Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
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For Montana’s elderly citizens, nursing home residents, and others who struggle to travel long distances for medical care, access to trusted eye care close to home is essential. Yet, outdated laws in Montana restrict highly trained doctors of optometry from performing certain in-office procedures that could safely and effectively be done in their offices. It is time to modernize these regulations to ensure Montanans can receive timely, high-quality care without the burden of traveling hundreds of miles. Montana’s optometrists are often the fir...
Donald Trump is famous for not thinking ahead and that failing may come back to bite him in the rear soon. Sometimes things he wants have consequences he does not want or think about until they occur and it is too late to prevent them. One of his top priorities is tariffs. He had said he wants a 25% tariff on imports from Mexico and Canada. Turns out that Canada has a lot of oil and the U.S. imports some of it. That oil won’t be easy to replace in the short term. The tariff will increase gas prices by about 40¢/gallon. And guess who that wi...
The law isn’t about what you can or cannot do, just the consequences of those choices. Silence feels loud because we’re used to noise. Toilet sizes say “Round” or “Elongated,” but what it really means is “Women” or “Unisex.” Minigolf has more in common with pool than with golf. Our bodies consist of skeletons wrapped in zombies and possessed by ghosts. Netflix could include ratings from Rotten Tomatoes to save us all a web search. Kids today will never face building up the nerve to call a girl only to have her parents answer. People with...
GEORGIA, I have a question, My five-year-old started kindergarten this year and has made many new friends. We recently invited one of these friends over for a playdate; in return, my daughter was invited to her friend’s father’s house (her parents are not together). When we take our daughter to a playdate with a new friend, we always go in with her and then stay long enough to ensure everything is good, meet the parents, etc. My partner took our daughter over to this playdate and reported that the apartment was “very messy” but that, after a...
In today’s column, I want to introduce you to two sisters, Martha and Mary, also sisters of Lazarus. Most readers are familiar with their life stories, whereas many are unfamiliar with some of the cultural backgrounds involved in these ladies’ lives. Luke gives us a glimpse. “As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made...
ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, charm is one of your strongest attributes. This week your magnetism is magnified and can work to your advantage. You might attract people who can help with a situation. TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, it is never easy to reevaluate finances and cut back. However, this is the week when you likely have to keep your credit card in your wallet; otherwise, the bills add up. GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, now is the time to turn great opportunities into big ideas. Make a plan of action and spell out the steps necessary to...
Dear Editor, I took the opportunity last Tuesday evening to attend the school board meeting, specifically the portion allotted for public comment on non-agenda items. It was interesting, enlightening, and infuriating, so I am compelled to write. All the public comments that night were centered on Superintendent Nieskins and high school principal Jason Slater's actions to prevent the high school play from being a sanctioned high school activity. By being reclassified as non-sanctioned, the...
Dear Editor, When government outgrows the productivity of its people: According to a recent study released by Truth in Accounting, the end of 2024 brought the US government 153 trillion dollars of total liabilities. Your government currently holds claim to $966,000 of future productivity for every citizen in the United States. Measures to correct a growing burden will require some pain that few will escape. The million-dollar question remains: What will you be willing to sacrifice? "If the...
On average, paying insurance is not worth it. Birds and ants have blueprints and construction codes for their homes in formats we do not fully comprehend yet. Superheroes should fly feet first to protect their heads. The easiest job ever would be to be an aspiring actor who got a role playing an aspiring actor. If you could immediately stop all the momentum your body is experiencing, you’d likely cease to exist. Marsupials are the only animals that can be pickpocketed. The Choose-Your-Own-Adventure books allow a person to navigate a m...
As a Gen X parent of Gen Z teens and young adults, I’m used to cringing at things from 80s and 90s movies that haven’t aged well. However, a beloved movie from my youth that I didn’t expect to be problematic, “Dead Poets Society,” sparked some unexpected negative responses in my kids, shining a spotlight on generational differences I didn’t even know existed. I probably watched “Dead Poets Society” a dozen or more times as a teen and young adult, always finding it aesthetically beautiful, tragically sad, and profoundly inspiring. That...
GEORGIA, I have a question, My father-in-law was “just visiting” from Puerto Rico in mid-July. August came, then September, October, and November. In December, he finally told us that his wife (not my husband’s mother) had told him not to come home. So, we (my husband, four children, and I) invited him to stay with us. At first, we told him not to worry about rent because he is on a fixed income and disabled. We noticed he was sending a lot of money to his ex-wife, so we asked if he could help out with his toiletries to offset the burden of fo...
ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, charm is one of your strongest attributes. This week your magnetism is magnified and can work to your advantage. You might attract people who can help with a situation. TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, it is never easy to reevaluate finances and cut back. However, this is the week when you likely have to keep your credit card in your wallet; otherwise, the bills add up. GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, now is the time to turn great opportunities into big ideas. Make a plan of action and spell out the steps necessary to...
One of the most well-known illustrations in the Bible includes the Good Samaritan as shared by Jesus. We often surmise that the principle is centered on how to help those in need, whereas the context principle Jesus is communicating is a bit different. Of course, giving to those in need is a Biblical value and something Jesus promoted. Stop and re-read Christ’s words again: “On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. ‘Teacher,’ he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ ‘What is written in the Law?’ he replied. ‘How d...
