Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
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State officials said today the alarming increase of fentanyl-related fatalities in Montana that occurred in 2020 does not appear to be slowing down thus far into 2021. The Montana Department of Justice’s State Crime Lab reported 41 fentanyl-related deaths in 2020, up from 19 in 2019. Through May 2021, there’s already been 22 total confirmed fentanyl-related fatalities, including 11 statewide in April alone. “This latest trend is extremely concerning and adds to the already existing deadly and costly impact illegal drugs have in Montana commu...
Last spring, at the height of some of the most anxiety-ridden moments of the pandemic, my father read a poem to me over the phone. He’s 89 this year, and while he’s vibrant and healthy I don’t take for granted any opportunity to hear his voice — especially when he’s reciting a poem. The poem, Mary Oliver’s Spring, describes the emergence of a black bear from its winter slumber. Oliver writes: “There is only one question: how to love this world.” This spring, as bruins emerged across the American West, I found myself wondering about the secre...
The recovery of the osprey population, a raptor that returns from the south each spring to the western 2/3s of Montana, is a success story that began almost 50 years ago when a widely used pesticide, DDT, was banned. But this wildlife management success story comes with some conflict. Younger osprey in search of nesting sites to breed and hatch eggs will build nests on power poles, causing outages and putting the birds at risk of electrocution. NorthWestern Energy crews were in Augusta in early...
Dear Editor, THANKS to Elizabeth Pullman for an excellent, balanced article on Steve Wagner and Jim Buterbaugh’s project. John Leyzorek Marlinton, West Virginia...
Dear Jo, I am a procrastinator, really. I put off anything I can until the last moment. I pick up the mail, put the bills under my fruit bowl and carry on. I see my prescription bottles emptying, know I should call, and still put off filling it until the last day. There are many more examples. Yes, it stresses me out. Yes, I know lots of things would be easier if I did not procrastinate. At this point, I am unsure how to change what has become a habit I have had most of my adult life. Any advice? Signed, Procrastination Specialist Dear...
"It's like having gasoline out there," said Brian Steinhardt, forest fire zone manager for Prescott and Coconino national forests in Arizona, in a recent AP story about the increasingly fire-prone West. Now something else is happening - and at the worst possible time. Federal firefighters are leaving the workforce and taking their training and experience with them. The inability of federal agencies to offer competitive pay and benefits is creating hundreds of wildland firefighting vacancies....
This year, appears to be more of a return to normalcy. Vaccinations and anti bodies seem to be giving protection and more confidence in activities and life. We are looking at things in our lives and our home that have been neglected or taken for granted. In our hometown, one of these things either neglected or taken for granted is our heritage Lewis and Clark murals. The murals are especially unique to Whitehall. No other town, certainly in our area, perhaps in the state has anything even remote...
Dear Jo, I am a people pleaser, have been all my life. It literally pains me to have people not approve of what I am doing and how I am doing it. I know it is not healthy either physically nor mentally to be this way. How do I gather the confidence to make decisions and go about my life without seeking the approval of others? Signed, Exhausted People Pleaser Dear People Pleaser, Ahhhhh, I have suffered from that one during my life also. I think everyone would like to be accepted and approved of, it is just more pleasant and easier. BUT, you...
Spending time outdoors around water and in swimming pools is a great way to stay active and healthy during summer in Montana. The Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS), along with local health authorities, want to remind Montanans to stay safe while having fun in the water over the coming months, and to be aware of the related health and safety risks. Over the past 10 years, there have been an average of 20 unintentional drowning deaths per year in Montana. Almost 50% of the drownings occurred in natural water, while others occ...
Dear Editor, Regarding Terry Minow Big Sky 55’s article on big pharmacy: Corporations do not pay taxes no matter their tax rate. If Zoom, which no one had heard of pre-pandemic had it’s profits grow 600%, they would in theory be taxed at a higher rate. No matter the rate paid, the cost are passed on to paying subscribers. t doesn’t matter if it’s a utility, pharmaceutical provider or a food distributor. If you set your prices to the customer you include your tax costs. If we were to tax drug suppliers at a higher rate we would each see it in t...
Dear Jo, What is it that makes people think going ANYWHERE outside their homes in their pajamas is a good idea? Is it such a hardship to simply put on a pair of pants and a shirt to leave your home? Also, now that the weather is warm, people are going out in skimpy clothing, which is not usually something that bothers me. But, when I (along with everyone else) can see more of them than we need to (ie...hiney parts, chest parts, ect.) it seems like people might want to take more pride in how they appear. Am I old, a prude, or justified in my...
Dear Jo, How can you tell if someone is really sorry? I feel like people say “I’m sorry” because they believe it will make me feel better or ease a tense situation, not because they genuinely are sorry. Signed, Sick of sorry Dear Sick, You are right! I feel the only way to tell if people are really sorry is to see if their behavior changes. If the sorry is followed by the same attitude or behavior, you know it was not truly meant. Signed, Jo ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dear Jo, I am a nurse and I am pregnant. The other day a patient actually asked me if wa...
Dear Jo, I recently became a grandmother for the first time. My daughter-in-law does not believe in circumcision. I have known many men who have suffered later in life because they were not circumcised. Can I step in and let them know how strongly I feel about my grandson’s future health?! Signed, Concerned Grammy Dear Grammy, To circumcise or not to circumcise is, well... not your decision. It is the decision of your beautiful grandson’s parents. It may be time to take a step back and let the scalpel fall, or not fall, where it may. Sig...
