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Podcast No. 281: Brittani Ferris and Jordan Harwell

Brittani Ferris and Jordan Harwell are trying their best to make the Mining City laugh more. They are doing a pretty good job, too.
Brittani is the founder of Uptown Comedy, and she is working hard to bring comedy acts to Butte. That includes an Aug. 22 show by Sam Miller with Lynette Manning at the Covellite Theater.
She hosts showcases at the Covellite on Thursdays. That includes highlighting talent from Butte and around the state. The next show on Aug. 7 will be an all-female show that promises to rock the old theater.
Brittani grew up in Butte, and she is related the large Ferris family from Dillon. That Ferris group is known for, among other things, their great athletic prowess. Brittani, though, says she did not get that family trait. She opted for theater and speech and debate when she was at Butte High School.
She went to college in Missoula and worked in Bozeman. She has traveled around the state and beyond working on her comedy routine. She even did shows in New York.
After moving back to Butte, she decided to work on building a scene in her hometown. Uptown Comedy offers open-mic nights at the 51 Below Speakeasy in addition to the other shows she puts on. They did a show Friday at the Butte-Silver Bow Fair.
Brittney encourages people who are reluctant about trying standup to give it a shot, and she seems to enjoy seeing local talent thrive even more than she likes to get a laugh herself.
Brittani quickly realized that Jordan is one of the top comedians around. He grew up in San Diego, and work brought him to Butte. While in the Holey City, Jordan discovered the Knights of Columbus Athletic Club’s basketball league and a great opportunity for comedy.
Listen in to this episode as Brittani and Jordan talk about the Butte Comedy scene and why you are missing out if you are not catching all the shows.
Listen as they talk about how they got into comedy and some of their influences as comedians. Listen as they talk about the times the killed it on stage and the times that they completely bombed. Listen to hear that you do not want to miss their Thursday showcases at the Covellite.
Today’s episode of the ButteCast is presented by Leskovar Honda, home of the 20-year, 200,000-mile warranty.
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Podcast No. 280: Rick Lyons

Rick Lyons is one of the greatest all-around athletes the Mining City has ever produced.
The 2017 Butte Sports Hall of Fame inductee has won state titles in baseball, basketball, golf and handball. He was part of the 1972 Mile High Little League All-Star team that captured the state title and represented Montana in the Western Regional Tournament in San Bernardino, California.
After 53 years, that is still Butte’s only state Little League champion.
Rick was then a member of Butte Central’s 1978 Class A State championship basketball team under head coach John Thatcher. A few months later, he was a part of Butte Central’s Class A State championship golf team. That team, led by coach Mike Thompson, included Joe Perrick, John Davis, Frank Cote and the great Louie Bartoletti, who won the individual crown.
Rick won the Montana Class B handball title and was, by all accounts, heading toward being one of the best players in the state. However, he saw the toll the game took on some of those best players, and decided it was no longer for him.
After college, Rick started playing golf more, and he started to get good. Really good. In 1991 and 1995 he won the Montana Mid-Amateur Championships. Then, in 1999, everyone expected him to win the Montana State Men’s Amateur Championship at the Butte Country Club, where he once won 10 straight Labor Day Tournament titles and 13 times overall.
He did. Eddie Kavran, the 1998 champion from Dillon, and Reid Lende of Livingston tied fors second — six shots behind Lyons.
Rick probably could have won more State Amateur titles, but his family started to grow. His daughter was a baby when he won the 1999 crown, and his two sons followed soon after. So, he stopped playing the game on a regular basis. He also had back problems that prevented him from playing.
Then, his college roommate, Kelly Knievel, told him about a book that changed everything. He said the book, titled “Healing Back Paine: The Mind-Body Connection” by Dr. John Sarno, might have had a placebo effect on him, but it worked. He is now golfing, mostly with his family, pain free.
Don’t, however, expect Rick, now 65, to start winning tournaments again. Unless it’s a scramble, he is not interested in playing.
Listen in to this episode as Rick talks about playing on those state championship teams and hear how he is still close friends with many his teammates.
Listen to hear his take on John Thatcher and how the team from 1976 was probably better than his title-winning team. Listen as talks about his rise to greatness on the golf course. Listen as he drops hints to the mentality that was probably the key to that greatness.
Listen in to hear that his wife, Joanie, probably made him appear on the podcast because Rick is not one who likes to talk about himself.
Today’s podcast is presented by the Kvichak Fish Co. Think of it as salmon and halibut gone Girl Scout cookie. Place your order today.
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Mile High boys bring up memories of that great team from 1972

