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, This is in response to Gary Marbut's Op-Ed "Is This a Canary in a Coal Mine?" "Oh boy, even though I'm a little bit mentally unstable, I can still go out and buy that machine gun." TOM HENDERSON Whitehall, Montana...
Every girl puts on the same voice when imitating a guy. No one ever sings Happy Birthday to a baby on their birth-day. There are numbers large enough that no computer can store them. Breastmilk is the only thing most adult humans don’t ever remember the taste of. Pipe cleaners are used more for arts and crafts than cleaning pipes. As you age, 4 AM goes from being late at night to being early in the morning. Meatballs sure sound better than balls of meat. You rarely see a user review for jails. It’s lucky for native English speakers that Eng...
The primary elections are just ahead, where perspectives collide, and some are eliminated in the rush to November. This may be the most emotional and anger-tainted campaign ever, with little agreement on any front. There are so many perspectives! In the olden days, like in the last century, the choices were fairly well-defined. The questions on the ballots were simple: Democrat, Republican, Independent, and maybe a Socialist or Green party thrown in as a token gesture. Now, none of those...
Humans can distinguish between 2000 and 4000 different odors. Some have a heightened sense of smell and can distinguish nearly 10,000 types of odors; they are supposed experts in the wine and coffee industry. I would like to claim expertise in one of my favorite fields, chocolate, but if you follow my logic, I could be more of a consumer than a professional who distinguishes the various succulent odors. LOL! Other odors are not glamorous to discuss, especially dirty and smelly feet. Over the centuries, innovation has brought breathable shoes an...
ARIES Mar 21/Apr 20 You may have a chance to get to know someone better this week, Aries. Trust your instincts rather than listening to what is running through the rumor mill. TAURUS Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, you may be ready to shake things up in regard to your social life or even with a professional pursuit. Work out the path you want to take. GEMINI May 22/Jun 21 Following your curiosity may lead you down some interesting paths, Gemini. Things can change on a moment’s notice, so be prepared to respond. CANCER Jun 22/Jul 22 An intellectual d...
A gun show scheduled in Hamilton, Montana, for the weekend of May 17th, 18th, and 19th was canceled because of the new regulation by the Biden administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (BATFE) redefining what “engaged in the business” is for selling one or more firearms. Typically, some vendors at gun shows have federal firearms licenses to be in the business of selling firearms and require all buyers to complete a federal background check before completing a transaction. Other vendors are private sellers, not...
Dear Editor, I want to thank the folks who attended the Jefferson County House district campaign kickoff last week in Whitehall. Betsy Gaines Quammen read excerpts from her book True West: Myth and Mending on the Far Side of America. True West is Quammen's second book about extremist groups, the first being American Zion, a scholarly work about the LDS church's western migration. Betsy speaks in her book True West of the attempt by Aamon Bundy of Idaho and his followers to occupy the Malheur...
This is not my favorite topic, but I figured it 'tis the season, so here goes. Of course, I'm referring to election or political season. I do NOT like politics! I do my best not to get involved; I rarely vote, except for local elections occasionally. Speaking of local elections/politics, although I STILL would rather not get involved, I DO plan to vote this time. The biggest complaint I've been hearing lately from those who live in town (I do not) is the increased water rates while still...
Dear Editor, Rural Montanans deal with many trials that those in urban areas do not typically struggle with-whether that is internet connectivity, access to healthcare, or simply just the mileage it takes to get to a gas station or grocery store, the fact of the matter is that folks in the more remote portions of our state rely heavily on their vehicles to access the basic needs and services that we all rely on. Unfortunately, the EPA's recent rule mandating that two-thirds of vehicles sold by U...
As a society, we went quickly from overpopulation will kill us to population collapse will kill us. We have deodorant for armpits but nothing for buttcracks. Someone out there is tithing their Only Fans money. When we think of Steve Irwin, we all picture him wearing the same clothes. Sex scenes are hardly shown from the female point-of-view. Life gives more second chances than people think. We won’t give food and shelter to the needy unless they commit a crime first. Life becomes a paid membership when you turn 18. Most humans who have ever e...
Georgia, I have a question, I have two employees who usually leave work at 6 p.m. They are great workers, but I don’t like that their commitment lasts only for work hours. What should I do as a CEO? Be More Dedicated Dear Be More, You should copy and paste this complaint into a table in Microsoft Word 2007, print it double-sided in landscape mode, fold it in half eight times, soak it in olive oil, and eat it. Really - really??? You have great workers who are dedicated during work hours - respect them. With love, Georgia Georgia, I have q...
It’s almost summer, the weather is getting nice, and it’s time for some outdoor BBQ. Maybe your plans include inviting guests for a meal and conversation in the weeks ahead? Last week, we had two separate occasions like this with friends and family, which was very enjoyable. Have you ever had an unannounced guest or party crasher show up at your home? Dinner can get quite awkward, can’t it? Certainly, being hospitable is challenging if this occurs. In Luke chapter 7, we see a rather interesting setting where Jesus had a dinner invite from...
