At issue

Not everyone in Bigfork is Republican. I'm a Vietnam vet and I'm voting for Kerry. He served in Vietnam, not like Bush and Cheney. Kerry fought for his right to speak out. We need a reasonable man for President, not an ideologue. Under Bush we pay 90 percent of the cost of a questionable war. In the first Iraq war we paid 10 percent because we had a real coalition with us.

We need a man who can think his way out of a crisis like JFK in the Cuban missile crisis, not an ideologue who may next attack Iran - again alone - and drive our national debt to even higher records. The national debt is not just a figment. It's a real debt like a family's credit cards to countries like Japan and Germany who have invested in our treasury bonds. These bonds finance part of our federal budget. Since our currency is no longer backed by gold, these bonds are articles of faith, contracts with them that we will maintain financial responsibility.

Russia went it alone during the Cold War and Afghanistan, and Russia went broke. Bush can take us down if he decides to attack Iran or drives our "credit card" companies - Japan, Germany, etc - to call in their loans. Right now we are the most secure and progressive investment opportunity they have.

Pay attention to the issues not the smears.

Bill Collins

Bigfork

Parting words

Thank You Bigfork and surrounding area!!

Words cannot express our thanks for he wonderful years of business you all have given us at Bill's Gas and Grocery for the past 23 years.

I want to thank Annette, Kathleen and Jackie for their hard work of managing Bills' Gas and Grocery and the Taco Maker. They did a wonderful job and took great care of it, and me! Thanks also to all my employees, they are a great group!

The store has been sold to Jay and Kellie Shaver. They are a great family. I will miss you all so much, but we will see you around Bigfork!

God bless, and thank you all so much!

Candy and Orley Martin

Bigfork

Fund-raiser a success

Many thanks to those who took the time to select and donate items for the Montana Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation fund-raiser, to the shoppers, and to those who voiced their support and shared their stories. This year's fund-raiser brought in close to $2,000! Special thanks to the Masons and the Rebekahs for their generous gift of the use of the Masonic Lodge; also to Pam Morton, Susan Ekman, Joanne Taylor, Dorothy Puett, Nancy Weyerhauser, Angi Wood, Denise Grenier, Pam Purcell, Gary Gorbett, and Suzanne Lavroushin for volunteering their time and helping with the sale.

Susie Gorbett

Bigfork