Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
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In the last few months, the Ledger office has been closed several times, more than ever since I purchased the paper. There are several reasons why, both professional and personal, and I thought I’d give everyone a little insight into my life. In February, my husband and I both turned 40 within five days of one another. To celebrate we took a wonderful excursion to Las Vegas where we ate fabulous food, were awed by Absinthe and Cirque Du Soleil “O”, and enjoyed one another’s company. In June, my best friend married her soul mate and I was hon...
Dear Jo, This weekend I was invited to attend a baby shower for a coworker's daughter. Several other coworkers attended as well. None of us had actually met the daughter. When we were introduced to the daughter, we all congratulated her on her upcoming bundle of joy....only to be told she wasn’t pregnant YET. Not only was she not pregnant, but she also was not even trying to get pregnant. Our coworker told us her daughter was down in the dumps since so many of her friends were pregnant and having parties, so the mom threw this faux baby s...
“When will I die?” is almost a universal question. After all, at some point, we do die. I try to approach the topic with sensitivity. I do understand that as this column reaches readers some are dealing with the death of a family member or a friend. Certainly, our families and communities have grappled with death in the past and it is part of life. Still, it tops the difficult subject list. The Bible reminds us, “Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,” (Hebrews 9:27). There’s no escaping this reality. Can we h...
Montana’s elk population has tripled over the last 40 years. For decades we have exceeded the sustainable objective levels in most hunting districts. FWP’s goal is 92,000 elk in Montana, but today there are an estimated 175,000. That excess elk population causes immense damage to family ranch operations in overpopulated areas, and it’s a problem that grows worse every year. What’s frustrating is we saw this problem coming years ago and set policy to address it. In 2003 I sponsored House Bill 42, which mandated that the Montana Fish & Game Co...
ARIES Mar 21/Apr 20 Financial inspiration could arrive this week, Aries. Instead of repeating old cycles in your life, think of minor tweaks you can make that will have an impact on your bottom line. TAURUS Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, if you are in a rebellious mood, find an outlet that will not get you into too much trouble. Engage in challenging pursuits, like puzzles or sports games. GEMINI May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, your relationship status is about to reach another level. Welcome these changes as they come and enjoy the ride. Don’t hesitate to s...
The most dangerous type of man is one that feels that he is superior but feels like he’s viewed as inferior. Arguing online is a form of turn-based combat. A perfect circle can never exist on a screen since it’s made of square pixels. You need to prove you can drive well to get your license, but you only present it when you drive poorly. The insides of our bodies are completely dark. Your favorite song might not be the one you’ve played the most, but the one you’ve skipped the least. The world isn’t getting more dangerous; it’s getting mor...
Dear Editor, This is in response to the opinion of Rebecca Johnson in her article in the 6/29/2022 Whitehall Ledger edition. Reading the articles on display after the ruling on Dobbs v Jackson which overturns Roe v Wade has shed some light on how uneducated the population is on the rule of law in this country. The foundation of these laws lies in the Constitution of the United States. The recent ruling on Roe was a win for every freedom-loving American because it was a win for the Constitution. Because this issue strikes a moral nerve, many...
Dear Editor, Two great things about Montana are our fish and wildlife. Whether you are a hunter, angler, or bird watcher this all is being threatened by legislation proposed by Matt Rosendale. He and Andrew Clyde (R_GA) propose to repeal laws that partially fund state fish and wildlife agencies, such as Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks. Montana and the rest of the nation did not always have viable populations of big game. In the 1930s wildlife populations were at an all-time low due to overharvest and habitat loss. Hunters, conservationists,...
Dear Jo, How can I, a vegan, convince my neighbors to stop BBQs? So far I am eight days into being a vegan and have never felt better! But with summer here, my neighbors are all having BBQs and enjoying each other's company...and I can’t be a part of it because I will revert to my old ways and devour that burger! How can I get them to stop it? Signed, I Have Limits!! Dear Limits, Let me see if I have this straight. You want an entire neighborhood to stop getting together because you don’t have the self-discipline to say no to a juicy, che...
Most readers are familiar with the name Timothy McVeigh, and to remind you, in 1995 he was convicted for the Oklahoma City bombing. What many of us forget is that the prosecution’s case against McVeigh had no eyewitness testimony. However, the circumstantial evidence was clear: Fingerprints on a sales receipt for ammonia nitrate, clothing and ear plugs that implicated him, a knife containing chemical evidence matched to the truck used; Ryder rental agent’s testimony of McVeigh renting the truck. Strong circumstantial evidence convicted McVeigh....
ARIES Mar 21/Apr 20 Try not to question the mysteries of the universe right now, Aries. Unconventional vibes are coming your way, which may lead you on some bizarre, yet enjoyable journeys. TAURUS Apr 21/May 21 Don’t believe everything you read on social media, Taurus. Some strange information is coming in and you have to weed through misinformation to make some smart choices. GEMINI May 22/Jun 21 There may be surprises around the workplace this week, Gemini. A supervisor could act out of sorts and the momentum may be a bit erratic. Ride out t...
Dear Editor, So, Roe v. Wade has been overturned. Some would argue that ruling never should have been made in the first place. Others, those who gleefully rejoice over its dissolution, are the same ones who believe that the government has power over us, granted by God. While that may or may not be the case, those who choose to believe thusly are well within their rights, as long as they don’t try to take away someone else’s right not to believe that! This is national news. Some might be asking, “what does it have to do with us here in littl...
