Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Sorted by date Results 701 - 725 of 1910
For many reasons, I am writing this letter. It truly has been the toughest tax season in my experience as Jefferson County Treasurer. The cost of inflation on our everyday items, gas to get to work, rents and more have just continued to rise. Now so have taxes. Our assessments of our homes, homes that some of us have lived in for more than twenty years, have skyrocketed during the last reappraisal cycle. Higher assessments lead most government agencies to lower the mills so as not to collect...
I run a small solo medical practice in Kalispell, Montana. Being of the old-school opinion that quality care requires quality time spent, my patients have time to share with me their many concerns. That sharing periodically includes exorbitant medical bills received from a hospital visit or outpatient specialist visit. The billing is usually the same format because these specialists almost all work for the local hospital, and many hospitals and clinics have merged into one entity that serves...
Themes and professions are interwoven throughout the Bible, certainly “shepherd” is one of the prominent terms from Genesis to Revelation. Abraham, Moses, David, and a litany of others were shepherds simply since this was the common way of life or providing food. Shepherds are referenced as spiritual leaders in both the Old and New Testaments. More importantly, the imagery and language regarding Jesus as the “Great Shepherd” is fitting. Luke is the only New Testament writer who brings up the shepherds at the time of Christ’s birth. We must k...
ARIES Mar 21/Apr 20 You may have difficulty reaching people this week, Aries. Whether it’s difficulty getting attention or tech issues affecting communication, use the situation as an opportunity to relax. TAURUS Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, a challenging project may lead you to throw yourself into work even more than usual over the course of the week. Remember to take time to exhale. GEMINI May 22/Jun 21 Visit someone in person if you are looking to catch up or have a meaningful conversation, Gemini. Skip impersonal text messages or social media p...
Dear Editor, Thanksgiving is this Thursday already, I have been busy recuperating from an accident and an infection in my knee. In August I slipped on some water on ceramic tile. At 69 years old, it is not a good thing to do the splits, especially without warming up. I suffered a torn hamstring on my left leg and had to go by ambulance to hospital as we questioned a fractured hip. I thought I was recovering well from this spill until I ended up with a staph infection in my right knee, which had...
Most animals have never burned the inside of their mouth. Your phone is the only computer you own that you’d expect to work after being dropped so many times. Your teeth are the only part of your skeleton that you can clean. One of the biggest problems with good people is they don’t understand how evil bad people can be. A lot of people think they like history but they actually like historical propaganda that confirms whatever they already believe. Farts are food ghosts. People in the past weren’t dumber, they just knew about fewer thing...
Georgia, I have a question, Could I call the cops on my neighbors? They have a newborn baby who cries ALL THE TIME. The baby disrupts my sleep. The crying is annoying and makes me angry. Should I call the cops? Annoyed by Baby Annoyed, Yes, by all means, call the cops and have them arrest that baby! With love, Georgia Georgia, I have a question, There’s an error on the screen that says I need to restart to complete the update. I don’t have the time or the money to get a tech person involved, so thought I’d ask you. What should I do? Tech Unsav...
History has a seemingly countless record of rulers, dating back to ancient times to the present. We use terms for heads of state like presidents, prime ministers, kings, queens, sultans, chancellors, supreme leader, premier, Fuhrer, and more. Some leaders rule for long periods of time and others short, some in their earlier years and others in their latter years. Governing styles can include a republic, democracy, monarchy, communism, dictatorship, totalitarianism, and oligarchy to name several. Understanding the difference between actual...
ARIES Mar 21/Apr 20 It’s important to pay attention to your physical health this week, Aries. It’s key to give your body plenty of rest and healthy foods to strengthen your immune system. TAURUS Apr 21/May 21 Something out of the ordinary may happen to you this week, Taurus. You don’t know what to expect, but be aware of your surroundings and the people you meet. GEMINI May 22/Jun 21 This is a perfect time to review your goals or to-do list, Gemini. If you don’t have things jotted down, brainstorm with friends on what you may want to accompl...
We’re now less than a year out from one of the biggest elections in Montana history. Next November, our ballots will be stacked with candidates for president, U.S. Senate, two congressional seats, governor, attorney general, secretary of state, superintendent of public instruction, state auditor, and two supreme court seats (including chief justice), to say nothing of regional and local offices and any potential ballot initiatives. Ahead of such a jam-packed election cycle that is sure to produce high voter turnout and its share of c...
The older generations often criticize the youth for being lazy and unmotivated, yet they have created infinite barriers in professions and hobbies, making it almost impossible for younger people to succeed without their approval. Somebody on earth is close to 100% compatible with you but the probability you’ll meet that person is close to 0%. Insurance is a lottery that everyone plays, but only the unlucky wins. We universally agreed that up symbolizes good and down symbolizes bad. Most people who work in high-end luxury hotels can’t aff...
Georgia, I have a question, How does a Thermos know when to keep something hot and when to keep something cold? I’ve been trying to trick my Thermos into making my hot coffee and iced coffee, but it isn’t working. Is there a trick I don’t know about? Want It Cold Dear Cold, When you put a liquid in a Thermos, it will keep the temperature as close to the temperature it entered at....it doesn’t decide which to make it. Though I suppose if you put hot coffee in, then a bunch of ice cubes, it could potentially get cold enough to be deemed “iced”. G...
