Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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Homeowners constantly encounter maintenance situations, including septic systems. For homeowners in Thompson Falls who face issues, replacing or repairing septic systems is becoming more difficult for homeowners in Thompson Falls. County Sanitarian Shawn Sorenson on Monday gave the Thompson Falls City Council a report on wastewater activities in 2017 for the area of Thompson Falls north of the railroad tracks. Sorenson said the seven systems were installed last year, and that some projects "had...
There are still quite a few pages to turn on the calendar before Sanders County Fair takes place, but 4-H steer members are already hard at work. Saturday morning 4-H steer owners met at Havens Stable in Whitepine to have their contenders weighed and tagged. All 4-H market livestock members must have their animals tagged and weighed prior to fair time. This ensures members continue to prepare the same animal for fair, and also gives a foundation for finances and calculating growth throughout...
The Ainsworth Park project in Thompson Falls is getting another shot at a large grant that would help complete the project. Last year, an application for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) was submitted, requesting almost $450,000 to complete the project. The application was denied in December, and grant staff told the Thompson Falls Main Street Committee and Parks Planning Committee members that the projects that were funded were most critical for public health and safety. However, the Ainsworth committee is being given an opportunity...
Seventh grade students braved winter weather and took part in an outdoor field trip last Friday sponsored by Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness (FSPW). Close to 60 bundled-up students from Noxon, Thompson Falls and Trout Creek arrived at North Shore Campground, in Trout Creek, ready to learn about tracking animals, bird watching, snagging and photographing mammals, and silviculture (trees); all while gaining an appreciation for the great outdoors. After being welcomed and discussing safety,...
Members of the first town council meeting of the year in Plains had a busy night with more than a dozen items on their agenda, with Danny Rowan at his first council meeting as mayor. The fire and police department chiefs were both on hand, along with four of the five council members. Missing was anyone from the general public. Just the same, it was a busy night for the council. Three of them – Chris Allen, Joel Banham and Audrey Kolbeck – were sworn in by the mayor for new four-year terms. Cha...
"It has been great working with her and seeing her work ethic," said County Superintendent of Schools, Carol Turk, "of course, I've known her since she was this tall – but it has been great getting to know her as an instrumental piece of the district and the county." Turk recently spent many hours with Stacy Milner and former District Clerk, Mary Smith, tirelessly pouring over the county's school budget records and comparing them with the district's. The effort was started as a way to open c...
On Sunday at the Golden Globes, Oprah Winfrey gave a proud speech while accepting the Cecil B. DeMille award for lifetime achievement. Immediately, the Internet was abuzz about whether or not Oprah was laying the foundation for a run for presidency in 2020. As we get older, it seems time goes faster. It’s hard to believe that President Trump is already reaching the end of his first year in office. And who will run in 2020 is the talk of the town. Ronald Reagan was president of the Screen Actors Guild before he became governor of California, and...
Democrats constantly wonder why so many working people vote “against their own economic self-interests.” Their current head-scratcher is the recent tax cut bill, which hands out billions of dollars to the wealthy and big business and peanuts to middle-class working people. And not just peanuts but, according to independent analysts, eventual tax increases and higher health insurance costs. The Democrats’ error is that they believe most people make rational decisions about their lives, when...
EARLY RECOLLECTIONS ON THE FOREST BY BEN SAINT • 1907-1929 Continued from last week In every fire crew we seemed, somehow, to draw an agitator or trouble maker and their wails were numerous. Kicks about hours allowed and poor food furnished and it was quite a problem for the Ranger to solve. We were instructed to keep these men on the job if possible for many of them were far back in the forest and it was hard to get men to replace them. This continued as time went on and in 1910 the year of the great fire, we were really having serious t...
LANNY PITTMAN, Thompson Falls – “Make sure you dress warm; make sure your vehicle is maintained; avoid driving when roads are too bad and watch out for ice.” JIM CHAMBERS, Trout Creek – “Just enjoy it. I do a lot of fishing. I’m often successful going for pike and perch.” CHYENE BAIRD, Thompson Falls – “I play a lot of board games with my three kids. I do some painting in acrylics. I read a lot of books and a lot of couch snuggling with my baby.” MARGE HAYNACK, Thompson Falls – “I get out there and shovel and get rid of it. Get to work and kee...
Ambulances: Noxon, 3; T. Falls, 9; Plains, 10; H. Springs 3. Sunday, December 31 Abandoned vehicle at Rehbein Ford, Plains. Trespassing, Plains. Welfare check requested, T. Falls. Speeding snowmobiles on rural road, T. Falls. Monday, January 1 Non-injury motor vehicle accident on Hwy. 200, individual swerved to miss an elk, T. Falls. Vehicle slide-off on Bakers Grade, Hwy. 28. Welfare check requested, T. Falls. Vehicle vs. power pole, Plains. Concern for juveniles jumping in the water for polar plunge, T. Falls. One vehicle rollover crash with...
In 20th District Judicial Court on Tuesday, Judge James Manley handed down a suspended sentence to Tayler Dawson for an incident in May 2016. Dawson was sentenced to 5 days in the Sanders County Jail and a 6-month deferred sentence to a count of misdemeanor assault, and a 1-year suspended sentence for misdemeanor negligent endangerment. Dawson was charged after an incident on May 29, 2016, in Hot Springs. In other court proceedings, Judge Manley accepted a plea agreement for Chritopher Barry, who pleaded guilty to sexual assault without...
