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It took 13 years of studying, reading, writing, figuring, and testing, but as of Sunday, they are free of high school, although for most of the graduates, the grind of learning continues, and it was a special graduation for a student who missed his time on the stage 52 years ago. Plains High School counselor Tyrel Allen presented Patrick Cleveland with the diploma he should have received in 1972. Cleveland needed only three credits and was only months short of graduation when he quit and enliste...
High school graduation was a historical event for the 24 students who received their diplomas from Plains High School last week, but it was also a different kind of history for graduate Brenden Vanderwall. The 17-year-old Vanderwall is the last student that left Paradise Elementary School before it closed its doors in 2013, when he was merely a first grade student. His older brother, Josiah, attended Paradise School from kindergarten to sixth grade, and older brother Conrad went through the...
Volunteer Mindy Ferrell (left) hugs Renee Kovarik as they place flags on the gravesites of veterans at the Whitepine Cemetery on Friday. The cemetery will hold their traditional Memorial Day service Thursday at 7 p.m....
A constant chilling rain didn't keep a group of military veterans from recognizing the past service of their fellow comrades in arms by placing an American flag at the gravesites of veterans who have passed away. "I see a lot of names that I knew when they were alive. A lot of good friends here," said Leyland "Butch" Murdock, one of 10 veterans that helped with the flags at Plains Cemetery last Wednesday. Each year, members of Horse Plains VFW Post 3596 place a small U.S. flag at the gravesite...
June 1 marks seven years since I bought The Ledger. On June 1, 2017, I walked in The Ledger and then owners Tom and Bina Eggensperger announced to the staff - many who I had worked with when I was in high school - that I had bought the business. It was the scariest and most exciting day of my life. I've worked at newspapers in some capacity since I was 15. Even when my career path ventured into other industries, I worked as a freelance journalist. Owning a business and being responsible for information that goes out to a whole county, as well a...
Annie, My name is Linda Weygint. I presented the Budget on May 14 at the Rex. My main reason for this presentation was to bring "awareness" to the citizens of their Constitutional Rights as afforded to them by the Constitution of the State of Montana ....Right to Participation, Right to Know and Freedom of Speech. I had tried on more than one occasion to exercise these rights at City Council meetings. I have met with Mayor Rusti and City Clerk Chelsea and had a very productive and positive meeting on May 22. City Hall was well aware of this...
Bruce Springsteen recorded “57 Channels and Nothin’ On” in 1992. We’ve made incredible — ahem — “progress” since. Thirty-two years later, there are over 100 networks, some of which broadcast on multiple channels; giving us so many choices that even the internet doesn’t know how many we have. In fact, the internet is home to its very own channels. Not all channels come with advertising, but most do. Vehicles that make your neighbors jealous while making you, your kids and your pets ecstatic — and improve your sex life. Drugs for every ailment k...
8 YEARS AGO • MAY 24, 1944 HIT OR MISS Running a newspaper is getting to be a tougher job every year. Part of the reason is bookkeeping. Years ago when we first started in we didn’t have to keep books. Whatever we took in we threw in the jack-pot, and then kept drawing out of the pot until it was empty. Of course most of the time the pot was empty, but we didn’t have to make any accounting. Now it is different - every dime you take in you have to keep a record of for income tax deduction purposes. No ifs, ands or buts! At that our recor...
JOHN McNAMARA, Plains - “My summer project is planting cut flowers, such as dahlias and ranunculus, and hundreds of others.” RIA BUGNATTO, Trout Creek - “We are planning to plant the pollinator seeds as well as perennials and annuals in planters and pots.” DILLON MARTINI, Plains - “I’m looking to put in pollinating plots, expand my gardens, and get back into shape by gardening and bike riding to prepare for a goat hunt with my dad.” CARISSA McNAMARA, Plains - “I will be planting lavender fields to harvest and distill, and growing a veget...
Ambulance: Hot Springs, 5; Plains, 5; T. Falls, 5; Paradise, 2; Trout Creek, 1; Dixon, 1. Monday, May 20 Civil attempts. Theft, Heron. Business contact, Hot Springs. Business contact, Hot Springs. Civil attempts. Assault. Business contact, Hot Springs. Request for welfare check, Trout Creek. Other law violations, Plains. Phone related complaint, Plains. Suspicious activity, Plains. Civil attempts. Other law violations, T. Falls. Suspicious activity, Plains. Tuesday, May 21 General animal call/complaint. Disturbance, T. Falls. Civil attempts....
Montana Highway Patrol James Zitting, 57, careless driving, $85; operating with expired registration, $75. Christopher Burrell, 71, seatbelt violation, $20. George Machado, 44, driving while privilege to do so is suspended/revoked, 1st offense, $285. Daniel Brown, 67, seatbelt violation, $20. Ronald Noel, 64, failure to carry/exhibit proof of insurance in vehicle, 1st offense, $85; seatbelt violation, $20. Terry Smith, 22, failure to carry/exhibit proof of insurance in vehicle, 2nd offense, $85; seatbelt violation, $20. Rodney Foster, 70,...
Justin John Mielke appeared before Judge Molly Owen on Tuesday for an initial appearance on new charges, as well as a petition to revoke probation for a previous case that he was sentenced for in April. Mielke entered not guilty pleas to a felony count of criminal possession of dangerous drugs and two misdemeanor counts of criminal possession of drug paraphernalia and driving under the influence, first offense. Mielke also entered his general denials to the revocation allegations, which stem from the new charges he faces. According to the filed...