ARIES Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, you may see the details of a situation a little differently this week. While you may have been sticking to one way of doing things for some time, a new way may mean a breakthrough. TAURUS Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, your passion for a long-forgotten project is renewed. Dust off what you started, and see it through to completion. The results may surprise you. GEMINI May 22/Jun 21 Are you ready to communicate, Gemini? It’s time to have an important conversation with someone close to you. It may not always be comfortable, b...
Do you ever sit back and just watch people? I often do but please understand this practice doesn’t make me creepy. Observing people is common for all of us in one way or another. Certainly, we refrain from being critical of those around us, none of us deserves such criticism. Some individuals wish to be the center of attention while others like to simply blend into the crowd and remain unnoticed. Those who garner everyone’s attention are loud and possibly obnoxious, they are the individuals I sit back and watch. As I’ve been reading about...
Dear Editor, Residents, Readers, and Educators, The Whitehall Community Library and Friends of the Whitehall Community Library (FOTWCL) have a fantastic deal for you! The library has recently finished its yearly purge of the circulating collection (the books available for loan) to make room on the shelves for new purchases to that collection. The purged books have been added to the FOTWCL book sale shelves and table in the library basement. These books sell for the ridiculously low price of 10 c...
Dear Editor, Last week I wrote a letter to the editor stating that “politicians lie.” I need to correct that thought. While we are used to politicians saying one thing to get elected and then doing another in office, that reference was too broad. In Montana, we are fortunate enough to have representatives in office who say what they will do and then do as they say. Or at least try to. This last session we were fortunate enough to have many. Theresa Manzella, Becky Beard, and Marta Bertoglio to...
Recently opinion pieces and information sent to legislators regarding the counties' decision to levy 77.9 mills instead of the state-directed 95 mills have been circulating in both statewide newspapers and internal legislative correspondence. It appears that the message being distributed is counties are giving large tax breaks to corporations and out-of-state homeowners while doing little for the average Montanan. While the numbers can be interpreted to support that message, and they (the numbers) are in fact accurate, they only tell part of...
It’s kind of ridiculous that there aren’t many playgrounds made for adults. Someone on Earth has the least amount of Neanderthal DNA and is therefore most human. Real-life bullies also watch movie scenes depicting bullying and root for the character getting bullied. 99.999% of what happened in the last 24 hours on Earch will be forgotten by tomorrow. The police can identify you from a grainy gas station camera but the DMV can’t without two bills, a birth certificate, a social security card, and your license that’s already in their system. Salt...
How many parents remember the joys of pregnancy and birth? Currently one of the latest fads includes creative baby gender reveals; this may include blue or pink smoke, cake, and more, many of which go viral. Recently I looked online for some blunders associated with a gender reveal gone wrong, wow there are some doozies! American and Jewish customs are far different, especially dating back to first-century Jewish households when the New Testament was written. Traditionally Jewish couples do not have baby showers, purchase baby items, or talk...
ARIES Mar 21/Apr 20 Play to your strengths to reach your goals, Aries. You do not have to change much about yourself to get ahead. In fact, people will appreciate you being honest about who you are. TAURUS Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, do not worry about being passionate about what you do. If you weren’t this passionate, you may not be able to persuade others to listen up and follow your suggestions. GEMINI May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, you may not have had the entire story, but you certainly will get it this week. It’s up to you to make up your mind how you...
The number of people born in the same year as you is always decreasing. Going bald wouldn’t be nearly as bad if people lost their hair from the sides more than the top. A perfect human is almost a robot while a perfect robot is almost human. In the fast food industry, chicken fingers are a lie. You can eat a bunch of bananas without eating a bunch of bananas, but you can’t eat a bunch of bananas without eating a bunch of bananas. You can tell a lot about a person based on what part of their pants wears out first. People only separate the art...
Dear Editor, Our country was built on the Constitution and Bill of Rights. It cannot survive the days when the government places itself above the people it governs. Our representatives that we elect are meant to be just that, OUR representatives. Not Washington's. The Governor we elect is OUR Governor, not Washington's representative. If you have any doubts about the wonders of our life under the laws that our forefathers created, look at other countries. Look at the life they have today. Look a...
Dear Editor, I recently traveled out of state visiting family returning to find a sign I posted on my property destroyed. The sign, posted along the eastbound lane of I-90, stated "Embrace Democracy - Reject Trumpism." I salvaged a portion of the sign and re-erected it. I am disappointed that there are those who would commit an act of violence in order to suppress First Amendment rights of free speech because they do not agree with opposing views. However, suppressing different opinions is one...
Hunting season has arrived! As hunters flock to the hills in pursuit of Montana's treasured big game species, we want to take a moment to acknowledge the good work that was done in this spring's legislative session for hunters, landowners, and conservationists alike. Wildlife issues have frequently been overcome with intense division in previous legislative sessions. 2023 was different. Various stakeholders that are often in sharp disagreement on wildlife and land management policies managed to...
For some, naming a child is a thoughtful task; for others, tradition plays a much larger role. As my wife and I were expecting the birth of our four children, we took time in the months leading up to that significant event to explore name options for each of them. We explored meanings behind names, and examples seen in the Bible and considered past family members as kind of a balanced approach. I cherish the memories of those moments, with my hand resting on the womb of their mother, filled with joy and laughter. In Zachariah’s and E...
