Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
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On Tuesday, March 23rd over three hundred individuals made their way into the Whitehall High School to get their first COVID vaccine, graciously provided by Elkhorn Pharmacy and the Jefferson Valley Rural Ambulance District. However, that is only a small percentage of Whitehall's population. Many have gotten their shots previously elsewhere, but many have also taken a stand against the vaccine. While at the vaccine clinic the Ledger spoke to those who wanted to voice their opinions for the...
Dear Jo, Have you ever heard of the 80/20 happiness rule? My sister has told our family over the years (again and again), that everything you do should fit the 80/20 happiness rule. If you are not happy at least 80 percent of the time, change whatever it is you are not happy with or in. This can be applied to your relationship, your job, your body….anything. What do you think? Signed, Percentage Overwhelmed Dear Percentage, That’s a new one for me. When I really thought about it, it made a lot of sense, for most things. If you stick with the ru...
The Animal Shelter and Care Committee, located in Boulder and serving Jefferson County, is holding its first-ever online auction. The event, which runs from April 11, 2021 through May 9, 2021, will include artworks, pets, jewelry, dining, and home goods. The AS&CC, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization is working to build a permanent animal shelter for Jefferson County to temporarily house the many lost and abandoned animals in the area. The AS&CC received a 2.6 acre long-term land lease agreement for the purpose of building the shelter and are...
Being rejected by your average eighteen year-old should be a healthy thing say the psychiatrists. But, who of us loves rejection? My assessment, no one. Yet, many wrestle with the feelings associated with rejection whether accurately founded or under false assumption(s). We long to be loved by others and God, the human heart is fragile. One must carefully navigate the sway of emotions tied to thoughts or expressions especially in respect to God’s intentions. A quick leap can lead us to wrong conclusions. The God of the Bible aims at restoration...
Over the course of 2020, Congress passed five bipartisan COVID-19 relief packages. Republicans were in the majority in the Senate and President Trump was in office. As Republicans, we committed to working in a bipartisan manner to deliver needed relief to Montanans and all Americans struggling because of this historic pandemic. We thought President Biden was on board with this mission. He campaigned on a promise of bipartisanship and unity, but he threw that out the window as soon as he finished his inaugural address and chose to jam a $1.9...
The Alzheimer’s Association announced the Montana Project VITAL (Virtual Inclusive Technology for All) in partnership with the Montana Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (MGWEP). This project utilizes virtual technology to relieve the challenging symptoms of social isolation for residents in nursing homes, assisted living and memory care communities . With one-time funding from the CARES Act, the Montana Project VITAL allowed for placement of ten iN2L tablets in six senior living communities statewide to help bring families together v...
All Montana students graduating from high school in the spring of 2021 are invited to celebrate their achievements and future plans through Senior Send-Off, a virtual event organized by nonprofit Reach Higher Montana. “This statewide recognition of all students allows Montanans to celebrate the Class of 2021, which has reached graduation despite the challenges of COVID-19,” said Kelly Cresswell, Executive Director of Reach Higher Montana. “We are excited to hear what the members of the Class of 2021 will do next. Whether students’ next steps a...
Spring is a great time to update and give the Library a new look. The Friends are holding a new logo contest for the Library and offering a $100 first prize. The winning logo will appear on everything library related: publications, information pamphlets, calendars, etc. The rules are simple, and the contest is open to anyone. Submissions will be accepted March 15-April 15 at the Library. To enter just make sure you meet the following criteria: first everything must be an original hard copy and no electronic files will be accepted; the entry mus...
The March weather of 1895 in the Jefferson Valley was not a lot different than now. There were blizzards and warm days and people were busy going here and there. Back then, the Zephyr reported the good, the bad, and the funny of the town and valley. The following is as it was written in the March 15, 1895 edition of the Whitehall Zephyr. William Franklin, a well-known knight of the grip, departed last Wednesday morning, after enjoying several days in Whitehall society. He found upon a frequent...
MARCH 21, 1996 After many hours of hard work by local residents, Whitehall has been re-named as a “Certified Community” by the state Department of Commerce. The designation, good for three years, entitles the community to be listed in promotional materials sent by the state to businesses interested in moving to Montana as well as other benefits. The promotional materials include information gathered by local residents about the services and assets of the area during a rigorous application process. Whitehall High School senior Jennifer Bro...
The annual meeting of the Jefferson Valley Museum will be on Thursday, April 8th,7:00 PM, at the Star Theater in Whitehall. The featured program this year will be “The Tebay Legacy” featuring the story of John Tebay who built one of the first homes in the valley. Norm Tebay and members of the Tebay family have put together a very interesting history about the important role that John, his brother, and their descendants have played in the development of Whitehall and the valley. Based on current meeting restrictions, attendance will be lim...
Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) officials announced today the state now has 19 total confirmed cases of COVID-19 virus variant strains. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notified DPHHS late yesterday (March 16) and today (March 17) of 11 additional variant cases that match two California variant strains and a New York variant strain. These cases involve specimens of Montana residents that were submitted for testing dating back from January to early March 2021. These 11 cases are from Beaverhead,...
The extreme weather that gripped Montana the first half of February was immediately followed by extreme weather throughout the Midwest and resulted in temperatures that were far below normal. Record energy demand throughout the Midwest during this time caused natural gas prices to spike. NorthWestern Energy purchased some natural gas for its Montana customers from the market and our customers will see an increase in the cost of the natural gas supply on their bills. NorthWestern Energy Montana residential and commercial natural gas customers...
