Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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Sanders County Health Nurse Debbie Lang reported at last week’s Board of Health meeting that the county will no longer be administering COVID vaccines. “This is for safety reasons,” Lang told the board and community members at last Wednesday’s meeting. During public comment, Mindy Ferrell from Trout Creek voiced her concern about COVID vaccine availability. She was against the county ending this service because she feels that there are not enough options for people who cannot make the trip to Missoula or other distances to get vaccina...
The Sanders County Health Department offers free flu shots for the season. Last Wednesday, the department's tent was set up at the rural fire hall at the west end of Thompson Falls. It was in operation from noon to 4 p.m. "We have had 40 people so far today," said Lisa Richmond, the public health assistant. That was at 2 p.m. "On Tuesday they administered a total of 49 shots in Trout Creek," said Bill Naegeli, the Sanders County Emergency Manager. Ashley Bache, who works for the county as the...
Every Monday, a group of women gather at the Paradise Methodist Church for a day of sewing. From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., they sew quilts, knit hats or crochet items, and embroider on quilt squares and other materials such as pillow cases. They are not a quilting club that sews quilts for themselves or fundraisers. They are a charity sewing group. "We started about 10 years ago and started sewing for charity," Judy Hawley said. Today there are eight to 10 ladies in the group. "We scare the male people...
by Shannon Brown The Dollar General will be opening in Thompson Falls in the near future. The first one to open in Montana was in Columbia Falls, in September 2023. "The new store at 1092 Main Street in Thompson Falls is currently under construction and is slated to open in fall 2023," a Dollar General Public Relations representative told The Ledger. The Dollar General's mission is serving others, the company representative said in an email. "Dollar General is deeply involved in the communities...
The Lil' Fighters Fall Festival Fundraiser held its seventh annual event at the Pilgrim Creek Park in Noxon on Saturday. The park was packed with many adults and children entering contests, for all ages, that added to the full day of festivities. Hundreds of community members attended the festival, which started at noon and ended at 8 p.m. Children ate, chased and scrambled to grab their rewards. Childrens' faces were painted for fun and many wore pioneer costumes for a contest. This year's bene...
TRACEY INMAN, Plains - “Yes, because someone made fun of me once. I didn’t know it was a rule. Now I wear white whenever I want.” SARA RIEK, Plains - “Yes, because I don’t care. I wear whatever I want.” SHANNON LUPICA, Thompson Falls - “Yes absolutely, I’ll wear whatever I want.” KOURTNEY WALLACE, Thompson Falls - “Yes, I don’t care what the fashion police say. I think you should be able to wear whatever you want.” KARA MORGAN, Plains - “Yes, if people want to wear white after Labor Day, they should.” BEV MILLER, Plains - “I have never hear...
CRAIG LIEN, Camas Prairie - “No, I am not a pumpkin spice kind of guy.” KYLIE ALDRIDGE, Hot Springs - “Yes, I like pie and cookies and I think they should make pumpkin spiced Pop-Tarts.” RENA HENSON, Hot Springs - “I like pumpkin spice season.” J.G. PHILLIPS, Hot Springs - “Yes, we have to be ready for it. It’s the season .” K.O. MONROE, Hot Springs - “Yes, it’s good. I stick to it until it sticks to me. Then I wait for peppermint and hot cocoa season.” AMBER DIMOND, Plains - “I am ready. Pumpkin pie is my favorite pie. When it gets cooler...
As an annual event, the Plains Woman's Club (PWC), a member of the General Federation of Women's Clubs, delivered baked goods to the Plains schools for Teacher Appreciation Day. This was led by Janet Brandon who is also known as "Big Cookie." Brandon supervised the group, who baked and helped make up the boxes and bags. The ladies gathered their goodies at the VFW in Plains to decorate the boxes and plates and make thank you notes for teachers, administrators and bus drivers. "This tradition...
