Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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In an effort to connect people with local agriculture and horticulture, Montana State University Sanders County Extension Office in Thompson Falls has created a series of farm and ranch tours that will take place over the remainder of summer. "People will get to see a different variety of agriculture on these tours," said Wendy Carr, County Extension Agent for agriculture, horticulture and natural resources. "I want to expose people to the variety that we have in this county." The first stop on...
Thompson Falls Superintendent Bud Scully voiced needs for the school’s baseball field to City Council Monday night. The school has a lease agreement with the city, as the field resides on city property. The current agreement is coming up for renewal as is the softball field agreement. Scully presented a list of baseball field prep issues that need to be looked at and fixed in order to safely play baseball on the field. The Montana High School Association this year approved baseball as a sanctioned sport. A proper mound needs to be built alongsi...
Ron Petrie of Thompson Falls has taken the position of Health Officer for Sanders County. Petrie was chosen by the Sanders County Commissioners to fill the position, which has been vacant since last year. While Petrie will not have any voting power, he will act as an advisor to the County Health Board. After receiving eight applications, the health board interviewed Petrie and three other candidates for the position. Commissioner Tony Cox said all three candidates were good but said he liked...
Trout Creek Community Improvement Association (TCCIA) is bringing back the Paddlin’ Poker Run this weekend. Registration and paddle will begin at 10 a.m.Saturday, July 16, at the Trout Creek boat launch and will be open until noon. The route will take approximately three to four hours to complete. First card will be drawn at Trout Creek boat launch, participants will then paddle to station two at Malibu Beach, over to station three at Trout Creek Bay, up to station four at Robinson’s dock and station five will be at Wayside Bar and Grill where...
The final portion of phases one and two of the city’s wastewater project will begin the week of July 4 and will continue until finished. Wastewater hookups to homes will start from Wood Street and continue east as the water main replacement runs through Spruce Street. Residents will be receiving notices one week in advance of when the hookup on their property will occur. The notices will have a general location of the pipe placement or the location will be marked on the ground in green paint. The city asks residents to remove all personal p...
A passion for keeping Montana the way Montanans like it is what helps fuel Eastern Sanders County Conservation District's (ESCCD) new administrator Emily Baker and the work she does. Family, ranching and a love for the area made Baker believe the position would be perfect for her. She started work last September and says so far, she loves it. "A lot of projects we are involved with are outdoors, which is so amazing it can be turned into a career," Baker said. Baker attended the University of Mon...
was outside working and my ears perked up. It’s not often one gets to witness the phenomenon actually occurring. One of my hives swarmed. I heard it before I saw it. The loud hum of the bees getting ready to take off is hard to miss. As I walked closer to my hives, there it was. A cyclone of what must have been nearly 1,000 bees — if not more — swirling 50 feet up into the air. Disconcerting but also mesmerizing. A swarm can be made of up to a couple thousand honey bees, all searching for a new place to call home. A natural process of the h...
Take a book or leave a book. A simple exchange stands as the objective for Little Free Libraries, a movement aimed at making reading accessible to people everywhere. Another Little Free Library has just made its mark on the map in Sanders County, allowing Trout Creek resident Mary Danno the ability to share her love of reading with the rest of the community. Located at 274 Little Beaver Creek Road, the newest Little Free Library was a surprise from Danno's husband, Rob, two weeks ago. "It's...
Mission West Community Development Partners has been awarded a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to conduct studies that will explore the feasibility of establishing a co-working space. A public survey has been opened to residents in Sanders, Mineral and Lake counties to assess community needs. “We’ve had a positive response from the data results we’ve received so far,” said project manager Zen Parry. “We’re looking at what kind of business resources people need. Is it a physical place, or work, or is it access to training?” Establi...
Pickleball – a combination of tennis, badminton and ping-pong – has become known as the fastest-growing sport in the United States, according to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association. Now it has gained traction in the Thompson Falls area. It began in 2019. A group of about 10 pickleball players would meet a couple of times a week in the Thompson Falls Elementary School gym as part of an adult education program. A small hobby that helped pass the time during winter has blossomed into the...
NorthWestern Energy will be installing new electric meters and gas modules in Thompson Falls as part of a technology upgrade project that will enable two-way meter communication between NorthWestern Energy and its advanced meters on customers’ homes and businesses. “Tru-Check, which NorthWestern Energy has contracted with to install the new advanced meters, is working in the area now and expects to have that work complete by mid-July,” said Jo Dee Black, NorthWestern Energy Public Relations Specialist. Black says a Tru-Check technician will...
Kaniksu Land Trust (KLT) has continued discussions to boost the economy in Sanders County by means of one of its primary strengths: outdoor recreation. KLT participated in a countywide process with Thompson Falls community stakeholders called Recreation Economy for Rural Communities (RERC), a process to help identify the numerous outdoor activities open to locals and people traveling through the area. Last Thursday evening, KLT held a community meeting in which around 15 community members attended at Limberlost Brewery to share a status update...
