Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
Sorted by date Results 51 - 75 of 491
ELIZABETH HART, Special Education Paraprofessional - “Getting to know all the new students in the classroom.” ANNIE TAYLOR, Student Teacher - “Learning the ins and outs of what it takes to be a teacher in this community.” LIZ GLACKIN, Early Kinder - “I am looking forward to meeting the students and building new relationships.” LISA CURRIE, Paraprofessional - “I am looking forward to seeing the student’s progression and growth.” DEBRA CASHMAN, Grade 3/4 - “I’m excited to be able to continue my teaching career in this community.” ALICIA WE...
Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks (FWP) is currently in the process of revising the statewide Elk Management Plan, which was last adopted in 2005. FWP hosted a public meeting in the Thompson Falls Elementary School gym last Thursday to gather input about local elk management issues and elk population objectives. Regional Wildlife Manager Neil Anderson spoke to around 25 community members who attended the meeting. Anderson said public comment is important as it can help guide season regulations. “There are a lot of changes we are seeing on the l...
As students of Trout Creek head back to school, six new faculty members will also be joining them. Elizabeth Hart will teach special education and will also serve as a one-on-one paraprofessional. "Elizabeth moved here from Missouri to retire," said Trout Creek School Superintendent Preston Wenz. "She decided she wasn't ready to retire and took a paraprofessional position with us to be a part of the eagle family. The experience she has will benefit us greatly." Debra Cashman will be coming in...
The Eastern Sanders County Conservation District (ESCCD) is helping conserve the local waterways by re-implementing their River Clean-Up, an annual event now making headway again. The cleanup will be Saturday, September 10, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Sanders County Fairgrounds in Plains. “Volunteers of all ages are welcome to join anytime during the event,” said ESCCD Administrator Emily Baker. “Volunteers will need to check in at the fairgrounds and sign a liability waiver before spreading out along the riverbanks to help clean up.” Water a...
Montana Shakespeare in the Parks (MSIP) returned to Sanders County this year to bring Shakespeare's Twelfth Night and for the first time in the company's history, King Lear. Trout Creek Community Improvement Association (TCCIA) and Plains Woman's Club help bring MSIP to the rural communities in Sanders County for free. This year's performances drew in around 75 people at each play, even when bad weather moved King Lear from the Sanders County Fairgrounds to the Plains Elementary gym. This year...
Stella the turkey laid an egg. I found my turkeys, Stella and Stan Lee, early this year at Sanders County Feed. I couldn’t resist bringing them home. I have chickens that lay eggs, I have ducks that lay eggs and I now have a turkey that lays eggs. I was surprised when I walked into the coop that morning to find an egg where she normally roosts at night. I knew she was getting close to laying age, but I also know turkeys lay a lot less frequently than chickens or ducks. I get eggs every day from the chickens and the ducks seem to randomly lay w...
The new multi-use court in Trout Creek Park is finally finished. Trout Creek Community Improvement Association's (TCCIA) efforts to make this possible has been a process in the making for several years but officially started in 2021. "When I first joined the TCCIA around 2010 the topic always came up about what we could do to enhance our park and provide more outdoor activities for people of all ages in our community to enjoy," said TCCIA chairperson Liz Stender. "The Trout Creek School's...
This summer, Montana State University Sanders County Extension Office in Thompson Falls has been working to connect people with local agriculture and horticulture in a series of farm and ranch tours. One of the last stops of the season was a trip to Eller's Blueberry Farm in Trout Creek. A handful of residents from around the county had the chance to meet owners Yvonne Eller and James Hunt. The first blueberry patch at the farm was planted 40 years ago and has since grown into two separate...
Mikiah Cook of Plains has been elected as the new president for the Montana 4-H State Ambassador Program. Cook, 16, was elected in July and her term will be for one year. "I couldn't believe I was chosen, I almost burst into tears," Cook said. "I come from such a small town. I want to inspire others to reach for the stars and to let them know that they can still get a position even if they're from a small town, too." Those who apply for the different offices in the program go through an intense...
As classes are set to resume for the new school year, a shortage of substitute teachers has emerged as a potential disruption to classrooms in Trout Creek School. “Substitute teachers are what help keep classes running smoothly,” said Trout Creek School superintendent Preston Wenz. “Bottom line, we’ve got to have someone in that classroom while the teacher is out.” There are 71 students enrolled for the upcoming school year with five certified teachers and one paraprofessional on staff. The three substitute teachers the school currently...
Each year, more and more people flock to the small town of Trout Creek to celebrate the purple goodness that grows on local mountainsides. The 42nd Annual Huckleberry Festival was held last weekend, packing the Trout Creek Park with thousands of residents and visitors. Saturday started with the huckleberry pancake breakfast put on by the volunteer fire department, followed by the parade down Highway 200. Spectators said the parade was one of the biggest and best yet for the festival. After the...
A yearly highlight of the Huckleberry Festival is the pie eating contest. Twenty-five contestants competed in four age groups. The youngest age group, which included contestants ages 7 and under, were each given a quarter of a pie to try and finish. Aria Komarec, age 5, and Luca Komarec, age 5, both of Otsego, Minnesota, tied for first place. The second round, ages 8to 12, had six contestants. Emcee Ray Brown asked contestant Christian Peterson, age 10 of Missoula, if he was hungry prior to the contest starting. A solid “no” was given as his...
Archery demonstrations put on by Trout Creek School community archery team were a new addition to this year's Huckleberry Festival. Jerry and Becky Doyle, who help coach the archery team, were at the festival to help over the weekend with the students' demonstrations. Lucas Summers, Riley Reum, ShayLyn Stein, Cameron Eaton and Eithan Chambers were some of the students at the festival putting on demonstrations as they shot at targets, balloons and plastic archery animals. "We have 20-plus years...
