Week of December 4, 2024
Week of December 4, 2024
Jefferson County officials recently reviewed a proposal from Montana Land Reliance to establish a 195-acre conservation easement in southern Jefferson County. The property is located west of Cardwell, along the Jefferson River, and visible from I-90. The current owner, Ruth Lott, hopes to maintain public recreational access to the Jefferson River and preserve the land for wildlife and seasonal grazing. According to the proposal provided to the County, the easement would "conserve open space...
Join the Whitehall Ledger for its annual community Christmas party at 6 PM this Thursday, December 5th. This holiday party, held at the Star Theatre, will have lots of food, drink, and cheer - all while watching GREMLINS for free! Enjoy everyone's company as the entire community is invited! Wear your favorite Christmas jammies or your ugliest sweater-just come comfortable and ready to enjoy the festivities and kick off the Christmas Stroll weekend! Gremlins (free) starts at 7 PM. Bring some...
Over the past 26 years, the Whitehall Saddle Club (WSC) has hosted an annual Wreath Auction - a mainstay of nearly every Whitehall Christmas Stroll. In total, over $137,000 has been raised for community nonprofits and endeavors. While raising awareness for the food pantry by collecting food to stock the shelves. The WSC sells votes for those who don't want to bring in canned goods. This is your invitation to join the fun and MAKE, VOTE ON, or BUY a wreath for this year's event. The 2024...
The Whitehall High School Madrigal Dinner, presented by the WHS Music Department, will be held December 4th and 5th at 6:30 PM in the WHS Multi-Purpose Room. Festivities include music, dancing, contests, skits, and medieval meal. Tickets are $30 per person, with a feast that includes smoked pork, haricots vert, jacket potatoes, crusty bread, and cheesecake pudding. TICKETS ARE STILL AVAILABLE! To purchase, contact the school at 287-3862, email music director Janet Heilig at j...
Whitehall residents were treated to quite a sight Sunday, December 1st as a hot air balloon landed on West First Street to swap out...
The Ledger is finishing up work on the 2025-2026 phone book and hopes to release it in January. While the original advertising and change deadline was last week, the Ledger is doing one final call for updates. If you would like an ad in the phone book or know of a name/number that needs to be changed, please get in touch with the Whitehall Ledger at 406-287-5301. No further changes will be accepted after December...
Christmas: The Whitehall Ledger will close at 4 PM on December 20th and reopen on December 26th. There will be no Whitehall Ledger edition the week of Christmas. Merry Christmas! New Year's Eve: The deadline for the 1/1/2025 paper will be 12/29/2024. The Whitehall Ledger will close at 3 PM on December 31st and reopen on January 2nd. The 1/1/2025 paper will not be mailed until January 2nd, as the post office will be closed for the New Year...
It’s time to vote for your favorite Whitehall Ledger Photo of the Year! Vote now! Visit the Ledger’s Facebook photo album entitled 2024 Photos of the Week (https://bit.ly/4hGpQFp) and start voting! Likes will be tallied and a winner will be announced in the first paper of 2025! Head over to our Facebook page and like your favorite photo. The photo with the most likes by December 31, 2024, will be crowned the...
100+ Years Ago - December, Part I: While the children were counting down the days to Christmas back in December 1898, adults were busy with world affairs. The peace treaty of Paris was being finalized with the key details of Spain withdrawing from Cuba and the Philippines and giving up its sovereignty over Puerto Rico. The U.S. postal service was suffering growing pains with 73,000 post offices and 200,000 employees and a projected debt for the year 1900 of over $4,000,000. The 55th Congress...
DECEMBER 1, 1999 The annual Whitehall Christmas Stroll festivities were set for Friday, Dec. 3, and several special Stroll events were planned for participants and shoppers. The Stroll, sponsored by the Whitehall Chamber of Commerce and made possible by the volunteer work of Chamber members, town merchants, and others, officially kicks off the commercial holiday season in Whitehall. The newly formed American Legion Post No. 132 members in Whitehall held their first meeting. Richard A. Shepard...
December calendars are out and available at the front desk of the Whitehall Community Library. The program changes, closing dates, and computer class announcements are all included. The library will be closed on December 24th and 25th for Christmas and December 31/January 1 for New Year's. We will be running a full, regular schedule during the rest of the week. The book drop is always open for those who want to return finished items. History Book Club meets early this month on Monday, December...
The holidays are a time for gathering with family and friends to catch up, make memories, and usually eat a lot of food. However, experts at National Jewish Health stress that if you or your child have food allergies, knowing every ingredient in Grandma’s special holiday cookies or your aunt’s famous casserole is crucial to enjoying the season safely. “One bad mouthful of food can be extremely dangerous for those with food allergies,” said Jessica Hui, MD, a pediatric allergist and immunologist at National Jewish Health. “There are...
