Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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Claude Burlingame was sworn in this week as Sanders County's newest commissioner. Burlingame will fill the position vacated by Carol Brooker at the end of last year, serving until the 2022 general election is decided. "I've been around the commissioners a long time, becoming familiar with the day-to-day routine of that job," the 73-year-old Burlingame said Monday after being sworn in by Commissioner Tony Cox. Burlingame moved to Sanders County from Missoula in 1977. "I like the mountains, the...
Thompson Falls senior Trae Thilmony (left) made school history over the weekend when he won his third state championship. Senior David Schulze of Plains (below) also won a state title for the Savage Horsemen. Read about the MHSA All-Class Wrestling Tournament on Page 9....
At its February 4 meeting, the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission approved hunting regulations for the 2022 and 2023 hunting seasons with a significant focus on changes to elk hunting opportunities. All final regulations approved at the meeting will go into effect when the new license year begins on March 1. New regulation booklets for moose, sheep, mountain goat, bison, deer, elk and antelope will be available online this month and in print by mid-March. Hunters should make sure to read through the new regulations before applying for...
The weather panned out for this year's 31st Cabinet Ridge Riders (CRR) annual snowmobile fun run. 263 riders signed up to participate in this year's event, which was quite a jump from last year's 180 riders. "It was a really good turnout," said Shelly Anderson, treasurer for CRR. "The weather was great and all the riders did well." Riders started the run Saturday morning and those who participated in the poker run drew their first hand at the Lakeside Motel and Resort in Trout Creek. Riders...
This week I interviewed the Sanders County wrestling coaches, getting some final thoughts on the season and the state tournament. For both Mike Thilmony and Shane Angle, the state tournament was an emotional one. Not just because of the intense competition at First Interstate Arena and the realization that the season is suddenly over, but both coaches also had kids who were senior wrestlers. On Saturday, Mike coached his son Trae in his final high school match. Shane coached his daughter Taylor...
Courage is a virtue that we Americans value in our culture. An act of courage transcends ideology, it is a personal characteristic that belongs to the individual or group and to call it bravery without thought of personal consequences is as good a definition as any. We award medals for it. It is the soldier who risks his life to save those of others just as much as it is the passerby who jumps into rushing waters to save a drowning child. It is a strictly personal quality, and we recognize a...
Clark Fork Valley Hospital has done an outstanding job with their drive-through COVID testing site. The process was quick, efficient, and courteous. They deserve kudos for putting forth the time and expense to keep us safe. Now that the drive-through testing is no longer available, people who are experiencing symptoms of COVID can order free home tests at COVIDtests.gov, or by calling 1-800-232-0233. Another option is to call the health department and a free home test will be brought to your vehicle at the courthouse if you are not feeling...
4 YEARS AGO • FEBRUARY 25, 1982 SHE WATCHED CHANGE In her lifetime, Edna McCann has watched Trout Creek go from a "wild and Wooly" railroad division point and prospector town to Huckleberry Capital of Montana, and everything in between. In 1905, when she was three, McCann's father, Floyd Cox, packed the family and belongings into a covered wagon and, accompanied by two other families, left Salt Lake City for Trout Creek. The family settled a homestead on the flats just west of present-day T...
RUTH CRABTREE, Plains - “I do. It doesn’t happen to everybody, but I think most people get it even though it might not be the first time. I really feel that if you open your eyes, you will find someone.” GEORGE CRABTREE, Plains - “Yeah, I believe in true love. It’s just natural, as far as I’m concerned. We met on the 26th of December, engaged January 10 and married March 13. We’ve been together for nearly 51 years.” STEPHANIE SAINT, Thompson Falls - “I absolutely believe in true love! I waited long enough, and I found mine, and it has been p...
Ambulance: Plains, 11; Hot Springs, 3; T. Falls, 7; Dixon, 2; Trout Creek, 1; Noxon, 1. Monday, February 7 Civil standby, Trout Creek. Motor vehicle crash, Paradise. Business contact, T. Falls. Warrant service, T. Falls. Theft, Plains. Tuesday, February 8 Motor vehicle crash, Noxon. Assist motorist/citizen, Trout Creek. Livestock, Hot Springs. Theft, Plains. Phone related complaint, Camas. Theft, Noxon. Theft, Plains. Animal other, Plains. Wednesday, February 9 Disturbance, Plains. Automated alarm call, Plains. Pedestrian/hitchhiker stop, Parad...
Montana Highway Patrol Dylan Ross, 31, resisting arrest, $175, 10 days in jail; driving under the influence of dangerous drugs, 2nd offense, $1285, 30 days in jail. William Bryant, 63, negligent endangerment, $635. Tara Smith, 48, seatbelt violation, $20; failure to carry proof of insurance, 1st offense, $135. Faith Larson, 23, operating without insurance, 1st offense, $85. Ashley Thompson, 29, day speeding, $20. Riley Wood, 21, seatbelt violation, $20. Jeffrey Gould, 55, day speeding, $70. Tana Mcmahel, 44, seatbelt violation, $20; driving und...
