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Since when did destroying county property by a county employee become “political.” It does not matter if it’s a misdemeanor or a felony, Phil Mitchell got caught doing something wrong.

Being that he is a top county official, the only thing laughable is that this commissioner is still working as a county employee. —Orrin Webber, Kalispell

Tester’s office helped more than Tester did

Thank you for writing the story about the death of our son, Dr. Shane Truman Todd.

There is one correction that needs to be made. The following statement is not factual, “They said the only elected official whose staff was helpful was Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont.” Sen. Tester did have a compassionate staff member by the name of Jennifer Madgic who tried her best to help, but Sen. Tester himself showed very little interest in helping us find justice for our son.

On the other hand, Sen. Max Baucus and his staff were very helpful …until he was selected to become the ambassador to China. We have met with Sen. Steve Daines on several occasions. He has been very engaged. In addition, Congressman Greg Gianforte has offered assistance and seems to understand the importance of the implication of national security threats to our country and the theft of highly sensitive American technology.

We are hopeful that our future elected officials will make the security of our nation as its highest priority. Our nation is only as secure as the actions we take to insure it. We can ill afford to ignore the theft of our technology and the coverups of the deaths of our brightest minds by other countries. —Rick Todd, Kalispell

(Editor’s Note: The Inter Lake published a correction to this story.)

Daylight saving time is good for Montana!

Keep daylight savings! In response to the Shughart op-ed in the March 11 paper, I would like to present an alternative position. My credentials do not compare to Mr. Shughart’s, but my take on daylight savings is based on my love for Montana and not on finances.

Montana has one of the most extreme climates in the lower 48. Our Junes are usually the rainiest and by the time you get to July, the days are already becoming shorter. After a long winter like this one, we all have a sigh of relief when the sun finally comes out and the snow starts to melt. Another sign of spring takes place when we gain an extra hour of sunlight.

To make our summers shorter by an hour a day just seems to take away some of our charm. People here for visits always comment on our lack of a sales tax and our long summer nights. This is part of what makes us the last best place.

The extra long days only last for a couple of months anyway. By the end of July, it is dark by 10 p.m. and we know in one more month, it is gone.

I love twilight golf, boating after supper, fishing till dusk, taking a stroll and any many other evening activities. To cut our short summers by an hour a day just seems to take away some of the love factor. America is divided over everything else, so we probably can add this subject to the list. — H.C. “Bert” Disbrow, Bigfork

Vote for Egan Slough zoning

In America, the settlers opted for property controls that would protect their investments from predation by others, especially the state or local county governments; but what about predation by your own neighboring, property owner? Where are the private, property protections, and what protective measures are in place in YOUR neighborhood?

What measure of protection do you address to thwart abusive or nonconforming development by your neighbor so as to protect the long-term value of YOUR investment? Responsible growth in any community can never be achieved, when nonconforming use of the land moves forward in the name of property rights of any individual owner to “do as he will” with his land.

Proper zoning determines what areas of the city or town are “downtown” or residential; as well, what areas are designated for commercial and industrial use. Would the city of Kalispell allow a slaughterhouse to be built next to the “kids park,” or downwind from the hospital? So why would those who have a say in the growth of the county allow a water-bottling plant to be built in the center of one of the most bountiful agricultural areas of the Flathead Valley? It’s called encroachment, and it’s not something YOU would want in your back yard.

Do your part in preventing ANY water bottling plant from being built. Be reminded that the city of Kalispell gets its water from an aquifer, and ask yourself, “Will the amount of water needed to fill 1.2 billion 20-ounce PLASTIC bottles per year cause a drop in MY water pressure? Will the 80-plus 18-wheeler semi trucks leaving the water bottling plant travel through MY neighborhood, or hinder my ability to get to work on time in the morning when the shipping schedule starts?

No one knows for sure, apparently. The county commissioners never read or understood the language of the DNRC permit allowing for such a huge production of water, nor did they inquire as to how or where the water will be shipped. Will those 80-plus 18 wheelers travel to Whitefish for shipment by rail? Will they use Montana 35 or Montana 82? How will that amount of heavy truck traffic impact YOUR drive time to work? Did the commissioners consider that each and every one of those 18 wheelers will have to return for RELOADING? Eighty trucks out and 80 trucks returning is a lot of traffic. Consider further, it is YOUR tax dollar that will pay for the traffic signals, road repairs and upgrades necessitated by such heavy impact.

