Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Sorted by date Results 11 - 35 of 2031
Dear Editor Last week's letters to the editor I found interesting. Terry Murphy's thank you narrative highlighted firefighting cooperation between the local, state, and federal governments working together to serve us in an expedient and efficient manner. In the future, I hope this cooperative example between agencies remains the rule and not the exception. Tony Hudson's letter pretty much defines the problem and the frustration many of us feel over corporate dark money in election campaigns....
Dear Editor, Montanans Should Support Christi Jacobsen – PERIOD. Montanans have never been afraid of a fight-especially when it's a fight to protect our state, our freedoms, and the integrity of our elections. That's why I believe Montana needs to send Christi Jacobsen to Congress. When Christi first ran for Secretary of State, the political insiders in Helena said it couldn't be done. She wasn't the candidate the establishment wanted. Her opponent was a former Secretary of State and the P...
Dear Editor, I would like to comment on both Letters to the Editor published in the Whitehall Ledger's March 11, 2026, issue by Roger Koopman and Senator Phalen (MT SD-17). Concerning Mr. Koopman's letter, I find myself agreeing with a few of his points. Specifically, I agree with the negative impact on democracy caused by Senator Daine's political manipulations in his attempt to ordain his chosen successor. Daines has proven to my satisfaction that he is a politician first and foremost and is...
Dear Editor, President Donald Trump wants to put Katie Lane, a Virginia attorney, on the United States District Court for the District of Montana. Let's skip the polite fiction. She is not qualified. This isn't about ideology. I practiced before conservative judges for decades. I respected them because they were prepared, disciplined, and deeply experienced. They understood judging because they first mastered trying cases. That is the point. The U.S. District Court is not a debating club or a...
Dear Editor, Montana doesn't need more data centers. Period. Our state built its economy on clean water, public lands, agriculture, local businesses, and responsible resource development. If more data centers come to Montana, they need to pay the full cost of the infrastructure they require. They must not drive up electric rates for existing customers or make a call on our water. Without fair compensation and careful planning, this novel industry has the potential to displace productive...
If you are worried about the impact of climate change on our shared future, you’re not alone. Many of us are familiar with the economic impacts of climate-fueled disasters, including recent widespread flooding in Libby. A report from Climate Central calculated that climate change caused $115 billion in economic damages in 2025. Yet, you may not have considered the growing emotional and psychological toll of the climate crisis. Young people are especially worried about the future we’re lea...
Serving the people of House District 69 has been one of the greatest honors of my life. For the past six years, we’ve worked together to strengthen water policy, protect our health care system, support public education, enhance conservation and infrastructure, ensure fiscal responsibility, and stand up for rural communities. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished — and I’m running for re-election because there is more work to do to keep SW Montana the best place to live, work, and raise a family. I’ve spent my life in Madison County. I graduated...
With neural implants, we are probably close to a “Sleep Now” switch for the human brain. Squirrels and guinea pigs both figured out how to solve the rat charisma problem, but in different ways. Chicken might be the only animal for which Googling it often shows pictures of it cooked instead of alive. You know you are overthinking when a simple text turns into a full conversation in your head. In 2006, a ringing phone was a social invitation. In 2026, it’s a suspicious activity report. Phone cameras need a “junk photo” setting for all those thr...
GEORGIA, I have a question, I’ve found out some pretty disturbing information, and I need you to tell me who I should tell. My best friend Ava is in a relationship with a good friend of mine, Mike. She’s recently been saying how she doesn’t feel very well, and she has put on some weight. I’ve come to the conclusion that she is pregnant. Here’s the thing...Mike, I know for a fact, is sterile. The baby can’t be his! He tried many times with his first wife to get pregnant, but it never happened. It was one of the reasons their marriage di...
ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 Sometime this week, you may discover a hidden talent you didn’t know you have, Aries. Embrace this new aspect of your identity and put it to good use. TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 This is a time when you might feel grounded and secure, Taurus. Your inner strength will allow you to take a calculated risk that will pay off, either with your finances or relationships. GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 You might find that this week a mental fog will lift, leaving you with a crystal-clear vision for the future, Gemini. Start moving toward y...
Dear Editor, Time to see the fairness of a children's game. Time for men to stop and learn to do the same. - The Kingston Trio We know the story. But how did we react to it? Montana's highest federal office holder, US Senator Steve Daines, did what almost every small child is taught not to do. He was a bully -- the big kid on the block who would only let his close friends step onto the field and play the game. That is the essence of the sleazy, deceptive, manipulative action Daines took by...
Dear Editor, Since the 2025 session convened, the Montana Freedom Caucus and other conservatives have been planning to expose HB231 and SB542, which are supposed to take effect in 2026. The Montana Chamber of Commerce knew it would impact property tax shifts to businesses, and that's why they lobbied so hard against it. Legislators were adamant to pass something, despite the ramifications. Now we see some calculations of the estimated impacts. Phillips 66 Company had an increase of $11,301,544...
