Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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Every basketball season is special for Blue Hawk boys' basketball coach Jake Mickelson, but this year is pretty unique in that he has two sets of brothers on the varsity team. In fact, there are four sets of brothers on the team from C team through varsity. "I've had one set of brothers on a team but never two," Mickelson said after practice one day last week. On varsity, seniors Sam Burgess and Bryson LeCoure get to suit up with their younger brothers Ethan Burgess, a sophomore, and Kellen...
A former Thompson Falls woman who was convicted of deliberate homicide has been granted a new trial. Nearly four years after appealing to the Montana Supreme Court, Danielle Wood’s 2021 conviction for deliberate homicide has been reversed, with the case being remanded back to the Sanders County District Court for a new jury trial. The original jury trial, held before former District Judge Deborah “Kim” Christopher, spanned two weeks during January 2021, ending in a guilty verdict for Wood in the May 2018 deliberate homicide of Matthew LaFri...
Swans and geese hang out on the Thompson Falls reservoir last week....
A Thompson Falls man with two prior federal felony convictions and other state felonies was sentenced last week to five years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for admitting to firearms crimes after law enforcement found numerous guns at his residence, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. The defendant, James Vernon Day, Jr., 56, pleaded guilty in September 2024 to prohibited person in possession of a firearm and to possession of an unregistered firearm. U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided....
Lisa Wadsworth retired at the end of 2024 after just shy of 26 years of working for Sanders County. Friends, family and coworkers gathered to wish Wadsworth well last Monday. "Lisa always goes above and beyond. Thank you for all of your time for Sanders County," County Commissioner Tony Cox said. "You'll be missed. You've helped us through so much," fellow commissioner John Holland added....
Noxon had a rough 2024. Between the fire in February that destroyed three businesses and the bridge closure in July, there was a lot of uncertainty for the community. I've spent quite a bit of time in Noxon lately and thinking about the community. A lot of people have. There have been public meetings about the Noxon bridge. The commissioners are moving forward with how to replace the bridge. Their biggest hurdle is securing funding. On Saturday, a public meeting to engage elected officials was held. Meeting organizer Andrew Cabaccang invited...
Winter has finally arrived, though the frosting on my small forest looks more like December than January. Thankfully, the frosting is much thicker on our mountains. I’ve not had to use the snowblower or shovel down here — at least not yet. Up there is plenty to ski on. Those who first took me skiing put me in leather boots and Head 210s at the Alpine Shop in the day lodge at Schweitzer. Then, they loaded me on Chair Two (nee Baby Bear) and waved goodbye. By 1 pm, I was beat up, soaking wet, blue cold, frustrated beyond anger and completely dem...
Come on bakers. Don’t buy that dozen eggs for $5 and $7. Instead you can substitute 1/4 cup yogurt for two or three eggs when baking. Also instead of 1/2 cup oil, use unsweetened applesauce. Happy cooking! June Smith, Trout Creek...
Yesterday, Sat. 1/4/25, I attended a gathering in Noxon to learn more about the bridge, to hear from elected officials & what we can do to bring more attention to decision makers. Tony Cox, Dan Rowan, & a rep. from Zinke's Flathead office, Steve Howke, was there. The organizer of this gathering reached out to all local, state & federal elected officials, with minimal or no response. [Where were Paul Fielder and Greg Hertz? Inquiring mind here.] I am not a resident of Noxon, nor have I been to Noxon almost ever, but I was nudged to attend to...
Over the past two months there have been two meetings in Noxon regarding the replacement of the Noxon bridge. The first meeting was focused on fact-finding in an effort to correct misinformation circulating through the community. The second meeting was a call to action in an effort to gainfully engage the community in finding the funding to replace the bridge in a timely fashion. Organizers of the meetings invited county and federal officials to both meetings. They included: our county commissioners, our district senator and district...
10 YEARS AGO • JANUARY 28, 1942 BUSINESS IS GOOD Macho’s Modern Store (where True Value Hardware now is) reports that business during the past two months was much better than expected. Their hardware department is doing a greater and greater volume of business all the time. Burn’s Cash Store is doing a very nice business, the proprietors report. They had expected slow business during January, but the volume so far has been more than anticipated resulting in heavy stock reorders. R.O. Briggs is doing an excellent business from all indications. D...
JOYCE HILT, Noxon - “Spend more time with friends.” CLAYTON SIBBETT, Trout Creek - "Spend more time with my kids.” SUE GARRISON, Thompson Falls - “Write letters to friends.” JIM BURTNETT, Thompson Falls - “Have more daylight." ROBERT MERDEDITH, Thompson Falls - "Spend time with my kids.” ROBERT MARTINEZ, Thompson Falls - “Yard work....
Ambulance: Plains, 15; T. Falls, 7; Hot Springs, 7; Dixon, 1; Lonepine, 1. Monday, December 30 Assault, Hot Springs. Civil attempts. Civil attempts. Welfare check, Plains. Business contact, Hot Springs. Business contact, Hot Springs. Civil attempts. USFS campground check, Superior. Theft, Hot Springs. Security check. Disturbance, Hot Springs. Disturbance, Trout Creek. Disturbance, Trout Creek. Suspicious activity, T. Falls. Tuesday, December 31 Disturbance, Hot Springs. Body found/coroner, Trout Creek. Road hazard/debris on road, T. Falls....
