Blackfoot Valley Dispatch - The Blackfoot Valley's News Source Since 1980

Sometimes we forget how much we miss doing something we love - and how good for us it is to do those things. This past week I was reminded of just...

I recently overheard a conversation between two people while I was sitting at a machine in the Wheel Inn. I’m not sure if these two individuals,...

Last week may have been all about giving grace, but this week there’s an apparent need for setting the record straight on a few things… First,...

I’ve been on quite the whirlwind of adventures this last month. I’ve traveled to Idaho, Whitehall, Alaska, Eureka and recently just down the road...

Do you ever have those people who you know you can just be you with? You know, the ones you talk over plans and dreams and kick around ideas you’ve...

Some of you may have noticed the absence of a column from me last week. I was finally traveling with family and close friends (after a year’s postpo...

This is my first report to you all, and I'd like to first express my appreciation for the warm welcome by the community. Thanks for those of you that...

The recent death of Leah Lokan from a grizzly bear mauling while camping in Ovando, Mont. on July 6 has reinforced the need to maintain and enhance...

I’m just returning from two back-to-back weekend shows where I taught and had a booth selling my fiber-wares. I’d forgotten how much work these sh...

Believe it or not, there are occasionally times that I sit down to write this column, and I have no idea what I’m going to write about. It’s...

This past weekend we celebrated America’s 245th birthday. For some, this meant having a three day weekend, barbecues, and family gatherings. For...

Over the last several years we seem to have gone from being a society of people, as a whole, working together and working hard for what we have, to...

We all have a family. Some we are born into, and others we find along the way. Sometimes the family we’re born into isn’t the family we spend the...

In recent weeks I’ve had a lot of people ask me where I come up with the ideas for this column. Usually, my response is something to the effect of ...

This past week I had to say goodbye to my canine companion and best shotgun road trip partner. It was a tough few days, especially those leading up...

Well, the garden season is suddenly upon us. It's already June and our soil is finally dried out a bit from the rain and warmed up a bit from the...

Sometimes, circumstances, differing opinions, actions from others and even our own actions, call for conversations in order to clear the air, make...

If you take a look around, almost anywhere in the state (and likely the country) you’ll notice something in almost every place of business: a...

There are several things in life that are personal in nature. Some remain private forever, while others are private things you talk over with close fr...

As I was visiting with a young man from Illinois recently, the obvious difference between the open space in Montana vs. Illinois came up. He felt...

If the last couple of weeks kept me busy preparing and this week has been all about recovery, then I’m here to tell you, moving forward has me...

As humans, it seems we're always preparing for something. As children, we're more being prepared for things than actually preparing for ourselves....

It’s often said gardening clears a person’s mind, puts them in touch with the land and relieves stress. I’ve gardened pretty much since I moved...

One day, I’ll get it all together… I say this every year about the time I get ready to file my taxes. And each year, I do have it a little more...