Week of August 5, 2026
Week of August 5, 2026
The Jefferson River Drought Management Plan has been activated. Flows at the Twin Bridges USGS gage dropped below the 600 cfs trigger on July 29th. This flow level indicates declining flow conditions and represents a threshold for increased awareness. Voluntary conservation measures are requested. The Drought Plan is a voluntary effort that has guided the Jefferson River through dry years since 2000. It focuses on maintaining a minimum flow of 50 cfs at the Waterloo USGS gage to keep riffles connected and avoid the kind of ecological collapse...
Just down the road from Woodstock, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, a parallel revolution blossomed in a ramshackle summer camp for disabled teenagers. Steeped in the humor and music of the era, Crip Camp explores the universal experience of summer camp awakenings that would transform lives and shape the future of the disability rights movement. On Tuesday, August 11th at 6 PM, you are invited to a free screening of Crip Camp, sponsored by Ability Montana. Concessions will be sold, and...
Whitehall non-profit Gold Junction Presents (GJP), which owns and operates Whitehall's historic Star Theatre, has been hard at work renovating the building's upstairs to serve as community spaces. Those who have been upstairs before will not recognize what it's become; those new to the upstairs - we hope you are surprised by its beauty! GJP currently has for rent a flexible-use office space, a temporary office space, conference room, great room, and a community room. If you are interested in...
Whitehall Low Power TV will present a replay of the Frontier Days Parade on our PBS Low Power TV Station Channel 49.2 starting this Thursday, August 6th, at 1 PM and 7:30 PM. The program will also repeat at 1 PM and 7:30 PM on Friday, August 7th, and Saturday, August 8th. The video includes the entire parade and highlights various activities and vendors that were part of the Frontier Days Red, Whitehall, and Blue celebration on July 23, 24, and 25th. The video also includes about six minutes of...
Montana... cooler weather and shorter days are coming soon. But before you tuck summer delights into your memories, celebrate our biggest community event, the 42nd Annual Jefferson County Fair and Rodeo, August 20-23, at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds in Boulder. The fair and rodeo are the most fun for people who volunteer or enter exhibits or competitions, and there are plenty of ways to participate. Fair Board events include Friday's horse show and rodeo, the real barn dance with Clint Rieder and the Longhorn Band playing Saturday night,...
The Madison County Fairgrounds in Twin Bridges will come alive August 6-9 with four days of livestock shows, family entertainment, live music, contests, and rodeo excitement, offering something for visitors of all ages. One of the weekend's biggest attractions is the NRA Rodeo, produced by Jacobs Livestock Rodeo, beginning at 7 PM Thursday and Friday. Both evenings will feature rookie saddle bronc and bareback riding, wild cow milking, and crowd-favorite rodeo action. Friday's performance will...
Government officials are limiting fishing access to nearly 30 rivers to alleviate pressure on cold-water fish species as hot temperatures and dwindling streamflows blanket Montana and the broader Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks on July 28 announced the most recent round of restrictions, which adds 11 rivers to the list of waterways fully or partially closed to fishing and brings the total number of Montana restrictions to 24. Anglers are now prohibited from...
The Montana state-designated noxious weed, spotted knapweed (Centaurea stoebe or Centaurea maculosa), which invaded from Eurasia, has a weakness. Unfortunately, knapweed has many weedy strengths as well. These strengths include: 1) producing 1,000-120,000 seeds per year that can stay viable in the soil for 8 or more years, 2) being an invader species that can rapidly spread in newly disturbed areas, 3) producing an allelopathic chemical (catechin) that prevents the germination and growth of...
Summer Reading and Feeding at the Whitehall Community Library (110W First - Whitehall) are over; patrons are getting ready to go back to school, the weather is granting a few cool days, and the library is gearing up for September programs. We are still accepting submissions from readers who have completed their sheets for prizes. There are many children who split the summer between parents and will be returning this month, so feel free to come and collect all three prize levels. On August 12th...
Golden Sunlight Mine laid off another 15 employees effective July 31, 2001, but even though the current workforce is less than a quarter of the 1996 GSM workforce, mine officials continue to search for a new power contract and explore the possibility of expanded mining opportunities in the pit. "These layoffs are not unexpected," said Doug Bailey, general manager at Gold Sunlight. "Everyone knew when we stopped mining the pit this would happen." The reduction in force of 15 jobs brings the...
