Serving Proudly As The Voice Of Valley County Since 1913
Serving Proudly As The Voice Of Valley County Since 1913
Sorted by date Results 1929 - 1953 of 2351
Do you remember your parents or grandparents keeping a diary or journal of each day’s activities as well as what the weather was for that particular day? Some people may still do that, but I am willing to bet that it is a small minority. I am not sure why any of us would actually take the time to do that anymore. After all, we are all so busy with our lives and if you want to know what the weather was like two years ago all you need to do is Google weather on your computer or “smart phone.” What is missed by not doing journals anymore is the a...
Opinions are like shoes. Everyone has got them. Not all of them fit and each person has an acquired taste and comfort zone. When it comes to marijuana and legalization, there's no difference. You'll find a whole array of opinions, from the adamant against legalization, to the very pro pot. With the local tribes legalizing medical pot, and a vote on the way for recreational pot, it's probably a good time to have open discussions with each other on marijuana. By open discussions, I mean being open to the opposing view and trying to gather the rea...
Hello to everyone in my massive BIG Senate district that goes from the North Dakota border to north of Hingham. I have 285 miles of the 545 miles of the U.S./Canadian border, and it equates to 52 percent of the border. We are now at the start of the third week of the session, and the bills and meetings will come to us in a fast and furious way. Please give me a call if you come up to Helena. I especially like to have school and other related groups come and visit me so they may be introduced to the Senate. The Governor has put forth a grand...
Victory. It doesn't always have to be a huge one. In the case of people working to overcome serious health issues, the little victories can be and often are the sweetest. For almost five months, I was unable to turn over on my left side in bed at night. The pain that accompanied this particular movement was enough to make me stop trying. And then one night, I decided to see if I could accomplish turning over. When I did, I had to smile and give a sigh of relief. To celebrate my achievement, I bought a book I'd wanted for quite a while....
As many as 2,000 temporary high-paying blue-collar jobs will be created in Montana if the U.S. government approves the much publicized Keystone XL pipeline. More than twice as many similar private-sector construction jobs, however, will result from state government approval of the "Build Montana" program proposed by Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock and sponsored in the legislature by Republican Rep. Jeff Welborn of Dillon. The Montana proposal includes badly-needed improvements in infrastructure in Montana's end of the Bakken energy development,...
I recently heard radio advertisements promoting “no ethanol in our gas.” I wonder if the sponsors of the advertisements understand the implications of that message? I realize that not everyone understands the nuances of that message, so I would like to share my thoughts. What does “no ethanol” in our gas really mean? First, consumers should understand that gasoline is made from many petrochemical components produced during the refining of crude oil into gasoline. Some of these compounds are are added to increase octane. They include toxic chemi...
The Glasgow Courier shares the views expressed in this column with other publications in Stevenson-Hicks Newspapers. As predicted, the closure of scores of mail processing plants and rural post offices has waged a heavy toll on postal customers. Mail service has rapidly declined, especially in small towns across the United States. The U.S. Postal Service recently announced the elimination of overnight delivery as well as a one-day delay in first-class and periodicals mail. While Congress mandated that Saturday delivery continue through at...
One of Montana's major daily newspapers scored yet another hit with the gay and lesbian community with another article about gay marriage in Montana. What is that now? The fourth or fifth time since Montana made gay marriage legal that that publication has advocated this deviant practice. I say deviant because I would ask that you take a moment to physically check yourself, then check your spouse, partner, significant other, better half or lover. If you are with someone of the opposite sex you will notice, at first glance that your...
I am sure that many of us senior citizens received “new tech” gifts or have needed to purchase a new cell phone, new appliance or even a new vehicle. The sad part of these purchases is that they do not come with a training session. We all have experienced that frustrating period of trying to make the new gadget work. I recall my dad getting a new vehicle and being very upset because he couldn’t get the air conditioner to work. Now just how many folks in the older population would look for a “snow flake” icon on the A/C button, rather than the...
The 64th Legislature began last week with the formal ceremonies and swearing in that surround each new legislature. It is always a treat to see all of the families and children sitting in the galleries and walking in the halls. Many will endure weeks of separation so that their loved ones may spend the next 4 months doing their very best to serve the state. The first order of business that we took up in the Senate was to confirm Sen. Debby Barrett (R) from Dillon, as the first woman to serve as the president of the Montana State Senate. I was...
The music world has lost a true legend with the passing of Little Jimmy Dickens. No one promoted the Grand Ole Opry and country music any more than the diminutive Dickens. During the early 1960s, the KRNT Theatre in Des Moines, Iowa, hosted a country music show the first Sunday of every month from September through May. My mother loved hearing Dickens sing, so when I saw that Dickens was on the schedule, I immediately purchased tickets for us. When he came out on the stage, my mother was completely mesmerized. Afterwards she told me that day...
How many of you remember Howell and Ellen Davies? When I first became acquainted with them, they lived in the North Country and worked for the Ruffcorn Ranch. I remember the first time I was at their home – you got your drink of water from a dipper in a water bucket. Wow, that impressed me. Well, I was pretty young and we didn’t worry about germs much. The thing that most will remember about Howell Davies was his magic entertainment. He loved to do magic shows any place there might be an audience. I think he might have entertained at the Nor...
Does anyone see the hypocrisy in that headline? Is it oxymoronically incorrect? Wouldn't that be sorta like giving a convicted burglar a set of burglar tools upon his release from the joint? Or an arsonist a box of matches? Or how about issuing a “Slim Jim” to every person who has been in trouble for stealing cars? (For those of you who have led a sheltered life, a Slim Jim is a flat, flexible tool with a hook on the end used for opening locked cars without benefit of ownership or keys.) Also, I suggest giving every yegg (safecracker in 192...
