Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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Paradise Gardens has had an army of workers tackling the flowing fields of purple over the last two weeks. They have a large tract to go and there's no end to the heat wave in sight. That doesn't impact the rows and rows of lavender to be harvested, but owner Paula Scoggins is concerned with the health of the 11 volunteers plucking and packing the plants and limits their time in the sun accordingly. "I want them to have fun and not act like it's just a job. You're hanging out with the bees and...
by John Dowd The serial number on a firearm found Sunday afternoon at the Flat Iron Fishing access site west of Thompson Falls matches that of a firearm purchased by former Thompson Falls Danielle Wood in 2018, according to court documents filed this week state. Wood is currently serving a 100-year sentence at the Montana State Women's Prison. According to a motion filed Tuesday in 20th Judicial District Court, the Sanders County Sheriff's Office was notified that a male had found a pistol in...
Too hot, too dry, too soon. The 2021 wildland fire season could very well turn into one of the longest campaigns in modern firefighting history if this area does not receive a break from the seemingly unending heat wave residents have been suffering through for several weeks now. As a result of the situation, Sanders County remains under Stage 2 fire restrictions and the current fire danger is rated at Extreme in all parts of the county. The organization in charge of more than 10...
HI MOM – A fawn looks to its mother for a little attention. The doe, which some residents on McCrea Road west of Plains named "Feather," was reluctant at the moment to allow her baby to milk, even though the fawn kept trying. After giving her mother the look, it started munching on grass....
The Trout Creek Community Improvement Association (TCCIA) opened the new playground they have been working on for the last couple months. The Bob Green Memorial Playground unveiling brought more than 50 visitors to the park. According to TCCIA Board Chair Liz Stender, there was a lot of work and love put into it. "It looked like a shipwreck, leaning to its side, when we first got it," said Stender. The new pirate ship-themed playground was revitalized from Noxon and donated to the Trout Creek...
MT West Dentist in Plains has changed hands, but the previous owner and new owner hope to continue excellent care to its community of patients. Dr. Blake Sherwood and his wife, Dana, purchased MT West Dentist from Doctors Andrew and Elizabeth Ordelheide, who had the business since 2011 when it was in a rented building in downtown Plains. The Ordelheides then purchased the former Wildhorse Elementary School in 2015 and converted the 83-year-old building into a dental business. The Sherwoods and...
A few weeks ago I was cleaning out my car and pulled a handful of masks out of the consul. I kept one in there, but figured the rest I could pack away in case we ever need them again. I figured that would probably be the next time I fly. Then last week I dropped something off at a medical clinic and needed a mask to enter. Good thing I had that one in my car. While the county still is seeing some new COVID-19 cases, there's another reason for us to keep those masks handy. Montana is nicknamed Big Sky Country, and we are used to looking up and...
Why do so many Americans get their medical advice from politicians? They don’t take their cars to politicians to fix, they don’t take a sick cat to a politician, and I will guarantee you that politicians know as much about sick cats or broken-down cars as they do about medicine. I will also tell you that the last person I would trust for medical advice is a politician, but they now seem to be the biggest players in the vaccination follies, many of them directly implying that they know more abo...
I am a driver for a local ambulance service. As you’re probably already aware, there was a collision between a Thompson Falls ambulance and a semi dump truck last week that sent three EMTs to the hospital and probably totaled their brand new 2020 ambulance — an ambulance that took a year to obtain and put into service. I am not going to comment on the cause of that collision, as that has yet to be officially determined. I will state, though, that the ambulance itself did not cause that collision, unless you want to blame the flashing red lig...
4 YEARS AGO • July 16, 1981 EDDY PEAK GETTING NEW LOOKOUT TOWER by Pat Sullivan Crews from the Lolo National Forest at Thompson Falls and Plains began construction Monday on a combination lookout tower and electronic site on Eddy Peak, with two helicopters carrying over 20,000 pounds of concrete up the 6,957-foot mountain. The idea to build a fire lookout station atop a concrete basement on Eddy Peak, 20 miles southeast of Thompson Falls, has existed for almost 10 years. But it wasn't until 1...
Bernice Meredith, Quartzsite, Arizona - “I think more people in the community brings more people in who are more apt to do more for the community.” Kaitlyn Manning, Thompson Falls - “I think it is good for the economy, but I think it puts pressure on the locals.” Chuck Owens, Thompson Falls - “I guess there is good and bad. Myself, I don’t like a lot of people, but I think it will help more than it will hurt.” Paula Nelson, Thompson Falls - “I think population growth could be really good for this community if the people moving in contribute t...
Montana Highway Patrol Kyle Hermann, 22, expired registration, $45; failure to carry proof of insurance, $75. Gary Lammert, 57, seatbelt violation, $20. Chanel Elder, 34, seatbelt violation, $20. Alexander Johnson, 27, day speeding, $70 Terra Clinkenbeard, 26, operating without insurance, 3rd offense, $85. Christopher Sommer, 27, day speeding, $20. Logan Goodwin, 23, following too closely, $85. Grace Kast, 57, failure to control vehicle, $85; open alcoholic beverage container, $75. Laura Calatayud, 41, day speeding, $70. Darren Greeno, 42, day...