In this new book, Headwaters Folk: Everyday People in Southwest Montana, author Matt Wemple sets out to capture the stories of area locals who have built and shaped Headwaters Country. This anthology is a collection of interviews that the author published in the Lewis and Clark Journal, in his column Conversations, from 2023 to 2024. These interviews capture the unique history, lifestyles, and stories that make the Headwaters region distinct in southwest Montana. Signed copies now available at...
Honey has been enjoyed for centuries. Ancient peoples ate honey, and historians believe humans have been harvesting wild honey since the Stone Age. Honey has been widely consumed, used in medicinal salves, and even left in Egyptian tombs for the afterlife. Due to its high acidity and low moisture, honey never spoils. The flavor of honey is entirely determined by the types of floral nectar bees gather, which can make cooking with honey interesting, as no dish may taste the same if different...
Northwest Montana is experiencing a below average huckleberry crop this year, and as natural food sources become harder for bears to find, they are increasingly moving to lower elevations in search of alternatives. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks bear conflict specialists are asking for the community's help to reduce potential conflicts. "We've responded to an unusually high number of calls this season," said bear and lion conflict specialist, Justine Vallieres. As fall approaches and bears...
The Jefferson Valley Fine Art group wishes to thank all the wonderful artists who participated in the 2026 Frontier Days art exhibit. Thanks to all of you, we were able to provide a great, diverse exhibit for all the attendees. Our panels and tables were completely full of beautiful art. We are more than grateful for the opportunity to show off your talent. We had many new artists exhibiting from around southwest Montana, which brought a new spark to the exhibit, and we also hosted two local...
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking applicants interested in helping shape the future of mountain lion management in southwest Montana. FWP is assembling the Southwest Lion Ecoregional Population Objective Panel (LEPOP). The LEPOP will advise FWP on population objectives for mountain lions across southwest Montana. Panel members will evaluate biological information and public perspectives and offer input that FWP will incorporate into recommendations for the Fish and Wildlife Commission. Applicants must be able to attend two in-person...
AUGUST 1926 • A thrown dagger narrowly misses the head of Spanish dictator Miguel Primo de Rivera on August 1 in Barcelona. A 34-year-old anarchist is arrested for the failed assassination attempt. • The French passenger ship S.S. Lotus strikes the Turkish freighter S.S. Bozkourt on August 2. Eight passengers drown, and the captain of the Lotus is eventually charged with liability for the deaths by Turkish authorities. • On August 3, the Mount Batur volcano on the island of Bali erupts for the first time since 1917. The village of...
Every summer, as temperatures climb and student-athletes return to fields, courts, tracks, and gyms, I think about one message I wish every athlete, parent, and coach would take seriously: heat safety is not something to start thinking about when practice begins. It starts hours, and often days, before an athlete ever laces up their shoes. As a certified athletic trainer with St. James Sports Medicine, I spend a lot of time helping athletes perform at their best. But performance can never come before safety. In hot weather, hydration,...
Life insurance is often thought of as a way to provide money to loved ones after a death, but a revised Montana State University Extension MontGuide points out that it can also serve as an important estate planning tool to help families protect assets, provide financial security, and make the transfer of property easier for future generations. Life insurance can provide immediate cash when it is needed most. Funds may be used to pay debts, medical bills, funeral expenses, probate costs, and other settlement expenses. In some situations, life...
The Jefferson County fairgrounds are about to become the site of an alien invasion. On Aug. 14-15, the fairgrounds will host the inaugural Mooshfest, a two-day-long extraterrestrial- and cosmic-inspired music festival featuring over 20 musical acts from across the country. Colorado's "legendary" Space Lady aka Susan Deitrich, recognized by The Guardian as among the strangest performers on Spotify, will be there. So will rising internet star Pedal Steel Noah, and Missoula-based folk punk band...
Dear Editor, Last year I put up this sign on the freeway about a mile east of town. I was surprised that most people do not understand the meaning. So I'll try to explain. When the founding fathers were hashing out the laws and ideals of the future United States, government overreach was a major concern, as they had just freed the Colonies from the rule of the king. The original intent was to keep the government out of state affairs and citizen freedoms. After pounding out the Constitution,...
ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 You’re pure rocket fuel this week, Aries. Charge ahead with all of your bold ideas. Your charisma is off the charts right now. Use it before your energy starts to wane. TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 Treat yourself to something delicious and expensive this week, Taurus. Just do not blame the cosmos when you get the receipt for this luxury. GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 Say yes to spontaneous plans this week, Gemini. Your brain is going a mile a minute, so you may need someone along for the ride to keep you grounded. CANCER - Jun...
