Letters to the Editor

Thanks for donations

A big thank you needs to be sent out to these charitable companies for their generous donations to the annual Montana City School talent show.

Dairy Queen on N. Montana Ave., Great Northern Carousel, Montana City Store, Morrison-Maierle. Inc, Movie Gallery, NorthWestern Energy, Pizza Hut on Euclid, Robert Peccia & Association.

The prizes really helped the students feel like winners at the end of the day, this would not have been possible without their generosity.

Mrs. J. Kennedy, Music Teacher/Talent Show Coordinator

Montana City School

11 McClellan Creek Road

Warming rally

Helena citizens will rally at the Firetower Park on April 14 to join a growing movement of Americans calling for action to stop global warming and to put our nation on track for a clean energy future. The rally at Helena's historic "Guardian of the Gulch" watch tower is part of the Step it Up campaign (www.stepitup2007.org), a nationwide campaign comprised of over 1,300 events in 50 states -- including eight others in Montana -- all urging Congress to enact legislation that will cut carbon emissions 80 percent by 2050. We're calling on Sens. Baucus and Tester and Rep. Rehberg to make a bold but attainable commitment of cutting America's carbon emissions by 2 percent every year for the next few decades.

Our rally will begin at 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 14, on the grounds of the Firetower Park in Helena with performances by local musicians and a series of brief statements by Helena leaders. Photos of Step it Up rallies across the country will be compiled on the Web and submitted to Congress to show the growing demand for action to quell the impending climate catastrophe. Join us at the Firetower!

Becca Leaphart, Ben Brouwer, Doug Crabtree

Helena Step it Up Campaign organizers

519 1st Street

Utility worries

In 1997 the choice of the PSC was a 4-1 vote in support of deregulation. Some of the ideas looked good, consumer choice and lower prices. For this open market to work there needed to be lots of buyers and sellers. And Montana did not qualify.

The delivery system of utilities in Montana is crucial to the health and welfare of Montana socially and economically. to heat our homes and flush our toilets. All of our sanitary systems are dependant on a stable delivery system of utilities.

I was appalled as our regulated monopoly was destroyed on such a risky idea. My fear is that global Wall Street will not have any sympathy for the consumers of Montana, nor the economic welfare of our great state. People that buy stock are interested only in maximizing their return on investment and they could care less how this comes about.

I would hope that the delivery system would not fall into disrepair. But the risk is there, because of the demand of return on investment. Montana doesn't deserve another HIT. And it is my opinion that selling this system to a foreign company would put all of Montana's resources at risk.

Archie Nunn, 5386 Bonanza Ct.

Tribal ID law

As a journalist and tribal newspaper editor, I am disappointed that a bill important to Montana's Native Americans has gone unreported by other Montana media.

This bill requires tribal identification cards to be treated in a manner identical to a state ID card.

Sponsor, Rep. Margarett Campbell, D-Poplar, coined HB 789 the "Burt Rider Bill" in recognition of the Fort Belknap man who requested it because he didn't believe it was fair that he couldn't use his tribal ID at an off-reservation establishment.

It passed the House with an 86-13 vote, cleared the Senate unanimously, 49-0, and was transmitted to the governor April 2. The governor's office has indicated he will sign the measure into law any day now.

This law marks a long overdue recognition of tribal government-issued IDs. It will make life easier for Indian people by mandating change in the way employees at public agencies and establishments recognize us.

So to all Indians living in or visiting Montana, effective Oct. 1, 2007, you can proudly use your tribal ID when you walk up to any counter in the state. To access the bill, log onto: http://laws.leg.mt.gov.

Jennifer Perez,

Fort Belknap News

Fort Belknap

Not much sympathy

When it comes to racism. I have as much sympathy and compassion for the Arab people and, as much respect for their religion and their prophet Mohammed; as they had for the people in the two towers. No American should ever forget what happened on 9/11. The Golden Gate, which the Statue of Liberty symbolizes, swings both ways; if the Arab people are not happy with the way they are treated here; they shouldn't hesitate too leave.

Michael E. Pelc Ret.

739 Crestwood Lane.

Not so much sympathy

When it comes to racism. I have as much sympathy and compassion for the Arab people and, as much respect for their religion and their prophet Mohammed; as they had for the people in the two towers. No American should ever forget what happened on 9/11. The Golden Gate, which the Statue of Liberty symbolizes, swings both ways; if the Arab people are not happy with the way they are treated here; they shouldn't hesitate too leave.

Michael E. Pelc Ret.

739 Crestwood Lane

School funding

Funding for the state's education system should be frozen at the current levels until they can prove that more money will actually improve the quality of education the state's youth receive. As each year passes, our youth are less and less capable of reading at their "grade level" and less and less capable of performing simple basic math skills. How is it that educators and their unions believe that by paying teachers more the quality of education will improve -- sounds a lot like blackmail to me (if you don't pay us more, we are less likely to teach your children)? If that were the case, if we paid the men and women serving in this nation's military more, then this nation would never have to worry about being attacked by anyone. If the Legislature increases the education budget, will homeowners see "another in a never-ending series" of school levies come November? How many parents are aware that the history books in the classroom are replete with distortions of this nation's history, distortions which educate our youth that America is not the beacon of liberty which it is -- basically, that the U.S. is the cause for all of the world's ills.

Steven Lodahl

2553 Southridge

Grants for plants

Growing Friends of Helena has $8,000 to give groups or individuals including businesses for tree planting and beautification projects this year and is now soliciting applicants for this matching money. The deadline is as soon as you can get your application in. It also should be remembered fall plantings are very successful in this area. So if not ready this spring think about fall.

Growing Friends is a volunteer group founded in 1989 and has been offering matching grants up to about $2,000 per grant for planting projects that have high public benefit or exposure.

The grant money comes from the twice-a-year Trash for Trees recycling drive, other Growing Friends fund raisers, donations and membership dues. The next Trash for Trees is April 28 at the Good Samaritan parking lot.

For specific information on the grant program and to obtain an application, readers can contact Gary Spaeth at 1012 8th Avenue, 59601, 439-8898, or glspeath@ aol.com. For general information about Growing Friends and other programs such as the Boulevard Tree program, write Growing Friends, P.O. Box 709, Helena, MT 59601.

Gary Spaeth,

Grants program, Growing Friends

1012 8th Avenue

Ground hog wash

Ponder this, Al Gore walks out of his $30 million mansion, sees his shadow and we have 13 more weeks of winter. So much for his religious unscientific theory of global warming. Also you can purchase carbon credits from ohoh.bigalscarboncredits.uffda. He is such a nice guy.

Dale Person

3610 Valley Drive