Week of June 17, 2026
Week of June 17, 2026
After nearly 41 years of caring for patients in Whitehall, Dr. Terry Reiff is stepping away from daily practice and embracing retirement with gratitude, reflection, and anticipation for the adventures ahead. For Dr. Reiff and his wife, Carol Ann, retirement marks the closing of a chapter that began in August 1985, when they arrived in Whitehall with their four children (Matt, Nathan, Terra, and Jamie) and quickly became woven into the fabric of the community. The journey to Whitehall was not...
Thanks to the sponsorship of the Jefferson Valley Community Foundation, the Culpepper & Merriweather Circus is coming to Whitehall, MT on Saturday, June 20, 2026, to the Whitehall Recreation Complex, with shows at 2 PM and 4:30 PM. C&M Circus has been providing quality, local family entertainment for 41 years. This authentic One-Ring, Big Top Circus has been featured on the A&E Special: Under the Big Top, Nick News: On the Road with Circus Kids, and most recently OETA’s Big Top Town. This year, C&M Circus is excited to bring their brand new...
Polish your pixie wings, shine those gnome boots, and fluff up your troll moss because something truly magical is fluttering into town! On Saturday, June 20th, the Main Street Green (right beside the historic Star Theatre) will transform into a realm of wonder and whimsy for Whitehall’s 4th Annual Enchanted Faire, a celebration of imagination, creativity, and community spirit. Beginning at 11:30 AM, the Faire will be in full bloom with whimsical vendors found along the enchanted home trails, delightful games and enchantments for all ages,...
Spotted knapweed (Centaurea stoebe) is one of the most widespread noxious weeds in Montana, occurring in all 56 counties. Spotted knapweed was probably originally brought to the United States through contaminated alfalfa shipments and discarded ballast soil from cargo ships. This noxious weed arrived in America in the late 19th century and began appearing in Montana in the 1920s, where it has since spread across millions of acres statewide. Spotted knapweed is a branched perennial with a deep...
The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT), in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), is seeking public comment on the Draft Section 4(f) Evaluation for the Pipestone Pass Erosion Repair project. The project is located southeast of the Pipestone Trailhead on Montana Highway 2 (MT 2) between mile markers 75.1 and 75.5. The federally required Section 4(f) evaluation applies to projects that use publicly owned land from a park, recreation area, wildlife refuge, or historic site. The Pipestone Pass project will require...
Fresh ingredients can be components of a flavorful meal. With warmer weather, fresh ingredients can also help people avoid feeling sluggish after eating. This summer, fresh ingredients like avocado and tomatoes can be just what people need when looking for a delicious meal that won't adversely affect their energy levels. The following recipe for Bruschetta Topped With Avocado and Tomatoes from Lines+Angles uses both ingredients and can be a great addition to any summertime dinner table....
The Whitehall School Board approved the master contract with the Whitehall Teachers Union and accepted the resignations of three teachers in action at the June 6th meeting. The Whitehall Town Council unanimously approved a five-lot commercial subdivision, committed $3,000 to a proposed animal shelter, and debated - but did not act on - a proposed "incompatibility of office" ordinance during action at the June 11 meeting. Jefferson Valley Presents Performer of the Week: HANK KING. Hank King is...
This year, in celebration of the 250th Anniversary of the United States of America, Whitehall’s local American Legion Post #24 and VFW Post 4603 will be hosting a Whitehall fireworks display on July 4th to commemorate the celebration. We ask for your support in raising funds for this monumental endeavor! The United States’ 250th birthday of American independence will be on July 4, 2026, with nationwide celebrations honoring the nation’s founding, history, and values. This milestone, known as America250, is a major historical and...
The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT), in partnership with Hoffman’s R&M Services, has completed the Whitehall Sidewalks project, enhancing pedestrian safety, accessibility, and connections to important community destinations. The project added Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant sidewalks and pedestrian improvements in four areas of Whitehall: • Along the north side of Yellowstone Trail, between the pedestrian bridge at Whitetail Deer Creek and Whitetail Drive, • At the intersection of East 1st Street and North...
