Week of February 25, 2026
Week of February 25, 2026
Gold Junction Presents (GJP) is rolling out the red carpet once again for the 3rd Annual Oscars Watch Party at the historic Whitehall Star Theatre - and this year's celebration promises to be bigger, brighter, and more glamorous than ever Set for Sunday, March 15, the community is invited to step into Hollywood for an evening of sparkle, spotlights, and cinematic fun for just a $10 entry fee. Doors open at 4:30 PM, with the Oscars broadcast beginning at 5 PM. Guests are welcome to come and go...
The Whitehall Town Council met on February 17, 2026, in the Town Hall chambers, approving routine business before moving into infrastructure updates, contract reviews, and new resolutions. Mayor Linda Jung reminded residents to verify their Montana homestead property tax relief registration online. Those who previously received the $400 tax rebate in August are already registered. Unregistered homeowners may see higher property taxes. Jung also reported that staff is reviewing town contracts, particularly those that may have expired or are...
Longtime law enforcement officer David Kosola has announced his intention to run for Jefferson County Sheriff, bringing more than three decades of experience and a focus on community engagement to the race. Kosola has spent his entire law enforcement career in Jefferson County, serving since the mid-1980s, and has worked for both the City of Boulder and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. He later moved to the county full-time, where he continues to serve today. He will celebrate his 32nd year of service this spring. A Boulder native,...
High school students are invited to apply to participate in Montana Tech’s Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Summer Program that will take place on the University’s Butte campus June 21-26, 2026. Lodging, meals, and all course materials will be provided free of charge (participants will be responsible for transportation to and from the campus). This week-long residential program is for rising high school juniors and seniors interested in exploring careers in science or engineering. The program features hands-on learning in addition...
Jefferson Valley Community Foundation, JVCF, is pleased to announce two community-wide events for the coming spring calendar. First of all, on May 2nd, the group will be hosting a fundraiser at the Whitehall Community Center titled A Night for Tomorrow: The Jefferson Valley Gala. The event will begin at 5 PM, and its primary purpose is to create a scholarship fund and to add to the administrative fund to support the current and future needs of the community by adding to the endowment fund. Proceeds and other donations from the JV CF Endowment...
The Jefferson Valley Conservation District (District) would like to advise you of the Natural Streambed and Land Preservation Act (310 Law) regarding the use of the emergency provisions of the law. The law defines an emergency as an unforeseen event, such as normal high water or normal low water due to drought, that does not count as unforeseen if they happen every year. If work is being completed in this fashion every year, it is a predictable event, and it does not constitute an unforeseen event. If emergency action is taken to safeguard...
Last month, the host of the “Montana Talks” morning radio show spent a 10-minute segment interviewing a BNSF Railway official about the company’s opposition to a proposed merger between two rival railroads. To even the most well-informed listener, the segment may have been the first time they heard about the plan to combine the railroads, Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern, into a coast-to-coast behemoth spanning more than 50,000 miles of track and 43 states. If approved by federal regulators, it would be the largest railroad in America...
This year, in what it calls a “study,” Utah’s Division of Wildlife Resources is killing off mountain lions in an effort to increase mule deer herds. It has hired trappers from the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, authorizing them to dispatch lions with any method, including banned traps and neck snares. The study, covering roughly 8.6 million acres in six management units, will run for at least three years with the goal of indiscriminately exterminating “as many (lions) as...
February 1926 started out with a record of 405 days since the last below-zero temperature, and the record grew well into the month, with 427 days noted on February 23rd. Total precipitation was less than 0.10 inches. The will of the late Copper King W.A. Clark was making the front page, as were the three women claiming to be his daughters and heirs to his 50-million-dollar estate. The U.S. Senate voted our country into the World Court, with strong reservations, and acceptance to the court could...
The 2025 Montana Legislature passed a law that changes shed antler hunting in Montana for nonresidents. The new law does two things. It establishes a $50 nonresident shed hunting license for Montana’s Wildlife Management Areas (WMA), and it prohibits nonresidents from picking up antlers on WMAs for the first seven days they are open in the spring. Most WMAs open to the public at 12 PM on May 15. However, some have different opening times. Nonresident shed hunters must review the regulations for the WMA they are looking to visit. There are...
