The Whitehall Ledger - Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana

A few weeks ago, members of the Whitehall Chamber of Commerce discussed the idea of hosting a Halloween festival. This is not only a great idea, it is something that is very needed for the community. Halloween has changed quite a bit over the past...

I really enjoy what I do for a living, but at the same time often think what it would be like to have picked another career. While I certainly love sports about as much as one can, the fact I can barely go up or down the stairs without falling, I...

There are days when I can produce up to 10 stories without a care in the world, and other days where I struggle to write even the lead to one. Whenever I'm struggling with a block, I will usually start with my weekly column and go from there. Sometim...

In a little under a week, voters in Montana will go to the polls to decide the fate of Ballot Initiative I-186. Simply put, I-186 is a horrible idea for the state. It could not only have a detrimental affect on all of Montana, the consequences would...

Each week I have a column in the Whitehall Ledger and the content can range from serious to absurd. There are also certainly and more often than I like columns that seem may seem a little bit cranky with my observations on day-to-day life. This week...

It's pretty safe to say that the warmer are days of 2018 are long gone and the next few months will have some chilly days. As idiots drive by way to fast on the Interstate people will long for the days when there were warmer temperatures and clear...

A large part of my job is covering high school sports and in the fall a fair portion of my time is spent under the "Friday Night Lights". It's usually a lot of fun, but sometimes people can change that in a hurry. When I'm covering a game I like to... Full story

While I wouldn't say I'm a gambling man who has a bookie in his phone contacts and will bet everything from the World Series to a horseshoe competition at the county fair, I've been known to make a bet or two over the years. Because I wouldn't mind...

A recent decision by the Whitehall governing body should make a significant difference in the town’s appearance. The town council recently voted to approve a resolution to create a program that will bring residents and business owners together to...

I watched a lot of baseball growing up. In fact many of my favorites summer memories were watching the Atlanta Braves play on TBS, followed by night games outside with kids in my neighborhood. At the time and for a reason why I to this day can’t... Full story

I’ve always found it interesting how different people deal with the same situation. A few weeks ago, I was sitting at the office and Melissa returned volleyball game visibly upset. Somehow during the time she had left the office and went to the...

I was always lucky on the first day of school because it was impossible to botch the pronunciation of my name during roll call. This however is not the case for some people I've known. Although I'm completely fine with my name and who I'm named...

While I'm sure some people toss and turn and night worrying about politics, solving world hunger and other important issues, I on the other hand find myself up at 2 a.m. thinking about some of the dumbest things imaginable. One that has been driving...

I’m proud to say I’m a huge fan of the schools in Whitehall. I think the teachers, staff, administration and board work together in unison to create something special. I’m also very high on the district where I grew up in Wyoming and although...

After a decade of showing absolutely zero interest in social media, my mom recently took baby steps and created a Facebook account. While I’m sure this is not the gateway social media step into Instagram or Snap Chat, she is able to get some joy...

With the first day of school just around the corner, families have been extremely busy with school shopping, getting supplies, and trying to get children into a much better sleep schedule. Each year around this time it always reminds me of the first...

I’m not sure if I’m necessarily a fan of it, but the Google app on my phone has recently been giving me a very comprehensive list of what’s trending in the world every time I try to search for something. I used to get a much less condensed...

Publishing a newspaper every Wednesday I don’t get to travel that much or anywhere too far away. Sometimes this makes me a little bit sad, but all of the time I’m completely okay with it because it means I don’t have to deal with “fellow...

A fifth-generation rancher, Kami Noyes had a longtime dream of bring fiber artistry back to its roots. Noyes of Ranching Fiber Traditions was able to accomplish this in 2017, when along with Betty Kujawa of Snowdrift Alpacas joined forces for the...

I should have known that the moment I wrote a column about a disdain for several weeks of fireworks in a row that I would pay for it in some sort of karmic retribution for constantly being grumpy about everything. This wonderful gem of a story...

It's hard to believe, but the opening of fall practice for the three Whitehall High School sports teams is less than a month away. While the teams will be working hard to get ready for competition, the Whitehall High School Booster Club will bring...

I'm most likely way in the minority on this one, but probably my least favorite two weeks of the year are what I like to call "fireworks season". It's the time of the year where stands come out on seemingly every street corner, and I'm jolted out of...

After several months rainy weather, the calendar has turned to July, the month knowing for the highest temperatures of the year in the Whitehall area. The July weather is a perfect opportunity for residents to get out and experience a true gem of our...

A few days ago I received a text message from a friend who was very upset over a picture that had run in my hometown newspaper. The picture was of her daughter and she wanted my opinion on what I thought of the photo, and if this was something that...

What should have been a normal Friday in the spring of my seventh grade year took a far different turn. I should have known something was amiss when my bus pulled up to my school and large groups of my classmates were gathered together. It was...