A couple weeks ago, I wrote on the lost art of communication. It seems more arguing gets done during some public meetings than actual work. Last week as citizens and commissioners debated the issue of whether or not to have local candidates list...

There ought to be at least two more books on this list, but I got distracted by the photos on Montana History Portal and their meme contest (it’s not too late to enter!). It’s been loads of fun creating funny memes related to reading, writing, and...

Oftentimes, I like to wonder how our world would be different today if history hadn’t played out the way it has. I find it to be a fun way to get lost in thought and see what sort of wacky and fun alternative timelines I can think up. There are s...

Last week, volunteers throughout Thompson Falls were busy sprucing up the town. Leaves were raked, bushes pruned, parks cleaned and new signage installed at the mule pasture trail system. It was a community effort known as Beautification Days that...

I once golfed with a pastor who did well until the 13th hole. Then, the wheels came off. On the 16th tee, he put a drive so far out of bounds, he should’ve been called for a foul. He turned and said, “I know what I’m doing wrong. I just can’t...

One of my favorite things about the Plains community is seeing kids walking to the river with fishing poles, often barefoot, children who have not lost their connectedness to nature. They play in the dirt. They eat dirt as babies and pile themselves...

Most people know that April 15 is tax day, but it’s also Jackie Robinson Day, commemorating when Robinson broke the “color barrier” in baseball, playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers. On April 15, every baseball player wore number 42, Robinson’s jersey...

“Why?!” That was what was shouted out by someone on the Board when the motion was made to remove the Associate Supervisors from the Green Mountain Conservation Board (GMCD) last week. Many may not be aware of the role of GMCD. This elected board ser...

If you’ve been in a situation where you just applied for a loan, had your credit pulled, and then start getting phone calls from various creditors; you are not alone. This is called unsolicited credit or “trigger leads.” Trigger leads are creat...

Happy Spring everyone. If it seems this article looks familiar, I did write about the Local Government Review a couple of months back. Because there have been more questions, I have added some additional information. The Local Government Review...

Property Tax Assistance Program After discussions with the governor, the filing application deadline for the property tax assistance program has been extended until June 1, 2024. This program can help citizens on a fixed or limited income by...

Recently, I read two opposing books on time. One told me time is a construct and I can therefore make more of it by focusing on what I want to accomplish. Another book said time is finite, I can never have more of it, but I can learn to use it better...

In recent years there was an uproar about schools not teaching how to write in cursive anymore. A method of communication like landline phones and hand-written letters that is disappearing. It feels, however, like we're losing the basic skills of...

Monday afternoon, I went to the Thompson Falls elementary school to watch the solar eclipse with the students. There was a lot of activity on the playground as students waited for a glimpse of the event. Some waited patiently and some ran around...

Musicians from the Piatigorsky Foundation will once again be offering a world class performance here in Thompson Falls. Violinist Linda Rosenthal and pianist Maxim Pakhomov will perform at the Thompson Falls Christian Church on Friday, April 12, at...

I love it when people feel the need to share their opinions on how your opinion is wrong; with statements like, “I think you will find that America is not the dark and dangerous place you think it is.” (Therefore, what I think must be true bec...

It's not uncommon these days to know someone who has been scammed online, or to have become a victim yourself. A presentation at the Thompson Falls Senior Center last week helped educate citizens on potential scams (see article on Page 4). While...

It seems to be spring. Winter wasn’t so great, as winters go; after too many days of skiing last season, I’ve not had enough this year. But I’m grateful my knees still work after 34 seasons of sliding downhill; not perfectly, but still. Also, I only...

March seemed like an early mud season to me. As to the real estate market, it was very stable with bare land slowing, and it is always the first to slow. The inventory levels pushed up just a stitch, but mostly remained level, thus inventory is still...

This phenomenal weather is demanding that I put my books down and go outside. I don’t know how I’m going to read anything in the next five to six months, not when the crocuses are popping up and the daffodils and the iris’ (swoon). The books that...

In Montana we have many seasons. There are the four regular seasons, but then there is hunting season and boating season, and probably the most recognizable, wildfire season. In March, everyone is busy clearing up their yards and property. Both...