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Methinks there is mischief afoot. I’m a big fan of constitutions, at least those under which Americans and Montanans live. Constitutions evolved over thousands of years of bloody struggle over who really holds sovereignty – the people, or the aristocracy. The good ones are truly unique historical inventions, being marks of reason, genius, knowledge, and patriotism. And they provide the stability needed for security and progress. But a constitution isn’t foolproof. It only works if citizens agree to live under it. Frequent or easy changes mean...
Farmhouse Blooms would like to thank all the students, parents and faculty of Thompson Falls High School for the kindness and patience with tuxes, corsages and boutonnieres. The young men and women were really a pleasure to work with and there are many more wonderful things to come for this great group of students. A real pleasure to work with all of you! Nanette, Pearl, Mary, Tracy & Angela, Thompson Falls...
The editorial in the 24 February Ledger discusses the changes in behavior at county meetings over time. Conduct by attendees at the Board of Health meeting on 15 February, which I attended, was specifically referenced. Attendees behaved as most would expect and want at a public meeting held to conduct, and in this case, complete, a public action. I give enormous credit to Commissioner Tony Cox for establishing immediately the purpose of the meeting and the expected standard of behavior. He allowed public comment while keeping the meeting...
In light of the recent horrific murder of four college students; nearby in Moscow, Idaho. It has shed even more light on the darkness and blatant disregard for life that exists today. It has shaken families, friends, a college, a state and a nation. We pray comfort for all who are dealing with this tragedy and loss. I still have to wonder what any one of the 2,344 voters in Sanders County (who voted against LR-131 “Born Alive Infant Protection Act”), would have done if they had been there at the time. Would they claim to have been “co...
I just wanted to give a shoutout to our local DMV. I have in the past looked forward to dealing with the DMV (Drivers Licensing) with the same anticipation as going to my dentist for a tooth extraction. The young lady that does drivers licensing at the Sanders County courthouse is exceptional. She was great, very courteous, friendly , I was in and out in just a few minutes and treated very well. I could not have been treated better.Well done, I look forward to getting another renewal. Thank you, Ron Hawkinson, Thompson Falls...
Regarding the letter from Gunner Junge (Sanders County Ledger, Nov. 17, 2022), there are many points that I could take issue with, but I will focus on only a few. Yes, the United States is a democracy and, yes, the United States is a republic. The representatives of this republic are selected through a democratic process. That is the modern definition of a democracy. Regarding the comparison of election results timing in Florida and Arizona, Mr. Junge appears to be confusing 1) "calling" election winners, and 2) counting all the votes in an...
DÉJÀ VU: Why we shouldn't believe everything we hear or read. Perceptions and opinions aren't always reality. What a certain person calls "confirmation bias" another rather famous career politician's brother (using his brother's influence for their own international business dealings in money laundering) would call "plausible deniability." Let someone else claim, "There's no evidence of any election fraud in America... or Montana... other than that one case waaaay back in 2011." Case closed. Those who know some recent history would disagree. Ot...
Within the past few weeks, many Sanders County residents have learned of legislation that threatens the water rights of many of those living in Northwest Montana. Last Saturday, October 29, there was a meeting at the White Pine Mennonite Church for the purpose of getting information out to Sanders County residents concerning the loss of their water rights as the result of The Tribal Water Compact. My conservative estimate as to the number of people in attendance is 160 to 180 people. During the first portion of the presentation, the speaker...
Editor, We have been fortunate to be friends with Colleen Hinds for over 45 years. Colleen is running for House District 13, and she is the best candidate for the job. Her decade’s long history as a nurse at Bonner General Hospital has showcased her compassionate nature and boundless work ethic. Besides being a good listener, she is intelligent, creative and understands the concerns of working class citizens. Colleen Hinds is the best choice to be our Representative from HD 13. Sincerely, Debbie and Dave Lyman, Heron...
There has been reference to the “Big Lie” leading to January 6, which refers to potential election fraud which has been neither proved or disproved to this day. But let’s talk more about big lies. To say January 6 was an attempt to overthrow the U.S. government is a big lie. It was a protest that went awry, minuscule compared to the BLM riots which lasted nearly a year costing many lives and millions in damages. To say January 6 was worse than 9-11 is a big lie. To say January 6 was worse than Pearl Harbor is a big lie. To say the Afgha...
Colleen Hinds will be an effective, hard worker for Montanans in her district. She will focus on issues important to Sanders County and Montana in general. Colleen has lots of energy, is easy to approach, positive and won’t waste valuable time on distracting controversies damaging to Montana citizens. Vote Colleen Hinds for HD 13. Steve Oswald, Thompson Falls...
Last week there was a letter to the editor regarding how the Waste/Water Treatment Plant sale of land was being handled, casting doubt on Mayor Dan Rowan’s character and ability to serve as a county commissioner. The mayor does not make final decision on any actions that affect the running of the town of Plains. That is done by the Plains Town Council. The town lost a significant amount of land with a change in the flow of the river at the waste-water treatment plant and we were advised to move it out of the flood plain by the Army Corps of E...
I'm campaigning for Sanders County Sheriff – not for me – but for Deputy Cory Wheeldon as a write-in candidate. Cory is a Montana native who received valuable experience in Yellowstone County (Billings) and knows his way around Sanders County. I compare Cory to former Sheriff Wally Britton, (a legend in the 1950’s) because he would be a no-nonsense, get-the-job-done type of sheriff. If I were a bad guy, and we elect Cory, I'd pack my bags and leave - at once! I'm not convinced voting for the other two candidates is a good decision becau...
