Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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The new mayor in Thompson Falls is a familiar face to the City Council. On Monday, the council unanimously voted to appoint Mark Sheets as the new mayor. Sheets was the only person to submit a letter of interest for the position, which was vacated last month when Mayor Jerry Lacy resigned. Sheets said he was waiting to see if anyone else would show interest, but no one did. He added that he figured that with him, there would be no learning curve, or far less than there would be with an...
No matter one's political views, the one thing most Montanans can agree on is their love for the wild of the state. Montana if famous for the glory and majesty of its outdoors and to honor that ideal several people from around the state weighed in their thoughts and experiences during their involvement with Montana's conservation. "A Wild Land Ethic: The Story of Wilderness in Montana" features more than 70 authors and photographers from across the state who told their story about, or...
A great blue heron carries a twig and lands on a tree near its nest southwest of Plains near a large pond. A handful of herons have constructed nests in the large pine tree. According to the Montana Field Guide, the great blue herons are common residents with over 100 nesting colonies scattered across the state and is the largest heron in North America. The birds can be found mostly near wetlands and along major rivers and lakes. The Montana Field Guide notes that great blue herons build bulky...
Dealing with the Coronavirus isn't just so-so, but for a group of amateur seamstresses it's more sew-sew. Nearly 45 people from the "Victory Sewers of Sanders County" are making gowns for the staff of Clark Fork Valley Hospital in an effort to protect them from the disease that has spread throughout the world, but has yet to impact Sanders County, said Janie Hom, the hospital's community health improvement specialist and the primary coordinator for the gown project. The Victory Sewers of...
Last week, President Trump said it is up to the states on when they want to remove restrictions due to COVID-19. In Montana, Gov. Steve Bullock has imposed a shelter-in-place order through Friday, April 24, when he will re-evaluate the situation. The spread of coronavirus has slowed in Montana. March 26 was the day with the most new cases in the state. That number has slowly gone down. Not because the virus is less contagious, but because Montanans are doing the right thing by social distancing and staying home. We're ready for things to get...
It has been quite a while since my service to you as your State Legislature of HD 13 came to a close do to term limits and that of my “Keeping in Touch” articles. I thought that maybe with all the craziness and the unforeseen impacts that the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has had on our everyday lives as, yet as we wait eagerly in anticipation of our day to day lives eventual restoration, that is might be a good time for a “Keeping in Touch” article to address an important issue that seems to be getting lost in the shuffle just a bit, that of...
This week I’m going to try a different approach to this column. So many things have happened in the last two weeks that it’s impossible to pick just one and write about it. Please forgive this “shotgun” approach, but there are so many topics worthy of discussion that I’m going to try to dedicate one paragraph to those that particularly struck me. The impact of the Coronavirus seems to be winding down. Granted, the process is slow, but we are seeing light at the end of the tunnel. Individual states governors are now formulating plans to restor...
5 YEARS AGO • APRIL 23, 1970 EMPLOYMENT PICTURE BRIGHTER AS SOME LOGGING RESUMES The employment picture in Sanders County is improving this week as some loggers returned to the woods and the picture will brighten still further next week after one of the slowest springs in recent years. The Anaconda Co.'s logging and log hauling operations will get back into full swing Monday. Some loggers returned to the woods this week so that hauling can be resumed Monday. Many locals are familiar with the A...
IRENE NYOMO, Plains – “I’m trusting the governor’s opinion on when he feels that our state is ready to open up.” LEE SUTTORP, Thompson Falls – “I believe we should remove restrictions slowly and when we are able to have tests and medicine to take care of the people who are sick, so not quickly. I am in no hurry.” MADISON SUTTORP, Thompson Falls – “I believe we should have medicines and vaccines, but I think we could start lifting restrictions off of states and counties that don’t have as many cases. But I do believe restriction are good....
Ambulance calls: Plains, 5; Noxon, 1; Thompson Falls, 1, Dixon, 1. Monday, April 14 Welfare check, Plains. Trespass, Hot Springs. Tuesday, April 14 Suspicious activity, Trout Creek. Animal complaint, T. Falls. Assault, Hot Springs. Assault, Hot Springs. Theft, T. Falls. Welfare check, Heron. Intoxicated male wandering around, possibly passed out behind wood pile, T. Falls. Animal complaint. Wednesday, April 15 Animal complaint, Paradise. Fire, T. Falls. Trespass. Suspicious activity, Noxon. Motorist assist, Paradise. Thursday, April 16 Alarm,...
Sanders County Sheriff’s Office Keely Hodge, 34, owner permitting operation of vehicle without liability insurance, 1st offense, $85. Mari Tinney, 72, speeding in restricted zone, $45. Preston Mitchell, 48, seatbelt violation, $20; speeding in restricted zone, $85. Montana Highway Patrol Kenneth Keast, 30, reckless driving, 1st offense, $185....
On Monday April 13, the city of Thompson Falls broke ground at Ainsworth Park, a long-awaited project hoped to bring much to better the town. The project has been in the works since prior to 2015, when the first donation was received. Since then several parties have helped move the project along, from Thompson Falls Mainstreet, to the Thompson Falls Parks Planning Committee and finally to the city of Thompson Falls. Ainsworth has had a long journey to fruition. A long journey considering it started from barren grounds with old bleachers...
