The Blackfoot Valley's News Source Since 1980
The Blackfoot Valley's News Source Since 1980
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It was rare to travel much distance from Helmville in the 1950's and 60's. The vehicles weren't that dependable, and the interstate system wasn't built yet, so the highways were only two lane. The roads to Drummond and Avon were gravel and often rough. Once every summer we kids were hauled to Deer Lodge, where we spent a week with our maternal grandmother. Our father had a propensity for preparation, and would begin his efforts at least two days before the trips were...
Recently, someone introduced themselves to me as “[insert name here], fourth generation Montanan, ranching family.” “Wow,” thought I. “This individual is awfully proud of their heritage – a sentiment I can understand – and wants everyone to know it.” Although I have not noted announcing oneself and one’s lineage thusly upon first meeting to be the general custom among most of the ranching families I grew up around, I thought maybe I’m not up to snuff on Montana ranching family etiquette. So, to go with the flow, I followe...
Speaker of the House Greg Hertz (R-HD 12, The 66th legislative session has come to an end. As Speaker of the House, it was my goal to uphold the integrity of the House. As a leader in my caucus it was my goal to foster unity not conformity. We can be united behind the primary ideals of our party without losing individuality. It has been an honor to be selected by my peers to fill this roll. In looking at our accomplishments this session, several positive actions stand out....
Our paternal grandfather's brother, our great uncle, died in 1959, so there aren't many of us left who knew him. We of the 4th generation only knew him as children, and I, the eldest of the group, was just 12 when Pat died while feeding cows one winter. Pat never married. I've been told that he drank for years, but one day simply quit alcohol. I heard him relate to a friend that one morning he woke up in the weeds behind the local bar. He got up and started inside for another...
Starting on May 4th residents of Lincoln have a great opportunity to attend a free 6-hour course that has been developed and implemented in hundreds of towns and dozens of countries. It is not a get-rich quick scheme, a pyramid marketing program, nor does it come with a high-pressure sales pitch. The course is called “The Christian Life and Witness Course”, or CLWC. Now before you tune me out, invest a few minutes and finish reading this. The CLWC is a teaching outreach of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA). The...
I've mentioned a number of times the constancy a person experiences when raised on a rural property. The phenomenon crosses generations and allows people to realize the transience of their own existence. There are places on the ranch, I'm sure, where one can see the projects of four generations within a tiny area, all juxtaposed. Our father used to say that when a person dies, their absence makes no more difference than someone taking his or her finger out of a glass of...
Chester Beatty Papyri and Bodmer Papyri are almost complete New Testament’s and date from 200-250 AD. This helps ensure authenticity. The completeness of the New Testament. We have it all, nothing missing. Most ancient writings have 10-20 percent of original. Nine Key Factors Based on the Accepted Historical Facts Why There Are Positive, Factual Evidences for the Resurrection and thus for Christianity. The Disciples Experiences, as early, eyewitness sources The Disciples transformation into bold witnesses The Empty Tomb T...
Dear Dietitian, My son is in the fourth grade and is beginning to form unhealthy eating habits. He eats junk food while sitting in front of the computer. He is getting chubby, and I worry that he will get in these patterns for life. Can you help? Signed, Worried Mom Dear Mom, You are wise to start acting now. Behavior patterns are easier to modify when they are "nipped in the bud." According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), the obesity rate...
Dear Community Residents, It has come to my attention that a certain individual in town has been at it yet again, spreading rumors and badmouthing area businesses and charity events/organizations within our community. Now, while I normally just ignore things like this, keep my mouth shut, and move on, the verbal attack is feeling a little more personal and I feel it needs to be addressed. This particular attack is towards an organization and a community my dad felt very strong...
The other day I was in a town about 100 miles from here. Townsend used to be a dynamic place, but there are a lot of empty storefronts there now. The phenomenon of dying rural towns is becoming more obvious all the time. Deer Lodge, for example, used to be well to do. The Anaconda smelter, the saw mills, the railroad, and the phosphate mine were all available as good employment. The firms paid their labor well and the employees were relatively comfortable in their lives. Optio...
Several years ago, an old man, who I really didn't know, died and his wife gave me a grocery bag full of his fly-tying material. And for a long time, it sat untouched in the corner of my office. Over the years I've tied a few miserable-looking flies, but eventually my hobby quietly disappeared into a basement corner. Fly-fishing took the next bus out of town. Then, last week I stumbled across a cheap, metal and plastic desk headed for the dump and something clicked. Now, it's...
As former and current Montana Public Service Commissioners, we represented Montanans across this great state in balancing the needs of utilities with the needs of consumers. We took our oath of office seriously and worked tirelessly to faithfully perform the job to which our constituents entrusted us. We often disagreed as Commissioners, and still rarely agree on many issues. Yet we are writing this letter because we share grave concerns about Senate Bill 331. While we may differ in our views of various energy resources, we a...