It is a great week to visit the Whitehall Community Library! We are kicking things off with a bang with programs and lunches galore. On Wednesday, June 24th, Markie Schulz will be here with her amazing dragon puppets at 10:30 AM. It will be a great time for everyone, and lunch will be available for pickup from 11 AM until 1 PM. The library was approved for the Senior Planet Digital Education Program and will offer classes this fall on a range of technologies and computer programs. The classes...
The Montana State University-Northern Spring semester Dean’s List contains 333 students. Two Whitehall High School alumni are included on this list: 2024 graduates Reilly J. Slater and Cyrus W. Tebay. To be included in the Dean’s List, students must carry a minimum of 12 credits and earn a grade point average of 3.25 or better. Students who received a pass, incomplete, or “F” during this semester are not included on the honor roll...
Chunk! Chunk! Chunk! Chunk! The sod cutter whined as its blade sliced through my lawn like a block of cheese. Its motor pulled me toward the fence, where I wrestled the machine 180 degrees to cut the next section. My buddy Brad was busy rolling up the strips of sod and stacking them next to the sidewalk where I'd placed a "free" sign. Neighbors quickly appeared, thankful for patches to cover the dead spots their dogs had left in their lawns during the winter. After a couple hours of work,...
Join us at Sage Wellness Center (SWC) as we gather to mark the summer solstice with this meditative breathwork experience, and remember that true light is not something we strive to create on our own, but something we reflect as we walk closely with The Creator — the true Light of the World. As we enter this season of warmth, growth, and long days, we will breathe into what it means to open ourselves to His presence and allow that light to shine through us with compassion, courage, healing, and love. Come and find renewal for body, mind,...
Vera Millegan, our beautiful mother, passed away peacefully on May 4th, 2026. Vera Marie Butt Millegan was born August 29, 1930, to Alfred and Della (Garbe) Butt in Polson, Montana. She was raised with six sisters and two brothers. She attended grade school in Pablo, MT, and graduated from Polson High School in 1948. Work took her to Spokane, WA, for a few years, then back home to Polson, where she worked in the Polson Drug Store and met Roy E. Millegan. They were married at the Lutheran Church...
ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 Management opportunities are coming your way, Aries. It is time to step up and take the lead. Your confidence has long been a strong character trait, so push forward. TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, patience will pay off big time when a long-awaited piece of news finally arrives. The weekend is a perfect time for walking in nature or tending to the garden. GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 Your curiosity is leading you down a fascinating path right now, Gemini. This could spark a new interest. Stay flexible, as a last-minute change...
I grew up in Anaconda, in the shadow of the smelter stack. As a proud union Democrat, I was 12 years old before I realized “Damnrepublicans” was actually two words. I ran for the Montana Legislature as a Democrat, later served as Superintendent of Public Instruction, and spent my career fighting for working families. When I ran for Congress in 2000, I carried my father’s lunch bucket with me across the state as a reminder of where I came from and who I was serving. I have supported Democrats my entire life, and I will continue to do so....
Jesus Christ’s bold love for people warms our hearts and thoughts, making us a better church. Prayer, forgiveness, fellowship, teaching, and their relationship have been the focus of my meditation for today’s article. Author and Pastor Ben Mandrell, in his Together series, emphasizes these pillars, comparing them to a four-legged stool, each complementing one another. The first leg is Teaching. “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,” teaches Romans in chapter 12. “Then you will...
In Montana, we pride ourselves on independence, fairness, and looking out for one another—especially when distances are long and resources are few. For Montanans with disabilities, one of the most important tools that makes those values real is Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Often overlooked, Section 504 is not a bureaucratic technicality. It is a civil rights promise—one that is now at risk. Passed in 1973, Section 504 was the first federal law to prohibit disability discrimination. Its principle is simple: any program or service...
To the Editor: As Montanans are asked whether to sign petitions related to The Montana Plan, I find myself thinking less about the initiative itself and more about what the debate surrounding it reveals about us as citizens. Millions of dollars may be spent attempting to persuade Montanans what to think. Some will argue that this spending proves the need for additional laws and regulations. Others will argue the opposite. But perhaps the more important question is this: When did we begin...
