Serving Proudly As The Voice Of Valley County Since 1913
Serving Proudly As The Voice Of Valley County Since 1913
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Dear Editor, Montana's veterans deserve to live with dignity and independence. The Department of Public Health and Human Services is conducting an important survey to understand and improve the living conditions for our veterans. We at the Veterans Navigation Network encourage every veteran, caregiver, and family member in Montana to participate. This survey will help the state understand what veterans need to live well in their communities. It looks at healthcare access, financial stability,...
Dear Editor, I am concerned the Fort Peck Rural County Water District Board has learned NOTHING from public input and their expensive legal opinions regarding open meeting laws and public transparency, consider the following:. After seeing the notice in BS Buzz that the rebuttal to my campaign materials would be available on April 24, 2024, I immediately sent the Board an email. I inquired about how the ads, the expenditure of funds and and rebuttal all got accomplished without a Board meeting!...
Dear Editor, Flushed with their success in using the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to shut down the western U.S. timber industry (has anyone heard how the spotted owl is doing?), the nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) bragged they would use the same ploy to shut down grazing on the federally managed western range lands. They were not successful but for the last 30 or so years the Federal and State governments have spent over a BILLION taxpayer dollars to 'save' the sage grouse. Now the Bureau...
Dear Editor, I would like to applaud Jody Sundheim Novak for her recent column in the Courier's Letter to the Editor section and giving the rest of us courage to publicly speak up about matters of great importance. If I were to take the Nashua Town Council name out of her letter and insert the Fort Peck Rural County Water District (FPRCWD) name, the story would almost be exactly the same. However, FPRCWD Board members took their efforts to a much lower level by actually violating the open...
Dear Editor: The letter to the Editor in the April 24 Courier written on behalf of the Board of Directors for the Fort Peck Rural County Water District is another example of why Mary Kaercher and I are running for positions on the Board. We oppose Board practices that are NOT transparent and contrary to Montana law. Although this letter is purportedly from the Board – for the purpose of providing "relevant facts and evidence" related to "two candidate statements" that were "distributed" – the...
Dear Editor, April is Strengthening Families Month, a time to promote the safety and well-being of Montana's kids. If you've seen any blue pinwheels, these are the symbols of this month and drawing attention to the issue of child abuse. Communities around the state and country put them up in April. When a child enters foster care due to abuse or neglect, this begins a legal process to determine what will happen to the child. This is where a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) comes in....
Dear Editor, The Board of Directors of the Fort Peck Rural County Water District have been made aware that two candidates for the Director election have distributed candidate statements with many references to the current Board of Directors actions and inactions. The Board is preparing a rebuttal statement to provide all of the relevant facts and evidence related to their statements. This will be available to the public on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. Board meeting minutes and financial...
On April 19, Governor Greg Gianforte announced that Montana’s unemployment rate was 3.3 percent in March as employment levels increased. “Montana’s economy is thriving thanks to our pro-jobs, pro-business policies,” Gov. Gianforte said. “While we continue to battle inflation, many businesses are hiring and providing good paying jobs. Our administration will continue to develop workforce opportunities so every Montanan has a chance to fulfill the American dream.” Since Gov. Gianforte took office in January 2021, nearly 41,000 jobs have been c...
Dear Editor, I am writing to express my deep concerns regarding recent events that have come to light regarding the Town Council of Nashua. The purpose of this letter is to shed light on the serious issues that have been identified, namely the missed municipal election and the conduct of Town Council meetings. Prior to the regularly scheduled Town Council Meeting on April 8, it was revealed that there would not be a municipal election this year. Astonishingly, this oversight had gone unnoticed,...
PAID POLITICAL CONTENT Governor Greg Gianforte’s next-door neighbor in Bozeman is considering selling the family home she grew up in, after the governor slammed her with a nearly $5,000 property tax increase in 2023. “I checked online right when [the bill] came out and went, ‘holy crap—there it is!’” Deborah Newville, a Montana resident, says in an emotional video released by candidate for governor Ryan Busse. Newville recently moved back into her modest family home in Bozeman, directly across Manley Road from one of Gianforte’s homes. Public...
PAID POLITICAL CONTENT Dear Montanans, This is a hopeful time for so many of our students. The future is bright as graduation nears and families beam with pride, anticipating their child walking across that stage. As a legislator, a former classroom teacher and the mom of a high school student, though, I must admit I worry. Are we doing enough to make sure all our students have the opportunities they deserve? That is why I'm running to be your next State Superintendent of Schools. We've...
Dear Editor, County Commissioners from across Montana appreciate the widespread support that Senate Bill 442 enjoyed throughout its legislative process. Marijuana revenues are new to Montana, and the bill's thoughtful distribution of this higher-than-expected new revenue stream included some funding for county roads. Bipartisan and impactful legislation backed by such a wide variety of Montanans is a rarity, and we commend Senator Lang and the bill's many proponents for their efforts. Even...
Dear Editor, Montana's Future is at Risk As of the writing of this guest editorial, there has been a 30 percent decrease in FAFSA submissions by students and their parents across the United States compared to last year. In Montana, the decline is also substantial at 25 percent. What is FAFSA and why is it important? FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and students must complete it prior to applying for federal grants, work-study, and loans. Colleges and universities use...
