The Blackfoot Valley's News Source Since 1980
The Blackfoot Valley's News Source Since 1980
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I have the propensity to make decisions with little forethought, then when things fall apart, cast around for help to get out of the situation I created. My siblings have always come through, although I have never been deserving of their help. Some years ago I was making a decent wage, and decided that the only way I´d ever be able to reciprocate for their patience and generosity would be a healthy life insurance policy on myself with them as beneficiaries. So, like always,...
I want to call your attention to Andy Shirtliff, a candidate for Public Service Commission. Andy will bring a combination of new energy and solid experience to the PSC. He will focus on unleashing a diversity of Montana energy rather than favoring only one source of energy. Andy served for five years as a Small Business Advocate for the Montana Governor's Office of Economic Development. During that time Andy worked relentlessly with business owners and potential new business...
Here in western Montana most ranches are what's called "cow/calf" operations. The owners maintain a herd of cows and sell the offspring at about six months of age, the calf crops go to feedlots, most of which are in areas that produce a lot of grains, especially corn. They'll stay in the lots until they weigh 1,100 to 1,200 pounds, at about a year of age, when they are sold to the packing plants. It varies from property to property and region to region, but in this area most...
Now this is getting RIDICULOUS!!!! In case any of you are asleep I mean Kavanaugh confirmation. How far back do we go? How many of you out there, (siblings, cousins, Moms, Dads, Grandparents and so forth), when you were babies were not bathed, slept, taught or shared clothes together? Can this not also be considered inappropriate? It's time for all 535 members of congress to disclose all their history to child birth!! And unless you lived in a glass house since child birth...
Montana is a state in which 10 percent of our population are veterans, a high percentage are 65 years of age or older. While serving in the Montana Legislature, Matt Rosendale supported privatizing the Columbia Falls Veteran's Home. He also opposed a new veteran's home in Butte. Montana is about 1/3 federal public lands, over 27 million acres. Real estate developer Rosendale is on record advocating transferring these federal public lands to the state, which could then be...
Dear Dietitian, I am trying to lose weight, so I often skip breakfast. My husband insists that this is not good for me and actually works against my efforts to lose weight. What do you say? Shirley Dear Shirley, We have always heard, "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day." However, recent studies have challenged this age-old standard. Some studies have found that people who skip breakfast do not overcompensate for this and overeat later in the day. Other studies sho...
Dear Dietitian, Why are nutrition studies so confusing? One day we hear a certain food is good for us; then the next thing we know, the same thing may cause cancer. It's very frustrating! George D. Dear George, Good question. I am always skeptical when I read a new nutrition study. Take fish oil supplements, for example, which contain omega-3-fatty acids. At first, studies showed that omega-3s did everything from preventing cancer to heart disease. After further research, a sp...
Our mother was out at the clothesline while the rest of us were in the house. Suddenly, she burst through the back door, so frightened and angry she couldn't speak clearly. She kept asking for a shotgun or a rifle, and all I could imagine was that a mountain lion or something akin was in the back yard. Finally, our mother calmed down enough to say, "That damned duck!" and we understood her fright, but we knew it wasn't a big deal. One of us had dragged home an old male Muscovy...
One buzzword that seems to be getting a lot of airtime these days is “sustainability.” Most often, the word is used to mean the responsible maintenance of the world in which we live, so that the planet’s resources will be able to support many future generations, and the word comes up in discussions on a variety of topics, from the economy to environment to lifestyle. The first thing that comes to my mind when someone mentions sustainable living is the modern “homesteader” movement, in which a growing number of hipsters...
By the time this is in print I will be in Springfield, Ill. Then on the 23rd Lisa and I will be sharing our ministry with Zion Hill Baptist Church in Chatsworth, Ga. The following week it is on to Cleveland, Ohio to officiate our oldest son’s wedding, then a mad dash across country to get home! A vacation you say; hardly, although there will some “vacationing” along the way. We will be visiting with many old friends along the way, but not all and that is too bad. In order...
Three decades ago the spotted owl was used to obstruct tree removal and to force unreasonable “hands off” forest management that has helped result in today’s mega fires. So, forgive me for not believing the water pollution calamity story now being told by similar activists promoting I-186. This initiative will instead just hurt young Montana working-class families and harm local small businesses that depend on mining. The corporations pushing I-186 are distracting voters with a nonexistent clean water crisis to hide their...
Just west of our little ranch on North Willow Creek lies a town that once burst at the seams with mines and miners. Pony, Montana, boasted 5,000 people, banks, bars, schools, churches and a rail line. Mines with romantic names like Boss Tweed and Clipper dotted the hills above town. Between the 1870s and the 1920s, millions of dollars of gold came out of the hills. After the 1920s, when the gold played out, so did the people. Today, our little town upstream of the ranch has one heck of a fun bar and fewer than 200 really...
