One Nation, Under God
One Nation, Under God
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After a lifetime of crying over the ones that got away, I’m finally at peace with all those lost fish. They were simply meant to be. Fishing last week with my friend Mike on the Big Dry Arm of Fort Peck Lake, I hooked something heavy that stayed deep. Within seconds Mike said: “That’s a big ‘eye.” He would know. A Minnesota native, Mike is the best walleye angler I’ve ever shared a boat with. He’s adept at every technique from bottom bouncing to vertical jigging to trolling crank baits. There...
When the rubber hits the road is when winners are eventfully crowned and couple that with the adage of "use it or lose it" states, it's time to head to the Villa Theatre in Malta and buy some tickets because it could possibly be now, or never. Since Greg and Jan Kirkwood have taken a stronger interest in the storied movie-house (and eventually bought it) the work that has gone on over there to make the accommodations as pleasing as possible is kind of incredible. There were a lot of complaints about the Villa before this — and let us not f...
My how time flies. In a couple of weeks, it will be 50 years since I first arrived in Montana. Shortly after high school graduation, I headed west from my home in southern Indiana after deciding to forego college, and instead, get a job on the Alaska pipeline. I didn’t have enough money to get all the way to Alaska and figured I’d find work along the way. Passing through Billings, four days into the trip, I picked up a newspaper and saw an ad for jobs in Yellowstone Park. Heading south from Bil...
Twenty-five years is a long time – a quarter of a century! But last fall marked the 25th annual Mike and Ed’s Missouri Breaks Hunting and Fishing Extravaganza. It all started in the fall of 1995 – the year I retired from the U. S. Air Force. Brother-in-law Mike Hughes lived in Glasgow and prevailed upon me to come up from Helena for a hunting expedition that would cover the Breaks and northern Phillips and Valley Counties – plus a stop at several fishing holes along the way. Our non-hunting equi...
Dear editor, Here is giving a "BIG SHOUT OUT" thank you to Dodson Public School shop teacher Rod Donahue who so willingly and enthusiastically incorporated making Veteran crosses in his shop program which are placed in the Dodson Cemetery each year prior to Memorial Day weekend. And much appreciation to the sophomore and junior shop classes for the Great Job of making and painting the crosses. Special thanks to Ithay Heck for all the hours of tracing and painting the names and military branch on them! And also thank you to the Malta branch of...
There was a time that it wasn’t spring until I spotted my first grizzly bear. While I’ve stumbled upon few grizzlies in the fall, it was April when I expected to see them. They were following the elk herds and so was I, although for different purposes. I’d seen grizzlies at night foraging through the Cooke City dump. We used to take girls there, drink beer and park. Running into bears on foot in the backcountry in the middle of the day, however, was an entirely different experience. I was only...
Sympathy to the family of Judy Rustad. She and Cliff held great auctions for years. Late happy Mother's Day also. Happy birthday to all May birthdays and anniversaries. The Keystone pipeline is being worked on and there is a fence around the machinery. There are also security guards. The pipeline is just a few miles from whitewater. The COVID-19 virus has caused most shutdowns. However, the churches are now holding services an N 40 opened. Some have compared the virus to the depression of the...
4-29. How is everyone surviving the COVID-19 virus? OK, I hope. Whitewater residents, like most people, are abiding by the rules. The school is still closed, and we have not had church services. The North 40 is still serving senior meals, but they are takeout only. Many thanks to the “secret surprise” donor who anonymously gave me a new water heater. Dan and Scott from Farmers and Ranchers are installing it for me. Thanks to them. It is a blessing to have water and now hot water. Now I don’t hav...
The more things change, the more they stay the same. I’ve seen countless before and after photos recently of clean skies over cities -- like Los Angeles -- that used to be noted for their smog. Folks have been driving a lot less following more than a month of stay at home orders and the air is undoubtedly cleaner. Unfortunately, that’s not the case with water, specifically the West Gallatin River, into which drain the toilets of Big Sky. The water and sewer district there faces a potential law...
I definitely understand the reasoning because there is a lot at stake, but I am bummed that the spring sports season is canceled. While revisiting the history of Phillips County Sports has been fun, I miss seeing kids compete in sports. When I was a senior in high school, I chose to graduate early and miss out on my spring courses intentionally, but I really feel for the seniors of 2019-20 who were not given the option to complete a traditional senior year. Those kids won’t know what it’s lik...
Dear editor, My thanks to the fellows from the '66 Vo-Ag class for their tribute to Dean Robertson. I wouldn't have known of his death if they hadn't placed that memorial in the PCN. Mr. Robertson was a key person for us in our high school years. I think of him now as a Jimmy Stewart type; tall, friendly, wise and worthy of respect. As I recall he had given up the Vo-Ag/FFA role by the time I came along and was serving as High School Principal. If we wanted anything that required his approval we were provided with a note signed with a simple "D...
Dear editor, It is a shame that some people like to take advantage of people while they are DOWN. With the fire at Garren’s house; there was Sheriff Scene Tape around the whole yard, No Trespassing Signs, someone or people felt they had the RIGHT to enter and remove items that we were trying to save. Some of the items was a large bag of DVD’s that were placed in the garage for cleaning, a lot of his musical equipment. I had not gotten to where his coins were, but assume they may be gone also. You know who you are, and I hope the game cam...
