Connect With Your Community!
Connect With Your Community!
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With a weekly newspaper, it can be challenging to do a lot of traveling. Outside one or two weekend trips a year to my hometown, seven hours away in Wyoming, I don’t usually visit anywhere else. Because I cannot travel much, it’s always a treat when family or friends visit Montana. At the start of May, my uncle from Arizona contacted me about visiting while he was with his family on an extended trip throughout the western United States. I don’t see my uncle often, so spending a couple of days with him was nice. While they only stayed two nights... Full story
In a Facebook post last week, the City of Three Forks shared some troubling news about recent issues at City Parks. The issues encountered include kicking over sprinkler heads, digging up a park, vandalizing bathrooms and other buildings, trying to break equipment, burning toilet paper in the bathrooms, not cleaning up after pets, and “other disgusting things we have to pay someone to clean.” The City of Three Forks is blessed to have a lot of nice parks that residents of all ages utilize. To see vandalism and other issues happening is una... Full story
In late 2023, the house Melissa and I were renting was put up for sale, and unfortunately, it was way out of our price range. While it probably doesn’t do me any good to carry many regrets, I wish we had purchased a home when we first moved to Montana in the summer of 2015. The housing market was just a bit different then, and we should have jumped on that opportunity. There is certainly a lot to enjoy about the new home, and we’ve settled in well; I miss the quiet from four years of living out in the “country.” There was something special... Full story
For the first time in over 60 years, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has written new rules to oversee oil and gas development on public lands. These common sense rules provide needed changes to protect taxpayers, protect our clean air and water, and protect public health. Oil and gas companies will finally be required to post responsible bonding levels that ensure funds are available to reclaim abandoned well sites if companies skip town before cleaning up their messes. As you can imagine, oil and gas lobbyists are not happy with these...
When I was younger, I did not truly appreciate the beauty of the smaller things in life. One of those things was any given Friday night in the 1980s. This included regular stops at the once-powerhouse pizza chain Shakey's, night games for a few extra minutes after the streetlights came on, and a sleepover with a bunch of unruly friends that would result in about eight minutes of sleep. Often, a Friday night would include a trip to Warehouse Video to rent movies. I remember when the VCR craze... Full story
This week, the Three Forks High School Class of 2024 will mark the end of an era and the start of a new journey. The Three Forks Voice would like to congratulate all the students graduating on Sunday, June 2, and wish them well in the future. When we first started the newspaper in October 2018, members of the Class of 2024 were just in the seventh grade. So, we’ve had the opportunity to follow along as the students journey into high school and excel in the classroom, sports, and other extracurricular activities. Seeing all the amazing things t... Full story
Please vote “yes” on the Gallatin County’s local government study commission question! Montana’s Constitution gives us this opportunity to “peek under the hood” at our form of government every ten years. The last time Gallatin County did a robust study was in 1994. Our population has more than doubled since then, as have our service needs, community issues, and the complexity of our organization. This isn’t Grandpa’s county anymore, yet we are using the same government model (general powers...
I received a recliner from my mom and sister for my birthday a few weeks ago. The couch I usually sit on was in dire need of being taken to the dump, so this was an awesome gift to receive. It is perfect for sitting and binge-watching my stories. It’s also a wonderful reason to stay in the house more, which I enjoy more with each passing birthday. That being said, I’ll still need to get out of the house plenty for work-related reasons, often at sporting events. Other than work, the only two places I will go are to the grocery store and to get...
Life in Montana takes energy. Companies and individuals across the state have worked tirelessly over the years to ensure Montanans have the power to go about their lives in the way they want. It is part of what makes Montana the Last Best Place. However, the Biden-Harris administration's new EPA mandate threatens that freedom. Under the EPA's final rule, two-thirds of vehicles sold by U.S. automakers need to be battery-powered or plug-in hybrid by 2032. Fundamentally – Montanans, and the rest o...
As much as I enjoy cooking, there are a few dishes that I don't feel comfortable making. It's usually either because it's too messy, takes far too long, or is a bit complicated for culinary aptitude. While fried chicken has always been one of my favorite things to eat, I've probably only made it two or three times because I usually end up splashing my face with oil and making a mess that takes a complete shift of work to clean up. After getting super sick once after an old roommate made fried... Full story
Montanans are considering who to vote for in the upcoming primary election on June 4th -- and the candidates are doing everything they can to try to earn those votes. One fact should be top of mind: voters 50 plus decide elections, and candidates who ignore this powerful segment of the electorate do so at their own peril. Voters 50 plus are the majority in every election. In fact, in 2022, 65% of the electorate in Montana was 50 plus. We want to see politicians address our day-to-day challenges, such as caring for our loved ones to keep t...
Rural Montanans deal with many trials that those in urban areas do not typically struggle with—whether that is internet connectivity, access to healthcare, or simply just the mileage it takes to get to a gas station or grocery store, the fact of the matter is that folks in the more remote portions of our state rely heavily on their vehicles to access the basic needs and services that we all rely on. Unfortunately, the EPA’s recent rule mandating that two-thirds of vehicles sold by U.S. automakers be either electric battery powered or plu... Full story
Whether it’s repeated attempts to privatize our wildlife or attacks on public access, Montanans have had plenty to complain about recently. While the legislature and Gov. Gianforte have been busy enacting laws like HB 635 from Rep. Kassmier (R-Fort Benton) — which guarantees deer and elk tags to large out-of-state landowners — and HB 637 from Rep. Berglee (R-Joliet) — which established tag giveaways for outfitters and sweetened the deal for landowners who want premium elk permits - resident hunters continue to express concerns over increas...
