Letters to the editor
Oct. 1
Set out to be positive
I once read, while you are of sound mind and health, envision your funeral and if no one is there and people cannot find anything nice to say about you, you have time to change. We all are given a gift or gifts to share or use while on this planet and our lives are short.
Now we can waste these gifts and time or make good use of them. Good examples are: Harriet Tubman, Socrates, Martin Luther King Jr., Franklin D. Roosevelt, Thomas Edison and Corrie ten Boom, to name a few. We do not have to do the great things these people did — to do good things with the time you are given. So I ask the people who spend their time on criticizing, hating, assaulting and slandering the people who try to make the world better: What are you doing to make this a better place for the next generation to live?
When your time is done here what marks will you have left for others to follow or are you happy with being miserable and trying to make other the same.
This was brought on by a man who walked up to my car, harassed and was ugly to me about my Obama sticker on my car, as I was in line at a bank. Even in math, positive + positive = positive , but it takes only one negative to create a negative answer.
Are you creating negatives?
Patricia Lundgren, Polson
Bring love into the conversation
Just look at all the struggles our nation is having, for example, trying to pass legislation which is simply trying to provide what should be every human beings right, the access to excellent health care. What is wrong with this picture?
And it is not just health care confusion and controversy that is facing our nation. Look at the economy, jobs, balance of trade, infrastructure needs, education, family breakdowns, drugs and divorce rates. What is wrong with this picture?
Let’s take a look at the frame around this picture out of Washington, D.C., instead of the picture, for a moment. The frame holding this picture together is built upon greed, fear, big money lobbyists, selfish interest groups with great power, and legislators more interested in control than answering the real needs of their constituents.
Until this frame is changed it is likely the picture will remain intact. No president, regardless of what her or his personal motivations and objectives may be will be able to alter that frame unless America wakes up to what “true change” really involves.
We have total freedom in electing those we send to Washington, D.C. So, what is the root cause of the problems we face today? We each should be asking ourselves this question. And when we do we simply cannot avoid looking at ourselves and our own choices. Do we think that anything will change coming out of Washington, D.C. if those in positions of decision-making continue to be motivated by greed, fear, anger, narrow concerns and political posturing at the expense of good communication and debate?
In my view, the entire hope for “change” rests upon the “rock-of-integrity,” the integrity each of us demonstrates in our own personal lives and in our motivations when we step into the voting booth when given the opportunity.
Some say, “Well, it’s just human nature to act the way we do.” I say it is not human nature to act the way we do; it is human choice. Our true human nature was established when we, as species, were created by God, which is love. Love is our human nature and we simply have the choice each and every moment to act out of that Love or succumb to fear and greed.
Bob McClellan, Polson
Arlee schools thriving
We have had a very smooth opening of our schools and beautiful transition into the four day school week. It has been extremely positive; morale is very high as is production in the classrooms. Everyone is working very hard to make this work well for everyone involved. I see many smiling faces everyday and teamwork is very apparent at Arlee Joint School District No. 8.
I would be remiss if I didn’t take this opportunity to say a few thank yous: Big thanks goes out to Gregg Dougherty, our maintenance supervisor and his team Theresa Lahaye, Cindy Allaire, Leonard Lahaye, Dan Nelson, Gary McCollum, Terry Walleser and Ron Bell for not only getting the job well done, deep cleaning all buildings this summer but for also moving the entire kitchen, K-3 elementary wing into its new building and keeping the grounds beautiful. A big thanks goes out to Eddie and Brad Ivanoff for doing such a great job on screening and spreading our top soil and other dirt excavation. Big thanks to Pro Sod-Margie Schall and Pat O’Connor for the beautiful sod and Coach Scott Palmer and his football team for rolling the sod out in extremely hot weather. Big thanks to Schillinger Construction for doing the great paving job and Matt Whetzel for the wonderful concrete work. Big thanks to Mission Valley Power for helping us secure a rebate from Bonneville Power of $17,000, and MVP kicked in another $4,700.
