We started WTF406 in February 2023, because media coverage in Great Falls and the surrounding area has been declining. Specifically, the Great Falls Tribune is a shadow of its former self and fails to cover much of what is happening in our area and around the state. In addition, the Tribune does not publish opinion pieces relating to local issues. Great Falls is lucky to have the on-line based The Electric which does a very good job covering local government and related issues. But The Electric does not publish opinion and analysis pieces and does very little on issues outside Cascade County.

We firmly believe that the lack of coverage, particularly of political issues and commentary, is a big part of the reason for the domination of local politics by far-right activists within the Republican Party. We are under no illusions that a blog can replace a local paper or that our blog is an objective source for the news. We care about getting our facts right, but we do not shy away from expressing our opinions about what those facts mean.

Among the things we do to produce WTF406 is review a variety of media sources and base our posts on the reporting of professional journalists. While we are discouraged by the decline of local print newspapers, we are encouraged by the rise of non-profit, on-line news sources like The Electric, The Daily Montanan, Montana Free Press, The Missoula Current, and Flathead Beacon. We also appreciate the fine work of smaller papers like the Choteau Acantha, Havre Daily News, and Lewistown News-Argus. We want to take this opportunity to thank the professional journalists in Montana who are struggling in a changing business environment to bring us the news in a fact based and objective manner. If these people were not doing this important work, we would not be able to produce WTF406.

Jasmine Taylor (she/her) is a lifelong Great Falls resident and first-time blogger. Best known from such hits as, “Please let Queer people have equal rights” and “Maybe billionaires should pay taxes,” Jasmine is often categorized as a bleeding-heart idealist. In addition to caring about shit, Jasmine is also a graduate of the University Of Montana (MA Public Administration) and the University of Providence (BA Psychology, English).

Helena Lovick (she/her) is a long-time resident of Great Falls Montana. She accidentally loved science too much and got her PhD in chemistry from the University of Washington. Now she’s back in Montana, where her name strikes confusion in the hearts of many. “Is it Helen-uh? Just like the capital? Am I saying it right?” Yep, it’s pronounced just like the capital. Helena is an active volunteer and works to support progressive policies through community organizing and education.

Ken Toole Headshot

Ken Toole is a fifth generation Montanan. He graduated from highschool in The Bitterroot Valley. After graduating from the University of Montana he moved to Helena, He is a founder of the Montana Human Rights Network and The Policy Institute, a progressive think tank focused on energy and economic policy. He served in the Montana Senate for six years. He was Chair of the Energy and Telecommunications Committee and vice chair of the Tax Committee. He also was elected to the Public Commission and served as the vice-chair. He retired from public service and bought land outside of Cascade and built an off- grid farm/ranch there.