The Blackfoot Valley's News Source Since 1980
The Blackfoot Valley's News Source Since 1980
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COVID-19 remains a matter of great concern for Montana medical and public health communities. As of mid-June, Montana’s COVID-19 case rates are the lowest in the continental U.S.; yet disease prevention remains the state’s top priority. Robust testing efforts are underway in Montana. The State of Montana is conducting sentinel surveillance among those living in high-risk settings such as nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and correctional facilities, among others. Rapid, effective contact tracing, a cornerstone of...
America's Founders regarded a free press as so vital to the new nation that they took care to include that right in the First Amendment to the Constitution. Founders spoke glowingly about the press as a pillar of democracy and guarantor of liberty. Thomas Jefferson, for instance, famously wrote in 1787 that "were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the...
Since I moved to Lincoln in 2008-2009, it has always seemed to me it’s been a transient place with many new arrivals and sad departures. Of course, there are long-time families who have come to Lincoln, made it their home, and have been here for the duration. I’ve often heard of those folks as the “backbone of our town.” Recently, my best friend relocated from Pennsylvania and is now calling Lincoln home. Montana is different, but she is liking and embracing how things...
Well, I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed writing my little stories for the BVD each week and I will still try to send in a few from afar. I do appreciate all the positive feedback I have received on my little stories. There is a quote that states "We rise by lifting others." That was what I was trying to accomplish with my stories. Lifting people and organizations and thanking them for all that they do. I have lived in Lincoln on and off for over 20 years now, but I have to...
Fake news. Those two words have likely created more confusion and distrust of the news media than any other. While it is easy to understand why those of us who work in the news media despise the term, it should also be apparent that the general public has a vested interest in discerning facts from falsehoods. Some of the louder news voices of the past few decades have been the cable news networks that provide news, analysis and opinion. But the opinion side now dominates on...
Although we celebrated Father's Day this past weekend, I felt it might be a good time to pay a tribute to Dads – especially mine – for just one more week. In my opinion, dads, like moms, really do deserve more than just a day to celebrate them. For those of you that don't know me personally, I lost my Dad almost two years ago to cancer. Father's Day has become one of "those" holidays where I find myself missing him just a little bit more than usual (along with his bir...
Be it Summer, Winter, Spring, or Fall, whatever time of the year you will see this young fellow of 86 out for his daily walk down through Lincoln. Richard McInally, or Mack is what most know him as, moved to Lincoln with his wife Christine in January 1992. Pryor to that, Mack was in the Navy from 1952 to 1956 and for three and a half years, Mack ran the office for the Blue Angels. When out of the service, Mack had worked for the Great Falls Gas Co. for more than 10 years. In...
This past Saturday was a great day. Not because it was Saturday, but because my son Jesse and I got to do some long overdue maintenance on his pickup truck. You see Jesse has the potential to be a very good mechanic, but like his Pa he gets his priorities mixed up. His poor ol' truck has had to endure two broken rear leaf springs for longer than I care to think. Jesse has put up with lots of creaking, noise, and strange handling due to those broken springs. He and I spent...
There will be modifications coming to the way the Blackfoot Valley Dispatch does business, but like it or not, you're still stuck with us Rather than pull the plug on the BVD before it reaches its 40th birthday this December, we decided in April to survey both our readers and advertisers, and to take some time to re-evaluate our business model and our future in the wake of the COVID-19 economic downturn. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share your opinions in our surveys, which brought us a better response than we...
With the 4th of July just around the corner, here are a few important tips to keep your pets safe. Keep your pets secured during fireworks, inside your home. Give them a safe place to hide like a comfortable room or a dog crate. Mask the noise of the fireworks by turning up the TV or radio. Make sure their tags are current, just in case they do get out Skip the celebration and stay home with them. Sometimes your presence makes all the difference. I have known a few people...
You know, normally I have an opinion about, well, just about everything. Most of the time I choose not to share most of those opinions and just save a few for this column throughout the year. If I shared my honest opinion right now, about so many things going on in our world, the language alone would have everyone's head spinning – and for the record – I'm not usually a person who uses foul language to describe anything. I have found myself angry and hurt by so much lat...
With spring trying to give way for summer, it takes me back to when I first moved to Lincoln in the early 90's. I came up here looking for a bartending job and the first place I hit when I got to town was the Wheel Inn. I asked Doug at the time if they needed any help and they didn't, but that is also when I first met Arny Brown. He happened to be sitting there having a Bud Lite and he told me that he might need some help at the Wilderness Bar. I remember it was a Tuesday...
From My Perspective - Bullies, Beliefs, and Reality I'm tired of being bullied by those who do not share or agree with my beliefs. There used to be a time when people could have different views and beliefs, as well as conversations about their differences and still be kind to one another and remain friends. Today, that seems like more of an anomaly. Back when this pandemic began there were two things that struck me. First, something just didn't "feel" right to me about the...
