Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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The Heron Rural Fire District Board met last week to continue discussions regarding a potential quick response unit (QRU) within the department. More than 40 residents attended the meeting, but there were few comments regarding the QRU. Almost 50 residents had attended the March board meeting and shared comments for and against forming a QRU. After the March meeting, the board came up with a list of more than 30 stipulations that would need to be met before they would consider moving forward with a QRU. Board president Paul Overman said the...
A group of residents approached the Sanders County Commissioners last week regarding the county's communicable disease surveillance protocol. The document is reviewed each year and is a tool to assist the county in the event of a public health emergency. The meeting last Wednesday was requested by resident Kate Hardman, who stated that the protocol includes violations of constitutional rights and state law. "We're asking for you to take action," she told the commissioners. Resident Bruce Hunn...
Trout Creek Community Improvement Association (TCCIA) held their eighth annual Easter Eggstravaganza Saturday afternoon at the Trout Creek Community Park. Nearly 200 children registered for this year's event. "We had an amazing turnout for such cold weather," said Liz Stender with TCCIA. This year more than 6,000 eggs were filled with over 7,200 pieces of candy. "We had close to 12 individuals that helped stuff the Easter eggs and about 12 volunteers for the day of the event," Stender said. The...
A Thompson Falls woman wanted to do something to bring some light into the world. That light came in the form of 720 boxes of Girl Scout cookies shipped to Montanans deployed with the National Guard. Averie Boon gathered donations online for two weeks earlier this year. The $3,400 raised purchased 720 boxes of Girl Scout cookies, which Boon packaged for shipment this past Sunday with the help of her daughter Ainsley, her mother Jodie Bittinger, friend Colleen Knutson and Colleen's mother Karen....
Thompson Falls Schools recognized a longtime staff member last week with a very special award. Last Wednesday was Paraprofessional Appreciation Day. The elementary had an assembly to recognize paraprofessional at the school. Principal Len Dorscher surprised Shawni Vaught with a Paraprofessional of the Year award, not just for the school, but for the region. "Miss Shawni," as Vaught is known to students and staff, was nominated by her peers for the award, which is given by the Council for...
SOFEY FREED, Thompson Falls - "Biotech bcause we laugh a lot and it's entertaining. I love Mr. Nygaard." BEN CROFT, Thompson Falls - "Pre-Calculus because of Mrs. Nygaard. She makes learning fun." NOAH VOLD, Thompson Falls - "Math because Mr. Laws teaches it and I've always liked numbers. I like that he changes his teaching to each student." MAKAYLA DAVIS, Thompson Falls - "Computer apps because it's right after lunch and because Mrs. Beckman is the best." WILL HYATT, Thompson Falls - "Patti P's online periods because it's just very chill in...
Projects for the City of Thompson Falls are moving forward, Mayor Mark Sheets explained at Monday's City Council meeting. Sheets detailed logging projects in the city aimed at removing hazard trees on city property. He said the city is being proactive and reviewing the tree study completed by the Department of Natural Resources. Many of the trees on the removal list in the tree study are among those being removed at locations including near the community center and city pool, as well ad near the old pump house. Phases three and four of the...
Ballots for special district and school board elections are being mailed in Sanders County this week. The elections for school board members and special district board members are being held by mail. The Sanders County Elections staff notes that ballots must be received by the office by 8 p.m. on Tuesday, May 3. Ballots can be dropped off in person at the Sanders County Courthouse, or the elections staff recommends if mailing ballots, that they be mailed no later than Monday, April 25, to allow sufficient time for the mailing process. County...
Stuck in a church basement during a storm, five women learned a lot about life and each other last weekend. The church basement was the stage at The Paradise Center in Paradise and the women were five actors displaying their talents in The Paradise Players' presentation of "The Charitable Sisterhood of the Second Trinity Victory Church." The play is set in the 1970s and portrays a minister's wife who always knows just what the gorup needs to do, a mother of nine, a former nurse, a private...
The filing deadline for local school board elections closed last week. Candidates had until 5 p.m. Thursday to file for positions in Dixon, Hot Springs, Noxon, Plains, Thompson Falls and Trout Creek school districts. In Dixon School District, three candidates have filed for two open three-year positions. Dixon candidates include Marsha Hettick, Kadilyn Roragen and Janita Vonheeder. Hot Springs schools has one three-year position up for election this May, with Jennifer Christensen and Julie White filing. Noxon School District has four positions...
Water Service, Inc., the non-profit corporation that manages the water system in Trout Creek, has been planning for improvements to the system for years. With the help of funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), those plans are being put into action. Doug Cooper is the president of the water board. “We never thought we’d ever have the funds,” Cooper said of the project. He said the funding will improve the existing water system in Trout Creek and make it solvent for years to come. “If we get these improvements done now, it’s going to...
Hecla is taking a different path with its operations in Montana. The mining company has withdrawn its plans of operation for the proposed Rock Creek and Montanore mines in Northwest Montana and is focusing more on exploration. The company has submitted a new plan that just includes exploration at the proposed Montanore site. ‘We believe it’s an easier pathway,” Mike Satre with Hecla said last week. Satre, the company’s director of governmental affairs, said that the plan of exploration being reviewed by the U.S. Forest Service will leverag...
Fresh off the heels of a third state championship, wrestler Trae Thilmony can add All-American to his list of achievements. The Thompson Falls senior finished fourth in the 2022 NHSCA High School National tournament last weekend. Thilmony and sophomore Max Hannum attended the three-day tournament in Virginia Beach. "It was fun. It was good competition. Everyone there is trying to wrestle at the next level," Trae said upon returning from Virginia. "It reminds me of how you're like the big fish...
