Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Sorted by date Results 1001 - 1025 of 1557
This is in regard to the Whitehall Master Plan meeting, which was held October 6, 2021. I am by no means a politician or even much of a reporter, but I’ll be honest, I really didn’t take much home from said meeting. However, as the meeting progressed, one thing I did notice was talk about growing our community. Exactly what that growth should look like is the real question! The question asked by Downey, as mentioned in the article: “Do we want to become Bozeman? No. But do we want to grow? Probably, but to what extent?” is the gist of my own...
Dear Jo, Not only do I look younger that my 24 years, I apparently look like my husband’s sister instead of his wife. We constantly get comments about looking alike, those are not too bad. The awkward moments are when we are affectionate (respectfully so) in public. People stop and stare at us like we are “kissing cousins”. Is it the red hair? We both have it, but do people honestly think that because we both have red hair we are related?! I wish for a smart comment to put people in their nosey places. Do you have anything?! Signed, Red Head Ma...
Ready for a few more flicks to help get you in the haunted magical mood for Halloween? TWITCHES: Twitches is a Disney classic which should be on everyone’s list of MUST-SEE Halloween specials. Twitches and Twitches Two are hilarious and fun Halloween specials from the 2000s. Perhaps a bit scary for really young audiences, but a great laugh for everyone else. They have some tragedy but tons of the classic Disney chaos as twin witches Alex and Cameron discover their powers and their supernatural destiny. With a little bit of magic, danger, and h...
COVID-19, the border crisis, inflation: are these stealing our sense of hope? Pessimism and wistful thinking keep many from enjoying the blessings of good cheer. The Oxford Dictionary defines wistful as “having or showing a feeling of vague or regretful longing.” Such a sentiment leads many to believe that hope is in the wind. Although life has its share of difficulties, the Bible points us to eternal hope found in Jesus. Paul encourages us to look beyond the temporary, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet...
ARIES Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, this week may start off with a little confusion. However, within a few days you can sort through much of the haze and make sense of things. TAURUS Apr 21/May 21 Everything is not what it seems, Taurus. That doesn’t mean you have to be on guard. Some surprise await you and you will welcome them with open arms. GEMINI May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, it is easy to get swept up in nostalgia this week. Memories of the past will bring a smile to your face, but you recognize that you need to take steps forward as well. CANCER Jun 2...
Whеn уоu dоn’t рunish реорle fоr brеaking thе rulеs, уоu’re рunishing реорle whо fоllоw thеm. Polish is the only word that sounds different with an upper case. Pronunciation for spells shouldn’t matter in Harry Potter or else anyone with a regional or international accent wouldn’t be able to do a lot of spells. A papercut is a trees final revenge against humanity. For Halloween, naturally sourced skeletons could be considered friendlier to the environment than plastic ones. You can get free food from different companies for your birthday all...
Hi Folks, I want to talk a little about COVID. During our first round of COVID-19 those with underlying conditions and the elderly were the populations most at risk from COVID. When younger, healthy people caught COVID their symptoms were fairly minor (like mine) or they got sicker and had some issues (like my wife Carole) but usually weren’t real serious. Unfortunately, our government had a knee-jerk reaction and put out a lot of information that turned out not to be accurate and imposed a lot of regulations that were probably not needed. T...
Dear Editor, I’m not one to complain, because it is what it is, but what is being done about the drug problem in our normally peaceful little town? At least on the surface, Whitehall has been a thriving little community in the past and even to this day enjoys the reputation for being a quiet, but strong and lively little community. Soon after moving here, coming up on 11 years ago, I heard someone say that our peaceful little town had been a “drug hub” since the 50s. Apparently, we are positioned almost perfectly, being right off the inter...
Dear Jo, I need help! It’s been two years since my last confession. To be quite honest, it’s been almost that long since I have darkened a church doorstep. The problem is, if indeed it could be called a problem, is that it’s also been almost that long since my family has had not much to do with me. Other than the yearly birthday greeting, it has been pretty much dead silence unless I initiate. I’m not really one to complain, but it does hurt a little bit. What do think I should do?? Signed, The Black Sheep Dear Black Sheep, It sounds like th...
In life we have an important choice between being merciful or vengeful. We most definitely are living currently in a culture that’s on pins and needles. People are at great odds over matters that shouldn’t drive us apart. The truth is, when someone wrongs us our natural tendency is to return the hurt, to stick it to them real good. I strongly believe there is a better alternative. Rather than choosing vengeance one can deliberately choose to be full of mercy, practicing Christ-like virtues daily. No one said this would be easy; Jesus fully unde...
ARIES Mar 21/Apr 20 There may be a lot of visitors in your life lately, Aries. You might need to play host at work or at home. Keep the mood light and enjoy this chance to reconnect. TAURUS Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, this week you may be feeling a little on edge and you won’t be able to pinpoint why. Put yourself into quiet situations where you can unwind and decompress. GEMINI May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, you may need a break from the pressures of your life, especially if you’ve felt tired or strained lately. Too much focus on responsibilities can do that...
In a small town like Whitehall it is common to see the same faces over and over again. At the grocery store. At the library. At the post office. Small town life at its finest. However, the same faces at every committee meeting - that’s something that needs to change. I’m calling out to the youth of our town, the newbies in our town, the retired of our town, the bored-and-need-something-to-do of our town...basically, I’m calling out to everyone. GET INVOLVED! Right now there are so many new committees, organizations, and non-profits who need...
