Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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Paying respect to her love, compassion, and unending support for the children and parents of Thompson Falls and surrounding area, Diane Hedahl has been selected grand marshal for the Thompson Falls Christmas on Main Street parade. "I prefer to fly under the radar," Hedahl modestly said. "But" she induced with laughter, "I guess this year I'll fly with Santa." Although she feels honored for her selection, she feels the real award has been the opportunity for her to "serve the children of our...
A deferred prosecution agreement has been reached between Sanders County and LaJean C. Manning, according to County Attorney Naomi Leisz. The Ledger reported last February that Manning was charged with three felonies and a misdemeanor for allegedly mishandling Trout Creek Community Improvement Association (TCCIA) and Trout Creek Park Board funds between May 2018 and January 2020. Leisz communicated that the recent agreement reached requires Manning to pay the county $15,000 within the next 12 months, and if not, Leisz reserves the right to...
Three reelected candidates ran unopposed this past election: 20th District Judge James Manley, Clerk of District Court Candy Fisher and Denley Loge, State Representative for District 14. The Ledger recently reached out to these candidates for more on what the public can expect from them during this term. Judge Manley provided information about his career and experiences leading up to it. He is a University of Montana and Lewis and Clark Law School graduate and admitted to the Montana Bar in 1978. While practicing law privately for 34 years in...
Thompson Falls Veterinary Clinic has acquired a new large animal veterinarian in Stephanie McIntyre, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. An Ohio native, raised on a farm that "raised foals and started young horses," McIntyre said as a kid she "spent more time in the barn than anywhere else," leading her to her current position in the world of large animal care. While growing up, McIntyre competed in horse shows across the U.S. and Canada. "It seemed we always had a horse that had an injury," she...
Election 2020 has surrounded itself with a sense of urgency for many Americans. Just how much agony would an individual go through to vote? Former Sanders County resident Logan Naegeli did what many would not to exercise his right to cast a ballot – drive over 1,000 miles while remaining in quarantine. After serving in the Peace Corps, Naegeli returned to his parents’ Beaver Creek ranch awaiting his next journey in life. As it would be, Naegeli relocated to Salem, Oregon, creating a mailing nigh...
After 38 years of dedicating himself to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP), Wildlife Biologist Bruce Sterling has retired. His efforts in managing protected areas for future generations of wildlife, sportsmen, and recreationalists is a career highlight for both Sterling and FWP. Beginning in 1982, Sterling signed on with FWP as a fish culturist at Bluewater Springs Trout Hatchery in Bridger, Montana. He furthered his career moving into a wildlife biologist position while implementing...
Jobs for Montana's Graduates, a state-level program developed to assist students achieve graduation and obtain skills to become successful in the college and work industry, has earned national recognition. For its 14th year, the program received a "5-of-5" rating for reaching a 98.8% graduation rate, an employment rate of 81% and full-time engagement (college, work, or military at least 40 hours per week) rate of 96%. "I am pleased Jobs for Montana's Graduates is being recognized yet again for...
Put the Hawk harriers in a race with a few hay bale obstacles, a staggered start, and running on fumes after a busy homecoming week, and guess what you will get? A whole lot of personal and seasonal bests. Last Saturday, Thompson Falls cross county coach Sarah Naegeli observed a fine performance from her team at the Mission Shadow Duals held at Pablo, Montana's Silver Fox Golf Course. "First off, the sweet PR (personal record) that Justin had, and the race that Josey ran for a season best; both...
The year was 1950 and the date was October 2 when seven U.S. newspapers published what would become one of the biggest cultural influences in American history. The day was Monday and Minnesota native Charles M. Schulz was given the opportunity to introduce Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the Peanuts gang to the world. It all began with “Li’l Folks,” which featured the same characters as the Peanuts, but was sold by Schulz. In order to continue without copyright infringements, the comic was renamed “Peanuts,” according to A&E Television, History.c...
September is designated National Suicide Awareness and Prevention Month and has earned recognition. In America, suicide is the number one cause of injury-related deaths, recently surpassing vehicle accidents, and the tenth leading cause of overall deaths. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), there has been a 30% increase in suicides since 1998 and it is not age dependent. Suicide rates of those ages 5-14 has increased 60% between 1981 and 2010 and is the second leading cause of death for those 15-24 years, the CDC reports. A 2018...
"It's a way of life," local rancher and retired Forest Service employee Bill Meadows said. "We decided we are going to stay here and work until we die." Meadows and his wife Helen were referencing ranch life on their Little Beaver Creek homestead established 136 years ago by Bill's maternal grandparents. One of the Meadows' biggest secrets in the ranching world has been the use of QuietWean. Bill said he does not know anyone other than himself who uses the device, but highly recommends it to...
Montana State Liquor Store 7 moseyed further down the alphabet when D&D Liquor became M&M Liquor earlier this summer. Former store owners Dave and Deb Oliver are no strangers to the Thompson Falls scene, and neither are new liquor stores owners Myles and Missy Sexton, who also own Minnie's Montana Café. The Sextons relocated to the area over 15 years ago when they purchased Boomtown Café in 2004 and converted it to Minnie's, a move Missy says was the "best thing we ever did." In agreement, M...
