Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
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Dear Editor, Who speaks for Montana? In 1842, 91-year-old Levi Preston, who had fought at Concord as a Massachusetts Minuteman in the American Revolutionary War, was asked why he took up arms against the British on April 19th, 1775. Preston ignored the familiar list of grievances historians often cite and dismissed the idea that he had been inspired by the philosophical writings of John Locke, claiming he had "never heard of 'em." What motivated Preston and others like him who fought for...
Last summer, hunters and anglers stepped up in a huge way to help defeat a proposal by Utah Senator Mike Lee to sell off millions of acres of public land. In the end, public land defenders won. Confronted by an outpouring of grassroots opposition, Senator Lee removed his amendment to the Trump administration’s “Big Beautiful Bill.” But the struggle demonstrated that we need to act sooner. Four elk hunters in Wyoming showed us what stepping up can look like. Instead of sitting back and looking sadly at a huge chunk of prime elk country block...
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...
If someone told me 10 years ago that people would willingly pay over $5 for a one-gallon container of water, I would have scoffed. Yet here we are buying bottled water even by the cup. People buy teeny bottles that hold less than 8 ounces of water. Then while hiking or traveling, they drink and then toss. Plastic marked PET and HDPE for are said to be recyclable. Said bottles are shredded and melted into “nurdles,” the picturesque name for plastic pellets used as raw material to make more plastic products. That sounds promising, but according t...
On January 17th, the Cottontail Observatory in Twin Bridges, Montana, will be open to the public, beginning at 7 PM. Weather permitting, activities will include a Star Party tour of the night sky and telescope viewing. If the weather is not clear, a presentation on Naked Eye Astronomy will be provided, along with small telescopes and binoculars. Participants will learn what to look for and how to set up telescopes/binoculars. Participants are advised to dress warmly and to bring their own...
Times are tough for a lot of Montana families right now. Interest rates are high, housing is expensive, and grocery bills aren’t getting any smaller. And when life feels tight, it’s easy to buy what the pessimists are selling—especially on social media—and before long that “old man” talk seeps in: “Kids these days.” “Nothing works anymore.” “We’re headed downhill.” We start pining for a past that never really was. But my gray hairs—plus a few wins and hard lessons—have taught me this: we’re limited less by circumstances than by this very negati...
As we move through the Christmas season, I hope you’re finding time for what matters most—family, friends, and fellowship. I spent the week before Christmas in Helena in long days of budget meetings—going line by line through Montana’s year-end finances to prepare for the new year. That’s how Montanans do things: you make sure you’re ready before the weather turns. This week the Legislative Finance Committee reviewed the FY 2026 financial report. Bottom line: the “record surplus” era is cooling off. Montana’s budget picture is tightening as...
For weeks now, Montanans have been treated to a steady stream of op-eds from legislators—among them Jane Gillette, Shannon Maness, and Tracy Sharp—denouncing the recent property tax legislation. Their criticisms have focused on SB 542, which created a homestead exemption for primary residences and a different tax rate on second homes. Here is the real question: If SB 542 is so bad, why did Gillette, Maness, and Sharp vote for it? It sounds like Gillette, Maness, and Sharp voted for SB 542 without reading and understanding its contents. After re...
WHS Freshman Carley Ryan, daughter of Jody and the late Davonna Ryan, of Whitehall, spent last spring and summer on the ice playing hockey. While traveling to camps and tryouts, she was one of 18 selected to represent Montana at the U14 Montana Wolves. Approximately 40 girls from across the state went through the tryouts, hoping to make the final cut and join the Montana Wolves. In this, their inaugural year as the first Montana U14 girls tiered team, they earned the first seed from the...
The Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) is reporting two new measles cases in Gallatin County. The new cases may have exposed the public to measles in multiple locations in Gallatin and Missoula Counties in November. One case was confirmed on Nov. 28, and the most recent case on Dec. 1. The Gallatin and Missoula health department websites include information about the exact locations, dates, and times of measles exposures to the public. Individuals who are not immune to measles and are exposed to a case have a 90% chance of...
Dear Editor, Montana earned its "Treasure State" name from what was under our work boots and in our fields-copper, coal, oil, gas, timber, wheat, barley, and other resources that built jobs, communities, and our tax base. For generations, mines, mills, farms, and raw materials were the backbone of our economy. Over the last few decades, more of our "treasure" has shifted above ground. The value of our land, scenery, small towns, and the draw for retirees and tourists now drives a bigger share...
Montana State University Extension staff, faculty, and partners were recently recognized at an annual MSU Extension conference in Bozeman. “We are fortunate to have accomplished faculty and staff making a positive impact on the people and places of Montana,” said Cody Stone, executive director of MSU Extension. “It is an honor to recognize their contributions through our awards program.” The MSU Extension Director’s Office annually recognizes outstanding faculty and staff who attain distinctive success in their chosen field or professio...
The Jefferson Valley Community Foundation held its Short and Sweet Grant Awards ceremony on Wednesday, November 5th, awarding over $16,000 to local non-profit projects. Eleven grants and two mystery grants were given; the largest number of monetary grants ever awarded to worthy community-based projects. Those receiving grants included: • Mile High Nordic Ski Foundation - $900 - to continue cross-country ski classes for area youth at Homestake Lodge. • Southwest Montana Youth Partners - $10...
