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Pretty soon it looks like we are going to have to add a new group of people to the increasingly long list of those who can’t be discriminated against. I am talking, of course, of those hardy Americans who refuse to wear masks during the COVID-19 pandemic. They are being refused service at private businesses where masks are mandated such as Costco, Walmart and many more, and to add icing to the cake the State of Montana now requires masks in all indoor businesses and venues. True, all they w...
Last week, the Sanders County Board of Health decided to cancel the Sanders County Fair. The local 4-H clubs are still trying to decide how, or if, members can show and sell their animals. The Board of Health made a tough decision. Many of those are being made. Cities, counties and businesses are making masks mandatory. Some businesses have decided to close to the public. This week, we have three confirmed COVID-19 cases in Sanders County residents. The Fair Board was doing everything they could and taking extra precautions to keep people safe....
Looking back, I’m often amazed at where and when I’ve learned some of my most valuable lessons in my life. In early 1981, I was working south Los Angeles in 77th Division. My partner and I handled a call that, although pretty routine, taught me something important. I’d like to share an abbreviated and, somewhat sanitized, story of that experience. We received a call to, “See the man. Family dispute at (can’t remember the address).” In the early 80’s, what is now called a domestic violence incide...
It seems that some people are taking the threat of COVID-19 seriously, and others are fixated on conspiracy theories of the disease not being real, masks not being effective. In Montana, we're pretty independent and it's hard to have people telling you when you can go out in public, telling you to wear a mask and how much toilet paper you can buy. Conspiracy theories and the spread of misinformation is overwhelming, to say the least. It's hard to know which sources to trust. Our coverage in The Ledger is based on facts. We seek out sources...
With a nation in turmoil and crisis, people are beginning to stand up across the country. Even in Sanders County, people are exercising their first amendment rights with rallies and protests. In Thompson Falls last Saturday, people from many different sides of the social and political spectrum gathered so that their voices could be heard. For Americans, protesting is a right given purely by existence. The right of the people to speak out against oppression and violence is one of the things that makes this country so great and perhaps why it...
Several people have asked me my thoughts about the death of George Floyd from a law enforcement perspective. I thought about that and realized that, because of my experience, I initially looked at that video much differently than most people. I hope I can explain this effectively. I want to make something abundantly clear before I explain my thoughts. I believe that what happened to George Floyd was a tragic, criminal act. None of the thoughts I’m about to share are intended to minimize what hap...
COVID-19 couldn’t happen here, to anyone we know; but then it does. As some of you may be aware, I have been moonlighting from my Ledger job as a sports writer and serving as a Public Information Officer for the Sanders County commissioners’ office since the pandemic first started back in mid-March. As such, I have been intimately familiar with the local COVID-19 story from the very start, and have watched as the national infection numbers soared, first in far-away places like New York and fairly nearby locales like Seattle. Then it started spr...
We are at a good place in history, and we are at that good place because we are facing adversity together. It is sad to think that many had to die to spur us to action, but good times don’t seem to move us forward as a people, bad times do. Getting through the pandemic of COVID-19 requires working together as a people, so people are wearing face masks, not to protect themselves, but to protect others. Recognizing the injustices done to others, exemplified by the deaths of George Floyd and m...
It's confession time. I grew up in Sanders County, moved away for a few years and then have been back about 12 years. In all that time, I never once had visited Graves Creek Falls outside of Thompson Falls. I was embarrassed to admit it. So, like many other people this Memorial Day weekend, we went for a drive in the mountains. We decided to see what the Montana Department of Transportation had done with Blue Slide Road, driving from Trout Creek to Thompson Falls. Even though Montana is still in Phase One of re-opening, there was a lot of...
Do you remember that day — March 30, 1981 — when President Ronald Reagan was shot? Do you remember that when he was wheeled into surgery he looked up at the doctors and said, “Please tell me you’re Republicans.” And that the lead surgeon, a Democrat, said to him, “Today, Mr. President, we are all Republicans.” Later, during his early recovery Nancy Reagan allowed only two politicians in to see him, Howard Baker, the Republican Senate Minority Leader and Tip O’Neill, the Democratic Spea...
To graduating seniors, life does not get much better than the moment the classwork stops. Most people will say that it is the moment they walk across the stage; however, in reality it’s when a senior realizes that for the first time in 12 years, they do not have to turn in any more homework. From this point on, that step is optional. Down the line college assignments, work projects and even helping their own children with their schoolwork is the next time any graduating senior will have any “homework” to think about, and all of these momen...
The past two weeks have been pretty crazy in Washington, D.C.! Previously classified documents were declassified and released. Other documents that were never meant to see the light of day were discovered. Collectively, these documents have revealed a pattern of conduct, by a certain group in Washington, D.C., that should disturb all Americans… regardless of political affiliation. It’s impossible to discuss all of this in the space allowed so I’m going to summarize the best I can while issui...
“They say the first 50 years of marriage are always the hardest.” That's what someone told my parents, Gene and Barb, last weekend. They will celebrate their 50th anniversary this Saturday, May 16. Celebrations, including what they will do to celebrate their golden anniversary, look a bit different these days. This Saturday was going to be branding day at the Wooden ranch, actually “Brandiversary” day. We had planned to have a big gathering and celebrate after the work was done with the cows. Our celebration will be on a much smaller scale,...
