Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Sorted by date Results 60 - 84 of 2218
The return to self-control and godliness is perhaps in the air. For example, the latest Pew Research poll showed that the young subset of scientists, approximately aged 25 to 40, were 1/3 rd more likely to believe in God than older scientists. Is it the exploding national debt? Are people who have lost all faith in the fairness of national media again looking to God? Pastors and congregants are to work together to fulfill the mandate that Jesus left us. Institutional breakdowns are all around us: marriage, family, government, naming the big...
ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, your bold approach is magnetic right now. If you have a big idea that you’ve been waiting to share, present it now. Everyone is ready to listen. TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 Think about how you can treat someone else to something nice, whether it is a gift, time spent with you, or whatever it is that they desire. Build the foundation for a stronger friendship. GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 This week is all about clearing out the old to make room for the new, Gemini. Begin decluttering your physical space and then move on to c...
Dear Editor, I'm pretty sure some of your readers are aware of the most recent Jefferson County Commissioner's meeting (July 14), which might well be called a travesty! This may seem a bit petty, but "How many commissioners are required to hold a valid assembly?" If one is missing, which is more than understandable (condolences to the Kirsch family), would it not STILL be a requirement? I'm not sure what the law is regarding conflicts of interest, but I'm pretty sure I remember hearing...
To the Editor, The recent lawsuit filed in the name of the Yellowstone County Republican Central Committee (YCRCC) et al. against the Montana State Republican Party, without the consent or vote of the precinct representatives, is a glaring example of how our local YCRCC executive committee has centralized power at the top vs. being run as the grassroots political organization it is meant to be. The Executive Board decided unilaterally on July 1st that suing the GOP party over its new bylaws was...
What are other communities doing to make roads safer? Here's a clue. It is illegal in Montana. Using technology. Communities across America are using automated red-light enforcement cameras, speed cameras, and automated ticketing systems to make roads safer. They are saving lives. Preventing injuries. But not in Montana. In the absence of modern technology, driving defensively is critical. It's a survival strategy. Why? Because we have to assume that every stop sign, traffic light, and speed...
Dear Editor, I voted for Alani Bankhead in the Democratic primary because I didn't think the alternative was the better choice. That said, she wasn't my first choice-Seth Bodnar was, but he wasn't on the ballot. I had hoped Bankhead would recognize that much of her support came from voters looking for an alternative rather than from broad enthusiasm for her candidacy, and that she would step aside to give the strongest possible candidate a chance to turn the Senate seat purple. Then, trying to...
It’s envying to see a nice house from the highway, until you realize you can see it from the highway. The growth-maturity moment of boys/men needing to run to the store for feminine hygiene products has largely been eliminated by self-checkout. Civilizations started from kids running away from home. Comparing Armageddon (1998) and Don’t Look Up (2021) shows how mindsets have changed over time. We know humans experience time at approximately the same rate because our reaction times are so close. Having a photographic memory must have been har...
GEORGIA, I have a question. My daughter (23) adopted a two-year-old cat about two months ago from the humane society. She was a plump cat, about 12lbs. We scheduled her a vet appointment, but there’s a 6-week wait. Three weeks later, she gave birth to three kittens. We still have a two-week wait for the vet. While a surprise, we are all in love. She is keeping two kittens with mom, and my other daughter (25) is keeping one. Unbeknownst to me, one of my good friends has taken it upon herself to rehome all three kittens, without talking to my d...
Have you ever been on the road and suddenly a yellow display light alerts you, “Maintenance Required?” Quite often it is merely a timed alarm indicating a needed oil change; however, there are trouble codes that can indicate serious problems, and in those cases, your trip (or vacation getaway) turns into a headache. Just last week, my alternator was failing, but with some help from a friend and tools in the truck, the problem was resolved. Acts 2:44 reads, “All the believers were together and had everything in common.” This raises the questio...
ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 How you respond to a situation matters more than how quickly you react, Aries. Interactions with others will feel more charged than expected, but will be effective. TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, slow down so you can see what actually matters right now. You may feel slightly off if you move too quickly; give yourself time to respond to those seeking your help. GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 You may want to say yes to something quickly, Gemini, without giving it ample time for consideration. Do not jump into things without careful...
Dear Editor, Montana taxpayers expect their tax dollars to be spent responsibly, transparently, and on priorities that benefit everyone-not directed to private organizations with the strongest political support. That expectation is reflected in Article V, Section 11(5) of the Montana Constitution, which states: "No appropriation shall be made for religious, charitable, industrial, educational, or benevolent purpose to any private individual, private association, or private corporation not under...
Dear Editor, My name is Erin Foley. I am the President of the Montana AFL-CIO, the Principal Officer/Secretary Treasurer of Teamsters Union Local 2, and a proud born and raised Butte, Montana resident. Across Montana, working families are feeling the squeeze. Whether you're a nurse pulling a double shift, a firefighter awaiting the next call, a construction worker putting in long summer hours, or a truck driver hauling goods across our state, the rising cost of groceries, gas, housing, and...
Dear Editor, I want to thank the City of Helena and the 30 individuals who came together on July 8th for the 250 th anniversary of the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence. If you were not able to attend the rally, I encourage all Montanans to join a small group of family members, neighbors, or friends to read it aloud and absorb its relevance today, just as it was 250 years ago. Whenever many of us reflect on the 1776 Declaration, we often consider this paragraph: "We hold...
