Heartlands and
Homelands
Published
Writings
Newspaper guest columns and op-eds (most
recent listed first)
Let's expand the
'neighboring' concept and breathe a little easier
EPA methane emissions rule-making (Billings,
Missoula, Helena, Butte - Feb 20, 2023)
Montana is one of the few places in the country where we use "neighbor" as a verb. The concept of "neighboring" is quite simple. We care about one another, we pitch in when someone in our community needs help, and we don't cause unnecessary problems or disturbances for those who share our fence line. This is what creates a sense of trust and shared values in our community.
All woke’d
up (Missoulian - Aug 30, 2022)
"Woke" has become an increasingly popular term of late, used in disparaging fashion by regressive politicians and TV talk-show hosts who seem to want to take folks back to the privileged prosperity of post-WWII America and the 1950s - before the Civil Rights Movement gained traction, before Women's Lib marches hit the streets, before Joe Namath and the AFL's New York Jets beat the NFL's Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III.
Mother Russia? ( Missoulian, Helena IR, Butte Standard - Jul 28, 2022)
The atrocities we
are witnessing Putin and the Russian army commit in Ukraine every day on TV -
murdering civilians by attacking schools and churches, shopping malls and
apartment buildings - saddens me to the core. I remember watching former
President Trump honor and kowtow to Putin in Helsinki and dis U.S. intelligence
agencies at the same time. I was so embarrassed for our great nation. I could
hear President Reagan's "evil empire" and his "tear down this
wall" speech echo in my ears.
Senator Daines sustains
political rhetoric (Missoulian - Apr 10,
2022)
In his recent
column, "Montana has ability to sustain wolf population," (Missoulian
April 4), Senator Steve Daines opened with the misleading statement:
"Idaho and Montana's successful recovery of the gray wolf was a
significant achievement in species conservation." Actually, wolf recovery
in Idaho and Montana was a federal achievement.
Healthy communities
require healthy choices (Daily Interlake, Missoulian - Oct
4, 2020)
Louis DeJoy tell House Oversight
Committee members he’d instituted USPS changes to address a $9 billion loss.
Profit/loss terminology comes from the for-profit business world where
efficiency is registered in profit margins, stock prices, and ROI (return on
investment). DeJoy required trucks to depart sorting
centers on time to improve USPS efficiency/profitability.
If you build it, radioactive waste will come (Missoulian - May
24, 2020)
“If you build it, they will come.” In Montana, the “it”
could be landfills licensed to accept radioactive fracking waste from North
Dakota. And now, in Montana, public participation in the rule-making process
governing disposal of this hazardous waste just got derailed by Montana
Petroleum Association and a few state legislators.
On being a Montana native (Billings Gazette print and online – March 8, 2020)
We
need all Montanans | Columnists | billingsgazette.com
Montana making changes to radioactive waste rules (Missoulian print and online – Feb. 23, 2020)
Montana making changes to radioactive
waste rules | Columnists | missoulian.com
Transporting radioactive waste to W Montana (Missoulian print, Montana Standard –
Dec. 5-6, 2019)
Radioactive waste could be coming to
western Montana | Columnists | missoulian.com
KPAX spot – Missoula Air Quality Advisory Council (KPAX-TV – December 3, 2019)
Concerns over radioactive waste
disposal voiced in Missoula | kpax.com
Radioactive fracking waste and Missoula’s aquifer (Missoulian – October 17,
2019)
Radioactive waste and Missoula’s
aquifer | Columnists | missoulian.com
PSC member Roger Koopman loses to Montana students (Billings Gazette – October 16,
2019)
Koopman loses in false criticism of
students | billingsgazette.com
Student climate change protest can educate (Missoulian print, Montana Standard –
October 10, 2019)
Student protests can be educational |
Columnists | missoulian.com
____________________________
TENORM discussion – Missoula City - County Board of
Health – January 16. 2020
TENORM discussion – Missoula Water
Quality Advisory Council – December 10, 2019
TENORM presentation – Missoula Air
Quality Advisory Council – December 3, 2019
Collaboration
with Northern Plains Resource Council.
Prepared comments delivered at state-wide public hearings/summits
Montana Water Summit (Colonial Inn - Helena, March 3-4, 2020)
Montana
Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Helena, MT
Hosted discussion: “I have an important story to tell”: Engaging public action through
public awareness and education
Montana DEQ-proposed rules on TENORM waste disposal (October 9, 2019)
Montana
Department of Environmental Quality, Helena, MT
Montana DPHHS-proposed rules on youth residential treatment
centers (September 12, 2019)
Montana
Department of Health and Human Services, Helena, MT
Journal and magazine articles
Codes of Power (In progress.)
Examining White male privilege in The Sign of the Beaver, a popular Young Adult book.
Scaling Up, Scaling Out, or Scaling In-place (In
progress.)
Expanding the capacity, efficacy, and impact of
non-profit community organizations.
Related books and curricula
Water, Water Everywhere. (2002). RC Owen Publishers. Katonah, New York.
Emergent reading
text focused on the water cycle.
RC Owen Publishers –
Water,_Water_Everywhere
Ma Hope Institute has received
funding from Headwaters Foundation in support of the Heartlands & Homelands project.