Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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A bat found at a residence in Thompson Falls has tested positive for rabies. County Sanitarian Shawn Sorenson said that three bats have been sent to the state lab for testing and one of those tested positive for rabies. Two of the bats were captured inside homes, and one outside. The bat found outside tested positive for rabies. The homeowner found the bat outside unable to fly during the day, Sorenson said. Sorenson, who has been with the county Environmental Health department for 10 years, said this is the first time he has sent bats in for...
The old mayor of Thompson Falls is now the new mayor of Thompson Falls. The city council appointed Jerry Lacy mayor at a special meeting Monday. More than a dozen people attended the meeting and had the opportunity to ask questions of the two candidates, Lacy and Gunner Junge. Daniel Moore had also submitted a letter of interest to the council for the mayor position, but was ineligible due to residency requirements. "I think I can help the community," said Lacy, who previously served as mayor fr...
The entire northwest region of the state will move to stage II fire restrictions on Saturday. This includes Sanders County. Bill Naegeli with the Officer of Emergency Management said the restrictions go into effect at 12:00 a.m. Saturday morning. Under Stage II restrictions, the following is prohibited: * Building maintaining, attending, or using a fire or campfire. * Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all...
It was the stuff of legends last Thursday at the Rex Theater in Thompson Falls as Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives played for a soldout crowd. "When we hear about small theaters coming back to life, we will be there," Stuart told the crowd. "We love this town and we love this theater." The band was able to explore Thompson Falls prior to Thursday night's show, stopping at local shops. Stuart expressed his love of small theaters throughout the show, talking about the Marty Stuart's...
Courtesy photo The Thompson Falls High School Class of 1983 met July 21-23 for their 40th reunion. The classmates socialized at the Rimrock on Friday, had a picnic Saturday, and Sunday some of the alumni kayaked to Big Eddy's to meet the rest of their class. Carla Engel said they had nearly half of the class show up to the reunion. "It was great to see everybody," she expressed. Pictured above (from left) are Lisa (Schneider) Anderson, Rick Sanders, Chuck Friesz, Brad Grantham, Marion (Curry)...
A Clark Fork Valley Hospital doctor was recently presented a prestigious honor from the Family Medicine Residency of Western Montana Program. Dr. Jessica Valentine received the 2023 Outstanding Rural Attending Award for her work as a preceptor with family medicine residents at Clark Fork Valley Hospital, which hosts several residents each year. "During their time here they work each day with a preceptor who supervises their work and offers learning opportunities. This is a model similar to...
Brent Hudson of Bonners Ferry, Idaho, returned to the Whitepine Grange last week to share his experience with bears. Hudson spoke about his experiences while working as a bear guard in Alaska. Several people showed up to listen to stories about dealing with black and brown bears, as well as the animals’ differences. Hudson also talked about how to identify a bear’s intentions by their body language. “If a bear is bluffing, his ears will be up and the bear will be making a huffing sound as well as salivating. But if it is the real deal, the b...
Pilgrim Park in Noxon will be alive with the sounds of blues this weekend as the 13th annual Big Sky Blues Festival takes place. The weekend of music and workshops begins Friday, August 4, at 6 p.m.. Saturday 9:30 a.m. - noon, guitar and harmonica workshops for kids of all ages will be given by world class musicians. The classes are free for children, and kids under 12 get into the three-day festival for free. Local choir and band students will be selling burgers on Saturday and Sunday to raise money needed for equipment and travel expenses...
The annual Artists in Paradise show and sale is set for Thursday and Friday, August 3-4, from 11 a.m. - 6 p.m., and Saturday from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. at the Paradise Center in Paradise. There will be 12 exhibits, featuring the artists’ work. Some of the works are just for display, and there are many items for sale. Many of the exhibiters have been part of this event before, but some new artists also will be featured....