Dear Editor, I turned to the last five minutes of Dr. Phil on Friday evening and was pleasantly surprised at his topic: Missing Indigenous People.” The show featured mostly women and children missing. I’m from Wyoming and have lived here fr years, and the lack of information on missing indigenous people has deeply saddened me. Letters to our state government might help. Thank you, Edie French Whitehall, Montana...
Most vegans have probably seen way more videos of animals being slaughtered than your everyday person. Anything you may do as a hobby, someone does professionally and earns their living that way. The thicker your thighs are, the more puppies can lay on your lap. Cats probably think we are kneeding our keyboards when we type and don’t understand why we don’t ever get to the part where we lay down on it. Some people’s calculator history is more embarrassing than their search history. We’re very lucky that mosquitoes aren’t as hard to kill as f...
Dear Jo, Well, it is summer. People run around in too little clothing, drive too fast and everywhere you go there are MORE people. I just want people to behave better. As a matter of fact, they could all stay home and make my day. Signed, Prefers Quiet Dear Quiet, For Heaven’s sake, get yourself together! Signed, Jo Dear Jo, Have you ever met someone that just looks all put together, every time you see them?! Seriously, I believe some women don’t have enough to do. How do you always have your hair perfect, your nails done, no wrinkles in you...
Over the centuries those who are skeptical of Jesus Christ, and specifically his resurrection from the dead, suggest that his followers perpetrated a major hoax. For the Christian we understand that Christ’s resurrection is a hinging factor for all we believe; because if Jesus did not rise from the dead, our hope is unfounded. What’s a person to do? I would suggest like other biblical apologists that we look at the evidence and examine the case like a crime scene. First, looking at Christ’s direct teachings, we discover that in Mark 8:31 Jesus...
ARIES Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, you can expect anything to happen this week, which makes it an ideal time to fall in love or fall back in love. Throw caution to the wind and welcome romance. TAURUS Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, don't be surprised if a former romantic partner or close friend reconnects with you this week. It may be possible to rekindle this connection if you so desire. GEMINI May 22/Jun 21 Don’t hesitate to try something new this week, Gemini. You’ll likely be surprised at what you discover you enjoy. You may even meet some interesting peopl...
The fact humans have so much trouble understanding each other’s differences says that they aren’t ready for extraterrestrial contact. The ultimate proof that there are no such things as ghosts is the fact that ghosts never haunt serial killers’ homes, even when bodies are hidden there. Military-grade evokes a positive connotation unless it’s food. Society decided that 18 is an adult with no scientific proof whatsoever. The roof of your mouth isn’t the roof, it’s the ceiling. The top of your head is the roof and everything in between is...
Dear Jo, Have you ever listened to a song and had thoughts that you wish life could be that way? Movies make me feel the same way. I feel incredibly happy when the movie is happy, sad when the movie is sad...all the emotions. Am I naive to believe we should always be paying attention to the wonderful possibilities and be working for them in our own lives? I want all that romance, those amazing feelings. Tell me I am not crazy. Signed, Looking on the Bright Side Dear Looking, Heavens to Murgatroyd, girl, get those feet back on earth and your...
Peter Stoner, philosopher and mathematician at Pasadena College a few years ago, described the probability of Jesus Christ fulfilling just 8 of those 300 Messianic prophecies are described in the Old Testament record. “Try to visualize this probability, if you mark one of ten tickets, place all of the tickets in a hat, thoroughly stir them, and then ask a blindfolded person to draw one, his chance of getting the right ticket respectively is 1 out of 10.” Now: follow him and my notes: “Now suppose we take 10 17 (that is ten times ten, times ten,...
ARIES Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, you are on fire lately. There’s seemingly nothing you touch that won’t turn to gold afterward. This trend will continue, but try not to let it go to your head. TAURUS Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, unless you take swift action, you could be heading for a financial free-fall. Start to pull back spending for a while and see if the situation will right itself. GEMINI May 22/Jun 21 It’s time to make amends with someone who did you wrong, Gemini. Life is too short to hold grudges, and this person has mended his or her ways since...
Generation X and Millennials will probably be the first generations in recent history to tell their kids about how much easier life was when they were kids. If you walk on the treadmill for an hour, it is considered normal. But if you walk around your dining room table for an hour, it is considered weird or mentally unwell. If you get paid minimum wage, your employer is probably willing to pay you even less if they could. Your bones will probably never make contact with another person’s bones. Being a construction worker in a world where s...
Let me be completely honest. The moment I put a newspaper edition to bed I am immediately beginning the next one. My computer layout is always a week ahead, while events of this week are still happening, and my brain is all over the place. Really, I'm not even sure my brain is attached to anything anymore, I feel like it is always just spinning. Last week I goofed. And I goofed big. When the election happened on Tuesday, June 7, that week's paper was already at the printing press. When I...
Dear Editor, Congratulations Gary! Having collected signatures from over 13,000 registered voters in our 40 county Eastern District, Gary Buchanan, Independent, will be on the November 8th general election ballot. It’s a four-way race. An “R”, a “D”, an “L”, and an Independent. What did we learn from these 13,000 Montanans? First, voters are disillusioned with party leaders throwing accusations at one another, like a ping pong game, trying to score points. Second, voters feel, with justification, that the parties have been captured by e...
Dear Jo, I own a small business. I love my store and feel protective of my space, but I also feel like I am welcoming as well. A customer came in with their dog. I allow dogs, I love dogs, and I do feel there is the assumption customers will control their dogs. This customer came in and their dog peed on a sheepskin hide in my store. Yes, peed. The customer did NOTHING! He did not clean it up, did not offer to clean it up, and did not offer to pay for the damage. I was not in the store at the time or I may have been arrested. I am still angry...
