Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 1713
House Bill (HB) 477, to phase out single-use expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam food containers across Montana, has passed both the House and Senate with strong bipartisan support and backing from a diverse coalition of stakeholders. The bill, aimed at protecting public health, reducing litter, and supporting agricultural and timber business opportunities, is now before Governor Greg Gianforte. Since first introducing an EPS phase-out bill in 2019, sponsor Representative Marilyn Marler, D-Missoula, has worked to address lawmakers’ concerns and c...
The first 2/3 years of The Truman Show must’ve been boring to watch. Depression and anxiety are symptoms of social isolation, but without having a pandemic. While obviously even, it just feels wrong for a number like 777,777,772 to not be odd. An advanced aquatic civilization would have a harder time space-faring. Some of the most critical decisions that guide our futures are when we are inexperienced, hormonally unstable, and cognitively underdeveloped. Every left-handed Beatles member is still alive, while every right-handed member is d...
Dear Editor, On the last day of his presidency, in his last speech, President Ronald Reagan recalled what someone had once written to him: "You can go to live in France, but you cannot become a Frenchman. You can go to live in Germany or Turkey or Japan, but you cannot become a German, a Turk, or a Japanese. But anyone, from any corner of the Earth, can come to live in America and become an American." "We lead the world because, unique among nations, we draw our people-our strength-from every co...
Dear Editor, A big THANK YOU to the Whitehall Country Store for being available to utilize the leftovers from the Cardwell Church Mission Trip Bake/Garage Sale from last week. The town of Whitehall is very blessed to have this wonderful resource for shopping for quality, affordable clothes as well as household items, toy,s etc., etc. The location is perfect for parking and/or unloading items, and it provides funding to the Town, Jefferson Valley Museum, Whitehall community swimming pool,...
GEORGIA, I have a question, My daughter is away at college. Since she will stay in the city this summer for an internship, she asked me to send the rest of her things out of her bedroom. While doing this, I came across an item I was uncertain about what to do with. Way back in the corner on a high shelf in her closet, I found a shoebox that contained a....toy. I imagine she would be beyond embarrassed to know I discovered it (if my mother had found something like that in my room, I would have died!) Should I put it back and wait and see if she...
Christians worldwide just finished celebrating Easter, an event that commemorates the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. The central theme of the Bible hinges upon one powerful truth: Jesus came to redeem all of us who are lost in sin by His atoning sacrifice on the cross. We can be seen as righteous through Christ’s accomplished work of the cross and the empty grave. All through a simple act of faith and repentance by placing our trust in Jesus Christ. Is it possible for rocks to cry out loud? This may seem odd, but the theme is seen t...
ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, you may want to take charge of your professional life this week. Trust your instincts, but remember that you may have to leave your comfort zone at some point. TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, expect a week of self-reflection. Old emotions might resurface and offer you a chance to grow and heal. Plan to hang out with close friends if you feel out of sorts. GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 Make sure you are not spreading yourself too thin this week, Gemini. Even though you are eager to connect and socialize, you might want to...
A common sentiment throughout cultures and history is the dreaded visit of a tax agent or tax collection day. In the U.S., April 15 annually is set for income taxes, although hundreds of thousands of businesses file quarterly. There are also strong sentiments on what our government does or does not do with our money as taxpayers. Rather than getting into a tangled mess about taxation, I would like to draw your attention to the streets of Jericho during the first century. A chief tax collector, Zacchaeus, had a life-changing conversation with Je...
Dear Editor, I was once again amused to read another extreme Op-Ed by Roger Koopman in the April 23 edition of the Ledger disparaging those of us peacefully demonstrating against President Trump's policies. As usual, Mr. Koopman weaponized his editorial with name-calling and derogatory statements. Once again, little or no substance was included in his misleading rant. I do concede that his tirade of abuse could be found entertaining by uninformed extreme conservatives, but not constructive. Why...
It’s illegal to let your child/pet starve, but legal to let them get morbidly obese. It’s crazy how the previous generations were so addicted to cigarettes that they had built-in lighters in their cars. The children most impacted by peak leaded gasoline fumes are now 50-75. Grape soda is always purple, which completely ignores the existence of green grapes. There was only a short time between the “Oh, this is Al” phase and the “Is this Al? I’m not sure” phase. Some people chew the dry skin off their lips. They’re eating themselves. Tha...
ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, there’s a secret that you have been holding on to, and you are ready to let it go. It won’t weigh you down anymore, and you can finally focus entirely on the future instead of the past. TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, certain ground is tough for people to travel, but you have the conviction and grit to get things done. You have a history of thriving when faced with adversity, and that’s an asset. GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, keep an eye open for a challenge. When given an opportunity that will require your fulle...
Dear Rocky Mountain Head Start Board of Directors and Whom It May Concern, My name is Melissa Einboden, and I am writing with a sincere and heartfelt request on behalf of our local preschool program's families, children, and supporters. In the past year, I have been in the classroom a lot. Just ask Whitehall classroom staff. I have developed a passion for these kids and just like the Head Start kid I was, my mom would have told you- I have a hard time accepting, uh, not getting my way.... We...
