Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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Thompson Falls Elementary students had a little spring in their step last Monday morning as they kicked off the Running Start reading program with a jog around the playground. The program is presented by the Thompson Falls Woman's Club (TFWC). Elementary principal Len Dorscher said the program has been part of the school year since the 90s and joked that they have tried to figure out how long it has been going on but no one seems to know the exact year it started. "They are really supportive of...
Blue Hawk senior golfer Theo Nygaard (right) decided to keep the action going on Saturday after the Plains golf tournament. Nygaard came home in the afternoon to play at River's Bend with his teammates Aubrey Baxter and Cael Thilmony. Nygaard, who celebrates his 18th birthday this week, got a hole-in-one on No. 8 at his home course, putting the ball in from 173 yards with his 7-iron....
"It's like somebody took a bite out of the moon." That's how Thompson Falls fourth-grade student Makoy Schoenfeldt described Monday's solar eclipse. Elementary students waited on the playground for short glimpses of the sun Monday afternoon. Each time an opening would appear in the clouds and the eclipse came into view, the dozens of students would erupt with cheers and shouts of "I see it!" School nurse Becky Beckman had ordered extra glasses online and they also came with a camera filter. She...
The Thompson Falls City Council on Monday voted to move speed limit signs further out on each end of town. Mayor Rusti Leivestad, after meeting with the Department of Transportation, proposed moving the 25 mile per hour speed limit signs out 500 feet. The 35 mile per hour signs would be extended proportionately as well. In addition, the council voted to apply for an encroachment permit so that speed reader signs can be installed on the mileage posts. At the March council meeting, Catherine DeWit...
Monday afternoon, I went to the Thompson Falls elementary school to watch the solar eclipse with the students. There was a lot of activity on the playground as students waited for a glimpse of the event. Some waited patiently and some ran around expelling energy until one of the adults advised of an upcoming break in the clouds. Each time the clouds parted for a matter of seconds to allow a view of the eclipse, the playground would rumble with screams and shouts. It was an amazing experience. The kids were so excited. I was probably more...
Arson has been ruled out as the cause of a February 27 fire that destroyed three businesses in Noxon. "At this point there is nothing that points to arson," Sheriff Shawn Fielders said Monday. He noted that two private insurance investigators as well as the state fire marshal's office have come to the same conclusion, though the investigation is ongoing and the cause is not yet known. "We have chased down every lead that's been given to us," Sheriff Fielders told The Ledger. He commended deputy...
The City of Thompson Falls is excited to re-open the pool this summer after staffing issues and needed repairs caused the pool to stay closed for the 2023 season. “We’re very excited that the pool is going to open,” City Clerk Chelsea Peterson said last week. Mayor Rusti Leivestad said she is looking forward to the return of the water aerobics program. The city has restructured management of the pool, eliminating the pool director position. The city will hire 10 lifeguards for the season, and three of those will work as pool managers. Lifeg...
It's not uncommon these days to know someone who has been scammed online, or to have become a victim yourself. A presentation at the Thompson Falls Senior Center last week helped educate citizens on potential scams (see article on Page 4). While state officers said seniors are the biggest target, everyone is at risk. Scammers are getting more creative, and AI is providing more tools for scammers to improve their game. Instead of just calling your phone and saying you won a major prize but first you need to send money, scammers are getting more...
The Thompson Falls Chamber of Commerce held a luncheon last week, welcoming members and guests to the Rimrock for "It's Just Lunch" on Wednesday. Dennis Spurlock with Alera Group insurance of Plains spoke to the more than 20 community members about insurance. He has been an insurance agent since 2008. Spurlock said that insurance companies have been mapping the western United States for wildfire risks, and they are seeing some companies pull out of states altogether because of the risks. "For...
by Annie Wooden It's a somewhat quiet election season for local Sanders County races this election season. Five county elected officials are up for re-election this year, and only one race is contested. County Commissioner Dan Rowan, Attorney Megan Hansen and Coroner Greg Davis are all running unopposed for their respective positions. Alisa Garcia of Thompson Falls was the only candidate to file for the combined position of Clerk and Recorder, Treasurer and Superintendent of Schools. The...
A 40-year-old woman from Clark Fork, Idaho, was killed in an accident early Sunday morning on Highway 200 near Heron. Montana Highway Patrol reported that the woman was driving a Toyota FJ Cruiser west on Highway 200 near mile marker 1.3 when the vehicle drifted off the right side of the roadway. The driver attempted to correct back onto the road and struck an embankment, overturning the vehicle. The accident occurred just before 3 a.m. on Sunday. The driver of the vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene. A 36-year-old female passenger, also...
In Montana we have many seasons. There are the four regular seasons, but then there is hunting season and boating season, and probably the most recognizable, wildfire season. In March, everyone is busy clearing up their yards and property. Both Plains and Thompson Falls will be sponsoring beautification days in the towns in an effort to help keep common areas clean and help neighbors clear out leftovers from fall and winter. March also brings open burning season in Montana. It was pretty obvious March 1 when the season started as you started...
Two Sanders County sheriff's deputies were awarded with the Medal of Valor at a ceremony last week. Mineral County Sheriff Ryan Funke presented deputies Lanny Hensley and Tim Kelly with the awards at the Sanders County Courthouse on Thursday evening. About 30 law enforcement officers, members of the public and family members attended the ceremony. "As sheriff, March 18, 2023, is a day that will forever haunt my memory," Sheriff Funke said. "But it is also a day that could have been much worse,...
