Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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The trial of former Thompson Falls resident Danielle Wood began Tuesday with opening arguments by the prosecution and defense attorneys. Prosecutors introduced themselves and their approaches for the trial, stating they intend to convince the jury of eight women and four men that Wood premeditated the 2018 murder of Matthew LaFriniere of Thompson Falls. In opening statements, prosecutors said Wood purchased the firearm prior to the murder and a disposable cell phone in order to call into 911...
Sanders County continues to recover from a severe windstorm that swept through the area last week, leaving downed trees, damaged buildings and residents without power for days. The storm last Wednesday created record wind speeds of over 125 miles per hour, recorded by the National Weather Service at Mount Sentinel in Missoula. In Noxon, gusts of over 70 miles per hours were recorded. For several hours, according to first responders, nearly 75% of the county was without power from trees over...
Gov. Greg Gianforte has issued a new directive that will lift restrictions on small businesses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The new three-page directive replaces over 25 pages and layers of the existing directive, leading to less confusion amongst Montanans. While the state's mask mandate remains in effect, Gianforte's directive removes the 25-person limit on public gatherings and removes the capacity limitations on establishments and the operating hours restrictions on bars and casinos. “Improving our response to the pandemic has been my t...
The Main Street General Store in Noxon changed ownership last fall when Joe Hokel purchased the historic mercantile. He has a few goals in mind for the newly named Angry Beaver General Store. He plans to keep the antiqueness by incorporating "subtle changes" and offer products the community wants and needs. While many people try to recreate an old west ghost town feel by introducing reclaimed and refurbished commodities, the Angry Beaver General Store is special in that it simply is the real...
Last week in Sanders County, we saw a devastating winter windstorm that knocked out power to much of the county for days. Trees were uprooted, some falling on houses, businesses and other buildings. Before the storm was over, we saw neighbors and strangers helping residents clear trees and roadways. Crews from NorthWestern Energy and Northern Lights worked days on end restoring power to residents. It was amazing to see all the trucks of trees and debris as they paraded to the Sanders County Transfer Site outside Thompson Falls. The pile of...
The Capitol has been trashed by bThe Capitol has been trashed by big boys and girls who should have known better. It is hard to take a bearded, bare-chested man with cow horns on his head seriously, let alone as an adult, but he and others broke windows, beat up cops (killing one, wounding others), had one of their own shot by police and trampled another one of their own to death. This was not just a riot, it was an insurrection. It has resulted in 70 of them being charged with criminal...
Dear Editor, I would like to respond to Jim Elliot’s op-ed “A dangerous game with democracy” (January 7, 2021). There are hundreds of documented instances of irregularities in the last election that I find unexplained to this date. In the recent Georgia senate hearings on the November election, Jovan Pulitzer’s team hacked into the counting system in real time using the local Wi-Fi. In the CNN election night broadcasts, the tallies at the bottom of the screen were shown to slide votes from one candidate to another. From Atlanta, there is vide...
I have heard people say that last week’s storm was unparalleled in the past, not so, read on. 50 YEARS AGO AUGUST 12, 1971 WINDSTORM DAMAGES ROOFS, SNAPS TREES The worst wind and hailstorm to strike western Sanders County hit the Plains, Thompson Falls and Trout Creek areas Thursday afternoon stripping roofs, breaking large trees like matchsticks, and peppering the Trout Creek area with hail the size of marbles. Some observers described the strong winds as “twister type.” Ranger George Leighton said actually two storms struck the area almos...
Jordan Fisher, Thompson Falls - “One thing I have learned from last week’s storm is there is always someone willing to lend a hand, no matter what, especially in a small community.” Terry Harris, Thompson Falls - “What I learned from the storm this last week was I’m grateful for friends and family that come by and help. To the people who brought generators and food and oxygen bottles to keep the oxygen flowing in our home.” Betty Reichert, Thompson Falls - “To have a full tank and have at least five extra gallons in the garage.” Ches...
