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Articles from the February 20, 2020 edition


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  • STATE CHAMP

    Feb 20, 2020

    Thompson Falls sophomore Trae Thilmony brought home a championship medal from the state wrestling tournament in Billings Feb. 14-15. He was joined at the state tournament by (top from left) Will McPherson, Dane Chojnacky, Shane Reishus and Elijah Ratliff. At left, coach Mike Thilmony hugs his son Trae after the championship match. Thilmony pinned Tanner Cook of Shepherd in the third period to claim his title (below). A parade of fans and a fire truck escorted the team home Sunday...

  • CASA raises awareness, funds at event

    Ed Moreth|Feb 20, 2020

    It might be a time to gobble up homemade chili, cornbread and pies, but the ultimate goal isn't to fill bellies, but to help children removed from their homes because of abuse or neglect. The Seventh Annual CASA Chili Feed at St. James Catholic Church in Plains Thursday evening raised nearly $1,600 from the 50-plus people in attendance at the group's first fundraiser of the year. Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) is a nonprofit organization with volunteers who advocate for the best...

  • Wood's trial moved to July

    Annie Wooden|Feb 20, 2020

    The homicide trial for Danielle Wood has been rescheduled to July 20. District Court Judge Deborah "Kim" Christopher on Tuesday set the new trial date after consulting with defense attorney Kirk Krutilla and prosecutor Dan Guyzinski, with the state Attorney General's office. Wood appeared by video conference from the Lake County courthouse on Tuesday. "This case is uniquely different than anything I've had, with four attorneys going through," Judge Christopher stated in regard to the attorneys Wood has had since her arrest in March 2019....

  • TF school appoints interim superintendent

    Feb 20, 2020

    The Thompson Falls School Board has selected Michael Magone to serve as interim superintendent after the recent death of Bill Cain. Magone is a retired superintendent who led the Lolo School District for 13 years. In 2014, he was named Superintendent of the Year by the Western Montana Association of School Superintendents. The school board held a special meeting last Wednesday to select an interim superintendent while the school district is searching for a permanent replacement for Cain. Magone grew up in Missoula and has roots in the Superior...

  • Our Viewpoint

    Feb 20, 2020

    "The truth is in the middle... progress is in the middle." Actor Harrison Ford made this comment on a recent episode of "CBS Sunday Morning" when talking about why he decided to start speaking up about politics. We want people to have opinions. That's where change happens. When people start speaking their minds, things can get better. Technology, education, transportation and other types of infrastructure have improved throughout the ages when someone has had an idea or thought of a way to do something different. Sometimes things don't work...

  • Montana Viewpoint

    Feb 20, 2020

    The abuse of presidential power for personal gain or revenge is nothing new, but its use has always been kept from public scrutiny because it was rightly considered, both by the perpetrator and the public as dishonorable, slimy, underhanded, and wrong. Lyndon Johnson was a master at using it without getting caught and Richard Nixon used it but did get caught. When Senator Wayne Morse, an Independent Senator from Oregon publicly opposed Johnson’s Vietnam war policy Johnson instructed the FBI to look into possible “dirt” that could be used again...

  • Poking fun at ourselves

    Feb 20, 2020

    A few years back, there was a pious Norwegian Lutheran lady named Lena who had dealt with alcoholism in her family for some time. As a result of those troubles, she became a rigid critic of any imbibing, to the point that her friends and even her pastor were getting tired of the constant ranting about the evils of alcohol. Finally her pastor said to her, “You need to remember that even Jesus turned water into wine.” “Ya,” Lena replied, “and dat’s vat I don’t like about Yesus.” Maybe it’s not a true story, but it is a familiar one in Lutheran a...

  • Remember When?

    Sherry Hagerman-Benton|Feb 20, 2020

    2 YEARS AGO FEBRUARY 21, 1910 HOLDUPS GET THIRTY DAYS IN JAIL Trout Creek Offenders Are Guests of the Sheriff in the County Bastille Walter Howard and Barney Brogan were brought here by Sheriff Massey Tuesday from Trout Creek to serve 30 days in the county jail. The men were sentenced by Justice O'Donnell and were charged with vagrancy, for want of witnesses to prosecute them on more serious offenses, of which there is little doubt in the minds of the officers as to their guilt. Monday night...

