Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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Paradise, a place of extreme beauty, pleasure and delight. Without proper sewage disposal, Paradise just can’t be paradise. Fortunate for residents, the current sewage disposal practices are about to get a $3.27 million makeover. According to Sunny Chase, Paradise Sewer District board member, every residence in Paradise is on their own septic system, and many were built around 1910. “When systems go bad, it means there needs to be a replacement,” Chase stated. “There is no room for replacement, because the lots are too small.” Chase commented...
Blueberry harvest season has begun in northwestern Montana and Eller's Blueberry Farm is ready to delight everyone with a plentiful harvest for 2018. The family farm began in 1984 when Jerry and Yvonne Eller planted their first blueberry bush. Yvonne recalled that her and her late husband had been visiting a friend in Sandpoint who had gorgeous blueberry bushes. Jerry expressed a serious interest in wanting to grow them. It all began then, but little did they know they were starting a family...
Special Deputy Sanders County Attorney Steven Eschenbacher has filed two counts of felony theft against Naomi Leisz, a private attorney and a current candidate for Sanders County Attorney. The theft charges center around a piece of heavy equipment. According to Naomi, this case has no business being a felony charge and is simply a “civil dispute between my ex-husband and myself.” Naomi feels this is an unethical, tactical decision to discredit her as her runningmate Bob Zimmerman, Sanders County Attorney, could have filed this one year ago, but...
Native fish restoration projects are being proposed for Graves Creek, Crow Creek, Copper Gulch, Fishtrap Creek and upper Prospect Creek. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) has identified these areas as vital to native westslope cutthroat and bull trout populations in the Lower Clark Fork watershed because they provide “high quality spawning habitat and contribute to increased juvenile and adult survival,” according to the USFS scoping letter. Since the areas of interest tend to have few quality spa...
Dave Bennett has been the owner of four low-income housing units in Sanders County for quite some time. Being close to retirement, Bennett says it is time to pass the torch to someone else. “I have had them for 39 years and I am just tired,” Bennett said about managing the complexes – one in Trout Creek, one in Plains and two in Thompson Falls. That being said, the housing units are for sale, and have been for roughly two years. The management has been wonderful according to Bennett, and there are no hard feelings forcing the sale. He comme...
Some people thrive on challenges, for the simple reason that when they conquer them, it makes them feel alive. Thompson Falls resident Joshua Allday must be one of those people. There is no other explanation for his planned expedition to hike to the 19,341-foot summit of Mount Kilimanjaro...for his second time. Allday isn't simply doing this for his own glory. The purpose of the trek is to raise awareness and find sponsors for children living in poverty. "This is a sponsorship trip," he stated,...
Two doctors are joining the Clark Fork Valley Hospital (CFVH) physician team. Both will be board certified and licensed to practice in Montana when they begin working for CFVH, according to Tonya Revier, Marketing and Community Relations Coordinator for the hospital. Dr. Erik Nevatt will be a Family Practice Provider at Thompson Falls Family Medicine and Dr. Webb will be a Family Practice Provider and offer obstetrics services at Plains Family Medicine. Nevatt has medicine in his blood. He was r...
Sanders County has recently contracted Jessica Connolly for one year, totaling 500 hours, to assist the county with financial complexities. Connolly, a St. Regis resident, is being shared with Mineral County for her financial expertise. “I have over 20 years of auditing experience, I am a CPA (Certified Public Accountant), and have five years of government finance experience,” she said. In December, the Sanders County Commissioners chose to consolidate the positions of Sanders County Clerk and Recorder and county Treasurer/Superintendent of Sch...
The Cabinet Ranger District is unique. It is the home to a 94,000-acre wilderness area known as Cabinet Mountain Wilderness. Most Forest Service districts do not contain a wilderness area within its boundaries, much less one that was designated in 1964 when the Wilderness Act originated. Wilderness areas comprise less than five percent of America's land base. These areas are managed to limit natural resource altering activities, by preserving the resource in its natural state as much as...
With summer in full swing, many of us are itching to get out and hike. Cabinet Ranger District recreation specialist Joel Sather gave the following updates, as of June 28, to the following hiking trail conditions. Black Peak Trail #763, the trail crew got 1 mile up the trail and there are plans to continue work on the trail throughout the summer. Engle Lake Trail #932 is cleared to Engle Trail #926 junction. Engle Trail #926 is cleared. Snow is present in the trees and on the ridgeline and surrounding Engle Lake, though the lake is free of...
Planes and automobiles made their way into Thompson Falls Airport over the weekend in the town's first ever Fly-In and Auto Show. Sanders County Pilot Association has been hosting the show since 1969 in Plains, when the group first formed, according to Nita Deardorff. The weather was not quite cooperative Saturday morning, as clouds limited those able to fly in for the event. But Deardorff did have some aircraft on hand that she was happy to talk about. She and husband Dallas showcased a 1982...
Roughly 30 years ago, Sanders County runners participated in an international run to promote world peace. Last Saturday, the 23rd international Peace Run came through the area once again, spreading hope and encouraging world peace, harmony and friendship. The flaming torch travelled 90 miles from Murray, Idaho, to Dixon, Montana, while friends connected hands throughout the journey. Runner aficionado Sarah Naegeli collaborated with Peace Run to organize the event. She was joined by Teresa Nelson...