I get by with a little help from my dog. Calling it “help” however, might be a bit of a reach. My wife calls it “controlling.” Jem’s always been an affectionate, loving dog. When our pup Ruth died of cancer last fall, Jem seemed to sense my grief. Or at least that’s what I thought when he insisted on climbing onto my lap at every opportunity. A lapdog since we got him nearly 14 years ago, it’s one of the few things he can still do. He walks with a painful gait, can’t jump into the truck, and...
I can, in fact, admit that I was wrong. Growing up, I learned to be pretty frugal with the use of gasoline, so years ago when my wife told me that cruising was a thing, I couldn’t relate and wondered what the point was. So naturally, when Susan asked me a few weeks ago if I wanted to go on the organized “Cruising Main” event, I snobbishly stuck my nose up. Though a lot of people throughout the state have been stuck at home during the stay at home order during the COVID-19 pandemic, I have been...
Last week Legislative Council met virtually to discuss COVID-19 and the fiscal situation for Montana. Administrative committee chairs from finance, audit and revenue were also invited for information purposes. Todd Everts, chief legal counsel for the legislature, briefed members on the powers of the governor and the legislative body when there is an emergency. Throughout the years the legislature has delegated broad authority to the governor in dealing with emergencies such as fire, flooding, dr...
Phillips County Patrons near and far: As a Doctoral ABD in the field of Adult Education, I have encouraged prevention-first thinking inside the adult population. With that mindset, I have been very pleased to see local disinfectant sprays and wipes restocked and gone from the stores’ shelves. Additionally, holding a Master of Healthcare Administration degree, I have believed the growth of COVID-19 could be minimized using only personal disinfectant sprays and face masks covering nose and mouth. Being a realist, I have planned upon returning t...
I thought I’d have little trouble with this new normal. After all, I’ve been social distancing for decades. I don’t like crowds. I quit going to bars years ago. I hate standing in lines. I hunt a lot, but most days it’s just me and the dogs. I’d fish by myself more often too, if only my wife didn’t insist on going along. Lately, however, I find myself getting lonely in my own skin. Fortunately, I’m quarantined with my favorite person, and we both miss the same things: human contact, hand...
I have a hard time with faces sometimes. I don’t know why that is. Whenever someone changes hair color or wears a hat, helmet, or an N95 mask to possibly keep their risk of getting COVID-19 lower, sometimes I do not know who I am talking to. That last one was pretty specific. I can relate to wearing a mask when entering a store or gas station around town, which leads me to ask, did you recog-nize me? The obvious answer is yes! I stand out like a sore thumb. I have long dreadlocks, stand at s...
Whitewater has a new arrival! Congratulations to Courtney and Jason Hellie on the birth of their baby boy named "Tex". He is their sixth son. Wow! Baby Tex was born on April 9 (the same day as my birthday!) Thanks to all who gave me birthday gifts, food and cards. I appreciate it all including the phone calls. On my birthday, I went to Malta. Then, my Daughter Gale bought me lunch and then brought me back to Whitewater. It was a very nice birthday and gale also changed a lightbulb in my house...
I’ve been staying close to the house for a few weeks. Too close. Yesterday I found myself out in the garage casting a crankbait at a five-gallon bucket. I’m ready to go fishing. Friends of mine -- fortunate to live where there’s open water -- have been fishing since this all began. They call me from the lake and the river, send me pictures, tell me where they’re headed next. It’s painful. The last fish I caught was through the ice, which until recently was still there. Now it’s finally gon...
Oh, how the world has changed. Here’s a story that has nothing to do with coronavirus. It was nearly 30 years ago, and I was camped at an old homestead on Frenchman Creek in mid-October. I’d gotten permission from the landowner to hunt, and I had an antelope tag in my pocket. I’d spotted some pronghorn when I arrived the night before and awoke anxious to go after them. But the crowing of rooster pheasants at first light prompted me to pick up the shotgun instead of the .270. New to pheas...
Things have been strange since we have arrived home from the State Basketball Tournament. With the potential spread of the COVID-19 virus, came many businesses temporarily closing their doors to the public, and many people around America staying home with their families. For a second it seemed as though democrats and republicans worked together. Facebook posts were plentiful and not full of the typical garbage that divides our country. America’s boredom and creativity were seen as funny memes a...
Sympathy to the family of Becky Carlson WHS graduate class of 1974. Becky was the daughter of Lois and Clyde Carlson. Becky had lived in Washington now. We are all trying to abide by the COVID-19 virus guidelines. Even though the COVID-19 virus keeps us indoors most of the time, the Keystone Pipeline is going to begin work and bring about 100 construction workers into the county. They will be setting up a camp near Whitewater despite the stay-at-home directive issued by Gov. Bullock (though...
OK Boomer, let’s see what you got. I quit elk hunting some years ago. I haven’t shot a deer or an antelope in a couple of years. That’s all about to change. In this time of quarantine, I’m reevaluating my priorities. The dogs might not like this return to big game hunting, but they’ll get over it. And it’s not like I’m going to quit bird hunting. I’m just going to spend a bit more time hunting critters that fill the freezer. I backed off gardening in recent years, too. It was much more fun to sp...
This is the second part of our experience with the COVID-19 virus. Being away from home while everything around us was starting to shut down, was not fun. It seemed and felt like something from a movie. After the State Basketball Tournament in Butte, we drove through an intimidating amount of snow heading home. Before leaving for the tournament, we knew that snow was in the fore-cast. We were just hoping that the weatherman was wrong. I drove extremely carefully through the mountains on the way...