The water-bottling plant profits will be at YOUR expense! If you have doubt about the number of trucks per day, each of those 1.2 billion bottles will weigh 1.3 pounds, or a daily shipping requirement of 255 TONS per hour of the six day, 10 hour per day shipping schedule.

Do the right thing. Vote FOR ballot initiative 17-01 to expand and protect the Egan Slough zoning area. It’s our valley, its your future and it just may be The (Very) Last Best Place. Proper planning and zoning is a means of defense this valley needs and by which we can all benefit. —Bill McGunagle, Kalispell

Candidate Dunn introduces self

My name is David Dunn. I’m a born-again believer in Jesus Christ running for Montana House District 9.

My faith is based on a near-death experience wherein I viewed an eternal afterlife without God. This fearful experience has given me a heightened respect for the spiritual battle we all face.

I am a constitutional conservative who seeks to preserve the rights inherited by the people of Montana. As a citizen observer I have become incredibly disillusioned with the liberal nature of our state Legislature. It seems the only thing that can be agreed upon between parties is how to increase taxes. The Republican Party is often split into conservatives and moderates while the Democratic Party votes as one singular voting bloc controlled top-down by its leadership.

As a follower of Christ I will always vote pro-life.

Our state needs a food freedom law for small organic producers.

We need to mine more coal and export it to neighboring states.

As leaders we need to promote the economic opportunities of all people in this state. Tired are the ways of virtue-signaling environmentalists who close our forests and resources to their false narratives. Without intelligent safe harvest, our forests will burn hotter and larger. Montana needs more value-added centers for big agriculture and more realistic laws for industry. It is a statewide economic weakness that we ship in and out so much raw materials. The laws governing hemp need to be reviewed and seed restrictions removed. Within the spirit of this idea, I’m positive our state can pioneer new bio-dynamic products on a large scale. Put more succinctly, a rising economic tide raises all boats.

As patriots we must push back against “red-flag gun laws” that open up new avenues of big government to destroy the due process of gun owners. —David Dunn, Kalispell

Beringer for county sheriff

I encourage Flathead County residents to vote for Flathead County sheriff candidate Calvin Beringer.

I have known Mr. Beringer for seven years after meeting him at the Flathead County Sheriff’s Citizens Academy.

Mr. Beringer has extensive law-enforcement experience in both urban and rural areas. This is particularly important since Flathead County is rapidly emerging from a sleepy rural community to an area with developing big-city problems. Drugs are increasingly prevalent in this county and innovative, cost-effective measures are essential to deal with this problem. Mr Beringer will use a blend of law enforcement, effective treatment and community involvement to deal with this issue.

Mr. Beringer grew up on a ranch in Flathead County and he knows the county and its problems well. Mr. Beringer is a fiscal conservative and he will manage the department with an eye toward maximizing the value to the community and eliminating waste. In addition, Mr. Beringer is a big proponent of having the department develop personal relationships with county residents.

In closing, I would like to make it known that my late wife passed away almost three years ago after a four-year struggle with dementia. Calvin immediately lent assistance to me to deal with this tragic loss. To this day we remain fast friends. ——Ronald McCormack, Bigfork

Vote for Brodehl

After listening to the commissioner debate on April 16, I must say that I am still trying to recover from the lack of integrity from a couple of candidates.

One advertises his support of property rights but then joins in the cacophony of the masses for spot zoning to crush an extraction resource. Another candidate explains his indifference to the effects of the Salish and Kootenai water compact because, in his words, “My water rights on the Stillwater are ahead of any tribal claim.” What choice does this leave the conservative voters of Flathead County?

Only one: Randy Brodehl. In eight years in the Montana House he has shown consistency and fairness to all of Montana. This is not a job for serving self. It is a position of selfless service. Vote Randy Brodehl on June 5. —Rick Breckenridge, Kalispell

Mitchell should lose county job

Since when did destroying county property by a county employee become “political.” It does not matter if it’s a misdemeanor or a felony, Phil Mitchell got caught doing something wrong.

