Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Sorted by date Results 601 - 625 of 1301
The Cardwell School District Board of Trustees voted last week to take a $68,000 school levy to the voters at a May 8 special election. It will be the first time the district has sought a levy in 30 years. Board members Trent Biggers, Dawn Lewton, and Anne Marie Carey all voted in favor of the levy that will take place at a polling election at the school. According to District Clerk Lisa Morgan, the approximate increase a taxpayer would see on their bill for a $100,000 home is $29, and the number for a $200,000 home is $58. Morgan said when a...
The 2018 Frontier Days Celebration in Whitehall will now include an additional popular annual event. Chamber President Jan Thorne announced at last week's general meeting the Shakespeare in the Park performance of "Love's Labour's Lost" is scheduled for Friday, July 27 at 6 p.m. Chamber members are currently working to host the event in Legion Park. Thorne said she was approached by the touring company and told they had an opening on the date and the only other time they could perform in...
The Whitehall Town Council has changed the date for their regular monthly meeting. The meeting originally scheduled for March 12 has been moved to March 19 at 7 p.m. Mayor Mary Janacaro-Hensleigh said last week the meeting was changed due to a scheduling conflict. Mayor Janacaro-Hensleigh also said their would be another public hearing in April to obtain public comments regarding a a proposed application to the Montana Department of Commerce’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program, Treasure State Endowment Program (TSEP), and D...
In a little under five months, both current and former residents will help celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Cardwell School. The event is scheduled for Saturday, August 4 starting at 10:30 a.m. at the school, and will also include a dinner later that day at the Cardwell Pavilion. This event is a wonderful way to bring former students, teachers, staff and anyone affiliated to the school together for what should be an amazing day. Much like is the case with any small town school, the building in Cardwell means so much to so many people,...
When I started my career in journalism as beat reporter for a daily newspaper I would often times have to take photos at meetings, games, or various events. While the paper did have a digital camera, they were not very handy at the time for anything other than “grip and grin,” type photos that are basically people posed and not moving – think of someone presenting a group with a check. I was given a nice camera to work with, but it wasn’t as simple as going taking a picture and being done. My first week on the job I was sent into a dark ro...
The Whitehall School District Board of Trustees voted last week to rehire K-5 Principal Britt McLean and 6-12 Principal Hannah Nieskens. Superintendent John Sullivan said the three administrators work together as a team and he thinks that is important for the district. Sullivan said McLean has done a good job and has the elementary school moving forward in a positive direction. Sullivan stated Nieskens also has her two schools moving in a positive direction. “She’s done a fantastic job. She’s been a real important factor to our schoo...
It’s been a good start to 2018 at the Barrick Golden Sunlight Mine. At the Community Transition Advisory Committee Meeting last week, Mine General Manager Dan Banghart said that after the first two months they are above their target for the year. He stated that while the February production of 4,738 ounces was 400 below the target for the month, they are still 120 ounces ahead for 2018 and this is encouraging. Banghart added the underground tonnage is also on plan for the year and the grades of ore from the underground have improved. B...
With the event a little over two months away, organizers of the Black Tie & Blue Jeans fundraiser are seeking help from local residents. At a meeting last week, BTBJ committee member Kristi Wilson said that while things are progressing nicely for the event scheduled for Saturday, April 28, they are still looking for some bigger auction items. “We are looking for some big ticket items,” she said. “We need a few big hitters.” In the past, Wilson said silent auction items will roll in just before the event, but they are really hoping for some he...
Three Whitehall High School basketball players were honored earlier this week with postseason accolades. One of the best players in school history, junior Max Feight was selected to the all-state team and was also named to the 5B District all-conference first team. Senior Wyatt Alexander was also named first team all-conference. Lady Trojan Asha Noyes was named second team all-conference. Whitehall boys head coach Zach McLean praised the two-standout players. "I'm so proud of both of them. They...
It’s nothing out of the ordinary for Rodeway Inn manager Peter Niedermeyer to receive a package for a guest staying at the hotel located in Whitehall. During a shift last week, he received a package that turned out to be far from ordinary and wants to warn local residents about a scam circulating in the area. After a receiving the package, Niedermeyer searched through customers checked into the hotel located in Whitehall and could not find anyone by that name. A little bit later in the day, he received a phone call asking him if the package arr...
The Montana Supreme Court issued an opinion last week ruling against an appeal involving an unsuccessful 2016 recall petition in the Town of Whitehall. The court affirmed a Fifth Judicial Court order denying the payment of attorney fees, costs, and disbursements for former Mayor Dale Davis and four town council members. The five elected officials were seeking reimbursements from Jefferson County Election Administrator Bonnie Ramey and recall petitioner Lynn Nemeth. Court documents from the Supreme Court decision state the Fifth District Court...
A Whitehall attorney was recently recognized with a prestigious designation from the American Institute of Family Law Attorneys Lori Harshbarger was nominated and accepted as a 2018 AIOFLA 10 Best in Montana for Client Satisfaction. The AIOFLA is a third-party attorney rating organization that publishes an annual list of the Top 10 Family Law Attorneys in each state. "This is a great public honor from my peers and clients. Equally, valuable to me, is knowing at the end of every day, that I...
