No headline

If you knew Mindy, then support WINGS

If you or someone you love has been battling cancer here in the Flathead Valley over the last 20 years, you probably knew Mindy Swan.

Mindy hated cancer, but she loved everyone involved in the challenge of fighting the disease, and she was always ready to help with enthusiasm, courage and heartfelt empathy. Mindy’s journey ended recently, but her legacy of hope, determination and love will last forever. Please consider honoring Mindy Swan by making a donation to the 22nd annual radiothon for WINGS Regional Cancer Support today. Call 257-9464 or mail your donation to WINGS, PO Box 7852, Kalispell, MT 59904. —Gene Marcille, Columbia Falls

It’s time to send Sen. Tester back to the farm

Must be re-election time.

Jon Tester is popping up like a jack-in-the-box — everywhere. Wouldn’t he be happier back down on the farm?

Do we need any more 30- or 40-year serving politicians in D.C.? How about letting someone else have a chance to serve? I think Mr. Tester has become wealthy enough.

We haven’t forgotten that Mr. Tester took more money from lobbyists than anyone else back there in the swamp. Time to elect someone else. —Dale Terrillion, Proctor

State blew it by firing case managers

It is with great regret that I learned recently that our case managers at Western Montana Mental Health Center were handed pink slips and told that their services will no longer be needed.

What’s up with that, honorable Gov. Steve Bullock? What’s up with that, honorable Montana Legislature? What have you people been smoking?

Many, if not most, of the clients that these people so nobly serve are unable to pay their bills on time, unable to remember doctor appointments, and have a hard time functioning in society. These case managers were a critical link to bridge the gap between sanity and reality and served the public quietly behind the scenes.

What happened to your $300 million surplus of a couple years ago, Gov. Steve? Did you spend it all on wildfire suppression? Oh really? Wildfires are a natural event, and should be allowed to burn until rain or snow puts them out. But that’s beside the point.

Now, we mentally challenged folks are left to our own devices, and must learn to function by ourselves. How do you sleep at night, legislators? I hope you toss and turn and feel guilty for slashing the budget and forcing these critically important people to find a new job. —Scott Stanich, Kalispell

State funding priorities wrong for helping the disabled

I write to you as mother of a 14-year-old boy diagnosed as developmentally disabled with autism. He is receiving treatment at a Devereux Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility in Colorado, where he enrolled in July 2017. Within four months, Montana Medicaid denied reauthorization for his continued stay. This has been a pattern — Devereux is his fourth residential treatment placement. At each one, Montana Medicaid ends funding before he has successfully completed the program. Each time, he has returned home prematurely, only to deteriorate behaviorally and require another out-of-home placement.

This cycle seems to me to be a waste of funds, since he is not approved for treatment stays long enough to reach maximum benefit. This cycle is also very hard on him and our family. If Medicaid would just authorize a single, longer placement, Medicaid dollars would actually be saved.

Also, my son had a children’s case manager for 1 1/2 years, until the Montana Legislature and governor cut children’s case management rates by almost 60 percent, such that the agency could no longer provide the service. My son’s case manager had been indispensable in ensuring his proper care and the loss of this service is devastating.

My son’s story is just one of countless for developmentally disabled individuals who are now, due to budget cuts, abandoned by our state. There must be a better way to save state dollars and jobs while still meeting the needs of one of our neediest populations. —Elizabeth Heine, Kalispell

Enough is enough on wilderness study areas

Support S-2206, a bill that would finally release wilderness study areas around the state of Montana from wilderness consideration.

In the case of the Ten Lakes WSA, in 1975 the Forest Service completed an extensive analysis and they recommended that it NOT be a wilderness study area. In 1977, against the recommendation, it was added as a wilderness study area. Ten Lakes was again studied during the five-year period after enactment of the Montana Wilderness Study Areas, as instructed by Congress, and again in 1981 the Forest Service recommended the area didn’t meet wilderness character and recommended it NOT be wilderness. The bill has gone to Congress 10 times over the years since enactment and Congress has rejected it every time. Even Congress understands that you can’t and shouldn’t manufacture wilderness. ENOUGH is ENOUGH.

It’s time for opponents to S-2206 to quit misleading the public by saying it will open these areas up to oil, gas, mining, and timber development; these are false statements. There are many other layers of protective management that will not allow that.

It’s time to come to the realization that these areas in wilderness-study-area limbo aren’t worthy of wilderness; they are recreation areas. –Scott Mattheis, Eureka

Holiday event at funeral home was special

Lats month, I attended the Holiday Time of Remembrance at Buffalo Hill Funeral Home.

It was beautifully done. Now I have an angel ornament in remembrance of my precious son, Dusty Hassler, who sadly passed away on June 29, 2017.

For a few moments, I felt peace in my heart. Although he will forever be in my every thought, he will always be with me.

Thank you so very much, Buffalo Hill Funeral Home, Most of all, I thank your wonderful staff, especially “Allison” and Jayson Watkins. You all are so incredible, loving and kind. They comforted me and treated me like family.

Thank you for doing your “Holiday Remembrance’ for all people in our community. I’ll never ever forget you. Thank you, Buffalo Hill Funeral Home, and may God bless you! —Rhonda “Roni” Wiebe, Kalispell