Trout Creek seventh grader Gavin Todd finished in 16th place out of 60 spellers in the Treasure State Bee earlier this month. Todd advanced to the state bee after winning the Sanders County Spelling Bee on March 4. "My goal was not to get out in the first round," Todd said. He achieved that, and made it through round six before being eliminated on the word penitentiary. "I studied a lot and spelling in something I'm better at," he added. Todd said the state spelling bee was intimidating. "At...
Farm Bureau Financial Services in Thompson Falls has a new agent. Nicole Miller took over the business after Terri Stoltz retired at the end of 2021. Miller stated the transition of taking over the business from Stoltz was easy. "Everything felt right. I believe everything happens for a reason." Miller started working with Stoltz in 2019 and then became a licensed agent, licensed in property, casualty and life insurance. "I want to make sure my clients understand their options and the coverage...
The list of candidates for Sanders County races grew as the filing period came to a close on Monday afternoon. Six candidates have filed for Sanders County Sheriff. Current sheriff Tom Rummel notified his staff earlier this year that he would not be seeking re-election. Candidates who will be on the ballot for the June 7 primary include Mark French and Shawn Fielders of Plains, Lanny Hensley and Roy Scott of Thompson Falls, Christopher Stough of Heron and Corey Wheeldon of Noxon. Additional candidates have also filed for the two county...
Judge James Manley, who has served as a judge in 20th Judicial District Court since 2014, has announced he is retiring. Manley announced in a letter to Gov. Greg Gianforte last week that he would be retiring as district judge effective June 1. He was first appointed to the position, which includes Sanders and Lake counties, in 2013 by Gov. Steve Bullock. Gov. Gianforte will appoint someone to fill out the remainder of Manley’s term. The state is now accepting applications from and nominations of any lawyer in good standing who has the q...
The historic season for the Lady Hawk basketball team ended at the state tournament in Bozeman last weekend. The Hawks went 0-2 at state, but lessons were learned and the team is thankful for a successful season. "I can't even begin to describe how it felt that we actually made it to state," senior Roni Hanks said after the Hawks returned home. "I was happy even though we lost. We hadn't seen any of those teams before. Playing in the college arena was a little intimidating." Thompson Falls...
Coming off of successful fall and winter sports seasons, Blue Hawk athletes are ready to get outside for the 2022 track season. “We are looking forward to another year of track and field. As the athletes come off successful football and basketball seasons, we are looking forward to continuing that success,” said Blue Hawk Head Coach Trenna Ferris. “We are encouraged to have our veteran athletes returning and stepping up to take leadership roles and are excited to have a whole new group of athletes, some brand new to track and field. The junio...
Sanders County 4-H members showed off their talents last weekend at the annual Communication Days event. A total of 72 4-H members provided demonstrations and talks on various topics. The presentations were judged and eight senior and six junior members advanced to the finals competition, which will be Sunday, March 13, at Plains High School. The first day of presentations was last Saturday at Thompson Falls Elementary. Eleven senior members, 27 juniors and one Cloverbud presented on topics...
The Thompson Falls Lady Hawks have had a few days to rest after their second-place finish at the Western B Divisional touranment. Now, the Hawks are hitting the road to Bozeman for their first state tournament appaearance in nearly 20 years. Thompson Falls will open the MHSA Class B Girls tournament agianst Harlem on Thursday. The teams meet at the Brick breeden Fiedlhouse on the campus of Montana State University, with the game set to tip off at 5 p.m. Harlem is the No. 2 seed out of the North and took second place behind Malta. If the Blue Ha...
Five Sanders County athletes have been named to the District 14-C All-Conference basketball teams. Jack McAllister and Katelyn Chirstensen earned all-state honors for the 2021-2022 basketball season. Savage Heat senior Kyle Lawson was named first team all-conference and Garth Parker was selected for second team all-conference honors. Noxon’s Emily Brown was selected for girls first team all-conference honros. District 14-C Girls All Conference All State: Katelyn Christensen, Hot Springs; Mila Hawk, Charlo. First Team: Baylee Pruitt, St. R...
A Trout Creek man made an initial appearance in 20th District Judicial Court on Tuesday, entering not guilty pleas to three felony charges before Judge Deborah "Kim" Christopher. Matthew Yanke pleaded not guilty to two counts of sexual intercourse without consent and one count of sexual assault. The charges stem from alleged incidents in December 2021 involving a child under the age of 16. Charges were filed February 4 and Yanke was arrestend on February 10. Judge Christopher set a trial date of June 20, 2022, for Yanke....
The Blue Hawk boys basketball team finished their season at the divisional tournament last weekend, going 1-2 with opponents in Ronan. The Hawks tipped off the tournament against Florence on Thursday. The Hawks hit the floor with energy as they took a quick 5-0 lead in the first quarter. However, the Falcons quickly rebounded to take the lead and ended the first quarter up 11-10. Thompson Falls was plagued with turnovers in the first half and went into the locker room down 25-18. They kept up...
The Lady Hawks basketball team is headed to the state tournament for the first time in nearly two decades. The Hawks took second place at the divisional tournament in Ronan last weekend, securing a bid to state. It was 2003 the last time the Lady Hawks advanced to the state tournament. The Thompson Falls Lady Hawks took a different approach to a familiar opponent in the championship game at divisional. Saturday evening, the Hawks found themselves facing the Bigfork Valkyries once again. Bigfork...
