Serving Proudly As The Voice Of Valley County Since 1913
Serving Proudly As The Voice Of Valley County Since 1913
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Dear Editor, A little over a year ago, a brilliant lawyer helped secure the future of our family ranch. Raphael Graybill, in his role as chief legal counsel for the governor, went to battle for private property rights and public access in front of the Montana Supreme Court when he challenged the Attorney General's interpretation of the law regarding Habitat Montana easements. If he had lost against the AG's flawed legal opinion, we could have lost our ranch. Raph utilized his incredible intellec...
Dear Mr. Etherington, I am writing to "The Courier" to clarify an article that you, Mr. Etherington wrote, which was published on Feb. 12, 2020, entitled "U.S. Marine Laid To Rest In Hinsdale." Mr. Etherington, I want to assure you that this "U.S. Marine," Bruce Powers, did NOT die alone. The reason I can assure You he was not alone, is because I was the nurse holding his hand and assuring him I would not leave him alone, while the song "A Better Man" by Clint Black was playing in the background...
Dear Editor, At our last work session, I was taken to the woodshed by my colleagues on the Public Service Commission. Yup. A good, old-fashioned tongue lashing – led by that paragon of professionalism, Randy Pinocci. Okay, I obviously had it coming. From Pinocci's perspective, the extensive hacking of my PSC e-mail account, which led to 39 of my messages being dumped onto the internet, was entirely my fault. I had committed the ultimate sin. I was speaking and writing openly about the work of t...
My Fellow Montanans, The Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame Debacle continues. The MCHF Board has wasted nearly $1 million and no one has been held to account. The only way to resolve the malfeasance and waste is for a reorganization of MCHF. For three years I have requested a membership meeting for that purpose, however the board will not allow that to happen. I was shocked as I attended the MCHF Annual Meeting Feb. 8, to again request a membership meeting. The board was aware of my intentions, lo...
Do we even talk about March coming in like a Lion or Lamb anymore? Looking at our weather Monday morning I was trying to decide just how we would define “Lion or Lamb.” The temperatures are certainly not frigid, however I see snow and wind from my window. And we have local flood watches. It is a challenge to keep up with all the new stuff, but just wondered how the Farmer’s Almanac would classify our month of March. I am sure that we can all recall the weather from the months of March in the past, and time goes so fast we will soon know just...
Dear Editor, America is on a trade winning streak. Over the past five months, President Trump closed the deal on major trade agreements with our four largest trading partners – Canada, Mexico, Japan and China. These four countries alone make up half of America's total trade, at nearly $2 trillion. Since last fall, I've had the privilege of standing with President Trump at the White House on three separate occasions to celebrate these historic trade victories. Through my membership on the U.S. S...
I am sure that I have remembered ice skating of the past before but---as many of you know several creeks in our area have run big, resulting in some massive skating ponds. I will admit that skating on these outdoor “rinks” does present challenges. I remember the days of taking the grain shovel with you when you desired to do a little skating as the ice needed to be cleared first, but you could skate while making a path with the shovel. If you were lucky and the wind had already removed the snow you might be able to skate a good mile before tur...
Dear Editor, We would like to congratulate the two new Speech & Drama State Champions – Hurrah!!! Also, we have enjoyed reading all the articles and have been impressed with the coverage that Speech & Drama has received this year. But we do want to make one correction. In the article on Miss Griffin, it stated that she and Mr. Wright were the first state champions since Sydney Hayward in 2011. Sydney was the last Speech state champion but there were two drama champions. In 2012, Danielle B...
Dear Editor, The community of Glasgow should be very proud of the young men that coach and wrestle at the high school level. I have been involved with wrestling since the days of Lenny Leonard, the Johnstons, and now the young men coaching as chips off the ol block dads!! I have announced a lot of duals and tournaments over the last 45 years in Sidney. I thoroughly enjoy watching AAU and then the Eagle Tournament. Those that do well at the Eagle are usually on the mat late Saturday at State. I...
Dear Editor, The clock is ticking... March 16 is THE LAST day to make what is likely one of the most important business decisions you will make for your farming operation this year. If you have not already visited your local Farm Service Agency (FSA) county office to make your election for either the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) program and to sign your annual enrollment contract, you should call and make your appointment now. Many of you are gearing up to...
Dear Editor, For decades Montana has been the envy of hunters who pursue elk. Our state has healthy elk herds because of our incredible habitat on public and private lands. We enjoy the longest season in the West – with a six-week archery season and a five-week rifle season. No other state comes even close. With our strong elk herds comes challenges in their management. Landowners at times struggle with the damage that large groups of elk can cause to crops, haystacks and fences. Montana F...
Dear Editor, I read the Republican Administration's budget proposal for 2021 (www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/budget_fy21.pdf/). It cuts programs essential to our health, economic well-being, and communities. Please SUPPORT the National Park Service, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, Land and Water Conservation Fund, also the Endangered Species Act, National Environmental Policy Act and Migratory Bird Treaty Act. With our growing population,...
