We've Got The County Covered
We've Got The County Covered
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This past month has seen passage of one of the largest investments in American infrastructure in the nation’s history. Few states benefit more from this Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill than Montana. This is largely due to the work of our very own Senator Jon Tester, who was a leading architect of the bill. Due to Senator Tester’s work, Montana, and especially the Hi-Line, receives long overdue investments in the infrastructure that supports our way of life. Possibly most critical to our area is the funding the bill includes for the St. Mary Div...
Letter to U.S. Senators Jon Tester and Steve Daines and U.S. Representative Matt Rosendale Senators and Representative, As we approach Christmas, we have one request to Montana’s federal delegation: please do everything in your power to stop the reckless taxing and spending proposal currently working its way through Congress. The biggest gift Montana could receive from Washington, D.C., this holiday season is a dose of common sense, not more federal taxes and debt. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has said it’s his goal to pass Pre...
My wife, Sherry, and I are completing our fifth week as dog sitters in an upscale suburb of Seattle. How we ended up taking on this unusual task is a story itself. And what we learned about the enormity of the pet sitting sector is, well, a bit amazing. Here's how we ended up in Woodinville, Washington dog/house sitting and some of what we learned about the economics of pet sitting. Pet sitting's an economic sector estimated to be worth $2.6 billion per year worldwide and growing. From Airbnb...
You know, Lord, when it seems that there’s no hope, things aren’t going according to our plans, or maybe just going askew, it’s then that we must remember that You are faithful, You hear our prayers and intervene in Your way –Your time – and at the right time. We’ve known ‘children’, young or old, who’ve strayed far away from having a personal relationship with You. Case in point: an elderly lady prayed faithfully for her adult children knowing that sooner or later, in her lifetime or after she was gone, the way-ward ones ‘would return to...
Although Chick-fil-A's cow campaign plays off the idea that cows want people to eat more chicken so they will in turn not be eaten, here in cattle country, beef is what's for dinner! This colorful hay-bale and sign are visible on Highway 2 between Chinook and Zurich. Happy Thanksgiving!...
During a stay in Miles city my wife and I visited some of the local tourist attractions. I was especially impressed with the Range Riders Museum. Described as "a celebration of eastern Montana history" the collection includes exhibits of local branding irons to an iron lung. Though the amount of material to view is a bit overwhelming one exhibit, especially, stood out for me: the collection of "It Happened in Montana" panel drawings by artist James Masterson The particular set of drawings on dis...
As our country continues to deal with the effects of a global pandemic and the subsequent economic stress, political turmoil, and a myriad of other distressing conditions, it may be difficult to think about being grateful. However, November is National Gratitude Month. And turning our thoughts to gratitude has a multitude of health advantages-including improved mental health and even life-saving benefits. According to researchers and psychologists, gratitude can enhance moods, decrease stress,...
You know, Lord, recalling a ‘happening’ from a long time ago, was fascinating. Several of us gals had to deal with those pre-college physicals. None of us were really that tall but several of us were delighted to see that we WERE taller than five-feet. Woo-hoo – even though it was only by one-quarter inch. Time passed, we’d kept in touch, then several of us were less than thrilled when a recent measurement set two of them, once again, at under five feet. Friend K. G. said, “No wonder my motto has always been “Quality, not Quantity....
You know, Lord, a while back, a friend shared about bearing a grudge against one of your children who was one of their friends, adding that hanging onto bitterness and keeping alive grudges is truly consuming work. She was exhausted and really didn’t know what to do, as bearing a grudge was/is hard work as it left little energy for blessing others, praising God, or even enjoying life. Then she read that the only way to get over a bitter heart toward others is to actively love and serve them in ways that will bless their lives. If we can’t do...
You know, Lord, several friends went walking one morning, through the nearby park, along some hills, loving and appreciating the view, enjoying their time together. Gal #1: “I’m out of water, I’ll soon need a drink. Are we about to the end of this trail?” The second gal mentioned that she was having a hard time breathing. Gal #3 mentioned a notice about the air quality being fairly good but the Grass Pollen was high; they WERE on a lot of grass, so, of course, breathing probably was a bit hard. They continued on their way; though they were in...
Time has been going very fast with function after function all summer. Some of the activities are related to my work with the Senate, some family get-togethers, and a couple of fun things just for Judy and me. For the Senate, Senator Mike Lang put together a great Ag tour for the Environmental Quality Committee (EQC). The tour started in Great Falls at the state grain lab. About 25 of us were treated to the full walk through and tour. I do thank Sen. Lang for inviting me, as all these tours were at or near my Senate District. We toured the...
I read with interest the June 23rd article “Voters May Not Get A Voice”. I along with several other community members were in attendance and a spirited discussion of the “Nonpartisan Ordinance” occurred. Following that meeting, I did additional research on the Blaine County 2020 election. Here’s what my research found. On 10-5-20 the Blaine County Clerk & Recorder/Election Administrator, signed a contract with the Center for Tech and Civic Life, (CTCL) a non-profit, in the amount of $256, 433.00 USD, for the “…special circumstances...
