Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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The mountain. The pyramid. The Sanders County Commissioners have heard many nicknames for the mound of gravel that now sits at the site of the new Thompson Falls transfer station. Last fall, the first phase of the project was completed, which created a large platform on which the transfer site will be built. Sanders County Commissioner Tony Cox spoke to the Thompson Falls Chamber of Commerce last week to provide updates on and details of the project. The new transfer station will include a...
The Noxon High School technology levy passed last May was not included in the school’s budget, the school board was informed Monday evening. School Board Chairman David Pafford alerted the board to an issue with the technology levy passed by district voters in May 2018. Pafford said that in the first week of January, it was discovered that the technology levy was not reported to the state Office of Public Instruction and was not included in the school’s budget, which led to it not being included on property tax bills in November. The high sch...
“Things are looking up for us,” said Abby Harnett, Executive Director for Western Montana Mental Health Center (WMMHC). Not long ago, WMMHC had financial worries, but with a lot of creativity and hard work, Harnett is elated to announce two new programs the center will provide to the community. A substance abuse program and peer support services will be implemented by WMMHC as soon as the new employment positions are filled. WMMHC has successfully applied to the State of Montana for licensure to provide substance abuse treatment for both adu...
As residents were shoveling winter's bounty over the weekend, the local wildlife population was braving the winter weather. As much as six inches of wet, fluffy snow fell on the valleys of Sanders County last weekend. A young whitetail buck (above) looks around for any exposed grass during a snowstorm Sunday afternoon near Plains. Below, a doe and two fawns trudge through the snow near Thompson Falls....
The Local Advisory Council, Western Montana Mental Health Center, Flathead Valley Chemical Dependency Clinic, the Tobacco Prevention Specialist for the county and the local schools all have expressed concern about vaping. There have been public meetings and presentations at schools about the dangers of vaping and e-cigarettes. It happens as school, at sporting events and in homes. Sometimes it’s easy to look the other way and not pay attention or think “my kid would never do that.” We’ve encountered many community members who don’t know what...
This last week finished week two of the 66th legislative session. Week two brought a lot of bills to committees and out of committees. In the first few weeks of session, many bills are brought forth as a result of interim committee meetings throughout the last year and a half. Many other bills are brought forward by request of agencies. Both these types of bills are to clean up language, streamline operations, or simply because of a need to address an issue. I brought three of these bills...
When you were little, did you ever use a cuss word in front of your mother and get called on it, maybe even smacked? Maybe you defended yourself by saying, “But Dad says it.” Maybe your mother told you that just because Dad uses it doesn’t mean you can. But that’s exactly what it does mean; if a person you respect cusses or talks about people in a derogatory way, that means it’s alright for you to talk that way, too. Unfortunately, we’re seeing a lot more use of derogatory language in America because those in the most respected government...
About the only thing I can agree with Blaine Blackstone “Truth is incontrovertible” is his recommendation on checking the facts. Particularly, check the “facts” presented in his column. Speaker Pelosi was not the only one with a negative reaction to DHS Secretary Neilsen’s presentation. Senator Dick Durbin’s reaction to it included “it was preposterous” and “was not a credible presentation.” And as for listening to people on the ground, Todd Bensman, who worked for a decade along the Texas border: “I can say definitively that the number of te...
5 YEARS AGO • JANUARY 23, 1969 STATE ISSUES CALL FOR PERMA CURVES PROJECTS The Montana Highway Commission will open bids for reconstruction of three sections of Montana 200, including the Perma Curves. Scheduled for grading, paving, fencing and related work are .4 miles at Gould’s corner located 4.5 west of Dixon, .7 of a mile at McDonald Siding located 6.4 miles southeast of Perma and 3.5 miles of the Perma Curves located southwest of Perma. This section of highway was built by the CCCs in the 1930s and except for surfacing, little con...
JAMES STENERSON, Thompson Falls – “By keeping on getting the firewood. Yesterday was wood day.” KEN MONTOURE, Thompson Falls – “I try to find guys who have a joke to tell. You can usually find somebody who does.” STEVEN HUFF, Thompson Falls – “I keep busy on home improvement projects. Right now, I’m painting. I just got paint today for interior jobs.” TERRY JACKSON, Trout Creek – “I don’t. I got it at the beginning of Winter, and this is the first time I’ve been out in two weeks.” TERESA JACKSON, Trout Creek – “I work. I’m the bartender and...
To Area Representatives and Senators Jennifer Fielder, Bob Brown and Denley Loge We, the Sanders County Commissioners are writing this letter in support of our local medical facilities regarding the sun setting of the HELP Act. It’s impossible to put into words how important to Sanders County our Critical Access Hospital is in Plains, MT. Beyond the obvious benefits of having medical services including ER, OB, long term care, primary clinics, surgery and orthopedics Clark Fork Valley Hospital (CFVH) alone, employs 225 people with a payroll o...
Really? Mr. Blackstone are you really challenging us to hunt for and find facts to prove you wrong regarding the border security issue? That shouldn’t take long, and I accept the challenge. As the kids would say, “Wait for it!” In the meantime, I guess you will only hear the ‘unicorns and rainbows’ speaking as I say my piece. I am truly offended by your take on the matter. Thousands of people are unable to feed their families, are unable to afford their medications, cannot pay their vehicle insurance or buy gas due to the government shutdown....
Blaine Blackstone’s latest column, Street Smart, in last week’s Ledger did not truly take me by surprise. He has been very vocal in our community. What will take me by surprise is if no one else challenges his thinking. Is this what we all have become? Is this what we want to be? Must we all carry a Glock in our pocket when we attend bingo at the senior center? Must we teach our children to physically fight for their rights? I applaud our high school kids for peacefully finding a way to call attention to local bullying. Must we all be whi...
