Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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Out with the old, in with the new, as the saying goes. With the completion of the new Heron bridge across the Clark Fork River, the next task for the Dick Anderson Construction crew is to take out the old bridge. Taking out the old bridge is a big task, one that includes closing both bridges to traffic. The new bridge will be closed weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. starting Monday, March 12. Dick Anderson Construction will take two large cranes to the center of the new bridge and hook onto a...
Reading is a primary path to knowledge, but it's also a way to get a new bike. That's how five kids at Plains Elementary School did it, courtesy of Masonic Ponemah Lodge 63 in Plains Friday afternoon. And as a bonus, the kids were treated by seeing chocolate pudding smudged on the faces of school staff members. Chief coordinator of February's "I Love To Read Program" Gena Ferlan wasn't sure if Principal Jim Holland got more pudding in his mouth or up his nose during the "Minute To Win It"...
Thompson Falls residents and local contractors heard details of the city’s plan to connect the residences and businesses on the hill north of the railroad tracks to the city’s sewer system. About 20 people attended the meeting, where they heard from Mayor Mark Sheets, engineer Craig Pozega with Great West Engineering, and Sanders County Sanitarian Shawn Sorenson. The Project Engineering Report (PER) created by Great West Engineering has the project split into five phases. Great West created a 20-year plan, looking at potential growth of the...
With the filing deadline near, six candidates have filed in hopes of representing Sanders County in the Montana House of Representatives. House District 13 and House District 14 are both up for election this year. In House District 13, incumbent Republican Bob Brown of Thompson Falls has filed for re-election. As of press time, Democrats Chris Gross of Thompson Falls and Gerald Cuvillier of Trout Creek have also filed for the position. In House District 14, Republican incumbent Denley Loge of St. Regis has filed, along with Diane Magone of Supe...
With all the snow that has been falling, you might be wondering just how we are stacking up to previous years as far as snowpack is concerned. The U.S. Forest Service has personnel tackling that chore. Hydrologists from the Cabinet Ranger District recently released data collected last week from three snow telemetry (SNOTEL) stations located at Chicago Ridge (5900' in elevation), Government Saddle (5300') and Rock Creek Meadows (3400'). As expected, snow depth is looking abundant for this year....
There have been a lot of movements in Hollywood lately. Usually it comes with celebrities speaking out, raising money and hashtags such as #timesup and #metoo. Often, the movements are hard to relate to from rural Montana. It’s hard to imagine that celebrity problems are the same as what we face in one of the poorest counties in the state with some of the highest rates of unemployment. During the Oscars on Sunday, a video montage of military movies ended with a message of thanks to veterans and troops. Now that’s something we can relate to....
This past two summers, Sanders County has had two major fires and Mineral County one major fire. We have all complained that these fires should not and would not have been so major if we had proper forest management carried on for the last 30 years. As a farmer, I am in total agreement with that line of thought. That is something we need to work on and support. This letter is to point out how small changes have come about in recent years relating to forest management and why. As you drive down the highways in our communities, you once again...
As a fourth grader, when the siren heralded the air raid drill I dutifully crawled under my desk and put my hands over my head and didn’t move until the all clear sounded. During the Cuban missile crisis in 1962 I was as scared as anybody that the Russians were going to bomb us to oblivion and vice-versa but figured that putting my hands over my head wouldn’t cut it. Now, with North Korea, Russia and the U.S. bragging about their nuclear capacity, I mostly just hope for the best because the...
5 YEARS AGO • MARCH 7, 1968 LUMBER $5.5 MILLION INDUSTRY IN SANDERS COUNTY During 1967 nearly $5.5 million was contributed to the economy of Sanders County by the forest industry represented by the Flodin Lumber and Manufacturing Co., the Thompson Falls Lumber Co., the Diehl Lumber Co. and the Clark Fork Logging Co., Forrest Dobson, CFL general manager, reported this week. The three mills have 275 permanent employees and a total annual payroll of $1,873,515. They have operated continuously on a 12-month basis for many years now and are continu...