The Jefferson Valley Community Foundation is hosting a free Estate and Tax Planning event tonight, Wednesday, November 12th, at 6:30 PM at the Whitehall Ambulance Barn at the corner of West Second and North Whitehall Street. Presenters at the event will be two specialists in estate and tax planning from the Montana Community Foundation. This learning event will be extremely informative and beneficial for all attending!...
The Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) announced today that the full balance of November Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will be made available to households, with funds expected on Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards as soon as Saturday, Nov.15. This action follows updated guidance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to states following the end of the federal government shutdown. DPHHS issued partial SNAP benefits to households’ EBT cards on S...
The Jefferson Valley Community Foundation (JVCF) has two very important community events scheduled for November. The first is the Short and Sweet, the event at which non-profits that have applied to JVCF for financial aid for worthy community projects will find out the amount of aid awarded. The Short and Sweet event will be held on Wednesday, November 5, at 7 PM at the Whitehall Community Center. All non-profits that have made an application should be present to find out the results of the JVCF’s awards. Other non-profits that have not s...
As Montana approaches the colder months and the start of another respiratory illness season, the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) urges all Montanans to take preventative measures to defend against COVID-19, influenza (flu), pneumococcal pneumonia, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). State health officials advise all Montanans to protect themselves and their families by prioritizing immunizations, practicing strong hygiene, staying home when sick, and seeking prompt testing and treatment. Laboratory-confirmed cases of i...
“Better Together.” That’s the message shared by NorthWestern Energy (NWE) and Black Hills Corp. in a joint application (www.psc.mt.gov, Regulated Utilities/Electronic Filings/search Docket Number 2025.10.078) submitted today to the Montana Public Service Commission seeking regulatory approval for a merger between the two companies. The merger will combine the strengths of both companies, resulting in an organization with greater scale, financial stability, and operational expertise. It is designed to create a stronger, more resilient energ...
Recently, my publisher told me that a major technology company involved in the development of artificial intelligence (AI) wants to use my book, Stories from Montana’s Enduring Frontier, “for AI training purposes.” I would earn, the representative explained, $340 for “this one-time use.” Is that one-time use like a wet wipe—disposable, expendable, easily sacrificed? Stories from Montana’s Enduring Frontier collected 20 years’ worth of my essays to argue that 20th-century Montanans developed unique views of how nature worked, as captured in the...
The Jefferson Valley Community Foundation (JVCF) is pleased to announce that its grant cycle is now open. Grant applications are available at the Whitehall Community Library and also at JVCF’s website (www.jeffersonvalleycf.com). Qualified non-profit organizations planning to apply for financial assistance for worthwhile long-term projects that will provide ongoing community benefits should be aware that the final deadline is October 8. Applications are due by 5 PM at the Whitehall Community Library. PLEASE REMEMBER: • Non-profit making app...
The Jefferson Valley Community Foundation (JVCF) is pleased to announce that its grant cycle is now open. Grant applications are available at the Whitehall Community Library and also at JVCF’s website (www.jeffersonvalleycf.com). Qualified non-profit organizations planning to apply for financial assistance for worthwhile long-term projects that will provide ongoing community benefits should be aware that the final deadline is October 8. Applications are due by 5 PM at the Whitehall Community Library. PLEASE REMEMBER: • Non-profit making app...
Part of my job as a Grand Canyon educator is picking up items that hikers drop or leave behind along the trail. Some of the things I’ve found this summer lead me to wonder, "What in the John Muir?" they were thinking. A fast-food burger, in the original wrapper. I suppose they left it for the timid woodland creatures, except if fast food isn’t good for us, why would critters want it? Someone’s last remains. When a hiker pointed out a shiny object off the trail, I clambered over rocks to find a sealed urn of cremains, which is illegal to leave i...
Dear Editor, I was under the belief that Whitehall Transportation was here to assist those who live in our small community; to take people shopping, get to appointments, etc. I believe when it originally started, that was the goal. When did all that change? When did charging elderly people $75 to go to a doctor's appointment in Butte happen? Most of the people who need this service are on a fixed income, so how is charging $75 fair at all? I remember when Whitehall Transportation would go to,...
Whitehall's FFA Vet Science team traveled to the Montana State Fair in Great Falls on July 30th. They competed in the Veterinary Science Competition, earning First Place as a team! In the individual placings, Morgan Andren finished in First Place; Abby Pettersen, Second Place; Ashlyn Gray, 10th place; and Cristin Murphy, 11th place. A huge thanks to Francine Janik for all her time coaching their team and taking them to compete!...
Every Montanan knows the value of good maintenance: you fix your roof before it leaks, change the oil in your truck to keep the engine running smooth, and mend your fences so your livestock stays put. These are solid conservative principles—taking care of what you’ve got to avoid big, expensive messes down the line. The same common sense applies to our public infrastructure. Putting off repairs can lead to total breakdowns, sky-high costs, and real dangers to folks’ lives and livelihoods. That’s why the Montana Growth and Opportunity (GO) Tr...
