Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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BACK AS CHAMP at 132 pounds, Trae Thilmony (center) earned his second state wrestling title Saturday with a win over Gunnar Smith of Eureka (top). Thilmony was joined at state by (from left) Coach Ian Taylor, Dane Chojnacky (fifth place), Max Hannum (fourth place), Shane Reishus, Elijah Ratliff (fourth place), manager Daisy Ulrich and head coach Mike Thilmony. Read more about the state tournament on Page 8....
Local legislators met with Sanders County Commissioners and residents to issue a legislative update and address concerns regarding bills each representative has been working on and introduced to the house floor. Sen. Bob Brown, Rep. Denley Loge, House District 14 and Rep. Paul Fielder, House District 13, fielded questions from around 20 Sanders County residents. Legislators answered questions on a number of house bills for one hour Thursday at the Sanders County Courthouse. Fielder spoke about House Bill 114 he introduced in which he states law...
None of the Plains High School physics students plan to become rocket scientists, but their teacher hopes building rockets will help get them through the class with higher grades. Carl Benson has been teaching physics for 30 years and saw his students' grades go up after he introduced a hands-on rocket segment. The class is an elective and primarily for seniors, but it's a difficult class, said Benson, who noticed that after he introduced rocket building, more students signed up for the class....
NEW GUY – Jared Hutchings is the new officer on the Plains Police Department. He was appointed by Mayor Dan Rowan and unanimously voted in by the town council last week. The 38-year-old Hutchings is a former Sanders County Sheriff's Office deputy and has been certified at the law enforcement academy. He presently lives in Thompson Falls, but plans to move to Plains....
The picture to the right is after Trae Thilmony won his second state wrestling championship over the weekend in Shelby. His younger brother Lane ran up and gave him a hug. He was so proud of his big brother. This moment that his mom, Doree, captured with her phone made me so proud. Trae's little brothers look up to him, and I'm sure a lot of kids in the school look up to him and other student leaders. Helping kids realize the impact they have on those younger than them is an important part of...
I’ve spent the last three weeks in Seattle and the difference in the city since my last visit is glaring. Seattle is one of the epicenters for the “defund the police” movement and the scene of tremendous civil unrest in 2020. While the civil unrest seems to have died down a bit, the “defund the police” movement has clearly had a tremendous and negative impact on the city. I was bored today and drove around Seattle for a while just to look around. I drove near last year’s CHAZ zone in the Capi...
The Ledger dated 3/3/21 contained an article concerning our Second Amendment. It stated there is a proposal under consideration by the Sanders County commissioners to make Sanders County a Second Amendment Sanctuary County. I am writing today to encourage the citizens of Sanders County to contact the Sanders commissioners and send a message of support for this proposal. If you can’t send a message on the county website, call the commissioners at 827-6942 and leave a message, it only takes a couple of minutes. They need to hear your support f...
10 YEARS AGO • FEBRUARY 20, 1975 ROD BYBEE WINS FIRST IN STATE The Thompson Falls wrestlers placed eighth in the state tournament held in Miles City last weekend with 26½ points. Earning most of the points for the Hawks were Don Breitenbach and Rod Bybee. Breitenbach, a freshman, came on strong at the latter part of the season and placed first at the divisional tournament held in Superior. At the state meet he was defeated only once and earned a spot in the consolation match. Bybee along with Jim Kaphammer and Fren Warenka of Superior were th...
TRAYTEN ANDERSON, Kalispell - “I don’t really have an opinion on daylight saving.” NICHOLE COCKRELL, Thompson Falls - “As a teacher I would prefer not to have it, as it tends to mess with children’s systems and routines.” IRENE GADDY, Plains - “I don’t care one way or the other because in Montana we don’t really need it.” SHERRIE FAHLAND, Thompson Falls - “I am not for keeping daylight saving time, I appreciate more light in the winter months.” SHANE McFARLAND, Roseburg, Oregon - “I do not believe that the average person needs daylight sav...
Against contentions from the defense, Judge James Manley refused release of defendant Fauve Ferguson, who is facing charges of endangering the welfare of children. According to charging documents in 20th District Judicial Court, on July 17, 2020, during a PFMA investigation where Ferguson was the victim, law enforcement learned that there may have been drug use in the home when responding to a report of partner or family member assault. The documents say that Ferguson lives with her boyfriend and daughter in a small RV. Officers reported...
Ambulance: Hot Springs, 1; Plains, 8; Trout Creek, 2; T. Falls, 5; Lonepine, 3; Dixon, 4; Heron, 1; Camas, 1 Monday, March 1 Child welfare/abuse, report of a male sending inappropriate pictures to juvenile girls, Plains. General animal call or complaint, Plains. Livestock, Plains. Informational case, Paradise. Animal stray/lost, Plains. Tuesday, March 2 Animal stray/lost, T. Falls. Animal other, Paradise. Informational case, T. Falls. Child welfare/abuse, children reporting that they feel in danger and are living in fear because of their mother...
Montana Highway Patrol Ervin Middleton, 45, operating without insurance, 1st offense, $285; driving while suspended, 1st offense, $285. Richard Powell, 23, night speeding, $70. Barbara Schott, 34, day speeding, $20. James Hilt, 78, failure to yield, $85. Aspen Roberts, 18, day speeding, $20. Matthew Lakko, 51, night speeding, $70. Michael Mannel, 52, night speeding, $20. Elliott Parker, 27, violating speed limit near school or senior center, $135. Sanders County Sheriff’s Office Darry Larson, 61, driving under the influence, third offense, $...
