Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
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I wanted to use this week’s editorial as a reminder the deadline for the 2017 phone book is Tuesday, January 31. If you would like to advertise in this year’s edition, or would like an number added, changed, or removed from the book, please get a hold of us by emailing advertising@whitehallledger.com or by calling 406-287-5301. There isn’t a day that goes by that someone doesn’t come in and grab at least one phonebook. I am amazed how many people use this book on a regular basis. It’s a great way to advertise your business. Your ad will be s...
Every newspaper is a little bit different when it comes to listening to police calls. Some will have the scanner on at all times, some will just turn it on when they hear sirens, and some won't turn it on at all. I've found there has to be some sort of happy medium, but this was gained from experiencing all three. The first newspaper I worked at had the scanner going all the time. It was a town much larger than Whitehall and it never stopped. It was almost impossible to get anything done with...
The 2017 session of the Montana State Legislature started earlier this month in Helena. In the first few days of the session, there were a lot of concerns voiced about the budget and how it will affect communities across the state. While it is never easy dealing with less money, the primary concern of this budget should be schools, towns and communities, safety and infrastructure. The students in each and every school need to be taken care of during this session. This means a top priority is the funding that will allow for quality staff,...
There are some things that happen every once in a while in life that absolutely blow my mind. Last week was a perfect example. I had stopped for coffee at a local convenience store and was making my way out of the building when someone opened the door for me. I politely thanked the man who seemed to be in his late 20's or early 30's. What came next confused me to the point it rendered me silent. He proceeded to tell me "You're not welcome". At first I thought I must had heard him wrong, but I di...
It would be safe to say the past few years have been difficult for the Whitehall High School girl's basketball team. As soon as the team took to the court to open the 2016-17 season, this changed in a heartbeat. The Lady Trojans were able to open the season with three consecutive victories, already matching their win total for the previous two seasons combined. They dropped their next two games, but showed last Thursday that the culture of Whitehall girl's basketball had changed. They shook off...
When I first started out as a reporter I always had the dream of frantically running into the printing facility and screaming, "Stop the press". I had seen this in multiple movies and television shows and it always seemed so dramatic. A few years later I would get the chance after a major error was discovered. Turns out it was not as exciting as I had pictured it. In fact, I think I just made the press crew mad and got called about every name in the book. I think half of it was the fact I came...
Last Sunday marked the first day of 2017. While I most certainly don’t have a crystal ball that will allow me to see what will happen in the New Year, I’m sure there will be plenty of great stories to tell in the Ledger courtesy of the great people of Whitehall and the surrounding areas. Looking back at 2016, I had plenty to be thankful for as the Publisher of the Whitehall Ledger. I’d like to share some of the things I’m most thankful for. It would be impossible to get everyone I’d like to into this editorial, but these are some of the thing...
A few minutes ago I was busy getting the web site ready to publish and my cell phone started going bezerk. I didn't recognize the number, so I just turned the ringer off and went back to the task at hand. This didn't stop the caller. Over and over again someone was trying to reach me from Cambridge, MA. I don't know much about Cambridge, other than it is the home of Harvard University, and I seriously doubt someone was calling to ask my advice on scholarly matters. I figured if it was important,...
This edition of the Whitehall Ledger features a couple of year-end stories that are a great way to take a quick glance back at 2016. It’s a bit of a daunting task going through the first 51 issues of the Ledger, but at the same time is worthwhile to be reminded of some of the amazing people who work and live here. While the area does not have a large population, there are certainly quite a few events throughout the year. Some of the bigger events include Frontier Days, the Christmas Stroll, and the Black Tie/Blue Jeans fundraiser. The common t...
Last week was refreshing. On both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day I was able to sleep in. It's something I'd like to do a lot more of, I just never really get the chance. I had planned sleeping a little bit later on Christmas Eve, but for some reason every time I'm not up by 8 a.m., Melissa starts making some magical noises with pots and pans in the kitchen. I'm not quite sure what she is doing in there, but it sounds like she is grabbing the pan from the bottom of the pile and yanking it out...
Christmas is just a few days away, and in a little over a week in will be 2017. This is a perfect time of the year to say thank you to everyone who reads and advertises in the Whitehall Ledger. We truly appreciate your business and support. I often times here newspapers are a dying breed, but I don’t’ think that is the case for a small town paper like the Ledger. Someone told me the other day they don’t read the Ledger and know a lot of people that don’t. Sure, some people don’t, but I’ve got the circulation numbers that say different,...
Over the past few years, I have written thousands of stories that were published in newspapers all over the western United States. From time to time, I will get online and look at some of my older stories, and in truth I don't really remember much about a lot of them. There are only a few that really stand out, and I can look back and remember the interviews and what I was feeling when I was typing. The other day I was thinking back on a story that really touched me and wanted to give it a...
Dear Editor, We would like to acknowledge what a great asset to the Community that the Whitehall Community Center is. It is owned and operated completely by VFW volunteers. These volunteers not only served their country but are now serving their community by providing and maintaining a very nice Community Center that is open for all to use for personal or business events. They are also a great group to work with and go out of their way to accommodate everyone from 4-H, to blood drives, to wedding receptions, to auctions and even host Bingo...
