Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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The students of Plains High School and Junior High got to spend their last official school day of 2018 playing games and competing on teams in the annual Brain Bash competition. There was a total of 15 teams that were drawn at random and all named after different Christmas movies. Each team traveled around to 16 different stations where they tested their skills at the different holiday themed games the faculty had designed. Ten minutes was spent at each station and Christmas music was played...
Competition ran high at the Elks National Hoop Shoot on Nov. 11. The Hoop Shoot was held at the Thompson Falls High School gym and hosted 17 contestants, ages 8-13, from all over Sanders County and the surrounding areas. Thompson Falls wrestling coach, Mike Thilmony hosted the Hoop Shoot and outlined the rules and schedule before the competition began. Thilmony also started with the Pledge of Allegiance and honored all veterans attending the Hoop Shoot with recognition. A moment of silence was...
Members of the community banded together at Pilgrim Creek Park in Noxon on Saturday for the third annual Lil' Fighters Fundraiser. Each year, Lil' Fighters chooses a family to support and the proceeds of the event go to helping them pay medical bills and other expenses. Noxon resident Bethany Mast founded Lil' Fighters when her nephew spent some time in the hospital. "We had a lot of success the first year, so we wanted to keep it going," Mast said. This year, 4-year-old Wren McDonald was...
The competition remained steady through the third weekend of the Montana State Senior Bowling Tournament at the Rimrock Lanes in Thompson Falls. “The atmosphere was enjoyable, and all of the bowlers were relaxed and having a good time,” said tournament director Ginger Ward. She also commented that the tournament is “all about having a good time and bowling a good score is just the icing on the cake.” Thompson Falls hosted the Montana State Senior Bowling Tournament in 2014 and since then there have been multiple requests that Rimrock Lanes h...
The hottest days of the summer didn't stop hundreds of visitors from descending on Trout Creek for the 39th annual Huckleberry Festival. The heat was good for the ice cream sales, said Debb McNary, festival chairperson. She said that the festival food booth ran out of huckleberry ice cream and had to borrow from the Trout Creek Community Improvement Association booth. Before the festival was over, both booths had gone through more than 200 gallons of huckleberry ice cream. The Trout Creek...
Linda Haywood broke ground on her Road to the Buffalo sign project with two out of the three locations getting their signs installed August 3. A double-sign was installed at the pull-off right before you cross the bridge to enter Noxon. There were some minor complications at the Noxon site coming from large rocks getting in the way of the post-hole auger. The sign at the Weeksville pull-off had a much smoother installation drilling into the softer dirt, which was good news with the rising...
The Hot Springs Tribal Nutrition Center had the opportunity to get a new dish on the menu during lunch on July 26. Sue Kim, who is originally from South Korea, cooked for a restaurant in San Francisco for 25 years. Kim and her husband retired to Los Angeles and purchased an RV to travel around the country. It was on their way home from their trip to Alaska in 2017 that they discovered Hot Springs. “We actually got lost and this is where we ended up,” said Kim. They were intrigued by the natural hot springs that can be found in the area. Kim und...
Children of all ages were invited to come out and join the Vacation Bible School (VBS), that was hosted by the Thompson Falls Community Congregational Church (TFCCC) and missionaries from Christ's Church in Federal Way, Washington. A total of 30 missionaries came from Washington to help out with the four-day event. This was the second year that TFCCC has hosted this VBS with help from the missionaries, who also spent their time around Thompson Falls, chopping firewood, cleaning yards, and even...
Golf teams took to the course in Plains for the 7th annual Golf 4 Green tournament earlier this month. The tournament originated with hopes of reviving the Plains Golf Course, which was in desperate need of repairs. "The course was just about lost," said Gary Revier, who has been involved with the tournament from the beginning. Tonya and Jack Revier spearheaded the tournament seven years ago after seeing a need and hoping to turn things around. Each year the proceeds from the tournament have...
After Tuesday’s day of golf, the Harvest Foods team of Mike Bates, Tyler Bates, Caleb Bates, and Don Lake came in with the low team gross of 166. Low team net went to One Shy of a Six Pack with 133. Tyler Bates came out on top with a low individual gross of 37 and Sam Burt shot the low net of 27. On the links, Caleb Bates was closest to the pin in three on No. 11, while John Mosher had the long putt on No. 12 and the long drive for 55 and older on No. 18. Dave Petteys was closest to the pin on No. 14, Ron Beaty hit closest to the pin on No. 17,...
Engines roared, dust flew, as racers took to the track for the third annual Lawn Mower Races at the Wild Coyote Saloon. There were 15 racers who showed up to give it their all for six laps around the dirt track that was installed for the lawn mowers to race on. There were 11 racers in the men's division and 4 in the women's. The registration fee was $5 and the money goes to the maintenance and running of the event. Any lawnmower entered must be constructed out of "lawn mower" parts but "we are...
The 10th annual Avista Charity Golf Scramble will be held August 18 at the Rivers Bend Golf Course in Thompson Falls. This year Avista will be honoring the Western Montana Mental Health Center (WMMHC). “Avista has been amazing to work with and we are ecstatic that they chose us,” said Abby Harnett, Executive Director of WMMHC. To be considered for the scramble, organizations must submit an application that outlines what their contributions to the community are and where the money will be going that is donated. The scramble is a very pop...
