Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Sorted by date Results 185 - 209 of 1910
ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, this week, your dreams might be a tool for gaining insight into what you want to accomplish. Although dreams can’t predict the future, they may reveal some of your subconscious desires. TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 Follow your instincts this week, Taurus, even if you’re more prone to reason than whimsy. Let the chips fall where they may and go with the flow. GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 This week can be all about feeding your mind, Gemini. Walk around a bookstore and pick up the first book that catches your eye, regardless of i...
The Bible provides specific and ample evidence of the incredible challenges Jesus encountered during His life and ministry, demonstrating His loving sacrifice. As humans, most of us admire another person who overcomes and perseveres through life experiences. Seldom are we honestly drawn to those who live carefree or posh lifestyles? This is exactly why Christianity is far different from many world religions; the One who created us came to earth in human form but remained fully God, lived a perfect life, and paid the ultimate sacrifice for our...
Dear Editor - please publish the following letter of appreciation. Dear Ladies of the Whitehall Country Store, Thank you so much for the $10,000 you donated to the Jefferson Valley Volunteer Fire Department for firefighting equipment. We will use it to purchase one new self-contained breathing apparatus that we use in structure fires. Your ongoing dedication and concern for the needs of our community is amazing and we value what you do immensely. Sincerely, Jefferson Valley Volunteer Fire...
Why aren’t there more topically applied recreational drugs? We automatically assume eggs in recipes mean chicken eggs. If the whole world relived the same day over and over, Groundhog Day-style, it would probably take some people a while to notice. It must be insanely time-consuming to design fonts for Chinese and Japanese. It’s weird how no one says anything after a cough. You get “bless you” with a sneeze, but you get awkward silence with a cough. There are people alive today who have heard the camera-shutter sound-effect more often than they...
GEORGIA, I have a question, My friend tagged me in a radio station contest for four free tickets to a concert (because it said to tag a friend you would bring, not that that is binding or anything). I figured I’d enter, too, and tagged her in return. I ended up winning and was sent my four free tickets! My friend found out I won and is now asking for her half of the tickets. She suggested we could each pay for one ticket ($28) for ourselves and then use the two free ones for our kids (we each have two children) and make it a fun night out. I d...
ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 Telling the truth has always come naturally to you, Aries. But tact isn’t always your specialty, and sometimes your candor is now well-received. Keep that in mind this week. TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 It is time to make peace with someone, even if it is the last thing you want to do this week, Taurus. There is no better option than to talk it out, so schedule that chat as soon as possible. GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 Sometimes, you like nothing more than being silly with other kindred spirits who get you, Gemini. But you’re in a d...
Throughout history, certain people have clamored for signs regarding the Second Coming of Jesus. Some lean towards honest curiosity, others towards shaky intuitive thinking, which can be problematic. Who better to address the question than Jesus? In Luke 21, we read of this conversation, “Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, ‘As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown d...
Montanans are being crushed under the weight of skyrocketing property taxes. Longtime residents are watching their tax bill soar as wealthy out-of-staters scoop up land and inflate home values across Montana. Families, seniors, and working people across the state are pleading for relief. This session a group of Montanans – Republicans and Democrats, conservatives and liberals – came together to deliver meaningful property tax relief. Unfortunately, a group of Montana lawmakers stood in the way and are now actively campaigning to get Gov...
The 2025 Legislative Session is over and it is time to look back at what was accomplished. For 85 days, Montana House Republicans worked hard to make Montana a better place to live, start a business, and raise a family. Property tax relief was our number one priority. The property tax package passed by the Legislature provides significant relief to Montana resident property taxpayers. The current property tax rate on residential property is 1.35%. For the 2025 tax year, the property tax rate will drop to 0.76% on the first $400,000 of market...
We’re lucky that pigeons make gentle cooing noises, not loud squawking noises. The idea that you master something after ten thousand hours does not hold much water, as people still bite their tongue when they eat. If human beings laid eggs, consuming them would be considered anything from taboo to ritualistic, varying from culture to culture. By the laws of logic, “to be or not to be” is always true. The day technology reaches singularity will be known as Independence Day for robots and Doomsday for mankind. You never realize how loud your...
GEORGIA, I have a question, I have five siblings, all over the age of 27. None are employed, and all are on government support or disability. Every Mother’s Day for the last 22 years, I have paid the bill for dinner for all of us, which is hundreds of dollars. I have paid because I am the only one with a stable income; I make a good, comfortable living, but I am not rich. This year, I am finally a mom. As a 38-year-old, I also don’t feel that it is still my responsibility to pay for all of my siblings. Yes, I can afford it, but it has now bec...
The subject of wealth and prosperity comes up often in the New Testament. Jesus taught about money and possessions nearly 15% of the time, including the matter in 11 of His 39 parables. As a truthteller, He most often cuts to the motive of an individual’s heart, which reveals that person's character. First-century Jewish society was extremely polarized. The affluent treated the poor harshly, including the religious leaders who were excessively judgmental. Jesus stood up for people of good character. “As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich put...
ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, you soon find yourself pushing forward with great determination. Your drive is unstoppable, but tread carefully and respectfully in pursuing greatness. TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 Introspection is paramount right now, Taurus. You may reflect on your values, goals, and personal growth. This week, there are chances to change. GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, right now is a good time to collaborate with others, whether at work or in personal projects. Use any time this week to your advantage to attend social events. CANCER -...
