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Articles from the March 9, 2023 edition


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  • Remains identified as missing woman

    Annie Wooden|Mar 9, 2023

    The Sanders County Coroner's Office has worked with state agencies to identify the human remains found by a hunter last fall. Coroner Patrick Barber said a hunter found the remains in an area between Quinn's Hot Springs Resort and St. Regis. The remains have been identified as Melissa Arnold, who went missing from Missoula in February 2018. Arnold was 37 years old when she went missing, and a Missoula Police Department press release from 2018 stated that Arnold was homeless and usually had...

  • FWP studying local elk population

    Annie Wooden|Mar 9, 2023

    Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) is conducting a study to learn more about elk in western Sanders County. In January, FWP staff began setting traps in the Lower Clark Fork region from Whitepine to Heron. The goal was to tag and collar over 60 elk. As of last week, 68 elk had been caught and collared. Data collected from the study will help FWP better understand what is influencing elk populations. FWP is partnering with researchers from the University of Montana W.A. Franke College of...

  • TF man reported missing

    Annie Wooden|Mar 9, 2023

    Authorities are asking for the public's help in locating a missing Thompson Falls man. Steven Huff was reported missing by family members on February 24, according to Thompson Falls Police Chief Chris Nichols. A white Ford pickup registered to Huff was located stuck near a creek bed on private property in the Whitepine area on Monday, February 27. Sanders County Search and Rescue used snowmobiles to search the Whitepine property and neighboring properties on February 28, but did not locate...

  • Students rewarded for reading

    Annie Wooden|Mar 9, 2023

    The Plains School gym was louder than a Taylor Swift concert Friday as elementary students celebrated the end of I Love To Read month. There was no pop star in the building, but there were dozens of students excited and ready to throw whipped cream "pies" into the faces of teachers. The assembly last week started with Principal Kevin Meredith drawing names from each group to win a Gatorade. Meredith added suspense to the drawing by first announcing the grade of the winner, pausing before...

  • Opportunities come from learning to listen

    Annie Wooden|Mar 9, 2023

    On separate occasions recently, I was influenced unexpectedly to listen. I’m a pretty good listener, given my occupation, but what I took away from the instances last week was being open to listening. Our lives are busier every day with more distractions and obligations. It seems almost ridiculous to add “remember to listen” to the to-do list. However, you never know when someone you listen to or something you hear is going to change your life. It might not be a major mind-blowing alteration to your life, but maybe someone will say somet...

  • Kudos to students

    Mar 9, 2023

    Farmhouse Blooms would like to thank all the students, parents and faculty of Thompson Falls High School for the kindness and patience with tuxes, corsages and boutonnieres. The young men and women were really a pleasure to work with and there are many more wonderful things to come for this great group of students. A real pleasure to work with all of you! Nanette, Pearl, Mary, Tracy & Angela, Thompson Falls...

  • A few thoughts about opinion

    Sandy Compton|Mar 9, 2023

    I’ve cleaned this old joke up for “family viewing:” Opinions are like ears. Everyone has a couple. The New Oxford American Dictionary defines opinion as: “a view or judgment formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge.” That is not to say that some opinions aren’t based in fact or knowledge, but that not all opinions are. I was once accused of having opinions, as if it was reprehensible. If that’s how the accuser felt, that’s their opinion, right? To their credit, their opinion was based on fact and knowledge. I do...

  • Remember When?

    Sherry Hagerman-Benton|Mar 9, 2023

    MARCH MADNESS Thanks to John Hamilton for ghost writing my column this week. He’s a much better sports writer than I am. What do Thompson Falls High School, Gonzaga University basketball and the jersey No. 8 have in common? And what does all of that have to do with Previs Field? The answer to the first question is Art Previs, and the answer to the second is his father Steve. Art Previs was an all-state hoop player for Thompson Falls High School in the late 1940s playing for his dad who then went on to become a standout in college for Gonzaga i...

  • Question of the week

    Miriah Kardelis|Mar 9, 2023

    TREVOR FITCHETT, Thompson Falls – “So the kids and the animals can stay alive.” ELENA BUYS, Thompson Falls – “Because you want to have a good spring.” MADDOX VANELSWYK, Thompson Falls – “So the animals don’t eat the garbage then choke on it and die.” LOGAN CARBONE, Thompson Falls – “So the bears and dogs don’t get into the trash. It happened with my uncle’s dog.” BILL SUSIC, Thompson Falls – “It just looks better.” MICHAEL SCHARFE, Thompson Falls – "It looks better and more inviting....