Dear Readers, If you have been listening to the news lately, you may have heard about more food recalls. This time almond butter and avocados were recalled for concerns of listeria contamination. Listeria monocytogenes is type of bacteria found in soil and water and in some animals, including poultry and cattle. It can also be found unpasteurized cheese and milk. Listeria can live in processing plants and contaminate a variety of processed meats. When someone consumes food...
Dear Readers, Chances are you know someone who has diabetes. According to the Centers for Disease Control, nearly 30 million Americans have the disease. There is type 1 diabetes, where the pancreas no longer secretes insulin, so the patient must take insulin shots. With type 2 diabetes, the pancreas secretes insulin, but either it is not enough to keep blood sugars under control or the body cannot use it efficiently. People with type 2 diabetes sometimes take insulin in...
Rural children grow up with fewer organized activities than do their urban counterparts, but they enjoy a variety of country opportunities not available in cities. One facet of a tellurian upbringing is exposure to animals, both domesticated and wild. With six children in the family, our mother suffered through myriad pets we kids dragged home. She wasn't much for animals, especially under her kitchen table and on the couch. But she survived - after a fashion. We were always...
April 15th marks the one-hundred-and-seventh anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, a catastrophic accident that resulted in tragic loss of life and still serves as a monument to hubris – the folly of proud men who built a ship and deemed it "unsinkable." The tragedy of the Titanic is one that has touched hearts and gripped imaginations for generations, especially after the fateful day was vividly captured in James Cameron's 1997 blockbuster film, "Titanic." The movie f...
The basis for real change in one’s thinking, feelings and living is found in the Holy Bible. Even people that are not professing Christians have throughout history affirmed the value in the Word of God for living a good life. Many of our Founding Fathers were Christians. They believed in a personal God, the supernatural revelation of the Bible, the Person of the Holy Spirit, the salvation found only in the Person of Jesus Christ. Some were Deists, which is a belief that God created the universe but then remains apart and i...
This winter I spent some time in both retro and introspection. The results aren't very good, I'm afraid. I showed some promise as a child, but when puberty arrived, my concerns turned solely to girls, alcohol, and horses. I never developed any long term goals like my more mature friends did. I've always had the proclivity to act on impulse, with no thought of the results my actions might bring. I can think of very few untoward events in my life for which I wasn't solely respon...
We would like to extend a huge thanks to all the people who supported the Lincoln Fireman's Ball this year. Thanks to the businesses that helped with food, condiments and of course donations; the wonderful artists who donated their work to the auctions; the folks who came in and spent their hard earned money buying items in the auctions, raffle tickets, 50/50, or just donated cash. We had about 100 fewer people than last year, yet we made about the same money. And it appeared...
Well spring has finally showed up, both on the calendar and in the warmer temperatures and melting snow. I know we are all glad for this time of year, especially after the rough month we had in February. The snow sure looks pretty, even when there is too much to plow and no place to put it. Seeing the snow fall reminds me of hunting excursions, road trips and the days of old when I was a timber marker and rode snowmobiles many miles in to the mountains of central Oregon to...
Dear Readers, Food allergies are on the rise in the United States, and it is estimated that as many as 8 percent of children suffer from at least one food allergy. A food allergy is when your body’s immune system responds to a certain food as harmful and has a reaction. These reactions can range from itchy skin, vomiting, or diarrhea to trouble breathing, wheezing, or anaphylaxis, which is life-threatening. Although it is uncertain why food allergies have increased, one t...
I don't know how our paternal grandmother managed. She wasn't different than any of the women who raised families in the early and mid-20th century. They all had it hard. Many families were large in those days, and with no pizza shops, MacDonald's, or heat and eat foods, even lunches for the children entailed a lot of work. Our grandmother kept a house with seven sons, a husband, and a brother-in-law. She gave birth to a girl baby after all the boys, but the child died of meni...
The basis for real change in one’s thinking, feelings and living is found in the Holy Bible. Even people that are not professing Christians have throughout history affirmed the value in the Word of God for living a good life. Many of our Founding Father’s were Christians. They believed in a personal God, the supernatural revelation of the Bible, the Person of the Holy Spirit, the salvation found only in the Person of Jesus Christ. Some were Deists, which is a belief that God...
Dear Dietitian, I have recently lost twenty pounds, and I've been exercising to keep the weight off. My problem is I sometimes eat at night out of boredom. I know I need to break this bad habit, but I keep doing it over and over again. Help!! Thank you, Julie Dear Julie, Eating out of boredom can lead to unnecessary calories and of course, eventual weight gain. The goal is to be healthy, and if our bodies are well-nourished, we will be less tempted to eat when we are not...
Dear Parents and Community members, We would like to take the opportunity to review Lincoln School’s Montana Comprehensive Literacy Grant and update the community about progress we’ve made during this first year. Due to this grant our school will receive $750,000 over the next three years! This money is being used to fund textbooks, technology, a preschool and many other benefits to the students. This grant requires proof of educational growth in our children. Growth is being measured using various metrics. The first tool to...