Check out our June newsletter!
JUNE 2021 THE
COMMUNITY CONSCIENCE
FROM MARKET BOTTOM TO ‘THIS SIDE UP’ The Postal Annex Gives Back
already familiar with. “I worked for nonprofits for the first few years after college,” he says. “But then in 2009, the bottom fell out of the market. I ended up working for a friend’s father at the UPS Store he owned.” It was a blessing in disguise. “I discovered that my personality was a good fit for that work,” Karl says. “A few years later, I was still there, but as a manager. I spent most of my 20s learning that business model, and it made sense to continue when we moved to Bozeman, especially since we wanted to start a family and would need stability.” But now Karl owns the center instead of just managing it. In fact, he owns two — they recently opened their second location off Baxter! “We knew we could help more people that way,” Karl says. It was also about adapting to a changing business need: “We found ourselves doing more large package freight and shipping big items, and we really needed a warehouse with doors bigger than 36 inches!” As you know, one of the things that draws Foust Law to highlight small businesses is a focus on giving back. Karl feels that’s important as well. “I love interacting with my community every day, and the Postal Annex has let me figure out how we can give back to Bozeman.” He and his business regularly sponsor the Bozeman Help Center’s Run for Your Life event each fall, including paying the entry fees of anyone who agrees to do the 5K in a banana costume! “So far, our biggest bunch has been 11 bananas,” he laughs. Joking aside, though, Karl is clearly passionate about the work. “I feel that, as a community, we’re judged by how we treat the least fortunate — the indigent, the homeless, and the drug-addicted. I like to get involved with those causes, whether it’s sponsoring events or driving around the warming vans for the homeless in the winter.”
Running a small business can be the most challenging and rewarding endeavor we undertake in this country. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, Montana alone has over 118,000 small businesses. Over 65% of all jobs in Montana come from small businesses, and over 244,000 people in this state get paychecks from small businesses. Although the grind and the challenges of running a small business can sometimes seem overwhelming, we persevere. Each month, Foust Law Office features a local small-business owner who gets up every single day and keeps our state moving. There are a few businesses that Foust Law patronizes on a regular basis, and like most law offices, a small business and shipping center is on the list. In our case, that business is the Postal Annex by the Museum of the Rockies, and we decided to interview Postal Annex owner Karl Baer for this round of Small Business of the Month. There are as many reasons to get into business as there are people, and Karl certainly reflects that. “Although I did move to Bozeman with my then-fiancée to start a business, I’m not a small- business owner to make a bunch of money but rather to interact with my community and support it.” Those interactions are ones we’re familiar with — after all, we spend time talking with Karl and his great employees every week — and it says a lot about Karl and the Postal Annex and where he is in relation to the community.
Of course, they could have started a lot of different businesses, but the postal and business center model was one Karl was
You can learn more about Karl’s business at PostalAnnex.com/location/bozeman/14012 or by calling (406) 577-2939. We’re so glad to feature them as June’s Small Business of the Month, and we’re grateful to Karl for all he does, including taking the time to chat with us.
- Lucas Foust
406-587-3720 • 1
The Super Benefits of Yoga
Multiple studies agree: Yoga can significantly decrease the secretion of cortisol, the primary stress hormone. In one study, 64 women with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) participated in a 10-week program, performing yoga at least once a week. By the end of the 10 weeks, 52% of participants no longer met the criteria for PTSD at all. As with starting any new hobby or regular exercise, it may help to set clear goals for yourself. By doing yoga regularly, there are several physical improvements you can look forward to, such as:
June 21 is International Yoga Day, which makes it a great time of year to talk about the unique benefits of yoga — the “superfood” of fitness. As a mixture of exercise and mindfulness, yoga is not only challenging but also has myriad health benefits. Many people assume yoga is mainly useful for increasing your flexibility. However, it’s also excellent for further developing your strength, mobility, and balance. These can be key benefits for living a healthier lifestyle, whether you’re an athlete or concerned about aging.
• Improved range of motion or ease of movement
Kaitlyn Hochart, a yoga instructor from San Diego, California, writes on Healthline, “During yoga, your body goes through a full range and variety of motion that can counteract aches and pains associated with tension or poor postural habits.” Yoga can help you become more aware of these habits, “[allowing] you to fix these imbalances and improve overall athleticism.” Many forms of exercise are useful against depression and cardiovascular disease, but in yoga’s case, you don’t have to break a sweat to start benefiting from its stress-relieving properties. “The breathing exercises you practice during yoga can help lower your heart rate and shift your nervous system into a more relaxed state. It also promotes better sleep and increased focus,” Hochart writes.
• A reduction in pain, discomfort, or other symptoms
• An increase in physical strength and endurance
• Less weight fluctuation
• Changes in the way your clothes fit
• Better-quality sleeping habits and increased or stabilized energy levels One of the best qualities of yoga is that you can be of any age or fitness level. So, pull up a YouTube video, find a soft surface, and give it a try!
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However, more restrictions have come up. In Miller v. California (1973), the U.S. Supreme Court found that the First Amendment’s freedom of speech doesn’t apply to obscenity.
