Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
Sorted by date Results 526 - 550 of 1510
Whenever I hear someone talk about how honest they are, I instinctively put my hands in my pockets to see that everything that should be there is still there. So, pardon me my skepticism when I read this blurb from a large accounting firm’s website: “Our Global Code of Conduct is a clear set of standards for our business conduct. It provides the ethical and behavioral framework on which we base our decisions every day.” Or this one: “… we hold ourselves to the highest moral and ethical s...
Editor: After reading David Lyght’s letter to the editor in the June 30 publication of the Ledger concerning the building of a Frisbee Golf course north of town I called Ray Brown, the Executive Director of Sanders County Community Development. He informed me that they were looking for ways to put to better use that part of the Mule Pasture Trail system most commonly known as the “Orchard” or the abandoned Tree Farm. If you are interested and want to have a say in any proposed changes to the “Orchard” located north of Town please go to Ray@sa...
Several years ago I saw this saying in a store window: “Making good people helpless won’t make bad people harmless.” There was a drawing of a rifle underneath. Taking our guns away from us is not the only way to make (force) good people to be helpless. There are endless ways that are being applied leaving good people more helpless, hopeless and desolate. While it seems that little or no effort is being done to remove or even slow down the activities of the bad people. Instead a blind eye is turned to protect and defend the poor perse...
was outside working and my ears perked up. It’s not often one gets to witness the phenomenon actually occurring. One of my hives swarmed. I heard it before I saw it. The loud hum of the bees getting ready to take off is hard to miss. As I walked closer to my hives, there it was. A cyclone of what must have been nearly 1,000 bees — if not more — swirling 50 feet up into the air. Disconcerting but also mesmerizing. A swarm can be made of up to a couple thousand honey bees, all searching for a new place to call home. A natural process of the h...
As we approach the Fourth of July, it's important to think about the principles this country was founded on. We are the United States of America and the Constitution was an effort to bring people together in a new country. Despite the continued division in our country, we are still the UNITED states. It couldn't have been easy writing the Constitution and taking into account the needs and priorities of different colonies. One of those founding principles was the first amendment guaranteeing the right to free speech. As a news organization, we...
In John Prine’s song “Way Back Then,” he sings, “I am out undoing all the good I’ve done.” That could be a theme for the past few years in the United States. Environmental laws passed “way back then” are weakened, international agreements are abandoned, traditional friends are snubbed and rancorous, argumentative politics have settled into every level of government. I have my theories on the causes of all this, one being that the rising resistance to progressive thinking by a dogmatic, entrenched, seemingly intentionally ignorant group...
Again a group is wanting to improve this little town for recreating, for a few, more like make it like Missoula. The area needs to be left alone. Why would the city allow a frisbee golf course up by the city water tank? If you want a frisbee golf course, put it out by the county transfer station, lots of room for parking too. Also, I’m certain some of the high school kids could walk the six or seven blocks to the mule pasture trail. The area does not need improved. The little valley is already ruined with subdivision. It is too bad some of y...
Here we are nearing the end of June, with summer chugging along at a steady pace. Warmer weather, vacation plans and leisure time are all increasing. Thoughts of school – with its classes, books, and homework – have certainly faded long ago. So where are all the college and high school kids? “Not working” appears to be the answer. While this doesn’t apply to every person in the 16-24 age range, there does seem to be a steady unemployment trend for this group that becomes quite noticeable in June and July. Babysitting, lifeguarding, refereein...
On the same day that the 50th anniversary of the Montana Constitution was being celebrated in the chambers of the Montana House of Representatives as producing the most open government of all the 50 states, it was revealed that the Governor of Montana was keeping a secret from the public: his location. He was, his office said, on a previously undisclosed “long-scheduled personal trip,” the location and timing of which were also undisclosed for “security reasons.” The deception was discovered because inconveniently – and simultaneously with the...
Some generations ago, local cattlemen who used the grazing leases along the Thompson and Little Thompson rivers built various holding pastures there to facilitate autumn critter gathering. By the time I became familiar with the area by hunting cattle for more recent owners, the pens were no longer in use. Posts had rotted down, but the barbed wire was still there in the form of rusty coils hidden in the grass, strung randomly, and periodically rearranged by bumbling cows. With its old-growth pines and green meadows and rippling waters, it was a...
Can one person change the world? The skeptic in me prevents me from giving a resounding “YES!” to this well-worn, oft-repeated saying, because change can often seem too slow, and the world can often seem too big. But I do believe that one individual’s actions can influence others, that one person’s decisions can be the start of a larger movement. This is much more apparent, much more convincing, when we take a local instead of a global view. In last week’s editorial, I mentioned that one of our civic duties is voting. Why? Because taken glo...
In college one of my favorite courses was entitled “Humans Being.” It was an interesting study on what it means to be human. We explored various concepts, facts and emotions, taking an in depth look at differing views and responses to common themes of being human such as happiness, forgiveness, love and one of the most interesting for me, death. Why was it interesting? Because as a child I was raised to believe no one gets out of life alive, so I was surprised that for many, death is a dif...
First I was furious. Later I just wanted to cry. I had taken my car in for servicing here locally today, Primary Election Day in Montana. When I was checking out, the young lady behind the counter commented on the “I Voted” sticker that had been on my shirt since early this morning when I went to my polling place. “What were you voting on today?” she asked, nodding to the sticker with a polite smile. “The Primary Election is today! HAVEN’T YOU VOTED YET?” She replied, “Oh, I didn’t know there was an election today. I never heard anything ab...
