Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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Trout Creek School is facing a budget problem. As things currently stand, there is no guarantee the school doors will open for students next fall. State Rep. Bob Brown accepted an invitation to discuss the legislative budget at Trout Creek School's last board meeting on Feb.6. For more than two hours he answered questions addressed by an audience of 22 members. The school's concerns are real, and according to Trout Creek Board Chairman Mike Linderman, he is afraid for the school's future. "Ever...
The hacking and sneezing you hear and absences from school and work are clear reminders that it is flu season in Sanders County. And the bad news is, the worst is yet to come. According to Clark Fork Valley Hospital (CFVH), there have been three hospitalizations, including one death, related to the flu. Lisa Eberhardt, Chief Nursing Office at CFVH, said that the clinics have been quite busy, but that the emergency room hasn’t been inundated with patients showing flu-like symptoms. “We probably haven’t seen the peak yet for our area,” said Dr...
Clark Fork Valley Hospital is still waiting to sign a contract for Medicare services with Humana. According to Carla Neiman, CFVH Chief Financial Officer, the hospital was informed by Humana on Feb. 7 that they did not yet have approval for a contract from their legal department. Neiman said that Humana did not provide a date when they would have approval. “It is our expectation that the contract will be effective January 1, 2018,” Neiman said in a statement, referring to the hopes that the contract will be retroactive to the beginning of the...
"In the earliest stages of planning for the new Ainsworth Field, the committee had the idea to set aside space in the park for a veteran's memorial," said Carla Parks at the Thompson Falls City Council meeting Monday night. Parks and Rita Lundgren were present on behalf of the Thompson Falls Main Street Committee that has been pushing the project forward. Parks gave her presentation to the council in front of an artist's mockup of what the proposed memorial might look like. It will be located...
To get a flu shot or not to get a flu shot, that is the question. When you ask someone if they have been vaccinated, there aren’t many middle of the road people. You have people who get it every year, and people who have never been vaccinated. I am one of those people who never got a flu shot. You hear stories of people getting sick from the flu shot (a myth squashed by Dr. Black in our front page story), or people still getting sick even though they got vaccinated. So why get a flu shot? Not that I was worried about getting sick, but I’ve alw...
Having health care in rural areas can be taken for granted, but when it is gone the effects are immediately noticeable. Congress’ recent stop gap budget to keep the government running did not take into account community health centers (CHC), which are at risk without a long-term budget. These types of smaller health care clinics serve about 10 percent of Montana (roughly 100,000 residents), a state where there should be one lower tier of population designation past “rural.” The wave of CHCs began with Lyndon B. Johnson’s war on poverty...
Remember When, Feb. 15, 1968, 50 Years Ago Firemen Douse Snack Bar Fire Quick and efficient action by the Thompson Falls Volunteer Fire Dept. early Friday morning saved the Ledger building and prevented total destruction of the Snack Bar’s equipment. The fire was discovered by Mrs. Richard Sanders about 5:45 a.m. when she prepared to open the café and found the building filled with smoke. She rushed to the sheriff’s office to call for help. The dense smoke at first hindered the firemen in locating the flames which by that time had spread to t...
TAMMY KESSLER, Thompson Falls – “I’m not doing recycling now but I think we should be recycling everything we can. The county needs to recycle plastic. I’m from Oregon and you have to take packaging back to the store, and you get a few cents back on each.” JERRY HART, Thompson Falls – “Plastic really doesn’t affect me. I recycle pop cans and things like that but not plastic.” TOM CUDDY, Plains – ‘Recycling is a good thing. The county has such limited resources and we have to be fiscally responsible. We need to figure out ways to make it fisca...
A Thompson Falls man pleaded guilty Tuesday to two felonies, sexual assault and incest. Richard Grimm faces a sentence of up to 100 years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000 for each charge. Grimm appeared before District Judge James Manley Tuesday. Grimm admitted to sexually assaulting his granddaughter, who is under the age of 16, on July 31, 2017. Sentencing for Grimm was set for April 10. Also in District Court on Tuesday, a Plains woman admitted to two felony theft charges. Court documents stated that Dianna Tedrick knowingly misused...
Ambulances: Noxon, 2; T. Falls, 6; Plains, 4; H. Springs 5. Sunday, February 4 Drive by requested for suspicious activity in T. Falls neighborhood. Extra patrol requested for traffic on a private road in T. Falls. Domestic assault, Plains. Possible theft from Plains residence. Individual with Alzheimer’s that wandered away from residence in T. Falls found. Suspicious activity at T. Falls business. Monday, February 5 Domestic dispute, T. Falls. Vandalism to equipment at rock quarry, Hwy. 200 and Hwy. 382, Perma. Tuesday, February 6 Rocks b...
Thompson Falls City Police Kristin Thomas, 31, $55, speeding in a restricted zone. Sanders County Sheriff’s Office Jerrod Foreman, 28, $85, failure to carry proof of insurance. Jared Leisz, 19, $85, possessing intoxicating substance while under the age of 21. Mark Hoffmann, 53, $85, owner permitting operation of vehicle without liability insurance, 2nd offense. Mathew Howell, 59, $75, set a fire within a forest, range or crop land without a permit. Jennifer Anderson, 44, $55, speeding in a restricted zone. Patricia Richardson, 42, $55, s...
Hundreds of young Montana scientists converged on Montana State University campus to play with Legos. "Play" would be a loose term, as the teams sent from the many Montana schools have been working for months to program their robots to perform tasks, maneuver obstacles and cross their fingers to stave off malfunctions. The Montana FIRST Lego League Tournament is a tech competition that attracts robotics-inclined students each year. Kole Stone, a senior, competed in his third Robotics...
