Wise Cattle Grazing Practices Proving Helpful   BY TOM DICKSON On a gravel county road 40 miles northeast of Roundup, a sea of rolling sagebrush “steppe,” or grasslands, extends to the horizon in every direction. This vast landscape I am driving through is a stronghold of Montana’s sage-grouse population, the nation’s second largest. Lorelle Berkeley, a Montana Fish, … [Read more...]

Another Avian Showdown   BY PAT HILL 08/06/14 The sage grouse inhabiting Montana and several other western states are at the center of a political firestorm of sorts that pits environmentalists wanting the species protected under the Endangered Species Act against ranchers, miners, energy producers, and even state governments.  The battle over the bird is eerily … [Read more...]

And You Probably Never Heard of Him BY BRIAN D’AMBROSIO Philo Farnsworth is perhaps the most influential unknown person of the 20th century. After all, just how many people know that this eccentric genius invented television and thus transformed the world into a modern, media-driven society? Or that as a 14-year-old high school student, Farnsworth, inspired to tackle the idea … [Read more...]

As Geronimo Plans Cross-Border Horse Thieving from San Carlos From Life of Tom Horn (originally published in 1904) BY TOM HORN It was after dark when some one touched me, and I woke and found Micky standing there. “May we build a fire?” he asked. I told him yes, all the fire he wanted. He said all the scouts were there but six, and these would be in soon, sure. He said: “We … [Read more...]

Rauner Could Be Next Governor of Illinois BY DAVID S. LEWIS 08/10/14 Got a call recently from a reporter at the Chicago Tribune, and subsequent follow ups. In Chicago magazine, he had read an excerpt from a story I wrote, A Rahm Emanuel Moment: White House Chief of Staff Threatens Food Critic, posted on mt pioneer.com, and as hard copy, in August 2010 when Emanuel was still … [Read more...]