The Town of Whitehall conducted a meeting late last month to obtain public comment to assist their pursuit of grants that will not only help the town meet their water requirements with the Department of Environmental Quality, but to also benefit future community development. It was very unfortunate the town water levels tested above the acceptable limit for Uranium in 2015, but it did happen. Without finding an acceptable water source the town will have to build a water treatment facility and while this is costly, pursuing grants will help...
I'll be the first to admit that I enjoy nothing more than a day off spent at my house binge watching my favorite new show or basketball, but every once in awhile I like to get out of town for a few days. My hometown is eight hours away, which is a trip I will do two or three times a year, and I also don't mind loading up the car for a trip to Seattle or Las Vegas. Sure the trip can be a little bit long, but it sure beats the cost of flying four people anywhere. Plus with the drive to an...
Important historical figures came to life Monday afternoon at the Cardwell School when third to eighth grade students hosted a Living Wax Museum. Fifth and sixth grade teacher Ashley Moser said the museum is something she's wanted to do since she became a teacher, and decided to do it this year instead of a science fair. Moser said students were a bit intimidated by the science fair last year and the living museum has been a fun change. The students were asked to pick a historical figure they ad...
The Town of Whitehall hosted a special public hearing last week to obtain input about community development needs. Jason Crawford, a Civil Engineer at Kadrmas Lee & Jackson currently working with the town, said they are considering applying for a Community Development Block Grant (CBDG) as well as other grants. Crawford stated the Town of Whitehall is looking for the public comments and community development needs like infrastructure, economic development potentials, and housing needs, and what the priority of those might be. He said funding...
Liberty Place has partnered with the Montana Department of Labor & Industry (MTDLI) to launch the state's first Community Health Worker and Behavioral registered apprenticeship-training programs. Officials from the Montana Registered Apprenticeship Program visited Liberty Place headquarters in Whitehall last week to discuss the programs that will help Gem State residents seek new opportunities to earn higher wages and improve their job skills in the healthcare industry. Liberty Place was...
During his childhood in Whitehall, Clark Hays would often hear quite the tales from his father who once convinced him that a car on their ranch had belonged to Bonnie and Clyde. Years later, the 1984 graduate of Whitehall High School is publishing his second in a series of books about the popular criminal duo. Hays said, "Bonnie and Clyde: Dam Nation", a book co-written with Kathleen McFall, follows the first book in the series, "Resurrection Road", imagining an alternate history in which the...
Montana winters can be brutal. Sometimes it is the well below zero temperatures,or the howling winds, or it can be a huge blanket of snow that sticks to the road. Several times a winter all three happen at once and it makes traveling near impossible. No matter how bad the winter conditions are, it is important to always remember law enforcement and emergency responders, as well as state, county, town employees working hard to make things better. It doesn’t matter when the bad weather hits whether it be a holiday or the middle of the day, t...
A few weeks ago I was at the district basketball tournament when I witnessed something that really bothered me. The Whitehall Trojans boys basketball team was taking on Manhattan in a game with everything on the line. The winner would live to play another day and advance to the divisional tournament in Billings and the losers would be done for the season. Anyone who has been to the district tournament knows that it is always a great atmosphere with a lot of passion and this was certainly the...
While the weather the past several weeks had dipped below zero on multiple occasions, spring is just around the corner and with this is the return of baseball in Whitehall. The Whitehall Baseball League is scheduled to start their season in April and will once again compete in the Gallatin Valley League. League officials also have some great news for the upcoming season. ‘We are excited to announce that we will be hosting the League’s championship tournament June 2 and 3,” Joe Chase said. “This will bring all the teams and their familie...
Not only will local residents have the chance for a little fun next month at the Whitehall community Center, they will also be giving back to a worthwhile cause. Tickets are currently being sold for the popular annual Jefferson Valley Sportsmen Association Banquet scheduled for Saturday, March 10. The event will begin with cocktail hour scheduled for 6 p.m., and dinner will follow at 7 p.m. The price for tickets is $20 and this includes dinner and an annual membership to the association. JVSA...
Four years ago, the Whitehall High School junior class ranked 99th in the state for ACT composite test scores. The results of testing completed in 2017 show Whitehall has witnessed astonishing growth -- with their scores now ranking sixth out of 197 schools in the state. “It is excellent to see Whitehall High School is among the best high schools in the state,” said Principal Hannah Nieskens. “Students and teachers have much to be proud of. We just keep getting better scores every year.” The results are from tests taken last school year by...
The Whitehall Public Works Department has been busy making improvements to the town cemetery. At the Town Council meeting last week, Public Works Director Kory Klapan reported his department has been working on the entryway into the cemetery. He said they would be putting in grass and sprinklers in the area, and they are also planning to get rid of the satellite dishes. Klapan added they have also been working to fill in some of the low spots at the cemetery. In his monthly report, assistant fire chief Joe Granvold thanked the volunteers of...
When I was a little kid it was always a big deal when my Grandma Smith would take all of the grandkids to McDonalds. It was a special time with a special woman who always made sure we had McDonalds coupons in each of our Christmas and Birthday gifts. There would also be a savings bond, but to a kid the coupons were a much bigger deal. There was one time my Grandma who was a notoriously bad driver attempted to take us to McDonalds and we ended up 15 miles away in a neighboring town, but I...
