Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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The Sanders County Commissioners last week denied a request to have voters decide on changing ballots in Sanders County elections. On Thursday, Republican state Rep. Paul Fielder of Thompson Falls asked the Sanders County Commissioners to let voters decide whether they wanted candidates for local offices to designate a party for ballots. "We all want the voters to have more info about candidates to have more information to vote," Fielder said, adding that the issue is something that he's been...
Thompson Falls High School (TFHS) students have immersed themselves in the world of science and have spent the last several months solving and creating solutions to the ROADS National NASA student challenge. TFHS science teacher Doree Thilmony and her students entered into a nationwide competition called Artemis ROADS (Rover Observation and Drone Survey). Artemis ROADS is a grant funded program through Montana State University (MSU) and Northwest Earth and Space Pathways Program that allows...
Friends and family gathered on a rainy Sunday afternoon in Hot Springs to celebrate the graduating class of 2023. Eight students donned their cap and gown to celebrate the momentous day. This year's salutatory address was given by Sydney Viegut who began by giving a special thanks to the parents who raised her and her fellow classmates. Viegut also made sure to mention her teachers. "I'd also like to especially thank the teachers who had to handle us for all these years," she said. Viegut...
Passenger rail service through Montana's southern route ended 43 years ago. The Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority (BSPRA) and their continued efforts to restore Amtrak's North Coast Hiawatha route, which stretches from Chicago to Seattle and Portland via southern Montana, was given an opportunity to break new ground. In April, BSPRA was awarded a $25,000 grant by the Montana Healthcare Foundation to conduct passenger rail community engagement in rural and tribal communities. The rail authority...
Eastern Sanders County Conservation District (ESCCD) and Green Mountain Conservation District (GMCD), with the support of Lower Clark Fork Watershed Group (LCFWG), have joined forces to help local pollinators in the area. The conservation districts will be offering free pollinator seeds to support pollinator habitat in your own backyard. “Not only will this seed mix provide beautiful flowers and other native plant species, it will also increase pollinator habitat in Sanders County,” said ESCCD administrator Emily Baker. “Did you know that...
Thompson Falls students participated in the 8th annual etiquette luncheon hosted in the Thompson Falls Elementary School cafeteria last week. Every year, the school's seventh and eighth grade students are taught a five-week etiquette unit by K-8 school counselor Rob Christensen. The lessons touch on several topics including airplane, movie theater and flag etiquette. "I want the students to know this may be a part of their lives one day," Christensen said. "If you go and sit down at a nice meal...
A community outreach program focused on bringing people together in a positive way has recently launched in Dixon. Sara Bednarcik formed Illuminate the 406 when she saw Dixon residents could use some help with incorporating recreational activities into the community. “I noticed that the community had some struggles wherein they don’t have much for activities or recreation,” Bednarcik said. “There’s a lot of drug abuse and alcoholism and just some really negative influences that the younger people in the community are influenced by. The kids...
Last week, community members gathered at Thompson Falls High School to learn abut internet crimes against children from a state agent. A small handful of community members attended a presentation presented by Montana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. Agent Brian Cassidy, ICAC Task Force Commander, spoke to parents about his investigations including online bullying and sextortion crimes that target youth as a result of emerging technology. Earlier in the day, Cassidy also spoke...
Julia Weaver, LM, CPA, founder of Gifts From Above Midwifery in Plains, has spent the last 11 years in Sanders County helping to bring over 100 babies into the world. Weaver operates as an independent midwife within her freestanding birth clinic. Weaver explains that midwifery specializes in years of training, certification, and licensing, which includes hands-on care via palpating the uterus at appointments to ascertain fetal position, measurement of the uterus to assess growth, listening to fe...
Trout Creek Community Improvement Association (TCCIA) hosted their ninth annual Easter Eggstravaganza Saturday afternoon at the Trout Creek Community Park. Around 150 children registered for this year's event and gathered nearly 7,000 eggs that were stuffed by TCCIA members and volunteers with 7,000 pieces of candy. Conner Mushaney, age 8, was ready at the mark to gather as many eggs as possible during Saturday's event. When The Ledger caught up with Mushaney, who goes to Trout Creek Public...
Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority (BSPRA) has taken another step toward their continued efforts to renew passenger rail service across Montana’s Southern Route as they announce their submission of a Corridor Identification and Development (Corridor ID) Program proposal to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). According to the FRA, the Corridor ID Program is intended to become the primary means for directing federal financial support and technical assistance toward the development of proposals for new or improved intercity passenger rail ser...
Last Saturday, the Trout Creek Archery Club hosted the first annual Sanders County Dodgeball Tournament fundraiser to help send the Trout Creek middle school Montana State Champions to Nationals in Sandy, Utah. "The Trout Creek NASP Archery Team refereed the dodgeball games and ran the concession stands to raise funds for Nationals," said Beckie Doyle, Trout Creek Archery Club president. Eight teams battled for their chance to climb their way up the ladder in the double elimination bracket...
In their continuous endeavor to support the community in Sanders County, Clark Fork Valley Elks (CFVE), with the support of a grant from the Elks National Fund, donated $2,500 in total to senior centers in early March. CFVE was able to donate around $400 each to Heron, Noxon, Trout Creek, Thompson Falls, Plains and Paradise senior centers. Christine Munday with CFVE personally delivered checks to the majority of the centers as she believes they are an integral part of the community. "CFVE will...