President Trump doesn’t like the Post Office. It isn’t because he doesn’t like standing in line to buy a stamp, in fact I doubt if he has ever had to stand in line, let alone ever had to buy a stamp. No, he doesn’t like the Post Office because they do business with Amazon. A lot of business. He doesn’t like Amazon because it is owned by Jeff Bezos. He doesn’t like Jeff Bezos because Jeff Bezos owns the Washington Post. He doesn’t like the Washington Post because they say nasty things about...
We’ve never been in a situation like this. We’ve never had so many meetings over videoconference. Most of us had never heard of Zoom before COVID-19 forced us to stay home and learn to adapt to doing more things from home. It’s amazing the things that can get accomplished, but that personal connection is definitely missing. The lack of emotion (even with those annoying emojis) and the lack of connection with texting and social media used to drive us crazy. Now, it’s the fact that our ability to look people in the eyes when we make decisions or...
I had many jobs in my career, but my favorite was being a K9 handler. I worked three different K9 Units and handled/trained dozens of dogs. This week marks the 25th anniversary of my first K9 partner's passing. It was a tough day for me! The relationship between a handler and K9 partner is impossible to describe. The following is the letter I wrote for our department's newsletter that same day. Most of the readers knew Thor and I. I've been extremely fortunate in my police career. I have been...
Last week, President Trump said it is up to the states on when they want to remove restrictions due to COVID-19. In Montana, Gov. Steve Bullock has imposed a shelter-in-place order through Friday, April 24, when he will re-evaluate the situation. The spread of coronavirus has slowed in Montana. March 26 was the day with the most new cases in the state. That number has slowly gone down. Not because the virus is less contagious, but because Montanans are doing the right thing by social distancing and staying home. We're ready for things to get...
This week I’m going to try a different approach to this column. So many things have happened in the last two weeks that it’s impossible to pick just one and write about it. Please forgive this “shotgun” approach, but there are so many topics worthy of discussion that I’m going to try to dedicate one paragraph to those that particularly struck me. The impact of the Coronavirus seems to be winding down. Granted, the process is slow, but we are seeing light at the end of the tunnel. Individual states governors are now formulating plans to restor...
Being part of a small community definitely has large rewards. These communities are appealing because people tend to “look out” for one another and “have each other’s backs.” Fortunate for many of us, we live in one of the many small communities in Sanders County; Dixon, Hot Springs, Plains, Thompson Falls, Trout Creek, Noxon or Heron. Regardless of your residence, the quaintness usually exudes feelings of unity. Unity - the state of being united or joined as a whole (defined by Google’s dictionary). With this definition, it appears tha...
If there's one thing the last couple of weeks have taught us, it's how much we appreciate others. Not only the front-line workers in hospitals, clinics and at the grocery store who are helping people, but also those teachers and school staff members who take care of our kids every day. Our parents told us stories of how when we got to a certain age growing up, they would skim our textbooks so they could stay on top of subjects like math and reading and be able to help us with our homework. It's one thing to help with homework, but it's a...
“A great people has been moved to defend a great nation.” — George W. Bush September 11, 2001 There is no symbolic date like September 11, 2001, that we can use to define the Coronavirus pandemic. If there were, the tragedy unrolling before our eyes might allow us to be more united in fighting it. In the suddenness of 9/11, there was no time to second guess what had happened because it was so immediate and awful. The only thought was to come together for the benefit of all. But with the almost...
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state and federal governments are recommending the practice of social distancing to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Avoiding large gatherings, washing your hands and staying home if you have any illness are some of the recommendations with this practice. In a more densely populated area, social distancing means staying in your home and probably much more screen time for your kids. With Governor Steve Bullock ordering schools be closed for two weeks, your kids are going to get to the...
I could write about coronavirus about which I know little, or politics about which I know too much, or the weather about which you know as much as I do, but they are all depressing topics so I am going to tell you about my uncle, Davey Maitland. He was my mother’s uncle, actually, and was born and raised on the family farm in Southern Ontario with his brother Frank and his three sisters, Robena, Gert and my grandmother, Margaret. Their own grandfather had bought the farm in 1837 when he and h...
Growing up, when we would start to annoy our parents, they'd tell us to go outside. Run off some energy, go do chores, go do something. The first Friday in March is designated as the National Day of Unplugging (nationaldayofunplugging.com). While we didn't make it to a whole day of unplugging, we spent the day being more aware of how much time we spent on our phones, at computers or binge-watching our favorite series. In Montana we still have "dead zones" with no cell service. It's easy to unplug and go fishing, go for a hike, or just take a...
I often hear politicians speak and just get angry at what I’m hearing. That happened last week when I heard Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer threaten Supreme Court Justices Gorsuch and Kavanaugh. He was addressing a crowd and talking about the fact that the Supreme Court had agreed to hear arguments on a Louisiana case regarding abortion. It’s important that the reader understand, Schumer wasn’t talking about a Supreme Court decision. He was talking about the fact the court was hearing the c...