PEGGY CARLSON, Trout Creek – “The Subway sandwich shop is closed. We’ll wait and see what they will do there.” PAUL “ARNE” CARLSON, Trout Creek – “A technology business. Any kind would do. We need jobs.” JIM KROGMAN, Thompson Falls – “We need something to keep our young people here. We’ve had a lot of discussions, but no answers.’ CHIRP HJELM, Thompson Falls – “We need a tire store in town and a drive-in in town.” NADEAN NELSON, Trout Creek – “There’s lots of businesses that we need in Thompson Falls like a dollar store. Plains has one. We ne...
Montana Highway Patrol John Slupski, 60, $85, basic rule, reasonable and prudent, 1st offense. Robert Gray, 45, $20, day speeding. Jefferson Hawkins, 57, $70, day speeding. Austin Johnston, 33, $20, day speeding. Sanders County Sheriff’s Office Katie Johnson, 34, $20, day speeding. Tara Mcfarland, 33, $85, MT resident operating with foreign plates. James Aspenwall, 33, $235, driving without a valid driver’s license. Savannah Ek, 16, $40, day speeding. Brita Olson, 24, $55, speeding in a restricted zone. Jennifer Anderson, 44, $20, night spe...
Ambulances: Noxon, 1; T. Falls, 6; Plains, 8; H. Springs, 7. Sunday, February 25 Assistance requested for a person laying on the ground along Main St., T. Falls. Theft, H. Springs. Sink hole in the alley behind the Mint Bar getting worse, Plains. Threat of self-harm, T. Falls. One vehicle slide-off on Hwy. 200, west of T. Falls. One vehicle slide-off on Hwy. 200, east of T. Falls. Disabled vehicle at the intersection of Prospect Cr. and Hwy. 200. Keys locked in running vehicle, T. Falls. Couple arguing inside a vehicle creating a disturbance,...
A woman was sentenced in 20th District Judicial Court yesterday for driving under the influence. Chelsea Hewankorn was sentenced to 67 days in the Sanders County Jail, receiving credit for 37 days served in jail and 30 days of treatment at the Montana Chemical Dependency Center. Hewankorn pleaded guilty to one county of driving under the incluence of alcohol or drugs and one count of operating a motor vehicle without liability insurance. Ronald Tayman was also sentenced by Judge Kim Christopher on Tuesday. Tayman was sentenced to 2 years with...
At the Sanders County Spelling Bee in Thompson Falls on Friday, the battle wasn't for first place. Instead, it came down to a three-way tie for third in the annual competition. Fourteen students competed for the county title, held at the Sanders County Courthouse. Kaitlyn Ducept, a fifth-grader from Plains, won by spelling the words "retrospective and "tundra" correct in the final round. Ducept said she practiced by having her mom read words to her. She also said she loves to read. Ducept, the...
Thompson Falls youth joined Missoula Children's Theatre to put on two shows last Friday featuring Michael McGill's version of Aladdin. The original story was based around the magical genie lamp Aladdin is destined to become owner of. In McGill's version, some things are the same, but there are plenty of differences as well. MCT's printed synopsis of Aladdin reads, "For Aladdin, it's not easy to find a magic lamp but it's even harder to get a date! It's a swirling sandstorm of famous Arabian...
Clark Fork Valley Hospital (CFVH) in Plains will save $1.89 million over the life of a $6.17 million loan after the Montana Facility Finance Authority (MFFA) refinanced it onto a bond at a lower interest rate and shorter repayment term. MFFA provides nonprofit hospitals and other healthcare providers with an option for low-cost capital financing through tax-exempt bonds, which the borrowers otherwise wouldn’t be able to access. This bond was privately placed with First Security Bank of Missoula, a division of Glacier Bank. “We are very gra...