House Bill (HB) 477, to phase out single-use expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam food containers across Montana, has passed both the House and Senate with strong bipartisan support and backing from a diverse coalition of stakeholders. The bill, aimed at protecting public health, reducing litter, and supporting agricultural and timber business opportunities, is now before Governor Greg Gianforte. Since first introducing an EPS phase-out bill in 2019, sponsor Representative Marilyn Marler, D-Missoula, has worked to address lawmakers’ concerns and c...
The first 2/3 years of The Truman Show must’ve been boring to watch. Depression and anxiety are symptoms of social isolation, but without having a pandemic. While obviously even, it just feels wrong for a number like 777,777,772 to not be odd. An advanced aquatic civilization would have a harder time space-faring. Some of the most critical decisions that guide our futures are when we are inexperienced, hormonally unstable, and cognitively underdeveloped. Every left-handed Beatles member is still alive, while every right-handed member is d...
Dear Editor, On the last day of his presidency, in his last speech, President Ronald Reagan recalled what someone had once written to him: "You can go to live in France, but you cannot become a Frenchman. You can go to live in Germany or Turkey or Japan, but you cannot become a German, a Turk, or a Japanese. But anyone, from any corner of the Earth, can come to live in America and become an American." "We lead the world because, unique among nations, we draw our people-our strength-from every co...
Dear Editor, A big THANK YOU to the Whitehall Country Store for being available to utilize the leftovers from the Cardwell Church Mission Trip Bake/Garage Sale from last week. The town of Whitehall is very blessed to have this wonderful resource for shopping for quality, affordable clothes as well as household items, toy,s etc., etc. The location is perfect for parking and/or unloading items, and it provides funding to the Town, Jefferson Valley Museum, Whitehall community swimming pool,...
GEORGIA, I have a question, My daughter is away at college. Since she will stay in the city this summer for an internship, she asked me to send the rest of her things out of her bedroom. While doing this, I came across an item I was uncertain about what to do with. Way back in the corner on a high shelf in her closet, I found a shoebox that contained a....toy. I imagine she would be beyond embarrassed to know I discovered it (if my mother had found something like that in my room, I would have died!) Should I put it back and wait and see if she...
Christians worldwide just finished celebrating Easter, an event that commemorates the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. The central theme of the Bible hinges upon one powerful truth: Jesus came to redeem all of us who are lost in sin by His atoning sacrifice on the cross. We can be seen as righteous through Christ’s accomplished work of the cross and the empty grave. All through a simple act of faith and repentance by placing our trust in Jesus Christ. Is it possible for rocks to cry out loud? This may seem odd, but the theme is seen t...
ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, you may want to take charge of your professional life this week. Trust your instincts, but remember that you may have to leave your comfort zone at some point. TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, expect a week of self-reflection. Old emotions might resurface and offer you a chance to grow and heal. Plan to hang out with close friends if you feel out of sorts. GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 Make sure you are not spreading yourself too thin this week, Gemini. Even though you are eager to connect and socialize, you might want to...
A common sentiment throughout cultures and history is the dreaded visit of a tax agent or tax collection day. In the U.S., April 15 annually is set for income taxes, although hundreds of thousands of businesses file quarterly. There are also strong sentiments on what our government does or does not do with our money as taxpayers. Rather than getting into a tangled mess about taxation, I would like to draw your attention to the streets of Jericho during the first century. A chief tax collector, Zacchaeus, had a life-changing conversation with Je...
Dear Editor, I was once again amused to read another extreme Op-Ed by Roger Koopman in the April 23 edition of the Ledger disparaging those of us peacefully demonstrating against President Trump's policies. As usual, Mr. Koopman weaponized his editorial with name-calling and derogatory statements. Once again, little or no substance was included in his misleading rant. I do concede that his tirade of abuse could be found entertaining by uninformed extreme conservatives, but not constructive. Why...
It’s illegal to let your child/pet starve, but legal to let them get morbidly obese. It’s crazy how the previous generations were so addicted to cigarettes that they had built-in lighters in their cars. The children most impacted by peak leaded gasoline fumes are now 50-75. Grape soda is always purple, which completely ignores the existence of green grapes. There was only a short time between the “Oh, this is Al” phase and the “Is this Al? I’m not sure” phase. Some people chew the dry skin off their lips. They’re eating themselves. Tha...
ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, there’s a secret that you have been holding on to, and you are ready to let it go. It won’t weigh you down anymore, and you can finally focus entirely on the future instead of the past. TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, certain ground is tough for people to travel, but you have the conviction and grit to get things done. You have a history of thriving when faced with adversity, and that’s an asset. GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, keep an eye open for a challenge. When given an opportunity that will require your fulle...
Dear Rocky Mountain Head Start Board of Directors and Whom It May Concern, My name is Melissa Einboden, and I am writing with a sincere and heartfelt request on behalf of our local preschool program's families, children, and supporters. In the past year, I have been in the classroom a lot. Just ask Whitehall classroom staff. I have developed a passion for these kids and just like the Head Start kid I was, my mom would have told you- I have a hard time accepting, uh, not getting my way.... We...
