Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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Rocky Mountain Bank in Plains closed its doors at noon on Friday - an end of an era for the financial institution - but the beginning of Stockman banking in Plains. Stockman Bank added three western Montana banks to its collection of branches throughout the state, including Plains, Bigfork and Kalispell. Over the past weeks, Stockman Bank staffers have been dispatched to the Plains bank to help employees and customers with the transition. They will continue to have additional help over the next...
The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) and Razz Construction Inc. will this week begin repairing portions of Main Street in Thompson Falls. This work is part of the project’s warranty period. Crews will improve drainage at the approach of South Jefferson Street and Main Street. Seal and cover (chip seal) repairs will also be made along Main Street. The repairs are anticipated to last approximately one week. All work is dependent on weather conditions and other factors permitting. The Thompson Falls - Urban project was primarily c...
Most people who shop at True Value in Thompson Falls know Jared Shear as the person who can sell them hoses, fasteners and other hardware. There's another side to Shear however, that of the artist. Last week, Shear presented a series of 24 paintings inspired by Herman Melville's classic "Moby Dick." The pieces are part of a show at the Radius Gallery in Missoula that runs through August 24. The show, True Places, features work from Shear, Kaetlyn Able, Jennifer Indreland and David Swenson....
The new Town Pump store in Thompson Falls is on schedule to be open by the end of the year, the company said last week. Bill McGladdery, Director of Communications, said the utilities are in place at the site and the framing work on the nearly 14,000 square foot building should be completed by August 1. "I think the community is going to be really excited about the new store," McGladdery said. "It will be a much better layout." The new store will be 10,100 square feet, with the Lucky Lil's...
The big news in politics this week is President Joe Biden announcing he won't seek reelection and the Democratic party is deciding how to pick a new nominee. However, the big news isn't the big business. Montana's Senate race has gained national attention for the big dollars raised. According to the Montana Free Press, as of July 17, incumbent Sen. Jon Tester, a Democrat, has raised $43.7 million in campaign funds, while Republican candidate Tim Sheehy has raised $13.7 million. By contrast, in the race for U.S. Representative for District 1,...
In the June 27 issue of The Ledger, I confessed to gathering odd words and the names of short-lived famous people from American Heritage Dictionary’s booster seat edition. For two-plus years, I’ve put them in a notebook for further research. I’m not done with the Dictionary (two-thirds of the way through “P” at “pronate”), but research has begun. People of the Month are Southern writer Flannery O’Connor, who died at age 39 of lupus; and Alexander the Great died at age 32 in 323 BCE of nobody is quite sure what. Mystery Word of the Month is: ...
5 YEARS AGO • MAY 9, 1974 SWIMMING POOL PROPOSAL STUDIED The possibility of constructing a junior olympic size swimming pool with half of the cost being funded by Bureau of Outdoor Recreation funds was explored Monday evening at a meeting of the city, school trustees and representatives of various local civic organizations. Fred Statson, swimming coach at the University of Montana and Tom Greenwood of the Montana Dept. of Fish & Game, which handles BOR fund allocations in Montana, explained the program whereby a new pool 45 by 75 feet could b...
Richard Shearer, Bozeman - “I just moved here so I haven’t been to any yet.” Warren Shuttle, Thompson Falls - “The fair.” Gunner Shuttle, Thompson Falls - “I like the fair, especially the rainbow slide.” Hailey Cantu, Thompson Falls - “The farmers market.” Chad Johnson, Spokane - “Haven’t been to any.” Hayley Fausett, Thompson Falls - “I really don’t have one....
Ambulance: Plains, 7; T. Falls, 6; Trout Creek, 3; Hot Springs, 2; Noxon, 2; Dixon, 2; Paradise, 1. Monday, July 15 Suspicious activity, T. Falls. General animal call/complaint, T. Falls. Theft, T. Falls. Civil attempts, Dixon. General animal call/complaint, Paradise. Theft, Trout Creek. Theft, Plains. Forgery, T. Falls. Inmate transport, Plains. Other law violations, Camas Prairie. Civil attempts. Fire, T. Falls. Harassment/privacy in communication, T. Falls. Tuesday, July 16 Assist miscellaneous, T. Falls. Assist miscellaneous, T. Falls....
Montana Highway Patrol Rudy Monzon, 41, failure to obey red traffic signal, $45, deferred imposition of sentence. Dionna Atwood, 29, speeding in a restricted zone, $85. Armando Casillas, Jr., 45, speeding in a restricted zone, $85. Jared Halvorson, 26, speeding in a restricted zone, $85. Terence McAndrew, 70, speeding in a restricted zone, $85. Brandon Beazer, 42, night speeding, $70. Daizy Davis, 19, speeding in a restricted zone, $95. Conor Davison, 39, speeding in a restricted zone, $85. Breanna Goodmanson, 33, speeding in a restricted zone,...
Nicholas Robert Smalley pleaded guilty on Tuesday to a felony count of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, fourth or subsequent offense, pursuant to a plea agreement between the parties. Smalley’s attorney, Benjamin Darrow, advised that this agreement is part of a global agreement that will resolve Smalley’s additional pending charges in Missoula County. Judge Molly Owen set this matter for sentencing on September 24. Appearing for a change of plea in his two pending criminal cases, after reaching a plea agreement, William Luc...
The Thompson Falls Chicken Jamboree resumed its annual festivities during the heat of summer with highs in the 100s. To add to the event and cool things down a bit, an ice cream wagon arrived for the first time to offer free cones and root beer floats. Ice creams such as huckleberry fudge and graham slam, made from graham crackers, were some of the many flavors to choose from. Koo Koo Sint Coffee also made its jamboree debut with free cups of coffee and bags of coffee to buy. Owners Sylvia and L...