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) successfully hosted its 7th annual ice cream social at the Sanders County Fairgrounds Thursday evening. CASA of Lake and Sanders counties is part of a state and nationwide program consisting of volunteers who advocate on behalf of abused and neglected children while ensuring they are protected and served fairly in the court system. Close to 70 people attended the event which included free ice cream, a silent auction and musical entertainment from Tanner...
One male driver was charged with multiple counts including driving under the influence after Sanders County Deputy Morgan Grimm responded to a one-vehicle accident Saturday, June 23, at approximately 2 a.m. Deputy Grimm found the vehicle partially submerged in water and reported there was only one victim in the vehicle at the time of the incident. Grimm stated she was able to pull the driver from the vehicle but could not elaborate any further. “Sanders County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank Thompson Falls officer Jason Thornton and Mon...
Avista’s 12th annual Charity Golf Scramble will tee off Saturday, August 20, at 9 a.m. at River’s Bend Golf Course in Thompson Falls. Each year, Avista chooses a local organization to be the recipient of the yearly fundraiser. This year’s event will benefit Sanders County 4-H. “We are very humbled and appreciative of the opportunity to be a recipient and will use the funds wisely to promote youth education,” said Juli Thurston with Sanders County 4-H. The 4-H program is the largest out-of-school youth development program in the state. Th...
The 50th season of Montana Shakespeare in the Parks (MSIP) is set to open with this season’s performances of Twelfth Night and for the first time in the company’s history, King Lear. Twelfth Night will show at Trout Creek Park on August 19 and King Lear will show at the Sanders County Fairgrounds in Plains on August 24. Both plays will begin at 6 p.m. and are free to attend. “We couldn’t be more excited to be back on the road performing for audiences and inspiring everyone with a passion for Shakespeare’s greatest works,” said MSIP Executive A...
Green Mountain Conservation District (GMCD) Administrator Sarah Busmire's love for conservation and the outdoors started in 2015 when she spent seven years working on a dude ranch in northern Idaho. "Working there is when I realized I could make a career in working outdoors," Busmire said. "I didn't want to stay in hospitality, so I went back to school." After receiving her bachelor's degree in fisheries and wildlife sciences, Busmire spent two seasons working for Avista as a fishery technician...
The Huckleberry Festival will return to Trout Creek this year with a few new additions to the fun-filled weekend August 13 and 14. The festival kicks off with the huckleberry pancake breakfast at the Trout Creek Rural Fire Department 7-11 a.m. Saturday. “We are only hosting the pancake breakfast one day this year,” said festival committee member Marilyn Saunders. “We would need more volunteers to make it happen both days.” New additions to this year’s festival include an archery and fly fishi...
TAMMIE MOORE, Thompson Falls - “The Vermillion.” LYNN ROSE, Plains - “Anywhere in the mountains.” LOGAN HARMON, Thompson Falls - “Family Dollar.” KATIE EVANS, Trout Creek - “Quinn’s Hot Springs.” JIM LUCAS, Trout Creek - “The Majestic Valley Arena in Kalispell for the Big Sky Reining Classic.” PIPER YEAROUT, Thompson Falls - “Ross Creek Cedars....
Trout Creek Community Improvement Association (TCCIA) is lending a helping hand in this year’s luminary fundraiser hosted by the Cancer Network of Sanders County (CNSC). The Luminary Lighting Ceremony is one of CNSC’s and fundraising events and TCCIA wants to help with the cause. There will be a booth at the Trout Creek fire hall selling luminaries for $5 from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, August, 13 during the Huckleberry Festival. “The cutoff to normally purchase luminaries is August 5,” said TCCIA chairperson Liz Stender. “The cancer network i...
From day one of starting this homesteading adventure of mine, I have always made a promise that all my animals would get along and live harmoniously together. The dogs would get along with the cats, the chickens would get along with the ducks and it was always the dream for all of them to be able to wander about freely together. I’m not sure if it’s luck or patience, maybe a little bit of both; but somehow, some way, it worked. That’s not to say it didn’t take a few years. Training the dogs not to chase the chickens and training the cats no...
People were lined up at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Trout Creek boat launch to row their way and take a chance at a winning hand during Trout Creek Community Improvement Association's (TCCIA) Paddlin' Poker Run. The last poker run was held back in 2016. After seeing an increase in kayaking and paddle boards in the area, TCCIA decided to start the event back up again. During Saturday morning's registration, 98 participants from around Sanders County and beyond drew their first card at the boat launch...
Lolo National Forest has contracted with Sanders County Community Development (SCCD) and Kaniksu Land Trust to gather ideas from community members for land use improvements for “The Orchard,” a long-abandoned tree farm with a large amount of cleared acreage located north of Thompson Falls. “We have created a forum for people who want to engage in a civic process and who want to have their voices heard,” SCCD executive director Ray Brown said in a press release. “Residents with a 59873 zip code can give feedback, opinions and ideas on the projec...
The Lakeside Resort in Trout Creek hosted its annual Cool Summer Nights Car Show last weekend, showcasing 41 classic cars from around the area. "The event was a success," said Rachel Aumiller with The Lakeside. First place went to Bob Gridley with his 1955 Chevy pickup. "He won a Blackfoot basket and an Easy Street sweatshirt," Aumiller said. Charlie Shelor won second place with his 1965 Pontiac GTO. Shelor took home a Napa tire repair kit, a shirt and a hat from Zip Beverage. Third place went...