A small gathering had a big meaning last weekend. About a dozen community members gathered to honor Sherry Wieckowski, who passed away from cancer last year. Wieckowski was the barber in Thompson Falls for nearly 30 years. The park next to the barber shop was commemorated in her honor on Saturday. "It's her fault I'm here," O'Connor joked at the gathering. O'Connor now owns the barber shop in Thompson Falls. Jenna Brown was a friend of Wieckowski. "Sherry would be delighted. She was always worki...
Forty-seven boats converged on the Noxon Reservoir last weekend for the annual tri-state bass tournament, sponsored by the Clark Fork Bass Anglers. Teams of two anglers turn in their top five fish each day of the tournament to get their grand total. Randy and Amanda Siemens won first place with a two-day total of 38.52 pounds. The Siemens couple swept the weekend, finishing first in the Montana Bass Federation competition in Trout Creek as well as the American Bass Anglers competition for the...
Montana Highway Patrol Teresa Destefano, 69, speeding in a restricted zone, $85. Constance Brooks, 55, day speeding, $70. Davy Troyer, 35, seatbelt violation, $20. Joseph Gonzales, 55, day speeding, $70. Kala Lougheed, 38, day speeding, $70. Joshua Rainbolt, 23, speeding in a restricted zone, $85. Adam Denham, 32, speeding in a restricted zone, $55. Mark Hilborn, 57, day speeding, $20. Cassidy McDonald, 38, day speeding, $70. Caleb Wolfe, 20, failure to carry proof of insurance in vehicle, 1st offense, $285; speeding in a restricted zone, $85....
Ambulance: Plains, 10; T. Falls, 8; Hot Springs, 5; Dixon, 3; Trout Creek, 1; Paradise, 1. Monday, July 24 Assist motorist/citizen, Plains. Animal other, T. Falls. Automated alarm call, Plains. US Forest Service campground check, Trout Creek. Welfare check, Hot Springs. Fire, Hot Springs. Civil attempts. Disturbance, Plains. Other law violations, Hot Springs. Theft, Trout Creek. Trespass, Hot Springs. Welfare check, T. Falls. Warrant service, Plains. Assist other agency. Suspicious activity, Plains. Tuesday, July 25 Abandoned vehicle, T. Falls....
Jason Allen Cooper entered a not guilty plea to a felony count of criminal mischief on Tuesday during an initial appearance in front of Judge Deborah Kim Christopher, who set the case for a jury trial on January 16, 2024. According to the charging documents, on the evening of June 30, Trooper Steve Spurr arrested Cooper under suspicion of driving under the influence near mile marker 11 on Highway 28. After transporting Cooper to Clark Fork Valley Hospital, Trooper Spurr questioned Cooper about a report of him crashing into another vehicle at...
MARLEY CALLIHAM, Heron - “Better grocery stores. The closest Costco or Walmart without sales tax is Kalispell.” CONNOR DAHLIN, Heron - “A decent sized gas station. Fuel options are a little sparse. But I'm generally happy with everything.” SAVANNAH JONES, Heron - “Ambulance service and gas station.” ALEXIS LAIRD, Heron - “Transportation and quicker ambulance service, and a place for kids to go to, like an activity center, after school and summertime.” LIYLAH WILLIAMS, Heron - “Better ambulance service.” BRIANNA HABEGGER, Heron - “Gas statio...
4 YEARS AGO • JULY 14, 1993 FALLS FIRM OFFERING CONCRETE STRUCTURES Concrete Services, Inc. of Thompson Falls is now providing precast concrete structures, according to co-owners Gary Campbell and Terry Traver. The new firm has been named Concrete Services Precast. Concrete Services had been producing a few precast septic tanks as a sideline to their other work. Now they have purchased a site just east of the W-I Forest Products mill and have set up a small plant to fabricate various concrete items. Hottest item for their market so far is a p...
Some of you know me as Annie Wooden, daughter of Barb and Gene. Some of you know me as Annie Wooden, cake maker, golf partner and dog mom. Some of you know me as Annie Wooden, publisher of The Sanders County Ledger. And some of you don’t know me at all – you only know the words I write here each week. I wear a lot of hats, like most people do. We can play the role of parent, student, son, daughter, co-worker, boss or friend, and we can play multiple roles simultaneously. Sometimes it can even be difficult to turn off those roles. I’m alway...