RECYCLING MATTERS, EVEN DURING A PANDEMIC “Flattening the curve” has been the driving force behind nearly every policy decision the past few weeks. And rightfully so. In order to protect the health and safety of American citizens, we need to stop the spread of coronavirus as quickly as possible. In working to achieve this critical goal, we’ve seen a temporary reduction in pollution, energy consumption and waste production. Recently, The New York Times reported “huge declines in pollution over major metropolitan areas, including Los Angeles...
The Thompson Falls High School Class of 1960 has postponed their reunion. The event was scheduled for May 23, but has been postponed until a later date....
Sonja Manley passed away peacefully April 13, 2020 at St. Luke's s Extended Care Facility in Ronan, Montana, at the age of 77. Sonja was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on May 4, 1942, to Silas and Agnes Jenkins. She attended public schools in St. Louis, Helena and Missoula. She married her high school sweetheart, James Holder, on December 31, 1962. While in Missoula, she opened a day care center, and later had her own cleaning business. Sonja married Wilbur "Bill" Manley on December 24, 1992, and...
Quinn Elizabeth Kay Blackburn was born on April 9, 2020 to Brody and Alissa Blackburn of Kodiak, Alaska. She weighed 6 pounds, 1 ounce, and measured 18 inches long. Maternal grandmother is Karen Morey of Thompson Falls. Maternal great-grandparents are Gary and Audrey Flockerzi of Trout Creek and Edie Morey of Pawcatuck, Connecticut. Paternal grandparents are Lyle and Lynnette Blackburn of Paterson, Washington. Paternal great-grandparent is Loren Blanchard of Culver, Oregon. Welcome,...
A small brush fire damaged a power pole along the railroad tracks at Eddy Flats east of Thompson Falls on Tuesday. Jonathan Haun said he was burning brush on his family's property when the fire got away from him. Wind gusts carried embers into the trees and bushes near where Haun was burning, he said, adding that burning this part of the property is something that he and his family had done many times before, taking out the low brush before it grew too high in the spring and summer. Haun is no...
A second steel horse was added to the Plains greenway along Railroad Street last week when the artist and two helpers used a crane to hoist the 600-pound sculpture onto a concrete block, which had been installed by the Plains Public Works Department the previous week. Kenton Pies has had his second horse done since March 3, when he did a little tweaking on the tail and was waiting for the hole to be dug and a concrete block placed in the ground 40 feet in front of the first horse, which was posi...
Every year, Earth Day is celebrated by over a billion people in over 190 countries. April 22, 2020, marks the 50-year anniversary since this pivotal event was founded back in 1970. Earth Day’s theme for 2020 is climate action, according to Earth Day Network (EDN), the global organizer of Earth Day. As stated by earthday.org, EDN’s official website, “the enormous challenge, but also the vast opportunities of action on climate change have distinguished the issues as the most pressing topic for the 50th anniversary. Climate change repre...
When you have been to the mountaintop and plant a flag, it's easy to start believing that maybe you belong there. And makes you eager to prove that you should be there again, maybe to reposition that flag at a higher point on the hill than the last time. Winning consistently, year-in and year-out, gives you that kind of incentive, the kind with which coach Michele Bangen and her Plains-Hot Springs Trotters now enter each season. Rising to the top of the Montana Class B-C softball world again...
Song sung blue, everybody knows one. The Thompson Falls-Noxon Lady Hawk softball team and coach Jared Koskela have been singing the blues this spring after the COVID-19 pandemic abruptly shut the season down in early March. Although that might seem like a long time ago in this time of social distancing and germophobia, it was actually only a few weeks ago. Okay, maybe a month or more by now. But put yourself in Koskela's shoes. When you are directed to stop by forces greater than you, there is...
The coach for all seasons is now a coach for no season, until further notice. A coach for sports of all kinds during all seasons of the school year during his long run at Thompson Falls High School and other places, Gary Thompson has returned as head coach of the Blue Hawk golf team – if only there was a season to coach right now. He has the team, just no season to participate in. At least not yet at any rate. Locked out of competition like everyone else in the country by the ongoing COVID-19 cr...
ACROSS 1. RPM 4. Psalms 10. Ale 11. Denied 12. IR 14. Cud 15. Noone 16. Maseru 18. Editing 22. Animal 23. Genitor 24. Micelle 26. As 27. Nama 28. Axel 30. Glim 31. CBS 34. Sorel 36. Yap 37. Leks 39. NASA 40. Alum 41. Be 42. Elapsed 48. Malodor 50. Alumni 51. Sultana 52. Karate 53. Hint 54. EMS 55. OD 56. Belied 58. Roe 59. Wryest 60. SSR DOWN 1. Raceme 2. Plural 3. Medullas 4. PD 5. Senegalese 6. Anodes 7. Linin 8. Meeting 9. SD 12. Imam 13. Rani 17. Sic 19. Italy 20. Nomia 21. Gramp 25....
