It’s hard to write this column, to address the loyal Monitor readers – so many of whom have become friends – and give you the news that this is my last issue as editor. There have been so many blessings for my wife Kari and I here, so many memories we’ll cherish, and so many people who have welcomed us with open arms.
But as the great Beatle George Harrison once sang, “All Things Must Pass.”
I’ve accepted a job as editor of Stillwater County News, where Kari has both family and family ties, and the job opened up at a time when family could use a helping hand. Although the transition is one that makes sense, it’s very bittersweet for us both. It’s only been 15 months here in Boulder, and in that time we’ve been treated with so much kindness and warmth – which especially went a long way during the long and brutal winter.
I’ve felt that warmth just about everywhere I go around the county, as it seems someone always has something nice to say about an article in The Monitor or about a performance by Depot Hill, the rock band Ryan Lewis and I started before I even got settled. The band became more than Ryan and I expected, as we continued to add members and play several shows, including the Compton branding, Terry and Brud’s Testicle Festival, Clancy Days, the Jefferson County Fair, the Boulder Music and Art Festival. The band has been a real highlight, and something I’ll miss (mark my words, though, Depot Hill will continue in some capacity. We still plan on returning to the 2024 Boulder Music and Arts Festival.)
When not playing music, I’ve been busy keeping the community informed, working with the Jefferson County Commissioners, the Boulder City Council, Southwest Montana Youth Partners, Jefferson High School administrators, the Jefferson Local Development Corporation, the lovely ladies at The Heritage Center, Jefferson County Clerk and Recorder Ginger Kunz, and many others. I’ll miss working with all of you. There’s been a lot to cover, and I’ve appreciated the accessibility and willingness you’ve all demonstrated while working with me on the issues that have taken place during my time here (there’s a lot of unfinished business here, and it’s hard to step away from, but I’m confident in the future coverage left in publisher Keith Hammonds’ capable hands).
During my time here The Monitor has tackled a lot of not-so-good-news, be it The River closing, St. Catherine closing, the child care debacle or the ongoing trials facing the Basin Water and Sewer Board. Speaking of Basin, I’d like to thank all who agreed to visit with me regarding “The Reckoning,” an in-depth piece on John Russell Howald’s 2020 shooting rampage, and the impact it had on the town.
There was also the bizarre story of David and Ophelia Leffler, the Garden Drive murder-suicide undisclosed and untouched for nearly five years. This heartbreaking story – unfortunate on so many levels – was also challenging to cover, and I want to thank the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office (particularly Sheriff Tom Grimsrud and Undersheriff James Everett) for being so professional and so open to whenever I had more questions. I also want to thank the families of David and Ophelia for being responsive to my inquiries. This was such a tragic story, one of the largest tragedies being that the Lefflers moved here and didn’t make any effort to get to know the people of this community. Perhaps if they were more open to the people of Boulder, such a travesty could have been prevented – or at least someone could have discovered them much sooner.
Kari and I are tremendously grateful for the opportunity to become part of this special place, and are grateful for the relationships we’ve formed. My dad has a colleague who would often say there are friends of the heart and there are friends of the road. I consider many of you friends of the heart, and we’ll certainly see each other again.
I’d also like to take a moment to thank Keith for encouraging me to return to journalism after a brief hiatus, and for bestowing so much of his wisdom and insight. It’s been a lot of hard work – and many late lights – but I can honestly say I am proud of so much of what we’ve achieved during my time at the helm of the Boulder Monitor (this goes for the work of Eliza McLaughlin, Quinne Shultz and Scott Ferguson as well). It’s particularly sad to leave at a time when I feel most comfortable in the role.
I’d also like to thank the rest of the Monitor staff, particularly office manager Pat Lewis, for being such a guiding light and wealth of information on all things Boulder and beyond. She’s also a pleasure to be around.
As I reflect on the past 15 months, I’m flooded with many precious moments. It was a pleasure to cover the 2022 state wrestling tournament in Billings, and interview John Armstrong after he won top honors in his weight division. Kari and I loved joining John Smith for a snowshoeing venture in Elkhorn. But perhaps our favorite experience was taking in the Jefferson County Fair and Rodeo. We even had family come to town for it, and all of us greatly enjoyed the barn dance (Nice job, Clint Rieder and the Longhorn Band).
As regulars of Boulder Hot Springs before moving to the area, Kari and I are particularly grateful for the many soaks we’ve had, and the serenity that came with them. This being said, it’s only fitting we closed this chapter at Boulder Hot Springs, where Depot Hill played Oct. 14 in the West Wing. Several in attendance commented they hadn’t seen a show in that space in decades, and it was so much fun we are looking at doing it again next October.
As we embark on this new chapter, however, it’s not the end of our relationship with Jefferson County. Kari and I certainly plan on returning to the area on numerous occasions. Like Nita McCauley told me: “Boulder is kind of like ‘Hotel California.’ You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave.”
(Slightly modified from its original publication in the Oct. 2, 2023 Boulder Monitor)
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