The other day as I was finishing up building a second-story deck, my thoughts ran to several projects that I needed to get to next. I mean this deck has been on my mind for almost 16 years, since we moved into our home prior to it being totally done! People had cautioned us, "Don't move in until everything is done.' But hey, we had eight people living in a friend's shop building, we were moving in asap! There were some definite concerns over how to build this deck, but once I...
Right up front I have to admit a positive bias toward the LVA. My wife had a medical emergency that required the Ambulance to Helena. The care and dedication of Bill Frisbee and the entire crew was remarkable. Regardless of my feelings about the LVA, I can see several reasons why leasing space in the ambulance building and having the Sheriff onsite is good for Lincoln. The ambulance building and Parker Clinic have expensive equipment and probably narcotics onsite. A conspicuous Sheriff’s office may act to deter any m...
Sending out a big Hey Howdy Hey of thanks to Jules and Marilyn Burgert. They moved to Lincoln three years ago. Jules had been an engraver for over ten years before losing the feeling in some of his fingers and thumbs. One day while watching an infomercial - I think that is what it's called anyways - it was talking about a kit you could by to learn to build guitars. Jules was hesitant about buying it, but his wife Marilyn kept on him about giving it a try, so it was she who...
It’s a time for new beginnings, which is fitting as Montana starts Phase 1 of re-opening the state, and a beginning to our “new normal.” I feel like this new normal will be a little different for everyone. Some will go back to exactly the way things used to be for them, while others, maybe not-so-much. If you all remember, not long ago I wrote about wanting to be “un-busy.” The forced shut down due to a pandemic may just have been a blessing in disguise. No, please don’t read that wrong. I’m not saying the coronavirus i...
Who's tired of hearing about coronavirus? The last few weeks have been a challenge for everyone, with so many stories, so much uncertainty and myriad updates from every corner revolving around COVID-19. We hope the reopening of the state will inch us toward something resembling normal, and we're looking forward to covering stories that aren't centered around coronavirus. Nevertheless, we recognize we're far from seeing the end of the pandemic, and we may see restrictions...
During this coronavirus pandemic, access to accurate and trustworthy information in your community is as critical to life under quarantine and as sought after as hand sanitizer and face masks. Your local newspaper provides the news and information unique to your community. Where are the testing sites and who's eligible, which businesses are open, what is the local online unemployment benefit application process, and much more. But your access to local news and information is...
Often on my travels up Stemple to get firewood or to just go for a drive, I pass by the little red cabin where I first lived when I first moved to Lincoln in the early 90's. It's that first little place on the left after you cross the bridge over the Blackfoot River. Each time I drive by I have a different memory of it. Back when I lived there it was owned by Jackie Schmutzler. When I had first moved in, I did not have a pet until I think his name was Don Bergum - my memory...
During these insane days of government overreach, medical hysteria and misinformation, bogus computer models, consistency in the lies and attacks from communist groups both outside and within the U.S.A. I have marveled at the willingness of the people to give up their freedoms and economic power. If there is one thing I have learned from these days, it is that none of us have all the knowledge, information and answers for even the smallest of the world's problems. Throw in a...
BVD, I saw your article in the paper a week or two ago and then got the survey that was mailed in this last issue about the struggle you are having making ends meet with the local paper. A lot of appreciation always goes unsaid and we go about our lives and don't think about it. Seems like a lot of things have been going more and more digital in the last 10 years and making it hard for the local papers to survive. I really appreciate the job you guys do with the paper and...
I recently saw a post on Facebook about information not being available to residents in Lincoln. One way this person mentioned to find information was the community bulletin boards at the Post Office, which were taken down because someone in the community was taking down other businesses information. They were then put back up, and are being carefully monitored. I agree the bulletin boards are a fantastic way to let people know of things for sale, and yes, it's free, but...
Sending out a big Hey Howdy Hey of thanks to Aaron, Kristin, and Damion Birkholz. This July will be their sixth year in ownership of Coyote Coffee. Before they took it over it belonged to Jay and Heather Terman. Aaron and Kristin had both worked for Heather and when she had passed away, her husband Jay had offered them a chance to carry on Heather's business. They accepted and they wanted to carry on her business without changing the way she did things. They did add a few...
Last Sunday the world celebrated Easter. The first Easter was the day in which the disciples and enemies of the Lord Jesus Christ discovered that the tomb in which Joseph of Arimathaea and Nicodemus had laid the body of Jesus was empty. The disciples of Jesus were perplexed and sorrowful over the empty tomb. Even though Jesus had been telling them for months, and even years that He would be rejected, crucified (he often used the term "lifted up") and then rise from the dead...