From the beginning of our existence flowers have captivated and healed us in one way or another. They were on this planet before we were. They have energy that radiates out to us. Why? Many theories are there to add understanding of their charm. But whatever any of us believes, the fact is that flowers have power. Just as herbs are used for cooking and healing, flowers are used to soothe the soul, brighten a day, or heal emotional and physical pain. And often they are used for cooking. But the essence of a flower can be extracted and used...
The Clark Fork Valley Elks Charitable Fund, along with the Jack Esler Foundation, donated $20,000 to the Patrol Base Abbate Return to Base nonprofit organization. Kevin Fallon, chief operations officer, and John Torres, camp commander, were at the Elks Lodge in Thompson Falls last week to receive the check that was gifted to them by Charlie Munday and Elks board members. Esler was an Elks member and Air Force veteran who set up his foundation. "Charlie, who is the head of the CFVE, donates the...
A decades-old transportation agreement between the Thompson Falls, Noxon and Trout Creek school districts allowing buses to cross district boundaries to pick up students has been changed. The agreement that had been in place for the last 34 years allowed buses to cross district lines to pick up and drop off students. The districts included were the elementary district and high school districts in Thompson Falls and Noxon and the elementary district in Trout Creek. Prior to the new school year a meeting was held to discuss the current and past a...
LAINEY ERWIN, Trout Creek - “The American Quarter Horse and dun color.” GIADA VIVIANO, Trout Creek - “Palominos and friesians are my favorite breeds. Paints are my favorite color, and palomino colors.” SIERRA SYMINGTON, Ronan - “I like them all as long as they don’t buck. My favorite colors are bay and sorrel.” MADISYN MAILMAN, Kalispell - “Percherons and haflingers and roan colors.” LETTIE HUBLER, Marion - “Ponies, and red roans.” BROOKLYNN CRAIN, Plains - “My favorite breed is quarter horse and favorite color is strawberry roan....
Eighteen Sanders County organizations received a check from Clearwater Properties during a recent gathering in Trout Creek. Businesses and club representatives attended the event at the Lakeside Motel and Resort. Realtors donate a percentage of their commissions to predesignated nonprofits. "When we sell a house, we ask the buyer if they have an organization that they want to donate to," Broker Jeanette Carr-Smith said. The money is taken off the top and put into a bank account for the end of...
The Whiskey Trail Ranch out of Hot Springs hosted a working ranch class for 4-H students last weekend. Ranch managers Scott and Tammy McAllister judged the four girls from Plains and Trout Creek on Sunday. "We had six signed up but two canceled," said Wendy Carr with MSU Extension. Carr is co-superintendent with Shannon Chojnacky for 4-H horse projects. Everyone helped with gathering cows and moving them from pen to pen for the events. "It was good for the girls to help sort cows a bit before...
DIANE WALTERS, Plains - “Yes and no. It came too fast this year, but I love fall.” PETER SKAUDIS, Plains - “The cooler weather will make it nice for working outside. I’m looking forward to it.” SHANON CHOJNACKY, Trout Creek - “I love fall riding but I’m not looking forward to Winter.” MADI KOONCE, Trout Creek - “I love the cooler weather of autumn but don’t like that snow is coming.” BROOKE ELDRIDGE, Trout Creek - “Yes, I am very happy for fall, the smells, the colors, the cool temperatures.” SANDY PACE, KALISPELL - “Yes I love fall because...
The newly formed Rocky Ridge Saddle Club held its first omoksee event last Saturday in Noxon. “There was a pre-existing club so we just started it up again,” Natalie Erwin said. The arena with an announcer’s stand was already in place. “We have campers who showed up the night before,” Erwin said. Several people from Libby camped overnight along with riders from Eureka and Kalispell. They made up seven of the 31 participants in Saturday’s games. “It has been a fun day,” Joe Brooks from Libby said. He and his wife Tricia rode in the games in th...
