Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
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At this time last year, the world went into lockdown in fear of COVID-19. We didn't know what the virus could do, would do, or where we would be in a year. For the residents of Meadowlark Manor, it has been a long year. Because of COVID-19, the Manor shut its doors to visitors – the family and friends of the residents – and the residents were only permitted off the premises for medical appointments. The residents were allowed visitors outside on their patio in the warmer months and family mem...
Audiences of all ages got a fresh look at an old favorite this past Saturday when the Missoula Children's Theatre (MCT) and more than 35 local students presented BEAUTY LOU AND THE COUNTRY BEAST, conceived and written by Jim Caron, with music and lyrics by Michael McGill, Jim Caron, Jon Hart and Michael Schooner. Featured as Beauty Lou were Jaeden Aragon and Jaesca Chadwick. The Younger Daughters were played by Miah Roman, Brynn Welch, Peyton Randall, Mia Kidwell, and Lilly Montogmery; the Older...
The Ledger recently received an anonymous letter with information regarding a potential story to cover. After looking into the supplied information, I was able to get to the truth of the matter. However, with an anonymous letter - how do you let them know you did your job, investigated, but will not be pursuing further for the newspaper? You can’t. I also received information and documentation regarding a story from last week’s paper about the Town’s tax issues. The person who gave the information wanted to remain anonymous. A few weeks ago,...
Dear Editor, Did I read the article correctly that the town of Whitehall is considering cutting the hours of our law enforcement? I was under the impression that the main object of our law enforcement officers was to protect and serve the community of Whitehall and surrounding area, not generate revenue. I see our officers’ presence as a deterrent. Maybe that’s the reason they’ve not written many tickets. Their presence before and after school keeps our children safe. When my daughter and I were almost run down while walking to school by a per...
Dear Editor, The article “Woke Cancel Culture, Racism, and Me” is one of the finest commentaries on the present condition of the world that I have read in a very long time. If people would re-learn how to interact on a non-confrontational basis, we could see that we have more in common than we are given credit for. As a white male born in the 50’s, my heroes included Bill Russell, Wes Unseld, Rod Carew, and Joe Greene. Also included were my father, Kent Hrbek, and George Carlin. Color doesn’t matter, the quality of the person does. Tim Morgan...
She's the smiling face of Settings by All Things Montana and a rock hound for the ages. She is Pam Polachi. Pam Polachi was born in Red Lodge, Montana, in 1965. After a quick stint in California, her family backtracked and returned to Montana, settling firmly in Whitehall. During her middle school years, Pam grew interested in rocks and animals, excelling in and loving anything to do with the Earth. Once high school came, however, her interests had changed, and she lost sight of her rocks,...
Three hundred Pfizer vaccines will be distributed at Whitehall High School March 23rd from 9am - 3pm. Please show up 30 minutes to 1 hour prior to your appointment if your appointment is at 10am or later. We have more vaccinators than the schedule can reflect, so we will be proceeding more rapidly than indicated. Walk-ins will not be allowed, but same-day appointments might be available. If you would like to be placed on a standby list for this clinic if you are not over 60 years old, call 406-299-0561, and leave a message with your name and...
Our Flower Pressing and craft workshops with Emily Dickerson will start March 20th. The adult workshop will be at 9:30 a.m. and the children’s craft class with flowers will be at 11:00 a.m. All materials will be provided so we ask that you call in to reserve your spot. If this session is a success, we will be planning more crafting times for adults and children on Saturday mornings, so bring your ideas! The question of this week has been, “What are you doing about Dr. Seuss?” The short answer is we have moved the books to the circulation desk...
NorthWestern Energy is providing $1.6 million this year to support 35 fisheries, wildlife and habitat improvement projects within the 550-mile corridor of the Madison-Missouri River from Yellowstone National Park to the headwaters of Fort Peck Reservoir. This year’s funding from NorthWestern Energy will leverage an additional $7.5 million in matching funds and in-kind donations from agencies, conservation organizations, and private landowners, resulting in a total of $9.1 million for fish and wildlife stewardship. “This program is a great exa...
