Opinion

The English language is fraught with conundrums. That’s probably why I love it so much. It’s never boring and continually keeps me learning (or guessing – or both). One of these complexities has to do with words that are pronounced the same but have different meanings – our good friend, the homonym. When it comes to homonyms you get two for the price of one – two types of homonyms, that is. Sometimes they are spelled the same, pronounced the same, but have different meanings: the riverbank is next to the bank where I have my savings account. These similarly spelled homonyms are called homographs. I don’t have any problem with homographs. You learn t...

Editor, The Adverse Childhood Experiences Study has shown that maltreatment in childhood contributes to health problems throughout the lives of children. These problems include chronic diseases, heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes, which profoundly affect their lives and are very expensive to treat...

Many Americans are passionate fans of coffee. A study conducted by the National Coffee Association in 2018 found that 64 percent of Americans drink at least one or more cups of coffee daily, the highest percentage since 2012. Suppose I told you there is a better option than your daily cup of Joe? Green te...

Editor, A very significant and politically clarifying thing happened to me recently. Two of my very dear and valued friends, one from Utah and the other from here, talked with me on the same day with the same message. The day was June 28, and the message was about healing our nation. The focus of my frien...

Summer reading list shared   Editor, Human knowledge has exploded in the years since the invention of the printing press and the Gutenberg Bible (about 1450). Now, there are lots of “good books.” Here is a short list for summer reading, which could enhance a reader’s understandi...

Happy July everyone.  Our annual summer reading program is off to a great start. If you haven’t registered yet, just stop by the library or register online through our website. We have great coupons for local businesses, fun prizes, and amazing programs.  Don’t miss our annual Bug Ra...

Editor, I have learned one thing from Gene Johnson. One need not investigate or research for the facts of history. If you do not like what the facts say, just dismiss them and make up your own version and pass it off as fact. There is no sense discussing the past with someone with so little regard for evi...

As the long days of summer get into full swing, Montanans and visitors alike have begun to reconnect with our state parks, our one-of-akind outdoor recreation experiences and the cultural treasures that define our state. Last week, I visited a crew of middle school students who spent one of the first week...

Hashtags. It seems like everywhere you look people are talking about hashtag this or hashtag that. Unless you spend a lot of time on social media, you might be wondering what all this hashtag business is about. Let’s start with the basics: a hashtag is a pound symbol (#) followed by a string of numb...

Editor, Many thanks to all those who help make the “Boat Island” at the intersection of Highways 35 and 93 such a pretty, colorful spot in summer. It is a cheery welcome at the main entrance to our community. Delaney’s Landscaping once again planted bright pink trailing petunias ...