Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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Less than 50% of Sanders County voters returned ballots for local school and special district elections this week. Ballots were tallied at the Sanders County Courthouse on Tuesday evening. Of the more than 9,800 registered voters in the county, 4,171 voted in this week's election. Three school districts had asked voters to approve levies, with the Noxon High School technology fund being the only one to pass on Tuesday. The high school levy for $15,000 yearly for five years was renewed, with 430 votes for and 382 against. The Noxon elementary...
A pair of swans called the banks of the Clark Fork River near Thompson Falls home recently. According to the Montana Field Guide, trumpeter swans are the largest waterfowl in North America and can grow up to five feet long with a wingspan of almost seven feet and weigh over 20 pounds. The Field Guide states that while adult trumpeter swans are entirely white, their heads and necks can be stained orange (left) due to iron-rich waters and mud where they forage for food....
by Tom Eggensperger What's inside the county's ballot tabulation machine? That was a question posed to Sanders County Elections Supervisor McKenna Wallace, and last week she held a demonstration of the machine for the annual test of its accuracy for this week's school and special district elections. The session, which is mandated by law, attracted about two dozen observers to the commissioners' conference room. Wallace told the group the purpose of the demonstration was twofold. First to verify...
Thompson Falls students participated in the 8th annual etiquette luncheon hosted in the Thompson Falls Elementary School cafeteria last week. Every year, the school's seventh and eighth grade students are taught a five-week etiquette unit by K-8 school counselor Rob Christensen. The lessons touch on several topics including airplane, movie theater and flag etiquette. "I want the students to know this may be a part of their lives one day," Christensen said. "If you go and sit down at a nice meal...
There was something different in last week's Ledger, however, no one really noticed. Last week, I wrote an article using artificial intelligence (AI) software. A friend of mine from California visited recently and asked if I had ever used AI in the newspaper. I gasped and said of course not, that all our content was created by us. I then explained how the thought of AI freaks me out a little. Will it make my job obsolete as a journalist? Will no person ever write an original thought again? The short answer, in my opinion, is no. My friend sat...
Just so you know, even if there’s nobody on the ocean to experience the waves, the waves are there. From 30,000 feet, whitecaps are still visible. And there are some big ones. As we make our way at 600 miles per hour toward the Hawaiian archipelago, a freighter appears to starboard, giving a sense of scale to the world below. If it’s headed for Hawaii, we’ll get there long before — days in fact. We live on an amazing world in an amazing time. I can haul myself out of bed in Montaho, land of not-quite-eternal snow and ice, at 2:30 a.m. — all f...
5 YEARS AGO • MAY 3, 1973 NEW OWNER Ron Turk, who for the past year and a half has been employed by L&O Motors of Plains, a Chevrolet dealer (presently the Plains Public Library) as service manager, Monday reopened the Husky Service Station here under the name Ron’s Husky Service. Floyd (Bud) Derrickson, who was parts manager for the Plains firm, will be employed by Turk until he takes over the bulk plant later this spring from R.Hershel Butte (now Energy Partners). 30 YEARS AGO • APRIL 22, 1993 PASS ROUTE NOW OPEN Travel over the Thomp...
Over 250 members of the Blackfoot Telephone Cooperative gathered in Missoula last weekend to select a board of trustees, celebrate achievements from the previous year, and learn about future fiber projects. “Our annual meeting is a meaningful and important part of how we operate as a cooperative” Tom Eggensperger, chair of the Blackfoot Telephone Cooperative board of trustees, told member Saturday. “Each cooperative member has a stake in the success of our company and has an equal say in selecting the leadership of our co-op. We are accou...
Ambulance: Plains, 8; T. Falls, 8; Hot Springs, 5; Paradise, 2; Lonepine, 1; Dixon, 1; Noxon, 1 Monday, April 24 Road hazard/blockage, Heron. Tuesday, April 25 Sexual assault. Extra patrol request, Paradise. Suspicious activity, Dixon. Child welfare/abuse, T. Falls. General animal call/complaint, T. Falls. Threats, T. Falls. Wednesday, April 26 Sexual assault, T. Falls. Suspicious activity, Trout Creek. Livestock, Trout Creek. Fire, T. Falls. Abandoned vehicle, Trout Creek. Theft, Dixon. Assault, Dixon. Thursday, April 27 Inmate transport, T....
