Opinion
This column continues the one from last week where Jill Pertler shares the heartache experienced after the sudden loss of her husband. When someone you love dearly dies here on earth, they are gone. But they are not gone. They are here. They are everywhere. And if you perceive very carefully, if you truly pay attention, they are right beside you, every step of the way. You will feel it. You will hear it. You will sense it. You will know it to be true. If only you allow yourself to feel and know. I feel you when I am falling asleep at night. When the cool pillow lies beneath my head and you hold my hand. I know you are with me when sleep feels impossible and the ni...
Editor, Does a professional, independent bureaucracy lead to better governance? The answer is “yes,” compared to the alternative political patronage as a source of corruption, waste and the dominance of special interests. Montana has a Civil Service System based upon competitive, meri...
Editor, Why do we have government? Why do some of us go to the polls every few years and fill out our ballots? You might think it was to elect people who would represent not only us but what’s best for us. Yet, it seems that the special interests have sabotaged that process and, in on...
Editor, The people have spoken. These are the important words we hope to hear at the end of every election cycle. And, up until now, we have been able to trust these words to be true, since there has never been voter fraud in Montana. Throughout our voter history in the United States, there...
Editor, Governor Gianforte has framed his COVID-19 response on his faith in Montanans to demonstrate “individual responsibility,” however, his most recent example of not being personally responsible after failing to take the required wolf training course before trapping and shooting a wo...
Editor, I believe the person responsible for the disgusting anti-Biden float in this year’s St. Patrick’s Day parade in Ronan owes the float committee, the other float participants, the Irish American community (tribal and non-tribal) and the community at large — especially the par...
Editor, In our nation’s long debate about how strong the federal government should be and how much power should rest with state and local governments, Republicans have been fierce for local control. Why then are we seeing a rash of bills from the Montana State Legislature that violate this ...
Editor, Hey Montanans! Our state is receiving an almost $3 billion windfall from the American Rescue Plan Act. Some is designated to be spent on Kindergarten through 12th grade education, emergency rental help, pandemic unemployment benefits, COVID-19 testing and contact tracing, and budget relief f...
A few months ago I was attacked by something so powerful I didn’t know if I’d survive. My husband of 33 years died much too soon, much too young. I was left here, alone. The lone survivor, except this was no reality show. It was the real deal. And it sucked. Still does. I was left in the throe...
Editor, Wednesday, March 17 started out a bright, beautiful day. I think maybe the third time since St. Patty’s Day parades started that it was nice in Ronan. Then at the end of the parade loomed a dark and disgusting cloud. The derogatory float that contained the F word was not right. We a...
