Serving Proudly As The Voice Of Valley County Since 1913
Serving Proudly As The Voice Of Valley County Since 1913
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Just when I didn’t think it could get any worse, here comes this story in the Washington Free Beacon about the National Institute of Health spending $400,000 texting Latino men, telling them they’re too fat and that they need to exercise more. Now, there’s money well spent indeed! However here’s some more government waste that should be stopped completely. (Ya’ listening Senator Daines and Representative Zinke?) It has to do with the Former President’s Act of 1958. It deals with giving each former president a ton of money after they are go...
You sent me to Washington with a long list of Montana priorities. After about a year in the House, I’m happy to say we’ve accomplished a lot. My bill, the Resilient Federal Forests Act, passed the House with bipartisan support and was the first forest reform bill to pass any chamber of Congress in a decade. We passed into law the Every Student Succeeds Act, which rolls back common core and puts more control at the local level. And, we finally lifted the Cold War-era ban on exporting oil – a critical accomplishment for energy growth and natio... Full story
Made-in-Montana energy means good Montana jobs that on average pay two to three times more than the state average. Montana’s ability to create more good-paying energy jobs is immense – in fact, our state leads the nation in coal deposits. We are the nation’s fifth-largest producer of hydropower, with 23 hydroelectric dams across our state, and fifth in wind energy potential. Montana is at the center stage of the national energy debate and provides the nation a template of a true all-of-the-above energy portfolio – we have coal, natural gas and... Full story
Republicans hate Trump. Democrats hate Trump. Social media hates Trump. The media pretends to hate Trump. Everyone hates Trump. Trump Trump Trump. Or do they? In Trump’s case, the phrase “any press is good press” is becoming the most accurate statement ever made. Donald Trump could say that he wants to build a wall and make Canada pay for it and people would go crazy, both for and against. But it’s not about his politics. It never was. Because Donald Trump isn’t a politician. He is a rich guy. He doesn’t think like a politician, and does he... Full story
As was widely reported, Joseph Medicine Crow, a chief of the Montana Crow Tribe of Montana and a Native American historian, died in a hospice in Billings on April 3 at the age of 102. Medicine Crow was raised on a Crow reservation near Lodge Grass, Mont. As part of the greatest generation, he served in World War II and reputedly wore war paint beneath his uniform and a sacred feather beneath his helmet. He earned the position of war chief by such acts of bravery as stealing enemies’ horses and engaging in hand-to-hand combat with a German soldi...
Being retired I decided to take in a 4-H Statewide shooting event. This event covered various classes of air rifles, pistols and archery. As a parent and grandparent, I have taken in my share of 4-H activities, but this was new and interesting to me. Of course having two grandsons involved sparked my interest, along with the fact I have never seen this part of 4-H. It was a great trip and fun experience. I departed Glasgow via Amtrak. I had almost a three-hour wait at our Glasgow depot and had lots of time to process memories of train trips,...
I can’t give you the name of my source...yet. It would ruin the surprise, if that’s what we want to call it after the blanket is thrown back and the subject is shown. I will, however tell you it’s a magazine that celebrated its 85th anniversary last year or so. My idea is to get people to opine as to what “thing” they think has been most disruptive, or world-changing in the time the magazine has been alive. I’ll give you some of the things listed according to the editors and writers of the mag, which I will simply call MagX for now. Some o...
It’s bits and pieces time again. Yesterday, Easter Sunday, was an absolutely beautiful day. The joy of the day was enhanced many times over through a large family gathering, phone calls to and from relatives, and the making of lots of new memories. Cameras were recording the day in pictures that will be looked at and talked about over and over in years to come. Because of the number of people attending the family dinner, it was held in the basement of Queen of Angels Church in Nashua. As the food was being set out, I watched people visiting and...
Have you ever wondered why the Easter Bunny and Easter eggs are a part of our Easter observance and tradition? I did take the time to check that out this morning before going on this little trip down memory lane. The wonders of the present day; I can sit in my chair with a cup of coffee and get all of that information. While I have absolutely convinced myself that I am not going to get a “Smart Phone,” I also realize how much easier they have made “instant knowledge.” I now have an interpretation I like, and for those of you who have let that q...
As a 19 year old living in Glasgow, I belong to quite an interesting demographic: a community full of Republicans and a generation full of Democrats. Old people vote conservative because they hate taxes and young people vote liberal because they want free college. I’m neither. In my opinion, one should not base their political vote on another’s opinion, but their own. How am I supposed to support a conservative candidate who denies climate change, or a liberal candidate supporting gun control laws? As a firm believer in fact (or science, whi...
Terrorism-related deaths are up 800 percent in the past five years according to a new report. That’s nearly 30,000 people who are killed per year by terrorists. While suicide bombers and gunmen have been killing civilians around the globe almost constantly, it was last week’s coordinated terrorist attacks by ISIS in Brussels that violently shook the world awake. I believe in the power of prayer for the victims and their families, but I also believe in the power of U.S. leadership against this evil. It’s time for the U.S. to get serious about...
This past week, while checking out Facebook, where people keep their friends updated on their activities as well as share lame jokes and simplistic ideas, I ran across this meme: “When both the Republican Establishment and the Democratic Establishment attack the same candidate, then you know you’ve found your guy.” The only reason I saw it, having no desire to visit that page, was because a friend shared it, and another friend liked it. My immediate response was, “Seriously? A man who claims to be Christian, yet has commented he’d ‘do’ his...
