Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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In a special meeting Monday evening, the Thompson Falls City Council chose Jerry Lacy to be the new mayor for the City of Thompson Falls. Lacy retired in September with 27 years of experience as Public Works Director for the city, giving him a unique insider perspective on municipal operations. Throughout his career with the City of Thompson Falls, Lacy has worked with the council in its many forms and seen mayors come and go. He cemented himself as a go-to man for information regarding the...
At the behest of Thompson Falls High School's athletic director, students in the shop class have completed a project to help raise money for the athletic department. The project also wrapped up around the same time another round of products were finished, that were a year in the making. "The design is similar to past products we've made, but the decorative vents have Blue Hawk logos in place of the generic evergreen silhouettes seen in last years fire pit creations," said shop teacher Mike...
Clark Fork Valley Hospital employees and area vendors are preparing to help improve the daily comfortability of long-term care (LTC) patients. The LTC Holiday Bazaar is slated for 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, December 7-8. The bazaar will feature local and regional vendors selling their handmade products of arts, crafts and holiday gifts, as well as a 50/50 raffle and light refreshments provided. LTC Activities Director Del Smith noted that the bazaar is one of a handful of fundraisers for the patients there, “using these funds, w...
Staying true to their mission to enhance the community through opportunities for artistic expression, learning and appreciation, the Sanders County Arts Council welcomes music lovers to enjoy the next scheduled event in their Tapestry series of performing arts. Okaidja Afroso will lead his group of melodic percussionists in a performance of “joyous, rhythmic, tragic and uplifting” songs. The high energy group’s music is said to embody the vast, imperfect human story that is hardwired within all of us. Scheduled to perform at the Rex Theat...
Everyone loves a parade – and that goes for dogs, too. Michelle Easley has been working with area animals to help them look their best since May when she opened "Diamonds in the Ruff." The doggy salon is located on Industrial Way by the Elks Lodge in Thompson Falls, where pets and their people gathered for a costume contest and parade. Other activities were also featured, and all money raised was given to Thompson River Animal Care Shelter (TRACS). Easley made friends with TRACS shortly after a...
Sanders County has a long history of being quite crafty. The tradition also carries a lengthy history of Christmas-time bazaars as a venue for the clever, local-minded vendors and shoppers of the area. Always the Saturday of the first full weekend in December, the Sanders County Christmas Bazaar tags along with the town’s Christmas on Main Street events. Slated for Saturday, Dec. 1, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. “There will be plenty to do for visitors and kids, and Santa will be there for pictures from noon until around 3 p.m.,” said organ...
“This type of event is appropriate and necessary, and I’m happy to hear we aren’t the only school doing something like this,” said Thompson Falls elementary principal Len Dorscher. His comment is in reference to the Falls District’s Veterans Day luncheon scheduled for Monday, Nov. 12, at 11 a.m. Dorscher made a point in his first year at the school to make a big deal about Veterans Day and how students experience the holiday, as well as their participation. “We are getting more organized about it as a district, so we’ll be swapping year...
There is an opportunity in December for vendors, shoppers and seniors at Noxon High School. The annual Christmas Bazaar organized by the Noxon School PTO have slated this year’s event for Sunday, Dec. 2, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Vendor spaces are still available for the crafty and those with products to sell. With all proceeds going to the Noxon Senior Scholarship Fund, a little Christmas shopping will help scholarship recipients to further their academic pursuits. In addition to the gifts for all ages available for purchase at the bazaar, t...
Thompson Falls saw a brief influx in population and commerce the last five weekends as bowlers from around the state converged at Rimrock Lanes for the 2018 Montana State Senior Bowling Tournament. This is the second state level tournament held in Thompson Falls, the first being in 2014. Co-directors of the event, Sandy True and Ginger Ward, shared that the area’s natural beauty and friendly community were the main factors that resulted in the state bowling board approving this year’s location, as well as the upgraded lanes at the Rimrock. “Bow...
Trevor Harris has been a fan of baseball since he can remember and his time with various leagues in the Thompson Falls area did not let him down in his quest to be the best player possible. Now a junior in high school, Harris has earned himself an opportunity to get some training and professional coaching that will lead him further down the path to his goal: a college scholarship playing the game known as “America’s pastime.” Sports apparel brand, Under Armor, has a baseball factory team and held tryouts this month in Spokane where Harri...
In honor of Veterans Day, the history class of Noxon High School will again be putting on a special assembly to recognize those in the area who have served. Since Veterans Day falls on a Sunday this year, the school will hold the event Monday, Nov. 12, beginning 11:45 a.m. and ending around 12:25 p.m. The class has sent out many personal invites to area veterans to join them at the school for the event. Although the assembly honors veteran, it is also an educational opportunity for students to physically see those who selflessly served the...
Former Sanders County Undersheriff Rube Wrightsman had a saying when any of the rural deputies were a little too worked up about something, “A little less Barney Fife, a little more Andy Griffith.” His reference to the nostalgic Andy Griffith Show acknowledged the Sanders County Sheriff Office’s (SCSO) situation as a department quartered in a remote area, but also encouraged professionalism and an attitude of doing the best you can with what you’ve got. A new development at the SCSO will bring the department out of Griffith’s little town of M...
by Justin Harris When a full-time job fighting crime isn't enough, one could don a cape and become a superhero. Or just get sworn in with a neighboring department to wear another uniform. Sheriff Deputy Roy Scott did just that last Friday, being sworn in with the Thompson Falls Police Department. "We're happy to have Roy on the team and appreciate his willingness," said Thompson Falls police chief Chris Nichols. "Sometimes there are vacations or other shifts that need coverage, and this will...
