Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Sorted by date Results 1316 - 1331 of 1331
Whitehall residents will have to wait a few more weeks to see if a recall election for Mayor Dale Davis and Town Council members Tom Jenkin, Gary Housman, Joe Adams and Vincent G. Keogh will move forward. A hearing Monday in the Jefferson County District Courtroom to determine if the recall election would proceed -- was called to an end after nearly 90 minutes of testimony. Seventh Judicial District Court Judge Katherine M. Bidegaray had only scheduled from 10 a.m. to 11:30 for the hearing. The remainder of the hearing will take place in the...
Several Red Flag Warnings were issued last week in Jefferson County and other areas in Southwest Montana. The warnings were issued last Friday by the United States National Weather Service in Great Falls. The were in effect in for all of Jefferson County. The Friday warning stated the gusty west-southwest winds combined with low relative humidity would create critical fire weather conditions. During the Red Flag Warnings, residents are asked to use caution with any open flames outdoors and to obey all county burn bans. Jefferson County...
Next Monday could shed light if there will be an upcoming recall election in Jefferson County. According to Whitehall Town Attorney Matthew Haus, a hearing is set for August 1 to determine whether a Temporary Restraining Order preventing Jefferson County Officials from moving forward or making any preparations for the recall election will remain in effect. Earlier this summer, Whitehall resident Lynn Niemeth received enough signatures on a recall petition to force an election for Mayor Dale Davis and four Town Council members. Haus said the...
The month of June yielded the highest production at the Barrick Golden Sunlight Mine since the reduction in force last November. In his monthly report at the Community Transition Advisory Committee meeting last week, Mine General Manager Dan Banghart said in June they had a production of 3,315 ounces, 100 over their target for the month. Banghart said there are currently 41 Barrick employees at the mine, and 96 full or part time contract employees. Banghart said a fire earlier this month did not have an affect on production, even though they...
While the start of the 2016-17 school year is over a month away, there will be plenty of upcoming activity at the Whitehall Schools with two major projects scheduled in the next two weeks. According to Whitehall Superintendent John Sullivan, construction is expected to begin next week on the two school parking lots. Sullivan said they would be chip sealing the lots. He said work would also be done to improve a drainage problem in the parking lot closest to the elementary school. Sullivan said...
In his 18 years of practice, local attorney Edward J. Guza has always been interested in employment law. Last week, Guza was able to share his expertise on the subject at a "Wrongful Termination and Employee Manuals Seminar" at the Borden's Building in Downtown Whitehall. Guza spent a great deal of the presentation focusing on the Montana Wrongful Discharge Act. Guza said the MWDA was enacted in 1987 and a lot of employers do not know the act exists, and there are ways to utilize it to protect...
(Editor's Note: This is the first in a series of articles focusing on current and future projects on the upper Jefferson River.) By JACK H. SMITH Ledger Publisher Five years ago, the lower 4.6 miles of the Jefferson Slough was reported as the uppermost point of Eurasian Watermilfoil in the Missouri River Watershed. Since that time, the Jefferson River Watershed Council (JRWC), local landowners, Jefferson County, government agencies and others have been working towards the goal of 95 percent...
The town of Whitehall has a new council member. At their regular meeting Monday night, the governing body voted 4-1 to fill their vacant Ward 3 Council position with Mac Smith. The lone dissenting vote was Francine Giono-Janik. A long time former member of the Council, Smith was first elected in 2003 and served in the position through last year. He will take over the position of Elizabeth Howser, who defeated him in the General Election late last year. The Council removed Howser from the...
Water was a major topic at the regularly scheduled Whitehall Town Council meeting Monday night. According to the Town Council, the DEQ recently sent a letter regarding the plans for the town’s uranium issue. Council members voted to extend the response to the letter, which is initially due on July 16, 2016. Town Attorney Ed Guza will be negotiating the extension for the town’s response this week. Council members agreed that they want to gather more information to fix the problem, rather than just treat the problem with a water treatment pla...
An ambulance district proposed by members of the Jefferson Valley EMS and Rescue is now officially on the November 8 ballot. The Jefferson County Commissioners voted 3-0 Tuesday afternoon to approve a resolution to place the question of forming a district on the ballot. The proposed district’s coverage area would include the Whitehall school district, excluding the Whitehall town limits and Madison and Silver Bow Counties. Prior to the vote, Commission Chair Bob Mullen asked for public comment on the issue, but know one in attendance chose t...
Forty-five minutes prior to show time there was already a long line beginning to form outside of the Star Theater in Downtown Whitehall. While Friday night during the summer has always been a popular night to get out and see a blockbuster movie, this evening was a little bit different. The crowd of 142 had not only gathered July 1 to see the theater's first showing of "Independence Day: Resurgence", the nights festivities also included a question and answer session with one of the films star's...
The Whitehall Town Council held a special meeting on Thursday, June 30, in order to discuss filling a vacant seat and paying the bills for this fiscal year. The council seat that was discussed at the meeting belonged to Ward 3 member Elizabeth Howser. Town Attorney Matt Haus was asked to address the issue and explain the state statute. Montana Code Annotated § 7-4-4111 states “In determination of vacancy in a municipal office, an office becomes vacant on the happening of any of the following events before the expiration of the term of the incum...
Next week local business owners and managers will get the chance to learn more about wrongful termination and employee manuals at a luncheon hosted by the Whitehall Chamber of Commerce. The business luncheon will take place Wednesday, July 13 at the Borden’s Building, with check in starting at 11:30 a.m. Chamber Vice President and lawyer Ed Guza will go over the Montana Wrongful Termination Act, which he said is very specific to the state. The luncheon will go over topics such as exemptions from the Wrongful Discharge Act, definitions and c...
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has announced fishing restrictions on additional sections of the Big Hole River, the lower Ruby, lower Beaverhead, Jefferson, and lower Gallatin Rivers that went into effect Friday, July 1 at 2 p.m. as a result of high water temperatures. The restrictions beginning last week will close the following rivers to fishing daily from 2 p.m. to midnight until conditions improve: • The Big Hole from the the Mouth of the North Fork Big Hole River to Dickie Bridge • The Big...
The hard work of local fire departments and other agencies has kept a 32-acre fire at the Barrick Golden Sunlight Mine in Whitehall at bay. According to mine General Manager Dan Banghart, fire departments from Whitehall, Harrison, Boulder, Three Forks, Twin Bridges and United State Forest Service all responded to the wildfire that started Saturday afternoon on mine and BLM land. According to Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest Public Affairs Officer Leona Roderick, the fire was 100 percent...
The Jefferson County Commissioners voted Tuesday on a referendum for a resolution to place a special ambulance district on the November 8 ballot. The Commissioners will vote July 12 on the resolution for the district whose coverage area would include the Whitehall school district, excluding the Whitehall town limits and Madison and Silver Bow Counties. Members of the Jefferson Valley EMS and Rescue have requested the district be placed on the ballot. The meeting will take place at the Clerk and Record ers meeting room in Boulder. Prior to...
