Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
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With a winter that won't seem to stop, I haven't been this is excited for summer in a really long time. Although I'm moving in a few days, I'm not getting too depressed about everything that goes along with packing up everything and taking it somewhere else and instead am looking forward to sitting in the back yard and enjoying the wonderful weather. I can't wait to fire up the grill and cook outside several days a week. This is probably the first time I've been this excited about the onset of...
As they inch closer to the postseason, the Whitehall High School track team is starting to put together their best performances of the season. Head coach Dan Lacey was pleased with the way his team competed at last week's Gallatin Valley Invitational in Belgrade. "The meet went well. This is always a very competitive meet and it's nice to see where our athletes our at," he said. The Lady Trojans finished in ninth place in a field that included several Class A Schools. Leading the way for...
Barrick Gold officials are anticipating a reduction in force at the Golden Sunlight Mine on September 30. At a Community Transition Advisory Committee meeting last week, Mine General Manager Dan Banghart said an email was sent to employees April 10 informing them of the anticipated September 30 RIF. Banghart reported the end of life for the underground would be in late April April and they are anticipating shutting down operations in the mill in the latter half of May. Barrick Gold announced at...
For Mayor Mary Janacaro Hensleigh, the annual Town of Whitehall Spring Cleanup is her favorite week of the year. This year's event is scheduled to take place April 23 to 26. Janacaro Hensleigh said the event is extremely important for the town's appearance, especially for visitors. "First impressions say a lot. A clean town speaks volumes," she said. Local high school students will once again be taking part in the cleanup event that was started in the 1980's. Underclassmen will be participating...
The other day I was at the grocery store searching for some chipotle peppers in adobo sauce when I overheard two ladies having a conversation. They had not seen each other in quite some time and were very happy to see each other and exchange pleasantries with a few questions about how things were going. I could tell at a point in time they were very close as they both asked about their spouses, kids, and jobs. At the end of the conversation, they both said they really needed to get ahold of...
There were plenty of strong performances last Thursday for the Whitehall High School Track team at the Big Timber Meet in Columbus. The Trojans had two individual champions in their second meet of the season, with Cade Briggs winning the javelin and Charlynn Mercer finishing in first in the discus. "The second time out I thought ended very well for us. We got to see a lot of competition within our district as well as our division," said head coach Dan Lacey. "Anytime you are able to have a meet...
On a rainy Friday afternoon, Whitehall's Mary Davis smiled when she reminisced about her love of baking and how she is known for making a wonderful strawberry shortcake. Her smile grew bigger as she told a story that many may not know of when she was 93 and ended up on a stage in Alaska with a hula hoop. The story was one of many shared by Davis who will turn 100 Friday and will celebrate her birthday with family and friends Saturday at the Meadowlark Manor in Whitehall. Her room at the Manor...
Whitehall High School drama students have been working hard in anticipation of their annual spring play. The student's performances of "The Hitchin' Post" are scheduled for Tuesday, April 16, and Thursday, April 18 at 7 p.m. "This is a great group of kids to work with – there is a lot of raw talent and laughter combined with effort," said director Marci Whitehurst. The cast for the play is Sawyer Keener, Allee Scafani, Karlie Wagner, Maggie Whitehurst, Seth Carr, Marissa Ellison, Charlynn M...
The Whitehall School Board of Trustees did not have to look far to select a new Superintendent. The board voted 6-0 last week in favor of hiring current high school principal Hannah Nieskens. Trustee Jeff Briggs abstained from the vote. She will take over for John Sullivan whose resignation will go into effect this summer. Nieskens has served as principal of the high school since the 2015-16 school year and has been named Montana High School Principal of the Year and was one of three finalists...
It's once again time for the annual Whitehall Chamber of Commerce Easter Egg Hunt. This year's event is scheduled for Saturday, April 13 at 10 a.m. at the Whitehall High School football field. Age categories for the event are up to two, three to five, six to eight, and nine to 12. Prizes are given out for each division. Chamber President Melissa Jenkins said the hunt is something kids look forward to each spring. "Even in years where these has been snow, kids come in great numbers for the...
The past couple of years I've spent a great deal of time with a beard. Every so often I would let it get a little too long and perhaps look more like a Grizzly Adams than a newspaper guy. It is just really convenient to have a beard. I don't have to worry about shaving in the morning and it means more time in my warm bed. I know there are a lot of morning people out there in the world, but I am not one of them. I literally time my morning routine so I can get in the shower, pet the cats, and...
Each year members of the Knight of Columbus bring the local community together for a great cause at their fish fry. The 14th annual event is scheduled for Friday, April 5 from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the St. Teresa's Catholic Church located at 107 2nd East in Whitehall. KOC member Jim Stearns said last spring they had their largest turnout for the event and hopes this continues in 2019. He said the proceeds will go to charities in Whitehall and Ennis including Coats for Kids, the Whitehall Area...
