Serving Proudly As The Voice Of Valley County Since 1913
Serving Proudly As The Voice Of Valley County Since 1913
Sorted by date Results 1026 - 1050 of 2305
I have no idea how many miles of road there are in Valley County, but I do know that we are a very large county. I want to express my thanks to those of you that spent many hours opening and keeping open our roads during this last storm. Thanks to tractors and 4x4’s, my family was never “snowed in,” but what a great surprise to see the snow plow made a run down our road to the house, from the county road. Not only do we have a great path to the main road, it is now a wide path that will not blow shut near as quickly. I am sure I can exten... Full story
A few weeks back, Donald Trump implemented a tariff on imported steel and aluminum that instantly sent the free market capitalists and agricultural community into a head spin. Uncertain as to what the tariff’s will actually accomplish, Trump’s economic advisor immediately resigned following the announcement after spending, or wasting, most of his tenure trying to block those exact tariffs. Not surprisingly, Trump ran on a nationalist agenda that included closed borders, torn up trade agreements, and U.S. industry protectionism. Some in the Rep...
Do you remember when we did not have Daylight Savings Time? I was thinking about the time changes when I decided I might need to wear a watch today. (When you are retired and in the house all day, it is easy to not wear a watch). That, of course, involved setting it to the correct time. It made me think of how many clocks we have that needed resetting that magic morning of time change. Since we have more than one clock in our house that needs to be wound weekly, changing time is just one more little thing. Yes, I do love my old things like...
Local input is a hallmark of democracy. Good laws should and do bubble up from neighborhoods, country churches, and bar stools, just as bad ideas are often killed by the folks who have to live with the results. That’s why, if you’re running for public office, it’s a smart idea to say that you’re in support of local decisions. Imagine the alternative: “I’m from the distant government and I’m here to tell you how to live your life.” You probably wouldn’t win many votes. But that alternative is precisely what our lone U.S. Congressman, Greg...
Starting Sunday the 11th, news outlets nationwide will seek to call attention to the simple notion that democracy works only when it works out in the open — in the sunshine. The term that has come into use in recent years to describe the concept locally and nationally is “transparency,” which presumably means that there is no veil of secrecy over the activities of government. But “transparency” is too abstract a concept to do justice to a simple idea: In a democracy where citizens participate in decision-making, those citizens must be armed wit...
I was watching Valley View Home’s community input for support of the upcoming mill levy vote for funding the nursing home the next few years. There was one comment from a gentleman that indicated we did not maintain the building over the previous years. Well, let me give you some insight as to what we did in the twenty years I served at Valley View Home and how we invested back into the building that opened in 1969. In 1993, a new addition and remodeling of the nursing home was completed. The main focus was the new entry, lobby, activities, b...
In Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day is a religious holiday. In the U.S., it’s primarily a day to wear green, pinch those who are not, and very often for some, drink alcohol in excess. Unfortunately, this sometimes results in those people getting behind the wheel of a car. That’s where the fun ends and a potentially deadly situation begins. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 60 people died in drunken-driving crashes during the St. Patrick’s Day holiday period (6 p.m. March 16 to 5:59 a.m. March 18) in 2016, a...
In a surprise twist on Thursday, President Donald Trump agreed to a meeting with North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un. If the meeting takes place it would be the first ever between a sitting president and the leader of North Korea. Pyongyang has long sought a summit with the US to reflect what the regime sees as its status as an equal on the geopolitical stage. This is a big gamble for our President. Between Trump’s history of bungling other diplomatic relations and North Korea’s history of backing out of promises, this meeting has huge risks. Huge...
Do you remember the “Spit Test” of the past? No, this test had nothing to do with DNA or drugs. I am sure that wasn’t even thought of in past generations. A friend recently made me a gift of a “sad iron,” assuring me that it might be just what I needed for shoulder therapy after my surgery. I decided to take that with a grain of salt, but it did make me think of how often I would see my grandmother and mom do the spit test, checking to see if the iron was ready to be used. This was done by dampening your finger with spit (at least in my world,...
Last week I was recovering from an adverse reaction to an antibiotic that I had been prescribed. As well as trying to gain back my strength from that, I had my chemo treatment ,followed the next day by receving a pint of blood. All of that combined to sap my energy and I just wasn’t able to put together a column. By the way, if you don’t see my column, it’s because I’m either traveling or having a tough week. This is going to be a column about this and that this week. The storm of the last few days has been tough on a lot of people. First i...
Editor’s Note: This is an Opinion by Medical Directors from the Community-Based Mental Health Centers in Montana. Montana Substance Use Statistics: Since the year 2000, more than 700 Montanans have died from opioid overdose. Forty-four percent of all drug overdose deaths are attributable to opioids. One in seven high school students has taken prescription drugs without a doctor’s prescription. Ninety percent of Montanans with a Substance Use Disorder are not receiving treatment. There are 300 deaths attributed to alcohol in Montana annually. Ei...
The Glasgow Public School District wants to remind residents that to file to become a candidate for the school board you must fill out and turn in the correct form by March 29, 2018. The forms can be downloaded from the district’s website at www.glasgow.k12.mt.us. Forms must be turned into Kelly Doornek, and the election will be held on May 8, 2018. For more information contact the Glasgow Public School Office at 228-2406.... Full story
I was thinking about some of those comments that used to show up in conversations some years ago. Things like “two bits, four bits, six bits, a dollar.” Just what was a bit? “Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth,” that one pretty much explains itself. Then there was the one I disliked the most, used by my grandmother a lot, “Birds of a feather flock together.” I used to argue with Grandma and Mom a lot about that one. What about, “Can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” I must say many of us of the older generation relate to this one well. Then the...
