Whether Gov. Greg Gianforte is the only trapper in Montana to receive a warning in the last five years for trapping a wolf without completing a required certification class cannot be determined due to how game wardens record alleged violations, a spokesperson for Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks says.
On Feb. 15 Gianforte trapped and killed a wolf north of Gardiner. On Feb. 16, he brought it to FWP headquarters in Helena for a required inspection, and was issued a written warning by Enforcement Chief Dave Loewen for doing so without first completing a mandatory wolf trapper education class. The governor was in compliance with all other aspects of the law, officials said.
In the afterlife of art and literature, in the sweet by and by, I imagine retired Texas Ranger Gus McRae on the porch of the celestial ranch house teasing Ramona the Pest and whistling for that old dog Ribsy to run the pigs out of the yard.
Two literary giants, Beverly Cleary and Larry McMurtry, died on the same day, March 25, 2021.
Cleary was 104. During her career, she sold more than 90 million copies of her books, most of which chronicled the adventures of Ramona (the Pest) Quimby, her big sister Beezus, Henry Huggins and his dog, Ribsy.
McMurtry was 84. The Pulitzer Prize-winner penned dozens of books, including âThe Last Picture Show,â âTerms of Endearment,â and the greatest western adventure ever written, âLonesome Dove.â
And now, for a Potato Head update.
Last week, I attempted to poke a little fun at those outraged by toymaker Hasbroâs announcement that it would rebrand Mr. Potato Head as simply Potato Head in an effort to be more gender neutral. I suggested that getting oneâs knickers in a knot over something as inconsequential as a company rebrand of one of the most boring toys of my generation was distracting us from actual problems like deadly viruses, attempted insurrections and the seasonal increase in beer prices.
Judging from the reaction to the column, I underestimated either the publicâs reverence for this particular classic toy or the importance of potato gender and courtesy titles.
Mr. Potato Head is back in the news â wait, was Mr. Potato Head ever previously in the news? I seem to remember unsubstantiated reports of a harassment suit from Barbieâs lawyers back in the 1990s, but it appears that matter was settled out of court and never discussed publicly again.
According to media outlets that cover fake outrage and potato-related matters, including The New York Times, toymaker Hasbro initially announced in February it was dropping âMr.â from the brand name, making the Potato Head characters more gender neutral.
âHasbro is making sure all feel welcome in the Potato Head world by officially dropping the Mr. from the Mr. Potato Head brand name and logo to promote gender equality and inclusion,â the company said in a statement.