Montana Highway Patrol Erika James, 37, driving while privilege suspended, 1st offense, $275; operating without liability insurance, 2nd offense, $385, 10 days jail. Kenneth Murchison, 25, aggravated driving under the influence, 1st offense, $2,135, 32 hours community service. Nathan Hutton, 29, failure to carry proof of insurance, 1st offense, $275; driving while privilege suspended, 1st offense, $285. Thomas Hendren, 70, careless driving, $85. Mark Farris, 45, speeding in restricted zone, $85. Sanders County Sheriff’s Office Samuel Roosma, 7...
Ambulance: T. Falls, 12; Dixon, 2; Hot Springs, 9; Plains, 13; Trout Creek, 2; Heron, 1; Paradise, 1. Sunday, January 10 Welfare check, Noxon. Monday, January 11 Alarm-intrusion/holdup, Dixon. Abandoned vehicle, T. Falls. Informational case, Plains. Animal other, Plains. Warrant service, Plains. Tuesday, January 12 Fire, Plains. Informational case, Noxon. Theft, Plains. Domestic/PFMA, Plains. Wednesday, January 13 Informational case, T. Falls. Informational case, Plains. Informational case, Plains. Road hazard/blockage, Trout Creek. Fire,...
The holidays aren't the only time for pie. A homemade pie can be a delicious treat any time of year. One ingredient that may be overlooked is the thickener that transforms the filling from a runny mess into that sought-after, sliceable filling that allows you to serve a picture-perfect slice of pie. Every recipe is different when it calls for a thickening agent. Some recipes thicken with flour, others call for cornstarch, and some use the addition of tapioca. What's the difference between each,...
Some Sanders County residents will begin receiving the required second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine as Clark Fork Valley Hospital (CFVH) prepares to receive another vaccine shipment this week. CFVH reported that 116 staff members and 47 other individuals meeting the Phase 1A parameters have been vaccinated and that, as of Monday, additional vaccines were given to high-risk individuals meeting the 1B distribution guidelines in order to not waste vaccine supplies. More than 800 people had completed a CFVH survey online gauging interest in the...
THOMPSON FALLS MONDAY NITE GALS W L Dangerous Dames 37 27 Rock’n Bowl 36 28 Dolls with Balls 33.5 30.5 Nascar Freaks 31.5 32.5 Talk of the Town 30 34 Balls to the Wall 23 41 Team Scr. Game: Dangerous Dames, 476; Scr. Series: Nascar Freaks, 1299; Hcp. Game: Dangerous Dames, 692; Hcp. Series: Nascar Freaks, 1866; Inv. Scr. Game: Kerry Schwarz, 220; Scr. Series: Kerry Schwarz, 500; Hcp. Game: Kerry Schwarz, 275; Hcp. Series: Kerry Schwarz, 665. FRIDAY NITE LIGHTS W L Project ASCENT 34.5 25.5 Hagedorn Land 33 27 Bernie’s Best 33 27 Two Rivers Str...
SOLUTIONS ACROSS 1. MOAB 5. SOCHI 10. FAILLE 12. ABLOOM 14. ACADEMICIAN 16. AC 18. RBC 19. ISH 20. MECCA 22. ARE 23. PROEM 25. SHAN 26. GEL 27. SHE 28. MAC 30. EBN 31. EDAM 33. REVERE 35. CAROL 37. LASES 38. ANALOG 40. SENE 41. BIT 42. LAC 44. DAB 45. CHR 48. AMOS 50. TAMED 52. AUM 53. NARES 55. RAN 56. KRA 57. AL 58. REDEDICATES 63. SHREDS 65. SADIST 66. MARTS 67. EBON SOLUTIONS DOWN 1. MIA 2. OLD 3. ALE 4. BEMIRE 5. SACHEM 6. OBI 7. CLAM 8. HONES 9. IO 10. FABRE 11. ACCELERATOR 13. MACABRE... Full story
Montana State University - Northern in Havre awarded Thompson Falls High School graduate Ryan Battles for outstanding academic performance for first semester. He was placed on the Dean’s List for achieving a grade point average of 3.25 or greater while maintaining a full class schedule of 12 or more credits....