After reading the June 2 article by Ed Moreth I was in disbelief regarding the sewer board's decision to turn down the county’s offer. As a member of the Paradise community, I became curious as to why. In speaking to several other community members, I was surprised that they felt it had nothing to do with the county but rather hatred and dislike for Bridger Bischoff. This seems to be the norm nowadays around the country. I also was informed by community members that the majority are not against the sewer project. As we all know there are those...
I had a friend visit from Tennessee a few years ago, and she couldn't believe the number of deer in Thompson Falls. She took a lot of pictures of deer in the yard, deer on the sidewalks, deer in the streets. It is pretty unique as we live in the wilderness of northwest Montana. We have plenty of civic duties – both as U.S. citizens and as residents of Sanders County. As Americans, we pay taxes, serve on juries and vote in elections. But our obligations here in this community are just as important, and it appears we need to brush up on one of o...
Inflation has settled in for the American consumer and it’s nowhere more obvious than at the gas pump. Not so coincidentally, the only ones who are able to stay ahead of inflation are those companies which are causing the inflation itself, the oil companies whose profits have skyrocketed at the expense of the American consumer. It’s not just the price of gas. Since virtually everything produced in America uses some kind of petroleum product in its manufacture, not to mention the fuel to get thei...
We in America have come to a desperate time in history. People coming in now from many places are not going thru the proper channels. Not like immigrants of the past. Some will create unrest. The COVID crisis has done harm and fear should not overcome us! We should as caring people protect our most innocent tiny human beings in the mother's womb. The dilemma of ectopic pregnancies can be helped thru Dr. Thomas Hilger of Pope Paul VI Institution at Nebraska. His medical institute has helped women the world over. He has corrected the serious...
The community of Paradise needs a community sewer system. The sewer district board agrees. The county commissioners and sanitarian agree. The state agreed to the point of ranking the sewer sytem as a top priority for funding. As you drive through Paradise, the "No Sewer" and "No Levy" signs are still prominent, with residents expressing their distaste for the project. More than 85% of the funding for the $5.8 million project has been secured with various grants. Last month, the Sanders County Commissioners offered to take on the majority of...
My neighbor Aaron Harris showed up with his portable sawmill this week, and we proceeded to make rectangular pieces out round logs harvested from my place by Ma Nature herself: windthrown Douglas fir, cedar and hemlock courtesy of big wind events during the past few years. Brother Kent and I salvaged them with my chainsaw and his tractor. He sent his portion off to the mill, but I reserved mine for personal use. Homegrown is best, right? The lumber is fodder for the continuing project of rebuilding the cabin my mom and dad put together over a...
As Thompson Falls residents for 28 years we wish to express our support for electing Roy Scott as our Sanders County Sheriff in our next election. He has worked endless hours, days, weeks and months to curb drug trafficking in our county and city. He also is attentive to domestic violence calls, attends school functions, helps emergency services and is “visible” to our community. Roy Scott will continue to work hard to keep our county safe for everyone. Neil and Dixie Carman, Thompson Falls...
I think Paradise needs to put in the badly needed sewer system especially with the federal government funding most of it like they are doing at Thompson Falls. But to have the residents of Sanders County pay a half million of it? NO. It sets a bad precedent for the next town wanting and or needing a sewer system. Just object and delay it and delay it and the county will pay your $185 a year share. Why then are the good folks in Thompson Falls paying the full bill, because they didn’t object and carry on for months and years? That $2 million t...
A vote for Adam Bache is a vote for an independent commissioner without ties, obligations, or pre-conceived political opinion. Our commission is non-partisan for a reason: to fill those critical positions with representatives who come to their decisions regardless of political association and the baggage that brings with it. A successful, well-educated young businessman and manager, Adam works hard and goes the extra mile to get things done to benefit his clients and the community. A family man with deep roots in Sanders County, Adam wants to...
We support Chris Stough as the best candidate for Sheriff of Sanders County, because he trusts in all the following ideas: Community involvement beginning with youth involvement as a civic duty. We think Chris has a fresh appeal based on a wide range of professional and management experience. He will support the entire community’s needs regardless of whether people voted for him or not. He has a sincere commitment to due process for all and not just enforcement of particular issues. Mr. Stough does not pander to people based on popular s...
My whole family got COVID recently. Ironically, we were all gathered at a funeral for my uncle, who passed away last fall, from COVID. I'm proud to say my family is fully vaccinated and boosted. More importantly, I'm very glad we all were. I have no doubt some of us would have ended up in the hospital had we not been. COVID is something we are going to have to learn to live with, just like the flu and other bugs that go around. However, we still have a responsibility to keep others safe. For now, the CDC is recommending isolating and then...
Editor I want to express my support for Mayor Dan Rowan in the upcoming election for Sanders County Commissioner. Even though I do not relish the idea of losing him as mayor, I believe he is the best man for the county commissioner position. I served with him for several years on city council and then for the last five that he has served as mayor. He is a straightforward guy and works tirelessly for the people and community he serves. His angle as mayor is always, what is best for the town and the people that live here. He was instrumental in...
