Serving Proudly As The Voice Of Valley County Since 1913
Serving Proudly As The Voice Of Valley County Since 1913
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Yesterday (Sunday) was a stunningly beautiful day. Sunshine, no wind, birds singing, and warm. You could almost feel Spring waiting to make its entrance. When I went to one of my favorite websites, a picture of a field of wildflowers popped up. The next ad I saw was one of prom dresses. And I thought ... new life. The world is getting ready to explode with new life. Soon buds will appear on trees, flowers will nudge their way to the surface, greenhouses will overwhelm a persons’s senses with the smell of wet earth, blooming plants, a rainbow o...
Trump: Military Spending and Infrastructure In this ongoing segment, Glasgow-based columnists Michael Burns and Alec Carmichael have agreed to square off on issues of national and international significance. Less a debate format than an opportunity to feature in-depth discussion, "Side by Side" will feature structured analysis of current events complete with fact-checking, editorial support and, when necessary, informal arbitration. To suggest a topic for our duo, write to [email protected]. This year, the Montana Legislature has been...
Trump: Military Spending and Infrastructure In this ongoing segment, Glasgow-based columnists Michael Burns and Alec Carmichael have agreed to square off on issues of national and international significance. Less a debate format than an opportunity to feature in-depth discussion, "Side by Side" will feature structured analysis of current events complete with fact-checking, editorial support and, when necessary, informal arbitration. To suggest a topic for our duo, write to [email protected]. Having announced his $54 billion increase in...
I appreciate Sandy Laumeyer's call to end "internet ugliness" and to conduct ourselves as civilized people should while we are bombarded daily by bad news on the networks and our major daily newspapers. However, in our effort to be "nice," let us not forget to voice our opinions when we perceive wrongs and injustice occurring in our town, state, and/or nation. Tell your elected officials what you think. Protest when necessary. Protesting can be very peaceful and non-destructive like the many recent women's protests. Not everyone has the desire...
I am carrying a bill to proactively address an inexcusably high traffic fatality rate in Montana, and to reinvest in our road and bridge infrastructure at a level that minimizes the burden we leave for the next generation. We have broad agreement on the problem we face with our infrastructure, but a lot of smart people disagree on how we go about addressing that problem. I am convinced that the only way we guarantee consistent funding, an ability to meet our match requirements for federal fuel tax dollars, to fund the highway patrol, and to pro...
Saturday evening, I received a very pleasant suprise. A lovely bouquet of flowers was delivered to me. I have no idea who sent them. But whoever did, if you are reading this, thank you very, very much for your thoughtful gift. It has already brought me many smiles and most certainly brightened my days. On Sunday morning, I awoke to sunshine and the sweet song of birds singing. Though there is still snow on the ground, it even had a bright sparkle to it. To make the day even better, there was a potluck dinner following Mass. And after the...
Translating Trump: Parsing the President's Comments on the Press Side by Side In this ongoing segment, Glasgow-based columnists Michael Burns and Alec Carmichael have agreed to square off on issues of national and international significance. Less a debate format than an opportunity to feature in-depth discussion, "Side by Side" will feature structured analysis of current events complete with fact-checking, editorial support and, when necessary, informal arbitration. To suggest a topic for our duo, write to [email protected]. The unofficial...
Translating Trump: Parsing the President's Comments on the Press Side by Side In this ongoing segment, Glasgow-based columnists Michael Burns and Alec Carmichael have agreed to square off on issues of national and international significance. Less a debate format than an opportunity to feature in-depth discussion, "Side by Side" will feature structured analysis of current events complete with fact-checking, editorial support and, when necessary, informal arbitration. To suggest a topic for our duo, write to [email protected]. In the last few...
Montana Democrats in the House of Representatives have spent the first eight weeks of this legislative session working to strengthen families and businesses across the state. We look to you, our constituents, to share your views and insights with us as we work to keep Montana the last best place. This session, House Democrats have introduced bills that support small businesses and help workers across our great state. One such bill, HB 308, would give tax incentives to employers who help grow our workforce through apprenticeship – including a...
Editor's note: This week, we're introducing a new format from Glasgow-based columnists Michael Burns and Alec Carmichael, who have agreed to square off on issues of national and international significance. Less a debate format than an opportunity to feature in-depth discussion, "Side by Side" will feature structured analysis of current events complete with fact-checking, editorial support and, when necessary, informal arbitration. Eat your heart out social media. To suggest a topic for our duo, write to [email protected]. NATO prevented the...
Editor's note: This week, we're introducing a new format from Glasgow-based columnists Michael Burns and Alec Carmichael, who have agreed to square off on issues of national and international significance. Less a debate format than an opportunity to feature in-depth discussion, "Side by Side" will feature structured analysis of current events complete with fact-checking, editorial support and, when necessary, informal arbitration. Eat your heart out social media. To suggest a topic for our duo, write to [email protected]. The last eight years...
A few days ago I heard of a young couple who had just gotten engaged. What an exciting moment in their lives. And a memory that will last a lifetime. But there’s so much more to getting married than just a set of rings and planning a wedding. Years ago a priest told me that everyone plans for a wedding. He said he wished they spent as much time preparing for the marriage. But that is an impossible task. There really isn’t a way to completely prepare for marriage. Yes, you can help prepare for it by going to premarital classes. What you can’t pr...