The Siren Song of Spring is calling. Is your body ready to answer the call? On Wednesday, March 4th, Carol Link, a physical therapist and Butte resident, will share her 38-plus years of experience when she presents at the Whitehall Garden Club meeting at 11 AM at the ambulance barn. Carol’s presentation will focus on stretches and simple exercises to help prevent injuries as we return to gardening with joy, jubilation, and zeal! Carol’s philosophy while practicing was to offer holistic, hands-on treatment, giving people the tools they...
Jefferson County's future was debated during the county's "vision" meeting in Whitehall on February 14, 2001. About 35 area residents participated in a Gorth Policy community Vision Meeting at the Trinity United Methodist Church. Although some participants questioned the meeting's premise, many in attendance offered ideas and suggestions for inclusion in a county growth policy. The planning meetings were held to shape country priorities; some in the audience say the meetings were a part of the...
For many outdoor recreationists in Montana, New Year's Day is March 1. This is the day everyone can buy their 2026 hunting and fishing licenses and apply for special draw licenses and permits. It’s also the day when recreationists need to renew their conservation license to support the state lands they use. This year, hunters and anglers will see quite a few changes that are worth paying close attention to. These changes come from legislation passed by the 2025 Montana Legislature and new regulations adopted by the Montana Fish and Wildlife...
March is starting out with a bang: the Whitehall Community Library will be closed all day Monday, March 2, for training. We will be open for regular hours the rest of the week. The library is hosting special guests from the Anne Frank Center at the University of South Carolina, who will be doing our docent training that day. The exhibit will open on April 6th with a special evening program including guest speakers, refreshments, and a preview of the exhibit. We are currently weeding the entire...
Many people have a passion for baking. Baking can be a rewarding hobby and fill a home with an aroma that's unique, welcoming, and instantly identifiable. There's no shortage of options when the desire to bake arises. Homemade bread is a go-to among baking enthusiasts, who can whip up a loaf of this "Sweet Potato Bread." INGREDIENTS: (1 Loaf) 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 1/4 cup canola oil 2 eggs 1 3/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground...
VOLTERRA PROJECT TRIO AT STAR MARCH 6: Hailing from Brussels, the Volterra Project Trio reimagines classical guitar trio music, drawing inspiration from European impressionism, Mediterranean folk melodies, and cinematic scores. Antigoni returns to the Montana Chamber Music stage after her successful visit with the Ahn Trio in...
Valley Bank is thrilled to partner with the Jefferson Local Development Corporation to bring financial literacy opportunities to Jefferson County! If you or someone you know wants to learn more about the art of personal finance, how to build good credit, or build your financial resilience and more, please join us for a totally free Financial Fitness Class in 2026. Once per month, a class will be hosted in either Whitehall or Boulder, MT between noon and 1 PM. We are looking forward to serving...
ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 Unleash your inner architect, Aries. Your focus is laser sharp this week. Use this incredible mental clarity to map out a long-term goal that can lead to professional success. TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, you might uncover a previously unnoticed talent or find a fantastic, easy way to increase your income stream. Your instincts about finances are particularly sharp. GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 You are stepping into a week of elevated confidence and personal magnetism, Gemini. It’s the perfect time to make a splash, meet...
Dear Editor, Butte is on the move. As a fourth-generation Butte resident, I am thrilled to see the growth and development that is occurring in our community. Looking around, we see new developments at the Mall, Cornerstone Plaza, Uptown Butte, and various other areas across town. If you take a ride west of Butte to the Montana Connections Business Park, you will be amazed at the growth in that area, coming from both large and small businesses. That is exactly what was expected when that...
Dear Editor, Montanans deserve straight talk, not dark-money bushwhackers. I ardently defend free speech as the cornerstone of democracy. Montanans should always be able to speak their minds freely, criticize leaders, and hold us accountable without fear. But free speech is not a license for anonymous attacks or faceless smears. When accusations fly in elections, the person being attacked has every right to face their actual accuser and respond directly. And voters have every right to know...
Dear Editor, SNAP was my safety net when life quickly took a turn. I spent 7 years in animal welfare, a full-time job that I loved. It was through helping homeless animals that I learned how important welfare was for humans who've also fallen on hard times. My income was enough to scrape by with, though I was always wary of impending emergencies. Eventually, I left the shelter with intentions of moving out of the state. But plans changed and I stayed in Missoula... without a job. During this...