Big thanks to all the taxpayers for bonding for these beautiful buildings. They are wonderful additions for our Arlee Joint School District No. 8 students and community for the future. Big thanks to our Board Chair Hank Adams (a huge help to me through the building process), and fellow trustees Doug Lefler, Troy Felsman, Amy Burland and Roger Christopher. Big thanks to Karen Hunter for moving all of the dry storage goods from the old kitchen to the new kitchen. Big thanks to Jay Kirby for being our wonderful architect and overseeing this project from start to finish. Big thanks to Merle Bradshaw for creating a beautiful historic record through out the project through the lens of his camera (he promised me a slide show for our ribbon cutting, date to be announced later). Big thanks to Sue Carney, Karen McCullough, Kathy Dunham, Wendy Forgery, Dori Johnston-Knoll and all the members of the playground committee, they worked hard to raise money for our new elementary playground. Last, but not least, a big thanks to Mrs. Miller and her fabulous elementary staff for being incredibly flexible in this huge move and all the many transitions they have had to endure. What an awesome positive group that are doing great things for our students. Thank you for your continued support and positive attitude towards our Arlee Joint School District No. 8. Together we are making a difference in our students’ lives!
John Jay Miller, Arlee Superintendent
Ronan spirit shines
What a great Homecoming week. Many thanks to the community for the support and participation in our week. Our canned food drive for the Breadbasket will fill the shelves for awhile. We would like to show our appreciation to the following: S & S Sport, Don Aadsen Ford, Ronan Telephone Co., Dr. Tim Bagnell, Aylesworth Insurance, Gift Gallery, Community Banks, Valley Bank, Grogan’s Suds & Duds, Ronan Harvest Foods, St. Char-Ro Floral, and Ronan Booster Club. Your donations gave our classes the help they needed with their canned goods on the floats. Also, the Ronan Volunteer Fire Dept. for all of the vehicles for the teams, Mrs. Lipscomb and the marching band, Kayla Erickson and the cheerleaders for their float, Booster Club tailgate party, Ronna at the Ronan Flower Mill for donating the royalty flowers, and drivers and cars for the royalty. Thanks to Rob at the bus garage, Ronan Telephone Co., the Fair Board, and Jason and Kim Starkel for allowing us to build our floats there. We could not have done this successfully without the cooperation and support from the administration and staff also. Great job students for your spirit!
Marlena Jensen/Shelly Buhr, RHS Student Council Advisers
County is full of problems
We received our real estate tax assessment; and guess what? It increased from $109,000 in 2002, to $159,000 in 2008. Our taxes have increased from $1,131 in 2002 to $1,452 in 2008. No improvements have been made to our home, which was built in 1967, other than two paint jobs we did ourselves.
Property values are down, not up, why does Lake County have the highest taxes in the state? The state average increase is 55 percent, one county as low as 11 percent, while Lake County appraisal is 103 percent. Lake County agriculture topped the list at 141 percent, and you should be so proud.
The ranchers and farmers are struggling and working 16 hours a day just to keep their heads above water. They are charged the high taxes, high water fees, high machinery and high fuel costs. They sell for half of what they should receive.
Why do farmers and ranchers pay taxes on livestock when stores don’t on their inventory?
You say, stating your convenient letter form the Montana Department of Revenue, this increase may not raise our taxes. We are not stupid, not until you decide to raise your mill levies again. Then poor people on Social Security, widowers and families out of work can turn their homes and farms over to you. Maybe we can all move into your fancy, tax supported offices.
Now an idiot federal judge in Missoula overrules Congress and the Senate to let wolves shred our deer and elk, eat and run ranchers livestock to death. He and the environmental wolf lovers need to be put out in the wild and let the wolves chew on their behinds.
We have another District Judge, Stewart Stadlen, who lowered the bail at the order of the Montana Supreme Court from $120,000 to $50,000. This was for Juan Vasquez, the monster bully who put a little 5-year-old boy in the tub of scalding water. Vasquez is six times larger than the little boy, who will be scarred for life mentally and physically. Women and men who put their children in danger are guilty as is the monster mentioned above. They should be hanged on Main Street in front of our so called “justice system.”
Back to the taxes: What do you sue them for? My husband went for a walk last winter, our streets were full of deep pot holes and he stepped in one. When he never returned, I called didn’t and rescue. They said I would have to wait awhile, because there were five ahead of him.
The Missoulian stated the annual school budget of a town in Montana needs to increase from $6,011 to $8,517 per student. Do the math. Nine months is $42.59 per day per student, which approximately 20 students in class that is $851.80 per day. Pretty good tax money.
High taxes hurts renters also. The unemployment level is at 10 percent and food stamp usage has increased to 35 million. There are 5 million out of work, yea stimulus money!