(A French finance minister of long ago compared collecting taxes to plucking a live goose. The object was to get the greatest amount of feathers with the least amount of hiss. Dogs growl, geese hiss.) Because of the biennial reappraisal of residential property most Montanans are faced with huge increases in the values of their homes and the Montana Department of Revenue has done its best to get our attention. They got our attention by sending us a bill. Well, not actually a bill, they sent us...
Even during the summer months, Plains School was hopping with kids and at one point it was hopping with bugs. But there was no need for an exterminator, they were just visiting. Brenna Shea from the Butterfly House and Insectarium in Missoula was one of the guest speakers for the Plains Schools Summer Program, which ended last week with a trip to Wild Horse Lavender, a farm and ranch about 12 miles west of Plains. This was the third year the school held this summer program, which Principal...
Sourdough Village was more like a metropolis Saturday as the annual Wild Coyote Days celebration took place at the bar and restaurant along Prospect Creek Road near Thompson Falls. The weekend long summer celebration included a horseshoe tournament, rubber duck race down Prospect Creek, live music, vendors, food and the always popular lawn mower races. More than 100 spectators gathered at the Wild Coyote Saloon for the lawn mower races Saturday afternoon. Seventeen drivers put the pedal to the m...
Montana’s Best Builders held on to their Tuesday night men’s league lead last week, with golfers Kevin Sparks, Sean Kelly, Nathan Snead and Doug Czerwinski combining for a low gross of 165 and Kelly hitting the low individual round of 34. In low net competition, NLC’s Bill Nolen, Howard Morkert, Scott Rasor and Mike Tessier shot the low team score of 135, and Russ Wood’s 32 was the lowest individual round. Wood also hit the drive closest to the pin on No. 14. Five golfers showed their skills with chip-ins last Tuesday, including Rusty Sharp o...
There were no wildfires nearby, but the Over the Hill Gang competition was smoking Monday as the gang enjoyed another round around River’s Bend in Thompson Falls. Carter Meyer was on his game, scoring chip-ins on both No. 1 and No. 5 and also sinking the long putt on No. 8. Dave Garr (No. 5), Scott Garr (No. 4), Dave Petteys (No. 9) and Tom Pride (No. 9) also had chip-ins as they started their golf week. Dave Garr, Ron Beaty and Al Luckow all added birdies to their scorecards. Dave Garr shot the low mens gross round of 42, Larry Eddy had the l...
Jan Thompson and Tori Helvey shredded the competition last week during ladies league at River’s Bend, combining for a low gross score of 102 while the sister team of Kim Sparks and Chris Kelly had the low net round of 68. Lana Nolen had her clubs tuned in just right to shoot a low individual gross of 47 and Marshanna Drop had an impressive low net of 33. Helvey had a chip-in on No. 13 last Thursday, the only one for the night, Sparks was closest to the pin in four on No. 11, Blair Brooks sank the long putt on No. 12, Kelly Wheeler took that p...
It was a seamless performance for Clark Fork Seamless Gutters at River’s Bend last Wednesday as RT Brown, Doug Fisher, John Owens and Ross Gunn combined for the low team gross of 173. First Security Bank carded the low team net of 146 with Mike Baxter, Michael Scharfe, Bill Nolen and Mike Thilmony making the round. Baxter had the low individual gross of 38 and Owens the low net round of 32. Gary Thompson had two chip-ins during league play, on No. 12 and No. 14, while Tyler Bates added one to his scorecard on No. 10, Ross Gunn on hole 16 and M...
Thompson Falls Elementary students who attended the summer school program were treated to a special trip to the Ross Creek Cedars on Thursday, July 20. The park is just over the Sanders County line in Lincoln County on Bull Lake Road. Kootenai National Forest is home to the 100-acre tree sanctuary. Many of the trees are well over 400 years old and several are close to 1,000 years old. They were there before Columbus set sail. The grove of western red cedars, of today, like the redwoods in...