A fire destroyed the Thompson Falls Genki Asian Cafe on October 17. The blaze burned all night, and the next day there was nothing left but scraps of metal and ash. Jerry Lai, the owner of Genki, has been in the area for several years, however, few know the story of the man who lost everything in that fire. Lai lived in the back of the restaurant and was awoken late that Saturday night to a banging on his door. When he went to answer it, he found Thompson Falls Police Officer Roy Scott who told...
Sandy Compton's new book from Blue Creek Press - The Dog With His Head On Sideways - begins with a tale from the banks of the Ob River in Siberia, and ends with "The Longest Day of the Year," on the Rocky Mountain Front in Teton County, Montana. Between the two are 18 other "sappy sentimental stories" gathered over several decades from around the world. With two exceptions ("I'll let readers figure out which ones," Compton said), all are connected somehow to the mythical small town of...
Sure, avocados have received a lot of negative attention in the news lately. From their attainability, to quality, all the way to their heavy price tag. But there is no denying that the simple addition of avocado will easily upgrade pretty much everything, from a piece of toast to a bland, everyday salad. However, it's time to start talking about another use for this versatile fruit, and that is when you add it to your smoothie. A secret ingredient that will result in a smooth, creamy texture,...
Respect earned, respect deserved. The Thompson Falls Lady Hawks, after first making an appearance at No. 10 the previous week, were ranked No. 8 among all State B girls teams in the latest power poll released earlier this week. Don’t expect coach Chadd Laws and his powerful Lady Hawks, who improved to 3-1 in conference and 4-1 overall with wins over Bigfork and Wallace last week, to be satisfied at being No. 8. “We want to keep playing hard and having fun and the rest will take care of its...
After a disappointing start to the season, coach Eddie Fultz and his Plains Trotters are ready for a positive change. The Trotters fell to 0-3 in District 14C conference play and 0-4 overall last week, losing 53-42 to Noxon in Plains Friday and 57-29 to Clark Fork in Superior Saturday. Still looking for answers, the Trotters will play another pair of 14C contests this week, facing off with Hot Springs in Plains Friday and visiting St. Regis Saturday. “We need a breakthrough, we need to prove we can,” Fultz said. “We have been looking good...
It was a long time coming but well worth the wait. Coach Shane Angle and his Plains-Hot Springs wrestling team finally hit the mats for actual competition last week, competing in a mixer with Arlee and Thompson Falls-Noxon in Arlee Friday and wrestling dual matches with Choteau and Bigfork in Bigfork Saturday. Angle was happy with how his squad performed in Arlee. “We had a very good showing for our first real outing for a lot of our kids,” he said. In Arlee, Drew Carey (120 pounds) went 1-0 with a pin win, Peter Carey (126) was 1-0 with a pin...
Making up for lost time, the Noxon Lady Red Devils started out their delayed basketball season with a pair of wins last week, taking down the Trotters 53-42 in Plains Friday, and defeating the Tigers 55-45 in St. Regis Saturday. Now 2-0 in District 14C play and overall, the Lady Devils visit Hot Springs Friday and will host Clark Fork Saturday. Noxon Coach Cortney Vohs was understandably happy with how her girls played last week. “The girls did a fantastic job against Plains,” she said. “We attacked the boards and played strong defense.” Return...
To be the best, you have to play the best. Playing the best team going in District 14C last week, the Hot Springs Savage Heat girls lost 60-25 to the undefeated Charlo Vikings in Hot Springs Friday, but you will not hear Heat coach Richard Jackson complaining about it. In fact, quite the opposite. “Charlo is again the best team in the district and probably one of the best in the state,” Jackson said of the Bret Thompson-coached Vikings. “We have no problem playing against good teams like that, that is how teams get better, and we want to get b...
Maybe the Bigfork mystique isn't what it used to be. Or maybe the Hawks are just really good. Facing one of the most dominant Class B programs in Montana over the last decade on their home floor, the Thompson Falls Blue Hawks took the Bigfork Vikings to task last Tuesday (January 12), dumping the Vikings 81-75 to register an important early season road win in District 7B conference play. After years of being subservient to the usually-powerful Vikings, the worm has turned somewhat on Bigfork the...