Every year Sanders County 4-H members spend hours preparing to give a public speech on any topic they chose. Throughout last week and weekend round one of Communication Days took place; 90 youth took front stage to present their topics to judges. Members can choose to present on any subject matter they wish. This year's topics ranged from learning the parts of a small engine to learning how to make a balloon bowl. Whitepine Happy Worker Savana Wilson showed up touting her Ragdoll cat, Cotton Can...
Savannah and Lonnie Newman of Thompson Falls welcomed son, Marshal Chevy Jackson, Saturday, Feb. 10 at 11:13 p.m. at Clark Fork Valley Hospital in Plains. He weighed six pounds, eight ounces and measured 19 inches long. Maternal grandparents are Kathy and Bob Gilchrest of Missoula. Maternal great-grandparents are David Wilson of Boise, Idaho and Faye and Jim Chamberlain of Boise, Idaho. Paternal grandparents are Dennis and Marie Newman of Thompson Falls. Paternal great-grandparents are Lyle and...
Kimberly Rae Thompson passed peacefully in her sleep February 25, 2018. Kimberly was born to Alvin "Bud" and Sharon Thompson January 11, 1970, in San Francisco, California. She lived in Northern California until 1978. The family then moved to Noxon, Montana, where Kimberly attended Noxon School. During her time at Noxon School she was involved in Cheerleading, Drill Team, Track and Basketball. In addition, she participated in 4-H and Girl scouts. She competed for and won Miss Noxon and was...
October 3, 1929 – February 24, 2018 Cody was a man of intention. If his mind was committed to completing a task, he always found a way to follow through, even when the odds were stacked against him. Born in Wichita, Kansas, to Johnnie Mabel (Hamby) and Charles Theodore Wilson. Cody graduated from Jacksboro High School in Texas, and joined the Navy in 1948. In 1958, his ship came into port in Wellington, New Zealand. He stopped at the Post Office to send a telegram, and met his future bride, M...
Oct. 8, 1952 – March 2, 2018 Karen Sue Otto Replogle Groh, 65, died Friday, March 2, 2018 at her sister's home after a long hard battle with Multiple Myeloma. Karen was born in Goshen to Paul and Mattie (Jones) Otto. She graduated in 1971 from Northridge High School. Karen worked at Steury Boat Company, Burger Dairy Stores, Switches, Johnson Controls, and Jayco over the years in Indiana. She is survived by two daughters; Crystal (Wade) Sowers and Dawn (Steve) Buckmaster. In 1993, after a l...
Spring fever and cabin fever combined at the Lakeside Motel & Resort in Trout Creek on Saturday. People dressed up in their finest for the fourth annual Redneck Ball, a fundraiser for the Trout Creek Community Improvement Association (TCCIA). The event included bucket raffles, a live auction and wild redneck entertainment for the more than 150 attendees. Auction items included two chainsaws, a kayak, a load of firewood (which winner Harold Hudson donated back for the auction) and a knife made...
Plans call for 3,000 railroad ties to be on display in a classroom of the Paradise Center, formerly Paradise Elementary School, as part of a historical railroad exhibit. The classroom is only 640 square feet, but Benita Jo Hanson, chief coordinator of the exhibit, said all of the railroad ties will fit. That's because the ties are only 1.172 inches long and the railroad exhibit will be of an HO scale. The exhibit will cover different aspects of the railroad in Paradise from around 1907 to 1970,...
by Justin Harris In light of recent national events on school campuses, it was no surprise that safety was a topic during the Falls District school board meeting Monday night. It was noted that since the school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in 2013, the Thompson Falls School District trustees and administration put safety at the top of their list of stated goals and declared the campus environment their top priority. In cooperation with the Frisbie-Morbella Foundation and the City of Thompson Falls, that year, Officer Bob Thornhill was...
Nationwide, students on public school campuses will be protesting what they view as a lack of competence on the part of the adults in their lives to take meaningful action in stopping the gun violence that has become a unique plague in American schools. March 14, students around the country have planned to walk out of their schools at 10 a.m. The non-violent protest will last 17 minutes to honor the 17 students and staff members killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parland, Florida, on Valentine’s Day. Thompson Falls High School p...