Being that he is a top county official, the only thing laughable is that this commissioner is still working as a county employee. —Orrin Webber, Kalispell

Tester’s office helped more than Tester did

Thank you for writing the story about the death of our son, Dr. Shane Truman Todd.

There is one correction that needs to be made. The following statement is not factual, “They said the only elected official whose staff was helpful was Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont.” Sen. Tester did have a compassionate staff member by the name of Jennifer Madgic who tried her best to help, but Sen. Tester himself showed very little interest in helping us find justice for our son.

On the other hand, Sen. Max Baucus and his staff were very helpful …until he was selected to become the ambassador to China. We have met with Sen. Steve Daines on several occasions. He has been very engaged. In addition, Congressman Greg Gianforte has offered assistance and seems to understand the importance of the implication of national security threats to our country and the theft of highly sensitive American technology.

We are hopeful that our future elected officials will make the security of our nation as its highest priority. Our nation is only as secure as the actions we take to insure it. We can ill afford to ignore the theft of our technology and the coverups of the deaths of our brightest minds by other countries. —Rick Todd, Kalispell

(Editor’s Note: The Inter Lake published a correction to this story.)

Daylight saving time is good for Montana!

Keep daylight savings! In response to the Shughart op-ed in the March 11 paper, I would like to present an alternative position. My credentials do not compare to Mr. Shughart’s, but my take on daylight savings is based on my love for Montana and not on finances.

Montana has one of the most extreme climates in the lower 48. Our Junes are usually the rainiest and by the time you get to July, the days are already becoming shorter. After a long winter like this one, we all have a sigh of relief when the sun finally comes out and the snow starts to melt. Another sign of spring takes place when we gain an extra hour of sunlight.

To make our summers shorter by an hour a day just seems to take away some of our charm. People here for visits always comment on our lack of a sales tax and our long summer nights. This is part of what makes us the last best place.

The extra long days only last for a couple of months anyway. By the end of July, it is dark by 10 p.m. and we know in one more month, it is gone.

I love twilight golf, boating after supper, fishing till dusk, taking a stroll and any many other evening activities. To cut our short summers by an hour a day just seems to take away some of the love factor. America is divided over everything else, so we probably can add this subject to the list. — H.C. “Bert” Disbrow, Bigfork

Vote for Egan Slough zoning

In America, the settlers opted for property controls that would protect their investments from predation by others, especially the state or local county governments; but what about predation by your own neighboring, property owner? Where are the private, property protections, and what protective measures are in place in YOUR neighborhood?

What measure of protection do you address to thwart abusive or nonconforming development by your neighbor so as to protect the long-term value of YOUR investment? Responsible growth in any community can never be achieved, when nonconforming use of the land moves forward in the name of property rights of any individual owner to “do as he will” with his land.

Proper zoning determines what areas of the city or town are “downtown” or residential; as well, what areas are designated for commercial and industrial use. Would the city of Kalispell allow a slaughterhouse to be built next to the “kids park,” or downwind from the hospital? So why would those who have a say in the growth of the county allow a water-bottling plant to be built in the center of one of the most bountiful agricultural areas of the Flathead Valley? It’s called encroachment, and it’s not something YOU would want in your back yard.

Do your part in preventing ANY water bottling plant from being built. Be reminded that the city of Kalispell gets its water from an aquifer, and ask yourself, “Will the amount of water needed to fill 1.2 billion 20-ounce PLASTIC bottles per year cause a drop in MY water pressure? Will the 80-plus 18-wheeler semi trucks leaving the water bottling plant travel through MY neighborhood, or hinder my ability to get to work on time in the morning when the shipping schedule starts?

No one knows for sure, apparently. The county commissioners never read or understood the language of the DNRC permit allowing for such a huge production of water, nor did they inquire as to how or where the water will be shipped. Will those 80-plus 18 wheelers travel to Whitefish for shipment by rail? Will they use Montana 35 or Montana 82? How will that amount of heavy truck traffic impact YOUR drive time to work? Did the commissioners consider that each and every one of those 18 wheelers will have to return for RELOADING? Eighty trucks out and 80 trucks returning is a lot of traffic. Consider further, it is YOUR tax dollar that will pay for the traffic signals, road repairs and upgrades necessitated by such heavy impact.