ARIES Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, you may meet an influential ally this week. Chat them up because this is a person you want to have in your network. You never know when you’ll need some assistance. TAURUS Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, you have real talent, so you should be proud and show off your efforts. Whether it is artistic in nature or you are a whiz with numbers, share your gift with others. GEMINI May 22/Jun 21 Explore creative possibilities, Gemini. You can use a new hobby right now that keeps you occupied. Look at trends that are popular right n...
Dear Editor, Good Wednesday, Jefferson County. This is a little note about last week's letter to the editor trying to mislead on Rank Choice Voting. The writer stated that I misrepresented Ballotpedia's explanation of rank-choice voting, saying we would only vote once as usual. He stated that the only thing that would be required is multiple tabulations and instant run-offs. How do you get multiple tabulations and instant run-offs? It seems to me you must vote. Nothing is wrong with the system e...
Dear Editor, Running for public office is not for the faint of heart. City council members, county commissioners, school board trustees, and state legislators all require a big commitment to do their jobs well. I admire anyone who tosses their hat into the ring. As taxpayers and voters, we all must participate by educating ourselves on the candidate's priorities and policies and, most importantly, voting. Our jobs are not done yet. We must remain engaged in the budgeting and policy-making...
Dear Editor, Republicans fight with each other all the time, but it seems the one thing they can agree on is throwing rural Montana under the bus. During the last session of the state Legislature, 130 of 150 legislators–Republicans and Democrats–passed a bill to fund the conservation of public lands and repair the county roads that help hunters, anglers, hikers, and campers access them. This bill, SB 442, would have ensured a permanent and stable source of support not just for the rec...
Insurance is the only industry whose entire business model does not give you what you paid for. Considering how advanced our species allegedly is, it’s amazing we haven’t evolved to live off of grass. This would have solved so many of our problems throughout history. Cows, deer, and many other mammals can live off of grass and similar foliage, but somehow, we can’t. By your 30th birthday, you will have spent an entire month celebrating your birthday. With the most powerful telescopes being mirror-based, we will never see the space vampi...
Boy, oh boy, oh boy! What better time to write about perspectives than an election year? Especially this one. I hardly know where to start. Local? State? National? Present, upcoming, or lingering on from the past? Events? Issues? Personalities? Real or perceived? All are integral in our lives, whether or not we’re directly affected or have any ability to make a difference. Some of the topics are front and center in our thoughts, while others are just too abstract to be worth thinking about. W...
Georgia, I have a question, I’m the mother of a five-year-old. I’ve been happily married for six years - but that could change after my husband’s outlandish Mother’s Day present. He gave me - deep breath - a “Mother & Toddler” two-hour art class for Mother’s Day. I love my child; I adore the ground she walks on, and she gives me endless hours of joy. We spend a lot of time together as I am a stay-at-home mom. So is it terrible that, for Mother’s Day, I do not want to be sent off to a class with my child while my husband plays golf? I want a...
Hindsight is everything someone once quipped. Looking back at circumstances, we can gain a greater appreciation or come to a better understanding. However, when in real-time, some matters can be confusing or completely misunderstood. Christians today have the luxury of hindsight when it comes to Jesus Christ because we have the Bible in our hands, and most accept the tenets of faith about His birth, death, resurrection, and Messiahship. This luxury was not always shared in the 1st century, even by His followers, including Thomas and, at times,...
ARIES Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, a friend has made steady progress and exhibited significant personal growth. Continue to support this person’s pursuits and act as a source of encouragement. TAURUS Apr 21/May 21 Your happiness can bring joy to many other people this week, Taurus. Spread your positivity among those who can use it the most. You will reap rewards as well. GEMINI May 22/Jun 21 The people around you may behave in interesting and unexpected ways, Gemini. You don’t know what to make of this, so sit back and watch the show. CANCER Jun 22/Jul...
Dear Editor, Ever promise yourself that someday you'd start reading your Bible every day but never got around to it? You're not alone. We will start a new round of free daily phone texts this week, designed to help you read your Bible cover-to-cover in about one year. This ministry is entirely non-denominational. You can use whatever version you prefer, and it doesn't cost you a penny. This will be the seventh year the Whitehall Church of Christ has done this. We forward these texts worldwide;...
Dear Editor, Jefferson County residents have the opportunity to elect an outstanding, proven Legislator from Elliston, Montana, to serve as our new State Senator in the newly drawn Senate District 38, which includes nearly all of Jefferson County. I've known Becky Beard for over 25 years and always found her to be an upright, conscientious, and principled conservative who listens to her constituents and votes in line with our family and rural values. With Becky, we have a wealth of experience...
Dear Editor, The “Infant at Work Policy” is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. Employees are paid to WORK, not tend to their babies with feeding, changing diapers, etc. Get a babysitter like everybody else must do! If you can’t afford a babysitter, you should have thought of that before you had the baby. SUSAN CONNOR Whitehall, Montana...
Dear Editor, I have read some opposition views on CI126, CI127, and Rank Choice Voting (RCV) in the Whitehall Ledger recently. One opponent cited Ballotpedia's explanation of RCV to support his opposition view. So, I compared Ballotpedia's explanation to the opponent's letter and found some discrepancies. I believe the author of the most recent letter misinterpreted Ballotpedia's description of RCV. He implied in his letter that voters would have to go to the polls multiple times over a period o...
