Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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by John Hamilton When it comes to wildfire, complacency is the enemy; and the makings of another hot fire season seem to be in place. With the memory of the last two fire seasons in Sanders County freshly burned into our thoughts – who can forget about the Copper King Fire which burned over 25,000 acres in 2016 or the Highway 200 complex of blazes that burned at least twice that amount of ground in this area last year – local fire control officials are sounding the alarm early about the prospects for wildfire in 2018. “The weather patte...
In addition to independence and freedom, safety and festivities will be a part of the county’s Independence Day celebrations. As in years past, the ban on fireworks in Thompson Falls is in effect, but consumer pyrotechnics are still welcomed one day a year at Wild Goose Landing along the reservoir. This lift on the ban is specific to that area only and ignition is only allowed from 7 p.m. until midnight. Safety and common sense are encouraged as the limited space in the area becomes quite populated. Plains also has a restriction on f...
A heard of cow elk and their calves gathered for a play date in a field at Salish Shores east of Thompson Falls on Tuesday. The elk live in the area year-round, offering ample elk-watching opportunities to visitors and residents....
It is said that cats are connoisseurs of comfort. If so, a new cat abode will likely be known as "the cat's meow." Thompson River Animal Care Shelter (TRACS) suffered a blow when the building housing felines caught fire last year. Although insurance kicked in to help, it wasn't nearly enough to cover the logistics of caring for the cats at a separate location and the additional wrenches thrown in the routines of staff and volunteers at the shelter. With fundraising down for the year, TRACS...
Clark Fork Valley Hospital (CFVH) President and CEO Dr. Greg Hanson highlighted updates at the hospital during the June meeting of the Thompson Falls Chamber of Commerce last week. Hanson gave a presentation to the group about the hospital's current services, new providers, financial information, services that are coming to an end and projects and happenings of 2018. Dr. Hanson also went over what CFVH needs that will help to continue its great service to the community. Clark Fork Valley...
“It’s hit and miss ‘round these parts.” That should be the disclaimer given to outside musicians looking to book a gig in this county. The Rex Theatre in Thompson Falls has seen acts with standing room only and standing ovations, when organizers weren’t sure they could make enough to pay the act – only to have the performer return to less-than-mediocre attendance. It has also seen a nearly empty theater for acts that would have appealed to the majority of the county. When guitarist Mike Beck played the Rex last weekend and recounted h...
The proposed Republican budget for 2019 is being formulated and there are some serious cuts that should disturb many Americans. Slowly but surely those government programs that help people in very real ways are being decimated by Republicans running the country: Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security. Make no mistake about my feelings. I know that they have every right to do this; it is a part of their philosophy, it has been their stated objective for years, and they are in charge. They have...
Senator Steve Daines will be celebrating in Russia as the guest of Vladimir Putin, as reported by news outlets and confirmed by his office. If you aren’t part of that entourage, consider coming to Noxon. We start the day with a Fun Run and a pancake breakfast at the Senior Citizen center sponsored by the VFW. There is a parade down Noxon Avenue, where floats toss candy to the kids and families lined up along the route. Throughout the day there are activities like turtle races, horseshoes, and even chicken poop bingo (I’ve got square #7). Ple...
I have been fielding a number of questions from local folks about the drawdown of the reservoir behind our dam here in Thompson Falls. I fully understand the concern and the questions so I wanted to explain how we managed the high flows this spring and what we have planned for the near future. In May, with extremely high flows and large amounts of debris and logs coming down the Clark Fork, we were forced to release a number of steel spillway beams to allow the larger volume of water, debris and logs to pass safely through the dam. With flows...
17 YEARS AGO • JULY 3, 1929 FRED SYMES PURCHASES THE FRANK RICHARDS HOLDING AT HOT SPRINGS, MONTANA New $50,000 Hotel To Be Built – Also $10,000 Up-To-Date Bath House According to information received here today, Fred Symes of Hot Springs has completed a real estate deal in that city whereby he becomes the owner of the Frank Richards holdings which consists of about 200 lots and the famous Lemeraux Springs. According to our informant, immediate steps will be taken to build a new $50,000 modern resort hotel and $10,000 bath house and to dev...
LOUIS RENDA (here visiting family) – “I had a cat named Pumpkin. She was a very smart cat, very affectionate. My cat and I understood each other. When I told him to do something, he’d do it. He recently died. I miss him.” KEITH SHANKLIN, Thompson Falls – “My dog. I called him Denny. I got him when my dad was working on the Cody dam in Wyoming. He went everywhere with us. He finally passed away. He was one smart dog… just a wild breed.” ALLISON HODGES, Noxon – “My dog named Lucky. He’s my friend and a great companion though he eats rats....
Sunday, June 17 Son-in-law called to say he was on his way over to drive his truck through the house, Heron. Cows on road, Paradise. Commercial alarm set off, Trout Creek. Three missing goats. Caller would like to talk to an officer about someone who has been stealing from him, Plains. Vehicle broke down, mm 33, I-90. Welfare check requested, Plains. White suburban with WA plates swerving all over road, Paradise. Caller found knife on mantel outside door, believes it was a threat, Hot Springs. Dog at large, T. Falls. Vehicle broke down, stuck a...
In 20th District Judicial Court on Tuesday, Delbert Lee Bennett pleaded not guilty to felony assault with a weapon. Court documents allege that on May 29, Bennett confronted a man in the parking lot of Harvest Foods of Thompson Falls. The Sanders County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call reporting a man had just pulled a knife and put it to another man’s throat while in the parking lot. Surveillance video reviewed by SCSO showed Bennett following a man out of the store, then he forced the victim up against his truck and held a knife to...
