Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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The City of Thompson Falls recently received news that they have been granted $450,000 through Montana Department of Commerce’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Public and Community Facilities Program. Thompson Falls Mayor Mark Sheets stated the funds will be applied to Phase III of the sewer treatment program and “if we happen to get Rural Development funds for Phase III, any remaining funds will roll into Phase IV.” As far as Phase I and II are concerned, Sheets said both phases should take about 14 months to complete, contr...
The wet winter this week didn't stop the newest youth baseball team in Sanders County from getting started in its training for the upcoming season. The Clark Fork Valley Riverdogs, the first American Legion team in the county for 20 years, was officially given its charter on Jan. 1 when Jon Zigler of Plains registered the new team with the Montana/Alberta American Legion Baseball Association. The county has several different league teams from T-ball to Babe Ruth, but there hasn't been a Legion...
AquaPrawnics, a shrimp production and hatchery focused on indoor aquaculture of clean, fresh and sustainable salt water shrimp and prawns, has opened its first facility in Noxon. "It's one of the most unique and unexpected businesses that you would expect out of western Montana," said AquaPrawnics CEO John Novitsky. Alongside shrimp farming, AquaPrawnics plans to utilize the waste from the shrimp operations. Biochar, a byproduct from generating their own renewable energy, and algae they grow on...
The trial of Danielle Wood, a former Thompson Falls woman charged with deliberate homicide in the death of Matt LaFrieniere, is set to begin Jan. 19. Court officials this week held a pre-trial conference with Judge Deborah "Kim" Christopher. Wood appeared in 20th District Judicial Court with her attorney on Tuesday. Attorneys addressed concerns and discussed how to conduct the trial while following COVID-19 protocols in the courtroom at the Sanders County Courthouse. The trial is expected to last 1-2 weeks. The defense, prosecution, judge's sta...
One of our favorite things to do is go in the basement of The Ledger and look at old newspapers. We have hard copies of every issue back to 1905. We've found our own birth announcements, parents' wedding announcements and everything in between. We often get calls from all over the country. People wanting copies of articles as they are researching family history or other research projects. It's fun to talk to people with ties to the area. More than that, the past Ledgers are an important record for our area and a unique look back. When alumni...
This morning I was disappointed to hear of Sen. Daines’ intent to challenge the presidential election’s outcome by voting to reject state-certified electors from selected states. A few weeks ago, Trump’s then-Attorney General William Barr said there was no evidence of even slightly significant fraud and the election ran smoothly. Fifty years ago, I fought as a sergeant in an airborne unit at Dak To, Vietnam, to preserve our essential democratic obligations, including the right to vote and to have those votes realized as an expression of freedom...
I just finished reading Blaine Blackstone’s column in The Ledger today (Dec. 31, 2020) and he seems to have hit the nail on the head in this one. I expect to see a slurry of critical reviews from the Sanders County hard left (including the Heron Mafia). Although I feel a lot less optimistic for the next four years than Blaine, I think it is time for the realization that the two-party system has totally failed we Americans. The last serious attempt at a third party was from Ross Perot who only seceded in electing another Democrat president. H...
Whatever grudging respect I had for U.S. Senator Steve Daines has been obliterated by his stunt of joining 11 other Republican senators to question the validity of the 2020 presidential election. His motives mystify me, but his action chills me. Trump, I at least understand. He wants to be president no matter what reality has dictated. Many Americans believe that the election was rigged against Trump. Not surprisingly, they are all Trump voters. And why do they believe the election was rigged?...
3 YEARS AGO • JANUARY 3, 1991 WEATHER PLAYED ROLE IN ANNUAL KEG BOWL by John Hamilton It didn’t matter that the thermometer was hovering around 25 degrees below zero, the calendar told all die-hard football players that it was time for the Keg Bowl. The Silver Bullets downed the O No Boys 36-20 Saturday to win the 10th annual Keg Bowl Saturday. The extreme cold and two feet of snow that blanketed frozen Ainsworth Field did not deter the hard-core participants, most of whom were former Blue Hawk gridders. “This was by far the coldest weath...
Stephaney Hutchings, Thompson Falls - “I drive around and take photos. I shoot landscapes and like leaves, pinecones whatever.” Shane Robins, Thompson Falls - “We love playing outside: snowmobiling, snowboarding, snowball fights. The kids are in winter sports too, so we’re constantly busy.” Grant Bailey, Trout Creek - “I like to reload bullets, take care of my horses and chop firewood.” Skyler Mcknight, Thompson Falls - “To keep active in the winter months I do a lot of woodworking and shop.” Andina Markuson, Thompson Falls - “Playing outside...
Cody Potter, 25, failure to give notice of accident by quickest means, $225; driving under the influence of alcohol and reckless driving, 1st offense, $385. Justice Weeks, 21, operating without liability insurance, 1st offense, $85. Monica Nethercott, 38, basic rule, reasonable and prudent, 1st offense, $86. Travis Legard, 19, owner permitting operation of vehicle without liability insurance, 1st offense, $285; operating with expired registration, $75. Eric Donenfield, 38, day speeding, $20. Rodney Franklin, 55, speeding in restricted zone,...
As the slow process of vaccinating the public proceeds, the nation is faced with a new variant of Coronavirus which is more communicable. And large numbers of people still refuse to wear a mask. Some contend masks don't help. But they do! Numerous tests have proven their effectiveness. An article in the June 27, 2020, issue of The Lancet – that worldwide respected British medical journal – attests to that. Issue 10242, Vol. 395. The article summarizes results of more than 170 studies of the use of masks in combating the spread of a pan...
Unbelievable! The "elected" government sold us out for $600. What's next, a loaf of bread for our brothers and sisters? Scott Crowe, Thompson Falls...
