Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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Clark Fork Valley Hospital is the biggest employer in Sanders County and it's not just in the medical field, but they too need to fill positions and are looking to Plains High School to help. The hospital last week formed a partnership with the school and held an all-day field trip for recruiting purposes with a group of juniors with hopes that some will seek employment with the hospital after their 2025 graduation. The hospital's chief operating officer, Jeanie Gentry, wanted to let the future...
While many school board members ran unopposed in this month's school district elections, voters in Plains and Noxon chose school board members on Tuesday, and voters in Hot Springs and Plains made decisions on levies. Hot Springs School District voters passed a levy increase of $183,000 for general operation and maintenance. The issue passed with 149 voting for it and 146 voting against. Plains residents voted down an additional $100,000 levy for maintenance and operations, specifically for...
The new state Senator for District 7 is no stranger to the job. Greg Hinkle of Thompson Falls last week was appointed to serve the remainder of Bob Brown's term in the state senate. Hinkle previously served as Senator in the district from 2009 through 2012. Commissioners from Missoula, Flathead, Mineral and Sanders counties voted almost unanimously last week to appoint Hinkle to Brown's open Senate seat. Gov. Greg Gianforte appointed Brown director of the Montana Lottery earlier this year....
The Sanders County Commissioners last week denied a request to have voters decide on changing ballots in Sanders County elections. On Thursday, Republican state Rep. Paul Fielder of Thompson Falls asked the Sanders County Commissioners to let voters decide whether they wanted candidates for local offices to designate a party for ballots. "We all want the voters to have more info about candidates to have more information to vote," Fielder said, adding that the issue is something that he's been...
A couple weeks ago, I wrote on the lost art of communication. It seems more arguing gets done during some public meetings than actual work. Last week as citizens and commissioners debated the issue of whether or not to have local candidates list political party affiliation on ballots, there was productive discourse and it gave me hope. Jim Elliott of Trout Creek and Greg Hinkle of Thompson Falls, who historically identify with opposite political parties, weren’t so divided in that meeting. A long-time Republican and a long-time Democrat had a...
After having unloaded all my farm equipment from the railcar that had brought it from my late father’s farm back east and knowing that I had come to the right part of the world when Dude and Shorty, who had helped me unload it, looked at the wheels on my hay wagon and pronounced them “high-speed” because they actually had ball bearings instead of old-fashioned babbitt bearings, I felt accepted by my new neighbors. A person with less class than Shorty and Dude might have rightly said, “What...
4 YEARS AGO • MAY 17, 1984 GOVERNOR PROPOSED SIX COUNTY WILD AREAS Six roadless areas in Sanders County national forest lands have been recommended by Governor Ted Schwinden to Congress for designation to the Federal Wilderness System. Of the six areas in Sanders County, four areas are additions to the established Cabinet Mountains Wilderness and two others - Scotchman Peaks and Cube Iron - would constitute new wilderness. Sanders County areas recommended for wilderness status in addition to the 45,115-acre Scotchman Peaks are: Lolo Forest -...
HANNAH WARNES, Plains - “I watched the 150th anniversary of the derby Saturday. I enjoy watching but because it lasts so long before the main race, I fell asleep.” ABIGAIL BAUER, Plains - “I like watching the horses race.” CHARI WIPPLINGER, Plains - “I do not watch the derby usually. We watch a lot of nascar.” TIM WEST, Plains - “I don’t have any interest in watching the derby horse races.” REBECCA HAMILTON, Plains - “I like watching the Kentucky Derby because I like seeing all the beautiful horses.” O’HALLY UZETA, Sandpoint, Idaho - “I u...
Ambulance: Plains, 10; T. Falls, 7; Trout Creek, 3; Noxon, 2; Hot Springs, 1; Heron, 1; Dixon, 1. Monday, April 29 Business contact, Hot Springs. Suspicious activity, Plains. Inmate transport, T. Falls. General animal call/complaint, Plains. Welfare check, T. Falls. Suspicious activity, Trout Creek. Request for welfare check, Trout Creek. Road hazard/blockage, Trout Creek. Automated alarm call, T. Falls. Request for welfare check, Paradise. Civil standby, T. Falls. Suspicious activity, T. Falls. Suspicious activity. Automated alarm call,...