Bull River Clinic has reopened once again giving community members on the west-end of Sanders County local medical care. Dr. John S. Aumiller started seeing patients February 1. "Opening the clinic has been a long journey without the support of a local hospital," said Bull River Clinic trustee and treasurer Diane Mosley. The clinic was originally operated through Clark Fork Valley Hospital and was then briefly managed by Bonner General out of Sandpoint, Idaho. The clinic was closed for a little...
Students from Thompson Falls Elementary and Trout Creek Adventist School once again participated in the annual Beautification Days poster contest. This year's cleanup is set to begin Thursday, April 20, and will run through Saturday, April 22. Each year, the Beautification Days committee invites elementary students to create artwork that is focused on the yearly theme. This year's theme, according to Kathy Conlin with the Beautification Days committee, is "Better Together." Conlin says the stude...
TREVOR FITCHETT, Thompson Falls – “So the kids and the animals can stay alive.” ELENA BUYS, Thompson Falls – “Because you want to have a good spring.” MADDOX VANELSWYK, Thompson Falls – “So the animals don’t eat the garbage then choke on it and die.” LOGAN CARBONE, Thompson Falls – “So the bears and dogs don’t get into the trash. It happened with my uncle’s dog.” BILL SUSIC, Thompson Falls – “It just looks better.” MICHAEL SCHARFE, Thompson Falls – "It looks better and more inviting....
The Courthouse in Thompson Falls was abuzz with spellers from around the county who gathered to compete in the 36th Annual Sanders County Spelling Bee last Friday. First Security Bank, a sponsor of the spelling bee, provides winners with gift certificates from Barnes and Noble. The Sanders County Ledger, the other sponsor of the spelling bee, provides trophies for first, second and third place winners. Ledger Publisher and bee director Annie Wooden introduced Jeff Wheeler as this year's...
The wintertime blues are real. The holiday spirit has up and gone and springtide is just out of reach. I’ve always found February in Montana to be the toughest. You know there’s going to be more snow, you know there’s going to be more temperature drops and you know there’s nothing you can do about it. All you can really do to get through the next few months, besides binge Netflix, is to just dream about Spring. I’ve spent the last few days out in my greenhouse working to get 700 tulip bulbs into pots. Now, 700 doesn’t sound like a lot, but tr...
The cold weather is upon us and winter is on the way. I am gently reminded of this every morning when I step outside and see the snow-covered mountains. While summer is always busy around here, the pace is very much the same during fall and I’ve got plenty to do before the cold weather starts to stick around for good. I have a list of everything I need to do constantly running through my mind, none of which I have started on. I still need to dig up my dahlias, a tedious task I have to do every year that makes me question my love for these p...
The students of Trout Creek School spent last week learning about safety. Students had the chance to learn about different areas of safety from representatives around the county including those from the forest service and Trout Creek Ambulance. Students also received a visit from detective April Phillips of the Sanders County Sheriff's Office. Last Thursday, Students spent the morning learning from members of the Thompson Falls Fire Department. Adam Anakalea, Scott Eldridge and David Eldridge,...
Kaniksu Land Trust (KLT) alongside Thompson Falls Trails Committee has plans to design a walkway along Highway 200 from Wild Good Landing to Harvest Foods in Thompson Falls. In order to fund the project, KLT will be applying for a Reconnecting Communities Program Planning grant through the Department of Transportation. “The goal is to have an ADA accessible trail connecting the east and west ends of Thompson Falls that would allow safe pedestrian walking, biking or rolling,” KLT Recreation and Outreach Coordinator Kayla Mosher said in a new...
The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) is developing plans to rehabilitate the bridge on Montana Highway 200 over Montana Rail Link, two miles south of Noxon. The bridge was constructed in 1957 and is in need of repairs and routine upkeep. Phase one of the project began in 2020 with a bridge evaluation. The project is now in phase two that began in 2021. MDT held a public meeting on Zoom last Thursday to present design plans to the public. Brent Schiller with Forsgren Associates, who was contracted by MDT for the design phase of the...
CINDY SHEPPARD, Trout Creek - “My pastor’s wife.” NATHAN STEVENS, Trout Creek – “Superman.” ANDE FRANKLIN, Thompson Falls – “My nana. She’s a good cleaner and a good cook. She treats people kindly.” ANGELA SQUIRE, Thompson Falls – “My grandma.” SARA DANA, Trout Creek – “The ladies at my church – Cabin Mountain Bible in Trout Creek.” DAVE MALCHOW, Thompson Falls – “My dad....
A new general store has opened in Heron offering people everyday staple items and a sense of community. Owners Melissa and Shawn Atkinson opened Heron Siding General Store in September with the hopes of giving community members a place to gather, eat and shop. "I was the postmaster for four years prior to this," Melissa said. "I've been serving this community for the last four years and I love it here. It was a no brainer to take this on. The town needs this so much." Alongside household items,...
Eastern Sanders County Conservation District (ESCCD) and Green Mountain Conservation District (GMCD) joined forces to host the Sanders County Water Festival, an event that has not been held since 2019 due to COVID-19 restrictions. Fifth grade students from all Sanders County schools were invited to Thompson Falls State Park last Tuesday for a morning of outdoor, water-based education. Students rotated through six different stations set throughout the park. Juli Thurston with Friends of...