Ambulance: Noxon, 2; T. Falls, 10; Hot Springs, 2; Trout Creek, 3; Plains, 8; Dixon, 1. Monday, July 12 General animal call or complaint, T. Falls. Theft, male reported chainsaw stolen over the weekend, T. Falls. Civil standby, Trout Creek. Nuisance complaints, Plains. Request for welfare check, Plains. Property damage/criminal mischief, Noxon. Suspicious activity, Hot Springs. Theft, T. Falls. Civil standby, T. Falls. Request for welfare check, Hot Springs. Person missing, T. Falls. Fire, Heron. Animal other, Trout Creek. Business contact, T....
The Town of Plains has applied for a new COVID-related grant that could mean a new well and help with several other water issues. With only six hours before the deadline, Mayor Dan Rowan filed a two-page American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) application to the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation last Thursday. With the aid of Shari Johnson, the town's contracted engineer, Rowan listed four of the top priority projects, starting with asking for $1,375,000 for a new well, which Rowa...
The boys of Hogslop String Band from Nashville entertained a crowd of about 100 people at The Rex Theater last Thursday. The five-member band had the crowd clapping, dancing and toe tapping for much of their two-hour set. The band went on to play at the Under the Big Sky festival in Whitefish over the weekend....
The Foundation for Wildlife Management, a nonprofit organization based in Idaho, will host a Sanders County Chapter Fundraising Banquet on Saturday, July 24, at Sanders County Fairgrounds pavilion. The foundation’s mission is to promote population recovery in areas that have been negatively impacted by wolves. “It’s the first banquet in Sanders County but it’s also the first in Montana,” said Glen Schenavar, Sanders County Chapter Chairperson. “The foundation is here to educate the public on what the negative impact and successful reintroduct...
RE: Nonprofit connects hunters and heroes (July 1, 2021) What caught my eye was: Within 10 years, if there aren’t more hunters, there won’t be enough funds from license sales to pay for fish and wildlife conservation. Well as an out-of-state landowner for 50+ years, I was able to buy the nonresident tags for Montana to hunt my own land only until around 2000. The state kept raising the fees year by year until I was unable to afford these ridiculously high fees that are $1,000 plus for a combination license. So, they are a lot of their own pro...
I was recently notified by a constituent that someone was dumping garbage on a vacant lot on the corner of Church and Fifth streets in Thompson Falls. To be sure it wasn’t garbage carried by a bear and deposited on the lot, I took a look. It was primarily beer cans and baby diapers, clearly left by a person. What responsible member of a community deposits garbage on vacant lots? They don’t, but irresponsible people who don’t care about neighbors, community pride, and the environment, do. If you see someone throwing garbage where it does not b...
Bravo Blaine! Hit the nail on the head for all the silent majority. I am visiting from California and read your article with great interest. I could only wish that Californians shared the same moral values as Montanans. Larry Kroepel, San Diego, California...
Jeff "Superman" Goddard traded in his cape for angel wings. He passed away June 28, 2021, from complications after surgery to repair damage from a gunshot in April 2020. He was born July 3, 1972, in Billings, Montana. He graduated from Noxon High in 1990, and got a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Washington in 1996. He worked in electronics in Seattle for nine years, moving back to Noxon in 2005 after his father's death. Jeff worked at the cabinet shop and later as a...
Sanders County 4-H clubs were represented at the state congress event in Bozeman last week. Juli Thurston, MSU Extension Agent for Sanders County, said seven club members attended the state Congress, with three earning a trip to nationals, which is set for November 26-30 in Atlanta. 4-H members earn a trip to congress with their presentations at Communication Days, held each spring. The three Sanders County 4-H members who advanced to nationals all gave illustrated talks. Thurston said this was...
The Town of Plains is instituting a voluntary water restriction program in response to the lack of rain, the extensive heat, and the capability of the town’s water pumps to keep up with the community needs, particularly if a fire were to occur in town. The Declaration of Voluntary Water Use Restrictions was signed by Plains Mayor Dan Rowan on Monday. “Whereas, the citizens of the Town of Plains have experienced a pattern of severe weather, which has burdened the town in serving the potable water needs of the users ... it has been determined by...
Thompson Falls City Council met last week to discuss raising the sewer and water hookup rates. It was then sent to the Sewer and Water Committee for discussion. These fees would apply only to new connections to the system, according to Thompson Falls Mayor Mark Sheets. Currently, hooking up costs $350. The council was concerned about this because there are several lots where one house traditionally stood that may now have numerous “tiny homes.” Each of these small residences alone would place the same use and stress onto the system that the...
The first Plains road work of the year was done last week with new smooth asphalt on North Central Avenue. Plains resident Doug Wipplinger and his road crew completed the 440 feet on Central Avenue in front of the Assembly of God Church last Thursday, followed by two sections of West Lynch Street on Monday. Wipplinger said he planned to do some patchwork on McGowan Street later this week. Central Avenue had been next on the town's worst roads list created by Mayor Dan Rowan, the Plains Town...
Wild Coyote Days at the Wild Coyote Saloon in Thompson Falls are back. After COVID-19 canceled last year’s event, owner Karen Ferguson says they are gearing up for an exciting couple of days. “The whole event is pretty popular, but people especially love the lawnmower races,” Ferguson said. “Everyone is pretty stoked to come back.” The fun kicks off Friday, July 30, with steak night, vendors and live music from The Night Life, who will take the stage at 8 p.m. and play until midnight. Due to Stage 2 fire restrictions, there will be no bonfir...