Dear Jo, I believe that I am Flying Solo’s mom (letter in last weeks paper). She put her question very nicely, being loved is definitely not all bad. I think a family get-together, honest and open might help, but does not always work, feelings still get hurt. Be happy Solo, your family loves you so much. Do what you do, then let them deal with it. Signed, the Bubble Wrapper Dear Bubble Wrapper, Thank you for writing in. I hope Solo reads this weeks paper. I am sure your comments will be appreciated. Signed, Jo ~~~~~~~~~~ Dear Jo, How many p...
One hundred thirty thousand dollars. That’s what it takes for a down payment to buy an average-priced home in Bozeman, Montana. Then an aspiring homeowner must fork out another $3,000 each month, which is more than two-thirds of their household’s paychecks if they make the median income for the metro area. That’s because the average home in the greater Bozeman area is going for more than $650,000, up from an already astronomical $500,000 in early 2020. A couple of tenured professors at the local Montana State University might be able to swing...
Dear readers, I am going to post a Dear Jo which I have taken the liberty of rewriting to make the content ok to print. To my Dear Jo writer, I hope I both represent your question and give good advice! Jo Dear Jo, I have a big problem….My boyfriend is cheating on me. I am pretty sure it is because I have put the brakes on our sex life. I did this because that is what our entire relationship seemed about. I found myself falling into the trap of putting his “needs” ahead of mine own, but no more! I am about ready to give up on the whole thing...
Dear Jo, I find myself discombobulated after the town Easter egg “hunt”. It appeared to me to be more of a “gathering” of eggs. Just a bunch of non-biodegradable plastic eggs lying on open ground. An Easter egg hunt is just that, a hunt for the eggs, hidden of course by the Easter bunny. This even could’ve been held over at the pavilion, where the eggs could’ve been hidden. I suppose those raised here do not find the town Easter egg gathering odd, I do not know for sure. My suggestion is to re-name the event or actually hide the eggs. Thank...
Dear Editor, Around 6pm on Sunday, April 18th, I headed up to our MT Web business location on Noble Street. When I pulled up the hill, I saw a fire with flames about three feet high spreading south rapidly through the grass. I called my wife and told her to call the fire department while I began to stomp at the edge of it to keep it from spreading. However, it jumped the alley with a big gust of wind, carrying it to Chris & Gretchen Tavenner’s lawn. I ran over and began stomping the area out, got two areas put out, then began working on the m...
Dear Jo, I try to keep myself well-groomed and looking sharp, so I shave every couple of days. For the most part, this works out fairly well, but I sometimes ‘nick’ (sorry, Nick) myself and end up bleeding like a stuck pig. How would you suggest I keep it clean without bleeding out or forgetting to pull the toilet paper off my cuts? Signed, Clean-shaven but NOT cut-free Dear Clean and Cut, Being well-groomed and looking sharp IS important. I have two suggestions. First, are you taking your time while you do your grooming? You may be trying to...
Dear Jo, Can you please advise me on a family situation? I recently moved to Montana in order to be closer to my aunt. She is a remarkable woman whom I love and respect. Her son, my cousin, recently moved back to Montana also. I enjoy time together with both. However, every time I go out to eat with them, he hits on the waitress. Now this may not seem like such a bad thing, but seriously, it is so bad that certain restaurants send men to the table to take our order his reputation is so bad. It is not funny, but is embarrassing and makes the...
The Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) has confirmed that an adult male from Richland County has been diagnosed with hantavirus infection. The individual acquired the illness while working out of state where there was an occupational exposure to mice. The individual was hospitalized but is now in the process of recovering at home. DPHHS and local public health agencies remind Montanans and visitors to the state to be aware of the risk of hantavirus and to take precautions to avoid exposures to rodents, their droppings and...
Dear Editor, When or if your readers read “Protect Children, Not Guns – An Initiative” in today’s Ledger, everyone should understand that it is not an Op-Ed by me. It is not an opinion. It is a fact and a reality faced by all of America’s children every day. It is my hope that many of you will “download” the entire publication of the Children’s Defense Fund’s “Protect the Children, Not Guns” and ask yourself, do I “treasure” my child/children - warm, loving, creations of God; or do I “treasure” my gun/guns – cold, hard, tools of Satan? “Fo...
On April 20, 1999, Americans witnessed a once unthinkable and no unforgettable tragedy at Columbine high School. We watched in horror as frightened children fled with their hands up, frantic parents tried to reunite with their children, and traumatized survivors told reporters about the violence they witnessed. It was the first time many of us saw these terrifying scenes. But it was far from the last. Since Columbine, an entire generation of children has suffered these sudden and terrifying...
Dear Editor, Why are our county election administrator Bonnie Ramey and state representative Marta Bertoglio supporting voter suppression bill HB176, which eliminates same day voter registration on Election Day? 60,000 Montanans registered and voted on Election Day over the past 15 years. Montanans have shown their support for this same day registration law when they voted to keep this law in place several years ago. Now, our elected officials support taking away this voting right from thousands of Montanans for every future election. This is...
Dear Jo, I am a bit chubby. I guess how chubby depends on how you view weight. I am also single. I am writing because I get mixed messages about the dating scene. Some say that losing weight and getting fit is important before I venture into dating. Others stress that I will only be happy with someone who can accept and care about me as I am now. Do you have any advice, an opinion? Thanks! Signed, Waiting Dear Waiting, First, don’t wait for ANYTHING in your life! Go ahead and date, do anything you are interested in, no waiting. Dating can be o...