Thompson Falls Library opened its doors to more than just those wanting to check out books last week. John McNamara, a snake expert, enthusiast and rescuer from Plains, spoke to more than 30 people of all ages about the fascinating world of snakes last Thursday afternoon. John, age 9, has been chasing after snakes since he was 18 months old. "I have 13 snakes now," he said. "I brought some mice along today to feed." John brought six snakes with him, including a few corn snakes and an albino milk...
The 73rd annual Homesteader Days in Hot Springs kicked off last weekend and while the rain may have kept some away, plenty of people still showed up for a good time. Food trucks, vendors and classic cars lined Main Street as live music entertained the crowd. Thirty-five children signed up to walk in this year's kiddie parade led by Smokey Bear. Children dressed up in order to be entered into five different categories for prizes: homesteaders, fairy tale, pets, wheels and miscellaneous. "We...
NorthWestern Energy has taken another step toward relicensing the Thompson Falls Hydroelectric Project. In a public meeting held in Missoula, the company outlined seven different studies and findings as part of their efforts to renew their license with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) before the 2025 expiration. The seven different studies coincide with FERC’s licensing process that evaluates the effects of a project based on a nexus to continuing project operations. During the beginning of 2021, NorthWestern proposed a series o...
Thompson Falls Library is gearing up for a busy summer and is ready to meet patrons’ needs as they offer a little fun and friendly competition in the process. The Summer Reading Program has kicked off with 38 children participating so far. The theme for this year’s reading program is oceans of possibilities. “All they have to do is meet their reading goals,” said Crystal Buchanan, director of Thompson Falls Public Library. “There is no right or wrong way to meet a goal. Each week they meet their goal, they get a raffle ticket for raffle bu...
The first annual shoe drive, held by the Thompson Falls Woman’s Club (TFWC), got off on the right foot. The fundraiser, which started in February, helped raise funds for general operations in the club and helped keep unnecessary waste out of the landfill. Leslie Brant, project organizer of the project, wanted a fundraiser that would bring the community together without having to ask them to reach into their pocket books. GotSneakers, the company who brings gently used athletic shoes to those around the world who need them, also recycles the s...
TIM SUTHERLAND, Thompson Falls - “Sobriety.” ELISE STIMPFLING, Thompson Falls - “Maintaining balance in my life.” CHRISTYN McKINLEY, Coeur d’Alene - “Taking notes.” TRENT McKINLEY, Coeur d’Alene - “Learn from your mistakes.” JOHN MAXWELL, Thompson Falls - “Write everything down.” LIVIA KNIGHTON, Plains - “Think ahead....
By building their foothold in Montana's ever growing food scene, food trucks have given foodies the chance to explore new dishes and escape traditional routine by broadening the palate. While the state is home to numerous food trucks that can be found at festivals, events or even parked alongside the road on a sunny day, one Hot Springs based food truck will be starting the season during the 73rd annual Homesteader Days during the weekend of June 10-12. FriggnFulla, owned by Hot Springs...
The county's annual E-waste event last Saturday saw old computers, televisions and other dated electronics come in to be recycled at the Thompson Falls transfer site. Every year, the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) sponsors and provides licensing to help make the event a success. By 11 a.m. around 70 people had already stopped by to drop off electronics. The E-waste event usually brings in five tons of electronics that need to be recycled. "We're definitely on target for that...
Forty-eight archers from around Montana arrived at Previs Field in Thompson Falls to face the rain and each other in the State Target Championship over the weekend. The weekend's archery competition, hosted by the Thompson Falls Archery Club, is the second of three annual championships sponsored state-wide by the Montana Archery Association (MAA). The first shoot, Indoor State Championship, was held in March in Kalispell. The third championship, Field State, will be held June 25-26 in Butte....
Sunday marked a momentous occasion as family and friends gathered at Thompson Falls High School to celebrate the graduating class of 2022. The commencement ceremony in the school's gymnasium was filled with commemoration and accolades. "Fifty students started their senior year last fall and 100 percent of them are graduating here today," said principal Jodi Morgan. Twenty-eight students who received scholarships and awards were recognized at the ceremony and Morgan said the students, as a...
During peak season, a honey bee colony can contain up to 80,000 individual bees. When first installing a nucleus colony, you will only see roughly 15,000 individual bees. Male drones usually comprise around 15% of each colony. While female worker bees make up the majority of the residence in a colony, one edict of all colonies stands true; there is one queen and one queen only. learning the signs of whether you have an unmated queen, a newly mated queen or a fully mated queen that is laying are all parts of the learning curve in beekeeping....
Family and friends packed the school gym Sunday to celebrate Noxon's graduating class of 2022. Sixteen seniors donned their red and white robes as they took their seats before the crowd. Superintendent Dave Whitesell kicked off the ceremony and offered a few words of wisdom to the graduating class. Whitesell told the students life is full of boxes to be checked off and graduating high school is only one small box. "Good luck class of 2022," he said. "We will be watching you with a keen eye as...
The Prospects is a business pitch competition for Montana high school students to submit their existing business and potential business proposals to the Montana Chamber of Commerce Foundation. One young entrepreneur from Thompson Falls High School (TFHS) submitted her business into the competition and won. Junior Bethany Burk was awarded $500 to help her business, Rustic by Bethany. The Prospects competition is in its second year running and this year, the Foundation has awarded over $75,000 in...