You know, Lord, when one thinks about Dairy Products, we might wonder which are the most important for the well-being of the human body. Just ask anybody, and they’ll perhaps say that Ice Cream is probably the most favorite of all dairy products. Of ice cream, it’s been said that it is: cool, creamy, refreshing, and comforting. Like a gentle prairie breeze, clear skies, warm sunshine, ice cream sweeps over one – it is healthy, refreshing and relaxing. In a spiritual way, Lord, Your Word is like that, too, refreshing and relaxing, only more...
You know, Lord, the cloud formations, from our point of view here on our hilltop, are breathtaking! We do need rain in our area. One minute it looks like rain clouds bounding over the horizon; a bit later, the sun is bursting through again in a teasing way. The rain drops are so few and far between in our particular area and the valley of trees below really do need a wash job. So glad You are in charge of the weather, Lord and that You can handle that job. That would be quite a feat for any of us to do, right? Thank You for the quiet moments...
April is always a fast-paced month at the legislature, and this year is no different. The Senate has been busy voting on a lot of bills that covered a wide variety of topics. I am confident that the bills we passed will improve lives of Montana’s in many ways, however nothing is perfect. This past week the Senate passed two critical appropriations bills that will help our state move past the pandemic and sustain prosperity for decades to come. As we decided what to do with the federal stimulus money, Republican leaders in Helena, unlike W...
Alert readers may recall a story in the January 27 issue of the "Journal" about Walter J. Brown. Brown, a cowboy for Miller Brothers from the late 1940's through the 1950's, was also a cook on the cook wagon when the Miller crews moved livestock to and from summer pastures. He drew several images of ranch life, using his finger and axle grease, on the canvas cover of a cook wagon. Two of the canvas sections survived, one hangs in the Blaine County Museum in Chinook and the other section will...
Random Acts of Kindness Day was first created in Denver, Colorado, in 1995 by a small nonprofit organization, the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation (RAK). Nine years later it spread to New Zealand. Now, it often gets national recognition as World Kindness Day or National Random Acts of Kindness Day®. This year, we celebrate Random Acts of Kindness Day on Wednesday February 17. Random Acts of Kindness Week is February 14-20. February has long been a month during which the notion of love is...
You know, Lord, reading Proverbs 17:22: “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine,” was a reminded of long ago when several of us gathered over at C.B.’s house. [Just for fun, initials were used instead of names.]. C.B. was getting up in years, so J.L. would invite several friends over; she may or may not bring cookies. C.B. always had tea or coffee about ready for whoever was coming. K.D., housekeeper for C.B., was usually there to ‘help’ with a treat. Once seated around the small kitchen table, C.B. would give a short prayer of thanksgiv...
A year-long series of directives, rules and, in some cases shutdowns and cessation of public activities, resulted from the need to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. Most all of us have been affected in some way from schools and/or churches closing, activities being cancelled and, in some cases, having to work from home. While changes in our rural areas are less dramatic than in bigger cities and towns rural residents have made some alterations in how we spend our free time. Nearly a full year...
Blaine County Museum Curator/Manager Samantha French asked me recently what I knew about a piece of art on canvas that once covered a chuckwagon on the Miller Brothers ranch. The piece of canvas has hand drawn cowboy/horse images and is displayed in the museum with other items related to ranching. I'd not given much thought to the piece during prior visits to the museum but when I really studied the canvas I saw a piece of folk art illustrated with authentic, detailed cowboy imagery. The...
Correspondent's note: Laurie Faber recently told me, "You might be interested in doing a story about the news clippings posted on the walls of the scale house at the livestock loadout facility operated by Mark Billmayer." I'd never heard about the clippings so I called Mark and he agreed to meet me at the scale house so I could see and learn about the collection of newspaper clippings. My first impression was, "Wow, that's a lot of newsprint about local history." Closer examination allowed me...
Another glitch has halted the runup to the maiden flight of Dick Edgington's homebuilt RagWing4 single engine plane. Many locals recall the plane that Edgington, a longtime resident of Chinook, built from scratch in his house on Pennsylvania Street. According to Dick's son, Danny Lee, "Dad retired from the county road department in 2004 and started acquiring parts and building the plane. A few years later, after his eyesight failed, he had to abandon the project." Dick Edgington died in 2016....
It’s amazing, Lord, when one finds an interesting article to share! The following is by Ruth C. Ikerman, entitled: Do what You Don’t Have To DO. “A friend who thoroughly enjoys each new Christmas season once told me in a moment of fellowship that rich secret of her perennial enjoyment; Christmas IS Good News. ‘Do first, what you have to do for Christmas; get it out of the way. Then you can do what you don’t have to do. The good news: That’s the real meaning of Christmas and it blessings you for the whole year.’ Rossetti’s philosophy explained h...
In last week’s paper there was an error in the article “Gradually Joy will Replace Grief at Sweet Home.” Janet Olson did not die from Covid, although she did pass during the same time as Covid was in the building. I should have used the word during instead of the words due to. I sincerely apologize for the error. Donna...
Fellow Montanans, I’d like to extend my warmest Christmas and holiday wishes to you and your loved ones. The holiday season is an annual reminder of the importance of two key institutions that bind our state together and define our Montana way of life: the freedom to worship as we choose and the importance of family. These values are at the core of the Montana Republican Party and have always been the guiding forces in allowing us to overcome even the most daunting challenges. While 2020 brought one of the most unprecedented hardships and d...