  • Question of the Week

    Miriah Kardelis|Feb 20, 2020

    ALEC WHITE, Thompson Falls – “Streaming, we do all the streaming, it’s better than paying for cable.” KIRSTEN HANDFORD, Thompson Falls – “Streaming. Hulu, Netflix, Disney Plus.” JOHN BRENT, Thompson Falls – “Streaming. We stream Netflix.” DENNIS SCHWEHR, Thompson Falls – “Only local.” MARY NETZ, Thompson Falls – “Satellite.” STEVE BUCK, Thompson Falls – “Local channels....

  • Justice Court

    Feb 20, 2020

    Montana Highway Patrol Kyah Sullivan, 21, operating with alcohol concentration of 0.02% BAC under 21, 1st offense, $335. Sean McCarthy, 25, operating without liability insurance in effect, 1st offense, $85. Brady Gallagher, 44, speeding in restricted zone, $65. Drew Stobie, 59, seatbelt violation, $20. Jordon Duval, 17, seatbelt violation, $20. Michael Galloway, 68, seatbelt violation, $20. Shawn McPhail, 51, fail to give notice of accident by quickest means, 1st offense, $295; careless driving, $85. Shawn McCarthy, 25, operating without...

  • Sheriff's Log

    Feb 20, 2020

    Ambulance calls: T. Falls, 5; Plains, 11; Noxon, 1. Monday, February 10 Burglary, Hot Springs. Protection order violation, Plains. Property damage, criminal mischief, Plains. Alarm, Plains. Animal complaint. Other law violations. Child welfare, abuse. Other law violations, T. Falls. Tuesday, February 11 Animal abuse, Hot Springs. Child custody issues, Plains. Assist other agency, Trout Creek. Burglary, Plains. Suspicious activity, Plains. Disturbance, Dixon. Community decay, no compliance after 90 days, Hot Springs. Fire, T. Falls. Disturbance,...

  • City should have restrictions for cats just the same as dogs

    Feb 20, 2020

    I am a long-time resident, taxpayer and former dog owner and I would like to use this venue to ask the City of Thompson Falls to address the problem of the over abundance of stray cats in this town. When I asked the city council about doing something about the stray cats in my neighborhood, I was told that cats don’t have to be licensed and the leash law does not apply to cats. If dog owners need to have their dogs in a fenced yard or on a leash, why aren’t cat owners also required to do the same? Cats carry diseases, cat scratch fever, for...

  • Poet shares work at Arts Council event

    Miriah Kardelis|Feb 20, 2020

    Community members last Saturday got to explore the spirit of Montana during a reading by Montana Poet Laureate Melissa Kwasny. The evening of music and poetry was held at the Elks Lodge in Thompson Falls and presented by the Sanders County Arts Council. The event featured a buffet dinner, live music from Deb and Dave Oliver and Chilaili Wachiwi, and readings by Kwasny. The Montana Arts Council describes the Montana Poet Laureate as a recognized and honored citizen of poetry, someone of...

  • Trust supports arts in Sanders County

    Feb 20, 2020

    The arts have long been a significant part of education and entertainment in Sanders County. In large part that is due to the Rittenour Foundation and its successor, the Clark Fork Enrichment Corporation. The Rittenour trust was inaugurated in the early 1960s by an endowment by early Plains resident and entrepreneur, Clifford Rittenour. Rittenour came to Plains from Oregon (via Missoula) in 1902 to take a position with McGowan mercantile. When Sanders County was split off from Missoula County in 1906 Rittenour was appointed Chairman of the new...

  • Teacher says music student works hard

    Sanders County Ledger, Sanders County Arts Council|Feb 20, 2020

    Hattie Neesvig is an 8th grade band student at Thompson Falls Junior High School in Thompson Falls. Her teacher, Mr. Neil Harbel, describes her as an exemplary student. "She is polite, respectful, well mannered, and gets good grades," says Harbel. He also describes her as dedicated, driven and motivated. Hattie plays the oboe and has been an important part of the junior high band. Hattie works hard in class and practices diligently, he said. Harbel is in his first year at Thompson Falls but is...

  • Group offers free safety inspections

    Feb 20, 2020

    Thompson Falls Woman’s Club in collaboration with the Thompson Falls rural and city fire departments are offering a free in-home inspection of smoke detectors and extinguishers in the Thompson Falls area. A Thompson Falls Woman’s Club member will accompany fire department volunteers into the home to inspect the devices insuring they are in working order, replace batteries as needed, and placement of the detectors. A limited number of reduced cost detectors and free battery replacements are available due to the generosity of Doug’s True Value...

