Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
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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...
I recently talked with Leonard Wortman about the Protest Form regarding the establishment of a Rural Ambulance District. I was confused about 1) the first paragraph and all the legal jargon. 2) a failure to respond is a “yes” vote. 3) if you return the form but do not make a selection, it is a “no” vote!! Leonard said all of this jargon is a legal state requirement. And that he and many others whom he talks to are also confused. Well, Well, Well! I personally plan to vote no. I am not opposed to ambulance services. I think ambulance service to...
I so enjoyed your Letters to the Editor last week. I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time. Are you all still wearing your ruby slippers, clicking your heels and living in “Wonder Land”? I really believe you and your ghost writer have been telling stories for so long you actually believe them. How sad! I just thought I would remind you, the people in town know the truth. Three hundred and fifty five people signed the recall petition. The people in town have spoken. We all know what they think of the way the town has been run. So keep writi...
Of the twelve years that we have lived here, this is only my second letter to the editor. I feel strongly about this issue that I feel it is time for me to write another. And, I for one appreciate all that the Whitehall Chamber of Commerce has done for our little town. The Chamber should be commended for all the wonderful local activities. And, I am sure they would appreciate all the help they can get. However, I am writing about a concern with the Chamber’s activity on their Facebook site. They recently reposted on their site an a...
Being a teenager is by no means easy. While it certainly can be a time that comes with memories that will last a lifetime, there are also a lot of social and peer pressures that can make things tough. This is perhaps even more difficult in a day and age with social media sites and instant access to things like Netflix or YouTube. Last week, officials at Whitehall High School provided parents and community members with information about a recent show released on Netflix called “13 Reasons Why”. The show has quickly become a talking point amo...
I spent a few minutes last week looking up plane tickets for a possible trip to watch a University of Wyoming football game this fall. I haven’t been able to go the past couple years and I really want to make it to a game. Until 2015 I had been to at least one game a season since I can remember, but I’m a bit too far away to make a regular trip these days. I was looking a hotels and restaurants in Laramie, WY and I suddenly became flooded with memories of my first year of college. It was a wonderful experience to get nostalgic and think about s...
As is the case with any small town, there were plenty of rumors floating around Whitehall about what happened during a shooting incident April 15. While some of the information spreading around was not true, some of it was. Even though the story wasn’t what many thought, it is always tough to see crime in a small town. As sad as it is, crime does happen in Whitehall and other small towns across the United States. Nowhere is immune from this. Nobody should turn a blind eye to drug use or violence because it does happen, possibly more than s...
Viral videos are a huge deal in 2017. Everyone has a phone, and everyone is recording just about everything they can to post to YouTube or a variety of other platforms. While there are certainly millions of horrible videos, there are some that are well worth watching. The other day Melissa and I were discussing several “social experiment” videos. The subjects of the videos were homeless residents in various places around the world. A lot of people like to turn a blind eye, but the homeless problem in large areas is a huge epidemic. It’s not j...
During a comment period at last week’s Community Transition Advisory Committee meeting in Whitehall, Barrick Golden Sunlight Mine Safety Director Jim Loomis reminded those in attendance about the dangers of using a cell phone while driving. Loomis said that every day in the United States, 15 people die as a direct result of using a phone while driving. He said everyone has phones, but encouraged everyone to think of the consequences and to not use them while operating a vehicle. I was very encouraged to hear what Loomis had to say, and I think...
Ever have one of those days where nothing seems to go right? This appeared to be the case for me last Friday. Boy, did I end up wrong, but it didn't start well. I had made plans to go to a concert in Missoula, but it seemed that everything that could go wrong did. Because our truck isn't working, we decided to rent a car so Melissa would be able to travel around for work or an emergency. One of us would have to stay in town to get pictures. This seemed simple enough. It wasn't. We showed up at...
The last week of the month will provide a shining example of some of the great things that happen throughout the year in Whitehall. The annual Town of Whitehall Spring Clean up is scheduled for April 24 to 28 and local residents will be busy sprucing up the town for the summer months. This is an important event for Whitehall because it not only makes the town visually look better; it also allows residents to take pride in their community. During the summer, Whitehall will see an increase in tourists and visitors, and they will be coming to a...
