Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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While in agreement with the editors statements about the need for, and value of, interested folks running for school boards, the statement got me thinking about the other side of the coin. We, the constituents, need to be aware of, and recognize, the service provided by the people we elect. I’ve attended Thompson Falls school board meetings for around 30 years, with Bud Scully the sixth superintendent during that time, and more board members than I can remember. The last three years have been the most challenging I’ve observed, and our sch...
At Clark Fork Valley Hospital, patient safety is at the core of our mission. Recently, Rep. Denley Loge took a common-sense approach to protecting the health and safety of patients during this legislative session. Specifically, he helped stop House Bill 415, which would have prohibited your local hospital and healthcare facilities (such as nursing homes) from requiring staff to be vaccinated. Hospitals in Montana are not required by law to require vaccinations, but most do. Vaccinations are a clinical best practice and a longstanding,...
Jim Elliott once again took to the pages of the Ledger to push the party line agenda of the new, progressive, Democrat party. Jim seems to think that everyone with a heartbeat and maybe some without a heartbeat should be able to vote as often as they like with no identification. He thinks the process of getting a photo ID is too complex for many prospective voters, but those same ID challenged individuals are able to comprehend the issues and can evaluate the candidates with no problem. Jim then tries to walk us through the complicated process...
I really appreciate the description of a peace officer attitude in Blaine Blackstone’s March 11 letter. We need peace officers as described. “The officer DID NOT write a large number of citations. He didn’t make a lot of arrests. Yet...the people he served loved him (along with anyone who had the good fortune to work with and learn from him).” I bet he did not hide in the dark along a straight stretch trying to “catch” someone 10 or 15 mph over. I bet he did not sit at the edge of speed zones “catching” people coming down from highway speed t...
Dear People of Sanders County, Please be aware of HB273 introduced by Derek Skees of Kalispell. This bill seeks to eliminate public participation in siting nuclear facilities in Montana. In 1978 Montanans passed I-80 by over 60%. This initiative gives “We the people” . . . a say in our state as to nuclear power alternative. An initiative should not be overturned by legislative vote. There are no solutions to nuclear accidents. Vote NO. Sincerely, Colleen Hinds, Heron...
The Ledger dated 3/3/21 contained an article concerning our Second Amendment. It stated there is a proposal under consideration by the Sanders County commissioners to make Sanders County a Second Amendment Sanctuary County. I am writing today to encourage the citizens of Sanders County to contact the Sanders commissioners and send a message of support for this proposal. If you can’t send a message on the county website, call the commissioners at 827-6942 and leave a message, it only takes a couple of minutes. They need to hear your support f...
Editor, So what have we learned from the election? Hopefully to never elect any official on personality versus policy. I will gladly debate, discuss, negotiate, compromise, or argue with anyone on policies of the present administration compared with the policies of the past four years. I’ll let you go first. Give me one of the policies from the last four years you feel hurt this country. Now it’s my turn. For instance, consider abortion. Science proves life begins at conception, therefore any state that allows abortion up to the day of birth sh...
Dear Sen. Brown, On Thursday at the Legislative Update at our courthouse, you asked the group, “Do you know who pays my salary?” Stacy (Vice Chair of Sanders County Republicans) and I (Chair of the Sanders County Democrats) blurted out in unison, “We do!” But you went on to try to correct us by explaining why it’s wealthy people who pay our salaries. Sen. Brown, I beg to differ. You see, I feel Stacey and I do indeed pay your salary. Our commissioners aren’t paid by wealthy people. I’m a retired public school teacher; I wasn’t paid by wealthy...
There have been few if any legal meetings regarding this wastewater improvement project in Paradise. The Paradise Sewer Board directors have met and continue to meet in violation of the Montana Open Meeting Act. They have meetings and do not notice them. They have discussions on matters of “significant importance” and do not notice them. They spend money and approve funds from the CBDG grant held by Sanders County without board approval. Over the previous four years, they have held meetings that the public had no knowledge of. No board-approved...
Dear Editor: We have to agree, the newspaper’s political agenda is ironically polarizing. The media is Anti-Trump, strictly TDS, Trump Derangement Syndrome. We love the usage of “Whataboutism” as a recent letter to the editor proclaims. That technique is called “Projection,” accusing the other side of the very same things that they are quite guilty of doing! Always the liberal left claims President Trump has lied many times without ever citing a single truthful example. Likewise, they say he has tried to overturn the election results and again...
Dear Commissioners of Sanders County, Glenn Magera, Carole Brooker, and Tony Cox, While I understand that Second Amendment Sanctuary Resolutions are merely a statement of support for the Second Amendment. Such resolutions represent a redress of grievances towards unconstitutional limits placed upon citizens right to keep and bear arms. Forwarded to our state officials, and specifically our Governor such resolution makes a solid statement that Sanders County does not waver in support of FREEDOM. A Resolution to establish Sanders County as a...
Does it seem a bit ironic that Blackstone’s recent column titled “Political agendas get in the way” (February 11, 2021) is based on promoting the political agenda of the right-wing media? The pro-Trump media’s defense of Trump’s indefensible behavior is based on a technique called “whataboutism.” Since there is no credible justification for Trump’s many lies and attempts to overturn the election, the focus of this defense is on trying to claim that the Democrats are somehow worse. But even if the exaggerated claims about Democrats were...