Two of my favorite pastimes in junior high school were daydreaming and golfing. Sometimes, I would daydream about golfing. It was the best of both worlds because I was far better in my head than on the course. During my ninth-grade year, I attended East Junior High School and was a member of the high school golf team. To say the school was old would be an understatement, but it had some amazing windows and views of large trees that had most likely been planted when the building first opened as a high school. While during the winter months, I... Full story
Dear Editor, I am writing this letter in support of Tony Tezak for Senate District 35. Tony and his wife, Connie, have raised their family of five boys in the Madison and Ruby Valleys, and have three sons now operating businesses of their own in the Ruby Valley. Tony has always been a selfless contributor to the communities that he grew up in. He and Connie both have roots that run deep in Montana. Tony's great great grandfather, "Grandpa McAtee" first homesteaded in Ruby Creek, a tributary to the Madison River, then bought the McAtee Ranch in... Full story
Letter to Editor Running for public office is not for the faint of heart. City council members, county commissioners, school boards trustees, and state legislators all require a big commitment to do their jobs well. I admire anyone that tosses their hat into the ring. As taxpayers and voters, we all need to participate in the process, by educating ourselves on the candidate’s priorities and policies, and then most importantly vote. Our jobs are not done yet. We must remain engaged in the budgeting and the policy making discussions. Learn a... Full story
There are many misconceptions about human trafficking, but perhaps the biggest is that most people believe it doesn’t happen near them. Tragically, this is not the case. Human trafficking is happening every day, in every country, and in every state—including Montana. Combating this growing tragedy demands greater partnerships between public and private entities—and Montanans should know that work is underway. Since its inception in 2007, Montana’s Human Trafficking Hotline has helped identify 219 cases and 446 victims of human traffic...
When I was growing up, the summer months always meant that baseball would be on the television. Whether at my mom’s, dad’s, or grandparents’ house, an Atlanta Braves game on TBS would always be playing, even if people didn’t always pay attention as they did other things. It was a magical background noise that would last for months. As a huge baseball fan, I would get up every morning to read the box scores in the Daily Rocket-Miner, Casper-Star, or Rocky Mountain News to try and keep up with every team and player. I’d like to say my love for...
Letter to the Editor: I support Jennifer Carlson for HD 68. Jennifer Carlson has served two terms in the legislature and has been extremely effective. She knows how to work with people on both sides of the aisle while maintaining her conservative values. She's carried 24+ bills and passed 11 while her opponent, Hinkle, has only carried 7 and passed 3. Medical freedom, children's rights, and mental health are some of the greatest issues she champions in Helena. In addition to being an effective, outstanding legislator, she also is an excellent... Full story
I’m writing this letter in support of Republican candidate Jeff Welborn PSC commissioner District #3. I have known Jeff for over 20 years and served in the legislature with him for 14 years. He is a very dedicated elected official. As a Representative and Senator he always put his constituents first. As the chairman of the Senate Natural Resource Committee, Jeff always listened to those testifying and also making sure his constituents were taken care of. As a Senator myself whose main focus was on energy Jeff was always there to help me out. J... Full story
Three Forks is blessed to have many wonderful nonprofit organizations that do so much for the community. On May 2, area residents can support eight fantastic organizations through the One Valley Community Foundation’s Give Big Gallatin Valley fundraiser. At the inaugural Give Big Three Forks Main Street Kickoff event, residents will have the opportunity to go downtown from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. to learn more about the Headwaters Trail System, Headwaters Area Food Bank, Three Forks Area Historical S... Full story
While I try to be as efficient as possible during the workday, there are times when I spend far too much time scrolling through social media. At this point, I can tell myself repeatedly not to spend too much online because I'm not quite sure it's excellent for one's mental health, but I still do it more than I should. With my job, I always try to keep up with Three Forks School's social media accounts. The other day, I read about and saw pictures of the senior class stopping at Lagoon for their... Full story
Dear Editor: It has been a long-time sine the 1860's when ambitious men moved to Montana to claim and tame land. Back then, it was a matter of choosing it and then doing the work to make it produce a living. Today, it's still doing the work, but now, a person must be able to afford the taxes every year, and our water rights are being threatened from many angles. The government is coming up with new ways to tell us how to raise our cattle (or not) and whether or not our product is beneficial to the environment. While they say, "follow the...
Americans spend an average of four hours looking at their cellphones every day, checking them at least 144 times a day, a 2023 Reviews.org survey found. In today's world, communication is wireless, connected, always on, instant, and high fidelity. The smartphone has become so much more capable than anyone imagined at its invention; it's now our bank teller, research assistant, video game device, health monitor, and then some. More than 4 in 5 Americans (85%) own a smartphone now, up from 35% in...
Dear Editor, As a teacher and resident in the Three Forks School District for over 20 years, I am asking for public support for the upcoming operational mill levy for three main reasons. First, the students in our district are down-to-earth, hard-working, bright individuals who thrive when given various opportunities inside and outside the classroom. From FFA to FCCLA, from the basketball court to the softball field, from the pep band to drama club, and from the middle school English class to AP Calculus, I witness each day the magic that happe... Full story