If you love pie and have a bit of a competitive side, then the Pie Eating Contest at the Huckleberry Festival in Trout Creek is just what you’re looking for. Sarah Dramstad commented that “each year there is plenty of audience participation and excitement to get the contestants going.” There are usually different heats for the different age groups depending on how many people have signed up to participate. The contest will be Saturday, August 11, at 7:30 p.m. Those interested in the event can find a brochure with the complete Huckleberry Festiv...
A fundraiser for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Lake and Sanders County is set for 6-9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 4, at the Sanders County Fairgrounds. CASA is an organization that works with abused children, the children’s families, the Montana Department of Child and Family Services and attorneys to find beneficial solutions for abuse cases. When a child suffers from abuse or neglect, CASA volunteers are called to assist during the tough time. There will be ice cream and brownie sundaes as well as live music and a silent auction. L...
Madeline Snell, of Thompson Falls, earned first place at the 4-H State Congress for Fashion Revue. Snell was the only competitor in the senior age category but that did not mean that she would end up with the win. “They didn’t have to pick me because I was the only competitor, I’m honored that I was chosen,” Snell said of the competition, which lasted three days on the Montana State University campus in Bozeman. Fashion Revue is a category where participants must construct an article of clothing and coordinate an outfit to go with it. Snell s...
The Piranhas took to the water for the divisional swim meet in Choteau the weekend of July 27. The different teams got to participate in a team walk. This walk is done at both divisional and state each year. Each team has their own theme and it changes every year. The athletes all enjoy the dressing up and are very inventive. The Piranhas’ team theme was James Dean. Board member Kelly Horton said there were 360 swimmers at the divisional meet. Ten Plains swimmers qualified to compete in the state finals in Conrad on Aug. 4-5. She said that t...
Getting your dog looking their best doesn't have to be a chore. Michelle Easley has started a local business in Thompson Falls to help with just that. Her grooming salon, Diamonds in the Ruff, specializes in puppies, elderly dogs and even "aggressive dogs." Easley believes that "a calm atmosphere and a quiet salon really helps to make your pet less anxious about being groomed." Living in such a rural community, Easley even has experience with grooming dogs that have been sprayed by skunks to...
GEORGE HOILAND, Thompson Falls – “Let’s clean it up America, it’s time for some tough love.” REGINA SKOCZYLAS, Trout Creek – “Give the taxpayers the government that they pay for.” VINNY CIRAOLO, Thompson Falls – “Strengthening what we have.” TERESA BISHOP, Thompson Falls – “Treat people how you want to be treated.” TONY AUSTIN, Thompson Falls – “Reduce the political interference in our lives.” REBECCA GRIPP, Thompson Falls – “More logging so we have less fires....
Employees of the Thompson Falls Town Pump C-Store fight against underage drinking by requiring ID with every purchase of alcohol. A "sting-operation" was conducted by the Montana Town Pump corporate office, partnering with Thompson Falls law enforcement, to expose any employees who have neglected to ask for ID during a purchase that contains alcohol. These sting-operations are conducted throughout the whole state of Montana at each of the locations on a random basis. Sanders County Sheriff's...
Live music, great food, and face-painting are just some of what was found at the annual Chicken Jamboree hosted by the Men's Prayer Breakfast Group at Power Park in Thompson Falls. The Jamboree is completely free to the community and works solely on voluntary donations from people who attend and sponsors. It is always held on the 3rd Saturday of July. Don Burrell, who helped the Jamboree run smoothly by cooking the chicken, said that the exact number of years is uncertain, but he thinks that...
The vibrant sounds of the 15th annual Baroque Music Festival filled the nearly packed convert pavilion and entertained the attendees at Quinn's Hot Springs Resort. The festival lasted three days and featured a total of 10 different performers. Guests were provided complimentary water and iced tea as well as soda, beer and wine for purchase. Each night there was a live auction for exclusive items such as a three-day sailing cruise for two in the San Juan Islands. There was also an ongoing silent...
Local veterans and members of the community took to the golf course Saturday to raise money for the Montana Wounded Warriors. The Wayside Scramble tournament was held at the River's Bend Golf Course in Thompson Falls. After the Tournament, the golfers met at the Wayside Bar and Grill in Trout Creek. A check was presented to Kristi Taylor, secretary/treasurer and representative from Montana Wounded Warriors; the total amount has not been registered yet. Marine Veteran, Jim Kuffel had a "great...
If you're looking for a fun summer activity that is full adventure, the Project ASCENT camps might be the perfect fit. Project ASCENT is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation aimed at getting kids outside and to develop an appreciation and understanding of nature. The group has held three camps so far this summer. Two camps were held at Bull River for ages 12-17. Each of the camps were structured the same to provide the same opportunity to the greatest number of youth participants. On the first day,...
Danielle Wood of Thompson Falls is offering a little help in beating the heat this summer. Wood, a Pampered Chef consultant in Thompson Falls who also works for the Chamber of Commerce, is offering a pre-filled water balloon service, called Balloonatics, and serving all of Sanders County. She began taking orders Wednesday, July 18. It is preferable that an order is placed 24 hours in advance, she said, but same-day service may be available. Wood thought that “this would be a fun service to offer customers, taking away one hassle of having a s...
The ninth annual Big Sky Rhythm and Blues Festival will be held on Aug. 3-5 at Pilgrim Creek Park in Noxon. There will be performances from 11 different artists and bands, including three national acts and two International Blues Challenge winners, as well as vendors for food and crafts. The festival has a strong focus on family – including opportunities for youth workshops and an atmosphere for all ages to enjoy – which is what makes it so successful each year. The workshops provide a chance for kids to get one-on-one mentor experience fro...