The Plains School board last Monday voted in a new principal for the high school with unanimous approval. Heidii Fettinger of Great Falls was selected to replace Ryon Noland, who resigned in May after serving as high school principal for the last three years. Fettinger was one of four women and one man to apply for the principal position, which serves grades seven through 12. Plains High School teacher Katie Mitchell was the only candidate from Sanders County, said Beau French, the school board...
Montana State University has announced its undergraduate honor rolls for spring semester 2024. Lydia French of Plains was named to the President’s List, earning a 4.0 GPA for the semester. Emma Kardokus of Heron, Callie McDaniels of Lonepine, Kalen Lien from Plains and Sydney Jackson of Hot Springs were named to the Dean’s List, meaning they achieved a GPA of 3.5 or above for the semester....
We recently enjoyed nine unforgettable days with our son and four grandkids, ages 5 to 17. Watching them experience new things—like catching their first fish, kayaking in the Frog Pond, and exploring the giant cedars—warmed my heart and made me appreciate the value of family time, especially since our six children are scattered across the country. Three of them are active or recently discharged military with tough schedules, and the last time we were all together was 2019. Since then, we've welcomed a new grandchild and two of our dau...
Sparks from a passing train ignited fires near both the West and East ramps in Thompson Falls last Wednedsay. Residents and officials responded to two separate fires along the railroad tracks. Witnesses reported seeing sparks coming from a train engine traveling west through Thompson Falls, after which two grass fires started. "We were stopped at the tracks waiting for the train to go by. As it went by, I noticed that one of the engines was blowing very heavy black smoke. I thought it was odd....
The Plains police, firefighters and ambulance service made a special call to Plains School this summer, but it wasn't an emergency, it was part of the Plains School Summer Program. "I absolutely enjoy getting out in the community and starting a positive rapport with the kids of the community," said Plains Police Officer Rob Geenen, who met with the kids with fellow officer, Rick Nickolaus, as part of the fourth year of the school program. Geenen and Nickolaus talked about their jobs, showed the...
Thompson Falls High School alumni came from across town and across the world for reunions last weekend. The TFHS class of 1964 celebrated their 60th school reunion by inviting the classes of 1961-1966 to join them for a weekend of fun. The reunion had 54 people attend the main banquet on Saturday at the Rimrock. Alumni and family members shared memories, looked at old photos and caught up on their lives as they celebrated the milestone. On Friday night, the group also met at the Rimrock for a so...
The Over the Hill Gang had some fun on Monday with a game of “Mutt and Jeff,” which had golfers adding up their scores on the two par three holes (5 and 8) and the two par fives (2 and 3) for a total. Rick Kendall won the Mutt and Jeff game with a 17, and also had the low men’s gross of 42 of nine holes. Wally Give and Randy Hojem were second and third, respectively, in the fun play. Larry Eddy had a 31 for the low men’s net and Kristy Beaty a 32 for the low women’s net. Beaty also had the long putt on No. 3. Kendall’s drive was closest to...
The ladies had another beautiful day of golf at the River’s Bend golf course with Jan Thompson and Tori Helvey earning the low team gross score of 95. Kim Sparks and Kim Pardee earned the low team net score with their 70. Jan Thompson got the low individual gross score with 46, while Jeanne Holleran showed her skills getting the low individual net score with 33. Kim Pardee proved her arm earning the closest to pin on No. 1, and Tina Wheeler earned closest to pin on hole No. 2. Lana Nolen got closest to pin on No. 8. Kim Pardee showed her s...
There was an invasion in Sanders County, a MINI invasion. Thousands of MINI owners joined a rally from Albuquerque to Seattle last week. An estimated 600-800 joined each day of MINI Takes The States (MTTS) as they traversed through five states in the western United States. On Friday, the MINIs traveled from Missoula to Spokane, with many stopping in Sanders County to shop and eat. Some residents first noticed the abundance of MINIs as they were on their way to Missoula on Friday, alerting The Le...
SOLUTIONS ACROSS 1. ADPS 5. SATYRS 11. CALI 12. ACIDULOUS 16. CRAM 17. MO 18. BORNE 19. UNIMAGINABLE 24. MC 25. SECEDE 26. IDLE 27. DAR 28. EDER 29. STAT 30. PATE 31. HABER 33. MANET 34. EARFUL 38. ACCEDE 39. ABEAM 40. STAFF 43. RRNA 44. HAEM 45. DEFT 49. FAD 50. LENS 51. HAILER 53. LD 54. PALATABILITY 56. AEDES 58. AB 59. AXIS 60. PROSECUTE 63. TINT 64. ORATED 65. ERGS SOLUTIONS DOWN 1. ACCUSE 2. DARNED 3. PLAICE 4. SIMMER 5. SAMI 6. ACONITE 7. TI 8. YD 9. RUBLE 10. SLOE 13. OR 14. UNMATED 15. SECRETE 20. AD 21. GE 22. ADAR 23. BLT 27. DANE...
The Paradise Center and a few Paradise citizens were featured in a short documentary that will air in the Netherlands on their Public Broadcasting System. The Dutch National Broadcast, Human Metropolis is going to consist of 15- minute segments in a combined documentary that will include two more countries, according to Missoula filmmaker Fuyuko Mochizuki, originally from Japan. “The film is a local reporter’s perspective of the world,” she explained. Mochizuki and her husband, John Enos Dicke...
The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) would like to announce and invite the public to comment on a proposal to reconstruct about 1 mile of Montana Highway 28, northeast of Plains. The project begins approximately 3 miles north of the intersection with Montana Highway 200 and extends north, ending near the intersection with Blooming Hills Lane. Proposed work includes increasing the radius of the curve, widening the roadway, flattening roadside slopes, installing new shoulder and centerline rumble strips, and new pavement markings and...