If it feels like you’ve gotten more spam calls than usual this year, it’s not your imagination - over two-thirds of Americans report receiving more spam calls in 2024 than in 2023. WhistleOut analyzed data about robocalling in the U.S. and surveyed 1,000 adults about how they’re handling the increase in spam. While robocalls are widespread, not every state suffers equally: Montanans receive 112,548,100 robocalls annually. That’s 100/person. New Threats: Half of Americans lack confidence in their ability to spot AI-generated robocalls...
The holiday season doubles as cookie season. Indeed, there's no shortage of baking opportunities in December. Various cookies make the rounds, and if you are tasked with bringing cookies to a function, you might be interested in something a little different. Santa's Whiskers likely get their name from the coconut on these cookies, which resemble Santa's beard. Maraschino cherries also add some jolly red to the cookies, making them perfect for Christmas. Try this recipe from Butter, Flour,...
Montana’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Division (ABCD) will again award five, one-time, $2,000 scholarships to students who come up with a design and write a brief paragraph (explaining design) to create posters, T-shirts, stickers or decals, coasters, billboards, etc. dedicated to the question: What does “Alcohol Responsibility Matters” mean to you and your community? What is the purpose of the scholarships? Montana’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Division (ABCD) is a member of the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association (NABCA) and...
TURKEY AND JAMMIES: Rocky Mountain Head Start celebrated Thanksgiving with a pajama party! The students learned about gratitude and thankfulness by creating a gift for their families. The Head Start staff is grateful for our community's support of this vital preschool program. We wish you the best this holiday...
COME ONE, COME ALL: The Cardwell School held its annual Thanksgiving Dinner on Wednesday, November 27th. The meal fed over 120 people, most in person, though some meals were...
The number of acres enrolled in Block Management, a hunting access program managed by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, has continued its gradual decline despite efforts to bolster landowner interest in the program. Hunters have been tracking revisions to Block Management, hopeful that changes to the landowner reimbursement payment structure authorized by the last two Montana Legislatures can reverse flagging participation in the program and help alleviate concerns about crowding as sales of hunting licenses climb. As the last week of the...
Even a short vacation from school can cause learning loss and leave kids feeling behind when they return to the classroom. Fortunately, there are many ways to keep minds active during the holiday break, some of which will reinforce the concepts they are learning in school. Here are a few of them: Vacation Reading: Whether traveling for the holidays or staying close to home, curling up with a book is a great way to spend some of the inevitable downtime. At the start of the break, hit up the library so everyone in the family will have plenty to...
The Dos and Don'ts of Safe Online Shopping This Gift-Giving Season As the holiday season approaches, we often turn to online shopping for convenience and variety. However, it's crucial to stay vigilant to ensure a safe and secure shopping experience. Here are some essential dos and don'ts to remember while shopping online this festive season. Dos Use Reputable Websites: Always shop from well-known and trusted websites. Look for URLs that start with "https://" as the 's' stands for secure....
The typical NorthWestern Energy residential customer will see a $7.96 decrease in their monthly electricity bill following the Montana Public Service Commission’s (PSC) decision to adopt a temporary rate structure. On Tuesday, November 26th, commissioners authorized the 7.2% rate decrease at the recommendation of PSC staff, who determined that falling natural gas prices and a shifting regional energy market are working in electricity consumers’ favor. The PSC is the elected utility board tasked with balancing the financial health of...
Christmas: The Whitehall Ledger will close at 4 PM on December 20th and reopen December 26th. There will be no Whitehall Ledger edition the week of Christmas. Merry Christmas! New Year's Eve: Deadline for the 1/1/2025 paper will be 12/29/2024. The Whitehall Ledger will close at 3 PM on December 31st and reopen January 2nd. The 1/1/2025 paper will not be mailed until January...
Congratulations to LaDonna Knox! She won the first drawing of the Whitehall Chamber’s Shop Local & Win in Whitehall...
It can be easy to get caught up in the busyness of the holidays, only to end up feeling stressed out, overwhelmed, and disconnected. But what if you could navigate the holidays feeling centered, calm, and joyful? To that end, Sage Wellness Center is hosting “Awakening Joy - A Transformational Workshop on Gratitude and Abundance Through the Holidays.” This morning of journaling, yoga, breathwork, and guided meditation will help you connect to the energy of gratitude, abundance, and joy so you can intentionally enter the holiday season with...