  • Edith Linnea Smith

    Feb 20, 2020

    Edith Linnea Smith passed away on February 13, 2020. Edie was born on April 14, 1932 to Erick and Clara Ranstrom in Missoula. She grew up with her older sister Ina on the banks of the Blackfoot river in Milltown until the family moved to Orchard Homes, in 1944. She grew up babysitting, helping on the farm, working picking beets and packaging butter and became active in 4-H. Edie attended the National 4-H Congress in 1950 with sister Ina and Laurel Seaward as the Katoonah Trio where they sang. They had been selected in a nationwide talent...

  • Wendy Reeser-Young

    Feb 20, 2020

    Wendy Reeser-Young, 62, of Livingston, Montana, passed away peacefully on Sunday, February 9, 2020, at her home with the love of family at her side. A memorial service was held in honor of Wendy on Wednesday, February 12, at the Paradise Valley Community Church in Livingston. Wendy was born on April 26, 1957 in Missoula, Montana, to Ed and Joyce (Sanders) Reeser. She was raised in Thompson Falls, Montana, and attended high school there as well. Following her graduation, she began her family in Thompson Falls with the birth of her four...

  • Kayrene Jewell Rayne Duval

    Feb 20, 2020

    Leigha Elder and David Duval welcomed daughter, Kayrene Jewell Rayne Duval, December 19, 2019 at Clark Fork Valley Hospital in Plains. She weighed five pounds, 11 ounces and measured 20.25 inches long. Kayrene joins siblings Axel, David and Nevaeh. Maternal grandparents are Shelly Borden of Thompson Falls and Tim Elder of Plains. Maternal great-grandparents are Jim and Irene Borden, Diane Rummel and Lindsey Elder, all of Thompson Falls. Paternal grandmother is Tammy Anderson of Thompson Falls....

  • Crossword Solution

    Feb 20, 2020

    SOLUTIONS ACROSS 1. Pah 4. Spa 7. Aga 8. Clasp 10. Erns 12. Pasta 13. Leno 14. RPM 16. Sic 17. Leahy 19. AAR 20. Eira 21. A shot in the arm 25. SAE 26. VCR 27. Stob 29. Pies 30. Lat 31. Roe 32. Man of few words 39. Scab 41. Pad 42. Aware 43. Lek 44. Pea 45. Eden 46. Arica 48. Dias 49. Panic 50. Are 51. MGD 52. Lys SOLUTIONS DOWN 1. Paella 2. Agrees 3. Hannah 4. SLA 5. Passim 6. Astir 8. CPM 9. Paca 11. Soho 14. Rah 15. Preview 18. YT 19. Ate 20. Errs 22. Isotope 23. Nab 24. Ace 27. Slab 28. Tan...

  • Sanders County Honor Roll

    Feb 20, 2020

    NOXON SCHOOLS At Noxon Schools, students earning a grade point average of 3.25 to 4.0 earned a spot on the honor roll, and those with 3.0 to 3.24 received honorable mention. In the seventh grade, Stanley Fisher, Nathan Hutfles, Maria Kirman and Haylee Wiedeman were named to the honor roll, with honorable mention for Samuel Burgess and Emma Swanson. Eighth graders Samuel Christensen and Martha Klaus were on the second-quarter honor roll, with Emily Lucero honorable mention. In the high school, freshman Abigail Baldwin was named to the honor...

  • SNOW RIDE

    Feb 20, 2020

    The Cabinet Ridge Riders held their annual snowmobile fun run on February 8. Despite not having much snow in the Clark Fork Valley, there was several feet on the run route for the 158 riders to enjoy....

  • Youth bowling leagues bring kids together

    Miriah Kardelis|Feb 20, 2020

    Every Sunday the kids of Thompson Falls and surrounding areas gather at the Rimrock bowling alley for youth bowling. This year the program has 27 youth bowlers ranging from age 6 to 18. The bowlers are separated into three different groups based on age, the bumper team being the youngest bowlers, youth and high school. The youth bowling program is sponsored by both local businesses and private sponsorships. Led by a team of four local humanitarians, they are considered both coaches and...

  • MADE WITH LOVE

    Feb 20, 2020

    Cook Sami Helvey pours pink pancake batter on the Thompson Falls Elementary School griddle last Friday as a special Valentine's Day treat for students....

  • State rejects wolf proposals

    Feb 20, 2020

    The Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission met February 13 to discuss proposed changes to wolf hunting and trapping seasons in Montana. After discussing and hearing public comments, the Commission rejected the proposals brought forth by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP). FWP recommended proposed changes for Region 1, which includes Sanders County. FWP proposed extending the general hunting season from August 15 through March 31. The general season currently begins Sept. 15 (archery Sept. 1) and ends March 15. Another proposal would have...

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