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Independently owned since 1905
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Organizers of Plains Beautification Day were happy to see so many volunteers show up for the semiannual cleanup on Saturday. Only a week earlier, they had only about a dozen people signed up to help with the event, but 36 men, women and children showed at the start and they just kept coming throughout the morning capping at 52, including a youth group from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Plains. "We had way more people show up than we thought. I was pleasantly surprised,"...
The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) and Frontier West are resuming work on the bridge that carries Secondary Highway 382 (S 382) over the Flathead River near Perma this week, weather and other factors permitting. Planned work for this construction season includes removing and replacing the pavement on the bridge approaches, upgrading guardrail, painting portions of the steel structure, installing advance warning rumble strips and signage, and applying final pavement markings. Traffic...
It was rainy Sunday afternoon, but there was joy and energy in the Noxon High School gymnasium as friends, family, and former classmates gathered to honor the 15 students in the graduating class of 2024. Superintendent Dave Whitesell started off the speeches, saying high school is much like building a bridge. "You build a bridge to have connections, to gain progress and of course to get to the other side," he said. He then asked the seniors to be "bridge fixers," strengthening their bridges for...
The community of Hot Springs showed up to support the LaRue Hot Springs Museum on Saturday at the museum's annual fundraiser. This year, the LaRue hosted a "Rock and Roast" at the museum, located along Highway 77 as you enter Hot Springs. While previous fundraisers have been held at the Hot Springs Senior Center, museum curator Sher Loberg said the board chose to host the fundraiser at the museum to allow the community to see the updated displays. Loberg has been involved with the museum for thr...
More than 200 young cowboys and cowgirls converged on the Sanders County Fairgrounds last weekend to show their meddle on horseback for the Montana High School Association rodeo competition, including a handful of local youth. Three Thompson Falls and two Hot Springs kids participated in the two-day event put on by the Northwest Montana Rodeo Club of Kalispell. This was the first time the organization has utilized the Sanders County Fairgrounds, according to club official Sue Cheff, who added...
I attended a forum last Tuesday called "Sanders County Talks". The forum, on flyers posted throughout town, was billed as "an engaging community event where facts meet discussion." In attendance were more than 90 community members in person and another couple dozen via Zoom. Presenters talked about their issues with local government. One presenter gave information about how a budget works and what information should be included with a budget or financial report. I attend nearly every city council meeting and many of the meetings with the Sander...
The furor over immigration is an issue that won’t go away – can’t go away – because once it does it will no longer provide political ammunition for Republicans to use against the Democratic Party. The easiest way for Republicans to win politically on that issue is to propose solutions that – at least to Democrats – defy logic and are unrealistic. Why? Because Democrats are suckers for logic and reject solutions that don’t make sense “logically”. Years of failure by Democrats to deal with thei...
I was a part-time resident of Plains for 15 years, and now full time for the last two. Over the years, I have had the pleasure of getting to know reporter/photographer, Ed Moreth. I am writing this letter to share what a remarkable man Ed is and he is a great representative of the Ledger. I have been interviewed by Ed several times and present at many events that he has covered. Ed is always polite, respectful, and professional. He really cares about his community and the stories he writes. Ed is well known throughout the town of Plains and...
Better late than never! I hope that I am one of many senior citizens who thank all the great, caring people who volunteered hours and hard work cleaning up yards during Beautification Days. I very much appreciated being one of the persons on their list. I sincerely thank everyone from the coordinators to the volunteers who raked my leaves. I am most grateful. Carol Baylor, Thompson Falls...
THE HOT CORNER BUSINESS IN DOWNTOWN THOMPSON FALLS Compiled by Patrick J. Sullivan A corner lot on Railroad Avenue, now known as Main Street or Highway 200, across from the railroad depot is possibly the most continuously occupied business space in Thompson Falls. The corner first hosted the two-story Harrison Hotel, a wooden building, during the prospector boom days of 1884 known as the "Coeur d'Alene excitement." Dr. E. Peek arrived in Trout Creek in 1901 and by 1905 had also opened a drug...
