Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
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SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 2022 00:35:29 Traffic Stop: N Whitehall St 10:38:04 Animal: Piedmont Rd 11:53:50 Traffic Stop: W Legion St 12:38:35 Fraud: E Second St 16:32:53 Stranded Motorist: I-90 17:51:20 Agency Assist: I-90 20:15:56 Agency Assist: Utah St 22:29:34 Medical: Rustler Rd MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2022 07:09:27 Suspicious Vehicle: I-90 08:57:40 Traffic Stop: Hwy 69 09:17:20 Fire/Smoke Wildland: Lucille St 09:48:27 Fraud: E Second St 10:39:07 Traffic Stop: W Legion St 11:45:51 Administrative: Hwy 55 11:54:57 Larceny/Theft: Felswald Rd 12:32:05 Fire/S...
Due to severe weather in areas of Montana, Governor Greg Gianforte announced April 18, 2022, a one-week extension of the 2021 Montana Individual Income Tax Return deadline to Monday, April 25, 2022. “After hearing from Montanans impacted by the recent winter storms, particularly in eastern Montana, we moved quickly to extend the state filing deadline for those unable to get their tax returns in on time,” Gianforte said. The one-week extension applies only to the 2021 Montana Individual Income Tax Return. The extension does not apply to fed...
As he launches a rare independent campaign to challenge incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Matt Rosendale for the privilege of representing eastern Montana in the U.S. House, Billings businessman Gary Buchanan is running without the support of a major political party — but with backing from some of the state’s preeminent elder statesmen. Buchanan, who has held appointed positions in state government as far back as the 1980s, was formally endorsed at a Friday rally at the state Capitol by Democrat Dorothy Bradley and Republican Marc Racicot, who...
Know the consequences before signing the petition to put CI-121 on the November ballot. At face value, CI-121 and freezing your residential property taxes may sound like a good idea. But if you further investigate the details of this misleading ballot initiative, you will find several adverse consequences. What is CI-121? It is a ballot initiative proposing a constitutional amendment that would freeze residential property value at the 2019 level and changes the assessed value to the acquisition value when purchased. This concept is not new and...
National Park Week begins Saturday, April 16th, a timely reminder to get outdoors and appreciate the beauty that God bestowed upon our country and in particular, Montana. Our National Parks system has been hailed as America’s “best idea” and it’s easy to see why when you ascend Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier, or experience the power of Old Faithful in Yellowstone. Theodore Roosevelt’s vision of our National Parks, as inscribed in stone on the gate of Yellowstone, was “For the benefit and enjoyment of the people.” Washington, DC must keep thi...
Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) Director Adam Meier announced that Montanans eligible for food and cash assistance can now make purchases online through Walmart.com as part of a federal nationwide initiative to increase access. “We are excited to be able to offer this convenient method of shopping to Montana families,” Meier said. “While Walmart is our initial launch, we will work on expanding this program with additional online retailers in the future.” Thousands of households receive benefits through the Supplem...
SUNDAY, APRIL 3, 2022 11:29:58 911 Hang Up 11:31:22 Fire Restriction Violation: Hwy 2 E 12:08:25 Medical: Wapiti Rd 12:29:56 911 Misdial: I-90 13:13:14 911 Open Line 13:51:14 911 Hang Up 14:01:56 Traffic Stop: Noble St 14:44:41 Traffic Stop: W Legion St 15:45:27 Suspicious: I-90 15:57:43 Stranded Motorist: I-90 16:36:01 Civil: Hwy 55 17:18:49 Suspicious: Felswald Rd 18:06:38 Stranded Motorist: I-90 18:08:41 Stranded Motorist: I-90 20:08:00 Traffic Stop: Cottonwood Rd 20:53:22 Traffic Stop: S Lincoln St 21:13:54 Traffic Stop: Hwy 55 21:56:59...