Bailey Lake of Thompson Falls was sentenced to 15 years with the Department of Corrections on Tuesday, with 10 years suspended. Lake appeared in the 20th Judicial District Court facing numerous felony charges. Of the eight felonies, Lake was only sentenced on three of them, including criminal possession of dangerous drugs, criminal production of dangerous drugs and operation of an unlawful clandestine laboratory. All other charges were dismissed as per the plea agreement. Lake was also directed to enter a drug rehabilitation program, register...
Sanders County Sewer District at Paradise Board’s first meeting of February was calmer than the last one in January, although it came with the familiar get-a-vote-from-the-people tune. This time, however, it was voiced from Paradise resident Danny Risland, who steamed out of the meeting after being told by two board members to hold off on speaking until the public comment period. Risland believes the vote taken 11 years ago is invalid and that the majority of the residents today do not want t...
Along with providing a fun day to families and children under the age of 18, the Project ASCENT Winter Carnival last weekend in Thompson Falls also provided teenagers with a chance to get experience as volunteers. According to organization secretary Andrea Christensen, doing so allows kids to "have fun on a different level, and use that as educational currency." She said this referring to several youths who volunteered to work game booths during the event. As Christensen explained, volunteering...
Barbara Wiltzen Van Arsdell passed away in her Santa Monica, California home on the morning of December 28, 2021. She passed in the presence of her daughter Grace and husband Curt Alexander. She was preceded in death by her loving first husband, Paul Van Arsdell Jr, and her Mother, Estelle Wiltzen. She is survived by her father Harris Wiltzen, her brothers Stephen, John, Edward and Stuart Wiltzen, as well as her sister Jennifer Kier. Barbara was born in Scobey, Montana, to Harris and Estelle...
Donna Jo (Bay) DeLong, 70, died February 3, 2022, after living with cancer for over 12 years. She was surrounded by her loving family when she passed away at home in Thompson Falls, Montana. Donna was born in Enterprise, Oregon, May 24, 1951, to Lora Myrtle (Dunn) Bay and Arthur Donovan Bay. She was raised in Imnaha, Oregon, home to the Bay family for generations. The Bays settled in the area traveling in covered wagons over the Oregon Trail. Donna moved with her children to Thompson Falls in...
For those looking for history of the area, Thompson Falls man Carl Haywood would say that there is quite a bit to find in Sanders County. The local author has published four books on history and is currently working on another. Haywood's new book will feature his experiences fighting fires in what he calls "old time firefighting" techniques. The books are his way of giving his relatives and descendants a written history of his life. He explained that history and finding the truth has always inte...
This month I was in Helena for an interim Transportation Committee meeting. This is a six-member committee consisting of House of Representative members and State Senate members. This committee meets every two to three months to discuss concerns and possible legislation for the 2023 legislative session. Topics of discussion were electric vehicle road use fees. This was an informational discussion that also included the need to discuss options for charging stations as well. The information coming...
MONDAY NITE GALS W L Dangerous Dames 65 27 Nascar Freaks 57 35 Dolls with Balls 51.5 40.5 Talk of the Town 47.5 44.5 Rock ’n Bowl 44 48 Bye 11 81 Team Scr. Game: Dolls with Balls, 534; Scr. Series: Dolls with Balls, 1375; Hcp. Game: Dolls with Balls, 696; Hcp. Series: Dolls with Balls, 1861; Inv. Scr. Game: Brenda Franck, 209; Scr. Series: Shelly Wrightson, 471; Hcp. Game: Brenda Franck, 253; Hcp. Series: Angie Lowe, 655. BOWLING BEAUTIES W L Lane Blazers 55.5 24.5 The Dinkers 40.5 39.5 Elliott Realty 40.5 39.5 Sunflower Gals 38 42 Aspire PT 3...
It was a roller coaster ride for the Blue Hawk wrestling team at the state tournament in Billings last weekend. The team took four boys and two girls to the three-day competition and came home with a state champion, a second-place finisher and two wrestlers within one match of the podium. Along with Trae Thilmony wrestling for his third state title, senior Shane Reishus qualified for state a fourth time. Junior Elijah Ratliff wrestled hard to a second-place finish and sophomore Max Hannum...
The Blue Hawks traveled to Mission on Thursday, with the boys losing 71-35 and the girls winning by one point, 52-51. The teams then traveled to Bigfork on Saturday for their last game of the regular season, both suffering losses to the Vikings 62-45 and Valkyries 62-45. Hawk Coach Jake Mickelson said both his team and the Bulldogs came out strong in the first quarter last Thursday, but the Hawks were unable to sustain it through four quarters. Against Bigfork, the Blue Hawk boys were down...
The Savage Horsemen took five wrestlers to the state all-class wrestling tournament last weekend, with four wrestlers earning a spot on the podium. Plains senior David Schulze also brought home a state title, in the 138-pound bracket. It was an intense weekend of wrestling at First Interstate Bank arena in Billings. "David went in and got the job done," Coach Shane Angle said of the Plains senior. "He's a great wrestler and very humble." Angle noted that Schulze was on a mission for a state...
History was made in Billings last weekend when Thompson Falls senior Trae Thilmony won his third straight high school wrestling championship. "There's nothing like high school wrestling," Thilmony said this week after he returned home a three-time champion. "When I was a little kid, I remember comparing the number of state banners we had to other schools. It seemed like we didn't have as many and I wanted to bring some of those back for our school." He did just that when he pinned Brady Ellison...
