Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Sorted by date Results 256 - 280 of 1910
Dear Editor, My inclination to be active in politics has been minimal. I had a farm to run and sons to raise. I marched in the '80s for reproductive rights and again in 2016 to protest Trump's presidency. I've signed the odd petition, always voted, always paid my taxes. Regardless of the political party in power and I've voted for both, I have never felt that this Republic or the democratic principles on which it is based were at risk. That has changed. We have a convicted felon with no respect...
Dear Editor, To the individual who has an opinion on the "serial killing" of coyotes. You are clearly misinformed about the benefits that such an event provides. Why someone who lives four towns east of Whitehall has an opinion on a town they don't live in is like a democrat complaining about the conditions in a third world country but doesn't send money to help. If you don't like the way we do things in Montana, maybe you should move back to whatever state you came from. A well-managed coyote...
Dear Editor, Much like cancer cells, the government, when diseased by corruption, waste, and abuse, consumes its own body. This is how a country living in a credit-driven economy meets its ultimate death. The economic model that allows unlimited credit for individuals and the government to live today on the promise of tomorrow's productivity has to have a reasonable expectation of that productivity to satisfy the debt. Add interest payments to the debt, a demographic implosion, and moral...
Dear Editor, I assume that the flyer from Americans for Prosperity (AFP) regarding my vote on HB 320, commonly referred to as the Montana Academic Prosperity Program for Scholars (MAPPS), was distributed county- or district-wide. Therefore, I felt it was important to respond. I fully support education for all and respect the desire for choices, including private, homeschool, or hybrid options. However, I firmly believe that taxpayer dollars should prioritize public education. Let’s first examine what HB 320 would have done if passed. The b...
It’s probably much less common for friends to share the same first name in fiction than in real life. You can tell if a business was founded before the internet because it uses tricks to get its name to the front of the alphabet in the phone book (e.g., A1 Storage, AAA Cleaning, etc.). Clocks with chimes are noisiest during the same hours most people try to fall asleep. Nowadays, dating apps feel like playing against someone instead of meeting someone. Cowboys are a type of wizard. They wear wide-brimmed hats, ride horses, and smoke, and i...
The halfway point of legislative session, also known as transmittal, is a flurry of activity followed by a much-needed weeklong break for the legislature. Many Montana legislators are farmers or ranchers or come from rural communities, so it can be helpful to think of legislative session in those terms: planting seeds by introducing bills or breaking new ground to find creative solutions to the challenges facing our state. Unfortunately, you also see legislators sowing division or “milking” certain opportunities for personal gain. Halfway thr...
GEORGIA, I have a question, I never wanted to be a father. After one too many scares in college, I got the snip. I didn’t tell my mother or sisters because, frankly, as much as it may upset them, our family name dying out doesn’t affect me - we aren’t the royals. Over the holidays, I messed around with a family friend's daughter several times. Yesterday, I was woken up by a furious phone call from my mother. The daughter claimed to be pregnant, and I was named as the father. My brain didn’t catch up to my mouth - I told my mom that was impossi...
If you’ve ever built a home or embarked on a major home remodel project, I bet you’ve crunched the financial numbers to see if you can make ends meet. Recently, the cost of goods and services, especially construction supplies, has spiked. One thing is for certain: No one generally sets out to start a project only to abandon it halfway through the process. Sometimes, this occurs either for economic reasons or personal reasons. An interesting example is the Ryugyong Hotel in Pyongyang, North Korea. in 1987. Construction began as this mag...
ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, you are in a leadership position this week, whether you realize it or not. Your confidence may inspire others to follow your lead. Just be sure not to micromanage. TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, stability is vital to you. This week, you may find yourself craving a deeper connection. Explore the different types of relationships in your life and make a plan. GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 This is an excellent week for networking and making new friends, Gemini. However, be careful of overcommitting, as it is easy to fill up yo...
I was disgusted to learn of the coyote killing contest last weekend (February 21-23) in Whitehall, Montana. Apparently, a local high school senior organized the event as a fundraiser for Future Farmers of America. This is particularly disturbing and reflects poorly on the community of Whitehall. I find it hard to believe that a teenage girl would harbor that type of hatred for animals which leads me to the assumption that her father likely indoctrinated her with this cruelty towards animals. Other parents took their young children there in an...
Dear Editor, Montana: the "Last Best Place," or "Best at Being Last?" Failure to pass HB 382 this past week in the House of Representatives is a clear sign that defines opposing ideologies that are inconsistent with the freedom our founding fathers envisioned for us. If passed, the state of Montana would have recognized gold and silver, which would allow residents to store wealth, despite the decline of the Federal Reserve note. As Mayer Amshel Rothchild once stated, "Give me control over a nati...
Dear Editor, Most of us witnessed on television or heard about the Oval Office meeting fiasco with Trump, Vance, and Ukraine's President Zelenskyy. At this point, it should be evident, even to the most trumpiest of Trumpsters, that Donald Trump is taking America and the rest of the free world down the path of ruin. However, it is not all Trump's fault. As I learned from the Stargate television series, "False gods cannot be gods without those standing beneath them gazing upwards." DON LEPINSKY...