A light snow was falling Saturday morning as local residents made their way to the 2016 Christmas Stroll. It was the perfect weather for a wonderful event. I was able to spend the day covering many of the events and it was nice to see not only a great turnout, but also all of the smiling faces. This is a special time of year and it was good to see the community come together. The fine arts show returned for the second year, and in a short amount of time has really turned into something special....
As I'm sure is the case with most small businesses, there are times when things get tight financially. This has been the case the past couple of months, and when I woke up Saturday morning I wanted to check my account to see if a couple of checks had cleared. I got a lot more than I bargained for, and not in a good way. In the back of my mind I always hope to open my account and see that a generous person has transferred me some money, but I'm pretty sure that's not ever going to happen. What I...
The Missouri Headwaters Partnership, a group made up of the 9 watershed councils in the area, has been contacted by a group, the Blackfoot Challenge, wanting to “help” us reduce conflict with grizzly bears, wolves and other large predators. Most of this kind of “help” is really designed to get taxpayer funded grants for the individuals leading the effort with solving any problem with landowner or grass roots involvement being the bait to get the money. That may or may not be the case here. I have found over the years that it is better to have...
Last Friday afternoon, around 50 local residents traveled to Boulder to attend a hearing in the 5th Judicial Courtroom. They were attending the continuation of a hearing to determine if a Recall election for five Whitehall elected officials would move forward. After nearly six hours of testimony, 7th District Court Judge Katherine Bidegaray who presided over the hearing through a video connection from Sidney, did not make a decision whether the recall petitions were invalid as to form, but did publically state she was leaning in that...
I'm writing this column on a Saturday morning, just hours before my alma mater will take the field in Laramie, WY to play in the Mountain West Championship game. After a 2-10 season in 2015, the program has quickly turned around in 2016, and the University of Wyoming football team will enter the game with an 8-4 record. It will also be the first time they have played for a conference title since 1996, a heartbreaking loss to BYU I still remember like it was yesterday. I've been ready for this ga...
Anyone who has recently taken a drive down Legion Avenue in Whitehall will have noticed the numerous holiday decorations. Simply put, it looks awesome! Last Saturday, members of the BY's and Ag Cats 4-H Clubs, Whitehall Chamber of Commerce members, town employees and local residents came together to decorate the town for Christmas. The Ledger would like to thank each and everyone who took time to participate, and a special kudos to the 4-H members that helped decorate. These kids are learning...
Sometimes my weeks are a lot like the movie "Groundhog Day", so I was really excited for the Thanksgiving Holiday. I was planning to travel to Wyoming last Wednesday after the paper was finished, and I was eager and ready to visit friends, family, and pets. Things were moving along smoothly Wednesday morning when I got a call from Melissa, who had traveled to Anaconda to pick up the newspaper from the printer. She informed me the check engine light had come on and the car was making a horrific...
Ho-Ho-Ho! Driving down Legion this weekend we noticed how festive it all looked. The park area, the fish pond area, the whole run of the street is decorated to the max and done beautifully! Whom ever made all the wooden decorations, painted them for display year after year needs to be thanked year after year, too. The display groupings this year are so well done, the trees are so well lighted...it looks just like Christmas/winter and has inspired us to begin the "process" at our own home. (my hubby is thrilled).So thank you, thank you, and...
The first time I walked into the office of the Whitehall Ledger in February of 2015, I quickly noticed a framed issue of a newspaper hanging on the wall near the entrance. I quickly glanced at the paper, and realized it was the first issue of the Ledger. For reasons I'm not quite sure of, the issue does not have a date on the front page, but it was published sometime in the spring of 1984. The headline for the lead story reads, "Whitehall area has newspaper", and discusses how the paper came to...
Early in the season it was crystal clear there was something special about the 2016 Whitehall/Harrison High School football team. The team started off with five straight victories, including a gritty performance on the road against Anaconda, and a trouncing of rival Jefferson County. Following their first loss of the season against Manhattan, they would once again find themselves on a five game winning streak that would eventually take them to the semifinal round the MHSA Class B Playoffs....
With Thanksgiving approaching, I'm eagerly watching the weather forecast to see if I'll be able to make it to my hometown next week. I haven't been there since spring, so it would be really nice to spend time with my family and close friends. Last year was one of the few Thanksgivings I was not able to make it home, and it was a little bit of a strange feeling. The day is about family, friends, and enjoying what we have in our lives. But it's also about the food, and lots of it. No matter where...
This week schools in both Whitehall and Cardwell will be hosting Veteran’s Day programs. The Cardwell program is scheduled for Thursday, November 10 at 1 p.m., and the Whitehall program is scheduled for Friday, November 11 at 10 a.m. in the Varsity Gym. Veteran’s Day is such an important holiday, and it really says a lot that both school districts take time to put together a special program. I attended the Whitehall program last year and was really impressed with the dedication by both students and staff members to honor those who have served o...