Montana Orthopedics, a regional leader in orthopedic services based in Butte, has joined SCL Health’s nationally recognized, statewide faith-based health system of hospitals and primary and specialty care clinics throughout the Treasure State. Montana Orthopedics, Advantage Physical Therapy, and OrthoNow will all become part of the SCL Health Medical Group - a network of hundreds of primary and specialty care providers across the state. This new partnership gives SCL Health patients access to orthopedic services in addition to SCL Health M...
Montanans who purchase their health insurance through healthcare.gov may be eligible for premium savings. Montana Insurance Commissioner Troy Downing advises anyone enrolled in these health plans to review their policies following the recent passage of the American Rescue Plan. “Individuals enrolled in a healthcare.gov plan will not automatically receive the additional subsidies in their monthly premium unless they update their application to receive a reduction of their monthly payment.” said Downing, “If the enrollee does not update their...
ARIES Mar 21/Apr 20 Don’t shy away from the issues that keep cropping up this week, Aries. They may cause a few headaches, but they also are making the days much more exciting. TAURUS Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, many people like to live by the mantra “don’t judge a book by its cover,” but many times appearances matter. Don’t regret picking out a nice outfit or a trendy restaurant. GEMINI May 22/Jun 21 Change may take you in unexpected directions this week, Gemini. The good news is that things are finally turning around for you. Enjoy this exciting ti...
Smoothies are often associated with breakfast, but they actually can be enjoyed all day long. Smoothies have been around since the 1920s, when the first blender was invented by Stephen Poplawski. In 1939, the Waring blender company designed a pamphlet that came with the appliance that included fruit-based drinks. Smoothies can include a variety of ingredients and serve various purposes. This recipe for a "Ginger Papaya Smoothie" from "Super Smoothies" (Crestline) by Ellen Brown employs ginger,...
Passage of SB 215, with a shadow title of “Establish the Religious Freedom Restoration Act,” opens the door for advancing discrimination in Montana, changing us from a courageous and tolerant state to one of bigotry and intolerance. Let’s look at history. Twenty-nine years ago, Billings set the standard for rejection of hatred and bigotry by saying “NO” to racist, homophobic and anti-Semitic ultra-right-wing extremist behavior. Billings’ actions made me proud of them and Montana. The Northwest United Skinheads and elements of the Ku Klux Kla...
Picture yourself standing on a scenic overlook, overlooking the Rio Grande at four in the morning in the Texas town of Roma. Next to you is a Counterterrorism Specialist. Across the river is the town of Miguel Aleman, Mexico and you can hear the rapid fire of automatic weapons, the boom of grenades and smaller caliber weapons mixed in. It is a war zone. It sounds intense and long lasting. This a is a battle for control between two rival cartels, The Gulf Cartel and the Las Zeta Cartel. This is not the scene from a movie. This is a segment from...
For the 2021 fire season, the writing is on the wall. The West, despite a few days of intense winter, is far drier than it was leading up to last year's record-breaking fires. As a hotshot crewmember, the reality of what's to come fills me with two distinct thoughts: money and dread. With my financial stability tied to overtime pay, I know that my pockets will be full when I am laid off next winter. But the unrelenting fires that stand between now and then make me nervous. I also know that I am...
Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park is pleased to continue their 2021 events with a guided hike through the park focusing on the complex geology of the London Hills on March 27. Geologic records for the area date back more than 1 billion years. Pieces of this large portion of geologic time have been uncovered all throughout the park, allowing visitors to catch a glimpse of what may have been happening in the park millions of years ago. The 3.5-mile hike begins at 2 p.m. from the visitor center and will last until 3 p.m. Participants are asked to...
Governor Greg Gianforte toured the tailing reprocessing project at Barrick's Golden Sunlight Mine on Friday, April 19th. The tour was preceded by a quick stop for lunch at the Peppertree Deli and a short meet & greet at the JLDC conference room. "It's great to see Barrick's Golden Sunlight mine continue to invest in southwest Montana for this reclamation project. This is the type of investment that is possible when state agencies provide a stable, predictable regulatory process that companies...
This is a letter from a horseman. Any horse person who has tried to buy some round bales of hay probably has heard the same story from the hayman or cattleman. They say some guy came and bought it all. This all started last October and no telling how many years this will last. Maybe when the cattlemen get done trying to punish the packers. Personally I think this is very selfish on their part. What’s next? Oh yeah...the great land grab. Robert Lack Whitehall, MT...
Dear Editor, Another mass shooting in America (four more shot, wounded, or killed) this time in Atlanta. From January 1, 2021 to March 20, 2021 there have been 101 mass shootings. Total number of gun deaths, all causes, is 9,197. That is 115 a day. Two hundred and ninety were kids aged 0-17. Guns are the 2nd leading cause of deaths for that age group and the #1 cause for black children. Three times that number were shot and survived. Oh, that Second Amendment doing just what it was designed to do. In 2019, four hundred and seventeen mass...
This week has been loaded with decisions, big and small, important and mundane for me. Do I get the COVID-19 shot? Do I dye my hair to cover that little stupid gray strand?’ Should I check my oil today or can I make it one more trip to Bozeman without worrying about it? Do I make the paper bigger by four pages each week, and if I do, can I handle that? So many decisions, so little time. Wouldn’t it be great if the voices in our heads guiding us to make the decisions could also foretell the future and all the problems that come with the dec...