The AVA law group from Billings held a special meeting at the Paradise Center on Thursday, September 14. The group wants to inform the public of their rights regarding damages incurred from the River Road East Fire. The fire consumed thousands of acres and several buildings. Andrew Van Arsdale, AVA founder, said he makes it his job to represent anyone who feels they have been wronged. “It is their civil right under the law to seek redress and money for damages caused by the fire if the railroad is responsible.” Arsdale comes from a long line of...
Seventy years have gone by since the class of 53 graduated from Plains High School. Tuesday September 5th the remaining classmates gathered at Mary Lou Hermes' home and time seemed to have stood still as stories were told. Memories were sharpened by anecdotes of high school high jinks. Sherry Benner, Henry Larum's daughter, was there with her dad. "I can't believe they remember their teacher's name." Darlene Jolly entertained everyone with her recollections of bad behavior towards one specific...
Project meetings for opioid and fentanyl awareness have been conducted across the region by Tribal Health and the Confederation of Salish and Kootenai Tribes. On August 28 the first Sanders County meeting was held in Dixon. It was conducted by James Steele, Jr, director of the Tribal Opioid Response (TOR) project, Kathy Ross, TOR project manager, and Amber Landowski from Arlee Tribal Public Health Clinic. Ross, who has been an addiction counselor for 15 years, said that the goal is to present a...
TODD HAYES, Plains - “It did very well in the greenhouse. Grasshoppers were an issue in the outside garden.They ate everything.” BRAD STACEY, Plains - “It takes a lot of organic material but did pretty well despite the frost here on June 21. The heat and grasshoppers slowed things down some.” LINDA CLARK, Sheridan, Montana - “We had a slow start with the weather. The greenhouse kept the tomatoes growing and producing earlier. We had lots of rain and a good crop, eventually.” MIKE SCHMUCK, Ephrata, Washington - “Our garden did very well. No...
Montana PBS has upgrades scheduled for the Thompson Falls and Plains area. Improvements to the Plains and Thompson Falls reception of Montana PBS TV is of current concern, according to Dewey Duffel, secretary of the Western Sanders County TV District Board. “So many of our problems with achieving constant always-on broadcasts is due to the long chain of relays that are necessary to make available these distant signals to the west end of Sanders County,” Duffel said. In 2020 the TV building and tower on Pat’s Knob were replaced per Forest Servi...
The arena at the fairgrounds was roaring Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights with various events in the rodeo. On Saturday, Felix Santana from Utah started the show on his Friesian stallion Zorro carrying the American flag for the national anthem. Santana and Zorro performed several moves to the audience's delight. Later Santana returned to the arena to show his Andilusian stallion dancing around the arena. Bareback riders were few. They kicked up their heels for a show. Trevar McAllister from...
The Sanders County Fair started Thursday morning with the 4-H horse show.. Vendors were up and ready for business early Thursday morning as well. A crowd gathered to watch the 12 young ladies show their horses and what they have accomplished in the last year. Tyrell Burklund from Frenchtown judged and Sydnee Wilson from Trout Creek was ring steward. Also attending were horse barn superintendent Wendy Carr from Plains, barn assistant Shannon Chojnacky and trainer Scooter Reeves from Trout Creek....
The fair rodeo would not be complete without mutton bustin'. Halfway through each event Thursday, Friday and Saturday, youngster gave their best effort to stay on sheep. During Saturday night's rodeo the audience was entertained by the fast-paced event. The sheep were wooly which made it great for hanging on. The sheep were also fast which made it a challenge for the young buckaroos to stay on. All participants received a buckle and bandana from Justin Boots. Beck Jensen placed first and won a...
The small class of 4-H cat presenters was ready with their groomed felines for judge Casey Chenoweth from Trout Creek on Thursday afternoon at the fair. The three participants were John McNamara with his Main Coon, Thomas, Cooper Spurr with her 5-month-old kitten Matilda, and sister Kendall Spurr with her 5-month-old kitten Millie. The kittens are litter mates. In the showmanship portion, the three shared their knowledge by demonstrating what they could do with their felines. They went over the...