My favorite show growing up — and still one of my favorites now — was Little House on the Prairie. I love the idea of small communities supporting themselves and each other. When there was a barn raising, everyone showed up for the work and the celebration. When it was time for the harvest, everyone would gather for a large meal after the harvest was done. Food brings us together. In times of sickness or distress or in times of joy and celebration, there is always a meal to share. Think about when a family suffers a loss or an illness. Peo...
The Thompson Falls Farmers Market received pledged support from community members at Monday's meeting of the City Council. Market organizer Veronica Ingle approached the council about having a reduced fee for the market to use one of the city parks for the event this year. In 2023, the market used an empty private lot because they could not afford the $100 per week rental. Ingle asked the city to reduce the fee to $100 per season for the market. While the council voted to refer the matter to...
When our reporter Shannon Brown started talking to schools about mental health, we had several conversations as a staff around the conference table about what direction the story would take. With three teens dying by suicide in the last six months, we felt the need to start a conversation. We watched schools and communities grieve and begin to heal. As journalists, how do we cover that? What can we do to help the communities? After recent presentations at Thompson Falls High School, we decided it was our responsibility to keep the conversation...
William Wyatt pleaded not guilty to three counts on Tuesday before Judge Molly Owen. Wyatt is charged with one charge of felony escape, one charge of resisting arrest, a misdemeanor, and one count of misdemeanor criminal mischief. According to charging documents, on February 9, 2024, Detective Ethan Harvey with the Sanders County Sheriff’s Office attempted to arrest Wyatt while serving a warrant. Documents allege that Wyatt escaped from the back of a patrol vehicle, cut off his handcuffs with a bolt cutter and disposed of them, then eluded offi...
by Annie Wooden and Shannon Brown The investigation continues into a fire last week in which three Noxon businesses were destroyed. The state completed its on-site investigation last week and Noxon Fire Chief Jim Byler said insurance investigators were due in this week from out of state. Nearly 100 people attended a public meeting Saturday at Noxon School to hear an update about the investigation into the fire that destroyed three businesses in the community earlier this week. Byler called the...
A Senator from Trout Creek has a new position within the state. Governor Greg Gianforte last week announced the appointment of Bob Brown of Trout Creek to serve as lottery director for the State of Montana. Brown was first elected to serve Montana in the state legislature in 2015, serving consecutive terms in the Montana House of Representatives until 2019. He was elected to the Montana State Senate in 2021. “It’s very interesting and I’m learning a lot,” Brown said Monday, his first day in his new position. “It’s going to be great.” He...
You see a lot of instances in professional sports of athletes putting on a show of arrogance and entitlement. Flashy touchdown dances, photos of epic reactions to a dunk, or comments attacking an opponent (kind of like politics). It makes for good television and water cooler gossip. In that last week, though, I witnessed two instances of athletes being humble and grateful for everything they achieved. The first was Iowa's Caitlin Clark scoring her 3,685th point and breaking the all-time Division I basketball scoring record set by Pete Maravich,...
The town of Noxon suffered a devastating loss on Tuesday when a fire destroyed several businesses. Fire crews responded to an early-morning fire Tuesday in the 700 block of Noxon Avenue that destroyed several buildings. The fire, which officials said Tuesday appears to have started at the Angry Beaver General Store, also destroyed Toby's Tavern and the Noxon Mercantile and Cafe. Along with the Noxon Fire Department, Heron Fire, and Trout Creek Rural Fire responded to the blaze, and a...
Nearly 100 people attended a public meeting Saturday at Noxon School to hear an update about the investigation into the fire that destroyed three businesses in the community earlier this week. Noxon Fire Chief Jim Byler called the meeting in the school multi-purpose room in order to address rumors. "This meeting was to ease minds about arson," he explained. He said he has been watching social media and "everybody needs to get along, calm down and let the investigators do their job." Byler said...
With just under two weeks left in the filing period for 2024 county elections, there are no contested races in Sanders County. This year, voters will cast ballots for five county elected officials, including Commissioner District 1, Clerk of District Court, County Attorney, County Coroner and the combined position of County Clerk and Recorder, Treasurer and Superintendent of Schools. As of Tuesday, only one candidate has filed for each position. Dan Rowan has filed for the commissioner seat he now holds, Clerk of District Court Cynthia Neste...
Tuesday morning, the community of Noxon suffered an absolutely devastating loss. Several buildings and businesses were destroyed by fire. It is heartbreaking for the whole community, especially the business owners and employees. The loss of property is only the tip of what these community members - our neighbors - are going to endure in the aftermath of this fire. Thankfully no one was injured in the fire. Along with the cleanup efforts, now comes the "what do we do next?" stage for the community. When you only have a handful of businesses in...
At tournament time, emotions run high. For seniors, there's the possibility of it being the last time you'll play for your team. For others, the thirst for more competition drives you. The Blue Hawk boys' season came to an end at the divisional tournament in Pablo last weekend, playing three intense games. "We competed against some really good team this season," Coach Jake Mickelson said after the tournament. "We were really close to beating these teams who had beat us earlier in the season." He...