White shoes go well with everything except outside. It’s crazy to think how incredibly easy it is to ruin your life while it’s considerably harder to manage your life as it is. If you’ve ever stood up on a bus, you’ve effectively made it a 25,000 lb skateboard. History says dinosaurs laid eggs and evolution gave us chickens from dinosaurs, so logically the egg did come first and not the chicken. The fuller your phone battery is by the end of the day, the better your day was. Everyone hates being used, but no one wants to be useless. The kit...
GEORGIA, I have a question, I treated a friend to lunch, but when we entered the restaurant, she mentioned that someplace else was better. I was taken aback and thought it was an unconscious slip, but this happened again with a different friend. What could I have said to indicate their comments were rude without offending them? LUNCH CHOICES Dear CHOICES, It is impolite to tell others that they are being rude, but perhaps you may accomplish this by making them feel foolish instead. Look concerned and ask, in a quiet voice, if they would prefer...
The American Christmas tradition has become focused on gifts, especially a consumer-driven mentality that can end up misguided and self-centered. I’m not opposed to gift giving; our family shares in this tradition; however, we taught our children early on that Christ is the reason for the season. The single most important gift we can ever receive is salvation through Jesus Christ, God’s unmerited favor given to anyone who calls on the name of Jesus to be saved. Such a gift is understood as grace. For some time, I’ve been digging deeper into...
ARIES Mar 21/Apr 20 Focus on collaboration this week, Aries. Teamwork leads to unexpected rewards if you are open to othersÕ ideas, so remain receptive to teammates' input. TAURUS Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, when a project presents itself to you, stay grounded and carefully run through all the components. Employ the same strategy when going over financial opportunities. GEMINI May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, clear up any misunderstandings and express your thoughts openly with others this week. Communication is certainly key at this juncture in time. CANCER Jun...
Dear Editor, New Year, New You (generally speaking, of course!) We may ask each other or even ourselves, What does that MEAN? Some might answer sticking better with my resolutions, while to others, it might have a deeper, more spiritual meaning. Of course, depending on one’s resolution, the latter might be covered under the first example. The point is, this phrase usually means something different, often QUITE different, to everyone. Whatever our resolution, it usually involves being a better person than we showed last year. It could mean t...
Undercover Boss relies entirely on the premise that most people have no idea who they work for. We’re very lucky that not all our body hair grows long like the hair on our heads. Since blindingly bright halogen headlights came out, no one seems bothered by high beams on older vehicles. After about 120 years, acting one’s age usually means playing dead. There’s a good chance there are more Chevy Impalas in the world than actual Impalas. For the lack of communication and ability to reach people, alongside no DNA matching, caught the 60s and 7...
So… have you heard about 2025 yet? Astrologers have been anticipating the next 12 months for quite a long time, because with so many massive astrological events occurring in such a short duration, the year ahead is guaranteed to be wild. Really wild. Life-changing, history-making, tectonic-plate-trembling wild. We’re talking massive unprecedented happenings (Neptune hasn’t been in Aries since the mid-1800s!), irritating retrogrades (the New Year has got all of them), and lots of new chapters emerging from thin air. Whether you’re interpr...
Georgia, I have a question, My fiance and I got engaged over Christmas. His brother got engaged over Thanksgiving. We were so happy because we are all good friends and thought going through the same phase of life together would be fun. They got their wedding venue immediately and booked for June 6, 2026. They did not ask us about the date before putting down a deposit or anything for the venue, nor did we expect them to. We had a conversation with them afterward, and we agreed we wouldn’t book for June 2026 out of courtesy to them, so both w...
The famous actor and comedian Tim Conway said, “If following Christ has never cost you anything, you’re not following Him.” Of course, salvation in Jesus is a gift that costs us nothing; repentance and faith allow us to receive God’s unmerited favor. The “cost” Tim and others refer to reflects what it means to be dedicated to Christ. As our lives are transformed, we make decisions that affect our relationships and life decisions to honor God. During Christ’s time on earth, it was common for people to express their desire to follow Him, y...
ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 You are likely to question the information you receive this week, Aries. Investigate things further, but remain receptive to what others are saying. TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, it is time to solidify plans and any grand schemes you may have; otherwise, you may not know which path to take. For now, start outlining your ideas. GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 Practice your communication skills, Gemini, as you will likely need them this week. You may need to resolve a sticky situation and serve as a voice of reason. CANCER - Jun 22/...
Language and music are the closest things humans have created to a time machine. Each word we speak and every note we play draws on ideas from the past and projects them into the future. Elevators are probably one of the safest modes of transportation. It’s never really explained how Santa gets into apartment buildings. If a comma is (,) a colon is (:) and a semi colon is (;) then a semi comma is a full stop(.) Christmas lights are less exciting in the Southern Hemisphere because December nights are short. In a future with electric cars, w...
Some bad ideas, despite centuries of consistently negative consequences, come back to haunt the human race over and over again. The economic warfare of “protective” tariffs is one such bad idea that belongs in the dustbin of history, yet incoming president Donald Trump has given it a veneer of patriotic polish, while trotting out all the tired pro-tariff cliches that have been proven so wrong for so long. When a bad idea appears to have eternal life, you can bet its life support is coming from two major factors: (1) widely accepted myth and...