Montana Highway Patrol Vernon Ferrel, 63, operating without liability insurance, 1st offense, $85. Frank Boushie, 80, speeding in a restricted zone, $95. Gary Damschen, 74, day speeding, $20. Kristiann Smucker, 28, day speeding, $200, deferred imposition of sentence. Vasiliy Trotskiy, 48, speeding in a restricted zone, $85. William Beckner, 72, seatbelt violation, $20. Jesse Cummings, 24, seatbelt violation, $20. Fred Fisher, 74, seatbelt violation, $20. Lawrence Fulford, 67, seatbelt violation, $20. Anthony Gannarelli, 51, seatbelt violation,...
The K-8 school of Trout Creek had a busy spring with students attending the national Archery competition, as well as in-school activities. The sixth through eighth grade students have been busy working on a special woodworking project that began months ago. Rochelle Dickson's class has had the privilege of learning the art of woodworking from local toy maker Gayle Seekins. Seekins said he has worked with kids for over 30 years. He is retired and spends his time making toys to sell at events such...
Thompson Falls High School and junior high students received an education in the dangers of vaping from Dr. Beth Dominicis, the state Office of Public Instruction's (OPI) health care provider. She presents Tobacco Use Prevention Education assemblies around the state of Montana to junior high and high school students. "Knowledge is power. There is a lot of misinformation out there regarding vaping and smoking," Dominicis told the students. Nicotine use is the cause of 480,000 deaths a year. But...
Noxon School Seniors High Honor Roll: Maygan Swanson, Mia Vogel, Jillian Shell, Samuel Christensen, Maria Pelobello. Honor Roll: Shamus Wheeldon, Kaelene Kelly, Owen Ramsey, Patience Morris. Juniors High Honor Roll: Ian Brown, Isabella Buchanan, Chance McDaid, Marianna Herra, Nathan Hutfles, DJ Ringleka, Zachary Storaasli, Gage Todd, Haylee Wiedeman, Ricky Williams. Honor ROll: Shane Murray, Emma Swanson, Elizabeth Vehar, Lottie Williams. Sophomores High Honor Roll: John Cooper, Finn Duffy, Elloria Jensen, Bran Parrish, Fletcher Segura. Honor...
A handful of people went to the Sanders County Fairgrounds last Monday to sift through the dirt in an effort to clear the arena of foreign objects - especially metal ones - before the high school rodeo in May. The cleanup was led by Kristy Sheehan, the fairgrounds manager, and Jolene Burke of Chase N Three Productions, a barrel racing clinic and a Plains resident who last month brought the problem of dangerous items buried just below the surface in the arena to the fair board. At that time, she...
Rodney K. Johnson, a lifelong Polson, Montana, resident, left his earthly boundaries on April 10, 2024, at Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane, Washington, surrounded by family after complications of rheumatoid arthritis and a stroke. Rod was born in Polson on January 20, 1955, to Blanche and Keith Johnson, brothers Paul and Kevin, and sister Lauren. Rod felt very blessed to grow up in Polson and Lake County, fishing on Flathead Lake, hunting at the Thompson River family cabin, and later joining... Full story
Area clergy and community members joined in welcoming Pastor Patricia Harant (front) as she was installed as the new pastor of First Lutheran Church in Plains and Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Thompson Falls last Sunday. The installation was led by Pastor Brenda Frelsi, Associate to the Bishop of the Montana Synod of the ELCA....
The GFWC Thompson Falls Woman’s Club annual Pinochle Marathon ended in April, with Joni Mosher and Cathy Mills being crowned the winners with a total of 40,790 points. In second place was Mosher and Jim Hurst with 40,390, and third place went to Pinkie Nelson and Joyce Hilt with 40,110 points. Three teams had 1500 trump throughout the eight-month competition, including Mosher and Hurst in October, Wendy Kelley and Patty Coe in November and Cheryl Godfrey and Patty Hopkins in December. Five teams were lucky enough to get 1000 aces, including Cla...