Families in Sanders County were faced with a tough decision this week - whether to send their children back to school in person or keep them home. No doubt, what is good for one family may not be for another, which makes the decision even more challenging…we all want to do the right thing and look to others for guidance. The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) has recently released “Tips for Families: Helping Children and Adolescents Transition Back to School,” a supportive guide for sending kids back to school. “Families play an...
One thing is for certain. David Williams, founder of Joint Operation Mariposa, is not about to throw in the towel on his efforts establishing a veteran services office (VSO) in Sanders County. He has spent years working toward finding a property that would serve the needs of many county veterans. “We were donated office space, but we did not receive grants because we don’t own the building,” Williams said. Many other buildings in the county have been explored as potential candidates but have been unsuitable for one reason or another. “We’r...
"If I can help someone so they can do their job...great!" emphasized Jennifer Ekberg. She is looking forward to providing bookkeeping services to help individuals as well as businesses stay on good financial track with her new business endeavor. JE Bookkeeping is the name and bean counting is the game. According to Ekberg, who has titled herself as "Bean Counter," she provides flexible prices on multiple financial services. These include income and expense tracking, reconciliation, financial...
History occurs everywhere, even at 6,843 feet. Patrick’s Knob, located on the Lolo National Forest, has seen a plethora of activity since its initial debut serving as a Forest Service lookout point in 1934 when a trail-only accessible, 20-foot pole tower was constructed for clear viewing and communications. Fast forward to today, and the location serves many more purposes. During the years of 1969 to 1971, Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) declared Patrick’s Knob to be a resourceful location for their cross-country microwave com...
It was a quick visit in Thompson Falls for gubernatorial candidate Greg Gianforte and his running mate Kristen Juras, after visiting Kalispell and Libby, on their way to Polson, as they shared their vision and plan for Montana if elected to office. Gianforte and Juras met Tuesday afternoon with a crowd of about a dozen people at Minnie's Cafe. The Montana Comeback Tour, they called their travels, as they believe they have the plan that will get "Montana open for business," both Gianforte and...
It is the time of year every 4-H/FFA participant looks forward to... the fair! This year, the 2020 Sanders County Fair is going to be quite different. MSU Sanders County Extension Agent Juli Thurston has been working with 4-H committee members and leaders to develop plans that accommodate COVID-19 restrictions as well as allowing youth to reap project benefits resulting from their hard work throughout the year. Before the fair was officially cancelled last Thursday evening, when the Board of...
When the Montana Highway 200 bridge west of Trout Creek closed a few weeks ago, residents were faced with a predicament. For many, their normal, daily commute to work increased from a mere five to 10 miles to a 50-mile jaunt - one way. Spending over two hours driving to and from work every day seemed to be too much for many residents. Those who usually take a quick drive over the bridge heading either east or west put their creativity to work and came up with a plan to remedy the problem. Some...
In addition to announcing scholarship recipients at graduation ceremonies, Thompson Falls graduate Lacy Pardini received a surprise that she was selected as the winner for the InvestWrite national writing competition. In one of Pardini's high school classes, 21st Century Skills, she participated in the Security Industry and Financial Market Association (SIFMA) Foundation's "The Stock Market Game." Pardini's teacher, Penny Beckman, submitted Pardini's "pitch" to InvestWrite because she believed...
Graduates of Sanders County are walking away from high school with deeper pockets. With application efforts paying off, they have financial assistance to further their educations. In all, over one million dollars was granted to graduating seniors in the form of tuition grants, awards, and scholarships throughout their high school careers. Noxon’s seniors earning financial support are Jenna Freeman (Hope for Harlee Legacy Scholarship, Noxon Ambulance Scholarship); Elizabeth Lampshire (GI Bill and full tuition compensation package); Brittany H...
Every year Trout Creek School celebrates their eighth grade and kindergarten graduates. Although a special ceremony usually takes place in the gymnasium, this year was a little different – graduates received their diplomas at home. With social distancing in place, Principal Debbie Phillips made house calls to every kindergarten and eighth-grade student presenting them with a graduation balloon, $25 gift card, and their diploma inside a gift bag. "We honked as we drove up to each individual h...
Even though summer is just beginning, the 2020-2021 school year will be here before we know it. With a prompt end to the normalcy of classroom interaction this spring, it is never too early to set plans for what the upcoming fall may look like. Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen recently introduced a two-team, 32-member task force to guide and provide feedback on how schools should reopen. With representatives from locations throughout Montana, Arntzen has appointed two...
"This is a solemn, but glorious hour," President Harry S. Truman announced over radio waves reaching across America. "I only wish that Franklin D. Roosevelt had lived to witness this day." The day was May 8, 1945, when Germans unconditionally surrendered during World War II; finalizing the reign of the Third Reich and the war itself. Over vast seas, in Czechoslovakia, 16-year-old Michael Totzauer was busy digging trenches for the German military. Now, 75 years later, he recalls May 8, 1945, V-E...
They are sealed and delivered, and now awaiting official marking and return from registered voters in Sanders County. Primary election ballots were mailed out last Friday and are embarking on a far from normal election journey. County officials are offering multiple options for voters to submit ballots for this election. “We want to make sure people have an avenue to get ballots in, that is reliable,” Clerk and Recorder Nicole Scribner stated. “We want to put minds at ease that their ballots are counted. “Starting next week, in every precinc...