We are considering the epistle Paul to the Philippians, where Paul testifies personally how Jesus is more than your most treasured possession. He continues with a fellowship of joy. In many of his letters to churches, he expressed this intense desire to see the return of Jesus and described it as a great hope; however, Christ’s Second Coming did not occur in Paul’s lifetime. Consider all the pressures he faced alongside the believers in the ancient, ancient city of Philippi—incredible persecution and suffering. Through everything, Paul...
GEORGIA, I have a question. Last night I was driving home with my girlfriend, and she asked if I farted. I answered no, but she didn’t believe me. She kept on saying I was lying or joking, even after I told her a solid 15-20 times, “No, babe, I’m not joking, I’m not lying, I didn’t fart.” After that, I gave up and turned off the radio because I was upset she didn’t believe me. We sat in silence until I dropped her off. I called her today to try to explain that I was upset because she wasn’t taking me seriously, and I wasn’t...
It’s likely your left and right feet haven’t taken the same number of steps. You can turn any bad movie into a good one by pretending it’s a satire. There’s a specific point in a person’s life where a beard goes from making you look older to making you look younger. Considering that the brain treats social and emotional pain as being just as bad as physical pain, it’s weird that we don’t have an equivalent to “ouch” or “ow” for social distress. It’s hard accept that the toilet brush is the final form of toilet-cleaning...
Elizabeth (Betty) Hunter was born on October 5, 1941. She was born in Trenton, New Jersey, but called Whitehall, Montana, her home. Betty peacefully passed away on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, at the age of 84. Betty married Sam in January 1981, and they began their adventures together. Sam saw an ad in a rifle magazine they picked up in North Carolina, came west, and they moved to the mountains in Whitehall, Montana. They built a log home and lived there for many years, until Sam passed away....
Kathleen (Benner) Nylund, born October 15, 1944, entered the arms of Jesus on February 8, 2026, at the age of 81. Kathy was born in Forsyth, Montana, to Willie and Marge and was the second of six children. The family moved to Billings when she was a young girl. Kathy graduated from Billings Central High School in 1963. In August 1963, Kathy married Richard Schmidt. To this union, five children were born: Robin, Rick, Christy, Stacy, and Jamie. Kathy and Richard later divorced. Kathy had various...
Ralph Loren Clements, also known as "R.L." by many and the self-proclaimed Mayor of Silver Star, Montana, passed away on Thursday, February 12, 2026. He was 94 years old. Ralph was born in Colorado to Richard and Bertha Clements. He proudly served 21 years in the United States Navy, including 18½ years at sea. Rising to the rank of Chief Gunner's Mate, he served aboard destroyers, heavy cruisers, and aircraft carriers. Ralph served during both the Korean War and the Vietnam War,...
Richard “Rich” Choquette passed away on September 18, 2025. A Funeral Mass will be held at 11 AM on March 14, 2026, at St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church (107 2nd St. East in Whitehall), with a visitation beginning at 10 AM. Military Honors will follow the mass with a luncheon immediately after. Please visit axelsonfuneralhome.com to leave a condolence. Richard Arthur Choquette, 83, of Whitehall, Montana, passed away on September 18 in the arms of his loving wife. Richard was born on March...
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 15 00:54:31 Extra Patrol: Hwy 55 07:46:04 Traffic Stop 11:26:10 Traffic Stop: Hwy 359 15:19:06 Reckless Driver: I-90 17:22:03 Traffic Hazard 18:42:34 Abandoned Vehicle: I-90 21:22:58 Suspicious: E First St 22:44:45 Suspicious Vehicle: D St 23:12:20 Citizen Assist: E First St MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16 07:39:18 Traffic Stop: N Division St 08:39:41 Traffic Stop: W Legion St 08:51:47 Traffic Stop: W Legion St 09:14:08 Traffic Stop 10:07:50 Traffic Stop: I-90 10:41:34 Abandoned Vehicle:...
STATE PLACERS: Nine Whitehall Trojan wrestlers brought their best moves to the Billings Metra for State competition. Of the nine, two found their medals: junior J.C. Raty placed fourth in his 190 lb. bracket, while senior Cassidy Collins placed eighth in her 110 lb....