Tears filled the eyes of Butte’s Mile High All-Star baseball players after they met with their coaches one final time on the left field grass of the Ron Godbout Memorial Field at Father Sheehan Park.
The dust was just starting to settle after they fell in a 6-5 thriller to the Boulder Arrowhead All-Stars from Billings in Game 2 of the Montana Little League State Championship Series Sunday afternoon. That came after the Butte boys dropped a 7-6 nail-biter to Boulder Arrowhead less than 24 hours earlier on the same field.
Mile High scored one run in the bottom of the sixth — and last — inning before Boulder Arrowhead star Dane Larson got the final out with the tying and go-ahead runs on base.
The boys from Butte led 3-0 and 4-3 in the game, and Mile High seemingly had more fresh arms for the winner-takes-all Game 3 that would have been played later Sunday night.
Butte also led 1-0, 4-2 and 7-6 in the first game of the series.
But some clutch Billing hits, some bad luck for the home team, and some Houdini acts by Boulder Arrowhead pitching ended Butte’s plans, leaving the Mile High boys only dreaming of a trip that would have been. Boulder Arrowhead advances to represent Montana in the Western Regional Tournament in San Bernardino, California.
The Butte players, though, most likely have no idea of how close they were to Butte baseball immortality. Their parents probably had no idea, either.
Some old-timers watching the games, though, knew full well that the Mile High boys were knocking on the door of joining some exclusive company.
In 1972, the Mile High All-Stars captured the state championship and advanced to San Bernardino. That was the only time a Butte team has ever won a Little League state title in the 12-and-under division. Until recent years, that was the only division for the boys.
That is the division of the Little League World Series that is played on ESPN every summer.
As far as baseball in the Mining City goes, those boys from the 1972 team are the 1985 Bears. They were legends then, and they are legends now.
On Aug. 5, 1972, Mile High beat the Lissa All-Stars from Billings 5-2 in Billings to capture the state championship. Barry Sullivan threw a three-hit gem, while Mark Bound and Mike Stajcar drove in runs with doubles to highlight the victory.
In winning the title, they became the initial team to represent Montana at the Regional Tournament.
The left-handed Bond threw a no-hitter and scored three runs as the Butte boys opened the Regional tournament with a 15-1 over the Idaho state champions on Monday, Aug. 14. Sullivan, Stajcar, Mike Maroney, Si Timberman and John Kovacich smacked extra-base hits to lead the Butte offense in the rout.
Butte’s chance of a World League World Series run, however, ended when the Mille High All-Stars fell 5-0 in the quarterfinals to Arizona two nights later.
The tournament run ended with a thrilling 15-13 consolation loss to Colorado on Aug. 17.
The great Mark Sullivan, who was later appointed District Court Judge for Silver Bow County by Gov. Tom Judge in 1980, was the manager of the 1972 Mile High All-Star team. He was assisted by Jay McCloskey. Ed Mengon was the Mile High president.
In addition to Sullivan, Stajcar, Bond, Mahoney, Timberman and Kovacich, the team was made up of Jack McCloskey, Bob Bush, Rick Lyons, Jim Anderson, Mike Carle, Dan Bosch, Dennis Secord, Mike Maroney and Joe Taras.
Most of those names should sound familiar to Butte sports fans. Many of them went on to be part of Butte High’s 1977 Class AA State championship football team. Sullivan, who was the quarterback of those Bulldogs, was inducted into the Butte Sports Hall of Fame along with Lyons and Anderson.
Carle turned out to be one of Butte High’s all-time great basketball players. His 37 points in one game in stood as the Bulldog boys’ record for 26 years.
Anderson and Timberman joined Sullivan as standouts for the Montana State Bobcat football team. Kovacich was a member of the Montana Grizzlies’ 1982 Big Sky Conference championship team.
Lyons will go down as one of the greatest golfers Butte has ever produced. He won the 1999 Montana State Men’s Amateur Championship and the 1991 and 1995 Mid-Amateur Championships. Thanks to Louie Bartoletti, Lyons was also a member of Butte Central’s 1978 State championship golf team.
Bush wrote a book, but it wasn’t about baseball.
Now, 53 years have passed, and no team has followed in the footsteps of that great team from 1972.
The Mile High All-Stars of 2025, though, made a pretty good run at history under manager Keli Renz-Coffing, who was a stellar shortstop for Butte High’s softball team in her day. She was assisted by former Triple-A first-baseman John Summers and former Butte High and Montana Western running back Jordan Clary.
Their team showed fight from the first pitch on Saturday night to the final out on Sunday afternoon.
In Game 1, Benny Donaldson and Jace Graham showed off their strong arms on the mound, while Hunter Summers tripled. Ridge Bauer hit two doubles, and Donaldson, Cole O’Connor and Kooper Conway each hit one.
Summers, Donaldson and Bauer each had a three-hit game. The trio combined to drive in six of Butte’s seven runs.
Colt Horsley pitched five strong innings in Game 2. Kale Alexander poked three hits. Cooper Coffing, Summers, Donaldson, Graham, Conway, Horsely and Cooper Phillips each added one. Mason Lowney worked a clutch walk with two out in the bottom of the sixth to keep the team’s hopes alive.
Cruz Clary was also a member of the team. He was not able to play, however, because he suffered a gruesome injury two weeks earlier. Clary was pitching during pool play in Dillon when a batter hit a line drive off his face.
That shot fracture two bones near Clary’s eyes, but that did not stop him from supporting his teammates the rest of the way.
A huge, boisterous crowd cheered on the Mile High All-Stars in both games. Even though the boys of Boulder Arrowhead ended up moving on, the Butte crowd was so incredibly proud of the Mile High boys.
Perhaps the coolest thing about their performance, though, is everyone believed that they were going to win right until the end. That meant that those boys from 1972 were the topic of conversation.
Many heard about that legendary team for the first time because of that run over the last three weeks. Because of the 2025 Mile High boys, so many asked the question: Has Butte ever won a state Little League title before?
Then, there was someone who remembered to tell them the story. Yes, a bunch of boys aged 10 to 12 brought that great memory from 1972 back to life.
Long after those tears dry up, those Mile High All-Stars of 2025 will realize what they accomplished.
Like with the 1972 team, this will not be the last we hear from the boys of the 2025 Mile High All-Star team.
— Bill Foley, who was not born yet when the 1972 All-Stars made their run, can be reached at foles74@gmail.com. Follow him at twitter.com/Foles74 or Bluesky at @foles74.bsky.social. Listen to him on the ButteCast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you find your favorite podcasts.
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Podcast No. 279: John Stenson

