Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
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The following was read by Montana Western Legacy Center (MWLC) founder Tom Harrington at the MWLC's Cowboy Christmas event on Thursday, November 13th. It was a full house filled with laughter and legacy. "Traditional ranching families in Montana have played an important role in shaping our Montana culture of today through deep-rooted traditional values and a strong connection to the land. They foster strong support for each other during times of need, creating a tight-knit family bond. The...
The Whitehall Town Council held its regular monthly meeting on Monday, November 17, at the Town Hall with routine approvals and a series of departmental and board reports. It was a quick, quiet meeting, right before the holiday season's hustle and bustle. Mayor Mary Janacaro-Hensleigh wished the community a happy Thanksgiving and mentioned Christmas decorating would take place the day after the holiday. The mayor updated the Council on the new LED reader board to be installed at the Town Hall, thanks to a grant from the Jefferson Valley...
The Whitehall Ledger is bringing back its Letters to Santa program - and we're asking our wonderful local businesses to help make the season a little brighter for area children. Last year, the Ledger started the Letters to Santa tradition, thinking it would be a small gesture of holiday fun. At first, just four letters arrived, each with simple, heartfelt gift requests. In the true spirit of Christmas, the Ledger decided to fulfill them all. But something magical happened - the spirit caught...
A new (temporary) source of comfort and support has quietly opened its doors in downtown Whitehall. A pop-up food pantry is now available inside the historic Star Theatre at 23 West Legion, offering community members a simple, judgment-free way to get the essentials they need. The pantry is accessible during regular business hours through the Whitehall Ledger office and during weekend movie times by speaking with a theatre employee. Whether someone needs a few items to get through the week or simply wants to browse, the pantry is designed to...
Dear Editor, The well-orchestrated "No Kings" protests across America had my conservative buddies bristling – so much so that they made a point of wearing their MAGA caps at our weekly breakfast. I was not the most popular item at the table, after suggesting that the protesters – while motivated more viscerally than intellectually – were in fact illuminating the darker side of our current president. A side that rejects rather than embraces conservative ideals and principles. Principles ancho...
Dear Editor, This Thanksgiving, as we gather with loved ones, let's pause to honor Montana's unsung heroes: the 214,000 family caregivers who keep our families whole. I know their sacrifices firsthand as I spent time caring for my significant other, balancing meals, medications, and midnight worries while holding down a job. These Montanans -- 23.8% of our adults -- provide $1.76 billion in unpaid care annually, helping parents, spouses, and neighbors stay independent at home. They bathe, feed,...
Dear Editor, Don't buy beltway spin-Montana's budget is built the Big Sky country way. Glossy mailers, social media posts, and robocalls from Americans for Prosperity (AFP) are flooding Big Sky Country with talk of "exploding spending." But AFP is based in Virginia, with no stake in our land, and they're twisting the numbers to fit a story that just doesn't add up. Here's the reality: our nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Division reports state spending growth at about 0.7%-well below inflation....
Dear Editor, In recent years, the United States Congress has been unwilling or unable to fulfill its lawful mandate to serve the American People in a timely manner. I am referring, in part, to the 12 appropriation bills that Congress must pass by the end of September each year to fund the federal government. Congress's repeated failure to approve government funding by September 30th results in the passing of a continuing resolution, (CR), to keep the government open. This year, the House once...
If ignorance is bliss, then knowledge is misery. Septic tanks under major international airports probably contain more human biodiversity than anywhere else on Earth. It took the universe around 13.8 billion years to write a complete copy of Shakespeare. Most women in the world probably know how to get blood stains out of fabric. There’s no point in only charging to 80% to protect a battery; you’re effectively using it like it’s already degraded. The number of suicides in our society is greater than the number of homicides. Maybe if 15 is to...
Jefferson Valley News, November 1925. The weather was cold and blustery, as would be expected. Congress was debating tax reduction, but no decrease in surtaxes on incomes between $10,000 and $45,000 because the loss of revenue would be too great. At the tobacco and Cuban exposition in New York, Marion Bagney was showing some leg as Lady Nicotine. Mussolini evaded a plot to assassinate him, as did King Ferdinand of Romania. Secretary of Commerce Hoover froze licenses for operating broadcast...
John Lewton, owner of Cape Horn Taxidermy in Whitehall, will be doing life-size or partial mounts of three different rhinos, one of which will have the world record horn of 32 inches. WHS Creative Leader of the Week: KENZIE COWLING. Drama Director Larry Brazill nominated Kenzie for her "Leadership and enthusiasm in her role as Frances Carlton, the professor's estranged wife." Kenzie is the daughter of Daniel and Sandi Young, and she plans to attend the University of Montana to study pre-law. Ken...
Hello there, it's me, your book. You know, that one that you read last winter, curled up on your couch with your fuzzy slippers, drinking your cup of coffee with French Vanilla creamer. Ah, fond memories! I have been here, hanging out with all these other wonderful books you have read and are now on your bookshelf, collecting dust. Have you thought about taking us to the Whitehall Community Library? There, we can once again make someone laugh, cry, feel compassion, or have the thrill of...