Dear Editor, Glasgow School District II trustees have determined that a special levy is necessary for school operations. As a former Superintendent of Glasgow Schools for twenty-seven years, I've always appreciated the community support for our schools, students and teachers. As parents of two graduates from the Glasgow school system, my wife and I are thankful for the education they received in the Glasgow schools. Our son, Robert, returned to the community after college to give back, make his...
Dear Editor, There has recently been a lot of press about bison being designated a free roaming animal in Montana. As a retired cattle rancher, I would like to raise a few thoughts that have not been brought out in various opinion pieces. The public needs to understand that the concept for re-wilding lands in Montana with indigenous bison is not limited to just Montana Fish, Wildlife and Park's (MTFWP) recently announced bison restoration planning. In fact, there are multiple interest groups...
Dear Editor, Economists at the American Farm Bureau estimated that the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) would have provided American producers over $4 billion annually in increased sales, but Trump withdrew the U.S. from the agreement. The 11 remaining countries formed a new TPP without the United States. This allowed Canada and Australia to sell wheat and beef to Japan on more favorable terms than the United States. Trump had lost markets for U.S. producers and desperately needed to negotiate...
Just remembering employment opportunities of the past. Do you remember having a sales person representing Watkins or Stanley products coming to your door? Apparently they sold well-liked products as many of those products can still be found in homes. Yes, I have found that I can order many of those products online today, but just maybe, for some homemakers of yesterday, these “door to door” sales persons gave them a little bit of added social contact. Encyclopedia sales persons are definitely a thing of the past. Who needs a set of those won...
Around Christmas time 1921, when Mary Jane and her little daughter of Glasgow were visiting Mary Jane’s parents in Malta, the two came down with the measles. The little girl had black dots over her entire body. Mary Jane wanted a bath for at least her baby but her mother, a Chippewa Indian, told her in her native language, “Dear girl, you must not give her a bath as she will get very sick.” In retrospect, Mary Jane said, “The older people are so very wise.” That is what did it – the baby became terribly ill. Dr. Curry was called in. He pres...
Dear Editor, I am looking for information on the following people, two sleds who came off Golden Valley Road 5 miles southwest of Opheim on Jan. 28. Sheriff's office is aware of fence damage to run down a fox. I found the kill site where that critter drug his hind quarters for 60 to 80 feet before that moron finished the job. It's annoying that this critter can take anything nature can dish out just to be run down. $200 reward for each name. Contact Sheriff's Office with any info. Sincerely,...
Dear Editor, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (MTFWP) Director Martha Williams recently issued the department's decision on the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that moves wild bison restoration planning forward in Montana. It was an ill-advised decision marinated in collusion with the environmental community and is viewed by prairie landowners as just another "let's stuff buffalo down their throats" campaign. The Director's decision begs this question from landowners: What part of "hell...
Dear Editor, During the 2019 Legislature, Gov. Steve Bullock, legislators, and Montanans across the Treasure State worked tirelessly to keep history alive in a variety of ways. Senate Bill 338, also known as the Montana Museums Act, is best known for providing a portion of the funds to build the new Montana Heritage Center. But the legislation also creates an ongoing historic preservation grant program for counties, incorporated cities or towns, tribal governments, associations and incorporated...
Dear Editor, Many wilderness advocates, scientists, and public land managers have long recognized the threat that excessive recreational use poses for Wilderness. Howard Zahniser, the Wilderness Act's author, warned over 50 years ago that Wilderness can be threatened "from development for recreation." He emphasized the need for humility and restraint in our dealing with Wilderness. The 1978 edition of Wilderness Management, the definitive professional tome on Wilderness management, summed it...
Can you name, or even remember, all of the service (gas) stations that existed just on 1st and 2nd Ave. So., in Glasgow? It takes very little effort for me to name, or at least remember locations of these stations. I am thinking of the stations just on Front and Main Street, but there were also many located on Highway 2 within the city limits. Aw, yes, service stations of the past. I would be happy to list those that come to mind, but I do know that I would miss several, so I will leave that to you. You were able to pull into your favorite...
Dear Glasgow School District Community Member, School funding formulas are complex and confusing. To simplify things, our district receives direct state aid payment equivalent to about 44 percent of our general funds. According to the Montana OPI document, "Understanding Montana School Finance and School District Budgets," the general fund is defined as the fund used to account for the financing of a district's operation and maintenance costs not accounted for in another fund. Some examples of...
Dear Editor, Dear City of Glasgow Police Department Attn: Chief of Police On the cold and snowy sub-zero Monday of Jan. 13, I had an appointment with the Motor Vehicle Department to renew my driver's license at 2:20 p.m. After completing the procedure with the very nice and professional technician Angela France, my car, parked on the street outside the office, wouldn't move forward very good and backward some. Teasing it through town and out on the highway to Jordan, moving so slow and awkward,...
Dear Editor, Senator Daines seeks to create better public banking. Postal Banking would help Montanans gain better access to banking services. Federal law requires one post office per zip code, but this isn't the same expectation for banks. US Postal Service can already complete banking services like check cashing and money orders; this bill would allow them to offer bank accounts and even offer short-term, small dollar loans. Representative Gianforte wants to stop robocalls by requiring...
