Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Sorted by date Results 1537 - 1558 of 1558
Social media and the World Wide Web can be a great way to get important or relevant news out quickly. It's one of the boons created by the increasing relevance of technology in our daily lives. Just last week, I was able to use the Whitehall Ledger website to put out a breaking news story that a dinner had been rescheduled. It was convenient, and hopefully spread the word about the event. On the same day, I was also able to witness firsthand the chaos web can create within a matter of moments....
Whether it is in Whitehall, or some of our neighbors like Boulder or Twin Bridges, small businesses play an important role in the local economy. It only takes a few minutes of driving around in Whitehall to see it is a town full of a variety of small businesses, all of which offer something of value to local residents. The businesses are not only located in downtown, there are also many smaller businesses throughout Jefferson County. Every year around Christmas time there is a push nationwide to remind people to shop local during the holiday...
There is an infamous scene from the television show "Breaking Bad" where the main character tosses a pizza on the roof of his home in a fit of rage. As bizarre as that may sound, it seemed completely normal to me. While it wasn't a pizza, I had once done the same thing, and at the time it seemed quite appropriate. To preface the story, I have four sisters and am closer with my sisters Jenny and Megan. I am ten years older than Megan, and would often times have to watch her during the summer...
I had the opportunity last week to attend the Jefferson Valley Community Foundation Grantee Tour and much like last year walked away impressed with all the local organization does for this community. One of the stops on the tour was at Whitehall High School, who was the recipient of a grant that was used for the Shakespeare in the Schools program. As is the case most times I walk into the building, I witnessed a bunch of students wearing Whitehall Trojans apparel. I can say the same thing happens on a visit to the elementary or middle schools....
I've tried multiple times to erase the memories of my junior high school pictures. No matter how hard I try, nothing can be done to remove the images of just how stupid I looked. In one, I had a ridiculous mullet. It wasn't just the run-of-the-mill Billy Ray Cyrus "Achy Breaky Heart", or a hockey mullet, I had my hair feathered on the top and permed in the back. It was just awful. As bad as that hairdo was, it might have been worse the year before when I had some sort of weird Vanilla Ice steps...
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.” These famous words are written in our nation’s Declaration of Independence. Our Fore Fathers recognized that the power of government exits only because the people agree to be governed. They also knew that... Full story
Last Saturday I had the chance to attend the cross-country meet hosted by Whitehall High School. I was really impressed with how many people turned out for the event. There were a lot of local residents who showed up to cheer on the Trojans middle school and high school teams. The Whitehall High School cheerleaders also showed up to the event and cheered on not only their classmates, but everyone who participated. That was a job well done by the cheer squad. It was a well-run meet and great job done by all the students, staff, and volunteers...
The start of the school year is an exciting time. There is something special in the air on the first day as kids make their way into a new classroom ready to meet their new teacher, see old friends, and make new ones. I’m sure not all of the kids really want to get back into the routine, but they settle in once they get into the classroom and the first week goes by. As a parent, it is also an exciting time to get the kids back into a routine and out of the house. The summer most likely goes by a bit too fast for kids, but for parents it seems t...
There is something so spell binding about someone telling you "I wouldn't do that if I were you." I'll be the first to say it happens to me more than I would like to admit, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who falls prey to these viscous, yet captivating words. Thankfully this story isn't about me doing something I was told wouldn't be the best of ideas; I will instead give the honor to Melissa. The poor girl is sitting only about five feet from me as I type this and has no idea that I'm about...
I’ve been waiting since February to say these three beautiful worlds. Football is back. This Friday, myself and hundreds others in the surrounding area will be able to get out and support the Whitehall/Harrison football team as they take on Sweet Grass County. If you haven’t been out to see the Trojans play under head coach Dan Lacey, it is well worth it just to see the dynamic offense take to the field. Quarterback Braden Larsen is a gunslinger, and he will have quality targets all over the field. The team only has 25 players, but they cer...
To begin with, I wanna offer a HUGE shoutout to those who labor for the good of our community, not just for their private interests and agendas; it is these unselfish labors that have made Whitehall the town it is! We, including the greater Jefferson Valley around Whitehall, are very blessed to have access to so many resources, both natural and human. All the complaints and negativity that we have been experiencing of late seem to have put somewhat of a damper on these blessings, but I believe we can say with all surety that these resources...