NorthWestern Energy may be held liable for tax obligation penalties and fees for failing to meet the May 31 mailing deadline for this year’s first-round property taxes. “We made a mistake, but are still liable for legal penalties,” NorthWestern Energy spokesman Butch Larcombe stated. “We take property tax obligations in each county very seriously.” Larcombe stated that the tax payments were mailed out one day after the deadline. He reiterated that it was an honest mistake and “unfortunate for everyone involved.” According to NorthWestern...
Roughly a month ago, avid gardeners in the area were busy working the soil and planting those seeds. As nature takes its course, gracing the land with ample rain and sunshine, we are witnessing the beginning of a plentiful season ... hopefully. A lot takes place from planting to harvest. Many of us tend to forget the role that insects take to provide us with food. Specifically, I am talking about those little, yellow and black, fuzzy bundles of energy we are seeing as of late. Please do not...
A cow elk pauses after crossing Highway 200 west of Trout Creek. Elk shed their winter coat and emerge with chocolate, velvety hair during the warmer summer months....
The Naegeli Ranch seems to be the epicenter for outdoor recreation. For more than 20 years, the ranch has provided an outdoor learning center for Thompson Falls kindergarten students. Thompson Falls Elementary students always finish out the school year with class designated field trips. Kindergarteners get to top off their first year of school learning about the great outdoors while visiting the Naegeli's Ranch. This year almost 30 students spent the day going on forestry walks collecting gifts...
"Failure doesn't mean the game is over, it means try again – with experience," was the theme surrounding Trout Creek's eighth grade and kindergarten 2018 Promotional Ceremony. Helium balloons reading "Congrats Grad!" and "You Did It!" danced among foil streams of gold, silver and blue, while delicate white lights added a soft touch to the Trout Creek Eagles gymnasium recognizing the accomplishments of 10 students. Custom slide shows, created by each of the six eighth-grade students, reflected w...
“I just couldn’t let it go,” emphasized cancer survivor and Trout Creek resident Roberta Smith. “It is personal, I have to give back!” Smith is joined by Leanne Smith, Linda Barnes, Cathy Johnson and Alexis Dean to form Cowgirls Kickin’ Cancer (CKC). “We are just a group of ladies who want to raise awareness of cancer,” Smith explained. “In the last eight years, we have raised $43,000.” Through CKCs partnership with non-profit Sanders County Cancer Network, they have been able to pay forward every penny to cancer victims throughout the coun...
Last week Phil Baker, Hecla Mining Company’s CEO and Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Director Tom Livers met to discuss details pertaining to Baker’s employment history and how it is obstructing Hecla’s ability to develop the Rock Creek and Montanore mining projects. Baker initiated the conference with DEQ, who commented that it was “professional and civil,” to discuss his former employment role at Pegasus. “In the violation letter the DEQ asserted that I was a principal or controlling member of Pegasus when DEQ received pr...
If you can joyously move to the rhythm of life, nothing will ever bring you down. Adam Craw has single handedly opened his melodious heart and blessed the area with the awakening of music. Craw has announced that the time has come for him to move forward, in hopes of fulfilling his dream of becoming a producer. For the last five years, Craw has made many changes not limited to the school music program, but within the community as well. Through music, he has created a connection between all...
Reduce, reuse and recycle! It is the way of doing business now days. Sanders County Solid Waste (SCSW) is once again organizing an e-waste event to share information on Montana’s recycling programs as well as helping residents recycle unwanted electronics. In collaboration with Montana Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) and Oreo’s Refining, the county will host Dusti Johnson, MDEQ Materials Management Specialist, on Friday, June 8, to discuss “Recycling in Montana.” The discussion will take place at the County Courthouse from 5:30 to...
Thompson Falls Elementary School has some talented students, and they are not afraid to show it. Every spring Thompson Falls music teacher Lisa Mickelson displays student talents by putting on a "Variety Show" for fellow classmates and the community. In celebration of the show's third year, 11 acts were featured that included singing, dancing, hula-hooping, improvisation and comedic acts from emcees Diego Long and Faith Palmer. "This is such a good opportunity for students to showcase their tale...
The U.S. Forest Service is proposing the sale of an administrative site in Thompson Falls. The property considered for liquidation consists of four buildings on approximately 5 acres, located on Columbia Street in Thompson Falls. A 1,152-square-foot office building constructed in 1942 currently serves as office space for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP). Dave Hattis, Plains/Thompson Falls District Ranger, approached the Thompson Falls City Council about the sale of the building earlier this month. The City Council did not have interest...
The Trout Creek Farmer’s Market needs some help if it is going to operate this summer. Market organizer Sarah Cooper is taking the season off and so will the market if no one steps forward. Cooper started the market back in 2012 and has continued to nourish the responsibility since. “For the last five years my family and I have volunteered to run the Trout Creek Farmer’s Market,” Cooper said in a widespread email searching for helpers. “Nurturing community is something that is a natural outgrowth of who we are as a family, it has been fun,...
It has been 50 years since the U.S. Marines launched "Operation No Name" during the Vietnam War in Hue. The attack began on April 7, 1968. Little did they know, they were embarking in a preplanned North Vietnamese Army field of attack. Five days later, on April 13, Private First Class (PFC) Stephen J. Hinds, along with 25 other Marines, were killed. "I'll be going out on a four-day sweep. I don't suppose I will make Easter Mass," wrote PFC Hinds in a letter to his mother, shared Heron resident...