Sanders County Sheriff’s Office Lindsey Herron, 24, $20, day speeding. Michael Shulz, 41, $135 and $18.99 restitution, theft, 1st offense. Montana Highway Patrol Kaila Bellamy, 27, $45, careless driving. Dale Ketola, 62, $85, basic rule, reasonable and prudent, 1st offense. Delbert Bennett, 63: $85, basic rule, reasonable and prudent, 1st offense; $20, seatbelt violation. Cynthia Karnes, 62, $20, seatbelt violation. Mark Wallace, 50, $10, basic rule, reasonable and prudent, 1st offense. Montana Dept. of Transportation George Brewer, 59, $...
Dixon Elementary Fourth grade students that made the honor roll were Kaelyn Bixby, 3.13; Mark Ioli, 3.46; Katie Porter, 3.75; Adele Ranney, 3.79; Rylee Swensen, 3.17; and Abbigail Wagner, 3.34. The fifth graders earning honor roll were Charlie Elverud, 3.38; and Jayna Hale, 3.81. Students on the sixth grade honor roll were Brittan Griego, 3.81; Haley Groneman, 3.24; Mathew Hale, 3.38; and Henry Ranney, 3.91. Dixon Junior High Earning a place on the honor roll in seventh grade was Stephen Ioli,...
When it comes to researching history, it isn't often that you hit a road block down every turn. But in the case of learning about the 1929 Thompson Falls High School basketball team, answers are hard to find. Chadd Laws is a Thompson Falls High School graduate and teacher, and a past boys basketball coach and athletic director. His mom, Barb, attended Thompson Falls High School, and his dad, Hank, graduated from Noxon High School. So Chadd's history with the school runs deep. While cleaning out...
Richard Henry "Dick" Nicol was born on May 5, 1931 to Bud and Pauline Nicol in Glasgow, Mont. He was raised in the surrounding area of Nashua, Mont., on the family ranch with his seven brothers and sisters until he went into the Army in 1954. Dick went to Western Montana to visit his best friend, Dick Vinson, which he met in the Army. He loved it; he was amazed snow would gather on fence posts and stay, that didn't happen in Eastern Montana. While there, he logged and worked at the saw mill. In... Full story
Standing room only is an overstatement for the scene at the Clark Fork Valley Elks Lodge in Thompson Falls on Saturday. Members of Thompson Falls and surrounding communities joined forces to raise money for Randy Pirker, a lifelong Thompson Falls resident who is battling stage four pancreatic cancer. In all, approximately $60,000 was raised through the fundraiser and donations to an account established for Pirker at First Security Bank. More than 300 people attended the event, which was...
Women, get your skis and snowshoes ready! Becoming an Outdoors Woman (BOW) is about to embark on a workshop embracing winter recreation. February 2-4, BOW will be holding snowshoeing and skijoring classes in Thompson Falls. BOW wants to see you get your warm winter gear on and come enjoy the fun. Snowshoe instructor Dan Edge will discuss the different types of snowshoes and what conditions they should be used in. As students trek across terrain, Edge will pass along proper techniques for snowshoeing on upward, downward and side slope...
When you enter the Sunflower Gallery on Main Street in Thompson Falls, you are met with a variety of intriguing sights and smells. The handcrafted products are displayed in the various rooms of the two-story building. You can find just about anything from the 18 different vendors that supply the gallery. Wendy Blanks, who has been a vender for two and a half years, enjoys being able to display her products where people are able to pick them up and experience the scents of her soaps, perfumes and...
A frigid Christmas Eve of five degrees makes the shrubbery look like glass along the Flathead River near the junction of Highways 200 and 135....
Outdoor writer Rich Landers “retired” December 1, leaving The Spokesman-Review after 40 years as reporter and, for the great majority of those, Outdoor Editor. To celebrate his retirement and the 13th Anniversary of Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness, Landers will take to the Panida Theater stage in Sandpoint on January 13 to present alook at his career with the Spokesman; “40 ‘Rich’ Years in the Great Outdoors.” Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness is hosting the event, which includes a silent auction, no-host bar, raffle and an on-stage...
Although there is always a silver lining in defeat, this one had all the makings of a golden victory, a rare, sweet win over the Loyola Fighting Rams. The Thompson Falls Blue Hawk boys did everything but win last Tuesday's game with visiting Loyola at TFHS, but a last-second 3-pointer by Jack Lincoln allowed the Rams to tie the game at the end of regulation, and the Rams went on to win 87-83 in overtime. The Hawks actually had the points on the board to win with only 9.2 seconds remaining when D...
Welcome to the wild, wild, world of District 14C girls basketball. Things are heating up fast in the District 14C girls hoop race and it looks like the race for conference honors could eventually go one of up to four, or possibly even five different ways in the competitive league. For proof of the hoop chaos in 14C, look no further than last weeks’ results. Previously unbeaten in 14C play, the Arlee Scarlets lost 37-35 in overtime at home to Noxon Saturday. One night earlier in Noxon, the Lady Devils had lost to rival Hot Springs 39-34. E...
The Lady Hawks may have not won on the scoreboard, but they did play a quality opponent very competitively in a hostile environment Saturday, falling only 50-42 to Eureka in Eureka. In other action last week, the Hawks traveled to Missoula and fell to Loyola Sacred Heart 63-21 last Tuesday, Jan. 2. Now 0-2 in 7B conference play, coach Doree Thilmony and her Lady Hawks play another quality league foe in Bigfork at Thompson Falls Thursday before heading to Deer Lodge for a non-conference tilt with the Lady Wardens Saturday. Additionally, the Lady...
As much as Thompson Falls coach Ian Taylor liked last week's Western Montana Duals tournament in Ronan Friday and Saturday, he ended up wishing that the Hawks had not gone to the event in the end. "I would have rather that we had stayed home had I known Cody would get hurt like that," Taylor said referencing a severe elbow injury that his senior 152-pounder Cody Garrison suffered during the Hawks' dual with Frenchtown Saturday. "It was a good tournament with lots of wrestling, but losing Cody...
