Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
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“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...
The Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) has opened a 60-day period within which the public may comment on its planned 1115 Medicaid Demonstration Waiver application to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). “Implementing community engagement and cost sharing requirements for Medicaid Expansion enrollees is a top priority of Governor Gianforte’s administration,” DPHHS Director Charlie Brereton said. “DPHHS is committed to securing federal approval of our waiver as soon as possible, and I encourage all Montana...
When I visited Bryce Canyon National Park recently, the shared paths were crowded with electric motorcycles. They say they are e-bikes: If they can rip uphill at 20 miles per hour without pedaling, I think of them as motorcycles. E-bikes can be class 1, 2, or 3. Class 1 provides assistance when the pedals are turned. Class 2 has a throttle that can propel the bike without pedaling. Both have a top speed of 20 mph. Class 3 bikes, also pedal-assisted, have a maximum speed of 28 mph. Only class 1 and 3 are allowed in national parks. Friends with...
The Jefferson Valley Community Foundation (JVCF) would like to alert area non-profits that have projects that would benefit from financial assistance to be aware of some upcoming events. Even though there is some time left in our summer, please be aware that a grant writing workshop will be held at the Whitehall Community Library. The date and time will be August 16th from 10 AM to noon; those planning to submit grants to JVCF should attend to ensure their grant applications are in good order. In 2024, JVCF awarded the most number of grants in...
The Hilger Valley Fire north of Helena marks the beginning of the 2025 summer wildfire season, and public health officials are urging residents to be prepared. “Though wildfire smoke lies outside a typical resident’s circle of control, there are little things people can do regularly to reduce their exposure to harmful and chronic air pollution,” says Jay Plant, Lewis and Clark Public Health Environmental Health Specialist. Exposure to wildfire smoke can harm human health, especially among individuals with existing lung and cardiovascular diseas...
With spring arriving, gardeners are preparing soils for this year’s planting, and many love to apply compost, which can supply nutrients, feed microbial activity, help retain soil moisture and improve soil structure. However, there can be too much of a good thing, according to Clain Jones, Montana State University Extension soil fertility specialist and professor in the MSU Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences. “I have been receiving many soil tests from vegetable gardens with excessively high levels of nitrogen, pho...
Whitehall FFA chapter is celebrating a strong showing at this year's State FFA Convention, with two teams securing impressive results in their respective competitions. The Poultry Evaluation Team, consisting of junior Zane Downey, junior Hannah Frazier, junior Addisyn Gray, and eighth grader Halle Downey, triumphed in the highly competitive event. The team took home first place in the Poultry Evaluation Contest, earning them a coveted spot at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis this...
The Whitehall Montana FFA is looking for the community of Whitehall's assistance! We are hoping to find old pictures from Whitehall FFA’s past to put on display at this year's awards banquet. If you or anyone you know has pictures from the past of Whitehall FFA we sure would be appreciative if you could send it our way! Please send them to whitehallmtffa@gmail.com by May 1st....
One person is dead after local and county law enforcement responded to a threat at the Lewis and Clark County Courthouse Friday afternoon, according to authorities. At around 1:30 p.m., Helena police officers and Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the county courthouse, 228 E. Broadway St., after numerous 911 calls reported that a woman was brandishing a handgun. The woman threatened several people, including a judge, according to a release from Helena Police Chief Brett Petty and county Sheriff Leo Dutton. The suspect, w...
Legislature-authorized grants for several of Montana’s most prominent arts organizations are in limbo as a result of an apparent miscommunication about whether a budget subcommittee had a firm requirement for applicants to testify at meetings last month. The subcommittee’s chair, Rep. John Fitzpatrick, R-Anaconda, insisted at a Friday hearing that lawmakers should cut funding for organizations that hadn’t appeared — despite the state agency that coordinates the grant program, the Montana Arts Council, telling applicants that testifying was opt...
For Montana’s elderly citizens, nursing home residents, and others who struggle to travel long distances for medical care, access to trusted eye care close to home is essential. Yet, outdated laws in Montana restrict highly trained doctors of optometry from performing certain in-office procedures that could safely and effectively be done in their offices. It is time to modernize these regulations to ensure Montanans can receive timely, high-quality care without the burden of traveling hundreds of miles. Montana’s optometrists are often the fir...
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among men and women, claiming more lives each year than colon, breast, and prostate cancers combined. Despite these alarming statistics, many people remain unaware of the life-saving benefits of early detection through screening. Raising awareness and encouraging screening can drastically improve survival rates and offer hope for those at risk. The Prevalence of Lung Cancer: Lung cancer occurs in two primary forms: non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which accounts for about 85% of cases, and...
Butte author and former Whitehall resident Debbie Sorensen recently had her first book published. "Beyond the Jump Shot. The Elevated Life of Kenny Sailors," was ranked #1 on Amazon in the Youth and Young Adult Basketball book category on its release. In her first book, Butte author Debbie Sorensen tells the fascinating life story of Kenny Sailors, who rose to basketball fame for developing the modern-day jump shot. However, "Beyond the Jump Shot: The Elevated Life of Kenny Sailors," is less...
Dear Editor, Montanans should demand better for our wildlife and our democracy. I am a 70-year-old, retired farmer. I am a 4th generation Montanan and a lifelong avid hunter, angler, and conservationist. I have a degree in Wildlife Biology and research experience on large predators. I started farming in 1977. I own Circle S Ranch in eastern Montana and pay property taxes in 5 counties. I have always shared the bounty of the ranch with sportsmen, sportswomen and conservationists for free. No one...
Jefferson Valley Community Foundation issues a call to all area nonprofits that the grant cycle has begun. Grant applications for worthwhile long-term community-oriented projects can be obtained at the Whitehall Community Library or by going to the organization’s website, jeffersonvalleycf.com. Notice to all non-profit organizations contemplating applying for a JVCF grant: Please be aware that the deadline date was incorrect in the previous information. The correct deadline date for grant applications is October 9, NOT October 19, as originally...
I suppose it’s the human thing on a hiking trail to acknowledge one another when passing. But on a well-used trail, the same comments come up time and time again. “Good Morning.” As an introvert I don’t understand why I have to say Good Morning to every member of a 30-person group. Nor does Good Afternoon roll off the tongue as nicely. Too many plosives and fricatives. Yesterday I got yelled at for not saying a cheery enough “Good Morning” to a passing hiker. I did not realize I was at a Downton Abbey garden party. Then there’s the consoling “Y...
Tim Sheehy, the Republican seeking to unseat Montana Democratic Senator Jon Tester, is a business executive born and raised out of state. That same description applies to Troy Downing, a Republican running for one of Montana’s two Congressional seats. Same for Montana’s Republican Governor Greg Gianforte and his challenger, Democrat Ryan Busse. I have nothing against out-of-staters moving to Montana or working at a business. I fit both categories myself years ago. But I think this change in politicians’ backgrounds reflects a change in how M...
Tim Sheehy, the Republican seeking to unseat Montana Democratic Senator Jon Tester, is a business executive born and raised out of state. That same description applies to Troy Downing, a Republican running for one of Montana’s two Congressional seats. Same for Montana’s Republican Governor Greg Gianforte and his challenger, Democrat Ryan Busse. I have nothing against out-of-staters moving to Montana or working at a business. I fit both categories myself years ago. But I think this change in politicians’ backgrounds reflects a change in how M...
