Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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The 2020 hunting season has had a less-than-stellar start after much of Montana received a hefty early snow. “Many may have stayed home instead of getting out into the woods,” said Jeff Davidson with Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks (FWP), who worked the Thompson Falls check station last Saturday and Sunday with Marc Terrazas. They said they only saw four animals on Saturday, and not many more on Sunday. A slow start, they both said. Together, Terrazas and Davidson will be working the check station every weekend, from 11 a.m. until half an hou...
Robin Fisher, Thompson Falls - “I have gotten my flu shot this year, here in Thompson Falls. I get it every year.” Robert Adams, Thompson Falls - “Yes I’m getting a flu shot as soon as possible. Just something I do every year.” Dan Milligan, Thompson Falls - “No, I’ve never gotten a flu shot. I just don’t believe in taking one. I have never felt like I needed to take one, and if I catch a flu I'll deal with it. I oppose what the flu shots are all about and I’m not going to take a flu shot ever.” RJ Littlefield, Yakima, Washington - “No I...
Two homicides came before the district court Tuesday. Both occurred in Hot Springs in the same week; one on Wednesday, October 7 and one on Thursday, October 8. The first defendant to appear was Rachel Bellesen, who has been charged with the murder of her ex-husband, Jacob Glace on October 8, with a firearm. According to the police report, she shot Glace least five times. During her initial appearance at court on Tuesday, Bellesen pleaded not guilty and that the act was in self-defense, protecting herself from sexual assault. According to her...
There are few hunts in Montana that compare to chasing after the ghosts of the prairie. Pronghorn sheep, American antelope, speed goat and numerous other names have been given to this, the second fastest land animal in the world. Prized as one of the most exciting hunts for many reasons, including the fact that many hunters consider it one of the best tasing game animals in the continental U.S. The pronghorn is also fast, intelligent, has eyes better than most binoculars and an extremely keen sense of smell. This strong olfactory sense can be...
As part of its goal to continuously improve the lives of its students and campus, the Plains school system held a ceremony Monday afternoon to break ground for their new multiple-use building. The new addition will include a full-sized rubberized court for physical education classes and games, a new art room with an area for ceramics kilns, and a space that can double as a classroom. The facility will also incorporate a health and physical education office and storage. On one side of the...
A Thompson Falls business was destroyed in a fire last Saturday. First responders received a call about 11 p.m. Saturday that Genki Asian Cafe on Main Street was engulfed in flames. According to Neil Harnett and Kevin Whittenburg with the City of Thompson Falls Fire Department, one of the main concerns in fighting the fire was keeping it from spreading to adjacent buildings. Emergency crews had personnel constantly watering down surrounding buildings, especially the First Baptist Church...
DEB CHEETHAM, Thompson Falls - “Jaws.” JAMIE GIDDINGS, Plains - “The Blair Witch Project, because it was so horrible that it’s great.” MAKAYLA MACNAIR, Plains - “It Chapter Two.” MICHAEL MACNAIR, Plains - “I don’t have a favorite, because I’ve seen so many that I just can’t decide.” JHOUSHUA MACNAIR, Plains - “Halloween; it was the first one I have ever seen, and it tops them all.” BRANDI TRELATSKY, Thompson Falls - “Saw is my favorite scary movie because the ending. It's what you least expect to happen, and it’s surprising and I like th...
One of the most humbling things for many people as they age is the loss of mobility. For those who live in homes with two stories, the challenges can be many. To remedy this, Nick Marich Jr., from Heron, decided to take it upon himself to use his building skills to put a private, homemade elevator, into his parent's home. For Nick Marich Sr. and his wife Adrienne, the elevator their son put in has been a life saver. After fighting a serious knee infection, a collective decision with doctors has...
This election season, Montanans are voting on a measure that would legalize recreational marijuana. According to some local law enforcement officers, however, it could be a counterproductive approach. According to Lynn Lanzoni, who has worked with a drug dog in Sanders County since 2015 and has been in law enforcement for many years, drug use can have a huge impact on domestic violence. He mentioned that many people compare the use of marijuana with the use of alcohol, and historically how alcohol has been banned and legalized. To Lanzoni,...
Those looking for a treat in Sanders County, can look no further than the little Thompson Falls candy shop, Candy Ma'am Candies. For the last 25 years, Marilyn O'Neill has been creating a variety of sweets for locals and recently, those who order online. Originally from eastern Montana, O'Neill worked at several grocery stores before moving to Thompson Falls in 1995 to help work at her niece's candy shop. After almost four years, O'Neill bought the shop and started running it herself. She says t...
Most people start to collect old medications, unfinished or expired. These drugs collect at the back of medicine cabinets cluttering it up; however, many people may not know about the drug takeback day to rid oneself of those pesky pills. On October 24, the local sheriff’s office will be participating in a nation-wide drug takeback day. The event will allow locals to drop off those extra medicines to be disposed of, for free. The event will occur between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Any drop offs are anonymous and there will be no questions asked. The e...
'Tis the season for salmon snagging, an unusual form of fishing still practiced today that reaches back to the late ice age. As autumn rolls around, certain species of fish, including kokanee salmon, will begin their great journey upstream to spawn. This once-in-a-lifetime event, for the fish, is something that anglers and non-fishermen alike can enjoy every year. Kokanee are a land-locked, freshwater-only variety of the famous sockeye salmon of the west coast. Sockeye salmon will live their...
