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It's a grind
Dr. Shannon Nielsen, DVM, maintains the dental health of her horse Amigo on Sunday near Deer Lodge. For more pictures of the procedure see pages 8, 9. |
Legislative leaders name chairs
by Eric Dietrich
Committee leadership roles for the 2021 legislative session made public this week indicate that pragmatic Republicans in the Legislature’s “Solutions Caucus” faction will continue to play key roles in shaping state policy as Montana enters a new world of unified Republican control.
Most notably, newly elected Speaker of the House Wylie Galt, R-Martinsdale, has named longtime lawmaker Llew Jones as chair of the 2021 House Appropriations Committee. That puts Jones, a budget wonk who has been a key leader in the Solutions Caucus, in the driver’s seat as lawmakers work with Republican Gov.-elect Greg Gianforte to hammer out the state’s next two-year budget.
Legislative committees serve as a first line of review for proposed bills, hearing arguments for and against measures within their designated topic area and deciding which of the 1,000-plus bills proposed over the course of a session deserve debate before full legislative chambers. Budget committees — the House Appropriations Committee and Senate Finance and Claims Committee — take the lead in developing budget bills and also review other measures that intersect with the state’s finances.
Committee chairs run committee meetings, deciding when hearings for specific bills and votes are held, giving them power to shape the debates that determine whether bills they favor move forward. The chair of the House Appropriations Committee also sponsors the main state budget bill, House Bill 2.
See State, page 16
Committee leadership roles for the 2021 legislative session made public this week indicate that pragmatic Republicans in the Legislature’s “Solutions Caucus” faction will continue to play key roles in shaping state policy as Montana enters a new world of unified Republican control.
Most notably, newly elected Speaker of the House Wylie Galt, R-Martinsdale, has named longtime lawmaker Llew Jones as chair of the 2021 House Appropriations Committee. That puts Jones, a budget wonk who has been a key leader in the Solutions Caucus, in the driver’s seat as lawmakers work with Republican Gov.-elect Greg Gianforte to hammer out the state’s next two-year budget.
Legislative committees serve as a first line of review for proposed bills, hearing arguments for and against measures within their designated topic area and deciding which of the 1,000-plus bills proposed over the course of a session deserve debate before full legislative chambers. Budget committees — the House Appropriations Committee and Senate Finance and Claims Committee — take the lead in developing budget bills and also review other measures that intersect with the state’s finances.
Committee chairs run committee meetings, deciding when hearings for specific bills and votes are held, giving them power to shape the debates that determine whether bills they favor move forward. The chair of the House Appropriations Committee also sponsors the main state budget bill, House Bill 2.
See State, page 16
More death at Montana State Prison
Staff Report
Montana Department of Corrections (DOC) announced a third inmate died due to COVID-19-related illness.
The 62-year-old Montana State Prison (MSP) inmate died at St. James Healthcare in Butte on Nov. 23. DOC updates COVID infection and death statistics once a week, each Friday. As with prior cases, the name of the inmate was not released.
As of last Friday, 434 inmates and 147 staff members at MSP were confirmed to be infected with COVID-19. Only staff members residing in Powell County are included with the Powell County numbers. Of the 434 inmate cases, 133 remained active as of last week.
The only other DOC facility to report a death related to COVID is Great Falls Regional Prison. Four inmates total have been reported as deceased due to COVID since the start of the pandemic.
“The Montana Department of Corrections expresses its deepest sympathies to this individual’s loved ones,” DOC Director Reginald D. Michael said in a statement reminiscent of last week’s press release.
“Thank you to the staff at Montana State Prison and the medical professionals in the community who are working so tirelessly to care for the people who have been affected by this devastating virus,” Michael said.
See MSP, page 16
Montana Department of Corrections (DOC) announced a third inmate died due to COVID-19-related illness.
The 62-year-old Montana State Prison (MSP) inmate died at St. James Healthcare in Butte on Nov. 23. DOC updates COVID infection and death statistics once a week, each Friday. As with prior cases, the name of the inmate was not released.
As of last Friday, 434 inmates and 147 staff members at MSP were confirmed to be infected with COVID-19. Only staff members residing in Powell County are included with the Powell County numbers. Of the 434 inmate cases, 133 remained active as of last week.
The only other DOC facility to report a death related to COVID is Great Falls Regional Prison. Four inmates total have been reported as deceased due to COVID since the start of the pandemic.
“The Montana Department of Corrections expresses its deepest sympathies to this individual’s loved ones,” DOC Director Reginald D. Michael said in a statement reminiscent of last week’s press release.
“Thank you to the staff at Montana State Prison and the medical professionals in the community who are working so tirelessly to care for the people who have been affected by this devastating virus,” Michael said.
See MSP, page 16
Giving Tree returns to DL post office
The Giving Tree project started 4 years ago by Emmy Kunesh, a FCCLA member, when she was a senior at Powell County High School.
Then it was just baskets of goodies that she purchased with donations. After she graduated, it evolved into a tree at the post office. This is the third year that the Giving Tree has been up.
Each year questionnaires are completed by families that may need a little extra support during the holiday season. Jennifer Logan then fills out the tags and hangs them on the tree. Due to confidentiality issues, only FCCLA members may pick up the gifts at the post office, sort and then wrap the gifts.
Community members are encouraged to pick a tag from the tree, purchase the item, and then return the unwrapped item with the tag attached to the post office. All items should be new and in original packaging.
FCCLA also runs a food pantry out of the high school. The food pantry services high school students and surrounding area schools. Children represented on the tree may come from the surrounding schools.
In the past no adults were represented on the tree, but that changed this year.
“This year, I feel that even some adults could use some help so the parents of the students on the tree were also welcome to request items,” Logan wrote.
The group accepts monetary donations as well. Funds from those donations will be used for tags that were not chosen, or not returned. Following the final return deadline, Logan takes a day to go shopping for the items remaining. She will also give gift cards for Christmas dinners.
Then it was just baskets of goodies that she purchased with donations. After she graduated, it evolved into a tree at the post office. This is the third year that the Giving Tree has been up.
Each year questionnaires are completed by families that may need a little extra support during the holiday season. Jennifer Logan then fills out the tags and hangs them on the tree. Due to confidentiality issues, only FCCLA members may pick up the gifts at the post office, sort and then wrap the gifts.
Community members are encouraged to pick a tag from the tree, purchase the item, and then return the unwrapped item with the tag attached to the post office. All items should be new and in original packaging.
FCCLA also runs a food pantry out of the high school. The food pantry services high school students and surrounding area schools. Children represented on the tree may come from the surrounding schools.
In the past no adults were represented on the tree, but that changed this year.
“This year, I feel that even some adults could use some help so the parents of the students on the tree were also welcome to request items,” Logan wrote.
The group accepts monetary donations as well. Funds from those donations will be used for tags that were not chosen, or not returned. Following the final return deadline, Logan takes a day to go shopping for the items remaining. She will also give gift cards for Christmas dinners.
More on this and the other issues grabbing this week's headlines
can be found in our print edition, out every Wednesday.
can be found in our print edition, out every Wednesday.
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