Editor, So what have we learned from the election? Hopefully to never elect any official on personality versus policy. I will gladly debate, discuss, negotiate, compromise, or argue with anyone on policies of the present administration compared with the policies of the past four years. I’ll let you go first. Give me one of the policies from the last four years you feel hurt this country. Now it’s my turn. For instance, consider abortion. Science proves life begins at conception, therefore any state that allows abortion up to the day of birth sh...
Dear Sen. Brown, On Thursday at the Legislative Update at our courthouse, you asked the group, “Do you know who pays my salary?” Stacy (Vice Chair of Sanders County Republicans) and I (Chair of the Sanders County Democrats) blurted out in unison, “We do!” But you went on to try to correct us by explaining why it’s wealthy people who pay our salaries. Sen. Brown, I beg to differ. You see, I feel Stacey and I do indeed pay your salary. Our commissioners aren’t paid by wealthy people. I’m a retired public school teacher; I wasn’t paid by wealthy...
The Plains Elementary School principal was hit in the face with a pie, smothered with silly string, compelled to gobble up cake and pudding as fast as he could, and will be dunked in a tub of water - all done in the cause of reading. The more books the students read, the more points they garnered, and the more points they collected, the better their chances were to do something fun to Principal Jim Holland, during part of the annual Love to Read Program, which is designed to motivate youth to re...
It is slotted for June 25 and 26, 2021. Mark your calendars so you do not miss the locally infamous Sanders County Yard Sale-ing Event! After taking a one-year hiatus, event organizer Robin Hagedorn has taken the last month to get word out that it is back. Hagedorn said she is hoping people are ready to get out and about and do some shopping. She is also hoping people are ready to do some selling as well. “It is time to get moving around,” she said, referring to the lifestyle changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. July 5 of last year, Hag...
There have been few if any legal meetings regarding this wastewater improvement project in Paradise. The Paradise Sewer Board directors have met and continue to meet in violation of the Montana Open Meeting Act. They have meetings and do not notice them. They have discussions on matters of “significant importance” and do not notice them. They spend money and approve funds from the CBDG grant held by Sanders County without board approval. Over the previous four years, they have held meetings that the public had no knowledge of. No board-approved...
Dear Editor: We have to agree, the newspaper’s political agenda is ironically polarizing. The media is Anti-Trump, strictly TDS, Trump Derangement Syndrome. We love the usage of “Whataboutism” as a recent letter to the editor proclaims. That technique is called “Projection,” accusing the other side of the very same things that they are quite guilty of doing! Always the liberal left claims President Trump has lied many times without ever citing a single truthful example. Likewise, they say he has tried to overturn the election results and again...
Dear Commissioners of Sanders County, Glenn Magera, Carole Brooker, and Tony Cox, While I understand that Second Amendment Sanctuary Resolutions are merely a statement of support for the Second Amendment. Such resolutions represent a redress of grievances towards unconstitutional limits placed upon citizens right to keep and bear arms. Forwarded to our state officials, and specifically our Governor such resolution makes a solid statement that Sanders County does not waver in support of FREEDOM. A Resolution to establish Sanders County as a...
Ferrel Henry Hanks, 90, of Whitepine, Montana, was called home to the Lord on January 3, 2021, at Clark Fork Valley Hospital in Plains, Montana. Ferrel was born December 15, 1930 in Jamestown, North Dakota, to Ferrel and Mary Hanks. In 1933 he was joined by a brother, Dean. The Hanks family moved to Billings in 1946 and Ferrel graduated from Billings Senior High School in 1948. It was at this time he met the love of his life, Cecelia Helen Achten. On December 15, 1950 they were married in... Full story
For several years there have been concerns for the welfare of a group of horses in the Trout Creek area. These concerns have been raised by numerous community members to the Sanders County Sheriff’s Office, and to other organizations in the area, like the Thompson River Animal Care Shelter (TRACS). Members from the community held a meeting at TRACS in February. Around 12 people showed up and were joined by Deputy Tim Kelly of the Sanders County Sheriff’s Office. During the meeting, the group discussed a particular property in which the own...
Next week will be busy at The Rex Theater in Thompson Falls. On Friday, the monthly open mic night will be 6-10 p.m., welcoming musicians and performers from throughout the area. On Saturday, the popular Copper Mountain Band from Troy will visit. The group will play some of their popular originals, as well as some new additions. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. Tickets are available at MT Liquor and The Printery in Plains, Big Eddy's and M&M Liquor in Thompson Falls and the Local Store in Trout Creek. Tickets may also be...
by Annie Wooden Clark Fork Valley Hospital (CFVH) and Sanders County Public Health continue to administer COVID-19 vaccines to residents. CFVH has been holding vaccination clinics on Saturdays. As of Tuesday, 665 residents had received both doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, and another 1,632 had received their first dose. On Saturday, March 6, CFVH was scheduled to administer 650 vaccines, the largest clinic yet according to hospital CEO Dr. Gregory Hanson. “We are constantly monitoring state guidelines for changing distribution r...
The sewer project will take shape this week as workers begin laying pipe, starting from the west end of Preston Avenue moving east. The project is estimated to take several weeks and progress can be followed on the city council website, under the infrastructure page. The city council spoke about funding for street repair, as the project moves along, during their meeting Monday. The city has received funds from a separate state program called the Bridge and Road Safety and Accountability Program...
A new eatery is set to open in Sanders County promising a family-oriented atmosphere with made from scratch cooking. Machelle Brossman plains to open The River Roadhouse this summer. The restaurant will be located along Highway 200 between Thompson Falls and Trout Creek, near the turnoff for Finlay Flats Road. "My hope is to be open by Memorial Day weekend, with a grand opening in June. So stay turned for that," Brossman said. The owner has big plans for the old fuel station which has sat empty...