The water-bottling plant profits will be at YOUR expense! If you have doubt about the number of trucks per day, each of those 1.2 billion bottles will weigh 1.3 pounds, or a daily shipping requirement of 255 TONS per hour of the six day, 10 hour per day shipping schedule.

Do the right thing. Vote FOR ballot initiative 17-01 to expand and protect the Egan Slough zoning area. It’s our valley, its your future and it just may be The (Very) Last Best Place. Proper planning and zoning is a means of defense this valley needs and by which we can all benefit. —Bill McGunagle, Kalispell

Candidate Dunn introduces self

My name is David Dunn. I’m a born-again believer in Jesus Christ running for Montana House District 9.

My faith is based on a near-death experience wherein I viewed an eternal afterlife without God. This fearful experience has given me a heightened respect for the spiritual battle we all face.

I am a constitutional conservative who seeks to preserve the rights inherited by the people of Montana. As a citizen observer I have become incredibly disillusioned with the liberal nature of our state Legislature. It seems the only thing that can be agreed upon between parties is how to increase taxes. The Republican Party is often split into conservatives and moderates while the Democratic Party votes as one singular voting bloc controlled top-down by its leadership.

As a follower of Christ I will always vote pro-life.

Our state needs a food freedom law for small organic producers.

We need to mine more coal and export it to neighboring states.

As leaders we need to promote the economic opportunities of all people in this state. Tired are the ways of virtue-signaling environmentalists who close our forests and resources to their false narratives. Without intelligent safe harvest, our forests will burn hotter and larger. Montana needs more value-added centers for big agriculture and more realistic laws for industry. It is a statewide economic weakness that we ship in and out so much raw materials. The laws governing hemp need to be reviewed and seed restrictions removed. Within the spirit of this idea, I’m positive our state can pioneer new bio-dynamic products on a large scale. Put more succinctly, a rising economic tide raises all boats.

As patriots we must push back against “red-flag gun laws” that open up new avenues of big government to destroy the due process of gun owners. —David Dunn, Kalispell

Beringer for county sheriff

I encourage Flathead County residents to vote for Flathead County sheriff candidate Calvin Beringer.

I have known Mr. Beringer for seven years after meeting him at the Flathead County Sheriff’s Citizens Academy.

Mr. Beringer has extensive law-enforcement experience in both urban and rural areas. This is particularly important since Flathead County is rapidly emerging from a sleepy rural community to an area with developing big-city problems. Drugs are increasingly prevalent in this county and innovative, cost-effective measures are essential to deal with this problem. Mr Beringer will use a blend of law enforcement, effective treatment and community involvement to deal with this issue.

Mr. Beringer grew up on a ranch in Flathead County and he knows the county and its problems well. Mr. Beringer is a fiscal conservative and he will manage the department with an eye toward maximizing the value to the community and eliminating waste. In addition, Mr. Beringer is a big proponent of having the department develop personal relationships with county residents.

In closing, I would like to make it known that my late wife passed away almost three years ago after a four-year struggle with dementia. Calvin immediately lent assistance to me to deal with this tragic loss. To this day we remain fast friends. ——Ronald McCormack, Bigfork

Vote for Brodehl

After listening to the commissioner debate on April 16, I must say that I am still trying to recover from the lack of integrity from a couple of candidates.

One advertises his support of property rights but then joins in the cacophony of the masses for spot zoning to crush an extraction resource. Another candidate explains his indifference to the effects of the Salish and Kootenai water compact because, in his words, “My water rights on the Stillwater are ahead of any tribal claim.” What choice does this leave the conservative voters of Flathead County?

Only one: Randy Brodehl. In eight years in the Montana House he has shown consistency and fairness to all of Montana. This is not a job for serving self. It is a position of selfless service. Vote Randy Brodehl on June 5. —Rick Breckenridge, Kalispell