Statistically or numerically, not that many people care about the Oscars. Only about 26 million people – worldwide – viewed this year’s award “ceremony,” which aired last Sunday night, March 4. And why should anyone watch it? People in the heartland have too many serious things to think about, plan, and do each day. If they even bother to see a movie, the motivating forces must override the hardships of getting real work done. People in the cities, too, are really only tangentially aware of cinema, what with the alternative distracti...
I am announcing that after 12 years as a Trustee for the Glasgow School District, I am not going to file for re-election. Being a Trustee has been a very gratifying experience and I thank the District voters for the opportunity to have served on your school board. I strongly encourage all eligible persons to run for a Trustee position, especially the interested persons who have attended school board meetings and voiced their compassionate ideas and opinions!! It is an important, fulfilling job that gives people a way to give back to our... Full story
A couple weeks ago I saw a post on the Glasgow yard sale Facebook group that made me really sad. A gal had recently moved into town and posted asking about whether or not backyard chickens were allowed inside city limits. Many of the responding comments were less than kind or welcoming. I know something about coming into a new area as I moved from California to Montana. Yep! You read that right! I came from California. The horror. Lol It was January 2005 and my dad drove to Montana with me in my little blue Toyota station wagon, complete with...
I taught school for 36 years. I was always proud to be a public school teacher. But, today I’m sick. I’m disgusted. And, I’m mad. These emotions were the same emotions I had after Columbine, Sandy Hook and too many other school shootings. I’m sick of the death and carnage of children. I’m disgusted by lawmakers who do nothing and I’m mad at everyone, including myself. Here we go again: first shock another school shooting; then we will debate when is a good time to talk about it; next the NRA will dig their heels in and remind politicians how mu... Full story
Do you remember darning socks? Or maybe you remember having to wear them. Some years ago my grandmother lived with us and was always looking for something to do. My girls hated it when she decided it would be a good thing to darn their socks. I don’t remember them being uncomfortable to wear, but maybe the comfort depended on the skills of the person doing the darning. I found a wooden darning bulb in my treasures the other day. This consisted of a light bulb-shaped wooded piece and another piece that served as the handle. Two separate p...
Anyone paying attention the last week has no doubt seen the Oxford study floating around that listed the top ten most “middle of nowhere” places in the country. Glasgow was fortunate enough to take the first place spot, and I was musing over the implications of such distinction. First off, we all already knew what they put out. Glasgow is pretty remote, pretty isolated, and pretty much amazing for that very reason. The breathing room is remarkable, and the random encounters with the ignorance of the rest of the world are more remote. Yeah, I lo...
We are long past due on an actual discussion on gun control. In what seems like a now all-too-common scenario, our nation was rocked by another mass shooting. On February 14, 2018, a 19-year-old former student walked into Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, armed with an AR-15, and killed seventeen people and hospitalized fourteen others. This marks one of the deadliest school shootings to date. And yet nothing seems to be done about it. Instead, the conversation is steered away from gun control in an attempt to distract the public from...
It is not too early to make sure you can vote in the 2018 elections for both state and federal Senate and House members. Be reminded that there are no longer any polling places in Valley County except for the Glasgow Civic Center in Glasgow, Mont. You may also vote by mail-in ballot. To receive a mail-in ballot, you must first fill out an application. You may pick up an application at the Clerk and Recorder’s Office in the Glasgow Courthouse, or call their office at 228-6220 and request they send you an application by mail, which you must f... Full story
The Long Term Care Task Force wants to show our appreciation to the people of Valley County in coming out to support our local informational meetings. The questions asked, the feedback received and the discussions held have been truly enlightening and encouraging as we move forward with the May 8 vote to initiate a hospital tax district. Equally encouraging is the understanding the community has shared in why Valley View is an important member of our community. Nearly 60 people reside at Valley View, and require care that they cannot receive... Full story
A few nights ago, my left foot began strongly itching at 3 a.m. It itched so bad that I couldn’t get back to sleep. I had to have lotion applied to it in order to stop the itching. Since it’s difficult for me to reach my feet in order to apply lotion to them, I had to wake up my husband. He got up, applied lotion to both my feet and lower legs and then we both went back to sleep. Later that day, I was thinking about how my husband woke up at 3 a.m., got up and put lotion on my feet without a complaint. All he said was, “I hope that helps...
These chilly mornings when my hubby brings me coffee in bed has made me think of days when “Bed Jackets” were common. I remember seeing some of these bed jackets in my mother’s and grandmother’s things. I never knew how they came about, but the bed jackets that I remember were fancy. I am sure that the wealthy may have had jackets made of silk, however the ones that intrigued me the most were hand crocheted. (Was there any other kind of crocheted items available in that era?) Stories of early days do not help me picture women lounging in bed,...
Anyone can get bed bugs - it is not a matter of cleanliness but more of transportation. They only need a place to hide and a human host to feed on. Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) are wingless, oval, reddish-brown insects about ¼ inch long that feed primarily on the blood of humans. They are most often found around, or near the bed but when populations are large they may move to other rooms. They can live up to a year with females laying nearly 400 eggs during that time. The bite of bedbugs can leave a swollen, red, irritated welt usually in clust...