FACT: Thanksgiving is the largest running day of the year. FACT: Thanksgiving is already a busy day for you! Why not kill two birds with one stone by signing up for the Whitehall PTSA's 3K Turkey Trot? Run, walk, skip, or jog your 3K- just be there! More time with family. More calories burned. More room for seconds. Get your heart kickin' before you dive into all the turkey fixins! Please join us for a 3K Turkey Trot (run/jog/walk) to help support the Whitehall PTSA and Whitehall Cross-country...
Rickie D Parent, beloved son and brother, passed away peacefully on October 27, 2025. Rick was born on May 27, 1955, to Milton (Mickey) and Molly Rollins Parent in Helena, Montana. Rick served in the US Navy during the Vietnam War and was honorably discharged. Rick cared deeply for others and was always willing to help when he could. He valued kindness, independence, and doing what was right without seeking attention. He lived a life of quiet compassion and steady generosity toward those around... Full story
Steven Dale Allison, 63, of Bloomfield, Indiana, passed away on Saturday, November 15, 2025, at Envive of Sullivan. Born August 3, 1962, in Harbor City, California, he was the son of Jim and Elsie (Abrahamson) Allison. Steven was an IT Tech at NSWC Crane. He attended Wesleyan Holiness Church in Bloomfield. He graduated from Whitehall High School in Whitehall, Montana. He then attended Northwest Nazarene College in Nampa, Idaho, earning a Bachelor's degree in computer information. While there,... Full story
It is with deep heartbreak that the family of Curt Hagerty shares his passing on October 24, 2025, with his two daughters by his side. He lived a life full of laughter, curiosity, and stories that made everyone feel like they were part of them. If you ever had the joy of hearing one of his tales about growing up in a tiny town with his best friends, you know no one could tell a story quite like he could. Curt had an incredible eye for creation. He was especially gifted at capturing people in... Full story
The Knights of Columbus Council 8375 from St. Teresa of Avila Parish began delivering Coats for Kids to the Whitehall Schools on Wednesday, November 12th. WHS guidance counselor Mr. Casey Norbeck was this year's point person for the delivery to the schools. He arranged for several students to help the Grand Knight, Ed Schramm, and the Financial Secretary, Jim Stearns, along with Terrie Casagrande, bring the boxes of coats from Jim Stearns' car into the high school. Mr. Norbeck is coordinating...
Here are a few things I’ve read this week. • GPS Spoofing: The act of jamming the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). On October 25, the airspace around the west coast of Ireland was being jammed, affecting 87 planes and on October 29, the airspace over Utah was jammed, affecting 25 aircraft. GPS has been in use since 1983, but GNSS isn't infallible. In the past, a South Korean airliner was shot down when it accidentally flew over Russia; on December 25, 2024, an Azerbaijani airline crashed in Russia due to jamming. Russia and North Kor...
In July of 1967, Al Doney gave up his college plans and enlisted in the U.S. Navy. Al ultimately served two tours of duty in Vietnam with a VP-50 anti-submarine squadron, flying a five-man crew aboard a VP-3 propeller-driven Orion aircraft. The crew flew 18-hour missions every other day over the Pacific Ocean, searching for submarines smuggling weapons from Russia and North Vietnam. Al was in charge of loading and unloading the explosive weapons, the bomb, rockets, and torpedoes. He flew...
Michele Franich, a local artist from Whitehall, has been invited to display her art through the month of December 2025 at the Boulder Hot Springs. A reception which is open to the public, is being hosted by the Hot Springs and will be held Sunday, November 23, 2025, from noon to 2 PM. Light refreshments will be served. Michele will be there at that time to meet and greet all who attend. An acrylic landscape artist, Michele is self-taught. Her love of painting started in 2011, and she still considers her art a “work in progress” as every pie...
Responding to the severe strain on the state's food banks caused by the loss of SNAP benefits during the federal government shutdown, the Town Pump Charitable Foundation is providing $1 million in immediate emergency grants to its food bank partners, including Jeffco Food Share and Whitehall Area Food Pantry. These grants are in addition to the $1,250,000 in matching grants that will be made in December as part of the Foundation's 24th annual "Be A Friend in Deed, Help Those in Need"...
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 holiday season is a joyous time to reconnect with family and friends, but it can also throw your wellness routines out of alignment. Doctors advise prioritizing healthy choices now so you can start 2026 feeling your best. “Amid the hustle and bustle of the holidays, it’s easy to lose sight of our well-being, overindulge in food and drink, and feel stressed. A little awareness and a few healthy habits can go a long way in helping you and loved ones enjoy the season in good health,” says Dr. Bobby Mukkamala, president of the American Medical...
I was a student at Western Colorado University in Gunnison, Colorado when my professor told our class he had a message for anyone wanting to work as a seasonal in the outdoor industry after graduating. His message was simple: “Get out of my classroom.” It wasn’t that he didn’t want us working as outdoor guides, trail crew leaders or ski bums. He wanted us to work as a seasonal, then come back to college when we were ready to value the economic stability of a degree. “You don’t need a degree to be a guide,” he said. “A degree is so you can move...
Turkey might garner the bulk of the Thanksgiving feast fanfare, but a notable and wildly popular dessert also provides something to look forward to during a holiday when food is a focal point. After a couple of helpings of turkey and various side dishes, Thanksgiving celebrants know it's time for pumpkin pie. It's a testament to the flavor and popularity of pumpkin pie that overstuffed Thanksgiving celebrants still find a way to squeeze in this beloved dessert. Hosts who want to truly impress...
