Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Sorted by date Results 1451 - 1475 of 1587
It was business as usual last Wednesday at the Whitehall Ledger office. While Melissa is making the weekly jaunt to Anaconda to pickup the paper, I stay put and get the website updated, as well as a variety of other tasks to get ready for the next edition. Sure there is probably a lot of surfing true crime web sites, but I do use the day as an opportunity to get ahead for the next week. When Melissa had returned around noon I had started to get hungry so I made the short trip to KFC for lunch. When I was walking back into the office I felt some...
Whitehall High School is only one week away from one of the most exciting times of the school year. The annual Homecoming Week festivities will take place from October 2 to 6. It will be a fun week for both students and local residents with a parade, a wide variety of school activities, a volleyball match, and a rivalry football game against Jefferson. The week is also a chance for local businesses to show their Trojan Pride with a decorating contest being organized by the Whitehall High School...
One great thing about my job is that I can do it from just about anywhere if need be. While I often times will bring my computer home on the weekend, I've worked at home a few times during the week as well as a couple times while I was visiting family in Wyoming. Last week, my poor IPhone finally stopped taking a charge and I had to order a new one. I had to sign for it, so I planned it out to stay home on Thursday so I could be there when UPS came to the door. It was one of those things where t...
After two away games to start the 2017 season, the Whitehall/Harrison High School football team was able to open their home season earlier this month against Red Lodge. While the game had the importance of the home fans getting their first chance to see the Trojans play in Whitehall, it also was of extreme significance because it was the first game at Trojans Field with the new bleachers. The previous bleachers had been at the field for around 60 years, so this was an amazing day for the...
While I was attending the University of Wyoming, I was waiting tables to help pay for school and expenses, and it was getting really old. While it certainly not the worst job I’ve had, my nerves were getting fried by people who were downright mean, would come in three minutes before closing, or would try to do everything they could to get a free meal. I get that a steak can be cooked wrong, but when you eat three-quarters of it before telling me it was medium instead of medium rare, than you are probably up to something. I was looking through t...
The past few months have been devastating for Montana as wildfires have burned throughout the state. There was over a 2,700-acre fire locally, and over a million acres have burned in Montana. People are losing their homes, firefighters have lost their lives, and there are a variety of health related issues for both residents and animals. Simply put, it is a horrible situation. There are always going to be wildfires started by lighting, but at the same time it does not have to be as bad as it is in 2017. It’s time for our lawmakers to stand u...
I’ve always had a fascination with movies and books about a post-apocalyptic world or dystopian society. While they would often times make me feel uncomfortable, it was almost like rubber necking at an accident – you want to turn away, but often times you don’t. This summer I have had two instances that have made me feel like the world has been ending, and I think I’m not alone when I say that I can’t wait for the cooler temperatures of fall and winter to arrive. In July I woke up to my bed shaking and my cat flying. I had no idea what was...
Every weekday while I’m at the office, my desk will shake because a semi truck is going too fast down Legion Avenue. I certainly understand the importance of transportation by truck, and that the main street of town is on a highway, but that doesn’t mean they cannot abide by the same rules as everyone else. I welcome anyone who thinks that I might be exaggerating to come sit and my desk for about 15 minutes and try to type or read the screen while my entire desk shakes. There is no reason to be going that fast through a town, especially a loc...
I think it would be pretty safe to say I had a memorable Labor Day weekend. I’m usually not one to travel over a holiday weekend, but when I saw that Guns and Roses was playing last Sunday at the Gorge Amphitheater in Washington, there was no doubt in my mind that I had to go. I was planning on possibly leaving Saturday morning and making about a six-hour drive to meet some of my friends from Seattle at Blue Lake. I was going to attend the Whitehall football game on Friday and come back and write the story as well as getting a few more t...
A few weeks ago, I wrote an editorial about commending the Whitehall Chamber for their decision to select the local volunteer fire department as the Grand Marshal of the 2017 Frontier Days parade. This noble gesture said so much about the community and how residents feel about those who risk their lives for the betterment of society. They should also receive a huge thank you for working their tails off on the Conrow Fire. There was also an amazing gesture made by local residents last week when a “Back the Blue” event took place in downtown Whi...
When I was growing up I used to relish Friday evening. My family would make our way to Warehouse Video and rent several movies for the weekend. I can still remember the smell of fresh popcorn they would always give to each customer, and the owner Matt who always had on an impeccable vest and smelled of the bar across the street. I could spend hours trying to find the right movie. I would from time to time go the local Blockbuster or Hastings, but there was something special about that little store and how they would always reserve a movie for...
“There is nowhere better to be on a Friday night than a high school football game.” – Mark Correll Late last year, the Whitehall High School football team was on a tear as they made their way to the Montana Class B Semifinals before losing to eventual state champion Eureka. There were plenty of wins and celebration, but this was much more than just a game. It was a community coming together to support a group of kids who gave everything they had every snap of every game. Everyone in Whitehall was abuzz as the Trojans started the season winni...
This week’s issue of the Whitehall Ledger has a front-page article about the upcoming Shakespeare in the Parks performance. The event will take place August 28 in Whitehall, and is a tremendous opportunity for residents of all ages to get out and experience a wonderful performance in a beautiful setting. The value of having events like this in Whitehall is immeasurable. The arts are vital to any community and having a chance to see this quality of a production in Whitehall is a big deal. While the 2017 performance of “You Never Can Tell” by Ge...
Earlier this month I was able to make a quick trip to my hometown. I closed the office on a Friday and headed out of town around 8 a.m. While an 800 mile round trip is certainly not fun, it’s important from time to time to take a quick break and get the chance to see family and friends. Because my new kitten really couldn’t be left alone for three days we took her along, and to be fair also brought along Peaches. Little Jerusha found riding in a car a very enjoyable experience. She was happy as can be and also took the time to pester Peaches ju...
There is something special about a small town county fair. It just so happens that local residents will have the chance to attend two in the month of August. The Madison County Fair starts today, and the Jefferson County Fair will run from August 24 to 27 in Boulder. These both present great opportunities for some quality family fun. People often make the excuse there is nothing to do in a small town, but that is not true. The two events have a variety of things to that should be able to please even the pickiest person. A story on the front...
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...