In 20th District Judicial Court on Tuesday, Diamond Goforth pleaded not guilty to charges of criminal possession of dangerous drugs and attempted escape. According to the charging documents, Goforth, who was taken into custody on October 7 for another drug related charge, had a small amount of methamphetamine found on her during the beginning of her incarceration into the Sanders County Jail. Goforth is accused of assaulting a detention officer and then trying to exit the building. Judge Deborah “Kim” Christopher set at July 6 trial date for...
Ambulance: Trout Creek, 2; Plains, 16; T. Falls, 8; Noxon, 1; Heron, 1; Hot Springs, 3. Monday, December 28 911 hang up, Paradise Request for coroner, Plains. Traffic stop, Paradise Traffic stop, Paradise. Traffic stop, T. Falls. Assault, Plains. Traffic stop, Hot Springs. Traffic stop, Hot Springs. Traffic Stop, Plains. Assist motorist/citizen, T. Falls. Request for welfare check, Plains. Traffic stop, T. Falls. Traffic stop, T. Falls. Traffic stop, T. Falls. Traffic stop, T. Falls. Report of someone stealing mailbox, Noxon. Traffic stop, T....
Victo Fern Stobie VanCampen came into the world on February 20, 1926 and left on December 26, 2020. She was the first child of Victor and Ruth Stobie, later joined by Herbert, Christopher and Margaret. Victo was raised on the Stobie Ranch on the Thompson River and to the end of her life when asked if she could go anywhere in the world, she steadfastly replied, "Up Thompson River." Victo graduated from Plains High School and lived most of her life in Sanders County, the last several decades in... Full story
Not that I need to say it out loud, but 2020 brought on more challenges than one could possibly expect to face in a single lifetime. On top of a global pandemic, it seemed as if one’s problems accumulated up all at once, and were let loose to wreak havoc on what was left of one’s soul. Even in the aftershock of what was 2020, I still find myself recollecting on the year that just passed. The last 366 days (let us not forget, 2020 was a leap year) did not come without its trials and tribulations for this modern homesteader. From the difficult ye...
by Shana Neesvig Three Sanders County students were inadvertently overlooked in last week’s Ledger from the Montana State University’s 2020 fall semester honor roll recognition feature. From Hot Springs, Sydney Jackson earned President’s List honors by earning a 4.0 grade point average for the semester. Earning Dean’s List honors for receiving a 3.5 grade point average or better were Hot Springs’ Addison Mueller and Heron’s Emma Kardokus....
Making the wait well worth it, the Thompson Falls Blue Hawks hosted a double dual meet in Thompson Falls Saturday, finally beginning the delayed winter sports seasons of 2020-2021. While coach Mike Thilmony and his Hawks hosted Simms and then Cut Bank at the high school gym, the Mission Bulldogs swapped opponents with the Hawks and wrestled Cut Bank and then Simms at the Falls junior high school gym. The Hawks won their dual with the Simms Tigers grapplers 36-24 but fell to the powerful Cut...
And now for the rest of the sports story in Sanders County. Thompson Falls’ basketball and wrestling teams got out to an early start last weekend but most other teams in the county patiently bided their time and waited another week. Well, the waiting is finally over as an avalanche of prep action is now on tap for the discerning sports fan. The action starts in Hot Springs Thursday as the Savage Heat boys and girls host Clark Fork in a basketball doubleheader. Hoop action reaches a crescendo Friday as all eight county teams will be on the c...
Are you ready? Really ready to finally play some basketball? The Thompson Falls Lady Hawks were more than ready to play Saturday, opening the COVID-19 delayed season of 2020-2021 with a feel-good 67-10 road win over Troy. Letting loose after practicing, practicing and practicing some more through a game-free December, the Lady Hawks get really busy all of a sudden this week, playing two important District 7B conference games, hosting Mission Friday and Eureka Saturday. The Lady Hawk C team will...
There is very good. Then there is very, very good. Looking very, very good – some might say scary good – in their first time out on the floor together this season, the Thompson Falls Blue Hawk boys made holiday mincemeat pie out of the Troy Trojans Saturday, streaking past the stunned Lincoln County boys 76-13 in Troy. The Hawks had the game won by the end of the first quarter, racing out to a 38-2 lead after the first eight minutes and cruising to the win from there. “Our kids played like their hair was on fire,” an impressed coach Jake Mickel...
The Fun Run was never done like this before, and probably never will be done like this again. In the meantime however, a socially distant version of the New Year's Day Fun Run and Walk was still held, as it annually is, from the Elk's Club parking lot east of Thompson Falls Friday. Although COVID-19 forced organizers to make this year's event a self-timed, run-at-your-own-time kind of race, organizer Sarah Naegeli reports that the event was still a success. She said the race was modeled after...
Shane Angle has been on periphery of Plains-Hot Springs high school wrestling for several years – now he is smack dab in the middle of it, and is seeming to love every minute of it. Recently named the head coach for the high school team after several years as a coaching mainstay in the local youth program, Angle is also in the position of being a parent to a wrestler as his daughter Taylor Angle will be among the Savage Horsemen’s team leaders as a junior this winter. And he had another daughter (Kenzie) wrestle for P-HS several years ago. He...
CLUES ACROSS 1. Partner to ÒoohedÓ 6. Relaxing places 10. Humorous monologue 14. Simple elegance 15. Bearable 17. Disobedience 19. Express delight 20. GovÕt attorneys 21. Wake up 22. A type of band 23. Remain as is 24. Turfs 26. Battle-ax 29. Volcanic crater 31. The mother of Jesus 32. OneÕs life history 34. ÒRule, BritanniaÓ composer 35. Doubles 37. Jacob __, American journalist 38. House pet 39. S. African river 40. Broad sashes 41. Establish as a foundation 43. KGB double agent Aldrich __ 45....