Dear Editor, At the Montana Nonprofit Association, we strive to uplift and celebrate the contributions and impact of the nonprofit sector across our state. As we approach the 2025 Legislative Session, this work is more important than ever. More than 8,000 charitable nonprofits operate across every region of the state providing essential services and creating the communities we love. Nonprofits are an integral part of communities, providing health services, youth programs, arts and culture, food...
Dear Editor, Representative Ken Walsh is ready to take on new responsibilities as the Montana Legislature prepares to convene for its 69th session on January 6th. Following recent preparatory meetings in Helena, Walsh has been assigned to the influential Appropriations Committee, where he will play a critical role in shaping the state’s budget. Walsh, who represents House District 69, expressed enthusiasm for the upcoming session and the opportunities it presents. “The Appropriations...
Dear Editor, I get Seth Godin's blog every day. I thought this one was particularly worth sharing. "Thank you" is a complete sentence: It's a way to offer connection or acknowledgment. It's a recognition of feedback and the time it took someone to consider us. We can use it after we share something important, or someone shares with us. More than the end of an exchange, it can be the beginning of a relationship. "Thank you" helps someone feel seen and understood. It reminds us that we're not...
GEORGIA, I have a question, At Thanksgiving dinner at my inlaws this weekend, my mother-in-law handed me several napkins in the middle of the meal. I became very self-conscious, thinking I must be making a mess. I checked my mirror, and everything was fine as far as I could tell, but I still felt embarrassed. Sometimes, I need extra napkins, but I prefer to ask for them myself. On the other hand, I appreciate my mother-in-law's kindness, so I wouldn’t want to discourage her from being alert and helpful. What’s your take? NOT MESSY MESSY...
ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, your energy is impressive and contagious this week. You can use it to tackle tasks you have been putting off. A surprise message could brighten your weekend. TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, review your budget and consider a new investment opportunity. This week brings a chance to reconnect with someone special. Don't avoid vulnerability, as it could enhance things. GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 You might find yourself in discussions leading to exciting new projects, Gemini. Be open to collaboration and work on improving...
200,000 years of humans, and we left the planet for the first time 62 years ago. We’re in the beginning. The universe is so big that light speed isn’t nearly fast enough to get us anywhere on an intergalactic scale. At some point, we shifted the meaning of luck from “something that happened to you” to “something you bring with you and can be spent.” There is an optimal way to load a dishwasher, and everyone thinks they’ve found it. Your right hand has never touched your right elbow without experiencing extreme pain. The Internet...
Throughout history, numerous views of Jesus exist. Likewise, the same is true today, depending on your audience. Christmas is fast approaching, and many of us acknowledge that this holiday is all about Jesus; others consider Christmas a time of giving or cheer minus Christ. Ultimately, the question is up to each individual to decide whether to accept the claims of Jesus Christ. I’m certainly not ashamed to share my beliefs regarding Jesus; the foundation of my faith rests on the Bible and solid historical evidence that affirms Christ’s...
With great sadness, we announce the passing of our loving Mother, Laura Catherine Capp. She was born June 20, 1927, in Butte, Montana; she passed away November 22, 2024, in the Butte hospital. She was raised in McQueen, Butte, MT, and married Vincent Capp on June 20, 1946. They have resided in Whitehall since their marriage. She was preceded in death by her husband, parents Katie (Bugni) and Guido Palagi, sister Louise Pelletier, and brother Larry Palagi. Mom is survived by her son, Richard...
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 24 00:14:43 Traffic Stop: I-90 03:08:12 Vehicle Accident (Non-Injury): I-90 07:22:06 Vehicle Accident (Non-Injury): I-90 07:41:09 Vehicle Accident (Injury): I-90 08:56:51 Vehicle Accident (Non-Injury): I-90 09:17:52 Vehicle Accident (Non-Injury) 09:31:08 Vehicle Accident (Non-Injury): I-90 10:03:17 Agency Assist 10:44:36 Vehicle Accident (Non-Injury): Hwy 2 W 11:36:23 911 Hang Up: Hwy 287 11:40:44 Extra Patrol 16:51:05 Follow Up: Wapiti Rd 17:05:09 Traffic Hazard 17:16:52...
Upcoming PUBLIC HEARINGS & ORDINANCES REVISIONS to address town concerns at Dec/Jan Council Meeting: • Ordinance 2024-5 RV/Camper living • Ordinance 2024-6 Vehicle living ARE YOU AWARE? Whitehall Town Public Works tests water 2x per month to ensure proper drinking standards are met. In late October, the water needed chlorination due to bacteria presence in relation to system being opened for parts replacement. Such bacteria (not E.coli) wasn’t abnormal due to new...
SEASON OPENER: The Whitehall Trojan wrestlers will travel to Cascade this Friday and Saturday to compete in their season’s first meet. Go,...
