Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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Sanders County opened its doors last weekend for its annual county-wide yard sale event. Hundreds of people, including some from as far as Cody, Wyoming, hunted across the county at almost 100 yard sales. Some of the sales were done for personal reasons, and others benefited groups and organizations. One such organization was Friends of the Quilting House in Thompson Falls. The organization hosted a yard sale at the home members, Ginger Ward. Funds from the sale went into the organization's...
ANGELA WILLIAMS, Thompson Falls - “An open house where the previous owners had left, or were evicted, and everything in the house was free because they didn’t want to pay to have it all moved.” KIM CATT, Thompson Falls - “The weirdest thing I have seen at a garage sale was chickens being sold.” NANETTE MAYFIELD, Bigfork - “When people start to release their old books that came from their grandparents or great-grandparents that came from 1894.” RICHARD MAYFIELD, Bigfork - “Some of the old tools that are 50-100 years old that you have no idea wh...
“Within 10 years, if there aren’t more hunters, there won’t be enough funds from license sales to pay for fish and wildlife conservation,” said Richard Cotte, a Sanders County resident and director of the new Connecting Heroes and Hunters branch of the First Hunt Foundation (FHF). Cotte spent much of his life in the military and has been a lifelong hunter. He is not the only one worried about the loss of the hunting culture in America, especially regarding its support of conservation. According to a study done by the National Shooting Sports...
Mayor Mark Sheets is warning Thompson Falls residents to ration their use of water within city limits. This means absolutely no watering of lawns and “only a little hand watering of gardens to keep them alive,” said Sheets. Sheets explained that the pump for the big well is down, and the city is not sure when it will be fixed. According to Sheets, there have been issues with this pump in the past. The city put in a new control system for it and even replaced it. However, “for some reason it is drawing a lot of amperage which is causing the p...
Since the first week in May, the Trout Creek Community Improvement Association (TCCIA) has been converting the old Pilgrim Park playground ship into a new playset for the Trout Creek Community Park."When this came along, I don't think we knew how much work it would be," TCCIA board chair Liz Stender said when the ship arrived at the Trout Creek Park. "Luckily we have a great group of volunteers who didn't mutiny!" cracking a seaworthy joke. According to her, through the project, many of these...
Every year the local group Clark Fork Valley Amateur Radio Club participates in the nationwide Field Day organized by the American Radio Relay League (ARRL). The 2021 was last Saturday at Power Park in Thompson Falls, allowing enthusiasts to make contacts around the world and practice sending and receiving skills. Though it is an American competition, other nations and hams (radio operators) from other countries will join the fun. The Sanders County club has been working to get more community...
The city of Thompson Falls is in the process of applying for a grant that Mayor Mark Sheets referred to as “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds are part of an initiative by the federal government to help communities improve water and sewer infrastructure in the state of Montana. The city plans to use these funds to continue the water project. The first part, equal to $345,543, is noncompetitive, meaning that as long as a community can provide the application and meet the requirements, it can receive the...
RACHEL FAIRBANK, Thompson Falls - “To the Thompson falls dam and to do the little walk around there. And then I also like taking them to the Graves Creek falls.” ELLIE HABEGGER, Trout Creek - “Normally we take our company from out of town either to Ross Creek Cedars, or up Chicago Peak. We like to hike back to Cliff Lake.” SANDRA GUBEL, Trout Creek - “Our favorite place to take visitors is Ross Creek Cedars. It’s so beautiful and quiet.” ALEX LESTERMORGAN, Plains - “My favorite place to take people is the lake down at Trout Creek.” ALEX VA...
Thompson Falls Police Department officers were involved in a high-speed vehicle pursuit Sunday. About 5 p.m. June 20, a vehicle was fleeing west on Blue Slide Road in excess of 80 miles per hour. According to information released by the Sanders County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) through a Facebook post, the vehicle began smoking heavily with a small fire under the hood. The vehicle pulled over and a male driver fled on foot. The female passenger was detained and was released after questioning. The suspect was not apprehended, and police say t...
There are numerous ways to get out and explore the area. Sanders County alone contains several subjects for excursion. There are not a lot of Montana activities that one cannot do in and around Sanders County. First, the county is home to a large population of pilots who take small aircraft around the area’s over 6 million surrounding acres of national forest. Many of these pilots are more than willing to take people up and love being tour guides. Some will even fly a person into some of the remote landing strips in the Bob Marshall W...
Mayor Mark Sheets gave a speech christening the official opening of Ainsworth Park in Thompson Falls on Monday. During his speech, he thanked the numerous groups that had worked to finish the park. He was joined by Carla Parks, who was mayor when the foundation was being laid for the park. Parks was an integral part of the Thompson Falls Main Street Inc. organization before it became a part of the Montana State Main Street Program, which opened the project up to numerous grants. She was also...
Sanders County is preparing for the annual county-wide yard sale, happening the last weekend of the month. On June 25 and 26, residents from Heron to Dixon and from Plains to Hot Springs will set up shop. According to Robin Hagedorn, who helps with Thompson Falls Main Street Inc., the sale always occurs on the last full weekend in June. She also said this year there are 86 registered sales, and likely several more that have not registered, so it will be one of the busiest years yet. Hagedorn said this is quite a few more sales than previous...