Big banks and car dealers have had it great for years. $15 million for Whitetail Canadian Border Crossing Check Station, where only 2-3 people cross per day. Maybe a couple of deputies in a cabin could handle it for $150,000 a year. This is more money than most families have to survive on.
We waste billions on the Terrible Forever wars and going into space, why not send our Washington idiots and stupid judges to the moon with a one way ticket. Bring our troops home.
Our country is a big mess with drugs and corruption, why do we mind everyone else’s business and ignore ours? Are we a bunch of sheep waiting for the wolves to pounce?
Enough said.
Wilma Bick, Ronan
Mission schools show generosity
Mission High School and middle school carried out a very successful food drive recently for the Mission Valley Food Pantry in St. Ignatius.
The youth competed to see which school could collect the most canned goods and other foodstuffs to donate. This project had so much participation that 950 pounds of food was collected. The shelves of the local pantry are not full, with a bigger variety than they have ever contained.
Demand is up at the food bank, with new people coming in each Tuesday and Friday it’s open. The extra food will help many families in the area.
Our thanks to every student who participated.
Grace Slack, St. Ignatius
Thanks to pickup crew
A very special thank you to the 26 Big Arm residents who spent several hours picking up trash from six miles of U.S. Highway 93 through Big Arm. This group turned out with great energy, a good sense of humor and were armed with gloves and many plastic bags.
A total of 39 bags of garbage were collected, although is a huge amount, it was five bags less than the spring clean up and most were much lighter so we are making progress!
A big thank you to all of the volunteers around the valley who twice a year dedicate time to clean our highways and side streets, you help to keep this incredibly valley beautiful.
We would like to remind all motorists to please take your garbage home and to properly secure any garbage being transported in the back of trucks. Please help us to keep this area clean.
Alison Meslin, Big Arm Association
MMRC unfairly derailed
In 1994, the Mission Mountain Railroad Club, a Montana nonprofit model railroad club, was established. In its beginning stages, it was a modular layout, which could be taken apart and put back together wherever we were asked to share it with the public.
The model railroad began to grow. In 1997, we were invited by the Flathead Historical Museum’s president and board to house our layout inside the large metal building located in the side of the yard of the museum property. We were overjoyed! The club members insulated the entire building, put up paneling to cover the insulation and painted the walls. The individual members bench work, upon which the trains ran, was built with a protective enclosure of plexiglass surrounding the entire layout. That plexiglass was supplied by the museum so the building could remain open and the layout could be viewed at any time without always having MMRC personnel present. There was a coin-operated machine to make the trains running. The museum requested that we pay for utilities for the three months each year that the museum was open and we did so. A rental fee for the building was never requested.
While in the museum, we had many open houses, especially at Christmastime, complete with refreshments furnished by the club. It was always a great family time for all and it was free to all.
Recently, Lois Hart, president of the board of directors for the Flathead Historical Museum, gave us two ultimatums for remaining in the museum. She asked us to pay $90-$100 per month for 12 months periods for our use of the building. Or, she wanted us to donate the model railroad to the museum, so it would belong strictly to the museum and not to each individual club member.
We have not funds available, so paying rent is not a possibility. We were willing to increase the monthly utility payments for the three months the museum is open, but that was not acceptable to Mrs. Hart.
Our club members voted against giving our layout to the museum because Lois Hart wanted the club members to be responsible to maintain it and keep it running, even though we would no longer own our layout. This layout, with bench work, scenery, wiring, train tracks, locomotives and rolling stock, is worth thousands of dollars, and it is very intricate and difficult to maintain. Club members were not willing to maintain something they do not own. In the beginning, the club had already put in much time, labor and money to prepare the inside of the building, which today continues to be part of the museum property.
Because it was impossible for the club to meet these two ultimatums presented to us by Lois Hart, we have removed our model railroad from the museum.
At this time, we would like to thank past president and past board members of the Flathead Historical Museum for allowing us to have our model railroad in the museum. We appreciated the kind of help and support we have received from many local businesses over the years. We thank our dear friends from Polson and surrounding areas for coming to our open houses, viewing our trains and supporting our endeavors. We will especially miss interacting with the hundreds and hundreds of children who have visited our layout over the years. We are saddened beyond words that we have had to dismantle our railroad and leave the museum.
Mission Mountain Railroad Club members: Dick Bratton, Dale Becker, Toby Bennett, Marvin Carlyle, Hub Dykstra, Bill McDermott, Joe and Linda Mark, Ted Riebe, Ken Rowley, Manfred and Sharron Schneider