Gazette opinion: Thanks to Copps for leading Billings schools
Superintendent Jack Copps was walking out an entrance to McKinley Elementary last week when he stopped to greet a teacher and students at the end of their recess. Grinning from ear to ear, Copps started shaking hands with children lined up on school steps. He was clearly thrilled to have …
Nov 20, 2009 | 12:00 am | Loading…
Gazette Opinion: Great Northern deal makes state coal bids timely
One of the biggest questions about the Otter Creek coal tracts has been answered. After years of pressure on Montana state officials to “go first” in leasing mineral rights without action by the private owner of adjoining coal tracts, this other owner has announced a lease deal.
Nov 19, 2009 | 12:00 am | Loading…
Gazette opinion: Let’s start fixing up Billings schools
In the past 13 years, Billings voters have approved only one school bond issue. That was for $10 million — an amount that expanded and tremendously upgraded Orchard Elementary and funded several projects at other elementary schools, including Highland, Meadowlark, Boulder and Ponderosa.…
Nov 18, 2009 | 12:00 am | Loading…
Gazette opinion: Truth matters in news photographs
National columnist George Will, who usually writes about politics and occasionally about anything else under the sun, today comments on a controversy about the truthfulness of one of the first and most famous war photographs ever published. Many Gazette readers probably have previously se…
Nov 17, 2009 | 12:00 am | Loading…
Gazette opinion: Mr. secretary, the bison coin best represents Yellowstone
U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has huge responsibilities trying to revive the housing market, stave off global financial crises and steer the American economy toward stability and renewed prosperity.
Nov 16, 2009 | 12:05 am | Loading…
Gazette opinion: Keep kids covered in health reform plans
The goal of health care reform is supposed to be fixing what’s broken: covering Americans who are uninsured, making health care affordable and accessible and improving quality of patient care.
Nov 15, 2009 | 12:10 am | Loading…
Gazette opinion: Ups & DownsG
Ups and Downs gives a quick take on news of the week.
Nov 15, 2009 | 12:00 am | Loading…
Gazette opinion: Billings center helps struggling veterans change their lives
Saluting U.S. military personnel in a commentary for Veterans Day, Eric K. Shinseki, secretary of Veterans Affairs, also wrote about serious problems that have befallen many of these Americans as they make the transition to civilian life: homelessness and mental illnesses.
Nov 13, 2009 | 12:00 am | Loading…
Gazette opinion: Get involved with city’s cell phone safety committee
The popularity of cell phones has tremendously increased driver distractions nationwide. Whether a driver is text-messaging, dialing, answering a call or just chatting, using the phone takes the driver’s attention away from from the task of driving. Inattentive driving causes accidents.
Nov 12, 2009 | 12:00 am | Loading…
Gazette opinion: A holiday for telling stories of heroes we know
On this Veterans Day, Americans have more than 23.2 million fellow citizens to salute. The nation’s veterans include 1.8 million women and 160,000 Native Ameri-cans/Alaska Natives, according to 2008 figures from the U.S. Census Bureau. Montana is home to about 105,000 veterans, includin…
Nov 11, 2009 | 12:00 am | Loading…
Gazette opinion: Let’s get answers upfront on new library proposal
Parmly Billings Library is among our city's most popular public places. Last year, the library counted 354,000 visits from patrons who checked out 951,000 items. Residents of Billings and Yellowstone County are online at the library's 20 computer work stations from morning till evening da…
Nov 10, 2009 | 12:00 am | Loading…
Gazette opinion: Citizens, court can win with civil ordinance
On days that Billings Municipal Court is in session, there's not nearly enough room for everyone to sit down. The crowd of defendants, companions and attorneys fills the cramped hallway outside the second-floor courtroom, which doubles as the City Council chambers. The court's customers o…
Nov 09, 2009 | 12:10 am | Loading…
Gazette opinion: Best strategies for cutting prescription addictions
Montana Attorney General Steve Bullock has invited prevention, treatment and law enforcement leaders to a drug abuse summit in Helena on Nov. 17. The focus isn't methamphetamine; it's not cocaine. It's a type of substance abuse that "kind of snuck up on us," Bullock said: prescription pai…
Nov 08, 2009 | 12:15 am | Loading…
Gazette opinion: Ups & Downs
Ups and Downs gives a quick take on news of the week.
Nov 08, 2009 | 12:00 am | Loading…
Gazette Opinion: Traffic hazards close to home for city dwellers
A high-speed crash with a single vehicle running off a rural highway is the most common scenario for traffic fatalities statewide. But as of Tuesday, the city of Billings had counted nine lives lost in traffic crashes so far this year, according to Police Department records. During the 12…
Nov 06, 2009 | 12:00 am | Loading…
Gazette Opinion: High turnout makes election successful
Now that the votes are counted, the hard work begins for the winners of Tuesday's municipal general election. Congratulations to Mayor-elect Tom Hanel and Councilwoman-elect Angela Cimmino. Congratulations to incumbents Jim Ronquillo, Ed Ulledalen and Mark Astle on their re-elections. We …
Nov 05, 2009 | 12:00 am | Loading…
Gazette opinion: Preference for spending state money in state
Eighteen years ago, Montana contractors asked state lawmakers to get rid of a law that gave them preference for state contracts. At that time, Montana construction firms could find more state government work outside Montana and the state's preference law put them at a competitive disadvan…
Nov 04, 2009 | 7:50 pm | Loading…
Gazette Opinion: City charter boosts local control of government
The city election under way today is friendly and subdued compared to the special election of September 1976. "Voters beware" warned political advertisements in The Gazette. The debate was full of emotion and mudslinging. Just six days before that election, a petition was filed with the M…
Nov 02, 2009 | 6:40 pm | Loading…
Gazette opinion: A new, but proven, strategy for cost control
In this year of national health care debate, arguments rage about how to pay for care and how to pay for insurance. But the "who pays" fights don't address the basic, underlying problems of the U.S. health care system: It costs too much and delivers inconsistent quality.
Nov 02, 2009 | 12:05 am | Loading…
