Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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Kaniksu Land Trust (KLT) and Sanders County Community Development (SCCD) continue to coordinate as the two organizations implement activities that drive economic development through outdoor recreation. Earlier this year KLT and SCCD worked to create an online map highlighting recreation opportunities in Sanders County. In 2020, KLT participated in a countywide process called Recreation Economy for Rural Communities (RERC). From this process, several goals and actions were identified for KLT’s Recreation and Outreach Coordinator Kayla Mosher t...
This year’s annual e-waste recycling event will take place June 4 from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Sanders County transfer site in Thompson Falls. The event allows residents to drop off old computers, printers, phones and any other unwanted electronics for free. This event helps the county keep used electronic waste out of the landfill. Every year, as the popularity of the event increases, accumulation of electronic waste in the county decreases. Kathy Conlin, organizer of the event, said five tons of electronic waste was recycled last year. Mon...
Candidates for local political races gathered last week to share their views with the public. Two candidate forums sponsored by The Sanders County Ledger allowed candidates the opportunity to answer moderated questions.The first forum was held Tuesday at The Rex Community Theater where more than 150 people attended, and nearly 100 attended the second forum Thursday at The Paradise Center. Both forums were moderated by Ledger owner Annie Wooden. "Tonight's questions are relevant to all...
Last week, conservation districts in Sanders County teamed up to host a series of free seed handout events as part of their Pollinator Initiative to help support pollinator habitats in the area. Eastern Sanders County Conservation District (ESCCD) and Green Mountain Conservation District (GMCD) traveled around the county to hand out free seed mix that consists of native plant species and wild flowers such as yellow prairie cone-flower, western yarrow, wild bergamot and black-eyed Susan. The...
As part of ongoing conservation efforts, Lower Clark Fork Watershed Group (LCFWG) and a handful of volunteers spent their Arbor Day planting western white pines in the floodplain near the confluence of the East Fork River and the mainstem of Bull River. The goal for the 11 volunteers that day was to get 100 blister rust resistant white pines planted. "This project is near and dear to me as it's been a huge undertaking of the LCFWG and my career to support and maintain planting along the...
The Old Jail Museum's initiative to preserve its history while keeping safety as a priority has gained some traction as some much-needed renovations have finally come to fruition. After meeting with Sanders County Commissioners last year to request financial help, funding was granted through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The museum received $23,400 in ARPA funds and renovations began this January. One of the main projects was the restoration of the plaster ceiling in the office and gift s...
For her upbeat, positive attitude and her drive to be a part of her school and her community, Thompson Falls High School (TFHS) junior Tiana Goatley was presented the Yes I Can Award for 2022. Every year, the Council for Exceptional Children recognizes youth with exceptionalities who have demonstrated their determination and achievements in multiple ways. TFHS Special Education teacher Darcy Farlan nominated Goatley for the award by submitting a short video highlighting the reasons why Goatley...
LaRue Hot Springs Museum hosted their annual Spud Fest fundraiser at the end of April with the focus of warm food and good conversation. Spud Fest was not held in 2020 or 2021 due to COVID-19, but community members and museum board members alike were ready and excited to celebrate again. This year, approximately 100 dinners were sold at the fundraiser, the same number of potatoes sold at the 2019 event. "We sold out of baked potatoes halfway through the event and it was exactly the 100 pounds...
During the month of April, students at Thompson Falls Elementary participated in the annual Running Start reading program, designed to encourage students to read for fun. The program kicked off in April with the traditional run around the school playground led by principal Len Dorscher. Students then spent the month reading as much as they could to earn entries for a drawing to win a Kindle. For every 21 books or 21 chapters read, students filled out shoe shaped reading logs to keep track of...
Thompson Falls students had the opportunity to learn the finer points of dining last week at the 7th annual etiquette luncheon hosted at Thompson Falls Elementary School cafeteria. The school's seventh and eighth grade students are taught an etiquette unit by K-8 school counselor Rob Christensen. Lessons consist of restaurant, sports, public, online, flag and job etiquette and concludes with an etiquette luncheon. The lunch room is set up to mirror a fine dining establishment. Lunch staff and...
ERIC WILSON, Rex Community Theater - “Our focus is the youth of this community and their future. We have to take care of them.” KATHY JACKSON, Thompson Falls Pickleball Club - “I just want to help out the community at large, for any age group. I care about this community.” SHEILA VINCENT, Thompson Falls Pickleball Club - “I volunteer to help my community.” GAYLE SERATT, Sanders County Coalition For Families - “Volunteering is so important because it shows support to the victims we save. It’s a way of supporting your fellow human beings in...
Tomorrow is the day of all days. The day when the honey bees come. This year, three additional colonies will be coming home with me. In the past when ordering bees, I’ve stuck with Italian honey bees, merely for the docile nature they possess. However, this time around, I am going to try my hand at tending to Carniolan honey bees. The temperament of a honey bee has always played a big factor for me when deciding on what species I want to keep. I’ve steered away from Carniolan bees in the past because they tend to be more aggressive than Ita...
The conservation districts of Sanders County want to continue their efforts in supporting pollinator habitats in the area. Green Mountain Conservation District (GMCD) and Eastern Sanders County Conservation District (ESCCD) have teamed up to host pollinator initiative seed handout events around the county. If community members are interested in growing beneficial flowers and native plants that will support pollinators and their habitats in your own backyard, they can get a free seed mix from the conservation districts for plots of 100, 250, 500...