How does the court define obscenity? There are three things they’ll take into account:
1. Will the average person (applying contemporary “community standards”) find the work appealing to the overly sexual interests?
2. Does the work depict or describe, in an offensive way, sexual conduct or excretory functions as defined by state law?
deletes a post, these actions don’t count as violations of free speech. Could that change?
3. Does the work, when taken as a whole, lack serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value?
According to legal experts, the big question now is how to treat large social media platforms. Clay Calvert, professor of law at the Levin College of Law, asks, “Should we treat them differently and regulate them more closely? Have we reached that stage where we need to antitrust litigation, perhaps, and say they have such powerful platforms, they’re like near-monopolies that we should do some trust-busting and break them up?”
Certain types of hate speech are legal, so long as they don’t incite violence and cannot be categorized as obscenity as described above. But what about more ordinary political opinions? Can those be legally censored?
The First Amendment’s Boundary
Corporate censorship and censorship by private entities are legal because the First Amendment only applies to government censorship. That’s why when Twitter bans an account or Facebook
Would it be a good idea for the First Amendment to apply to private entities? We’ll leave that to the future debates that are sure to come.
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TAKE A BREAK
ARE GROCERY SUBSCRIPTION BOXES WORTH IT?
June is National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month, so let’s explore one popular way to get more fresh produce into our lives: subscription-based delivery services like Full Circle and Imperfect Food. Are these services actually worth it? Do they save money and provide what they promise? Here’s what the research turned up. Can they save you time? The Verdict: Yes, without a doubt. Subscription-based grocery delivery services appeal to consumers because they save time. With somebody else doing your grocery shopping, you don’t have to think about when you’re making a trip to the grocery store this week. Someone else is doing it for you! Plus, some services even offer meal kits if you can’t decide what to make. There’s no argument here — these services definitely save you time. Can they save you money? The Verdict: Sometimes, since it depends on your existing shopping habits. If you find yourself making impulsive purchases while strolling down the aisles at the grocery store, then a set (but customizable) weekly list of delivered groceries might be a great way to stick to your budget. Unfortunately, not many grocery subscription-box delivery services offer nonfood items like toilet paper or cleaning products, so you may still have to make a trip to the store every once in a while. Is the food quality great? The Verdict: Yes, but it depends on your area. You have a higher chance of getting better grocery items if you buy from an organic grocery box service, like Imperfect Foods or Farm Fresh to You, since these companies work closely with your local farms. Keep in mind that some services, like Imperfect Foods, are designed to deliver fresh foods that are a little “imperfect” in size, shape, or color to help prevent food waste — but, as a benefit, it’s more affordable! However, we’ve found some services, like Full Circle, will prepackage their boxes from warehouses that may not be local to you, so do a little research before picking one. All in all, we’ve been pleasantly surprised to find that these boxes aren’t such a bad idea. Consider looking into it if you’re tired of the weekly grocery store time crunch!
GRILLED CHICKEN SHAWARMA
Inspired by FeastingAtHome.com
A spice-filled marinade and time do all the work in this recipe that features Middle Eastern flavors.
Ingredients
• 2 tsp allspice • 8 garlic cloves, minced • 6 tbsp olive oil • 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 2 tbsp ground coriander • 2 tsp kosher salt • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper • 2 tsp turmeric • 1 tsp ground ginger • 1 tsp ground black pepper
Directions
1. To create marinade, whisk all spices with the garlic and olive oil in a medium bowl. 2. Add chicken to the bowl, coat well with marinade, cover, and let sit in the fridge for at least 20 minutes — or up to 48 hours. Strain off excess marinade before cooking. 3. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Grill thighs for 10–12 minutes
on each side, or until a meat thermometer reads 165 F. 4. Serve with rice, vegetables, or pita bread with tzatziki.
406-587-3720 • 3
Foust Law Office
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
www.lucasfoustlaw.com 406-587-3720 Fax: 406-879-4400
3390 South 30th Avenue Bozeman, MT 59718
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
The Postal Annex: Giving Back to the Community
1
The Super Benefits of Yoga
2
Grilled Chicken Shawarma Are Grocery Subscription Boxes Worth It?
3
Legally Speaking, What Is Censorship?
4
Legally Speaking, What Is Censorship? A Brief Dive Into the First Amendment
The Freedom to Speak — Without Obscenity or Inciting Violence
The First Amendment has been the centerpiece of a contentious debate about what can legally be posted (and deleted) on social media like Twitter and Facebook. But before we can define “censorship,” we need to know what is defined as “free speech.” What exactly does the First Amendment say about free speech? What are the boundaries for what people can and cannot do?
The First Amendment covers the freedom of speech, press, and religion. It’s arguably one of the most fundamental amendments to American democracy, but its interpretations can vary significantly. This is how the full First Amendment reads: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” Why is it that the Ku Klux Klan and Westboro Baptist Church have gotten into legal trouble for expressing their opinions? Their groups often promote acts of violence against another group, which violates the “peaceably” qualifier to the people’s right to assemble.
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