Joann Hermance, Belgrade - “Camp hosting. this will be our fifth year, we enjoy the people.” Dan Hoffman, Thompson Falls - “Fishing, hiking and gardening.” Mary Verzier, Noxon - “Putting away my socks! Sitting outside, getting out more.” Leah Vega, Thompson Falls - “Gardening or being up in the mountains.” Rachel Good, Thompson Falls - “Gardening in the early morning.” Dave Preble, Prospect Creek - “Lounging on the porch....
Montana Highway Patrol John Dubsky, 54, speeding in a restricted zone, $65. Kimbery Hudson, 42, speeding in a restricted zone, $95. Jedekiah Cazier, 40, speeding in a restricted zone, $105. Luz Estrada, 24, driving without a valid driver’s license, $535; careless driving, $75. Erica Johnson, 50, speeding in a restricted zone, $85. Shyloh Lara, 19, speeding in a restricted zone, $95. Richard Newton, 69, speeding in a restricted zone, $55. Jack Roadarmel, Jr., 71, speeding in a restricted zone, $105. Chelsealyn Ruiz, 28, day speeding, $120. E...
Dorissa Angel Jule Garza appeared before Judge Deborah Kim Christopher for her arraignment on Tuesday, pleading not guilty to one felony count of criminal possession of dangerous drugs. The jury trial was set for September 18, 2023. According to the charging documents, on March 27, Deputy Devin Wegener conducted a traffic stop near Dixon when a driver did not dim their headlights. Initially, the passenger of the vehicle lied about her name, but was later identified as Garza. Upon Deputy Wegener requesting the registration and insurance for the...
A local floral and gift shop is under new ownership. Connie Weber took over Farmhouse Blooms in Thompson Falls last month. The shop on Main Street offers a variety of fresh blooms and plants, as well as gifts and organic tea. Weber recently moved to Thompson Falls with her family. She grew up in Missoula and has lived in Montana her whole life. She worked as a high-risk obstetric ultrasound technician and had a great career, but said eventually her family decided to move to Thompson Falls. The...
Plains Elementary Braedan Allen, Ivy Anderson, Teslyn Boon, William Brown, Kyrie Carr, Lilliana Decker, Isaac Ericksen, Jocelyn Ewing, Pearl Ferlan, Paisley French, Kiya Hjorth, Brooke Meredith, Brook Revier, Jace Russell, Connor Sherwood, Madison Sturdivant, Lily Taylor, Anneka Turner, Penny Unsworth, Kaylynn Weedeman, Isaac Wilder, Carly Winebrenner, Brenden Allen, Ryker Anderson, Colt Browning, Trace Browning, Saydi Carter, William Dawson, Tristan Emmett, Casey Erwin, Barrett Grimm, Kaia Khachaturova, Lacey Kulawinski, Arena...
Members of the Plains Wood Carving Club are in the final stages of getting their pieces ready for this year's Montana State Wood Carvers Show in Missoula this weekend. Five club members plan to compete in the annual show on Saturday and Sunday. "I'm very proud of our Plains carvers. They have been very faithful and diligent to both improve themselves and invest in one another," said Tom Collins, who heads the local club and has been the primary coordinator for the Missoula show for seven years....
A community outreach program focused on bringing people together in a positive way has recently launched in Dixon. Sara Bednarcik formed Illuminate the 406 when she saw Dixon residents could use some help with incorporating recreational activities into the community. “I noticed that the community had some struggles wherein they don’t have much for activities or recreation,” Bednarcik said. “There’s a lot of drug abuse and alcoholism and just some really negative influences that the younger people in the community are influenced by. The kids...
Trout Creek Rural Volunteer Fire Department firefighters recently received a grant from Clark Fork Valley Elks to use for safety and protection. The Elks’ “Aid to Rural Volunteer Fire Departments” donation of $1,140 will be used to buy firefighters gloves. “Gloves are an essential part of a firefighter’s personal protective equipment, providing hand protection from flame, heat, cuts, and chemicals, ” the department’s application notes. “Gloves are items that suffer the most from wear and tear, contamination, and repeated exposure to wat...
