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 Jo, I have a business idea. It, in my opinion, is a great one! I love to garden and know that chickens can help control pests and fertilize at the same time. If I could bring pet chickens to peoples gardens, for a fee, gardens would benefit from the instant pest control and fertilizing. The hiccup in this plan is my sister. She hates chickens and believes this is a ridiculous idea. Do I go ahead with my idea? Will people make fun of it? Signed, No crappy idea Dear Crappy, If you believe in your idea, why are you letting ANYONE sabotage...
Jesus didn’t mince words or shy away from speaking the truth, but He often used parables in His teachings. In the Gospel of Luke one of the Pharisees again tried to stump Him, boastfully and loosely claiming that the privileged, including himself, would inherit the Kingdom of God. Christ had another take: “When one of those at the table with Him heard this, he said to Jesus, ‘Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.’ Jesus replied: ‘A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of t...
ARIES Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, this week will challenge your flexibility. It’s possible you will have to change plans on the fly to accommodate developments at work or at home. TAURUS Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, rather than trying to figure out why everyone is acting as they are, accept things and go with the flow. You will be much happier for it. GEMINI May 22/Jun 21 You are capable of dealing with intense emotional energy most of the time, Gemini. So when someone needs a friend to confide in, you are the right person for the job. CANCER Jun 22/Jul 2...
We spend our entire lives trying to ignore the one thing that is certain in life: death. It's not a pretty topic, it's not something any of us like to think about. And because of that, we sometimes forget that it is a major part of all our lives, until we are reminded. I've been reminded a lot lately. The obituary section has been increasingly hard - as I've talked about before. But this week Mr. Barry McWilliams' obituary came to my desk. As many of you know, Barry drew the amazing editorial...
Dear Editor, What can happen by uncaring and repetitious behaviors like Pool Pals Gun Raffles, Chamber of Commerce Multi-gun raffles, Little League Gun Raffles, Veteran’s Gun Shows, Gun sales, gun shops, gun vending machines on every block? NRA “Terrorism” and gun addicted American’s “imprisoned” in denial lead to..... TURN TO THE CENTERFOLD. Gerald Johnson, Cardwell, Montana...
Dear Jo, I am a Christian. I say this because I recently had a discussion with a family member about my love of crystals, rocks and minerals and their healing properties. Scientists have proven that everything gives off energy vibrations. The strength and frequency of those vibrations differ from object to object. There are some earth elements that give off vibrations (energy) far more frequently than others. Some people believe crystals, rocks and minerals have healing properties, some physical and some psychological. The discussion centered...
Hospitality has been on my mind lately but from a fresh view. We are accustomed to hospitality in terms of entertaining relatives and close friends. Pastor Timothy Keller describes radical hospitality as a “love for strangers” drawing comparisons from Christ’s teachings. “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to tak...
ARIES Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, emotional awakenings may change your goals for the time being. Expect opportunities for more travel or even new educational endeavors. Involve Pisces in your decisions. TAURUS Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, keep a light schedule this week because you may have to fit something in at the last minute. This is an easy week to connect with others as well. GEMINI May 22/Jun 21 Powerful revelations can stir up many emotions, Gemini. You may need to take time out to process some new developments. Look to others for support. CANCER...
It has been a busy week and, once again, I find myself wishing I could clone myself. I want to be in all places at all times, but it just isn’t possible. I am so unbelievably thankful for the help of Charles Shank and Kari Montgomery this week - they helped catch moments I couldn’t be there for or didn’t see myself. Kari took on the Madison County Fair and provided some amazing photos - with more available in next week’s paper. Charles helped capture moments at Shakespeare in the Park that I didn’t (partially because I was too wrapped up in the...
Most of you know me already, but I thought I’d reintroduce myself to the community, as I am one of the new town councilors. I am Linda Jung and I represent Ward 2 for the Town of Whitehall. I have lived here as a resident for 33 years. But my family history goes back further than that – my grandparents lived here most of their lives as well. I have always loved this town. When my husband and I had a chance to come back and raise our two children here, we did not hesitate. We have not regretted a moment of living in this town. Since as long as...
Dear Editor, Jim Buterbaugh’s letter to the editor from last week’s paper got me thinking. Actually, this subject has been on my mind for quite some time now. I’m admittedly a bit of a conspiracy theorist and one of the theories I’ve recently entertained is the connection between the COVID-19 ‘pandemic’ and 5G. I remember quipping once that “it may be killing us on the inside, but our internet will be so blindingly fast, we won’t care!” A bit harsh maybe and possibly overstated, but studies have shown the damage that these electric waves ca...
Dear Jo, I went to a local fair this past weekend. I am a 50 plus woman. I only mention this because “back in the day” I would be dancing my butt off at the fair. Back then, men asked women to dance; no one stood around like at a high school dance. What is happening? Are there some new rules I am not aware of? All the men just stood around looking at their feet, their beer, their buddies. Is it just me?! Signed, Frustrated Dancer Dear Dancer, Times are changing, that is for sure. I do not believe, however, that there is a new rule book on danci...
From an early age most of us have been taught to be aware of “stranger danger.” Much of this is due to safety, especially with the rise of sex trafficking. As parents we have discussed with our children extensively awareness and how to spot “stranger danger.” Although many of us share this concern, we should keep in mind a proper balance. It is a balance between caution and being overly afraid. Recently, I’ve enjoyed striking up the conversation of hospitality with my church family. The responses have been challenging and eye opening....