Some of you known him as John Stenson, musician in iconic Butte bands like Uncle Mary, King Friday and the Berkeley Pits. (The Berkeley Pits, by the way, will be playing Music on Main on July 31.)
Others know him as Mr. Stenson, history teacher at East Middle School and now Butte High School. Some might even know him as “Johnny Blackout,” a defensive back on Butte High’s 1991 State championship football team.
Once again, he will be known as “Coach Stenson.” Butte High hired Stenson to take over as head coach of girls’ flag football program. His hire was made official by the Butte School Board Monday night.
It will not be John’s first coaching job. He coached junior high and varsity football in Whitehall, and he coached football at East. He also coaches his son Zach’s Special Olympics basketball team.
Butte High enters its fourth season playing flag football, and John looks to take the program to new heights. He currently has 26 players out for the team, and he is looking for more. He is also looking to raise the program out of anonymity.
The Bulldogs have played the last few seasons with little fanfare or media coverage. While the latter will change with the return of the ButteCast SportsCap with the fall season, John would like you to see more fans fill the sidelines when the team plays at Copper Mountain Park or the stands whey the Bulldogs play at Naranche Stadium.
With assistants Mike McGurk and Josh Hettick, senior leadership and young talent, John expects the Bulldogs to play an exciting brand of football this fall and for years to come.
Listen in to this episode of the ButteCast as John talks about his days playing football at Butte High and his career as a musician. Listen as he describes how playing for Uncle Mary at the old Brews Billiards in Butte felt like Madison Square Garden.
Listen as John talks about how he got into the education game, teaching and coaching in Whitehall, and his move back to Butte. Listen as he talks with passion about his new gig coaching flag football.
Today’s episode is presented by Casagranda’s Steakhouse. Eat where the locals eat.
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Podcast No. 278: Jocelyn Dodge

You might not ever find a retired person who does more work than Jocelyn Dodge.
She works with the Restore Our Creek Coalition and the Friends of Thompson Park. She serves as the president of the bard for Butte’s Center for the Performing Arts. That is just to name a few.
The Montpelier, Vermont native moved to the Treasure State in the late 1970s to attend the University of Montana. After changing her major multiple times, she graduated in 1982 with a recreation services degree.
Jocelyn worked for the Missoula city parks department before moving on to a job at Lone Pine State Park near Kalispell.
In 1991, Jocelyn moved to Butte to work for the Forest Service. She served as a recreation forester for several jurisdictions in Southwest Montana, including Butte-Silver Bow. Jocelyn retired in December of 2019, but that has hardly slowed her down.
She is busy doing something every single day. When she’s not working hard, she is playing hard. Part of the reason she is so busy is that she is taking advantage of some of the recreation opportunities that she helped create.
The legacy Jocelyn left behind from her career will long be remembered by the recreation community. She was instrumental in building the 30 plus miles of trails around Thompson Park. She worked to restore old Milwaukee Road trestle, and she helped build the Continental Divide Trail in the area.
Today, that trail is used by so many, including racers on the Tour Divide that we see in town nearly every day of the summer. It has been used for the Wolfman Continental Dive Trail Race, the Butte 100 mountain bike race and the recently-started Copper Kings 100, a 100-mile running race.
None of that would be possible without all the great work Jocelyn put in during her career and beyond.
Listen to this episode of the ButteCast as Joscelyn talks about growing up in Vermont and moving to Montana and her years at the University of Montana. Listen as she talks about her work in Missoula and how she was reluctant to move to Butte because of our reputation.
Listen as the talks about the work she did at Thompson Park and the CDT. Listen as she talks about working with so many groups and great people over the years. Listen in to hear that she has no plans of ever leaving the Mining City.
Today’s episode is presented by Thriftway Super Stops. Download the TLC app and start saving today.
