Dear Editor, Some years ago, I attended "Mule Days" in Whitehall, MT. I was impressed by the wonderful facility and the organization of the event itself. I took many photos. I passed through last fall wanting pictures of the idle arena. I was disappointed to find only shredded caution tape and discarded water bottles. Such a shameful end for a beautiful arena! KEN MANDELIN Duluth, Minnesota...
Many people would instead feel right than be right. If Pokemon were real, fire types would be illegal to own in California. People tend to give you the advice that justifies their own decisions. Eye drops are blinker fluid. When we get sick with a cold, we might think we should take medicine that improves our immune system or attacks the virus, but we mostly only take medicine to reduce our body’s immune response because it doesn’t feel good. Someone will cut in front of you in line at least once in your life. Why has no one started a cla...
GEORGIA, I have a question, My current partner has claimed since we started dating two years ago that bullying is his love language. Some days, I handle it well. Other days, it makes me feel very disconnected and unwanted. He enjoys taking jabs at me and has repeatedly claimed that this is what he saw between his parents, so it’s normal. I have pointed out to him that using his parents is not the greatest example of a marriage as both spouses cheated and his mother finally left his father after 20+ years of marriage, once the youngest of six ch...
In Luke 13, there are four scenarios, three parables, and one life story to help readers understand God’s timing better. I’ll be the first to admit that there are times when my faith is weak, and I have trouble trusting God’s plans as they unfold. It’s important to recall that chapters in the Bible are interrelated; they are “addresses” that assist us in finding certain passages. Interestingly, Luke 12 brings to our attention the unexpected return of Jesus Christ; we need to be prepared. That theme continues into chapter 13, including t...
ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 You might feel like you have extra energy to chase goals and take bold actions this week, Aries. Your natural drive will be strong. Find opportunities to assert yourself in new areas. TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 You may feel compelled to slow down and nurture your inner self this week, Taurus. Take time to reflect on your values and personal goals. If you have been feeling overwhelmed, get some rest. GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 You are in a social mode this week, Gemini. Your communication skills will take center stage, and it’s a...
We often complain about others’ headlights being too bright, not knowing how bright our headlights are. If a movie or show is live-action, you are an extra, though you are far off-camera. An infestation of bugs is unwelcome unless they’re ocean bugs called lobsters. “Happy Birthday to You” is probably the song you will hear most in your life directed at you. Getting a 3 out of 5 stars is much better than a 6 out of 10. It’s crazy that society tends to glorify pirates and make them seem cool as we’re growing up. You don’t realize how well your...
Dear Editor, I have lived in Whitehall for nearly 30 years now. At one time, I was very involved in this community, but life has taken some hard turns, so now I live quietly and relatively uninvolved. However, I was in a local store the other day, and two women were attempting to talk in "hushed" tones. Obviously, they did not want people to know they were talking about the heated "issue" at hand in Whitehall. They were simply voicing their opinions, but I was a bit shocked to realize what the p...
Dear Editor, I would like to respectfully respond to James Reiff's letter in the Whitehall Ledger on February 19, 2025. Mr. Reiff, I think you did not totally understand the problem with the Whitehall School Administration's handling of the play and the response from the community. First of all, the school administration did not review the play draft in a timely manner, which resulted in a lot of drama from many sides. I firmly believe the drama teacher and the kids accepted the decision not to...
Dear Editor, I was of the understanding that the Whitehall Town Office would be changing the hours open to the public beginning with the first week of February 2025. However, I dropped by to get an agenda recently and found it closed and locked - again! The hours state that the doors are locked at 1:00! What happened to the 4:30 time? I also thought the office would be open to the public on Fridays, but that is not the case. When will the Whitehall Town Office be open during normal public...
Dear Editor, The Montana Legislature is considering a bill to prohibit medical aid-in-dying. Senate Bill 136 declares that doctors who provide this end-of-life option for certain terminally ill patients can be prosecuted for homicide, like murderous felons. SB 136 recently passed the Senate and is now in the House. Under a 2009 State Supreme Court ruling, medical aid-in-dying was found legal in Montana. The term refers to the process by which a doctor writes an oral prescription for a patient wh...
GEORGIA, I have a question, I (21F) am in college and usually go home for the holidays to spend time with my dad (48M) and extended family. My parents divorced when I was 12, and I’ve always spent part of the holidays with each parent. My dad remarried early last year to “Lisa” (46F), and while we’re polite to each other, we’re not particularly close. This past year, I made plans months in advance to visit my mom’s side of the family for Christmas. I told my dad and Lisa early on, and both seemed fine with it. Fast forward to the second week...
ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 People are not mind readers, Aries. If you want others to know how you are feeling, you must give them some indication this week. TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 You may discover that you enjoy much support from other people, Taurus. This includes those who you didn’t realize are on your side. GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 Even though it can be challenging at certain times, try to see the positives in every situation, Gemini. This may make it easier to overlook some of their faults. CANCER - Jun 22/Jul 22 Try to stretch beyond your c...
A burglar broke into a house late one night. He shined his flashlight around, looking for valuables, when a voice in the dark said, ‘Jesus knows you’re here, and he’s coming back.’ He nearly jumped out of his skin, clicked his flashlight off, and froze. When he heard nothing more, after a bit, he shook his head and continued. Just as he was pillaging through the jewelry box on top of the dresser, clear as a bell, he heard a voice.... saying, ‘Jesus is watching you, and he’s coming.’ Freaked out, he shined his light around frantically,...