Judges for this year's Montana Woodcarvers Association Show in Missoula spent almost four hours going over 202 pieces to select the best of the best. Three of the four judges this year are Plains residents - Kristen Cole, Ilene Paulsen and Rita Rothlisberger - along with Carolyn Majors of Stevensville. Fifty-eight carvers participated in the show, including Plains residents Scott Johnson, Janet and Dave Brandon, Darrell Sorenson, Karen and Sean Ryan, and Heather Allen. Even though there were...
People will get the opportunity to see the talents of the Plains High School art students and even obtain some of their work. The Plains High School Exhibition 2024 will take place next week in the Opportunity Room in the elementary gymnasium with a reception taking place on Monday, May 13, from 6-8 p.m. There will be refreshments. The show will also be available for viewing during school hours on Tuesday and Wednesday. People will be able to see quality artwork from talented high school students, said Kristen Cole, the school’s art teacher. T...
The Conservation Districts of Sanders County are offering free pollinator plot seed to support pollinator habitat in your own backyard. Not only will this seed mix provide beautiful flowers and other native plant species, it will also increase pollinator habitat in Sanders County. Pollinators are very busy creatures, but even amid this hustle and bustle, they are providing vital ecosystem services to plants and humans alike. They have a large economic benefit to the agricultural industry, since pollination is not possible without them. If you...
Fresh off some home wins, the Thompson Falls Lady Hawks crushed Florence 4-0 on Monday evening, improving their reacord to 14-3. It was the eighth straight win for the mighty Hawks. Thompson Falls added another Pirk's Place win after defeating the Plains Trotters 13-3 on Thursday. Olivia Fitchett stepped on the mound first for the Hawks, walking the first batter, then striking out the next three with no hits. At the bottom of the first, Thompson was able to get on the board after Gabi Hannum...
The Noxon-Thompson Falls co-op baseball team added another win to their season, defeating St. Ignatius-Arlee 6-5 at home last Thursday. The Red Devils were able to keep St. Ignatius runless in the first inning, while St. Ignatius was able to pitch a three-person no-hit strikeout. St. Ignatius got on the board in the top of the second inning, after two walks scored a run, and a single scored two runs. Noxon would remain scoreless in the bottom of the second. The Devils were able to take the lead...
It was another weekend filled with impressive track and field but first eight athletes from Thompson Falls and one from Hot Springs took to the John Cheek Top Eight in Missoula. From Thompson Falls. Braxton Dorscher earned a time of 12 seconds for his 100 meter race. He would go on to take sixth place for his long jump of 18 feet, 5 inches. Cael Thilmony raced the 1600 meters, earning a time of 5 minutes, 9 seconds, and would go on to take third place for his stunning 3200 meter time of 11:28....
While Thompson Falls and Plains were at Archie Roe, Noxon and Hot Springs were at KLH invite in Missoula competing with 20 other schools. Savage Heat David Chapman finished the 100 meter race in 11.92 seconds, Samson Jakabosky had a 13.34, Calvin Timmer a 13.72, and Robert Setters a 14.45. Chapman would go on to race in the 200 meters earning a time of 24.15, followed by Jakabosky in 27.33, Wyatt Campbell in 28.39, and Setters in 30.54. Wesley Adams took third place in the 800 meters with his ti...
Thompson Falls golfers had a chance to compete last Tuesday at the JV invite at the old nine at Polson Golf Course, hosted by Two Eagle River School. The course offered a great starter course for the new golfers. They would only finish a nine-hole round but grew and learned from the experience, said Hawk Coach Doree Thilmony. The JV golfers had another invite hosted by Deer Lodge on Thursday, where they were able to finish 15 holes. The JV golfers include Ella Johnson, Weston Block, Jaden...