Nearly 50 community members gathered for a Memorial Day ceremony at the Noxon park on Monday. The event was led by members of the Cabinet Mountain VFW Post 5556. Following a welcome by Post Commander Gary Searle and a prayer by chaplain Leo Winburn, the VFW welcomed state Sen. Greg Hinkle as their guest speaker. "When we think of Memorial Day, I look back on things like the beaches of Normandy and the jungles of Vietnam," said Hinkle, whose father was a World War II veteran. "A lot of men knew...
A Plains man was part of a nationwide observance to remember the lost men and women of the armed forces who gave their lives in the service of their country. Retired Air Force veteran Tom Bushlen participated in "Taps Across America" at the McGowan Grocery parking lot on Memorial Day by playing "Taps" on the euphonium. "I'm doing this to honor the servicemen and servicewomen who sacrificed their lives for our country," said the 74-year-old Bushlen, who served in the Air Force for 17 years, inclu...
Members of the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) gathered at Fred Young Park in Plains Saturday to talk about fire prevention and some were doused in the process. "It's important to get the word out about what DNRC can do for the community," said Jase Sorenson, the department's Fire Adaptive Community Coordinator. Some 40 people showed up for the Wildfire Awareness Month Meet & Greet, where 10 DNRC firefighters met with the public. This was the first time that the...
Thompson Falls first-grade students traveled all over town last week for their annual scavenger hunt. The day started with a field trip to the Thompson Falls Airport (above). Pilots Dan Schulz, Dan Normandeau and Bob Rice talked to the class about flying, showed off their airplanes and a flight simulator and explained how to build an airplane, then took a parent for a ride. The scavenger hunt took the classes to nine different locations, including Farmhouse Blooms, The Ledger, city hall,...
The Plains School gymnasium was packed with family and friends for the Elementary Spring Concert "Good Vibes" last Tuesday. "The students performed exceptionally," said Kevin Meredith, the elementary school principal for the last three years. Meredith guessed that there were more than 450 spectators at the concert, which lasted nearly two hours. Meredith believed there were around 300 people in the second half of the concert to view the upper grades. The concert kicked off with the 29...
The Thompson Falls fourth graders were treated to a poetry writing coach from Missoula during a 12-week session. Alicia Watkinson from the Missoula Writing Collaborative came to the school each week to teach students about poetry and coach them in their writing experiences. This is the first year that teachers Sarah Naegeli and Amy Gilbert have had the opportunity for a professional poet to spend time with their students teaching them the art of writing poetry. At the end of the twelve weeks...
On Saturday, May 11, 2024, Carroll College conferred degrees on 265 graduates of the class of 2024 during its 114th commencement ceremony. Among the graduates were Josey Neesvig of Trout Creek, who received a degree in Health Sciences. Audrey Brown of Plains received a degree in Anthrozoology and graduated Magna Cum Laude, achieving a cumulative grade point average of 3.70-3.89....
At the University of Montana, nearly 2,600 undergraduate students made the spring semester 2024 Dean’s List or President’s 4.0 List. To qualify, students must be undergraduates, earn a semester GPA of 3.5 or higher and receive grades of A or B in at least nine credits. The students on the linked lists below made UM’s spring semester 2024 Dean’s List or the President’s 4.0 List. Double asterisks after a name indicate the student earned a 4.0 GPA. A single asterisk indicates a GPA greater than 3.5 but less than 4.0. DIXON: Owen Baty**, Tyler Ror...
Anne Marie Gebhardt was born on July 22, 1925, in Rugby, North Dakota. Anne left us on March 6, 2024, from congestive heart failure. She had resided in Nine Mile Falls, Washington, just north of Spokane, at the Sundance Meadows gated community since 2003. Anne, together with her husband Allen and four children, moved to Plains, Montana, in 1957. She resided there, and later in Trout Creek, Thompson Falls and Florence, until 2003 when she moved to Washington state after Allen passed away in... Full story
April 25, 1958 - May 5, 2024 Robert was born in Sandpoint, Idaho, to Bob and Barbara Reeser. He was a lifelong resident of Thompson Falls. He joined his dad in the logging business and later owned his own skidder. As a young man, he was an avid hunter and knew the mountains in the area like the back of his hand after many years of elk, deer, and bear hunting. His passion was fishing, and he could be found up and down the Clark Fork River catching bass, trout, and his favorite, Northern Pike. He... Full story
6-3-1929 - 4-14-2024 After living a full life, Edward Eugene Risbon passed away on April 14, 2024, at his home in Salmon surrounded by the love of his family. Edward, known affectionately as Gene, was born on June 3, 1929, in Arapaho, Colorado, to Gilbert and Birdine Risbon. He was raised alongside his four sisters: Margie, Ilene, Addeline and Pat. He grew up in Thompson Falls, Montana, where he would graduate from high school, and began his career at the sawmill before joining the U.S. Army...
Proud parents Luke and Stephanie Fuhrman are happy to announce the birth of their son, Konrich Joel Fuhrman. Konrich was born April 28, 2024, at Camp Pendleton, California. Ecstatic grandparents are Konrich and Cheri Fuhrman of Thompson Falls, Montana, and Rudy and Rosa Hernandez of Oceanside, California. Uncles Gage Fuhrman and Rudy Hernandez are also thrilled to welcome baby Konrich into the world. We love you little man!...
Scott Pardee (from left), Easton Deal and Jay Deal of Thompson Falls participated in the Lake Koocanusa fishing derby recently with Captain Curt Kegel. The group missed placing in the top six by just two ounces....