The Hot Springs School held its annual National Geographic Bee for the fourth through eight graders. Seventh grader Josie Uski took first place, beating out retuning champion and fellow classmate Austin Campbell who came in second. Fourth grader Odin Max came in third place. Each class held its own competition and the top two contestants went on compete in the school wide bee. The students answered a variety of geographic questions, such as "Which state is known as the Peach State because...
The following Thompson Falls High School graduates earned Dean’s List honors at Montana colleges: University of Montana and Missoula College: Callie Jacobson, Blazz Wood, Dom Holt, Aicia Curran. Montana State University: Madison Wheeler, Kevin NG, Bailey Pardee, Kade Vanelswyk, David Thor. University of Montana – Western: Kade Stiles Montana Tech: Angie Padden, Greg Wadsworth, Tanner Laws....
Plains High School The students that made the freshmen honor roll were Adam Aguilera, Skylar Bergstrom, Dacia Black-Garrison, Mykenzi Blood, Peter Carey, Danielle Castonguay, Kaylee Cole, Nathan Feliksa, Tucker Foster, Gabriel Gamboa, Chance Griffin, Katrina Hagerman, Kolton Johnston, Rebecca Madden, Justine Martin, Ariel McCarren, Rachel McNulty, Leena Meckler, Gavin Regalado, Deriyan Sheehan, Mariah Smith and Suzanna Uli. Students on the sophomore honor roll list were Jeremiah Allen, Kylee Altmiller, Treydon Brouillette, Audrey Brown, Dakota...
Beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend, Carolyn Hickok of Thompson Falls Mont., recently of Kalispell, died surrounded by her loved ones on January 29, 2018. She was born to James Albert “Bert” and Alta Lois (Yoder) Roth on September 25, 1938, in Havre, Montana. The family later moved to Ronan, Mont., where she attended high school. Carolyn and L. Dean Walrath were married in June of 1954, in Missoula, and made a home in Riverside, Calif. To this union was born 4 children. The couple later divorced. Carolyn married Nor... Full story
Pamela Marie Smith died peacefully surrounded by her family February 7, 2018, in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, due to complications related to pancreatic cancer. She was 69. Memorial services were conducted at 12 p.m. on Tuesday, February 13, 2018, at the Noxon Methodist Church with Pastor T.J. Parker officiating. She was buried in Noxon Cemetery. Pam was born in Dearborn, Mich., on December 8, 1948, to parents Janet and Norman Charles. She had a younger sister and brother, Marilyn and Norman, with whom... Full story
The local chapter of Babe Ruth Baseball reported the progress on the construction of a new ballfield that broke ground last year behind Thompson Falls High School. Thompson Falls City Council and Mayor Mark Sheets were pleased to hear the field is coming along, but were interested in what hurdles the effort might be facing. As of now, the field is about $20,000 short of being playable, and Mayor Sheets said the goal is to have a playable field this season – even if spectators need to bring folding chairs to watch a game. “And that doe...
In response to the precarious shortage of manpower, the Plains Fire Department received the town council's blessing to officially adopt the Firefighter Incentive Program to draw needed volunteers. Each firefighter will receive $150 a year after accomplishing 30 hours of training and an additional $50 for 40 hours, according to Chief Anthony Young, who started with the department four years ago and took over as chief in January 2017. In addition, a person would get $10 per call up to $100 a year....
It was a good, good year for Thompson Falls High School wrestling. In fact, one of the very best ever. Crowning Thompson Falls' first State B-C individual champ since 2012 in Kaleb Frank, fellow Falls seniors Jase Sorenson (third), and Peyton Irvine and Austin Cooper (both fourth) also earned State medals, as the six-strong Blue Hawks won sixth place in team scoring at the State B-C meet at Metra Park in Billings last week. What's more, Garrett Jones and Dakota Irvine also scored important...
Sanders County Public Health has flu vaccines available. Call 827-6931 for more information. For more on the cold and flu season and protecting yourself, visit dphhs.mt.gov or cdc.gov.... Full story
Twenty-five members of the local emergencies services are hazardous materials awareness operations certified. That doesn't mean they can run in and manage dangerous chemicals, but they now have the means to identify there is a hazardous material incident, establish defensive zones, monitor the area, and wait until a hazmat team arrives. "That's the whole reason behind this. It's to recognize and identify that a hazardous material is present and then do something to protect themselves at the...
The hills were alive with the sound of music, Saturday – the type of music that comes from the 'brrrappp' of a snowmobile. The Cabinet Ridge Riders (CRR) held their annual poker run, hosting 223 riders for a day of snow, auctions and imbibing. The Lakeside Resort sent off the riders in the morning to complete their course, picking up cards for a poker hand along the way. The caravan of metal-tread steeds filed in throughout the afternoon and evening to take part in the live and silent a...
The secret is out, and all of Montana should know it by now – the Plains-Hot Springs Savage Horsemen have one of the best wrestling programs out there in the Big Sky Country, and continue proving it every February in the State B-C portion of the Montana All-Class Tournament at Metra Park in Billings. And they did it again last week, crowning yet another individual State B-C champion in senior Daniel Uli at 126 pounds, and placing the Vanderwall brothers, Conrad and Josiah, both in sixth place, C...
Kaleb Frank and Daniel Uli can finally say it. To their fans, to their friends, to their families… to the whole world if they want. “We are champions! State B-C champions!” Both seniors and heated rivals through most of their high school careers, Frank of Thompson Falls, who wrestled at and won the State B-C title at 120 pounds this winter, and Uli of Plains-Hot Springs, who competed at and won the crown at 126, ended up wrestling each other a lot during their high school mat careers. The more experienced wrestler when they were fresh...