Those who pick their nose are the same as those who marry for money. Both are Gold Diggers. Nothing makes the last bit of your toiletries, like toothpaste or deodorant, last longer than actually remembering to replace them ahead of time. The only establishment where customers frivolously throw dollars away more than at a strip club is the gun range. A movie or TV show about working in a mall in the 80s or 90s could be really interesting. There are so many different stores and so much weird stuff going on behind the scenes. You lose a lot of...
What ails politics in our great state? It’s not honest disagreements, differences of opinion, or differing policy objectives that afflict our system of government. It is those who present themselves and their motives falsely, masquerading to curry favor with those they hope to influence; all the while harboring hidden agendas and motives. For example, in 2024, a PAC called Conservatives4Montana, representing the “Solutions Caucus”, spent record amounts of money in primary elections. But where did this money come from, what does it represent, an...
GEORGIA, I have a question, I’ve always believed wearing all black was proper dress for anyone at a funeral or any such service. In recent years, though, this seems to have changed. “Church dress,” or subdued outfits in muted colors, seems to be acceptable. A friend told me that it is pretentious to dress in all black when the deceased is not a close friend or family member. It seeks to claim a status as a mourner that the wearer does not deserve. Then a high-profile lady was criticized for wearing a gorgeous, very dignified coat-dress in bl...
Wise men and women over the ages have observed that disagreements knock on our door when we least expect them. We, within “church circles,” encounter the same. The good news is that the Bible doesn’t leave us empty-handed. When conflicts arise to the surface, we are given principles to address such matters. In contrast to the temptation to follow the easy way, Paul depicts the Christian life as a journey and even as a course to run as the project of a life united with Christ. “Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long fo...
ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 A collaboration brings out your best side, Aries. Someone else’s strengths may complement your drive right now. You’ll get a lot of things done this week. TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 Your patience pays off in a relationship, Taurus. A long-term goal you share with a partner is moving into the planning stages this week. Enjoy the excitement ahead. GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, joyful news arrives via a friend in the next few days. Celebrate the successes of others, as your own turn for good news is right around the corner. CAN...
Dear Editor, In rural Montana, we notice who's pulling the strings. A lot of us in Madison County are conservative by instinct. We believe in hard work, personal responsibility, local control, and taking care of our own. That is exactly why we should be cautious when outside political groups like Americans for Prosperity come to Montana, recruiting politicians willing to prostrate themselves to sell a packaged version of "prosperity" in exchange for campaign funding. In a rural county,...
Dear Editor, In the upcoming November general election, two groups, Montanans for Nonpartisan Courts and Montanans for Fair and Impartial Judges, are proposing that Montana voters amend our Constitution to guarantee that judicial elections continue to be nonpartisan-as they have since 1935. This Constitutional Initiative (CI-132) proposes to add a new Section 1 to Article VII of Motana's Constitution by adding a new Section 12 that reads: Section 12. Nonpartisan Judicial Elections. Judicial...
Dear Editor, While some people are thrilled to golf in February, I wake up with a knot in my stomach. Winter used to mean reliable snow and temperatures that stayed below freezing. Now we hover in the 40s and even 50s. I find myself asking: Why can't I ski this year? What will this mean for wildfire season? For water? For summer? If you feel that too, it's easy to slip into helplessness. The climate feels too big, too global, too far beyond our control. But there is one practical step we can...
Dear Editor, Thank you to Jefferson Valley EMS for welcoming the Boulder Ambulance Service to the recent CPR and Refresher course. Your new building is amazing and we greatly appreciated your hospitality. ROSEMARY PERNA City Clerk/EMT Boulder, Montana...
If the “use it or lose it” theory of neuroscience is correct, then we’re going to have an absolute explosion of AI-induced Alzheimer’s in the future. People say they want peace, but often mean winning without consequences. It’s a shame we didn’t get real pictures of UFOs before AI pictures and videos are going to make it harder to tell the truth. All it takes is one family of girls to wipe out a last name forever. OpenAI’s military models probably killed people who considered ChatGPT their best friend. You don’t realize how much of your pe...
In a recent newspaper article in the Silver State Post/Philipsburg Mail, a group of local school board representatives and staff weighed in on Artificial Intelligence (AI). This subject is getting heightened attention here in Montana, nationwide, and around the world. My specific interest in this topic is not only related to the Montana Digital Academy Board, but also relating to the School Funding Interim Commission, both in which I participate. In the mid-February article, school reps and...
I’m tired of watching good Montana legislators get dragged by out-of-state groups that don’t know our communities and don’t care about our facts. Lately, these attacks have zeroed in on Representative Ken Walsh, criticizing him for supporting the HELP Act, Montana’s own Medicaid solution. The problem is simple: the attacks aren’t true, and they ignore what this program has actually done for our state. Montana’s Medicaid solution has been in place for more than a decade, and the results speak for themselves. Despite the fearmongeri...
Exemplary leadership is a characteristic that we often look for in others, although, as humans, we all have flaws or even sinful tendencies. Who is someone you admire? Christianity is no different; we are imperfect people. But Christ forgives the truly repentant. It is impossible to live sinlessly on this side of heaven, but the good news is that we can set our standards higher. It is interesting that Paul in Philippians wrote about “modeling” Christlike behavior. “All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if at so...