SUNDAY, MARCH 27 00:10:51 Traffic Stop 00:50:50 Traffic Stop 01:05:27 Traffic Stop 06:16:22 Reckless Driver: I-90 06:43:59 911 Misdial: N Whitehall St 10:06:17 Welfare Check: W Viella St 11:25:01 Death: S Brooke St 13:29:19 Traffic Stop: Hwy 55 14:12:11 Traffic Stop: W Legion St 15:11:32 Burglar Alarm: E Second St 16:37:14 Suspicious Vehicle: N Whitehall St 16:58:24 Traffic Stop: Hwy 55 19:49:47 Traffic Stop: I-90 EB 20:27:03 Traffic Stop: N Whitehall St 22:10:28 Animal: Hwy 69 SB MONDAY, MARCH 28 07:20:48 Parking: W Legion St 07:59:03...
Constitutional Initiative (CI-121) caps Montana’s residential property taxes and limits its growth. It moves Montana residential property to an ‘Acquisition-Value’ property tax system and is capped at 1%, with 2019 being the basis year for appraisal value. Montana residential property taxes are based on three components – the value of the property (reappraised & reassessed every two years), multiplied by the tax rate, and then divided by the number of mills levied in that tax levy district. This gives the property owner the effective tax rat...
As one of seven kids growing up in Butte, Montana, the holidays in our house were equal parts chaos and celebration. But one thing was a constant—when you reached a certain age, you could expect to find your first hunting rifle under the Christmas tree. But with that gift came responsibilities—hunter safety, fair chase hunting ethics, and an understanding that public lands are an essential part of our hunting heritage in Montana. In one way or another, the opposite of these lessons has shown up in Montana headlines over the last few yea...
Montana’s unemployment rate hit another record low in February, dropping to 2.6% for the month, down from January’s rate of 2.7%. Montana’s total employment and labor force continued to show strong growth in February, both setting new all-time highs. “Hardworking Montanans and Montana businesses are fueling our historic economic recovery, with record-low unemployment in Montana and more Montanans working than ever before,” Governor Greg Gianforte said. “And while Montanans are making gains, skyrocketing inflation is making it harder to f...
A candidate forum for the contested position of Jefferson County Commissioner will be held Thursday, May 26, at 6 PM at the Borden’s Conference Room. The forum is being put on by the Lower Jefferson River Watershed Council with assistance from The Whitehall Ledger. Candidates for Jefferson County Commissioner include Dan Hagerty, Jim Buterbaugh, Mary Janacaro-Hensleigh, and John Stone Goff. Current Commissioners will be on hand as well to detail why other items are on the ballot. Please plan to attend, as this position affects county-wide, w...
We are five of the youngest lawmakers in the Montana Legislature. At 20, 21, 24, 29, and 31 years old, we are in various stages of renting and homeownership, and all of us are concerned about the housing crisis facing Montana. In every one of our communities—Billings, Belgrade, Columbia Falls, and even Malta—housing is rapidly becoming more expensive and harder to find. Many of the factors causing the housing crisis, such as migration, supply costs, and the labor shortage, are largely outside of Montana’s control. But a recent analysis by th...
The term “arrested development” refers to the stoppage of physical, emotional, or mental development before reaching adulthood. It can also mean a form of a mental disorder comprising mental impairment, resulting in a lack of intelligence. Children begin to usually understand the word “no” sometime between the age of six to 14 months. And they often begin to use the word “no” between the ages of three and four as a way to control their own destiny and make their own decisions. In young children, saying “no” is a normal, healthy way for them to...
As the Russian blitzkrieg against the Ukrainian people enters its fourth week it is now more of an oozing “sitzkrieg”. In that time span lessons have already been forgotten and embarrassing questions go unanswered that will play center stage in the next energy-funded conflict. Six days after Russia invaded Ukraine the European Union (EU), Canada, Britain, and the U.S. agreed to sanction Russian banks by excluding them from the SWIFT messaging system. SWIFT allows the fast transference of funds. Ten days later they disconnected 70% of the Rus...
So far, the obvious has eluded us. There’s a critical lesson to be learned from the tragic bloodbath that was once the peaceful cities, hillsides and farmlands of Ukraine. TV commentators are bent on characterizing Ukraine as a democratic and free country. Yet if that were true, Russia would have never invaded. To do so would have been military suicide. They would have faced a citizenry that is not only heroic and courageous, but a citizenry that bears arms and knows how to use them. A free nation does not fear its citizens. A free g...