  • Justice Court

    Mar 9, 2023

    Montana Highway Patrol Tyler Treat, 32, speeding in a restricted zone, $145. Terra Clinkenbeard, 37, seatbelt violation, $20. Nicholas Grancio-Schaefer, 30, seatbelt violation, $20. Hanna Cowden, 31, stop sign violation, $85. Michelle Bangen, 40, day speeding, $70. Mark Rosenlund, 28, speeding in a restricted zone, $95. Kayla Shim, 30, speeding in a restricted zone, $95. Russell Elgin, 40, operating without liability insurance, 1st offense, $85; seatbelt violation, $20. Benedict Waterbury, 19, night speeding, $120. Wyatt Campbell, 15, seatbelt...

  • Sheriff's Log

    Mar 9, 2023

    Ambulance: Plains, 7; T. Falls, 5; Hot Springs, 4; Heron, 1; Noxon, 1; Dixon, 1. Monday, February 27 Civil attempts. Assist other agency, Plains. Road hazard/blockage, Plains. Motor vehicle crash, Plains. Civil standby, Dixon. Automated alarm call, Trout Creek. Warrant service, T. Falls. Suspicious activity. Business contact. Tuesday, February 28 Suspicious activity, T. Falls. Threats, Plains. Civil attempts, Plains. Suspicious activity. Disturbance, T. Falls. Wednesday, March 1 General animal call/complaint, Plains. Privacy in communication....

  • Man arrested following pursuit

    Annie Wooden|Mar 9, 2023

    A man is in custody after a pursuit that led officers on Highway 200 and through private property before being apprehended. Jesse Spegal of Trout Creek is facing several charges after the pursuit that began just after 11 a.m. on Sunday, March 5. Officer Jason Thornton of the Thompson Falls Police Department (TFPD) initiated a traffic stop on a truck for an equipment violation, TFPD reported in a press release. While the vehicle initially stopped, the driver then drove back on the roadway and sped away from the officer. Sanders County...

  • Woman pleads not guilty to drug charges

    Annie Wooden|Mar 9, 2023

    Three defendants made an initial appearance Tuesday in 20th District Judicial Court before Judge Deborah "Kim" Christopher, answering to charges in their respective cases. Amanda Lynn North pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of criminal possession of dangerous drugs and a misdemeanor count of criminal possession of drug paraphernalia. North was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped on Highway 135 in Paradise on February 12. Deputy Wegener of the Sanders County Sheriff's Office and Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Steve Spurr found a bag...

  • Larry R. Seibel

    Mar 9, 2023

    Larry R. Seibel, 83, of Trout Creek, Montana, passed away on Saturday, October 29, 2022, after a brief battle with cancer. He requested no services be held. Larry was born February 16, 1939, in Peabody, Kansas, to Walt and Fern Seibel. The family moved to Deer Park, Washington, in 1943 where they initially lived in a two-room house built by Walt with no indoor plumbing or electricity. During the years in Washington, Larry and his older brother Jim performed most of the chores around their small...

  • Fundraiser to support Lonepine Hall

    Mar 9, 2023

    The Lonepine community is hosting a fundraising dinner for the Lonepine Hall this weekend. The spaghetti dinner fundraiser will be 5-7 p.m. Saturday, March 11, at the hall, located at 56 Lone Pine Road off Highway 28. Cost of the dinner is $8 for adults, $4 for kids and $25 for families, all of which will be donated to the hall. Dinner includes spaghetti, salad, garlic bread and a dessert buffet. The evening event will also include a silent auction. Earlier Saturday at 3 p.m., John Bras will lead a discussion about the hall. Bras would like...

  • Elks lodge to host community baby shower

    Mar 9, 2023

    Clark Fork Valley Elks Lodge is hosting its fourth annual Community Baby Shower this month. The baby shower is Saturday, March 25, and will offer resources and information to new or expecting parents. Michelle Blackstone with the Elks Lodge said it’s important for families to RSVP for the event, which will run 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. The community baby shower is for anyone pregnant or who has an infant up to six months old and lives in Sanders County, regardless of their financial situation. “It is intended to help all new families, recognizing the fa...

  • Plains drama club switches to skits

    Ed Moreth|Mar 9, 2023

    The Plains Drama Club had to cut one of its performances last week due to conflicting schedules, yet the cast was still able to fill nearly 200 seats in the two remaining shows. Three of the cast members - Ireland Corbin, Keelie Hathorne and Greg Tatum - had to attend a driver's education class on Thursday evening, which had not been scheduled at the time the play was scheduled, said drama coach Terri Henry, who hung around at the school in case people hadn't got word of the cancellation. The...

