Letters to the editor

Thanks for support

I would personally like to thank everybody who has supported my daughters and I through our loss. We love and miss him very much and it has been very hard. I would like to thank all of the snowmobilers who came up that night to search. I couldn't believe how many of you were there.

Everyone who has sent flowers, food and cards, and to everyone who has donated money to the Brett Toney Memorial Fund. That money is helping the girls and I to stay in our house and keep up with daily expenses. I would also like to thank my family and friends, Mom, Bob, Shannon, Bart, Trish, April, Jon, Amber, Shawn, Jenny and Corinne. All of you have been nothing but awesome, and I will never be able to repay you for what you have done for us. So again, thank you so much to everybody for all your support, help, and guidance.

Sarah, Baylee and Cameron Toney

Box 2183

East Helena

Support for Ward

This is in response to Mr. Munday's attack on Rep. John Ward, R-Helena, for his welcomed vote against SB78. I also attended the hearing and being one of his constituents, Rep. Ward did vote in the public interest.

Rep. Ward has a strong voting record on everything from school funding to protection of private property rights. I am certainly pleased to see a "no vote" for a bad bill crafted only by a narrow focused group who failed to get all of the parties involved in crafting a workable piece of legislation.

The amendments he supported during executive action on SB78, actually recognized access under a number of different circumstances, contrary to what some of the proponents have been saying.

The Montana Stockgrowers Association is one of the groups that worked on the original compromise for stream access law and has never challenged it since its inception. I recall many landowners from across the state testifying that this is not a statewide problem, but only on three bridges in southwest Montana. The answer is not more laws, it is just fix the conflict in this one localized area and move on.

Jay Bodner, Montana Stockgrowers Association

420 N. California

Daffodil Days

The Helena area responded to "Daffodil Days" annual fund raiser for the American Cancer Society by purchasing a record-breaking $19,563 of daffodils to help fund research, legislative advocacy, educational and community service programs, many of them in the Helena area. This happened because of the hard work and dedication of more than 70 volunteers in private business and local, state and federal government offices who coordinated advance sales of daffodil bouquets among their co-workers, friends and families.

On March 19, members of the Helena Lion's Club delivered over 1,800 bouquets of flowers that are known as the first flower of spring and represent the hope of a future without cancer. St. Peter's Hospital received a record number of "Gift of Hope" bouquets that were a dose of sunshine for patients in the hospital.

This community is unfailingly generous with donations of time and money. A heartfelt thank you is appropriate to sponsors St. Peter's Hospital, Elks Club, Bresnan Communication, Sue's Sewing Palace, the Helena Lion's Club and all the individuals and businesses that participated. What we can do together is awesome.

Susan Russell and Ian and Bonnie Steel

Co-Chairs Helena Daffodil Days

531 West Lawrence

Supporting CASA

I am driving up from Whitehall to walk in the CASA Advocates for Kids Race on Saturday, April 21. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and the walk/5K run begins at 10 a.m. I am bringing my dogs and will be there to support the local Helena CASA program, which supports abused and neglected children.

What a great way to begin getting back into shape since I have to walk sometimes eight miles a day as a tour guide.

Jim Stearns

6 Cindy Lane

Whitehall

Chevron visit

During Peter Robertson's magnanimous interview with the Editorial Board (IR, April 8), did the Chevron executive realize his company's annual profits are over ten times that of our state's budget?

His suggestion that taxpayers should subsidize exploration and research was somewhat incomprehensible. As for the feigned concern over energy security and climate change, the most expeditious solution would be to drive less, drive slower and/or drive more fuel efficient cars. Which of those options would Chevron's board like to see implemented?

Murray Strong

530 State St.

Great service

A special thanks to the salesperson at Radio Shack.

After charging my digital camera, I foolishly left the charger out. One of my cats deposited a very large hairball on the charger. After a valiant effort trying to clean it up, it refused to work. I took it to other stores, to find out that the camera is 4 years old and they did not have a charger that would work. My best bet would be to try and find one online or to try Radio Shack.

The salesman at Radio Shack took the time to clean the charger, test it and pronounced it healed. He also helped me with my iPod. He saved me a lot of money.

Thank you, Radio Shack, for your great customer service at no charge.

Lynda Benson

20 Southview Road

Clancy