Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Sorted by date Results 1437 - 1461 of 1558
The older I get I don’t really like to try new things. I’m not sure if it is a good or bad thing, but I have a comfort zone and don’t often care to step outside of it. Every once in awhile I do, and I have to remind myself that doing something different is probably needed. I had heard for years about just how good the television show “Game of Thrones” is. I swear that about every third person I talked too would tell me how wonderful and addicting it is. I have never been a huge fan of fantasy or anything dealing with kings and queens, s...
One of the more popular events at Frontier Days is the annual parade that brings a huge crowd that line the streets of Whitehall. At this year's event committee members made an outstanding decision by having the Whitehall Volunteer Fire Department serve as the 2017 Grand Marshals. This was an amazing way to honor our local heroes who do so much for the community. The value of not only our fire department, but departments across the nation is something that cannot be measured. The fact that...
A few weeks ago in an editorial I mentioned the tiny kitten I found while walking to the post office. In a short amount of time, Lil Jerusha has very much become a part of our family and has gone from a sick and abandoned kitten, to a rambunctious fireball that moves through the house like a hurricane. She certainly has her sweet and loving moments, but most of the time she is a blur that will only rest when she is exhausted to the point she can no longer move. She might even go past that point. I’m not sure where she gets the energy, but I w...
It’s once again time for the most exciting weekend of the year in Whitehall. Frontier Days will kickoff Friday and has a packed schedule for two consecutive days. This year’s event will include the popular events like the parade, street dance, stick horse rodeo and others, but will also host several new events. A potluck dinner is scheduled for July 28 at 6 p.m. and event organizers should be commended for this wonderful idea. Residents with last names starting A-G are asked to bring meat, those with the last name H-M are asked to bring des...
Earlier this month, I was walking back to the Ledger from the post office when something caught my attention. I was a little past the Star Theater when I saw a baby kitten curled up in the shade. The weather had been nearing 100 on the day and the poor thing looked miserable. I knew that if I did not do anything about the situation, the kitten who looked to be around five weeks would probably not make it through the day. She was not in good shape. I’m not sure if she was lost, dumped, or something happened to the mother, but that did not m...
During the summer months as a kid I would spend day after day at the local golf course. I would golf with my Dad, friends, grandpa, or other family members. Sometimes I would get a ride to the course and golf with random strangers. So much for stranger danger. My Dad would like to get up at 5:30 a.m. and we would be on the course by six. I'm sure most kids don't want to get up that early during the summer, but we were there to get nine holes in before most people were at work. If it was a...
Whitehall is only a few weeks away from the biggest celebration of the year at the annual Frontier Days event. Next week’s Whitehall Ledger will include a special section highlighting the variety of activities at Frontier Days. There is truly something for everyone at this year’s event. 2017 should be a great year with several new events including a potluck and 3-on-3-basketball tournament. Members of the Whitehall Chamber of Commerce have been working hard and have spent countless hours to get ready for the 2017 Frontier Days. While many hav...
When I was in grade school, I would wake up way earlier than I needed to and head upstairs to start my day. I grabbed a huge bowl of cereal, possibly a pop tart, and would read two to three newspapers. I would read the papers from cover to cover, and by the time I was about 12 I could beat just about every adult I knew at Jeopardy. It was a great use of my time. Rather than just sleeping an extra few minutes, I was actually learning everything from civics to sports. My dad used to call me a walk...
The past several issues of the Whitehall Ledger have included feature articles about the meth problem in the state of Montana. The series was written by students at the University of Montana School of Journalism, and paints a frightening picture of the nationwide epidemic. As a publisher, I felt it was important to run these articles to let residents learn a little bit more about the problem. Unfortunately, small town America is not immune to meth and it is a problem in Whitehall, Boulder, and every other town or city in Montana. What is...
Earlier this week, citizens came together to celebrate the birthday of the United States of America. I had family in town and it was a great time with warm weather and a lot of food. I also had the chance to do something very American this week with a trip to Walmart. It doesn’t matter where you go in this great country, there is always going to be a Walmart somewhere near by. I lived in a place in Oregon that was about an hour away from the store, but that didn’t stop many people from making the trip on a regular occasion. I try the best I c...
A total of six candidates have filed for the four open positions in the upcoming Town of Whitehall elections. The Ledger would like to take time to personally thank each and every candidate that stepped up to the plate and made the decision to run for office. Serving as a Mayor or on the Council in any town has a lot of challenges, and often times it can be more difficult in a smaller town. The position requires many hours of meetings, research, as well as being a visible part of the community at a variety of events. The hours are far more...
I saw a picture on the Internet earlier today that really grabbed my attention. It was of probably a second or third graders response to the question, “Why are grown ups weird?” The child answered “Every one of them says how are you? And you always have to say good even when you are not.” This really got me thinking. There are probably ten times a day when I’m asked the question and my usual response is “good”. Earlier this morning I was in the line at the gas station and I saw someone I know and I said I was good, and moments later did the...