During my recent trip home to Glasgow in mid-November, I realized my visit was too short but nevertheless full of activities and fun. As a result, I wanted to send a note and say Glasgow was such a great place to grow up! I spent a year teaching and coaching in Glasgow in 1992 after undergrad but other than that, my family and I have only been back a few times for a holiday or reunion. I had no idea how much fun I would have seeing people again, from the cowboy I rode with on the 1989 Montana...
In just a few days another year comes to an end. Somehow the years seem to pass much more quickly than they used to. Before I know it, I’m looking at a new year beginning before I’m finished with the old one. Each year fills our lives with happiness, sadness, milestones and achievements. I received word yesterday (Sunday) that a woman I knew for 50 years had died. For a long while afterwards I walked back through the years of our friendship. I’d met her on my very first weekend trip to Chicago. Her father was a brother to my uncle. We conne...
7 comes to an end and 2015 rolls in. How many of us will stay up until midnight to bring in the new year? I am going to go out on a limb and guess that many of you that read this column may decide that the New Year will make it in, with or without our help. If you are a Glasgow local, you will remember the New Year’s Eve dances held at the Ridgerunners after it was built. There was always music at other places too. Who remembers the Shannon Hotel? Was there a Rose Room there where music was played? And Ken’s Club, located on the Fort Pec...
Movie stars, drug deals and Santa. As I get ready to look through all the top stories in the last year at the Glasgow Courier, I can’t help but think what an interesting year it’s been. I moved to Glasgow and officially spent a year working here at the Courier in November. I didn’t know exactly what to expect when I arrived here, but I have found that there’s rarely a dull day. Some of the people I’ve met and the things I’ve been privileged to write about in Valley County I think are incredibly notable. Several businesses and residents w...
In Opheim, we have had more than our share of fog in the last several months. In the summer it is OK as it usually means that we will get moisture in 90 days, so we put up with it. In the winter, however, we wonder how much snow we will be getting in 90 days. We will certainly be tired of it come March or April. It makes for beautiful scenery with it's heavy white coating on the trees and power lines. The beauty is short lived as it causes so much damage as can be attested by our local electric...
Christmas shopping? Do you remember when a Schafer or Parker fountain pen and ever sharp pencil were a sure gift for someone in your life? This was way before ball point pens. You needed a bottle of ink to fill this pen. Put the pen in the ink bottle, extend the lever on the pen and let it fill. Good for another several letters. Then there was the nice blue bottle of Evening in Paris cologne. I think that every mother looked forward receiving at least one of these bottles under the Christmas tree. The lovely blue bottle was an enticement for...
News releases sent out cited the Montana Lands Bill Agreement as historic. The announcement came Dec. 3 and caused some confusion as it was included in the National Defense Authorization Act. Sen. Jon Tester, Sen. John Walsh and U.S. Rep. Steve Daines all stood by the legislative package that included eight Montana-based lands and resource bills. While that agreement doesn't seem to have any direct impact on Eastern Montanans, information is still being released on the agreement. The package included changes in the Rocky Mountain Front...
Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., last week released the following statement after the president signed the Border Patrol Agent Pay Reform Act into law. Tester, along with Senator John McCain, R-Ariz., introduced and successfully pushed the bipartisan legislation through Congress earlier this month. Tester's statement: “The men and women of the Border Patrol work tough jobs to keep us safe and deserve a pay system that meets their needs. This new law will ensure a predictable pay system, save taxpayer dollars, make government work better and strengthen...
There are small moments in a person’s life that are huge. Other small moments turn into victories. As I stepped out of the church pew at the end of the service, one of my grandsons looked up at me and said, “Grandma, I’m going to light a candle for you.” I put my arm around him, gave him a hug, and replied, “Thank you. You are very special to me.” With a very serious expression on his face, he told me, “You are very special to me!” A small moment but one filled with complete love and compassion. Lately there’s been other small moments fil...
The Billings Gazette reported Wednesday that the Federal Government has decided to try and balance the budget by reducing payments to counties which contain Federal Lands. See “Montana counties take $20 million hit in spending bill” by Tom Lutey. Areas of our state which once had thriving economies and strong communities have been decimated by the mismanagement of these lands and prohibition on the use of those natural resources. Just as disappointing is the failure of the Federal Government to fulfill the obligation to our rural schools and pr...
A month or so ago Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) gathered up over 100 Yellowstone Park bison that had spent the last 5 years in quarantine on Ted Turner’s Green Ranch (for a percent of the calf crop) and hauled them to the sovereign nation of Fort Peck Indian Reservation. Apparently with only one mortality this time! While no one has a problem with the Reservation receiving Yellowstone Park bison, some may question why FWP was involved. Some answers to this question were provided by Ken McDonald, Chief of the Game Division for FWP, i...
There’s a saying in the commodity pits in Chicago that goes something like this: “The cure for high prices is high prices.” The price of a barrel (44 gallons) of “Texas Tea” these days is hovering around the $67 bll mark and declining. Why the decline you may ask? So do I, but here’s what I think is going on. Russian President Vladimer Putin is getting very pushy these days and hinting nuclear stuff. As we all know, we have reduced our nukes, getting rid of some still-in-good-shape bombs, while Russia has been 86ing worn out stuff. Fair trade?...