CORY WHITE, Sedona, Arizona - “My proudest and fondest memory of my father is traveling with him! He took me everywhere.” KATHY IKOLA, Trout Creek - “When I was in high school, at the dance, he came up and asked me to dance. He was just so proud that his daughter would dance with him in public.” LUKE WILLIAMS, Plains - “Just working beside him. He taught me how to work hard and be a man.” SEAN YODER, Noxon - “I’m thankful that my father taught me how to work and to know God.” JOHN OWENS, Thompson Falls - “My fondest memory is brown trout fish...
A new heavy equipment rental outlet is open east of Thompson Falls on Highway 200. XR Rentals provides equipment for any number of jobs. "We match people up with the equipment they need for their projects," said JJ Hunsekker, general manager at XR Rentals. XR Rentals has a variety of equipment, for everything from landscaping to construction projects, including log splitters, mowers, stump planers, scissor lifts, trailers, Bobcats and more. Hunsekker said they are working on expanding their...
Final plans are being made for the grand opening ceremony at Ainsworth Park, organized by Thompson Falls Mainstreet, Inc. in conjunction with the city of Thompson Falls. The nonprofit helped raise funds for several key parts of the park, including the veteran’s memorial. According to Daniel Moore, owner of the Black Bear family of companies and chairman of Thompson Falls Main Street, the group also worked with Sanders County Community Development Corporation to submit a Community Development Block Grant proposal that successfully brought $...
A new traveling food truck is offering southern style barbecue in Sanders County. Btchn Ktchn 406, has begun visiting both Plains and Thompson Falls. Run by two veterans, Dusty Sikora and Dave Sikora, the truck has been in the area for the last two months. They travel from St. Ignatius, and visit 10 towns in the area, including some in Mineral and Sanders counties. They operate five days a week and try to be in each town at least every other week. The business started as the brainchild of...
AEDs, or Automated External Defibrillators, are advanced pieces of equipment that can now analyze cardiac rhythms and automatically deliver electric pulses to stimulate the functions of the heart. With technological advances, AEDs today can be easy to use and can function autonomously, without the aid of a trained professional. According to Lynn Lanzoni, the K-9 drug dog handler for the Sanders County Sheriff's Office, AEDs can be an important piece of equipment for saving lives. Lanzoni said...
To honor the days of the old west and the history of the mountain man, a local group has started up. They call themselves the Clark Fork Valley Traditional Black Powder Group. It was started in late August 2020 by Richard Cotte. Along with others in the county, Cotte wanted to find a way to get together locally with those who share an interest in traditional firearms and the history surrounding them. “A lot of the importance is to keep interest in the hobby alive,” said Cotte, “a lot of the c...
Big Bull Sports has reopened at its new location at 1013 Main Street in Thompson Falls. The grand opening was June 1, and owner Tom Kirkland said the day saw a great turnout. "It is amazing how much changes just through a new location," said Kirkland. According to Kirkland, many outdoor supply stores in the country are experiencing poor product availability this year, and that is why he is sticking to "the bread-and-butter" products. Currently, Big Bull Sports carries typical outdoor sporting eq...
The Thompson Falls School Board met Monday to discuss the possibility of putting in a new multi-use structure on campus. According to superintendent Bud Scully, there is some COVID-19 funding available through the American Rescue Plan Act. Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds (ESSER) are available to numerous schools affected by COVID-19. During the meeting, Scully mentioned that Thompson Falls is eligible for around $1.8 million of funding through the program. These funds can be used to hire new staff, create new space for ed...
Plains High School honored 33 students Sunday who are finishing their senior year. The graduation was held outside, and the day was warm and sunny. Plains Schools Superintendent Thom Chisholm welcomed everyone to the ceremony, held on the football field. The commencement speaker, teacher Lisa Brown, opened her speech saying, “I would like to thank those who have made this three-day weekend possible!” She said this as gratitude to those who have passed in service to the country, and who were bein...
REILEY EMMER, Sandpoint, Idaho - “I think some local music events would be awesome, especially local bands and local artists.” BOB SINK, Thompson Falls - “I would like to see more musical events, like bluegrass and old country.” BEN DRAVIK, Thompson Falls - “Drive-in movies on the river.” JOHN SIEGMUND, Thompson Falls - “I would like to see more outdoor music events.” JETT FORD, Thompson Falls - “I would like to see more dirt bike races.” ILENE VINSON, Thompson Falls - “More country music events!...
A Spokane woman pleaded not guilty to the charge of criminal possession of dangerous drugs Tuesday in 20th District Judicial Court. According to charging documents, Brianna Davidson was pulled over in Sanders County April 30 after the officer noticed that her Washington plates had expired. Upon conversing with Davidson, the officer discovered that Davidson did not possess a valid driver’s license. It was also learned that there was a warrant out for Davidson for drug-related charges in Spokane. Upon a search of the vehicle, drug p...
Last week the Dixon School District celebrated the promotion of two eighth graders, Daisyn Joseph James Brough and Taevius Ryan Roberts. Each year the school contacts a resident or alumni to speak at the ceremony. This year Shawna Olsen, the school secretary and administrative assistant, reached out to Jake Herak. Herak is a star on History Channel show “Mountain Men.” Herak is also an alumnus of Dixon, having graduated there in 2004. Herak was born in Ronan and lived in Dixon until he was a t...
For over 30 years, Ken Roudybush has been giving a Bible prophecy presentation which he calls his "prophecy update." This month, he will give his presentation in Sanders County for the first time. According to Roudybush, the presentation speaks about events that show that Bible prophecy has passed. One example he gave was that of Daniel 12:4, which he said speaks about the increase of knowledge and travel. He applied this to today, explaining how that time is now and every morning we wake up....
