Week of February 4, 2026
Week of February 4, 2026
The Mai Wah Society will once again host Butte America’s annual Chinese New Year Parade, which has been described as the shortest, loudest, and (sometimes) coldest parade in Montana. Celebrating the “Year of the Horse,” the parade will be held on Saturday, February 21, 2026. It will start at the Butte-Silver Bow Courthouse (155 West Granite) at 3 PM. Following opening remarks, the parade will head east on Granite Street with the dragon blessing business sponsors along the route. Those in attendance are encouraged to follow the dragon...
A pair of environmental groups and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes are challenging the federal government’s approval of a measure that Montana lawmakers passed last year, which loosens water quality standards. In a lawsuit filed in federal district court in Great Falls on Monday, Upper Missouri Waterkeeper, Flathead Lakers, and CSKT contend that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to approve House Bill 664 is “inconsistent with” the Clean Water Act. The complaint also argues that the EPA failed to...
People from all walks of life look forward to Super Bowl Sunday. Diehard football fans may love each Sunday of the National Football League season, but even casual fans or people who typically don't watch a game all season enjoy getting together with friends and family to watch the big game on Super Bowl Sunday. Much of the appeal of Super Bowl Sunday is the festive atmosphere, a feeling amplified by an assortment of delicious foods that are often on the menu at game-watching gatherings....
I feel like I should be writing about Summer Reading with all of this beautiful weather we are having. This will be a busy month with programs, staff vacations, new books arriving, and more. The Friends of the Whitehall Community Library have moved their meeting time to the first Thursday of the month at 2:30 PM. With the sun setting so early, many members wanted to get home during daylight. This month's meeting will be held on February 5th at 2:30 PM. If you would like to join the Friends,...
On Tuesday, January 27, Mr. Michael Coombe took five Cardwell students to the Montana State University campus in Bozeman to participate in the American Mathematics Competition. The American Mathematics Competition is written and developed each year by the Mathematical Association of America. The MSU Science Math Resource Center hosts the competition for Montana Middle and High School students. Students who are inspired to learn advanced math beyond the classroom test their proficiency on a...
From Vietnamese pho to Greek halloumi flatbread to French crepes, there will be something for everyone at Montana State University’s annual International Food Bazaar on Wednesday, Feb. 18. The event will be held in MSU’s Miller Dining Commons and Rendezvous Dining Pavilion from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. It is open to the public and requires paid admission to the dining halls. Adult admission is $17 for entry into one dining hall or $25 for both dining halls. Admission for children ages 5-13 is $15; children under 4 are admitted free. Students...
FEBRUARY 1926 · The first theater production of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel The Great Gatsby premieres at the Ambassador Theater on Broadway on February 2. Veteran stage actor James Rennie stars as the titular character. · The National League holds a banquet at the Hotel Astor in New York City on February 2 to celebrate the baseball league’s fiftieth anniversary. · An explosion at a mine operated by the Pittsburgh Terminal Coal Company kills 20 miners in Horning, Pennsylvania, on February 3. · Colonel Francisco Franco is promoted...
This was written to Florence Weyer, honoring her 40 years plus as Treasurer for the Whitehall Low Power Television. Dear Florence, We are truly thankful for your service as a significant member of Whitehall Low Power Television. You began volunteering when the petitioning first started to form the Whitehall District, and from that moment forward, you have served faithfully. From filing reports and completing taxes to paying bills and tracking every penny, you carried responsibilities that few...
KIDDOS: Need a gift for someone special this Valentine's Day? Come down to the Star Theatre on Friday, February 13th, from 3 PM to 5 PM and paint a heart-shaped planter - all free of charge! This free event is brought to you by Raven 3D Printing & Design and Gold Junction Presents. 15 planters with seeds are available for children under 18. Too loud for your little one or need to go early? To-go kits are available! Questions? Contact Raven at...
Town shop and Ladies Auxiliary "swap": The Whitehall Ladies Auxiliary, which has been instrumental in raising funds for the ambulance and other community needs, will soon be operating out of a new location: the town maintenance shop behind the Whitetail Creek Car Wash. WHS Creative Leader of the Week: BRETT WISNER. Student Council member Brett Wisner has earned honors this week for his leadership and work on the Christmas assembly. Brett is a sophomore and the son of Wendy Knox and Terry...
The Cardwell School held its spelling bee and is pleased to announce the winners, who will advance to the county spelling bee in Clancy on February 11th at 6...
Accounting students from Montana State University’s Jake Jabs College of Business and Entrepreneurship are offering free help preparing tax returns for MSU students and community members who made less than $60,000 last year. The 2026 help sessions will be held on the MSU campus in Jabs Hall, Room 215, from 3:15 to 5:15 PM on the following dates: Feb. 23, 25; March 2, 4, 9, 11, 23, 25, 30; and April 1. People interested in these services are encouraged to make an appointment to guarantee a spot, which can be done online at...
While Montana saw fewer tourists in 2025, they came with more gray hair — and more dollars for Montana businesses. That’s according to visitor surveys conducted by the University of Montana’s Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research, presented by economist Melissa Weddell at a seminar organized in Helena Tuesday by the university’s Bureau of Business and Economic Research. According to Weddell’s figures, the number of people who visited Montana last year declined by 3.6% to 13.8 million, down from 2024. However, nonresident...