It is week five for the Montana Legislature, and I apologize I have not written home earlier in the session. We have passed several good bills through the House, including providing inflationary funding for our public schools, electronic communication privacy, and a few bills that expand our 2nd amendment rights. I had the opportunity to be Chair of the Day on Feb. 6, which entails running the floor debate for bills up for second readings. It was a great learning experience, and with 13 bills on the docket, there was a lot of learning to do. I... Full story
After reading The Glasgow Courier, Feb. 1, 2017, articles, “America is not a Country” and “Executive Orders, and Refugees and Us,” I was inspired to tell my story. My mother was born Oct. 13, 1919, in the German colony of Kamyshin, somewhere on the Volga River in Siberia, Russia. My aunt was 15 years older than my mother (born in 1904), so she was the one who told me the life they lived. The stories she told me were hard for me to believe. Life was very hard. My grandfather died before my mom was born, leaving my grandma to raise five children... Full story
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled. Donald Trump’s estranged executive order has been ejected and eulogized without sending it for an appeal to the Supreme Court. The president has said he is considering writing an entirely new draft of the temporary ban. With national security at stake and the importance of striking a balance with our humanitarian national values, expediency is first priority for the administration. The question should be asked whether Islamic ideas from the iron age are compatible with western civilization, but p... Full story
The Montana Legislature is now 1/3 of the way done, and as your representative and Speaker of the Montana House, I wanted to drop you all an update about what’s going on. This session has been much calmer than the previous three sessions I have been involved in, and that is because frankly, there is no money. In 2011, we left Helena with a $500 million budget surplus. In 2013, there was a $350 million budget surplus, and in 2015 the legislature left town with a $300 million budget surplus. Throughout the last election cycle, you heard G... Full story
This past week, my thoughts have been filled with several things. The first one I want to address is all the ugliness that’s been in the constant forefront of not only the news but on social sites on the internet as well. Granted, there are many major issues our country is facing. I can’t help but wonder what has come over the citizens of this great land. An election was held, a president chosen. No, he was not the choice of many people, but the fact remains he was elected. I have to ask myself , would all that’s taken place since the elect...
There is a growing amount of people who would rather fight Trump than actual terrorists. Across the internet and mainstream media outlets, commentators and social justice warriors are sharing their knee-jerk reactions to recent events executed by the president. The latest, a temporary ban of refugees from seven predominantly Muslim countries, is the newest whipping boy for the Trump administration. When discussed by liberal media there are almost always undertones of hate, xenophobia and racism aimed at Trump in attempts to delegitimize him as...
A recent wordy statement from the high school boys head basketball coach at Dawson County High School (DCHS) in Glendive has raised some eyebrows. ('Culture of Mediocracy Getting in the Way of Athletic Success at DCHS,' Glendive Ranger Review, 01-21-17). According to the editor of the GRR, the statement was in response to questions posed to the head boys’ basketball coach, Wade Murphy, by the newspaper’s sports editor regarding DCHS athletics. Murphy, who is also the principal at the high school in Glendive, penned a response and asked tha...
Valentine’s Day has gained the reputation of being a “Hallmark” holiday, where the only people consistently benefiting are those in the candy, flower, dining, jewelry and card business. Those who don’t have a significant other in their life are made to feel lonely, not important and looked down upon. If you are in a relationship, you have this expectation to make grand gestures to your significant other to prove your love to them. Men, more so, have a higher expectation to express their unconditional love by being expected to buy a bouquet...
To those of you that faithfully read my crazy column, this article will be short and may be my last one for a couple of weeks. I managed to fall directly on my elbow last week and waiting to have surgery done. It had never entered my mind just how hard it is to type with one hand, so I will take a break, maybe come up with some new thoughts. Today I want to remember the days when the dimmer switch in your vehicle was located on the floor. I personally long for that feature. I will admit that one would think flipping a lever with two fingertips...
Yesterday, our granddaughter assisted with the music for church by playing her clarinet. I always smile when I hear her play. It seems to add something special to the music. And it brings thoughts of the music of the people hundreds of years ago. When she plays her clarinet, I can hear the flute played by shepherds. By the time this column is published the Honor Band will have taken place at the Glasgow High School. This special band is comprised of high school students from throughout northeast Montana. Every one of these students are...
This morning, while gathering up things, I put away a Florsheim shoe horn. According to the advertising on this Florsheim shoe horn, Florsheim shoes were made for the “Man Who Cares.” I am going to guess that this item came from Friedl’s Men’s Wear. Yes, this was a men’s store only, and you could even have your suit of clothes tailored there! Does anyone wear tailored clothes anymore? Probably not in our area anyway. I can recall some wives tailoring men’s western shirts. I think it had something to do with hindrance when roping, but maybe it w...
My three preschoolers and I were waiting for the school bus. Parka-clad Steven maneuvered his way through the bus door, a paper bag held protectively in his arms. “Whatcha got, Steve?” “Is it something to eat?” Kids always thinking of food! We soon knew what it was because food doesn’t meow! With that revelation, my good humor evaporated! “Steven Robert,” I began in a firm, motherly voice. A child’s full baptismal name was reserved for serious occasions. “Mom,” Steve explained, “Mr. Thistle’s cat had six kittens. And he was giving them away!...
President Trump recently signed an executive order barring citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States for the next 90 days, suspending the admission of all refugees for 120 days. America has received more refugees than any other country in the world. Most Americans are proud of our heritage and can list all the places our distant relatives migrated from. Some of us are lucky, our great-grandparents came mostly of free will, for land and dreams. Many Americans came fleeing religious persecution. The current ban...