ARIES Mar 21/Apr 20 Attempt to break down any barriers you have built up around yourself, Aries. It’s time for a fresh perspective and you can dive head first into new opportunities. TAURUS Apr 21/May 21 There is something magical in you that needs to come to life, Taurus. In the next few weeks you will develop a plan to put major changes into action with the help of a few others. GEMINI May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, you may feel on top of the world at the beginning of the week and then out of sorts by the weekend. It is okay to go through a range of e...
I was introduced to music at a very young age. My mom is an accomplished organ and piano player, who has taught for years. She taught me to appreciate classical, instrumental, and more traditional music. My dad, the Metallica, Ted Nugent, and ZZ Top rocker introduced me to rock and roll. As we moved from state to state with the military, my music choices changed to "fit in" with my surroundings. My first concert was Garth Brooks with my mom. Then I moved on to an appreciation for a bit of rap (o...
Dear Editor, Are you ready for another rant? I’m sure I’m not the only one, but I’m getting tired of the disturbing fact that no one pays attention to signs anymore! I say ‘no one’, but I realize there are some who still do; the sad fact is, though, that more and more just pass them by without taking any notice. Signs do have an effect, don’t get me wrong, if nothing else, to post a warning, whether it’s the ‘recommended’ speed limit or when to merge with traffic, or what. In the past, I’ve patrolled a certain parking lot here in town becaus...
Dear Editor, Years ago, there was a battle about water meters, I remember it like it was yesterday. It helped to push me into the world of politics (damn it!) Lots of people were upset because water meters were being installed and they didn’t have a say. They didn’t know it was coming. I went to many council meetings arguing against the meters. Then one of the members told me I should check out the history of ‘meter meetings’. I found out that the meters had been discussed for more than 2 YEARS. I found out that notices about meters were se...
Dear Jo, What happened to dressing up to go out on the weekend? Why are we content to head out in our dirty work clothes, sweaty and straight from our jobs, skipping the clean up and fresh duds? I am as guilty as anyone! Signed, Comfortably Sloppy Dear Sloppy, Wait! Are you telling me that body odor and pajama bottoms as part of one’s evening attire is “sloppy?!” What about Crocs with sweatpants, Scooby Doo T-shirt and a baseball hat that looks like it has been through a stampede? People may not dress up like they used to, but we are freer...
I know that former generations handled hospitality better than we do. However, in the current television and internet era, Martha Stewart has become synonymous with hospitality and entertainment. She has built a business empire on delicious foods and hosting elegant events. What was it like 2000 years ago? Guests for banquets were seated in connection to their relationship with the host. The closer to the host, the better the seat. From Luke 14, follow along: “When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, Jesus told th...
ARIES Mar 21/Apr 20 Try to dig a little deeper and not take things at face value this week, Aries. Some surprising elements that you may not initially recognize are just waiting to be discovered. TAURUS Apr 21/May 21 It’s good to have a rich fantasy life to envision plans for the future, Taurus. Some of these ideas may come to fruition this week as you dig down deep into your creative side. GEMINI May 22/Jun 21 Avoid jumping to the conclusion that a romantic partner is looking to move on, Gemini. There may be another underlying factor at p...
My family has always been a bit theatrical. I blame my parents, living history interpreters who brought my brother and I up in rendezvous and reenactments. My mother played Mary Todd Lincoln watching “Our American Cousin” at a reenactment they began in Keokuk, IA. My father, playing John Wilkes Booth, appropriately broke his ankle after shooting Lincoln and jumping off a balcony onto the stage. Devotion to character development right there! In high school I found theatre on my own - at first playing bit parts and running the lights from bac...
Dear Editor, What is the difference between someone saying “I love you” and the popular phrase we all love to bandy around: “love you?” How about the one that comes to one’s lips even easier, “love ya?” One might note a fairly close correlation between this and the subject at hand: “Do we really care?” The answer, of course, is “Yes, yes, we DO care!” The extent to which we care, however, is the issue. The care which the majority of us exercise (if we care at all) might seem rather generic, if you think about it. In this part of the country,...
Dear Jo, I live in a small town (I know, duh). Well, I want to date, at least I think I do. The problem is, if I date someone local, everyone will know my business? Do I need to avoid this? Should I only date people out of town? Should I even care? Signed, Alone among friends Dear Alone, Honestly, I am surprised you think people will care that much about what you are up to. Unless you are dating someone truly unusual or straight out of the state penitentiary, you should be all set. Don’t do anything crazy or noteworthy and I think you can r...
Have you ever experienced losing your keys? Many of us have. We are usually in a hurry and heading out the door. Anxiety sets in fast. Often when we slow down, take a breath and retrace our steps, we find the illusive things. Sometimes those keys are lost into the abyss, never to be heard clanging again. In practice, many of us understand the value of forgiving others who hurt us but the actual process of forgiving can be alluding. When we encounter a wrong, frustration and anxiety get a tight grip on our heart, sometimes we get lost. So...
ARIES Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, feelings of nostalgia may come over you this week, prompting you to look at old family movies or thumb through photo albums. Enjoy this trip down Memory Lane. TAURUS Apr 21/May 21 It is good to remain positive and keep an open mind, Taurus. Maintain your optimistic attitude and others will soon gravitate toward you. GEMINI May 22/Jun 21 Take heart that many people around you are experiencing extreme emotions this week, Gemini. Help them work through the situation and your efforts won’t go unnoticed. CANCER Jun 2...