DALLAS BERMAN, Thompson Falls - “I plan to spend time with family and BBQ while enjoying the extra day off.” RODNEY HARMON, Thompson Falls - “Spend time with the people who are here and remember those who are no longer with us. Those family and friends who’ve passed.” JENNY YODER, Thompson Falls - “I plan to spend the weekend at a ladies retreat with friends, then alone on Monday enjoying nature.” TROY ASHCRAFT, Thompson Falls - “On two wheels.” KATE COTTINGHAM, Thompson Falls - “I plan on spending Memorial weekend on two wheels, 500 miles o...
Ambulance: T. Falls, 6; Plains, 5; Hot Springs, 4; Trout Creek, 2; Heron, 1; Noxon, 1; Dixon, 1. Monday, May 13 Trespass, T. Falls. Motor vehicle crash, Plains. Threats, Plains. Civil attempts. USFS campground check, Trout Creek. Automated alarm call, Heron. Civil attempts. General animal call/complaint, T. Falls. Livestock, Hot Springs. USFS campground check. Civil attempts. USFS campground check, Trout Creek. Automated alarm call, Plains. Fire, Lonepine. Fire, Hot Springs. Suicide attempts/threats, Heron. Intoxicated subject, Hot Springs....
Montana Highway Patrol Tyler Schaefer, 30, careless driving, $135. Robert Swanson, 66, speeding in a restricted zone, $95. Timothy Bibler, 53, seatbelt violation, $20; speeding in a restricted zone, $65. Michael Hicks, 35, speeding in a restricted zone, $95. Marcus Sickels, 33, seatbelt violation, $20. Timothy Koll, 47, speeding in a restricted zone, $85. William Starkey, 67, speeding in a restricted zone, $85. Lindsey Heape, 18, day speeding, $70. Michael Crawford, 64, speeding in a restricted zone, $85. Susan Gordee, 62, day speeding, $70....
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks continues to work on a multi-year project in the Lower Clark Fork near Noxon in Sanders County to better understand what is influencing elk populations. Crews are currently focused on capturing and collaring wildlife, including elk, with GPS radio collars to track their movements, help evaluate population numbers, and identify the different causes of elk mortalities. As part of the project, a helicopter crew will be flying over forestlands between Thompson Falls and the Montana-Idaho border from May 23-June 7 to...
by Ed Moreth An avid model train man donated one of his favorite sets to the Paradise Center's railroad display room and has become the newest member of the Paradise Center Railroad Club. Bill Beck donated a set of three engines and a dozen cars to the Paradise Center on Friday afternoon, when he delivered the set to Mac Hall, who heads the railroad display. Hall built a 22-foot shelf for the set. The 83-year-old Beck bought the set for around $900 some nine years ago, which depicts the...
Francios Comunetti from Trout Creek has started an exercise routine for men. He conducts his class every Friday at 4 p.m. in the Whitepine Grange building. "I started the classes to give men a way to exercise on their own schedule," Comunetti said. Participants can learn the full-length routine on Fridays and then adapt it to fit their own schedule at home. Comunetti's class is a half hour to 45 minutes long but he says daily workouts at home are only five to 20 minutes long for him. "I want men...
Thompson Falls elementary kindergarten and first grade classes had a zoo exhibit in their classrooms on Wednesday. Each class had its own theme. Julie Detlaff had a safari of animals presented by her kindergarteners and Amber Yates' kindergarten class had an aquarium themed room of ocean life. The first graders made animals at home and wrote reports at school for their presentations. Lindsey Franklin had insects filling her insectarium class room, while Samantha Varner's students had representat...
Julian Keeney - Plains High School by Kristen Cole, Art Teacher Jullian Keeney, a 16-year-old sophomore at Plains High School, has been making art all her life. Her parents describe her drawing at such a young age that she does not even recall it. She was fascinated with drawing birds, horses, and cats. She says she would draw and scribble on almost anything she could find, including the walls of her house. Keeney's mother was an early influence on her artistic talents, so drawing on anything...