Any articulate person whose personal lexicon exceeds a fifth-grade reading level will be accused of being a bot or using AI. It’s already happening: The Great Regression. Insect populations are collapsing around the world, which has dire consequences for agriculture and the natural order. Healthcare will be essentially out of reach for a large proportion of Americans soon ALL of the Beech trees and ALL of the Ash trees in North America will be dead or dying within 15-20 years. The country will look very, very different. The dead internet t...
Montana’s prison population is exploding. In 2000, we had about 2,550 inmates in Montana. Today? Roughly 5,000. Congratulations Montana. We doubled prison. Why? You will hear the usual hits. Immigrants. Mexican drug cartels Montana’s growing population. Republicans who voted with democrats in the Legislature. But the biggest reason? Governor Greg Gianforte. No, he wasn’t getting tough on crime. Easier than that. Slicker too. He just changed the Parole Board. That’s all it took to create a silent earthquake. Montana law provides that the Gov...
GEORGIA, I have a question. This girl that I’ve been seeing for the last few months just asked me why all of my “relationships” are transactional, including with her. How do you explain to someone that any “relationship” that you enter into of any kind with anyone is transactional? Outside of maybe your parents, “relationships” are fully based on a “what can you do for me” perspective. I don’t think she gets that. I don’t get how she doesn’t understand it. You would think a woman in her late 20s would already understand that, after high school...
ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, now is the perfect time to socialize. Romance is in the air, and you are going to go out of your way to treat someone special in the days to come. TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, some people express affection by buying others gifts. You have the ability to know just what a person needs at a given time and provide that to them. GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, a pleasant week awaits you, one that brings your compassionate and tender side to the forefront. You may feel unselfish and spiritual, and relationships will be...
Terminology is always an interesting ball of wax, so some added clarity is of great importance. In America, people often refer to the Church only as a building. Let us not make that mistake. If you read through the early chapters of Acts, you will get a different idea of “Church.” Add to that any of the Gospel writers, and the picture of the church becomes much clearer. In Greek, ecclesiae is the plural term for church, meaning a gathering of people. So, the church is a community of people learning what it entails to follow Christ; we are mob...
The Montana Plan (I-194) is now being prepared for your ballot, placed there by over 50,000 Montanans and more than 600 all-volunteer signature gatherers who gave their time because they believe in something simple: elections should belong to the people, not to corporations hiding behind anonymous checkbooks. I’ll note this was the first all-volunteer signature-gathering effort in decades. That bothers some very powerful people. And they are doing everything they can to stop you. Don’t be surprised. This has been going on for a hundred yea...
Why do Montanans send legislators to Helena? It is to solve problems – it’s as simple as that. It’s a simple concept that voters across the political spectrum likely agree on. We elect representatives to make the state government work better for the people. We should not expect the Legislature to spend valuable time passing symbolic resolutions that accomplish absolutely nothing. Yet, every legislative session in Helena, we see taxpayer funds being spent on performative politics. One cringe-worthy example from the 2025 legislative sessi...
While it makes for good scenery, the trend of taking maternity photos in a field of tall grasses seems like a uniquely bad time to risk a tick bite. The funniest thing about the Dunning-Kruger effect is that lots of people overestimate their ability to understand it correctly. Music conductors probably get the closest to how it must feel to be a wizard casting a magnificent spell. It is possible for a fluent English speaker with perfect vision to never learn the Latin alphabet and only learn Braille instead. Mouse and rat claws look big...
Dear Editor, I am reviewing the book The Maze Runner by James Dashner. This astonishingly heart-stopping, engrossing, and riveting novel is about a teenage boy named Thomas who wakes up unable to remember anything except his name. He wakes up surrounded by boys roughly his age in a place called The Glade. The Glade is at the heart of a gigantic maze. The maze is crawling with deadly creatures known as Grievers. Thomas and the other residents of The Glade must overcome near-impossible challenges...
Dear Editor, Please make sure to put in the paper how awesome the fireworks were. I was expecting some first time mishaps, but no! Everything went off without a hitch! They even had some fireworks that Butte didn't even have! I was in heaven watching them and thinking how everything went so well and how they knew just what to get for our 250th celebration! It was spectacular!! Amazing!! Over the top!! I have no words to adequately express how impressive it was.A food truck, music, and plenty of...
Thank you Whitehall! My sister and I came over from the Bitterroot Valley to spend the 4th with our nephew, Jesse Haacke Jr., and watch your fireworks show. You did not disappoint! And thanks to the whole town! There was fireworks from one side of town to the other. A spectacular display of freedom ringing throughout the town and country side. Here is Jesse's son Joey lighting off some of his own fireworks! SKEETER REIDHEAD Bitterroot Valley, Montana...
Georgia, I have a question. I’m a tall man (6’4”) and sick of people asking to “borrow” my height. So...I finally said NO! Am I wrong here? A short woman asked me to grab something for her from the top shelf, but I said: “No, thanks.” I was doing my grocery shopping at Walmart, and some of the shelves there are pretty high. Reaching the top is obviously not an issue for me, although apparently that means I am expected to help whenever somebody shorter notices me nearby. A woman who was maybe 5’2” got my attention and asked whether I could g...