Dear Editor, I wanted to write this letter to thank Ken Walsh for his six years of service to our district and our state. I had the opportunity to interact briefly with Ken several years ago when I had a concern I wished to voice. I received a prompt and thoughtful response, and a sense that my concern was being taken to heart and brought to the legislature with him. I was disappointed to learn that Ken lost the primary, but I found his letter to the editor last week to be incredibly...
"Trapper Bill" died peacefully in his sleep in Whitehall, Montana, on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. He was the son of Kenneth and Clarice (Huffman) Stewart. Bill was a 1963 graduate of New Albany High School (IN) and served in the Indiana National Guard. Although it was difficult, he thoroughly enjoyed Jungle Warfare Training in Panama and was proud to have done that. He retired from Navistar in Springfield, Ohio (originally International Harvester, Louisville, Kentucky). He forged friendships with...
"Dr. Don" Collins, Ph.D., a popular professor at MSU Bozeman, passed away peacefully on May 4, 2026, at age 92. He taught in the Biology (Ecology) Department for over 36 years, retiring in 1998 as a Professor Emeritus of Biology, Ph.D. (Genetics). He lived most of his life in the home he built close to Story Park; then, for several months, at Galatin County Nursing Home, in the care of their extraordinary staff, with his lovely wife Donna at his side. Don was born in 1934, youngest of three...
Tammy Becraft was born December 1, 1959, in Salem, Indiana, to Porter Becraft and Delores Drew. She spent her younger years in the Salem and Pekin area. At the age of 9, she moved to Nebraska with her family. Tammy graduated from Logan View in 1978. She lived in Fremont, Nebraska, where her son Kip was born. In 1988, Tammy moved to Montana. Tammy was very talented in everything she did. She had many hobbies, enjoyed the outdoors, nature, and animals of all kinds. Tammy was preceded in death by...
Conservation groups have filed at least three separate appeals seeking to halt the Trump administration's decision to evict more than 900 bison from large swaths of federal land in central Montana. The administration's decision in early May to rescind American Prairie's bison grazing permits marked a victory for ranching groups who see the iconic native mammal as a threat to their livestock operations and way of life. Among those who advocated to remove the bison was the Montana Stockgrowers...
The Transparent Election Initiative announced Tuesday that The Montana Plan, Initiative 194, is set to qualify for the November ballot after an all-volunteer campaign collected nearly 50,000 signatures from voters in all 56 Montana counties in just 13 weeks — far surpassing Montana’s 30,121-signature statewide qualification threshold. To qualify for the ballot, I-194 must receive 30,121 verified signatures statewide and meet Montana’s geographic distribution requirement by collecting signatures equal to at least 5% of the vote cast for...
SUNDAY, JUNE 7 10:11:54 Reckless Driver: I-90 10:54:40 Reckless Drive: I-90 11:03:20 Reckless Driver: I-90 11:29:46 Suicide Threats: W First St 19:44:33 Hit & Run: Jewett Ln 22:10:27 Welfare Check: East St MONDAY, JUNE 8 04:56:41 Medical: Corbett Loop 06:27:51 Citizen Assist: N Main St 08:20:26 Suspicious: E Legion St 08:46:39 Citizen Assist: Holdsworth Rd 13:33:52 Traffic Stop: Pipestone Rd 15:03:36 Traffic Stop: I-90 15:39:52 Traffic Stop: I-90 16:01:18 Citizen Assist: W Legion St 16:54:19...
Whitehall Indivisible (WI) once again rolled its eyes as hand-breaking, cracked-wing Senator Sheehy referred to our group as a "Communist Insurgent Operation," while his faction continues to allow Putin and the Russians to bomb Ukraine, support Iran, and interfere in US elections. The primary action item of the week is to make phone calls to your Congressmen on the Major Richard Star Act Discharge Petition, urging them to force action. All four Montana delegates have supported the now-stalled...
A 2026 Election Candidate Meet & Greet will be held at the Star Theatre (25 W Legion) in the upstairs Great Room on Wednesday, June 17th at 6:30 PM. This meet & greet is not a candidate forum, but an opportunity to meet the candidates personally, interact, and ask your questions in a public but personal setting. Light refreshments will be provided. Please enter through the Star Theatre’s main doors, then go up the stairs immediately to the right of the ticket booth. This event has been organized by DeDe Rhodes. The following candidates have...