Dear Editor, More than a century ago, our state confronted a difficult question: Who should government ultimately answer to, its citizens or concentrated wealth? The influence of the Copper Kings shaped Montana politics so profoundly that generations of Montanans fought to restore a basic principle: government should remain accountable to the people. That struggle eventually led Montana to become a national leader in limiting corporate influence in elections. Today, we find ourselves asking a...
Seven hundred years before Paul walked this earth, Isaiah compared God to a potter (cf. Isaiah 29:16). As Paul brought Christ’s message to the Roman Empire, he presented Jesus in an intimate way, in the same tradition. In the United States, this “God with us” has held until the current generation. The second book of Timothy shocks me: “But mark this, there will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, is obedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without...
GEORGIA, I have a question. My wife and kids have been begging for Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), so I picked it up on my way home. They were at the grocery store when I got home with the food, and I couldn’t fight my inner demons not to eat the skin off every single piece of chicken (it was only 12 pieces). When my wife got home, I told her I had dinner plans with my buddies - we play golf every Saturday and then do dinner after. I’m at dinner, and my wife calls me FURIOUS. She’s demanding I come home and bring them new food. I refused....
Life is so fragile, yet so abundant. Pee generally gets dirtier when it goes into the toilet. The influencers of the world don’t hold the title of influencer. TIP: Snell rubbing alcohol when you’re nauseous. Sniffing an alcohol wipe stops sudden upset stomach twice as fast as pill medications. AI is an excellent servant, but a dangerous master. A distant ancestor decided to try sharpening things, and then everything changed. We get mad at dogs for rolling in poo, but wear perfume with ingredients like Civet and Ambergris. If ghosts kill...
I found Representative Maness's diatribe suggesting the neglect of Federal management on our public lands published in the July 29 2026 issue of the Ledger to be a misleading ploy. In my opinion, his intended strategy is aimed to support a policy of selling off our public lands to the private sector for a nominal cost at the public's expense. His justifications for ending public land ownership are distorted, deceptive and in one example preposterous. I'm not suggesting that management of our...
I’m the Executive Director of Forward Montana. Every day, my staff and I organize and build political power with other young people across our state. These people are working multiple jobs while struggling to afford rent. They’re wondering if they’ll ever be able to buy a home or even be able to stay here in Montana. They’re worrying about lengthening forest fire seasons and dwindling snow. They’re watching their parents come into retirement with little saved and rising costs. They don’t know how long they can keep barely making...
Larry Charles Hoffman was born July 13, 1945, in Lewistown, Montana, to Ruth Kelly Hoffman, whose grandparents came up the Missouri to Montana in 1880, and Austin Hoffman. His parents divorced in 1947, and he was raised by his mother, who bought a ranch in Pyramid Gulch of the Judith Mountains when he was about 5. Afflicted with hay fever after moving to the ranch, he visited a family-friend's small mine just before his eighth birthday and found there was no pollen underground. From there he...
Two men from Harrison were convicted of multiple hunting violations in Jefferson, Madison and Gallatin counties. Jeremy Michael Hill and Ryan Francis McGuire faced several charges after the two men were found to have killed multiple deer illegally over several years. Game wardens with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks conducted a yearlong investigation into Hill and McGuire following a report from a concerned witness about a wasted whitetail buck found in Hill’s possession. The investigation revealed evidence that Hill, over a three-year...
SUNDAY, JULY 26 00:12:54 Stolen Property: Hwy 2 E 00:13:35 Suspicious: Hwy 2 E 00:22:42 Domestic Violence: Hwy 2 E 00:43:44 Vehicle Accident (Non-Injury): Hwy 2 E 00:55:42 Medical: Hwy 2 E 00:56:12 Domestic Violence: N Main St 00:57:28 Trespass: Hwy 2 E 01:43:17 Medical: Hwy 2 E 01:51:50 Citizen Contact: Hwy 2 E 02:16:15 Fight: Mint Bar 02:37:33 Fight: Hwy 2 E 02:48:53 Citizen Contact 03:06:25 Reckless Driver: Hwy 2 E 04:22:37 Medical: Hwy 2 E 04:56:31 Administrative: Hwy 2 E 07:01:47 Traffic...