Hello Pot! Meet Kettle. Last week there was a letter to the Editor from Nick and Erika Lawyer regarding Commissioner candidate Dan Rowan. At first I was somewhat indifferent to the letter. Politics is politics is politics, but as time passed I couldn’t help but feel irked. The Lawyers’ letter seemed to be a pointed personal attack on Dan with very flawed reasoning being cited. Now I have no horse in the race for Commissioner, but one thing I can not stand aside for is injustice; and this letter seemed downright unfair. The Lawyers are not wrong...
This would be a response to Think Carefully While I realize the letter is mainly meant to be a campaign smear I do perceive a slight to how the town has done business. A little background is the city's sewer lagoons have been in danger of being swallowed up by the river so they had to be relocated. The Lawyers were approached with the best site for this project. They agreed to sell. By law the town can only pay appraisal plus 10%. We procured an independent appraisal that was $186,450.00. This was rejected by them as not enough money for the...
Mr. Elliott's change of focus to a single event of sending a few illegal aliens to punctuate the invasion occurring on our southern border put the predictable hypocrisy of the leftists on full display. Mr. Elliott would have us believe this is a legal operation where nefarious entities are paying for and luring millions of ignorant poor into a multi prong attack on America. Well over the number of American service members killed in Vietnam and Afghanistan have been killed veiled by creating this crisis on our border. Fentanyl made in China,...
Editor, Thank you to Annie Wooden and the Ledger for sponsoring the candidate forums at the Rex on October 3 and 4. It’s always enlightening to hear the candidates articulate their job qualifications and thoughts on the positions they are seeking or hoping to be re-elected to. I was very disappointed that two of three write-in candidates did not take this opportunity to face the voters and explain why they decided to continue to run for sheriff after being defeated in the primary. Knowing the issues their write-in candidacy could create with d...
Food for thought Very recently I decided to vet Jim Brown's candidacy for Montana Supreme Court. In doing my own due diligence before I "spend my vote", I wanted to learn more about him. I did NOT know: * Jim Brown is not a well-known attorney in good standing despite being an attorney for over 10 years. I could not find any information regarding his work in peer/client ratings of ethics and professionalism and legal ability for attorneys in the US. * Jim Brown is the current Chairperson for Montana Public Service Commission. I did not do a...
Actions speak louder than words. As our county grows, infrastructure needs are going to increase and County Commissioners will have to make choices of where to put additional services, and how to obtain the property to do so. The Town of Plains, under Mayor Dan Rowan, forced us to sell 10 acres of our property via eminent domain. We didn’t want a sewage lagoon on our property that we already had plans for, but realizing the need, and the immense power of the government, we offered to negotiate to arrive at a fair and equitable outcome. The l...
by Lee Pitts These are not the best of times In America. Our country is in tatters. It feels like the greatest experiment in Democracy the world has ever seen is dying a slow and ugly death. Perhaps it cannot be helped because great societies flare and flame but their soaring flight has always been fleeting. Sadly, great societies are never born again. But let it be remembered that there was once a time when we could grow our own food, make our own clothes, cars and tools; when the words "Made in USA" meant something. During the throes of...
The article about election questions in last weeks' Ledger brought to mind the work of our district clerks/election administrators when the election process was evaluated several years back (following the “hanging chad” election, perhaps?). What I recall is how impressed I was at the work they did to make sure that any changes to the election process at the state level actually translated to the local level. The efforts of the clerks were accompanied by a legislature that paid attention to the information “boots on the ground” brought to them...
Dear Editor, I am writing this letter to express my gratitude to the Thompson Falls Ambulance. Because of their training and expertise, they brought a sense of calm and restored some peace to a tense emotional situation in which my mom had taken a nasty fall. I also give them credit, to a large extent, for the reason Mom is not a paraplegic today. Having served with the Thompson Falls Ambulance as a driver\EMT for seven years, I am well aware of the huge dedication and time commitment required of these volunteers who freely and willingly...
There is a strong and growing hunger in Montana for protecting more of our wild places for future generations. A variety of polls show large majorities of Montanans value our wild public lands and want more of them permanently protected. This is a remarkable fact, especially now, when this desire is one of the few issues that almost all Montanans agree on. This makes it a puzzle to understand why we have such a poor record over several decades, to pass legislation to permanently protect some of our special places. It seems we have somehow...
Here is just one of his many stories. While on a service mission in Guiana, South America, he found people trying to grow corn with very little success. He taught them in order for the corn to pollinate; they had to plant in rows, close together; not in hills 6 feet apart. Then because of the monsoon season, they needed to plant the corn in raised rows. With Mahlon’s mentoring, they now had a 120-acre corn field about 6 foot tall and entering the tassel stage. But then they were faced with perhaps the toughest challenge. The Government of G...
Editor: Re: Ernie Scherzer's letter about Congressman Ryan Zinke (September 15, 2022). Ernie and I have known each other for a significant number of years. Despite our political differences, I consider him a friend. Personally, I strongly suggest Montanans support Zinke - not Tranel. Having spent several years on the Hill in D.C during the 1980s as a personal advisor to a U.S. Senator, I have a few comments about Ernie's attack on Zinke which reflect nothing more than his personal political biases. I'd like to challenge Ernie to provide me...
