Serving Proudly As The Voice Of Valley County Since 1913
Serving Proudly As The Voice Of Valley County Since 1913
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Wildfire season is real and is now. It is threatening homes, businesses, and property. Insurance Commissioner Troy Downing advises Montanans to be prepared for loss due to wildfire and to take steps now to mitigate risk and protect their property. Before a Wildfire: Ensure there is defensible space around your property by trimming or removing trees and bushes and by removing combustible material away from structures. Make sure you have an evacuation plan and that your family knows what to do and where to meet in case of fire. Make and keep an...
Back to Burma Shave signs. Chaperone your cigarettes! They should not go out alone. I think this signage along the highways was, and still would be, very appropriate, especially with the fire season that we have had. I have seen several grass fires. Not horrible fires like we are hearing about on the news but devastating enough to make me very fearful of them. Say your prayers, knock on wood, or whatever you feel brings you luck, but be prepared the best you can and take extreme care. None of us want that as a “Remember....
On Aug. 17, Congressman Matt Rosendale (MT-02) sent a letter to TSA Administrator David Pekoske demanding his Agency retract their Airport Security Program National Amendment (TSA-NA-23-02) that requires airports across Montana to increase the physical screening of employees and install expensive explosive protection equipment with zero financial support. “Aviation security screening and safety at our airports is a national priority; however, this amendment imposes unreasonable requirements on Montanan airports which already contribute s...
U.S. Senator Jon Tester’s bipartisan legislation to keep AM radio in all new cars and trucks recently passed through the Senate Commerce Committee, setting it up for a full vote on the Senate floor. Tester’s bipartisan AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act would require the Department of Transportation (DOT) to issue a rule that requires all new motor vehicles to have devices that can access AM broadcast stations installed as standard equipment. “The big car companies and folks in Washington D.C. may not get this, but as a third-generation Monta...
Great news: thanks to the new prescription drug law, the Inflation Reduction Act, in 2024 people with Medicare may qualify for even more savings through the Extra Help program. This program helps some people pay their Medicare drug coverage (Part D) costs, like premiums, deductibles, coinsurance, and other costs. In 2024, the program will expand and you may qualify. How does Extra Help lower my costs? In 2024, everyone who qualifies for Extra Help will pay: • $0 for your Medicare drug plan premium. • $0 for your plan deductible. • A reduc...
Following months of pressuring the Biden Administration to reopen Montana’s northern ports of entry to pre-pandemic hours, U.S. Senator Jon Tester on July 27 introduced a bipartisan bill requiring U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s hours of operations at northern ports to match or exceed pre-pandemic hours. “Folks along Montana’s northern border rely on consistent trade and commerce with Canada to make a living and support their families,” said Tester. “Our northern ports have been operating at reduced hours for far too long, and it’s time f...
Anyone eating, selling, or serving morel mushrooms should use caution when doing so. The toxins in morel mushrooms that may cause illness are not fully understood. However, it is known that using proper preparation techniques, including cooking, can help reduce toxicity and risk of illness when consuming mushrooms. There are varieties of poisonous wild mushrooms that look very similar to morel mushrooms. Public health officials recommend those preparing morels should confirm the identity of each individual mushroom, and consult with a...
Block Management Area (BMA) Program information for 2023 will be available to hunters beginning Aug. 10. Hunters can request their BMA Access Guide online and can print individual BMA property maps and rules at fwp.mt.gov/hunt/access/blockmanagement. The Block Management webpage allows hunters to download the Access Guide, up-to-date BMA maps and rules for every individual BMA enrolled in the program. These individual BMA property maps and rules are important for hunters to know and understand for each property they plan on hunting. Not all...
In the “Montana Department of Revenue Property Appraisal Meeting” story published Aug. 2, 2023, it was incorrectly stated that the Property Tax Rebate application window closes on Aug. 15. The application window will open on Aug. 15. The Glasgow Courier apologizes for the error....
Dear Editor, As I meet with Montanans in every corner of our state, I hear the same concern often –taxes are too high. And they're right. Taxes are too high and need to be reined in. Two years ago, we enacted a fiscally responsible budget, and as a result, the State of Montana today has a historic budget surplus. Ultimately, that means you overpaid your taxes, and we're giving it back to you. When we released our Budget for Montana Families last November, we again held the line on spending, a...
The Montana Department of Revenue (DOR) held a meeting July 25, at the Valley County Courthouse, to discuss the details of the income tax rebates and the property tax rebates. They also took time to discuss the guidelines and methods they use to appraise property in the Property Appraisal Department of the DOR. The two rebates are coming. The income tax rebate is already processed and there is no need to apply. If you qualify, they are either in the mail or still in the process of being mailed. The property tax rebate, however, you need to...
I am struggling to make train reservations today. Do you remember when we had a staffed depot and you could purchase your tickets at the train depot? Much simpler than trying to do it online, especially if you belong to the older generation. Of course, back then you could always call the depot to get times for departures and arrivals also. I have not traveled by train for some years and am well aware that I see many changes from the days my family or myself used the train to travel a distance. Got to meet some really nice porters and...