Montana's unemployment rate declined in January to 4.0%. Montana's rate remains lower than the national rate of 6.3% in January. After accounting for Montana's annual benchmarking revisions, January's unemployment rate fell 0.2% over the month. "Montana's economy is growing stronger as we work toward an end to this public health and economic pandemic," Governor Greg Gianforte said. "The path forward is clear. We need to get our economy going again, get Montana open for business, and get...
Blame is something that gets tossed around. Truthfully, we don’t like to admit we are wrong. In opinion shaped by studying the Book of Lamentations, a very great lie clouding humanity’s judgment is the foolhardy notion that sin is no big deal. Why do we believe that we can ignore the standards that God has established? In part, we develop false security. But, does this account for all of it? Taking lessons from history is always worthwhile. For example, Jerusalem prior to its destruction in 587 B.C. was a highly fortified city. Under the rei...
Montanans struggling with substance use disorders will now have access to comprehensive treatment services, starting March 15, 2021, thanks to a partnership between Eastern Montana Community Mental Health Center (EMCMHC) and Frontier Recovery, the addiction medicine service of Frontier Psychiatry. EMCMHC is the largest provider of mental health services in Eastern Montana, offering care in 17 counties across an expansive 48,000 square miles. EMCMHC already delivers addiction counseling services, however, those valuable services are not widely...
The Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) issued a new report today stating the death rate among Montana residents increased by 14% in 2020 compared with the previous 5-year average. State health officials point to COVID-19 pandemic as the main reason for the increase. “The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on the health and daily lives of Montanans,” said DPHHS Director Adam Meier. “Our hearts go out to all those who have lost a loved one over the past year as we approach the anniversary of the state’s first COVID-19...
As the Montana Legislature only convenes every 2 years for a 90-day session, the next 6 weeks is an important period of time. There are several bills continuing to make their way through legislative committees of the House and Senate that I am monitoring, which may impact Whitehall Schools. Here is a summary of a few key pieces of legislation with recent action: • HB435 would generally revise civil liability laws for government entities and sets conditions on civil actions for exposure to COVID-19. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Bill Mercer, inclu...
District 5B Girls Basketball All-Conference 2020-2021 ALL-STATE: Bailey Finn (sophomore) Sweet Grass Co.; Rachel Van Blaricom (junior) Jefferson; Emily Cooley (junior) Sweet Grass Co.; Brynna Wolfe (junior) Whitehall. ALL-CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM: Bailey Finn (sophomore) Sweet Grass Co.; Rachel Van Blaricom (junior) Jefferson; Emily Cooley (junior) Sweet Grass Co.; Brynna Wolfe (junior) Whitehall; Jada Clarkson (sophomore) Whitehall; Hailee Brandon (junior) Sweet Grass Co. ALL CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM: Dakota Edmisten (junior) Jefferson; Alyssa...
The Whitehall High School Athletic Hall of Fame will hold their semi-annual induction ceremony on Saturday, July 24th at a venue to be determined. With the current COVID-19 restrictions, the HOF board is in search of a venue (either indoor or outdoor) that will hold up to 150 people. If anyone is able to host the event, please contact Mike Hedegaard at chairmanwhshof@gmail.com or Shane Shaw at joelshw@msn.com or by phone at (406) 439-6179. There will not be a meal served this year as part of the event. Doors open at 2:45pm and the program...
MARCH 14, 1996 A 36-space seasonal recreational vehicle park at the Cardwell Store received a recommendation for approval from the Jefferson County Planning Board March 6. The matter now goes to the County Commission where approval is expected soon. Construction will begin as soon as weather permits and the facility could be in use by June, developer Kipp Huckaba said. Three girls and two boys have been selected to represent Whitehall High School at the 1996 Boys State and Girls State conventions. Bob Henningsen (son of Bob and Elaine...