  • 4-H members advance to finals

    Ed Moreth|Mar 9, 2023

    4-H doesn't normally have a butler at its functions, but South Side Sparks member Andrew Wrobleski was the closest thing to it at Hot Springs on Sunday during the first round of the Communication Days competition. Wrobleski's illustration talk, "Being Jeeves: What Was it Like," was a spiel about being a butler, which impressed judges Claudia Andrade and Kathy Conlin, and qualified him to move on to the finals this weekend in Plains. Nearly 90 kids from the six 4-H clubs of Sanders County...

  • Ball celebrates redneck culture

    Annie Wooden|Mar 9, 2023

    Community members dusted off their best overalls and straw hats last weekend for the eighth annual Redneck Ball, a fundraiser for the Trout Creek Community Improvement Association (TCCIA). The event was held Saturday evening at Lakeside Resort. The variety show was full of hilarious entertainment. Dave and Deb Oliver, along with Keith Myers, made up the Awesome Possum Band and led the crowd in a sing-along to redneck favorites. "Cowboy" Doug Grimm, in a flowy mullet wig and overalls, joined the...

  • Bowling Scores

    Mar 9, 2023

    OVER THE HILL GANG W L Mixed Nuts 49.5 42.5 Fun Team 47 45 Roll’n Along 46 46 Com’bak Kids 45 47 Jokers Wild 44.5 47.5 Leftovers 44 48 Team Scr. Game: Fun Team, 877; Scr. Series: Fun Team, 2480; Hcp. Game: Fun Team, 1009; Hcp. Series: Fun Team, 2876; Mens Inv. Scr. Game: Lonny Davis, 300; Scr. Series: Ricky Hagedorn, 717; Hcp. Game: Lonny Davis, 347; Hcp. Series: Ricky Hagedorn, 825. Wms Inv. Scr Game: Wendy Kelley, 202; Scr Series: Ginger Ward, 557; Hcp. Game: Yvonne Hawkinson, 256; Hcp. Series: Ginger Ward, 719. INDUSTRIAL LEAGUE W L Poc...

  • Crossword Solution

    Mar 9, 2023

    SOLUTIONS ACROSS 1. TRANCES 8. EERIE 13. REMORSE 14. KNAVE 15. APPROPRIATED 19. OR 20. CEE 21. EBBED 22. FRI 23. EAR 24. NILE 25. ERIE 26. STERILIZE 30. CREES 31. AKITA 32. BAREST 33. CONY 34. SRNA 35. ACCENT 38. MANET 39. COORS 40. PANORAMAS 44. APIS 45. EASE 46. ASH 47. DEN 48. ALLAN 49. SHI 50. EP 51. WILLIE NELSON 55. MONAD 57. SINCERE 58. EDUCE 59. SLEDDED SOLUTIONS DOWN 1. TRACES 2. REPEAT 3. AMPERE 4. NOR 5. CRO 6. ESP 7. SERENITY 8. EKED 9. END 10. RA 11. IVORIES 12. EERIEST 16. IBIZA 17. ABLE 18. TEE 22. FREE 25. ERRATA 27. RACERS 28....

  • Community raises funds for Plains activities

    Ed Moreth|Mar 9, 2023

    A Plains High School fundraiser raked in a near record amount of $11,500 for its extracurricular activities, such as pep band, drama club and sports in the school gymnasium Saturday evening. The "Fiesta Fundraiser" was a mixture of a meal and an auction and an opportunity to help fund some of the activities not completely covered in the budget. Teacher Marie Errecart, one of the volunteers for the event, said it hasn't been determined how the money will be split. The fundraiser included silent...

  • Clothing bank helps make prom special for local kids

    Ed Moreth|Mar 9, 2023

    The Plains Community Clothing Bank is used to helping to clothe those in need, but putting teenagers in fancy duds is special, according to Jessica Peterson, the main coordinator of "Prom It Forward" at the Assembly of God Church. A dozen high school kids from freshmen to seniors had the opportunity to pick out an entire prom outfit, thanks to the Plains Community Clothing Bank, which is housed at the Church on the Move in Plains. The kids had a wide assortment of clothes from head to toe to sel...

  • Real Estate Trends

    Tina Daugherty|Mar 9, 2023

    What does the current market look like? These numbers will be reported each month for Sanders County. Our Multiple Listing Service, which covers much of western Montana, has just switched over to CoreLogix and with it, our data service, thus this month we will review what is on the market. Next month we will resume the review of sales figures once the MLS settles in to the new provider. As is typical of February, the snow is on the ground and inventory does not change much. That does not mean there isn't still some pent up demand after a...