After the weekend barbecues, after the boats are launched for the season, after the sunburn and Beer…. it’s time to observe the “real” Memorial Day on its originally intended date: May 30. For decades, the “community” of Whitepine has held a traditional Memorial Day observance ceremony at Whitepine Cemetery every May 30. This was the date established at the start of it all, back in 1868, when Civil War General John Logan issued a “Memorial Day Order” proclaiming May 30 as Decoration Day. It was a day to honor the soldiers who had died in com...
The Sanders County Aquatic Invasive Plants (AIP) IP Task Force oversees treatment of Eurasian Watermilfoil (EWM) in Noxon and Cabinet Gorge reservoirs each year. Last year, the task force treated a total of 109 acres of EWM infestations: 93 acres over seven plots in Noxon and 16 acres over three plots in Cabinet Gorge. “We used a combination of two contact herbicides: diquat and flumioxazin. This is the first year we’ve used flumi and did so at the suggestion of our Scientific Advisory Panel. Switching up the herbicides every so often hel...
SOLUTIONS ACROSS 1. MADMAN 7. EDD 10. ATONABLE 12. CLAN 13. PROSTATE 14. CAECA 15. OIDIA 16. ONCE 17. STP 18. SNOT 19. SHOD 21. ATE 22. RELOCATE 27. MO 28. MICHAEL JORDAN 33. AH 34. FASTENED 36. PRE 37. CAGE 38. COLD 39. GAB 40. GAGE 41. ABORT 44. PARES 45. PERSONAE 48. CLAY 49. SANCTUMS 50. TAT 51. TRAITS SOLUTIONS DOWN 1. MOOD 2. ANSI 3. DATA 4. MBA 5. ALT 6. NEE 7. ELECT 8. DACE 9. DNA 10. APOTHEM 11. TRIPOLI 12. CANOE 14. CONTORT 17. SSR 18. SAMOS 20. DOC 23. CHARLES 24. AAHED 25. TE 26. ELF 29. JA 30. DEC 31. ANAGRAM 32. NEGATES 35. DEB...
May 13, 1952 - May 1, 2024 Debbie was born May 13, 1952 in Flint, Michigan, to Bob and Virginia Rock. Bob and Ginny met when they were just 15 and stayed sweethearts until their deaths much later on. Debbie was the oldest of six kids, and they grew up camping, fishing, hunting, snowmobile riding and everything outdoors. They were gardeners and hunters, mushroom finders and flower growers. Debbie graduated Valedictorian of her class in 1969 from Alpena High School in Michigan. She married Jerry...
The annual Plains Day festivities are fast approaching with traditional as well as new activities planned for the June 1 event, once again being sponsored by the Free Americans with Blair Blizzard at the helm. “This Plains Day will be full of fun and off the charts comparatively,” said Blizzard, who helped with coordination efforts last year and is looking forward to putting out a spectacular festival. “That will be my payday, seeing the smiles on peoples faces. That is what spurs me on with the coordinating of it,” said Blizzard. New this ye...
Greetings, fellow travelers! I'm thrilled to introduce myself as your local travel advisor and the new writer for the Ledger's travel column, "Let's Talk Travel". My husband and I moved to Trout Creek a few years ago, and we love calling it our full-time home. In March 2023, I purchased the travel agency with our son, and we are proud to be a Veteran Owned Business. Even before becoming a resident, I was an avid subscriber to the Ledger. Interestingly, my dad, Blaine Blackstone, also had a column here for a while! I'm excited to contribute...
Photo by Rachel Largent The arena at the Sanders County Fairgrounds got a makeover last Monday as county crews scooped up soil and poured it through a sifter to break up clods and remove rocks in preparation for the summer events. "Sanders County is doing the work, thanks to Rick Sanders," said Rachel Largent with the Sanders County Fair....
