Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Sorted by date Results 1007 - 1031 of 1910
Dear Editor, I am encouraged by the outcome of the midterm elections. Not because all the candidates and ballot issues I voted for succeeded, but because winners and losers alike were, for the most part, gracious and accepted the will of the people. Civility may be making a comeback in politics. In my opinion, Americans chose democracy over autocracy in this election. So, why did a forecasted red wave turn into a red tide? Simply look at candidate quality. Swing voters certainly looked at candidate quality. They may have viewed Democrats as...
Dear Editor, Thank you to Betsy Marston for writing the article, “Hats Off to a Determined Woman” about Elouise Cobell, and to Editor Liz Pullman for printing it in the Whitehall Ledger. Elouise was my cousin. Her mother and my grandmother were sisters. As young girls, we spent time together at my grandmother’s Christmas and Easter dinners in Browning, as I too grew up on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation where my sister and brother still live. She seemed very shy, so it must have taken great courage to meet with elected and appointed polit...
Georgia, I have a question. My wife changed her Facebook status from “married” to “widowed”. Should I be worried? Not Dead Yet Yet, Yet is the key word here! Get outta there! Run, run, RUN! With love, Georgia Georgia, I have a question. I have a dog. His name is Charlie and he is four years old. I’m just wondering when I should start to teach him about sex. What age do you think is appropriate? Naive Pupper Pupper, I highly doubt your pupper doesn’t already know about the birds and the bees. Also, this isn’t exactly something someone can t...
We often use idioms to make a point clear. A “pickle” refers to a difficult situation or a quandary. Most likely you have escaped by the skin of your teeth a time or two from a pickle you’ve created yourself. I have. Leaders learn what to do through experience. Preparing for a recent sermon I turned to the Martyr Stephen, and studied God’s Word. The Bible provides us with examples in which people displayed quality character when encountering difficult circumstances, one being Stephen. Acts records how the church was growing in spite of intense...
ARIES Mar 21/Apr 20 You may become impatient with the slow progress of a project at work, Aries. Before you get your feathers all ruffled, figure out if bringing more people onto the team may help. TAURUS Apr 21/May 21 It may have taken a while, but you’ll start to see some results from actions you initiated weeks ago, Taurus. Your steady pace will pay off in a big way. GEMINI May 22/Jun 21 Lean on all of your social contacts this week, Gemini. If you’re looking to get out of the house and have fun, they will probably have some ideas on whe...
Deaf people lose freedom of speech when handcuffed. A driver's license can be used to buy things that impair your driving. When everyone started carrying cameras, sightings of UFOs and Bigfoot vanished, but police misconduct skyrocketed. People who complain about chem trails don’t seem to care about exhaust from cars. You don’t know how many Oreos are too many until you’ve eaten too many. More adults go to toy shops than children. Getting a life sentence and a death sentence isn’t that different. Either way, you’re spending the rest of your l...
Georgia, I have a question, I hate this word, but it is the only way to describe this. Why is my grandma’s house always...moist? Like, everything just feels swampy in there. She lives here in Montana, with no humidity, yet I feel like I’m in the bayou when I visit. Her table is damp, her chair is wet, and the air is...well, again, moist. I don’t get it. Disliking the Moisture Dear Moisture, Oh, moisture...it is a crazy thing. My guess is your grandma has a humidifier that may be turned on a little too often, which may make the Montana air f...
Montanan men and women going back to the pioneer days have put a premium on self-reliance. As such, even modern Montanans shun outward appearances of weakness. So, we consider weakness as a handicap, something that keeps us from reaching our goals. Weakness, as a characteristic, goes against an early American standard. Work hard and you are supposed to be rewarded. How often do you see weakness celebrated? Never. The Biblical perspective on weakness is unconventional. God often chose the humble over the proud or the frail over the strong;...
ARIES Mar 21/Apr 20 Try to focus on all of the things that are going right in your life right now, Aries. Avoid focusing on those things that have gone wrong. A new perspective is all you need. TAURUS Apr 21/May 21 This week you need to slow down and smell the proverbial roses, Taurus. You’ve likely been moving at breakneck speed and you can’t maintain this momentum. Take a break. GEMINI May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, when someone presents an idea to you, use your intuition to determine if you should get involved. You can trust your gut on this dec...
We all know the old saying: it takes a village to raise a child. However, that old adage can be applied to so many aspects of life. Most recently I've realized it takes a village to put on a community event. From Frontier Days to Fall Festival, to Shakespeare in the Parks to Screams Come True, there are so many people behind the scenes that don't receive the proper credit for everything they've done to make the event a success. Without that proper credit, we lose volunteers who make the event...
Dear Editor, Another fine piece from Jon Goff at Montana Decides (The Long Green Mile, 10-19-22.) I was struck by this line: “benefits (or lack thereof) are rarely considered or challenged due to the assumption that all public expenditures are always worthy without question.” Why might this be the case? To my eye, we have lived our entire lives in an ever-more-corrupted system. We’re collectively sitting on top of generations if not centuries of political malfeasance, corporate and financial shenanigans, a two-tiered justice system, mains...
Dear Editor, Serving as an effective county commissioner requires at least three attributes: collaboration, a can-do attitude, and vision. Whitehall Mayor Mary Hensleigh exemplifies all these (and more), which is why I enthusiastically endorse her for Jefferson County commissioner. I’ve seen too many county commissions across the state paralyzed by the grinding of personal axes, partisan bickering, and an inability to focus on the big picture. In the words of one of my colleagues, it’s hard to roll up your sleeves when you’re wringing your...