Dear Editor, I was reading in the Montana Senior News (April-May issue) about how veterans can go to the Double-H Ranch in Bozeman, Mont., and start getting their lives back on track after they get out of the service. Now young people should take note of this when you are fooling around with your idle time getting into trouble. These veterans have all kinds of problems and want to heal themselves and have something to look forward to. A lot of you young people are healthy or were healthy and...
I am sure that many of you guys out there can remember getting a summer job picking up bales. It seemed like many of the young high school football players liked to get the job as they got to “keep in shape” over the summer. When I go outside to help, I can’t help but remember my days in the hay field and I got to run air-conditioned outfits. I can’t imagine what it would be like picking bales the hard way on those 90-degree days. Thankfully, modern equipment and bale size has brought about many changes in that respect. For those of you loo...
From The Valley County Sheriff's Office Dear Editor, The recent showing of the movie Sound of Freedom has caused a buzz across the country. The movie, about child and human trafficking, takes a two-hour dive and offers a tiny glimpse into a world that we pretend does not exist. The immense problem seen worldwide is aptly portrayed in this feature film that pulls at your heartstrings. If you have not seen the movie, I would encourage you to do so. When you leave the theater, your mind replays the...
Dear Editor, Each June, National Healthy Homes Month raises awareness on housing-related health hazards and the steps to take for safe, healthy homes. This year's theme is "Connecting Home, Health, and YOU" to highlight the important relationship between housing quality and health. One substantial way to maintain a healthy home is to keep it smoke free, whether it's a private home or an apartment. There is no safe amount of secondhand smoke exposure, and the home is the main place many children...
Dear Editor, Property tax appraisals are currently arriving in the mail. It's important to review the valuation and appeal it if you do not agree with the valuation. The appeal instructions are in the letter that was mailed to you. You only have 30 days, so do not wait. If the value of your property increased by 30 percent that does not mean your taxes will increase by 30 percent. However, generally if the value of your property increased, most likely your taxes will be increasing. Property tax...
Dear Editor, Montana's 1972 constitution guarantees its citizens a right to "a clean and healthful environment in Montana for present and future generations." The 2023 trial of Held V. State of Montana, a lawsuit brought by 16 Montana youth, attempts to show how the state government's longstanding energy policies violate this constitutional right by favoring fossil fuel industries with high carbon emissions. The lawsuit is named for plaintiff Rikki Held, age 22, a fifth-generation Montanan...
Dear Editor, In 2022, Governor Greg Gianforte faced criticism for the delay in applying for Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) funding, which would have provided up to $10 million in food assistance to over 73,000 Montana children and families. After public pressure, Greg finally submitted an application to the federal government. Instead of investing the received funds in Main Street Montana, the Gianforte administration has taken actions that hinder vulnerable Montanans from...
Attorney General Austin Knudsen and Division of Criminal Investigation administrator Bryan Lockerby joined officials at Stockman Bank in Billings on June 15, on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, to remind Montana seniors to be aware and take precautions as bad actors commonly prey on the elderly population. Older Americans are frequently the targets of scammers trying to make a quick buck, and can also be victims of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. According to AARP, there are more than 369,000 nationwide incidents of financial abuse that...
Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen announced on June 9 that 2024 Annual Report filing fees will be waived for all Montana businesses. The elimination of the Annual Report filing fee will result in millions of dollars in savings for Montana businesses. “Our Montana businesses work hard to provide services and products to their communities, and I want to make it easier to do business in Montana,” said Secretary Jacobsen. “I previously cut registration fees in half for Montana businesses, and our state has experienced record new busin...
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen and nine other state attorneys general are suing the Biden administration over its new “Equity in Action” methodology used to calculate flood insurance rates that would force Montanans to pay hundreds of dollars more per year. Under the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) new “Risk Rating 2.0 – Equity in Action” methodology, policies for 2,170 single family homes in Montana would see their flood insurance costs skyrocket by an average of 84 percent, or $757 per year. Using a methodology...
Dear Editor, When I arrived at the Highland Cemetery to get set up for placing flags on veteran grave sites on May 27th I was blown away with, first the entry gate and secondly by the way the cemetery looked. The flowers and new gate really made a welcoming sight and were beautifully displayed. The entire cemetery was meticulously manicured and looked peaceful as a cemetery should. The work that Dan Miller and his crew put in showed the great pride they have and made it a show place for family...
The Montana Association of Counties (“MACo”), of which Valley County is a part of, filed suit on June 7 to compel Governor Greg Gianforte and Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen to fulfill their constitutional obligations and allow the Montana Legislature their lawful opportunity to override the Governor’s veto of Senate Bill 442 (“SB 442”). On May 1, 2023, 130 out of 150 legislators passed SB 442, a bipartisan, politically popular measure that touches the state from border to border by redistributing recreational marijuana tax revenues...
The Science Math Resource Center at Montana State University, a STEM outreach center housed in the Department of Education, is offering free citizen science kits to 10 Montana programs that serve middle school students. Applications are due Friday, June 23, and kits will be sent to successful applicants immediately afterward. Programs are asked to use the materials by Sept. 30 and fill out a short post-program survey. Each kit includes a video tutorial, instructor’s guide and physical materials to complete two citizen science projects from i...