As of February 5, 2026, Whitehall’s Ace Hardware will no longer be selling Montana FWP licenses. According to owner Bridget Morse, the MT FWP is transitioning to an Ambassador program and replacing the current Licensed Agents. While Ace has been a licensed agent since 1989 and has seen many changes to the process and systems over the years, they have chosen not to be Ambassadors. Should anyone need assistance in finding a new way to purchase licenses, Ace Hardware is still here to help, just not...
Dear Editor, Montana FWP needs a name change to reflect its real mission. It's early February, and Montana hunters are still pursuing heavily pregnant cow elk throughout many private ranchlands around the state at a time when the animals are just trying to make it through winter. Even in a relatively mild winter like this one, it's a sign of failed wildlife management that animals must be hunted for half the year, while many other states have reasonable fall seasons that respect big game as...
ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 This week brings a refreshing burst of motivation, Aries. You’ll feel clarity around something that’s been lingering on your mind. Small victories stack quickly - celebrate them. TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 Comfort and progress go hand-in-hand this week, Taurus. You’re finding your rhythm, and it shows. A financial or practical matter becomes easier than expected. GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, your natural curiosity lights up your week. Inspiration flows easily, especially through conversations or creative...
Persecution and suffering have shaped Christianity throughout history, beginning in the first century with figures like Paul and the many members of the early church. Today, we can look back at this rich heritage and admire their steadfastness, yet draw strength and live by the same unity in Christ. “Therefore, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love,...
Dear Editor, Property taxes were addressed in the last legislative session through HB 231 and HB 542, creating a new framework for how property taxes are calculated in Montana. HB 231, brought forward by Llew Jones, is a 44-page bill that reset homeowner property taxes into four tiers. On the surface, this sounds reasonable: higher-valued properties pay higher rates. That is the theory. In practice, however, this approach is deeply flawed. First, many homeowners have owned their properties for...
GEORGIA, I have a question, So...basically, I’m a young 20s guy living on my own paycheck to paycheck. I have a basement apartment, and my landlord, well, he is pretty much non-existent. And, well, my toilet is so messed up that I’ve begun to use a litter box. I know, it’s disgusting, but I have no idea how to fix the current state of my plumbing. Normally, this isn’t an issue, but I have a date coming over to my place, and she’s implied she wants to “stay the night.” I foolishly said yes, completely forgetting that I’ve been...
At some point, good memories stop being comfort and start being contrast. There is a good chance that the only thing stopping undersea cities from existing is the relatively short lifespan of octopuses. Humans evolved a larynx optimized for speech, even though it makes choking more likely than in other mammals, because cooperation through language saved more lives than the anatomy cost. With AI and AR becoming as good as they are and as fast as they are, we will eventually be unable to distinguish them from reality. At that point,...
WHAT MUNDANE CHORE DO YOU HATE THE MOST? Cleaning the refrigerator!!! - KR All of it! - TS Laundry - DT Dusting - LR, JB, and TWA Grocery shopping - LH Vacuuming - FR Dishes - AKP Cleaning the bathroom - JL Cleaning doors and trim - MR Ironing, I’d rather scrub the kitchen floor with a toothbrush than iron - DWM Hauling groceries in, putting them away, cooking them - JPD Anything you have to do over and over again. Laundry, dishes, cooking, shopping - MB Folding & putting away laundry - KB WHAT PROBLEM CAN YOU NOT BELIEVE TECHNOLOGY...
The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) is announcing and inviting public comment on a proposal to resurface approximately 10 miles of US Highway 287 (US 287) between McAllister and Norris. The project begins just south of the post office in McAllister, at mile marker 55.3, and extends north, ending near the US 287/US 84 (US 84) intersection at mile marker 65.2 in Norris. Proposed work includes milling the existing surface, applying a new overlay, and finishing with a seal-and-cover (chip seal), upgraded pavement markings, signage, and...
SUNDAY, JANUARY 25 05:59:08 911: W First St 09:02:45 Welfare Check: Hwy 2 W 10:37:43 Suspicious Person: W Legion St 11:15:10 Civil: Kountz Rd 11:27:32 Extra Patrol: S Whitehall St 11:34:53 Traffic Stop: Hwy 55 12:01:11 Traffic Stop: Hwy 55 12:26:54 Forest Service Patrol: Delmoe Lake Rec Area Rd 14:59:38 Traffic Stop: E Legion St 15:24:31 Agency Assist 15:33:27 Traffic Stop 15:52:37 Traffic Stop: Hwy 55 16:22:47 Traffic Stop: W Legion St 17:51:51 Harassment: E Legion St 18:22:30 Suspicious...
Hello Jefferson County, I'd like to officially announce my intention to run for Jefferson County Commissioner for a third term. This is my 12th year as your District 2 commissioner, and I look forward to serving another term. Much of the work your county commissioner does is keeping the county government running properly and efficiently while adhering to state laws and staying within budget. Just a few examples of the work I do on a daily or weekly basis include meeting with department heads,...
HONORING OUR SENIORS: Seniors Rylee Randel (above left) and Cassidy Collins were honored at the 2026 Wrestling Senior Night on Thursday, January 29th. Both seniors were accompanied to the mats by their respective families - Randel as the team manager and Collins as a wrestler. Photos courtesy MELISSA STRATTON...