In late March, Barrick Gold officials announced a final mill run has been scheduled for May at the Golden Sunlight Mine in Whitehall. This was certainly tough news to take for the community. The Golden Sunlight Mine has been such an important part of the local economy. The tax revenue generated by the mine as well as jobs created have been a huge asset to Whitehall and the surrounding area. The mine has also time and time again played a huge role in making the Whitehall area a better place to...
A few weeks ago, I wrote about how karma may have played a part in two wonderful spills I had while walking around town. After another horrifically embarrassing fall inside of a school on my way to a building, I'm beginning to think that it probably has far less to do with karma and more to do with the fact that I am a klutz and it is only getting worse as I get older. My two wonderful escapades on the snow and ice were one thing, but my predicament inside was a whole other level of not being...
The projected completion date for Whitehall Transportation's Dick Gustin Memorial Bus Barn is set for late May or early June. According to WPT Director Paula Hippert ,the project incurred a small setback due to the winter weather. She said Jay Fortune Construction is back at it and things are progressing nicely. A ground-breaking ceremony took place Monday, December 10 for the facility located at 1173 HWY 55 in Whitehall. The 3,200 square foot facility will feature a four-bay bus barn that will...
I can't remember a time in my life where I was ever so excited for the transition to spring and eventually the high temperatures of summer. This was a brutal winter with a few weeks I thought would never end. Driving was of course a nightmare and even walking at times was a difficult task and I still have bruises from some of my more epic slips of 2019. We did our best to keep up with our driveway and sidewalks but during the week plus of non-stopping snowing we kind of gave up and instead just...
While large amounts of snow may have sent them inside for their first few practices, Whitehall High School Tennis coach Kerry Sacry is happy with the progress of his team. The Lady Trojans will open their Friday and Saturday at a tournament in Great Falls. The team was scheduled to compete Thursday in Boulder, but the event was cancelled Monday. Sacry said things have been going good for the team and there is a total of nine players out. He added the time inside was helpful because the girls wer...
With their season-opening meet scheduled for Friday in Frenchtown, the Whitehall High School track team has been battling the weather in anticipation of their first event. "The beginning of the season has been a difficult one. It's tough doing everything inside or with only being able to use a portion of the track so we are hoping this weather can stay around and melt more of this snow," said head coach Dan Lacey. A total of 23 student-athletes joined the team who started practice March 11 and...
During her monthly report at Monday's Whitehall Town Council meeting, Mayor Mary Janacaro Hensleigh reminded residents that sandbags are available at the Recreation Complex. Hensleigh said with the all the snow Whitehall has had she thinks it is important for everyone to be aware and plan ahead because she is sure there is going to be some flooding. Hensleigh also addressed the postponement of the monthly meeting originally scheduled for March 11. She said by law they have to post the meeting...
The Whitehall Little Guys Wrestling team are state champions. The squad finished in first place out of 14 teams at last week's Southwest Montana Little Guys State Tournament in Dillon. Steve Sacry said he has been helping with wrestling in Whitehall since 2004 and while they have placed in the smaller team divisions, this is the first time he is aware that they also beat all the big teams. Whitehall had a total of 111 points, followed by Belgrade with 98, Helena with 95, and Ennis with 77....
It's time to start thinking about the annual Black Tie Blue Jeans fundraiser scheduled for May 4 at the Whitehall Community Center. The event is the largest annual area fundraiser and is vital to so many non-profit organizations in the Whitehall area. With the event less than two months away, we encourage local businesses and residents to purchase tickets and start to make donations for an event that truly does make a difference in the area. The money raised is first given to local non-profit...
I'm by no means a spiritual guru who spends hours a day cross legged on the floor mediating, but I'm a firm believer in karma. What goes around often does come around. While I certainly have my moments, I try to do the best I can and treat people the way I would like to be treated. It's a simple mantra but it usually works out for the best. Despite my best intentions, I sometimes mess up and usually get a swift kick in the butt from my good friend karma. Last week was a perfect example of this....
There was good news last week for the Whitehall School Districts. At a school board meeting March 6, Debbie Ouellette with Newland and Company presented her audit findings for the district. Superintendent John Sullivan said they received the highest rating a district can obtain, and they have a really good net position and rating. The trustees also approved the re-hire of K-5 Principal Kurtis Koenig, 6-12 Principal Hannah Nieskens and the resignation of Sullivan. According to Sullivan, the board has advertised the Superintendent position...
I had written a column about bullying for this week but decided at the last moment to not run it. It was perhaps a bit too aggressive and I'm sure it would have ruffled some feathers, so I decided to go with something a little more lighthearted. Some of my favorite times writing are about stories from the past and this is a real gem. This is the story of a cat and a dog. While it certainly has some of those random chaotic moments that seem to happen to me far too often and may show some good in...
Large amounts of snow last week and temperatures well below zero Monday and Tuesday have been quite the nuisance for residents in the Whitehall area. The winter weather has created problems for the Whitehall Schools who decided to use several delayed starts to the school day. Whitehall Superintendent John Sullivan said the past few days have been a challenge but starting school at 10 a.m. allows students to get to the schools safely and for them to stay open. Sullivan added the late start also...
