Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Sorted by date Results 2 - 26 of 2004
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...
ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, your natural charisma is at an all-time high right now. A bold idea you’ve been sitting on finally gets the green light. Put your plan into action this week. TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 Comfort and luxury find you this week, Taurus. Expect a heartwarming moment in your personal or professional life that restores your sense of peace and well-being, GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 Your social circle may expand this week in the best way possible, Gemini. A new connection brings a refreshing perspective to a creative project. Now you...
It’s likely your left and right feet haven’t taken the same number of steps. You can turn any bad movie into a good one by pretending it’s a satire. There’s a specific point in a person’s life where a beard goes from making you look older to making you look younger. Considering that the brain treats social and emotional pain as being just as bad as physical pain, it’s weird that we don’t have an equivalent to “ouch” or “ow” for social distress. It’s hard accept that the toilet brush is the final form of toilet-cleaning technology. Turning our...
Dear Editor, Montanans deserve straight talk, not dark-money bushwhackers. I ardently defend free speech as the cornerstone of democracy. Montanans should always be able to speak their minds freely, criticize leaders, and hold us accountable without fear. But free speech is not a license for anonymous attacks or faceless smears. When accusations fly in elections, the person being attacked has every right to face their actual accuser and respond directly. And voters have every right to know who's...
Dear Editor, SNAP was my safety net when life quickly took a turn. I spent 7 years in animal welfare, a full-time job that I loved. It was through helping homeless animals that I learned how important welfare was for humans who've also fallen on hard times. My income was enough to scrape by with, though I was always wary of impending emergencies. Eventually, I left the shelter with intentions of moving out of the state. But plans changed and I stayed in Missoula... without a job. During this...
Dear Editor, Butte is on the move. As a fourth-generation Butte resident, I am thrilled to see the growth and development that is occurring in our community. Looking around, we see new developments at the Mall, Cornerstone Plaza, Uptown Butte, and various other areas across town. If you take a ride west of Butte to the Montana Connections Business Park, you will be amazed at the growth in that area, coming from both large and small businesses. That is exactly what was expected when that...
GEORGIA, I have a question. Last night I was driving home with my girlfriend, and she asked if I farted. I answered no, but she didn’t believe me. She kept on saying I was lying or joking, even after I told her a solid 15-20 times, “No, babe, I’m not joking, I’m not lying, I didn’t fart.” After that, I gave up and turned off the radio because I was upset she didn’t believe me. We sat in silence until I dropped her off. I called her today to try to explain that I was upset because she wasn’t taking me seriously, and I wasn’t feeling heard. She t...
ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 Unleash your inner architect, Aries. Your focus is laser sharp this week. Use this incredible mental clarity to map out a long-term goal that can lead to professional success. TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, you might uncover a previously unnoticed talent or find a fantastic, easy way to increase your income stream. Your instincts about finances are particularly sharp. GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 You are stepping into a week of elevated confidence and personal magnetism, Gemini. It’s the perfect time to make a splash, meet n...
We are considering the epistle Paul to the Philippians, where Paul testifies personally how Jesus is more than your most treasured possession. He continues with a fellowship of joy. In many of his letters to churches, he expressed this intense desire to see the return of Jesus and described it as a great hope; however, Christ’s Second Coming did not occur in Paul’s lifetime. Consider all the pressures he faced alongside the believers in the ancient, ancient city of Philippi—incredible persecution and suffering. Through everything, Paul press...
Dear Editor, What is up with Montana Medicaid?! Some people here in Whitehall are probably somewhat familiar with my personal struggles last year, what with spending several days in the hospital, losing my Medicaid, and, of course, my struggles with the legalities of driving my 'Sunshine.' Long story short, regarding my 'Sunshine' golf cart, when I was pulled over earlier last year, the deputy had told me, before she let me off with a warning, that I didn't need to register her, but I DID need...
Dear Editor, Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen is once again riding bravely into battle against a terrifying threat to our democracy: non-citizens voting. Yes, you read that right. Somewhere out there-possibly hiding behind a grain elevator or lurking near a Flathead Lake fishing dock-an undocumented voter is just waiting to steal your ballot. Or at least that's the story Jacobsen keeps selling. Her latest stunt? Sending postcards across Montana that prominently feature President...
Dear Editor, Montanans value independence, local control, and practical problem-solving. That's why the recent wave of political mailers targeting Ken Walsh deserves a closer look-not just for what they say, but for who is paying for them. Groups such as Americans for Prosperity have every right to participate in public debate. But when national organizations spend heavily in a small rural district, voters should ask whether the goal is to strengthen local communities or to enforce national...