Dear Editor, We must stop shifting state burdens to the community! At a recent Whitehall Indivisible meeting, someone suggested our community "come together" to fund the preschool program being cut from Whitehall. But that's not a solution-it's a symptom of a larger failure. Rocky Head Start is closing, and families here are losing access to those slots so they can go to Helena. Why? Because we only filled 13 of 16 spots. That doesn't mean the need isn't real. It means the system is failing smal...
Dear Editor, Well, it finally happened... I knew it would happen sooner or later; I'm more than willing to accept full responsibility for my lawless actions. I was pulled over the other evening while traveling into town. I've been traveling around town like this in my golf cart named "Sunshine" for a bit over 5 years now, without so much as a "BOO" from the cops, or anyone else for that matter, so why now? I understand, as I have from the beginning, that technically, it is illegal to travel on...
Humans get more instructions on how to microwave packaged meals than they do on raising a child from birth and beyond. Eventually, the “share-sized” candy bars will be the original-sized candy bars before shrinkflation. The social value of a sneeze changes throughout the year. In winter, people assume you’re sick; in spring, people assume it’s allergies. Billions of people have lived and died who no one remembers, but a specific, individual spider I let crawl on my arm 30 years ago exists in living human memory. If a supernatural event happene...
In case you hadn’t noticed, Montana is a heavy whine-producing state. The vintners are many, from the Marxist professors and ranting radicals brought onto our campuses, to the farmers, corporate welfarists, and chamber of commerce types, looking to government for special favors, subsidies, and protections from competition. Montanans are intoxicating our politics with cases of expensive whine. Witness the “Republican” legislature’s latest budget bill (HB 2) that imposes on us an 18 percent increase in future spending. Another session where,...
GEORGIA, I have a question, My son just told me his daughter, age 26, is getting breast enhancement surgery. How do I address that when I next see her, probably in several months? It’s not like commenting on a new hair color or hairdo. Old men commenting on female anatomy, particularly that part, are not looked at favorably, and I don’t want her to think her grandpa is creepy. As I see it, this goes in two ways: 1. She mentions it to me, though this is probably not likely to happen. So, since she got the surgery to make a visible dif...
The subject of prayer never gets old, and the Bible is filled with valuable principles and advice. The pages also discover both exemplary and poor examples of prayer. As readers, we can learn from all this by examining our motives and personal practices about prayer. Luke chapter 18 begins with two parables, but I contend they are interrelated. Over the last two years, I’ve spent considerable time exploring the parables of Jesus as recorded by Luke. I find them powerful, interesting, and insightful. “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to s...
ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 Spending time with new friends and those you’ve known for years can be a satisfying way to pass the week, Aries. Try to plan some activities that you can enjoy together. TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, you may tackle some necessary, albeit time-consuming, chores this week. They may take a few hours, but you’ll have time to unwind. GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, certain information you have been looking for may finally surface. Once you have your answers, you can move on to other tasks. CANCER - Jun 22/Jul 22 Cancer, emo...
As moms, educators, and lawmakers, we came to the Capitol this session with one clear goal: to improve opportunity for Montana's kids. But with just weeks left in the legislative session, we're concerned that we may leave Helena having done only the bare minimum-and that's not good enough. Montana's future depends on the investments we make in our children today. If we want strong communities, a skilled workforce, and a healthier, more prosperous state, we must prioritize the health, education,...
Dear Editor, Congratulations to the fourth grade author Aleena McDonald. It's so refreshing to read this and see a young author pursuing her dream! Thank you, Liz, for printing Aleena's bio and her fiction piece in the Whitehall Ledger. May this young author go far in her writing! Best Regards, KATIE SMITH Whitehall, Montana...
Dear Director, Policy Members, and Board Members of Rocky Mountain Head Start, (and Ledger Editor), My name is Melissa Einboden, and I am writing to you today not only as a mother, but as someone whose life-and whose family-has been deeply impacted by the Head Start program. I hope you'll take a moment to read our story, because it speaks to how truly powerful and essential this program is for families like mine. When my youngest son, Ryder, was a baby, I was working a demanding, high-stress...
Dear Editor, I am writing to inform you of a concerning development that will significantly impact families in the small rural community of Whitehall. Rocky Head Start, based out of Helena, is moving forward with a plan to close the Whitehall Head Start Classroom. This closure would be a significant loss for Whitehall, a community with limited resources where the Head Start program provides crucial support for many families. The potential loss of this program will undoubtedly have a detrimental...
In many Mario games, gathering one hundred coins nets an extra life. In Super Mario Odyssey, Mario’s boxer shorts cost 1,000 coins... ergo Mario’s life is worth less than his underwear. Mount Everest is still growing, which means every time someone climbs to the top, they’re breaking a new world record. Contortionists probably have a better chance of surviving a car crash. Phone companies should release plastic versions of their phones for people who would otherwise keep them in a bulky case for their whole life. Solar power is the only form...
GEORGIA, I have a question, When my son Liam (17M) was born, I started saving for his college education. I wasn’t rich, but I saved a little each month so he wouldn’t struggle when ready. Over the years, I would joke with him, telling him, “If you don’t go to college, I’ll spend this on a trip to Europe to drink the best beer in the world.” He always laughed, rolling his eyes, knowing I was only half serious. Tragically, Liam passed away in an accident just before his 18th birthday. The pain was unbearable. His mother (my ex-wife) and I were...