Have you noticed that what appear to be junk vehicles proliferate in this town faster than wild turkeys and geese? Does anybody think those vehicles add to the attractiveness and appeal of Thompson Falls? You know who does like them a lot? Feral animals! Such vehicles provide shelter and protection for mice, rats, skunks, feral cats and, worse yet, a good place to birth even more mice, rats, skunks and feral cats. Besides being a nuisance, these animals can harbor and share disease. Prospective buyers appear to be lacking enthusiasm to...
Editor, As a retired high school registrar and former junior high principal’s secretary and office manager, I write to express my deep concern over the recent lifting of the state mask mandate, the lowering of the vaccine priority for our teachers from 1B to 1C and what appears to be stubbornness and/or indifference on the part of the school district administration regarding the danger posed by COVID-19 to our teachers, building support staff, students and by extension, all our families. I believe I heard the CDC will raise the vaccine p...
Back in the late 60’s at Warner Barracks in Bamberg, West Germany, Sergeant First Class Schmidt ran a mortar platoon so well that no rank either above or below him questioned his performance. He was big, loud and gruff, with an accent that reminded listeners of his origins in Hungary, from where, as a lone teenager, he had fled ahead of a 1950’s Russian threat. I was a squad leader assigned to the same company, but as a scout rather than a mortar man, when in the summer of ’68 the Russians briefly invaded nearby Czechoslovakia. I thought that...
Who is responsible for the Sanders County parklands? Not the board of commissioners. Glen Magera – although the county provides him with an email, he is incapable of hitting the reply button. Carol Brooker – forwards emails regarding the parks to Tony Cox & the county planner Tony Cox – writes letters that are not enforced and forwards emails to the county planner. Not the county planner. Katherine Maudrone, Director of Land Services, forwards emails to the Sanders County Park Board. Not the members of the Sanders County Park Board. Julie...
We are off and running on a new year with great enthusiasm because it’s 2021 and no longer 2020! Right? And the city government is working on issues of importance to the city and all of us who live in Thompson Falls. I’m not going to talk about those issues specifically because my articles regarding the council have caused concern. So, I’m going to try and skirt the edges to keep myself out of trouble! But I am going to discuss an important element in making city government work for you, the citizens of Thompson Falls. As noted in a previ...
While serving as the 15th Supreme Court Chief Justice, Warren Burger stated in his June 22, 1983 ,letter to Phyllis Schlafly of Eagle Forum, “I have also repeatedly given my opinion that there is no effective way to limit or muzzle the actions of a constitutional convention. The convention could make its own rules and set its own agenda. Congress might try to limit the convention to one amendment or to one issue, but there is no way to assure that the convention would obey. After a convention is convened, it will be too late to stop the c...
I do not oppose Article V per se, just all misuse of it. The Constitution is not the problem, amending or rewriting is not the solution. I stand solidly OPPOSED to SJ2 currently before the MT Senate Judiciary Committee. Just enforce the Constitution. The problem? An out of control judiciary and legislature bought and paid for by the same globalist interest that promote the A V Convention plan to undo our law. Our U.S. Constitution is NOT lacking the restraint necessary to stop federal tyranny, it is our current Legislative and Judiciary and...
Sanders County Ledger readers should let their legislative senator (Bob Brown) know that they are not in favor of HB 102. This bill would allow college students to keep guns in their dorm rooms, classrooms, music events, and with them on campus. The addition of guns adds an unnecessary danger in a time young adults are already experiencing big changes. These years are too transitional, suicide too prevalent. If they want a place to keep hunting rifles, campus security will store them. This bill would also allow concealed loaded firearms...
This is in response to Jim Elliot’s columns of Jan 7 and 21 “Montana Viewpoint.” I applaud and agree with Catherine Moore’s Jan. 21st letter. I hope that the authorities have the will and guts to continue to investigate and collect and protect all the evidence in those suspect precincts, including the voting machines and audit listings before it is all destroyed. And then prosecute the perpetrators if wrongdoing is found. I call what was done treason, and I hope it doesn’t take four years to get it done. During the immediate months before the e...
Dear Editor, In regards to the “March for Life” this Friday, January 29, 2021, in our community, I would like to share this thought: “An unborn child was the first to recognize Jesus” Ref: the Holy Bible, Luke 1:39-45. Sincerely, Barb Kunch, Thompson Falls...
Dear Editor, I would like to respond to Jim Elliot’s op-ed “A dangerous game with democracy” (January 7, 2021). There are hundreds of documented instances of irregularities in the last election that I find unexplained to this date. In the recent Georgia senate hearings on the November election, Jovan Pulitzer’s team hacked into the counting system in real time using the local Wi-Fi. In the CNN election night broadcasts, the tallies at the bottom of the screen were shown to slide votes from one candidate to another. From Atlanta, there is vide...
The Sanders County Courthouse and the Sanders County Sheriff's Office have not lowered the American flag to honor peace officers dying as a result of the assault on our democracy on January 6. Neither found honoring peace officers worth the few minutes it would have taken to lower the flag. And where are the voices of veterans, the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars regarding respect for our fellow Americans and our flag? All of you who are silent are supporting this disrespect and all that goes with it. Ruth Cheney, U.S. Army,...
What a wonderful choice to lead the parade! If you'd asked me for a nomination, I'd have been hard pressed to come up with anyone, but as soon as I read Diane Hedahl, I thought “how perfect”. She's been part of so many things worthy of recognition over the years, but for me, the most relevant in today's stress-filled world is her genuine kindness to everyone she encounters. Thank you to the selection committee. And thank you Diane. Pat Crowder, Thompson Falls...