U.S. Senator Jon Tester today urged the Biden Administration to immediately work to increase domestic energy production to protect consumers from spiking gasoline prices and reduce dependence on foreign oil and gas production in light of Russia’s unprovoked war with Ukraine. “As our nation unites to confront President Vladimir Putin’s reckless actions, strengthening our energy independence from enemies like Russia must be a priority,” wrote Tester in a letter to the Secretaries of Energy, State, and Interior. “I believe it is criticall...
A tip of my Stetson to Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. Senator Joe Manchin for reminding me what political courage and a love of democracy looks like. The frontal attack on Montana’s 200,000 sportsmen and women has been unrelenting for over a year. The first legislative salvo was SB 143 which attempted to negate the Sportsman’s Initiative (I-161) passed by 189,000 sportsmen in 2010. I-161 removed the outfitter set aside for elk licenses. SB 143 expanded the number of outfitted clients to all who had applied but were not dra...
I am pleased to announce my candidacy for re-election to continue my service to the citizens of House District 71 (Madison County and parts of Jefferson and Silver Bow Counties). It has been my honor to represent and advocate for you, not just during the session, but on an ongoing basis. In 2019, I campaigned that I would bring “common-sense conservative values” to my legislature. My primary issues that I focused on were: NATURAL RESOURCES • viable and sustainable agriculture economy • keep public lands public and promote multiple use of outd...
Eighty-year-old Roger Hill used to go fishing on the Arkansas River in Colorado. But he sometimes had to duck baseball-size rocks thrown at him by landowners who insisted he was trespassing. When he got back to his car, he sometimes found notes threatening him with arrest if he returned. Worse, a fellow fisherman was shot at by a landowner, who got 30 days in jail for the attack. Rather than risking either injury or arrest, Hill sued the landowners, claiming that the bed of the Arkansas River is navigable. If that assumption is true, then Hill...
The Montana Department of Revenue has an important message to income tax filers: Keep your mailing address current with the department. This is especially true for anyone filing a Montana income tax return for the first time. That’s because the department sends refunds to first-time filers only as paper checks – not by direct deposit – due to our security measures to combat fraud. And, the Post Office will not forward your refund check to your new address. That means that if the department has an incorrect address, your refund could be delayed....
Democracy cannot succeed unless those who express their choices are prepared to choose wisely. The real safeguard of democracy, therefore, is education. Franklin D. Roosevelt The tone of any Montana legislative session is set at the ballot box, a couple of months before the session officially gets started. It’s a full-time job keeping up with all the proposed legislation during the session; that’s why it’s best to educate yourself now, ahead of the 2022 election, so you vote for a candidate who represents your views and not just a polit...
U.S. Senator Steve Daines is calling on the Biden administration to immediately reauthorize construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. “President Biden set us on a dangerous path when he decided to kill the Keystone XL pipeline on Day One in office,” Daines said. “What’s happening in Russia and Europe is a stark reminder of the need to support American energy development, not hinder it. Energy security is national security, and a global energy dominant America is a safer world. Biden must restart the Keystone XL pipeline now.” Daines has been...
Dear Editor, When Montana Republicans tell you they are fighting for your rights and freedoms, they’re speaking out of both sides of their mouths. While presenting themselves to Montanans as champions of our rights and liberty, they have been hard at work chipping away at the very rights they pretend to hold so dear. They are undermining the independence of our judicial system, rolling back our right to privacy, interfering in our health care decisions, taking away local control for our children’s education, and weakening Montanans’ right...
With rare bipartisan support, the Senate passed landmark workplace legislation on Thursday that forbids companies from forcing sexual harassment and assault claims into arbitration. Why it matters: The secretive dispute resolution process keeps litigation out of the public eye and is widely considered to favor employers over workers. The bill is the first major piece of legislation to come out of the upheaval of the #MeToo era. It now heads to President Biden for his signature. It’s also a victory for former Fox News host Gretchen Carlson, w...