The Wild Game Dinner at the Clark Fork Baptist Church was a combination of good food, prizes, hunting stories and a quick sermon from a visiting Georgia pastor. More than 40 men and boys attended the annual event Friday afternoon hosted by Pastor Kim Earhart, who led the opening prayer. "It was probably one of the best ones we've had," said Earhart, who has held a Wild Game Dinner for about 15 years. "It's for our men of the church. We love hunting, we love fishing, and the food is geared...
Have you ever had to stop reading for an extended period of time? Have you ever read The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron? I started this book in April and it’s one where you read a chapter a week and there are all sorts of tasks for you to complete and challenges. Last week was Reading Deprivation Week and I thought I was going to die. Life went into a massive tail spin in general with a new puppy in the house and all was calamity. Despite not being able to read for an entire week, I managed to read 15 books in April and I thought 11 of tho...
Shelby Eatenton-Latcherie talks about how nice and pink her wedding is going to be to her mother, M'Lynn Eatenton, and hair dressers Annelle Dupuy-Desoto and Truvy Jones. However, her mother believes it's too much pink, saying it looks like a "big bottle of Pepto Bismol. The cast from the left are: Deborah Davis, CeCe Harris, Rashell Jones, and Suzannah Lindsay. The Paradise Players are going with an all-women play with a rendition of "Steel Magnolias" this weekend, with 7 p.m. shows Friday and...
An exciting rivalry game took place Monday on the Plains softball field between the Thompson Falls Blue Hawks and the Plains Trotters. The Trotters seized the win 10-4. In the first inning the dust was flying as the Trotters came out fierce, gaining four runs. The defenses were tough in the second and third innings with fast outs and no scores made by either team. It was a deadlock in the fourth inning with both teams making one run. With Carlie Wagoner hitting a double to get an RBI and...
Quilters have gathered for decades with the Thompson Falls Flat Iron Guild, which is celebrating 35 years in 2023. Brenda Shively of Thompson Falls is the only original member on the the build, which now has about 20 members who attend throughout the year. The Flat Iron Guild is a nonprofit organization. They create quilts that are donated to cancer patients through the Cancer Network of Sanders County, as well as children and families through the Sanders County Coalition for Families. The...
by Tina Daugherty Happy May! Bring on the flowers!!! The real estate market is blooming as it always does with the flowers in May. More listing are coming on the market daily. What is striking from the data is that we are normalizing in dollar volume to pre-COVID numbers, which equates to approximately 1/2 of the volume of sales due to the average value of a property being at least double what it was then. The listing inventory remains low. April 2019 there were 144 home listings in Sanders County, with only 78 in April 2023, while April 2011 w...
SOLUTIONS ACROSS 1. MATTE 6. TSP 9. PTAS 13. AHEAD 14. LAPS 15. TABI 16. TOMB 17. SAKAI 18. AKAN 19. TYPEFACES 21. BRACE 22. SORES 23. RUM 24. AW 25. AMP 28. NOR 29. TANIS 31. REAP 33. SABOTAGED 36. TALES 38. TAT 39. SABER 41. TENEMENTS 44. NUKE 45. SIRES 46. EHF 48. MED 49. SP 51. TEG 52. SNIDE 54. TAKER 56. MAHARAJAH 60. OMAN 61. TALAS 62. GABY 63. SPEC 64. ARAM 65. RAVED 66. SALE 67. BAD 68. ENATE SOLUTIONS DOWN 1. MATT 2. AHOY 3. TEMP 4. TABES 5. ED 6. TAKES 7. SPAS 8. PSI 9. PTARMIGAN 10. TAKA 11. ABACA 12. SINEW 14. LACERATES 17. SAROS... Full story
The Plains rookies baseball team claimed a 14-4 victory over Superior at Amundson Sports Complex last Monday. "They've been playing really good," said Melissa Garland, who coaches the team with her husband, Aaron. The Plains team is sponsored by First Security Bank. It was the third game of the season for the Plains rookies - all victories. She said that coaching can be chaotic, but it's a lot of fun. Rookies are one level above T-ball and one level below minors. A pitching machine is used in...