Sanders County Sheriff’s Office Joshua Scott Bland, 26, day speeding, $20. No liability insurance, 2nd offence, $85. Andrea Beth Hoell, 39, day speeding, $20. Carson Mccarthy Bryant, 33, speeding in restricted zone, $55. Thais E. Reed, 21, night speeding, $20. Lucas Thorson Comerford, 16, speeding in restricted zone, $65. Dixie Holm, 20, speeding in restricted zone, $55. Montana Highway Patrol Cody Allan Allestad, 26, child under 6 years / 60 lbs. not properly restrained, $100. Kurt J. Kollman, 55, speeding in restricted zone, $55. Kent T...
Cloudy skies and a few raindrops didn't stop teams such as the Cornstars, Cornholios and Dirt Bags from a cornhole showdown for a worthy cause. Project ASCENT, a nonprofit based out of Thompson Falls that offers outdoor educational opportunities for kids, held their first annual Think Outside! cornhole tournament last Saturday. The organization hosted 28 teams in a field on Cherry Creek Road. There were seasoned cornhole players and some who had never thrown a bag until the day of the tournament...
On July 5 you can expect to see postings and flyers for “Lost Dogs” on social media and in store windows. The fireworks of Independence Day always send a lot of domestic pets into panic and frenzy, causing them to bolt from their yards and run blindly into the unknown. This season’s thunderstorms are also doing a number on local dogs. A Labrador accustomed to gunfire may react quite differently to a clap of thunder. A terrier who’s brave enough to stand down a badger may become catatonic when he hears firecrackers. Fortunately, respons...
Planes and automobiles made their way into Thompson Falls Airport over the weekend in the town's first ever Fly-In and Auto Show. Sanders County Pilot Association has been hosting the show since 1969 in Plains, when the group first formed, according to Nita Deardorff. The weather was not quite cooperative Saturday morning, as clouds limited those able to fly in for the event. But Deardorff did have some aircraft on hand that she was happy to talk about. She and husband Dallas showcased a 1982...
My Grandma, Evelyn Marie Brockman Damron, was born in a smoke-house in Adair County, Oklahoma in 1941 to Opal and James Brockman. Her faddy spent the depression years riding the rails and freight cars up and down the country as a migrant worker. Grandma immortalised some of his exploits in a poem entitled "Daddy was a Hobo." Towards the end of the great dust bowl Opal and Jim left the Ozark farm where Opal had grown up and headed out west to California with my Grandma and her siblings Kenneth,...
David Gary Sparks, born July 24, 1947, went home to his heavenly father and family on June 14, 2018, in Thompson Falls. Dave peacefully passed while at home, surrounded by the love of his wife and children. Dave was preceded in death by his parents Eleanor and Tyler, siblings William (a casualty of the Korean War), Jack, Roger, Beverly, Bobby, Joanne, his son, Tyler Lon, and granddaughter Jade Brooks-Sparks. Dave is survived by his wife Mary Kathleen, sister Darlene DeCulty, brother and...
Surrounded by her loving family, our sweet mother, Marion Louise Swanson, went home to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Sunday, June 17. She was born the youngest of eight children to Ernest and Ella Scott on August 20, 1934 in Arkansas. She is preceded in death by her husband and best friend Donald D. Swanson. They spent nine happy retirement years together in Thompson Falls, Montana where they made many wonderful friends. She is survived by her three children Susan (Len) Bone,...
Bill M. Battles of Thompson Falls passed away June 14, 2018 of heart failure. He was born June 10, 1948 in Lakeview, Ore. Bill is survived by his wife, Suzanne; daughter, Maria Molzhon and husband Brian; their children, Keith and wife Stepheni, Chris, wife Andrea and their children, Henry, Garrette and Dean, Kyla Lyons, husband Richard and their daughter, Sauier, and Connor; son, Mike and wife Nykolee Battles and their sons, Ryan and Tyler; sisters Sandra and Vic Fox of Mololla, Ore., Judy Kuskie of Springfield, Ore., and Bonnie and Skip...
The one-room schoolhouse on Railroad Street is a community relic and perhaps the oldest building in Plains, and over the last two months it received a facelift that will extend its life 60-70 years, according to Kirby Matthew, a restoration specialist. It took nearly two months and 250 hours of labor from 15 volunteers to refurbish the old logs on the 18-foot wide by 30-foot long Horse Plains schoolhouse, located on the corner of Railroad and Clayton streets in Plains. The school was built in...
One of the first signs that fire season is right around the corner came last week when the Forest Service got Patrick's Knob Lookout ready for business. With winds gusting to more than 20 mph and large patches of snow still scattered around the lookout tower, members of the Forest Service and the Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) opened the station in preparation for lookout Chris Herrick to stand his summer watch over the forest. Herrick, who also was on hand to get the tower ready, will begin his...
The third annual Cowgirls Kickin’ Cancer (CKC) omoksee event took place in Noxon, sponsored by Sanders County Rocky Ridge Saddle Club. The goal of the event was to educate the community and get the message across that “early detection is your greatest protection.” All family-oriented vendors were welcome to set up at the event for the small fee of donating one door prize for the games or raffle. All the money raised by CKC is donated locally. In 2017 they were able to donate $6,000 to Cancer Network of Sanders County and $1,000 to the Clark...
The Sanders County Fair Commission held its monthly meeting for the first time in nearly a year in the pavilion, which caught fire during the 2017 fair. Day Springs Restoration started working on the pavilion kitchen late last year and completed their work last week, although Chris McGuigan, the fair manager, said three of the five sinks leaked. The manager and board were not pleased that the contractor took this long to complete the work, a job that cost about $60,000 and cost the fair some $5,000 in lost revenue. A wedding last weekend was...