Montana Highway Patrol Gary Bartell, 71, failure to yield to vehicle on through highway, $85. Koummaly Thongdy, 51, speeding in a restricted zone, $95. Henry Amend, 20, speeding in a restricted zone, $85. Sanders County Sheriff’s Office Abby Ingram, 50, night speeding, $20. Sydnee Bievins, 21, day speeding, $20. Emily Park, 42, speeding in a restricted zone, $55. Motor Carrier Services Bonifacio Parerlta-Torres, 32, operating commercial motor vehicle without CDL, 1st offense, $235....
A small-town story is finding its way to the big screen in Thompson Falls. The Rex Theater will show Somewhere in Montana on January 10, 11 and 13. After the Saturday, Jan. 11 showing, some of the local actors and Brandon Smith, the film’s writer and director, will be available for a Q&A session. Eden Bryant is one of the film’s producers. She said the film is booked in about 40 theaters in the United States, but that it was important to have it shown in Montana. The movie was filmed in Polson and Ronan. “I think Montanans will appre...
Sonny Brown, Dixon School Interviewed by Karen Thorson Sonny Brown, a fourth grader at Dixon School, is an artist of multiple dimensions. Her talents certainly show in her creations, but her artistic depth goes well beyond her works. She began her artistic journey at four years of age. Using pencil, charcoal, and paint, she experiences art as relaxing and fun, but she also views art as creating personal masterpieces for the artist. Her subject matter ranges from the realism of a portrait of her...
Dickinson State University has recognized students named to the Dean's List. Eligible students must be enrolled full-time and must earn a 3.5 GPA or higher. For the Fall 2024 semester, Scarlette Schwindt and Andrew Scully of Thompson Falls were named to the Dean’s List....
Erwin Donald Bangen, 92, of Hot Springs walked into Heaven on Christmas Day 2024, surrounded by family, pure as the driven snow. Erwin, the son of Helmer and Hannah Bangen, was born April 16, 1932, at the Bangen family farm in Climax, Minnesota. He was baptized into the Sand Hill Lutheran Church on June 12, 1932. Erwin was a full blood Norwegian who took pride in his heritage. He spoke only Norwegian until he went to elementary school. He continued throughout his life to speak Norwegian with...
Gerald (Jerry) Allen Matthew, 75, passed away peacefully in his sleep on December 31, 2024. Jerry was born May 23, 1949 in Kellogg, Idaho, to Louis M. Matthew and Romaine Hagen. He is preceded in death by children Dustin and April and brother Curtis. He is survived by domestic partner Sheri Carroll; children Hank, Max, Robert and Ashley; grandchildren Mary Ann, Michel, Max, Lina Marie and Carlos; brothers Larry, James, Kim, Kirby and Gary; sisters Phyllis and Lucinda; and many nieces and nephews. A memorial gathering will be announced at a...
Rocketman Pyros traveled almost 150 miles last week to send more than 1,000 shells into the darkness for the annual New Year’s nighttime extravaganza fireworks show at Quinn’s Hot Springs Resort. As the 167 guests at the resort’s Paradise Hall sang “Auld Lang Syne” — the traditional song to say farewell to the old year at midnight — played by the Missoula band Northern Lights, the fireworks burst to cast a myriad of colors over the Clark Fork River. The show lasted only six minutes, but received a huge applause from those at the event center an...
Residents from across the county got together last Saturday to discuss the Noxon bridge. The meeting was attended by about 25 people, including county commissioners Dan Rowan and Tony Cox, as well as Steve Howke from Rep. Ryan Zinke's office. The commissioners talked to residents, who came from Trout Creek, Thompson Falls, Noxon and Heron for the update, about efforts to start planning for the bridge replacement. "We're going to see what else we can do as a contingency plan to keep using the...
Plains started out the new year with big wins and a near clean sweep last week with a faceoff against Troy. The girls and boys junior varsity squads and girls varsity claimed victories, but the boys varsity was defeated. The Horsemen JV boys took down the Trojans 54-37 with Luciano Ferranti leading the team with 21 points. The Trotters JV team triumphed over the Lady Trojans 41-36 at home at Friday's game and Haydn Rice led in points with 20. Despite 13 points chalked up by Horseman Zayden...
The Blue Hawks hit the road in different directions last Saturday, with the boys heading to Deer Lodge to face the Wardens and the girls crossing state lines to Bonners Ferry, Idaho, as Deer Lodge does not have a girls team this year. Both Thompson Falls teams came home with wins for the start of the new year. THOMPSON FALLS 61, BONNERS FERRY 57 The Lady Hawks beat the Badgers 61-57. Thompson came out on fire and quickly gained a layup for the first points. The Badgers quickly answered with their own basket and the teams would go point for poin...
A group of locals and visitors started off 2025 with a little run around the neighborhood. The annual New Year's Day fun run was held last Wednesday in Thompson Falls, with the start and finish line at the Clark Fork Valley Elks Lodge. It was technically the second run of 2025 for organizer Sarah Naegeli, who along with her son Logan and his wife Denise, ran Main Street in Thompson Falls at midnight. "We've been doing that for five or six years," Naegeli said. "Sometimes we have cross country...
The Noxon Red Devils rang in the new year with two games. The boys and girls both won in Alberton last Friday, then played host to Troy on Saturday, with the boys winning 83-62 and the girls losing 62-39. NOXON 36, ALBERTON 23 The Lady Devils hit the court first in Alberton against the Panthers, taking the 36-23 win. The Panthers came out and would gain the first basket but it was quickly answered by Noxon with two outside three pointers to take the lead. The Devils would hold onto their lead...
