Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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My most memorable outdoor experience took place my sophomore year of high school with my school’s outdoor experiential learning program. It was mid-November; the first snow had painted the wilderness white. I awoke Friday morning eagerly ready for an adventure! Knowing anything could happen I prepared myself with three layers of socks, 5 layers of clothing and enough snacks to feed an army. Although, I have never been a scout I take their moto to heart when it comes to being prepared. As I headed to school, the sky began to darken and opened up...
Drawing pictures can be kid stuff, but when it comes to the Art on the Walls program at Clark Fork Valley Hospital (CFVH), the children's show is the most popular one of the year. Nearly 150 people showed up for the Sanders County Arts Council's (SCAC) Art on the Walls Student Show reception at CFVH last Tuesday evening. One hundred and ninety-four students from Plains and Noxon schools from kindergarten to seniors displayed their artwork this quarter, including one Noxon home-schooled student,...
It has been nearly a year since Mark Legard was found dead in his Plains home, the result of a gunshot wound, but investigators are still attempting to determine whether his death was homicide or suicide. “It’s not like TV. Cases aren’t solved in 30 minutes,” said Detective Chad Cantrell of the Sanders County Sheriff’s Office, which took the case over from the Plains Police Department in October because it has more resources and because Chief of Police Shawn Emmett, who had been investigating the incident, was scheduled for shoulder surgery a...
Two council members were sworn for four-year terms at the first Plains Town Council meeting of the year, but the town now needs to fill a vacancy left by Michael Brinson, who resigned on Dec. 20 for "personal reasons," said Mayor Dan Rowan. Brinson, a former Plains mayor, had been on the council for only a year. Rowan first swore in Ward 3's Chad Cantrell, who had served on the board for the last two years to fill the vacancy from when Rowan took over as mayor. Connie Foust, a Plains resident...
The Plains-Paradise Senior Center might be in danger of shutting down, taking away an important link of senior citizens to the community. "This is a vital lifeline for seniors," said John Sheridan, acting president of the center. "They need this. It's a good contribution to the community and to the well-being of the seniors in general," he added. The center's membership has been steadily declining over the past couple of years, losing about a dozen members in the last year. The center also has...
Having a birthday on Christmas Day can be a treat, but when Santa Claus makes an exclusive stop to deliver the birthday presents, that's even more special. That's what happened to Anita Wise, who turned 102 years old on Christmas, when Santa showed up at the Clark Fork Valley Hospital Long Term Care to personally hand deliver her gifts. Wise, known to most as "Carol," was a bit surprised when Santa - aka Chuck Nichter of Thomson Falls - sat down next to her and gave her presents. Five of Wise's...
The Plains horse sculpture artist is almost ready to get his second steel animal to the greenway. He's working on applying coats of cement to go over the perforated steel and hopes to start staining the project next week. Pies started on the horses two years ago and began work on the second horse in January with the help of Paradise resident Sig Person, who is also assisting with the third horse, a rearing equine with most of the steel skeleton finished. Pies started putting on the cement coat...
Having to think on the last day of school of the calendar year can be tough, unless it's a fun kind of thinking and can lead to bragging rights and a prize. For two hours Friday morning, just over 180 students participated in the annual Brain Bash competition to kick off the Christmas vacation at Plains School. With the theme of "What I Want to be When I Grow Up," just over 180 students on 14 teams from seventh grade to seniors went through more than a dozen stations set up around the school....
The Sanders County Fair Commission voted unanimously to bring back the fair’s Christmas light show. Board Chairman Randy Woods said that it’s too late for this year, and he’d like to decorate the fairgrounds for the 2020 holiday, but they need to first look at the cost. “I have looked at all the Christmas lights stored underneath the grandstands and most of the lighting is pretty weathered, cracked and damaged. The scenery stuff and the frames are all still good, but it all needs to be relit,” said Woods at last week’s monthly fair board meeti...
The kids at Plains Elementary School had to wait outside Monday morning, but when they were let in, they all got a special train ride. Conductor Tom Hanks, aka Superintendent Thom Chisholm, greeted the students at the door and handed each one a special ticket for the Polar Express. Its tracks ran for nearly 300 feet through the elementary school halls. The 10 elementary school teachers from kindergarten to fourth grade, along with two title one teachers and a handful of aides, started...
The parade through Plains from Central Avenue to Hubbard Street Saturday lasted only two minutes, but nearly 100 people lined Railroad Street to see Santa Claus on top of a fire engine. This is the third year for the Family Fun Community Christmas Event, formerly called the Christmas Extravaganza. Santa and his elf, Whitney Tanner-Spurr, tossed candy to kids from the 1968 Plains-Paradise Rural Fire District engine as it made its way through town. The fire truck was one of five participants of...
Architects might take their lunch to work, but they don't usually eat their work. The six adults and nine children in Plains Dec. 6 and 7 all nibbled on their house trimmings and outdoor fixtures at the Dog Hill Bistro, but their small dwellings were edible. The adults had their third annual Adult Gingerbread House Class on Dec. 6 and the kids held their fifth annual Gingerbread House Class the next evening. Both turned into competitions. The houses for both were on display at the Dog Hill...
