By Chuck Carpenter In the late 1950s my dad worked for the government, helping livestock producers with predator problems. We lived at a little place called Wolf Creek, Montana. Early one morning he received a phone call that a black bear had killed a lamb on a small ranch not too far from where we…
I’ve struggled since April to come up with a calendar featuring events that didn’t face being cancelled due to the pandemic we’ve all come to know and loath. I found some programs online, so that worked. But let’s face it, all the great events we’ve come to cherish just didn’t happen – or aren’t going…
By Dennis Lopez Listening to Bob Marley sing in my headphones about how “every little things goin’ to be alright” makes me hope he is right and forget that we are hunkered down and sheltering in place from a worldwide pandemic. But we are. The rubber gloves I am wearing as I type this are…
By Luke Erickson With the holidays that come this time of year we’re reminded of many of the things that bring happiness to our lives, such as candy, turkey, and presents. If only happiness were so simple, right? Happiness is an elusive thing. Yes, food and gifts can provide small, temporary paths to a little…
By Jessie Horney Every morning I see the sunrise reflected in a mirror before I see it in the sky. There’s an eastern window in our front room that captures the sunrise, framing dawn in a way that directs the light to a mirror hanging in the entryway, and that’s also how I know when…
By Cara Johnson-Bader Choosing child care is one of the most important decisions you will ever make for your child. Research increasingly tells us that the first years of a child’s life are critical to shaping his or her future health and development. High-quality child care and education in the early years can make a…
By Brian Bizik With COVID-19 taking most of the health headlines, other medical ailments have been pushed to the news cycle background. One of those conditions is asthma. But that cough you hear might not be the latest virus; it might be asthma, a disease that is frequently worse in the fall and winter months.…
By Samuel P. Zink Jr., DMD Our first son was born during my final year of dental school in Louisville, Kentucky. We were expecting a blond-haired, blue-eyed baby. He came out with a handsome full head of reddish-brown hair and a quizzical brow. We enjoyed being parents, but sometimes I wondered, is it supposed to…
By Chuck Carpenter Throughout the fall, winter, and early spring when the sheep producers run their sheep on BLM allotments, the sheepherder usually stays in a sheep camp. The camps can be moved with a pick-up or small tractor. By late spring or early summer, most of the sheep bands move up into the higher…
By Sandy Spurgeon McDaniel Teachers in California and some other states have been told that schools will re-open online, using the media as their means of teacher communication. Those students will not be returning to the classroom. Idaho Gov. Brad Little has stated he wants K-12 students to return to schools. He did, however, also…