Dear Editor, Here in Jefferson County, particularly in our little burg of Whitehall, we have been pretty lucky when it comes to the mask mandate. Although health officials are still strongly recommending that we “mask up”, even those few businesses in town that were following the guidelines very stringently have dropped their requirement. One may note the occasional mask-wearer in certain businesses around town, but for most people, pure common sense seems to have prevailed. In essence, if you’re sick, stay home; if you’re worried about g...
There are two types of pet owners: Those who think their pet refer to them as “MOM/DAD”, and those who think their pet refers to them as “HUMAN”. People who can properly handle lottery winnings are the least likely to buy lottery tickets. Social media is the new cigarettes: companies profit from people’s addiction to an unhealthy product. If you leave your keys in the ignition and your car windows open over night, then your car would probably be stolen, meaning the dead body in the trunk is no longer your problem. No one reads Monopoly...
Dear Jo, My daughter came to visit me a couple of weekends ago. I love when she visits! She is so much fun. Where is the problem, you ask? Well, my beautiful daughter was so excited to show me her new (and first) tattoo. I still cannot believe it, but she had pistols tattooed on her hips. No, I am not kidding. The barrels of the pistols are pointing, well, you can guess. What the hell was she thinking? What was I supposed to say?! I simply stood there dumbfounded. Now she is upset with me for my reaction. We have always been close, able to...
It’s that time of year where you’re itching to get out the pumpkins to carve, candy to scarf and find tricks to play. It is only the first week in October however and some might feel it’s too soon to bring out the cobwebs, potion bottles, and ghosts. I’m here to get you in the spirit with a few fun flicks which will help get you in the magical mood. First off, Good Witch. It is easily accessible on Netflix, Hallmark, and many other platforms. This show is one of the best for a feel-good holiday show. It isn’t specifically a Halloween show but...
Jesus had the ability to look at people gently and speak to them in the most gracious tone. Compassion, kindness, sincerity--Christ displayed earnestness. It is no wonder he is the embodiment of grace worth following. “You’re full of it” is a phrase you’ve heard before, right? Often in jest, such a remark is either coarse or derogatory. I thought it would be a great twist to utilize this phrase in a positive affirmation, that which displays some of the great virtues taught throughout the Bible. After all, if we are to model Jesus or strive to b...
I hate shopping malls. I hate Chuck E. Cheese even more. Yet I found myself standing in the main corridor of Anchorage’s Fifth Avenue Mall, about to enter Chuck E. Cheese. My best friend Daryle had invited me to attend his son’s commercially canned birthday party. How could I not? Chuck’s a clever rodent. To get to or from the dining area you have to pass through the arcade. The second I entered my senses were assaulted. Strobes flashed while twinkle lights from a disco ball spiraled. Every...
ARIES Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, be gentle with your approach this week as you look to persuade someone. You don’t want to scare anyone away by being too flashy or forward. TAURUS Apr 21/May 21 This is a great time to go out and try to grab yourself a bargain, Taurus. Head to a thrift store or garage sale, or even test your negotiation skills at a car dealership. GEMINI May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, situations that have slowly been building will finally come to a head this week. A resolution will be better than the roller coaster you have been on r...
On Wednesday the 22nd, the North side of the Whitehall Community Center once again became the home of Screams Come True Haunted House. It also became the hang out place for volunteers of all ages for the next month. When this venture began in my head more than five years ago, I envisioned it as a community event. Something everyone got involved with in one way or another. I saw it as a revenue event for the entire town. And so far, after two years in action, we have brought in over 4,000 people to the area each October. Whitehall really is the...
Hitting someone’s back who is coughing is the human equivalent of smacking your electronics when they aren’t working properly. Our entire lives are spent designing our corpse. Randomly hearing your favorite song on the radio is more satisfying than playing it directly from your iPod or phone. Good ghosts are the ones scaring you to keep you away. The bad ones want to draw you in. Maybe aging is a disease and Earth is quarantined. Maybe that’s the reason aliens don’t visit us. No one has any idea of what it feels like to be dead. You might h...
Dear Editor, The cost of living seems to be increasing at an almost unthinkable rate! High as those costs climb though, Americans rise above it, because life must go on. Right?! The price of lumber, while it has fluctuated somewhat, is ridiculous. But construction goes on, seemingly unperturbed. Gas prices, while not too crazy yet, in our neck of the woods anyway, are rising. Related to that, food prices are on the rise. It seems that the best option for many of us is to shop out of town, rather than at our local store. Either that or shop...
Dear Jo, I’ve been thinking about gender roles. You know the spiel. Women belong in the kitchen. Women: stay home! Make and take care of those babies! Cooking and cleaning is women’s work. Blah blah blah. Speaking as a man myself, I feel the very notion of gender roles is ridiculous and ignorant, to say the least! Here is my question for you. Why do you think most men accept this? In fact, it seems some get their rocks off, so to speak, by keeping not just “their woman” but ALL women, under their thumb? Okay, that probably qualifies as two sep...
Christians to this day eagerly wait for Christ’s return. If we are eager today, what might be one of our goals? Our mission is to reach the lost and make disciples for Jesus. At a more personal level our goal as believers is to simply grow in Christ’s grace. This is a life long journey on this side of eternity. The late preacher, Billy Graham said, “Being a Christian is more than just an instantaneous conversion-it is a daily process whereby you grow to be more and more like Christ.” Are you growing? That is the central question. Our reflect...
The year was 1877. Having signed the contract in the year previous, "The Professor" officially became the Documenter for the Northern Pacific Railway's west-ward expansion. Young Frank Jay, or F. Jay as he was known to friends and family, had just relocated to Moorhead, Minnesota, where he proceeded to open the first of four photographic studios under the family name. Along the way, Frank married his high school sweetheart Lily Snyder. While in Moorhead, Frank and Lily had a daughter, Bertha....