Montana’s children are off to a new school year and the excitement of learning. Children need and deserve to learn in a safe environment. When children are bullied in schools, it makes them feel unsafe and makes learning (and life) harder. The children doing the bullying need help too. Knowing this, the Montana Legislature passed the Bully-Free Montana Act in 2015 when I introduced this law to stop bullying in Montana’s schools. Because I carried this legislation, I am frequently contacted by citizens regarding bullying sit...
During our final days of filming TED K this August, there were many teary eyes among the cast and crew. We are going to miss Lincoln and our new friends there. We would like to sincerely thank you for welcoming us to your town. You worked alongside us both behind and in front of the camera, you scrambled to help us solve problems, you allowed us to film on your property, and you leant us vehicles, equipment, and props. Beyond all that, you fed us, you housed us, and, yes, you...
I had been incubating a case of pneumonia for some time before I got sick enough that a woman whose name I didn't even know took action and saved my life. For some weeks, I had been getting weaker and becoming more short of breath. I couldn't walk 100 feet without sitting down, and my legs were getting wobbly. I figured it was a combination of Paraguayan cigarettes and lack of caloric intake, but a change of lifestyle would fix me. I met Rosana one evening when she was...
I just returned from the Helmville Rodeo. I stood in silent prayer with several hundred people, every single person there stood with their hand over their heart as some little gal with the voice of a meadow lark sang our national anthem – while another one stood up on a barrel and did sign language for the audience. The tears that ran down my cheeks made me a proud man. I shall watch the NFL no more forever. Thank you God, thank you America, and thank you Helmville, M...
Dear Reader, The Food and Drug Administration developed a new Nutrition Facts label which was released in the beginning of 2018. The new label more clearly illustrates the serving size and the calories per serving, and among other things, lists the amount of added sugars. A recent European study found that one in three men do not read nutrition labels. The purpose of a Nutrition Facts label is to help consumers make healthier choices. However, many find them confusing....
When I voted for the Montana Health and Economic Livelihood Partnership (HELP) Act, also known as Medicaid Expansion, in 2015, I did so for two reasons. First, to ensure that vulnerable Montanans had access to affordable health coverage. Second, to ensure that we were giving those same people the skills they need to get higher-paying jobs so they would no longer need to rely on government assistance. I continue to support Medicaid Expansion, but I do not support Ballot Initiative 185 (I-185). I ask that you join me this...
The 2016 20-year anniversary of the capture of the Unabomber, and the recent presence of film crews in Lincoln have prompted a renewed interest and a lot of memories for many of us about that surreal time in our little town's history. Likewise, the resurgence of interest in the case of the serial killer who eluded authorities for more than twenty years, hiding amongst us, has brought up conversation and questions regarding Ted Kaczynski amongst many of my out-of-town friends....
Dear Dietitian, I have been using sea salt for most of my cooking. It's more natural than table salt, and I feel that it is a healthier alternative. But my husband challenges me on this point. What do you think? Signed, Suzanne Dear Suzanne, Many Americans are opting for sea salt with the idea, "It is more natural, so it must be better for you." According to the American Heart Association (AHA), nearly two-thirds of Americans have tried to decrease their salt intake....
In the New Testament book called “James”, written by Jesus’ half-brother, there are several verses that people misread, or misapply on a regular basis. I hope that for most people it is an honest mistake. It is easy to come to a section of Scripture and read it, but fail to grasp the intent and application the author intended. Yes, there are some real basic and time-tested principles to properly interpreting and applying God’s Word in to our lives. Some read verse 22 of chap...
Along with the beaverslide stackers and teams of horses, the family milk cows have disappeared into the past. I don't think anyone misses them. The state of Montana initiated brucellosis testing of all the cattle in the state during the late 1950's and early 60's, and a lot of milk cows showed up as carriers. The Brucellosis microbe in the milk can cause undulant fever in humans, plus make some young cows abort their calves. A few milk cows showed up positive on almost every...
Is Coconut Oil Bad for You? Dear Readers, This past week a Harvard doctor referred to coconut oil as “pure poison,” which set off a social media firestorm. What’s all the fuss about? Another doctor was quoted as saying coconut oil is safe to use in moderation. What, exactly, is moderation? This what we know from thirty years of research: Coconut oil is high in saturated fat. A diet high in saturated fat is a risk factor for high cholesterol, which in turn, is a risk facto...
Do you value the PRIVILEGE of recycling in Lincoln? Hopefully you do. We must work to keep TRASH from being thrown in the recycling bins next to the Senior Center, located across the street from the public school. The front-page headline in the Great Falls Tribune on Sunday, August 19, 2018 was titled “Montana Recycling Program May Get Trashed.” The article mainly focused on issues related to recycling plastic. But the secondary subject was the problem of people throwing TRASH in recycling bins of any kind. The art...
Dear Dietitian, My fourteen-year-old daughter was recently diagnosed with celiac disease. We made an appointment with a dietitian, and she is doing her best to follow a gluten-free diet. The problem is she still has stomach aches and diarrhea three to five times a week. What should we do? Signed, Mandy Dear Mandy, Today as many as 3 million Americans suffer from celiac disease. As you have learned, gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye, and triticale (a hybrid...