As a correction to last week's article, one special law enforcement officer was left out of the Law Enforcement Luncheon story. In that article, the DUI Task Force invited law enforcement department heads to recognize and award officers, troopers and deputies who have shown exemplary performance in their duties. Sanders County Sheriff Tom Rummel spent extra time commending the office's only female deputy, April Phillips. Rummel noted that her tenacity and determination had earned her the...
It isn't often that city, county and state law enforcement are all called to one location - and when they are it usually isn't a good thing. A meeting Thursday was the exception, as the Sanders County DUI Task Force held their first annual luncheon to acknowledge the hard work of those local agencies. Officers from Montana Highway Patrol, Thompson Falls and Hot Springs police departments and the Sanders County Sheriff's Office were invited to the Plains Senior Center where DUI Task Force...
After 27 years, it is time to say “happy trails” to a man who was instrumental in maintaining a town. Thompson Falls Public Works Director Jerry Lacy has thrown in the hat for a new life outside of public works for a life in the free-for-all of retirement. It was 1991 when Lacy accepted the position, war efforts in Iraq were underway, the county had just agreed to make the courthouse a “smoke free” building, and a heavy winter rain and snow had just caused the Old Jail Museum roof to collapse. Handpicked by then-mayor Sterling Larsen, Lacy wa...
A special funeral procession made its way through Thompson Falls Saturday. Members of the armed forces came to Sanders County to honor one of their fallen, Sergeant First Class (SFC) Kelly James Scott Brigham. Brigham attended Thompson Falls High School before moving to Beaverton, Oregon, to graduate. From there he began his career in the Army, serving honorably. When retirement time came, he chose instead to transfer into the Warrior Transition Unit. Brigham passed away this month after a...
A vocal range of nearly four octaves is impressive, but add showmanship, harmonies, near-obsessive songwriting and adept guitar playing, and you've got quite a performance. Presented by the Sanders County Arts Council (SCAC), the contemporary country music of Rebecca Folsom hit the stage of the Rex Theatre in Thompson Falls on Saturday, bringing with her the above-mentioned tools of the trade and years of experience in the traveling singer/songwriter lifestyle. Her latest two albums,...
Looking for something fun, amazing and worthwhile to do the first Saturday of October? Come join a fundraiser fun run, barbeque and bake sale benefitting Lindsay Laws on Saturday, October 6 at 3 p.m. Laws was recently diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body, according to the National MS Society. Expenses for treatments and travel will be...
Sanders County schools are gearing up for homecoming week with plans for parades, parties and dances. Traditions abound as schools get in the spirit to support their football, cross country and volleyball teams through pep rallies, activities and wacky apparel. Noxon High School’s homecoming week runs September 24-29, with a school spirited theme, “The Devil’s Circus.” To keep students in the homecoming mindset, dress-up days will take place all week. Monday will be “mismatch day,” where students don clashing clothes. Monday is also the da...
The military will honor one of Sanders County’s own this weekend. Sergeant First Class Kelly James Scott Brigham attended Thompson Falls High School and washed dishes at Minnie’s before graduating in Beaverton, Oregon, and beginning a career in the Army that stationed him in Anchorage, among other locations. Friday, September 7, Brigham succumbed to cancer in Kalispell, leaving behind his wife Cassandra and their children Chance and Jenna. His local family has decided to make his final resting place in Thompson Falls and the military will be...
In thanks for community support for wilderness causes, the Friends of the Scotchman Peaks Wilderness (FSPW) organization invited their friends and the public to a free picnic last Sunday. While weather mostly cooperated, attendees enjoyed barbecued burgers and all the sides while hearing a recap of the year from FSPW board chair and Montana Outreach Coordinator, Doug Ferrell. Also present was Sanders County Outreach Coordinator, Ray Brown, who noted that the turn out was good. “The purpose was really just to thank everyone for their support and...
Montana Highway Patrol was kept busy over the last week with multiple collisions accidents. "Looking at the database, there has been high activity on our area's roadways. We can't emphasize safety enough, especially wearing a seatbelt," shared Trooper Jourdon Gulick, who was not the responding officer in the following incidents but was able to confirm details. A 59-year-old Plains man was killed last week in a motorcycle accident on Highway 200 between Plains and Paradise, according to MHP. The...
Some NorthWestern Energy customers in Thompson Falls will experience a planned outage Thursday, Sept. 13. According to a NorthWestern Energy representative, the planned outage will last about six hours, although the recorded message they sent customers stated it would take place from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. The NorthWestern Energy representative explained the outage would only affect 43 customers (likely along Main Street, since The Ledger was one of the recipients of the message) and will allow workers to make an upgrade to the system “to p...
Thompson Falls will see a short stimulation in the local economy - between bowling games, anyway. Rimrock Lanes will host the 2018 Montana State Senior Bowling Tournament as hundreds of bowlers from around the state migrate to the area for five weekends of bowling, beginning Friday, September 21. Last time the tournament was held in Thompson Falls was 2014. Lodging and restaurants reported a boost in business, as well as longer lines at the grocery store as bowlers ran for refreshments to stay...