Editor, In response to Mr. Blackstone’s article I’d like to pass on to your readers one way to help find the facts. Here is the latest report from DHS (Department of Homeland Security). It was published December 2018. Title: Population Estimates, Illegal Alien Population Residing in the United States 2015 And can be found and printed or downloaded here: https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/18_1214_PLCY_pops-est-report.pdf Dieter Jaegers, Trout Creek...
By now you should have received a letter from the City of Thompson Falls regarding the wastewater system. If you are unfamiliar with this subject you need to obtain further information. If this project goes forward it could be financially devastating to property owners on the north side of the tracks. The actual cost seems to be a mystery. Be aware that your letter of protest must be in the hands of the city treasurer prior to February 8 at 5 p.m. or you will automatically be considered in favor of this project. For more information in...
Ambulances: Noxon, 4; T. Falls, 5; Plains, 7; H. Springs, 8; Dixon QRU, 2. Sunday, January 13 Welfare check, Plains. Motorist assist, disabled vehicle on Thompson River Rd. Trespassing, H. Springs. Vehicle in the ditch on a rural H. Springs road. Threats, simple assault, T. Falls. Coroner requested, Paradise. Stray dog, T. Falls. Barking dogs at rural T. Creek residence. Monday, January 14 Welfare check requested, H. Springs. Theft of mail from mail box, Heron. Civil standby requested, Plains. Possible leak from propane tank, T. Falls. Theft...
Montana Highway Patrol Whitney Peine, 27, operating a vehicle without interlock, $235; day speeding, $20. Shawn Tate, 26, fail to carry proof of insurance, 1st offense, $285; driving a motor vehicle while privilege to do so is suspended, $275. Cayla Torti, 42, aggravated dui, 1st offense, $735 and 30 days jail suspended. Amanda Wheeler, 30, careless driving, $135; seatbelt violation, $20. Aaron Dally, 18, Criminal possession of dangerous drugs - marijuana, $235. Travis Braymer, 35, speeding in a restricted zone, $65. Finley Foster, seatbelt...
The Sanders County Arts Council's Visual Arts Committee met at the Paradise Center Saturday to go over this season's special events and new classes, beginning with a new adult pottery class beginning Feb. 5. The Arts Council has had pottery classes in the past, but this is the first time the nonprofit organization will offer an extended lesson, said Karen Thorson, president of the Arts Council. Thorson and Ellen Childress, both Plains residents, will be giving the four-week long class, which wil...
Inga Scharnhorst recently purchased The Beauty Bar Salon in Trout Creek. "It's a dream come true," the salon owner said recently. Scharnhorst is originally from the Troy area, but went to cosmetology school in Utah. She said she knew what she wanted to do but wanted to go out of state for training. She chose Utah because their cosmetology license required the same number of hours as Montana, 2,000. She noted that some states require fewer hours, which makes transferring a license more...
Brylee Rose Nelson passed away in Spokane, Washington, on Thursday, January 17, 2019 at the age of 3 months and 2 days. Graveside services will be conducted at 2:00 p.m., Mountain Time, on Sunday, January 27, 2019 in the Noxon Cemetery, Noxon, Montana. Brylee was born on October 15, 2018 at Sacred Heart Hospital, where she was baptized. She struggled with health issues and was a strong little baby. She is survived by her parents Bryce and Sylvia; her siblings Matias and Dominic all from Noxon, Montana. Also surviving are numerous grandparents,... Full story
MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY Montana State University in Bozeman announced its undergraduate honor rolls for fall semester 2018. There are two MSU honor roll lists: the President’s and the Dean’s Honor Roll. Students must complete a minimum of 12 credit hours to be on either list. Students with a perfect 4.0 grade point average for the semester were named to the President’s Honor Roll (noted by an asterisk). The following Sanders County students are among the 3,541 students earning grade point averages of 3.5 or above for the semester. Heron...
Choose life supporters walked along Main Street sidewalks Tuesday afternoon showing their support for life. "I walk because it is not right to kill," said Jesse Neely of Thompson Falls. According to Don Gratz, the original coordinator who has passed the torch to Patrick Walt and Marty Koskela, the group used to walk down the middle of the highway until they were told they could not block traffic on a state roadway. Nationwide, organized pro-life protests have been going on since Roe vs. Wade in...
Montana State University Extension will offer farm management workshops in eight communities, including Plains, this spring. MSU Extension economists George Haynes, Kate Fuller and Joel Schumacher will lead the workshops. Other contributing faculty members will include agricultural economists Anton Bekkerman, Diane Charlton and Eric Belasco; family economist Marsha Goetting; cropping systems specialist Kent McVay; beef cattle specialist Megan Van Emon; rangeland weed specialist Jane Mangold; soil fertility specialist Clain Jones; and forage...
The average kid spends 6.5 hours a day looking at screens, according to the film. Filmmaker and physician Delaney Ruston wondered about the impact of all this time and about the friction occurring in homes and schools around negotiating screen time — friction she knew all too well. The result is an award-winning documentary Screenagers. The Flathead Valley Chemical Dependency Clinic (FVCDC) is presenting a free screening of the documentary Screenagers. In the film, Ruston takes a personal approach as she delves into the vulnerable corners of f...
The Wild Coyote Saloon took advantage of the winter weather last weekend, hosing a winter carnival for local families. Non-profit Project ASCENT hosted games and sold comfort food including cocoa and chili to participants. Children and adults tried their luck at games such as a reindeer ring toss, magnet ice fishing and a shooting gallery in which contestants shot foam darts at a wall of yeti targets. Kids earned tickets at each game, and could trade their tickets in for prizes including bouncy...