A friend and I were discussing Burma Shave signs the other day. I know that I have done this before, but thought I would start out with one again. STAND A LITTLE CLOSER TO YOUR RAZOR FOR A CLOSER SHAVE. With that behind us thought I would ask how many of you had access to a smoke house in days past? A lot of folks butchered and processed their own meat in days past. If you or your family did the chances are you may still have that old building standing. I doubt if that smell ever left the building. I rather enjoyed the smell but not all do. I...
Dear Editor, This year we observe the 37th anniversary of Women's History Month, which is a celebration of women's contributions to history, culture, society, and business. Women have been the driving force behind America's economic rebound from the pandemic, creating 50 percent of all new businesses since 2020. In 2023, women opened more than 1,200 new businesses each day including women of color who experienced some of the highest business growth rates in American history. This post pandemic...
Dear Editor, Ming Cabrera is running for Congress in the Eastern Montana District. Ming has been in business for many years in Billings and Eastern Montana. Ming was born and raised in Montana graduating from Huntley Project in the mid-1970s. He has a history of being a contributor to his community and our state. Ming has earned my respect and I hope you will consider voting for him in the upcoming primary election. John Daggett Glasgow, Mont....
Valley County Sheriff’s Office, Glasgow Police Department, and the Montana Highway Patrol (MHP) are encouraging Montanans to plan for a sober ride home before celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. Celebrations and festivities at bars and restaurants are common for St. Patrick’s Day, and celebrations may happen during the days leading up to St. Patrick’s Day. Law enforcement partners across the state will be increasing patrols and making DUI arrests to help all Montanans get home safely. Under the Vision Zero goal, Valley County Sheriff’s Office, G...
Attorney General Austin Knudsen is warning Montanans of frequently reported website-based scams – including law enforcement, bitcoin investment and tech support scams during National Consumer Protection Week which ran from March 3-9. “Our Office of Consumer Protection is here to help Montanans protect their hard-earned money from scammers, but please remember to stay vigilant and educate yourself on the common fraud schemes on the rise in our state,” Attorney General Knudsen said. A law enforcement scam is carried out by phone fraudsters calli...
Our Courier Editor opened the door for this article by one of the items in "Yesterday's Memories" mentioned in the issue of Feb. 28, 2024. Of course, I do remember the Rogers' Food Store and many of the other grocery stores that Glasgow had in days past. Our community had an abundance of small grocers, which I would like to address at a later date. Of course, back in the day, we did not have convenience stores like Holiday or Ezzies, where you could stop and grab a quick gallon of milk or other...
Dear Editor, As we celebrate women's history month, we acknowledge Rebekah Grace Rose Barsotti, a woman who embodied courage for inspiring women everywhere to take a stand against domestic violence. We also acknowledge Selena Not Afraid, whose body was found three weeks after she went missing in 2020 and her case remains unsolved. We believe every woman matters. Rebekah's Story Thirty-three-year-old Rebekah, a vibrant young woman, dared to start a new life after a partner/family member assault...
Dear Editor, The Founding Fathers had many contentious debates over the powers of the United States versus the States. Their goal was to avoid any suggestion of creating sovereignty. Section 8 of the Constitution of the USA limited the roles and powers of the Federal Congress to International issues, declarations of war, interstate commerce, etc. In Amendment X the powers not specifically delegated to the United States are reserved to the States. The Founding Fathers tried to design a system...
Two weeks ago, your Glasgow Elks Lodge 1922 hosted the Montana mid-year Elks convention, with 135 in attendance. The meeting was a huge success, and I think it is proper to give credit where credit is due. The businesses in the Glasgow community stepped forward with advertising and financial support that attendees from other communities found to be "amazing" for a town of our size. The comments on all the motels were simply super. The visitors reported the community to be friendly, courteous...
Ladies and Gentlemen: I grew up in the Lustre Farm Community north of Frazer. My dad, Arnold Sonsteng, was a pioneer. He homesteaded there in 1916. Dad had 15 children – 10 boys and 5 girls. I happen to be the 13th child. I am a 1951 Glasgow High School "Scotties" graduate. My brother, Stanley Sonsteng, worked at the Glasgow Courier for many years. My brother-in-law Ivy Knight worked for the Courier as well. Back in 1953, I married a Texan who stationed at the Air Force Base in Great Falls. A...
Dear Editor, In my family there is a wide swath of political views and when you are in the same room as we were for the Holidays, the juvenile name calling stops and thoughtful discussions can occur. What these discussions revealed was that while we have many differences, there is also agreement. Well, if I'm being honest, there was some juvenile name calling too, we are family after all. But back to my point, I wonder then, why don't we at least have the things we all agree on? For example, we...
Remember Dement Beach? Not many have even heard of it. Dement Beach was a recreational facility located about 10 miles north of Opheim or approximately six miles north of Glentana. I have remembered this recreational facility in the past but it does amaze me that many of the local residents of Opheim and Glentana haven’t heard of it. I am fortunate to have several original pictures of this resort as well as finding old news items concerning it. In my young days of living in that area it was a great place for ice skating parties. Speaking of i...