Every once in a while, a person will have an experience that they will always remember. Such was the case with me several weeks ago. I had gone to church a little earlier than usual. There were about four or five other people there when I entered. Sitting down in my usual pew, I casually looked around, noting as I did so the simple beauty of this little country church. The sun was shining through the stained glass windows and I could hear birds greeting the morning with their songs. The quietness began seeping into me. My thoughts drifted to...
Kudos go out to Representative Ryan Zinke for his calling out of the Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Land Management about the potential “change-of-use” permit in regards to the 3.5 million acres the APR wants for their free-ranging bison If you read the article by Heather Swift in last weeks Courier (Zinke Challenges BLM, DOI on Bison 3/16/16) you will have noticed that both department heads said they didn’t know of any such proposal in the works. Yikes!! If that’s true then I would suggest firing Interior Secretary Sally Jewell...
The recent and unexpected death of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia sent shockwaves across our nation. I was floored when I heard the news. Although I had only met Justice Antonin Scalia once, his legacy will have a lasting impact on me. Scalia’s longtime “best buddy,” liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg paid tribute to him perfectly: “He was a jurist of captivating brilliance and wit.” Scalia was a steadfast supporter of the Constitution who made principled decisions based upon what is in the text rather than what he wished was writt...
This past week brought to my mind several March occasions and how they were recognized not many years ago. I am sure that there are many Glasgow residents who remember a local attorney who always recognized St Patrick’s Day by presenting many locals with a green carnation. Since this gentleman was Irish I am sure it was his way of reminding us of this important day recognizing the Irish. Maybe his enthusiasm for the day inspired others to join in by sporting fun green attire. Corned beef and cabbage still seems to be on the menu for many and I...
In August 2015, the American Psychological Association released a report “linking” video games to violent crimes. Every mentally stable gamer I know of, including myself, completely disagrees. I have been playing video gamester the majority of my life, and they have developed from a hobby to a passion, like a lot of people in my generation. I have yet to kill anyone. On the contrary, I would say that video games have developed my critical thinking, concentration, and social skills, among other things. I’m not saying that there has never been a... Full story
Remember the spotted owl? As I recall this bird was going extinct if we didn’t shut down the logging industry in the Pacific Northwest. It was shut down causing untold economic, social and, with the recent forest fires, ecologic damage. Did it save the owl? Has anyone heard anything lately? The last I heard its relative, the barred owl, was moving in and replacing the spotted owl. Remember the chant of the bureaucrats and Non Government Organizations (NGOs) that we had to save the spotted owl’s habitat. At that time their habitat was def...
There has been a recent push from a group named the American Lands Council led by Montana’s own Jennifer Fielder (SD 7) of Thompson Falls. On March 15th another complaint was filed against Fielder’s predecessor and mentor, Rep. Ken Ivory. Ivory allegedly used his official legislative email to conduct business for the ALC, which in Utah amounts to a legal and ethical violation. This complaint is just the most recent complaint of fraud against the American Lands Council. During the last session, Senator Fielder’s aide was ejected from the legisla...
Nay-sayers of the baseball program in Glasgow usually say things like: “It costs too much,” “It takes up the entire summer,” “My kids should focus on school sports or a summer job.” In my opinion, all of these drawbacks take a back burner. My experience as a player in the program has been the best experience of my life so far. In a community the size of Glasgow, it is very unusual to have a baseball program of this caliber. With multiple teams in each age division, almost no town in the area can match it. It is all made possible by volunteers,... Full story
The water crisis in Flint, Mich., has been extensively covered by most, if not all, major news networks. All three of Montana’s main newspapers have covered the topic, Time ran a cover story, and the New York Times did a feature piece. In short, the bulk of the facts are public knowledge. But, when subjected to the onslaught of information, it can be hard to keep everything straight. Jacoby Collins, 21, is a Flint native who has lived in Glasgow for the last five years. We discussed the Flint water crisis at length, and his frustration with t...
Spring is right around the corner, it seems. The calendar says the equinox will occur on the twentieth, as it does every year, and for once, up here in northeastern Montana, we have hopes that it actually will mean spring has sprung. We’ve been seeing the signs of spring: a killdeer has been heard; robins are hopping in the yard; skunks have been seen trundling alongside the highways (or have been smelled); the redpolls are frequenting the bird feeders again; and a gopher has been spotted sunning himself beside the road. The snow has mostly m...
Enough pollyticks for awhile. I have a true story in the trucking vein I thought you might enjoy. The sequence of events happened back in the day about 1972 or so. You must forgive me if some of the facts aren’t. There are two different styles of semi trucks: conventional and cab-over. The conventional (long-nose) is the most popular because they have a far smoother ride that do the COEs. (Trucking manufacturers’ jargon for “Cabin-Over-Engine,” thus “cab-over.”) Before the 1970s most of the long haul trucks were conventionals but a new trucking...
If you’ve been wondering why you’ve not seen my column in past weeks, it’s because my husband and I took a trip to Sun City, Ariz., to spend several weeks with his brother. We went on several day trips out through the desert. I thoroughly enjoyed attending a concert that was a tribute to the Carpenters. And I attended an art show, where I left owning a painting of pansies that had caught my fancy. Eating out at so many different places was fun, as were the evenings we played cards or just worked on assembling a jigsaw puzzle. On the flight home...
The week of March 13 is a busy one, including St. Patrick’s Day parades and shenanigans (especially in Butte) and the Western Art Week shows, sales and parties in Great Falls. The nationally televised backdrop to those events will be the year’s biggest round yet of winner-take-all presidential primaries on March 15 with hundreds of convention delegates up for grabs. The same day kicks off the first, exciting rounds of the NCAA basketball tournament — March Madness. Flying under the radar that same week is an event that deserves much but gets...