In a recent issue or NFR BLVD (a guide to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo) Shawn Davis, General Manager of this ten day event, has an interview by Brian Hurlburt, the editor. For 30 plus years, Shawn has revolutionized this event with one change that remains the staple of the show’s success: each performance is completed in less than two hours. Treating each night as though it is the first night is a year long process with 175 employees working throughout the year to make sure that it truly is a ‘well-oiled machine’. The list of quali...
Hi Folks, At our regular meeting last week, we discussed a proposal from an air ambulance service to provide coverage for Jefferson County residents for about $49,000 per year. They had presented this to us a few weeks ago, but we wanted to do more research before we made a decision. Tuesday, we decided not to participate. A couple of reasons I decided against it were that there will be some type of legislation introduced during the 2017 Legislature regarding air ambulance service. The biggest reason was that if we contracted with this company...
I cannot believe that we are back into the swing of things here at Whitehall Elementary. As with other years, I find myself asking where has the summer gone. I hope all of you were able to find time to spend some quality time with your little ones during our time out of school. I was able to find some time to camp and enjoy my family throughout the summer. The furthest away I traveled from Whitehall was Champaign Illinois, and if you have ever been in that part of the country you know that it is hot and flat. During the time I spent down...
Music and art are the themes for September children’s programs. Butch Paquin will be teaching a watercolor class for school age children on Tuesdays at 4:00 pm and the library will be providing all of the supplies. Please call the Library to sign up for this set of classes so we may have enough paints and paper for everyone. Donna Weldon returns on August 31st to do a special musical story time as I will be out of town for the day. She will be a regular story time provider on the second Wednesday of each month. Pre-school children are i...
I often say it's the little things that make life enjoyable. A nice walk on a crisp and clear morning, binge watching "Orange is the New Black" with family, a quick conversation with an old friend, and winning Shayla multiple stuffed animals from the claw machine at Jefferson Fresh Foods are just some of the things that have made this a wonderful summer. Last week I added to the list with a purchase from the local pawnshop. Anyone who knows me is well aware how much I like to cook. One of my...
Things are back to normal in Whitehall, nearly two weeks after another great Frontier Days Celebration. Starting with the Rocky Mountain Bank barbecue and ending with the street dance, a nice crowd came out to attend the annual event. The Friday crowd was not quite as big as it was last year with high temperatures and no all-class reunion like in 2015, but Saturday certainly made up for it with Legion Avenue coming to life at 6:30 a.m. and the Fire Fighters barbecue. The great thing about the 2016 event and the ones in the past, is what it can...
Much like 2015, this has been a hot summer in Southwest Montana. The past week temperatures have cracked 90 degrees and are inching close to triple digits. Over the past several days, I have noticed one disturbing trend at various stops throughout town. I have driven into parking lots and seen dogs inside of vehicles with the window not rolled down or barely cracked at all. This is just wrong. I’m well aware most people know this, but it happens more than it should. I would like everyone who does this to spend about 20 minutes inside of a car i...
Next Friday and Saturday are going to be the two busiest days of the year in Whitehall. The annual Frontier Days event will begin Friday, July 29 and event organizers have a schedule in 2016 that should have something to please all age groups. The work on the 2016 event started at the conclusion of last year’s Frontier Days, and people have spent numerous hours getting things ready. I would like to encourage local residents to come out and partake in the festivities, and hopefully this year will have the best attendance in event history. Not o...
The passing of a resolution Tuesday by the Jefferson County Commissioners was another step in the possibility of a new ambulance district. The district, whose boundaries would include the Whitehall School District area with the exception of in town and Madison and Silver Bow Counties, is now on the November 8 ballot. There has been a great deal of talk the past year about a new ambulance district and to say it has been a controversial subject would be an understatement. There have been many stones cast and it has gotten ugly at times. The...
With a recall election scheduled in August, and a possibility of a new hospital district on the ballot in November, there are going to be plenty of letters to the editor in the in the upcoming editions of the Whitehall Ledger. We would like to thank everyone who submits letters and puts their thoughts out for others to see. It’s also very important that these letters stay civil or they will never see the pages of the paper. It’s completely fine to feel passionate about something, but profanity or name-calling is not necessary. If someone would...
I had the chance to walk to work the other morning and have to admit it was a great way to start the day. The temperature had yet to hit 50 and while there was crispness in the air, the views and blue sky made it well worth it. There was a symphony of birds, and I was surprised to see so many people out doing the same thing. I almost felt like I was in a Disney movie. I was almost expecting a plethora of movie friendly characters to join me as I frolicked down the street. I even saw a large group running down the street and for a moment I wish...