Changes are in progress at the Jefferson Valley Museum. Along with normal business at the March meeting, progress on the new displays and news of some new volunteers for this season were part of the agenda. The Jefferson County Commissioners will be having their April 27th meeting at the Museum at 6pm. The Annual Meeting is scheduled for April 8, 2021 at the Star Theater. More information will be published soon. Norm Tebay will be the speaker, along with photos, etc., of the Tebay family and the founding of Whitehall. There is a need for some...
Dear Jo, I am not sure how to say this, I guess the best way is just to get it out. I love my horse more than my husband. There it is, in black and white. I want to keep my husband, and of course, my horse. I am feeling guilty and wonder if I need to admit to my husband that if I had to choose, it would be my beloved horse. Is that a terrible thing? Should I come clean and tell my husband? I think he knows, he is often jealous when I head out in the hills without him. Please help me. Signed, Giddy-up Girl Dear Giddy-up, Well, this is a first, a...
I’ve heard that Jo’s mysterious identity is driving many a soul in Whitehall a bit crazy with guesses! I thought I’d give a bit of insight into this intriguing figure of etiquette wisdom. Yes, Jo is a Whitehall resident - your questions are being answered by someone right here in town. You’ve probably stood beside Jo in line at the Post Office, been parked behind Jo at the A&W/KFC drive through; you’ve probably waved at Jo as you drove by. Is “Jo” this person’s real name? Absolutely not! I’ve heard guesses that Jo is JoLynn Fleege (who does...
In his first prime-time presidential address, President Joe Biden said on March 11th that he would order states to make coronavirus vaccines available to all American adults by May 1, in an effort to accelerate the mass vaccination effort critical to ending the pandemic. Coming on the one-year anniversary of the coronavirus pandemic, Biden used the speech to pay tribute to those affected — nearly 530,000 lives lost and countless more impacted — while pointing to the United States’ success in ramped-up vaccinations and looking forward to what...
We have received reports of a new COVID-19 vaccine email scam where people are asked to complete a survey. They offer a free reward but ask people to pay a nominal fee "to cover shipping". Survey scams like this are a creative way to steal your identity or money. Many survey scams offer a reward and give you a limited time to respond if you want to take the survey. A legitimate survey would not assign a time limit, nor would they ask for your credit card or bank account to pay for a reward....
Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new fatal injury data for Montana. Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for ages 12-18 (middle and high school youth). In fact, we lose a young person (ages 10–24) every 7.02 days on an average to this silent epidemic of youth suicide. According to a 2019 survey conducted by the CDC, 23.4% of the High School Youth said that they had “seriously considered suicide within the last 12 months.” That being said, suicide is one of the leading causes of PREVENTABLE death...
THURSDAY, March 18 5:00PM PBS NewsHour 6:00PM This Old House 6:30PM Ask This Old House 7:00PM Cat in the Hat 7:30PM Peg + Cat 8:00PM PBS NewsHour 9:00PM Amanpour & Company 10:00PM This Old House 10:30PM Ask This Old House 11:00PM Baseball “Our Game” FRIDAY, March 19 5:00PM PBS NewsHour 6:00PM Washington Week 6:30PM Market to Market 7:00PM Cat in the Hat 7:30PM Dining with the Chef 8:00PM PBS NewsHour 9:00PM Amanpour & Company 10:00PM Great Performances at the Met “Renee Fleming in Concert” 11:00PM Live from Lincoln Center “Andrew Rabbells...
'Tis the season for frost and snow (but spring is on the way!), which means coming downstairs in the morning to a chilly home. One way to rally the troops out of bed when it's cold and snowy is to reward family with a warm breakfast. Muffins are a go-to choice for a quick bite, and homemade muffins served right out of the oven can be just what's needed on blustery days. This recipe for "Triple Chocolate Muffins" from "Chocolate" (Parragon Book Service), by the editors of the Love Food series, im...