The flower shop and the liquor store in Plains are under new ownership, and once again, the owners are local. John and Kim Revier of Plains had their first day in their new place, Garden Gift & Floral and Plains Liquor Store, on Dec. 10. "I'm super excited about it," said Kim, who will be working mostly in the flower shop while John will concentrate on the liquor store when he's not involved in his business, J&K Trucking, which he has owned for more than 25 years and plans to continue. The new...
VFW Post 3596 of Plains usually has to contend with freezing temperatures when the club conducts its flag retirement ceremony each December. The 10 participating VFW members had mild weather Saturday evening, "which was good," said Heather Allen, the club quartermaster, because they had 249 flags to retire this year, four times as many as 2018 and 100 more than the average number. The Plains club holds the ceremony each Dec. 7 to honor the military members who perished in 1941 during the surpris...
Coping with the loss of a loved one can be tough, especially during the holiday season, which is why the Clark Fork Valley Hospital Hospice holds its Tree of Life ceremony in December in an effort to remember and celebrate those loved ones. Thirty-two people from Plains, Paradise, Hot Springs, and Thompson Falls took part in the annual event in the hospital’s Building 1 last Wednesday evening, when hospice nurse Laura Lanfear read aloud a list of former hospice patients. Some names might not h...
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Plains, thanks in part to the art students of Plains High School. Forty-one students from freshmen to seniors painted the windows of 23 businesses in Plains from the Clark Fork Valley Hospital clinic on the west end of town to the Dew Duck Inn on the east side. It took the students nearly seven hours to do more than 70 individual windows from small 3x5-foot spaces to the First Security Bank's 10-foot wide by 8-foot high window. The bank got an...
UNIQUE RACK – Is it a lucky or unlucky break? Will his antlers help or hinder his survival? The whitetail deer’s antler wasn’t recently broke, which accounts for the round tip instead of a sharp one. “It could have broke off for a variety of reasons and then never grown in. Or it could be a normal non-typical growth. It’s unique, that’s for sure,” said Dillon Tabish, the public information officer of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Region 1 in Kalispell. As far as being passed over by hunters, h...
Santa Claus made an early appearance in Paradise to help ring in the holidays this year as a special guest at the 3rd Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration, which included songs, goodies and colorful decorations. More than 80 people from Plains, Paradise, Thompson Falls, Dixon, Superior, and Missoula attended the hour-long free event, sponsored by the Paradise Elementary School Preservation Committee, the nonprofit organization that manages and maintains the Paradise Center. The event...
by Aaron Johnson Being outdoors has always been an integral part of my life, but there is a distinct difference between being outdoors and being in the wilderness. I've learned, forgotten and relearned this difference multiple times. The relearning part is essential. Over the past 10 years, I've backpacked many times into the proposed Scotchman Peaks Wilderness, each time with a heavy pack full of painting supplies. Filtering a wilderness experience down to a singular moment is as difficult as...
They looked like colorful stars drifting into the cold night over the Sanders County Fairgrounds Saturday night. It was the annual Chinese Lantern Launch put on by the Cancer Network of Sanders County (CNSC), a fundraiser geared to help only Sanders County people who have been diagnosed with cancer. "That is so cool looking," said Sherry McCartney as the last group of lanterns sailed over the fairground trees. One hundred and thirteen lanterns were launched during the hour-long event. All but a...
At the "first" Thanksgiving celebration in 1621, the Wampanoag Indians just showed up, but at Plains Elementary School, the Native American participation was planned and welcomed. Denise Montgomery's first graders decided to have a re-enactment of the famous feast that was held 398 years ago in Plymouth Colony (modern day Massachusetts) Friday afternoon in their classroom. The kids had the choice of being Native American or pilgrim. Only 6-year-old Palmer Revier chose to be a pilgrim. The...
The Town of Plains received a state grant to hire an engineering firm to determine the vulnerability of the town’s wells. Plains received $15,000 from the Montana Department of Commerce through the Treasure State Endowment Program (TSEP) two weeks ago for the purpose of completing a water system preliminary engineering report, said Mayor Dan Rowan, who added they will be looking into finding out if there is any danger of contamination or vulnerability to the town wells. He said the water system report was prompted partly by the salt c...
VFW Post 3596 Auxiliary members gathered Monday to send care packages to military people who are away from home. It was all part of the "Goody Boxes For Service Personnel" program, which the Plains VFW has been doing since World War II, said Nora Verpoorten, an Auxiliary member since 1985 and one of eight volunteers packing goodies Monday. "It helps support our military personnel and they thoroughly enjoy getting something from home," said Meralise Nass, president of the Auxiliary. "It helps...
For the sixth consecutive year, Plains School students have honored community members with a special Veterans Appreciation Luncheon, held on Monday, Veterans Day. Twenty-eight veterans attended the luncheon in the school's Family and Consumer Sciences classroom, where students of the Jobs For Montana Graduates (JMG) class served the guests chicken tetrazzini, penne with meatballs, three bean salad, Jell-O salad, relish tray and garlic bread, and for dessert brownies and apple crisp....
Seventeen boys and girls of Denise Montgomery's first grade class had special guests and got a flag folding lesson Monday afternoon as a special Veterans Day treat. U.S. Air Force veteran Ed Farmer of Plains talked to the kids about the history and etiquette of the American flag. His son, Buddy, and grandson, Cash, a member of the class, showed kids how to properly fold the flag, which is routinely done when a flag is about to be retired. Buddy said he wanted to show the class a proper flag reti...