Dear Editor, Throughout Montana’s modern history we’ve consistently had a mix of republican and democratic leadership, with one party as governor and always a mix in congress. When I was a kid, our governor was Ted Schwinden (D), followed by Stevens (R), Racicot (R), Martz (R), Schweitzer (D), Bullock (D), and Gianforte (R). If you keep looking back, you’ll see a surprisingly balanced “purple” trend in the office with 9 republicans and 15 democrats. Our congressional delegation has exemplified a similar trajectory, currently with senators...
Because some trees take so long to grow, it’s possible the average piece of paper is technically older than the average person. Alphabet soup in Japan must be wild. The last thing a conspiracy theorist wants is for everyone to agree with them. The fact that Google automatically completes our searches shows how unoriginal we all are. Sand is the only material you need to make an hourglass. Considering how short our attention spam has become, even a 5-second ad is torture. You’re always eating your own snot but it’s only considered gross if you t...
Certain people leave lasting impressions on us, don’t they? I have been taking some time to research the character quality of grace from the Bible’s perspective, and I have been recalling personal examples. The exercise has been off and on for over a month. We are inspired by those who are positive, often aiming our life in the same direction. Likewise, we also watch those who display negative attributes, affirming that such a quality is something we do not want to emulate. Who is it that inspires you? The late preacher Billy Graham said, “When...
ARIES Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, you’re normally content acting on a whim, but this week you may want to plan your schedule with a bit more detail. Think about what to accomplish. TAURUS Apr 21/May 21 When considering a situation, remember there is more than meets the Taurus. Dig a little deeper and you may uncover the truth. Remember to ask the right questions. GEMINI May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, you have an entire team rallying in your corner this week. You can use a little extra support. All you need to do is speak up and others will come to your aid. C...
The taller the person the more freaked out they are by people taller than themselves. Spiderman can only operate in a small number of Earth’s cities. In most of them, he’d be virtually useless. Many people are choosing to live their own version of the Truman Show by voluntarily sharing all aspects of their lives on social media. Most people that you know have a memory of you that you have no memory of. Being considered cute to humans is probably the single best evolutionary strategy. Sometime in your 40s, you are likely to hit the halfway mar...
Dear Editor, It’s less than two weeks until the mid-term elections. I would encourage each of us to become well-informed voters. This means some research, and that takes time. Who can you trust? Follow the money and find some trustworthy people to answer questions. Read thoroughly the ‘Voter’s Pamphlet’ from the Sec. of State. Thomas Jefferson said, “If we are to guard against ignorance and remain free, it is the responsibility of every American to be informed.” That includes city, county, state, and federal offices. Remember it’s a priv...
Dear Editor, I would like to commend the Whitehall Garden Club on their pie event during the Fall Festival last weekend. This enthusiastic crew donned festive pie hats and put on a fun event in the Star Theatre. Whole pies were auctioned off at a silent auction to benefit many non-profits, and slices of pie were sold individually. (Yes, I sampled my fair share). Thank you for hosting the pie auction, and for your cheerful atmosphere! Pie, pie hats, it doesn’t get any more fun than this! Lorie Steerman Whitehall, Montana...
Dear Editor, I am not perfect by any means, particularly when it comes to the subject of this letter. At the danger of retracing our steps in what’s probably familiar territory, I again wanted to bring up the subject of Shop Local. I totally understand sometimes it just makes better sense, financially speaking, to shop over the hill in Butte, a bit further in the opposite direction in Bozeman. or up the pass in Helena. Sometimes, if I’m going to be in one of these cities for whatever reason, I might end up doing my shopping at Walmart or som...
ARIES Mar 21/Apr 20 This should be a very interesting week, Aries. Money matters will be at the heart of it. Figure out what you want to do with the extra cash that you have accumulated. TAURUS Apr 21/May 21 Treat everyone with a bit of caution, Taurus. Some person in your circle may need a little extra support this week, and your calm and even approach could be just what’s needed. GEMINI May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, this week has the potential for a few bumps in the road that could be avoided if you simply slow down a bit. Think things through or y...
It’s fascinating that we still have people alive who once in their life spoke with someone born in 1850. To the first people to fly above the clouds, it must have seemed like a miracle. Unless you live to 100, every year you live is more than 1% of your life. Average looking is actually above average. In the morning, your alarm clock wakes you up while you basically tell it to go back to sleep. Erasers slowly sacrifice their lives because of your mistakes. Spiderman wouldn’t have as much mobility if he lived in the suburbs. Deodorant is act...
Dear Editor, Mary Hensleigh is a proven leader with the talent and skills to be an excellent Commissioner for Jefferson County. “Mary the Mayor” is respected statewide for her ability to get the public’s work done in effective and common-sense ways. As a Jefferson County representative to the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority—a 19 county Montana transportation district—she is known for her hard work, ability to get to the heart of any matter, and sound judgment. Mary is a practical problem solver who brings a positive approach and a spirit of...
Dear Editor, My sincerest apologies to Bob Sims for misdirecting my response to a letter written by Bob Wagner, challenging a woman’s right to choose in last week’s Ledger. I am especially grateful for Bob Sim’s graciousness when he called to inform me of my mistake. God bless a gentleman. Ruth Lott Cardwell, Montana...
Dear Editor, In last week’s Whitehall Ledger, I read that Ruth Lott respectfully disagreed with my position on a woman’s right to choose. I was shocked. I did not think this was possible since I have never articulated my position on this subject (see the previous Letter to the Editor). But since Ruth brought it up, I will try to outline my position here. I am conflicted about a woman’s right to choose an abortion. I do not think it is right to force a woman to give birth if she does not want to. I have seen enough births to conclude that givin...
