Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
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Dear Editor, I'd like to address the "Whitehall Indivisible" organizers: I'm surprised that you refer to your group as "non-partisan" yet aligned yourselves with a nonprofit (Indivisible.org) whose mission statement is "to elect progressive leaders, rebuild our democracy, and defeat the Trump agenda." That doesn't sound very non-partisan to me. The fact that the Indivisible organization takes its name from our Pledge of Allegiance (one nation... INDIVISIBLE) is just ironic; they are known for se...
In the digital age, death isn’t just absence: it’s watching someone leave the family group chat and knowing they won’t read the next message. A crocodile has a massive advantage over a lion in deep water, but the lion wins on dry land. Therefore, a depth of water must exist that makes it an even fight. Our brains recognize ads so fast that we skip them without a second thought. It’s not to hide their identity: even the Ninja Turtles can’t tell each other apart without their colored masks. With the rise of AI, we will soon see the introduct...
Georgia, I have a question, Last weekend, my 16-year-old son went thrifting with his friends. He found the score of all scores (in his mind, at least) - a signed Mr. Beast T-shirt, sized large, with a signature and a doodle of a snake. One of his friends resells thrift finds and told him he could make $300 reselling the shirt. He brought it home and was so excited. Well...I washed it. He told me it was valuable, but I washed it anyway because it was from a thrift store. You can just barely make out the faded marks of what once was. He went...
Throughout Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, we see Jesus’s constant use of parables. This was a simple way to teach kingdom principles of God. Most are tangible illustrations of unnamed individuals. However, many true-life experiences are shared by Jesus as they experienced physical healing, forgiveness of sin, and transformative life change. In Luke 16:19-31 Jesus illustrates speaking about Lazarus and the Rich man. At first glance, one may view this as a parable or think of Lazarus as a fictional character, when it is highly probable that J...
ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, a burst of energy propels you to move forward. Everything is clicking; you are full of ideas and brimming with contagious enthusiasm. TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 You are in the mood to get to business this week, Taurus. It’s a great time to focus on your career or finances. Pay attention to all of the little details as you go along. GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 Curiosity takes control this week, Gemini. Learning opportunities are all around you. You need to look for them. It may be a new class or a trip you take with f...
Dear Editor, At times, the Montana Legislative body is out of touch with the citizens of Montana. HJ24 does not reflect public opinion concerning public lands and waterways, as the bill purports. The bill supports Utah politicians' failed lawsuit seeking to find that federal public land ownership in Utah is unconstitutional. The courts have found that Federal public land ownership is constitutionally legal. Whether you're a MAGA, liberal, conservative, or moderate, most Montanans value our...
Dear Editor, "Our Constitution was made for only a moral and religious people." - John Adams Convincing the masses that the fairy tale economy (where reckless spending without consequences) is over is probably not going to occur. Desperate for the security of the status quo is why those on the losing end of this fantasy are angry and very vocal. While it's not without compassion that one can consider the struggle that lies before them to regain their financial security, it comes down to the...
Dear Editor, Because I am not a student of history, I want to understand present times by posing the following question: What are the historical consequences when a person with political power does the following things? 1. Makes the Legislative branch of government irrelevant. 2. Attacks judges and the Judicial system. 3. Attacks "the enemy within," including anyone who disagrees and speaks up (minorities, political opponents, etc). 4. Attacks academics. 5. Attacks allies. 6. Speaks with a...
Dear Editor, As Senators, we are charged with the responsibility to serve the people of Montana by working together to shape laws that are in the best interest of our state. As Republican Senators, we believe we have been tasked with pursuing fiscal responsibility and limited, effective government. Sadly, this session has been marked by controversy as we’ve learned one of our own party leaders may have broken the trust of Montana voters. When the Senate voted to send former President E...
Dear Editor, I received a postcard this weekend from Senator Daines and President Trump accusing the Biden administration of breaking Medicare with price controls. The only conclusion that can be drawn from the carefully constructed lies it contained is that the pharmaceutical industry's lobbyists have increased pressure on them to roll back Medicare's ability to negotiate prices on behalf of its members. The lies that Medicare's ability to negotiate on the behalf of its members will prevent...
No one ever skips breakfast because breakfast means breaking the fast. Therefore, those who say they skip breakfast eat it later in the day and call it by another name. Someone who obsessively collects things and refuses to part with them is dubbed a hoarder and said to be mentally ill, yet someone who obsessively amasses money and doesn’t part with it is defended and dubbed sane. If humans invent anti-aging technology, family pictures would look like groups of friends who happen to share the same last name. When the poo starts flying, it’s a g...
GEORGIA, I have a question, I’m happy with my life - in my late 40s, successful in my profession, solid marriage, and two wonderful sons - until my younger sister enters the room. She’s a surgeon married to another doctor; they have boatloads of money, run marathons for charity, and have the world’s most polite teen. She’s the kind of person who took up painting as a hobby, then won a major competition a year later, got an agent, and booked a gallery show. She acts modest but seems clueless about how every family event turns into a Q&A and is t...
ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, you may encounter some stubborn people this week, which always has the potential for confrontation. Make yourself scarce if conversations veer in the wrong direction. TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 Things might not be lining up perfectly for a whirlwind trip right now, Taurus. Don’t let it get you down. In a few more weeks, an entirely different story may emerge. GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, this is a good opportunity to begin clearing up the clutter in your life. Start tackling the mess as soon as possible and enjoy the...
Dear Editor, There's an effort in the legislature to keep Montana citizens off the ballot. HB 207 hasn't made many headlines, but the bill is an attempt to make it harder for Independent, third-party, and write-in candidates to qualify for the ballot in districts across Montana. Independents already face a higher barrier to getting on the ballot than candidates from the Republican or Democratic parties, and we shouldn't make it even harder for those who don't affiliate with our two major...
Dear Editor, Concerning House Bill 320 (HB 320): I applaud Representative Walsh's rationale as stated in the Whitehall Ledger's March 12th issue on his NO vote on HB 320. He reasoned a NO vote due to the "lack of proper oversight and the risk of undermining the foundation of public education." The 32-page bill reads like IRS instructions. It is overly complex and ambiguous on the types of private education that could qualify for educational tax credits. I did manage to find the sections where...
Dear Editor, I want to give a huge shout-out and a fervent thank you to the men and women of PULSE/JVEMS and the doctors and nurses of the St. James ER and Hospital! This past week has been a whirlwind for me. What started as a touch of something on Sunday (it turned out to be Influenza A) escalated by Tuesday into something I'd never even heard of before. By Tuesday evening, I couldn't even get out of bed without falling on my face. Apparently, I'd also contracted Rhabdomyolysis! Long story...
Technological developments have gone from making life easier to making life harder (unless you pay for the latest technological development) in our lifetimes. People without teeth can close their mouths further. Due to time zone differences, some babies are born hours before others but have a later birthdate and are thus considered younger. When the Berlin Wall fell, over fifteen acres of public art were destroyed virtually overnight. If images reflect light, a video at 2x displays something at twice the speed of light. Humanity has gone from...
I am writing to bring to your attention a set of 5 bills that are harmful to regular Montanans in general, and specifically right now to the people of Libby, Montana, involved in asbestos litigation. SB 385 (Sen Tom McGillvray) creates a "governor-appointed" special court that has the same clout as a state district court, except the judges are not elected and, as such, are not answerable to the people who elected them. The special court this bill creates will also include the "asbestos court," h...
GEORGIA, I have a question, My mother taught me that when being toasted, one doesn’t take a sip, as that’s like tooting one’s own horn. When my spouse and I celebrated an anniversary with a party, the guests toasted us with champagne. When I didn’t sip, one of the guests asked me why, implying that my marriage wasn’t something I wanted celebrated. YIKES! My choices were to “correct” the guest—which I don’t feel is right, as they aren’t one of my children—or leave the impression that my marriage was less than toast-worthy. Neither option appeal...
When was the last time you lost something? A common question around our home is, “Where are my keys?” Losing something can be quite distressing, sometimes confounding, when you blame someone else and find the keys in your coat pocket five minutes later. LOL. Jesus’ existence in history was to fulfill God’s ultimate act of love, as Christ gave up His life as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Jesus came to seek and save the lost. Albert Einstein said, “As a child, I received instruction both in the Bible and the Talmud. I am a Jew, but I am...
ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, forcing an agenda right now might backfire. It is best to be patient and let things unfold organically. A few new people may come to your aid this week and support you. TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 You might need to reconsider what you have been fighting for, Taurus. A battle could be tough to win, so you must rethink your strategy. GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 Someone in a position of power might try to convince you that their way is the best approach this week, Gemini. You are determined to stick with what you think is right...
Dear Editor, My inclination to be active in politics has been minimal. I had a farm to run and sons to raise. I marched in the '80s for reproductive rights and again in 2016 to protest Trump's presidency. I've signed the odd petition, always voted, always paid my taxes. Regardless of the political party in power and I've voted for both, I have never felt that this Republic or the democratic principles on which it is based were at risk. That has changed. We have a convicted felon with no respect...
Dear Editor, To the individual who has an opinion on the "serial killing" of coyotes. You are clearly misinformed about the benefits that such an event provides. Why someone who lives four towns east of Whitehall has an opinion on a town they don't live in is like a democrat complaining about the conditions in a third world country but doesn't send money to help. If you don't like the way we do things in Montana, maybe you should move back to whatever state you came from. A well-managed coyote...
Dear Editor, Much like cancer cells, the government, when diseased by corruption, waste, and abuse, consumes its own body. This is how a country living in a credit-driven economy meets its ultimate death. The economic model that allows unlimited credit for individuals and the government to live today on the promise of tomorrow's productivity has to have a reasonable expectation of that productivity to satisfy the debt. Add interest payments to the debt, a demographic implosion, and moral...
Dear Editor, I assume that the flyer from Americans for Prosperity (AFP) regarding my vote on HB 320, commonly referred to as the Montana Academic Prosperity Program for Scholars (MAPPS), was distributed county- or district-wide. Therefore, I felt it was important to respond. I fully support education for all and respect the desire for choices, including private, homeschool, or hybrid options. However, I firmly believe that taxpayer dollars should prioritize public education. Let’s first examine what HB 320 would have done if passed. The b...