Steven Conley, Thompson Falls - “I would say as long as you don’t go over a month then you’re fine on any decorations.” Jeffery Manwaring, St. George, Utah - “Anytime that anybody wants to put up decorations is fine for them, as for me I kind of like to do it just before the holiday, and with Christmas; do it right after Thanksgiving.” Nate Manwaring, St. George, Utah - “I personally think that most people that set up decorations it's for the kids. I think just do whatever makes the kids happy, just give them a good time." Patsy Evans, Thomps...
With the lack of family events held throughout the year, some Trout Creek locals decided to organize their own rodeo. The event last weekend was held out at the Double H Arena, on family property owned by the Helveys. Called "Five Card Draw," the event allowed participants to put into the pot for winnings during the events, just like poker. A total of 24 contestants came out to show their skill and prowess in horsemanship and anywhere from 50 to 100 people came out to watch. The event last...
When asked to describe a pageant contestant, one might usually describe a tall lean woman in a dress. Not many would say an under 5 foot, 6 inch gal wearing cowboy boots, but that is exactly who just won the first ever Mrs. Montana Petite. Of 300 entries, 28-year-old Jennay Ovitt from Plains won the state title. As part of the unique pageant, USA Petite, women of short stature from across the country are recognized for their tenacity, beauty, intelligence and community involvement. There are...
After years of planning, Ainsworth Park is officially complete, however, the work for the Thompson Falls City Council is not over. For their September meeting the council discussed working on a use permit for groups and organizations interested in hosting events at the new park. The city has an event permit, but they believe that with Ainsworth, considering the expense put into its facilities, there needs to be a permit unique to the park. During the discussion they talked about fees, insurance and ordinance waivers related to such a permit. Th...
As part of a $8.2 billion federal investment into airport infrastructure, numerous airports across the country and Montana are receiving tax dollars to improve various parts of their facilities. Thompson Falls was one such small airport and received $733,276 from the federal government to upgrade its grounds. “If the tax money has to go somewhere, it might as well be here,” says Sanders County Commissioner Tony Cox, who has been working with the airport and other organizations to use the funds given by the government to the airport. Last yea...
ELDER DALIN JOHNSON, Peoria, Arizona - “To do service, especially helping people with their gardens and raking leaves.” EMMANUEL LEFEBVRE, Thompson Falls - “Getting firewood.” BLAIR BROOKS, Thompson Falls - “To sit outside with a blanket on a cool day and drink coffee.” BRANDON KNUTSON, Thompson Falls - “It would absolutely have to be being outside and doing anything athletic, sports wise or going out on a hike.” SIERRA LILLY, Thompson Falls - “High school sports.” BRIAN BROWN, Kila, Montana - “Hunting, because it gets me out of the house and...
In 1983 two men were driving westbound across the Highway 200 bridge over the Thompson River, just east of Thompson Falls, at around midnight. The driver, 23-year-old Raleigh Smith, accompanied by a friend, 20-year-old Christopher Otto, suddenly swerved and drove into the embankment, rolling the vehicle which collided with a tree. Smith, who was a former rodeo champion from Cut Bank, died instantly, and his friend was rushed to the hospital. After the wreck, a highway marker was placed on the...
Old computers, printers, televisions and other electronics were gathered at the county's annual E-waste event last Saturday. Organizers said the event was a complete success. Organized by Kathy Conlin with Sanders County with help from Dusti Johnson with the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and hosted at the Thompson Falls Transfer site, the event drew people from across the county. The recycling was done by 406 Recycling, a licensed electronic recycler through the DEQ. 406...
To say that the Sink family from Thompson Falls are history buffs would be an understatement. The group gives their time to helping show others the joys of exploring history hands on by living it. Wesley Sink, and his family, have been attending numerous Civil War reenactments and living history events for some time, and this last weekend they traveled to Eagle City Park near Prichard, Idaho, to do just that. The event was a last-minute battle reenactment thrown together by a man named Gene Blac...
Stephanie Huyghe, Plains - “I recycle old cardboard. I use it for making fire starters and burn it in my wood burning stove; I never throw out any cardboard.” Dan Schuotz, Chaska, Minnesota - “We recycle aluminum and cardboard. We have big 55-gallon bins, and they come once a month to pick that up.” Jesse Claridge, Thompson Falls - “I’m just too lazy to recycle.” Bob Hofmeister, Las Vegas, Nevada - “My wife recycles anything that she can find a place to stick it. If they’ve got a bin for it she recycles it.” Patti Whitmore, Thomspon Falls - “I...
Thompson Falls man Raymond Schaefer on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to a charge of criminal possession of dangerous drugs. According to charging documents, Thompson Falls Police received a call of an altercation. Police who responded found a meth pipe on Schaefer's person as well as a pipe for marijuana in his vehicle. There was also an open container of alcohol in his vehicle and it was determined that Schaefer was under the influence during the confrontation. Schaefer’s trial has been set for February 15, 2021. A Helena man, Andre Levert, a...
In honor of those who died and those who worked as first responders on 9/11, the Elks organized a ride through Thompson Falls last Friday. The idea for the ride originally came from Elks member Ron Hawkinson, who thought it would be nice to do something on that day and suggested they ride down Main Street in side-by-sides. They posted about it on Facebook and spread the event around through word of mouth and were surprised at the turnout. Nearly 30 side-by-sides and over 30 vehicles including...
The Thompson Falls School Board is working on a new salary schedule for their administration. The new schedule will decide how much and how often the administrative employees’ salaries will increase over the years. According to Superintendent Bud Scully, who has been working on the proposal, “it is normal to have a salary schedule for all employees, and all of the other staff already have a salary schedule at Thompson Falls, however the administration does not.” Scully has been researching pay rates for similar schools, however, is having diffi...