Every summer thousands of tourists make their way to the Lewis and Clark Caverns outside of Cardwell. While it's quite the popular destination for visitors, the Caverns are also a great way to spend the day or evening for local residents. Throughout the summer there are numerous programs and presentations, as well as the cave tours where something new can be learned during each trip. During the hotter months of the year the hike to the entrance can be a solid workout followed by relaxing and...
About once a week I will go through my spam folders to check to see if I might have missed anything someone may have sent. Every once in a while I catch something that is important and it is well worth it even if I have navigate through a mess of strange emails. I have four addresses that I use, and earlier today I went through all of them. While trying to delete some of the messages today I found some I had missed from letters to the editor prior to the election in November so I still miss...
Last week, 2017 Whitehall High School graduates Colton Noyes, Braden Larsen, and Andrew Simon all traveled to Billings to compete in the annual Class B All-Star Football game. This week, three Whitehall residents will be making the trip to Tennessee for the National Junior High Finals Rodeo. Jacy Johnson, Garris Robertson, and Brynna Wolfe all qualified by finishing in the top four in at least one event at the state finals in Townsend. The Ledger would like to personally recognize the six for their tremendous accomplishments. There was a...
I try to stay organized to the best of my abilities. Unfortunately by about Wednesday mornings my desk looks like a tornado blew into the office and it takes awhile to get back on track to get ready for the next issue of the Ledger. I always tell myself that I will be on top of it for next issue, but sadly that never happens. At least I’m consistent from week to week. The other day Melissa was out of the office in Idaho and I had a rush of customers come through the door. She will deal with a lot of the advertising and circulation matters while...
Last week I was able to do an interview with Tara Price, one of the organizers for the upcoming Montana Mule Days event in Whitehall. After our conversation, I was more than pleased that the event scheduled from June 9 to 11 is coming to town. This is another great opportunity for not only local residents to both enter a variety of classes and shows, but it is also great for the economy with a numerous spectators and participants making their way to the area. The last week in July has always been known for Frontier Days and people return to...
Since I can remember, I have always heard people say there are only two seasons in the Rocky Mountains – Spring and road construction. While this is not entirely true, it seems like near the end of every April construction projects start popping up all over the Interstate and other highways and roads. This year has been no different, and there are already quite a few on Interstate 90. Often times the construction will lead to one lane of traffic and for whatever reason, this turns people into complete savages with no thoughts of others or s...
The school year has already come to an end or is nearly finished for students at the public schools in Cardwell and Whitehall. This issue of the Whitehall Ledger is full of stories and pictures from graduations and a variety of school events. With the year wrapping up, we are happy to fill the issue with a tremendous amount of positive information about the schools. The Class of 2017 in Whitehall was a tremendous group of kids and we were lucky to have them in our community. As students get ready for a summer of fun, the Ledger would like to...
While a final decision has yet to be made, it appears local residents will be heading to the polls to let their voices be heard about the creation of the Jefferson Valley Rural Ambulance District. The Jefferson County Commissioners will make the decision whether or not to put it on the ballot at their May 30 meeting in Boulder. In the past few months, there has certainly been a lot of debate about the possible district, and it has been a passionate issue among many local residents. There has also been a lot of confusion about the protest forms...
I've got to admit that last Wednesday I was really starting to get nervous. Usually during the winter months I always know there is a chance that the newspaper might be delayed a few hours or possibly a day because of weather, but that isn't something that crossed my mind once the month of May rolled around. While the weather in downtown Whitehall was raining, it was snowing fiercely with just a small climb in elevation. Just moments after Melissa went to pickup the Ledger from the printer in...
In less than two week students at Whitehall High School will be graduating during a May 28 ceremony. After four long years in high school they will be moving on to college, the workforce, or spending some time figuring out what they want to do as they transition into adulthood. The Ledger would like to first and foremost congratulate the students graduating and wish them well into the future. We would also like to tell them to enjoy and cherish the last few days with their classmates. With social media it is a lot easier to keep in touch with...
Two days ago was my birthday. I would like to say it was a joyous occasion with a day full of celebrations, but this was not the case. This time of year is really busy at the newspaper, and since it was a Monday there was no time for any sort of shenanigans. My parents were in town the three days prior, so that was a nice time with good food and company, but it was a work, work, work type of week. I used to look forward to my birthday, but not so much anymore. For some it is just another day on the calendar, but for me it makes me feel really...
The importance of programs like Head Start cannot be understated. The hands on learning a child experiences in the program from the ages of three to five is beneficial to their transition from early education to grade school. I have witnessed just how important the program in various communities around the western United States. It not only makes a difference, but more importantly can help out families who really need quality pre school, but do not have the income to afford it. Last week I was able to attend an informational meeting about the...
It is never easy to turn on the television or to get on the Internet and see horrific acts of terror around the world. I will never understand why people think the way they do, but its sickening that people would think a mass shooting or bombing of innocent people would solve anything. Terrorists are the scum of the earth. In November of 2015, the world watched as a terrorist attacks took place in Paris. One of the places attacked was the Bataclan Theater where a band from the United States, “The Eagles of Death Metal” was playing in front of...