Thompson Falls Chamber of Commerce hosted the second nonprofit volunteer fair Saturday and welcomed 14 organizations to the Thompson Falls Senior Center. While the event gives an opportunity for nonprofits to connect with the community, it also allows organizations to connect with each other in hopes of collaboration as they look to find common ground for their specific needs. “Part of why I organize this is because we have over 100 nonprofits in Sanders County and I didn’t see an opportunity for them to get together with new people and volunte...
This year marks the 20th anniversary of Thompson Falls Beautification Days. The event drew 115 volunteers to help do some spring cleaning around the community. Kathy Conlin, who helps organize Beautification Days, says this year's event went very well. "The weather really cooperated, even though Thursday afternoon was kind of a 'wash' with the storm that came in," Conlin said. "It's inspiring to see so many civic groups, residents, schools, businesses, churches and the U.S. Forest Service...
In an effort to engage students in interesting, hands-on learning experiences, Trout Creek School students have come together to build a school garden. Students broke ground last Friday morning and started planting away. "There is a need in the community for fresh produce and it's a great opportunity for the kids to learn about composting, photosynthesis and hard work," said school nurse and school garden volunteer Alicia Myers. "We are trying to get the community involved. The more things we...
MARK JOHNSON, Thompson Falls - “Be true to yourself.” TIMBER GUIER, Silver Valley, Idaho - “Never give up.” MARVIN GUIER, Silver Valley, Idaho - “Be humble.” DELLA MORGAN, Thompson Falls - “Be yourself.” GARY McGRAW, Plains - “Pay attention.” GARY MEAGHER, Thompson Falls - “Be honest....
The Hot Springs High School Jobs for Montana's Graduates and Youth Entrepreneur (JMG/YE) class has been given the opportunity to give back to their community in a big way. Last year, the class, co-taught by Sher Loberg and Bob Neiman, took on the endeavor of rebranding LaRue Hot Springs Museum. After creating an established online presence, the response the students saw from their community gave them momentum to collaborate and tackle another project. The museum offers a glimpse into the area's...
April is Autism Awareness Month and the students at Trout Creek School are learning what the disorder is and how they can help people with autism navigate through life and the everyday challenges they face. "Autism affects one in 44 people," Lana Dicken with Trout Creek School said during an assembly Friday morning. "Autism is a spectrum disorder; it doesn't look the same on everyone. Every person with autism is different." The school has a small number is autistic students, and teachers want...
VIVI McKEEVER, Sophomore - “So, I can help out, I like to feel helpful.” AUSTIN CAMPBELL, Senior - “I’ve lived here my whole life. It feels good to do something and help the community out. This is now part of our history.” MOIRA LONERGAN, Senior - “I think being involved is super important. I grew up here and I’ve lived here since I was four. I want to come back someday with my family and show them what we did here.” JACK McALLISTER, Senior - “It’s important to be involved, especially as a student. Not every student gets to do this kind of stu...
In order to decrease congestion of parked vehicles, trailers and other debris, Hot Springs Police Department has buckled down on the town’s right of way violations. Over the last several weeks, warning stickers have been attached to vehicles or property that have been parked or stored in the right of ways of city streets for an extended period of time. “Enforcement is essential for vehicle and pedestrian traffic to move freely and safely on the road ways,” said Hot Springs Police Officer Jason Acheson. “In addition, vehicles and propert...
As Sanders County Community Development (SCCD) continues its work in supporting small businesses, the organization has coordinated with Accelerate Montana and the state’s new Rapid Workforce Training Program to reach out to Sanders County business owners and organizations who have an interest in Montana’s workforce system. In February, Gov. Greg Gianforte announced a $6 million investment to develop Montana’s workforce over the next two years. The state’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Workforce Commission approved the funding that will be...
After the success of the county’s first public Narcan training earlier this year, an effort to decrease opiate overdoses and use in Sanders County, several members of the Hot Springs community have volunteered to go through training to become Narcan Master Trainers. After receiving positive feedback from Sanders County and surrounding areas, Hot Springs Police Officer Jason Acheson, along with seven other volunteers, will be trained by instructors from Best Practice Medicine to go out and train the public to carry Narcan. “Having these mas...
The Town of Hot Springs held the first public hearing to discuss a wastewater Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) that addresses the town’s lagoon ponds, sewer mains and sewer system. The PER allows the town to apply for funding that has been made available for infrastructure needs. CR Leisinger, an engineer with Morrison Maierle of Kalispell, presented the summarized requirements for the system, deficiencies with the wastewater system, existing infrastructure demands, and possible future infrastructure demands for the town. The last PER f...
LaRue Hot Springs Museum is hosting their annual Spud Fest fundraiser Sunday, April 24, from noon to 4 p.m. at the Hot Springs Senior Center on Main Street. According to LaRue Hot Springs Museum president Christine Walsvick, the focus of the event is to enjoy warm food and conversation with family and friends. “I am very excited that we are hosting the event this year,” Walsvick said. “We’ve heard a lot of positive feedback through the grapevine that people are looking forward to attending. The spring fundraiser was not held in 2020 or 2021 due...
