Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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Forty years is quite a milestone for any event or relationship. Especially when it's an event that brings thousands of people to a small Northwest Montana town. And even more so when it is run exclusively by volunteers. Friday through Sunday, vendors, food booths and a variety of performers will entertain visitors at the 40th annual Huckleberry Festival in Trout Creek. Each year since 1986, artists have been chosen to develop a logo for the festival. Local artists including Craid Waldron, Sarah...
UPDATE: Mayor Jerry Lacy notified The Ledger today that the pump has been fixed and residents and businesses can resume normal water usage. The city had asked residents to cut back on usage while the pump was being fixed. The City of Thompson Falls is asking residents and businesses to cut back on water usage after a pump in one of the city’s wells failed. Mayor Jerry Lacy said that he discovered the issue late Monday when he noticed decreased water pressure at his home. City staff investigated and found that a submersible pump for one of t...
Local fire control organizations are winning the war with wildfires – for now at least. Several new fires were discovered and dealt with in Sanders County last week. The lastest was discovered Tuesday in the Mandy Gulch area about 25 miles up Thompson River outside Thompson Falls. A Department of Natural Resource and Conservation (DNRC) air patrol flight discovered the fire, which was estimated to be about 10 acres. Helicopters and a firefighters were dispatched to address the fire. Smoke from a few large fires in Idaho which drifted into o...
Two Trout Creek men were injured when the small airplane they were flying in crashed into trees along Blue Slide Road. "Things didn't turn out like we planned. We were extremely lucky," said Jim Williams, who was in the plane with Jim Craik. Williams was treated at Clark Fork Valley Hospital for a back injury and was released last Friday. Craik broke his shoulder blade and a rib in the crash and shattered one vertebra. He underwent surgery to fuse a shattered vertebra at St. Patrick Hospital in...
We saw a bumper sticker this week that says "Wag More, Bark Less." It sparked a memory from the VHS tapes you would get at the video rental store that were marked with the word "Be Kind. Rewind." Two message, same idea of kindness. In the span of seven days, there were three mass shootings in the country. Three that made the national news. Not to mention the countless other shootings that don't make the national news because it's "only" one or two people who get hurt or killed. Our hearts break for the victims and the families of both victims...
Editor, I saw a wonderful movie the other night called The Best of Enemies. The setting is Durham, North Carolina and the year is 1971. When events transpire that make it imperative to integrate the schools, community tensions rise as the two sides of this issue lock into their positions on polar opposite ends of the spectrum. Leading one side is the local president of the Ku Klux Klan and the other is represented by an African American civil rights activist. One male, one female. The relationship between these two people and all their...
When a large company decides to expand or move its headquarters it takes many factors into consideration; the labor market, transportation, the “amenities,” which means that there are things that make employees want to live there (or at least not leave there), and bribery. Bribery? Yes, absolutely. It is impossible to make a sound business decision on relocating without being offered a bribe. Well, “offered” is not quite the right word to use in this instance because the corporation actuall...
4 YEARS AGO • AUGUST 9, 1979 TIMES HAVE CHANGED FOR FLOY JOHNSTON By Lorraine Dufresne Eighty-three years ago, August 21, Floy and Flauddie, twin girls, were born to D.V. Herriott. Today Floy Herriott Johnston lives in the same house and sleeps in the bedroom where she was born. Dr. Peek and midwife, Mrs. Charles Lux's mother were in attendance. In 1890, D.V. Herriott came from Missouri to Deer Lodge with his wife, Ara. She remained in that town while he came on to Thompson Falls to become t...
MINDY PACKER, Thompson Falls –“I love huckleberries, especially in pancakes and smoothies.” CHARLIE LICO, Tennessee – “Love them in pancakes. I like all the people in the community and all the handmade stuff in the booths at the festival.” JESSE MACK, Thompson Falls – “I like watching the bears eat them. I pick enough for a pie. I’ll be in the wilderness during Huckleberry Festival to get away from the crowd.” ZACH TAYLOR, Trout Creek –“I just moved up here and have never had a huckleberry.” JOHN PEARSON, Stevensville –“I moved up here to go f...
Ambulances: Noxon, 1; T. Falls, 4; Plains, 4; H. Springs, 6. Sunday, July 28 Disturbance, Hwy. 200, Noxon. Burglary of storage units, H. Sprins. Motor vehicle crash, River Rd. W., Plains. Livestock on Hwy. 200, Dixon. Motorist assist, Thompson River, T. Falls. Disturbance, T. Falls. Monday, July 29 Mental health issue, H. Springs. Motor vehicle crash at Conoco, H. Springs. Motor vehicle crash, Hwy. 200, Plains. Welfare check requested, Paradise. Theft, Hwy. 200, Paradise. Livestock on Hwy. 200, Dixon. Tuesday, July 30 Assault, T. Falls....
Montana Highway Patrol John Barr, 50, day speeding, $20. Petrina Lohman, 49, seatbelt violation, $20; operating without liability insurance in effect, 1st offense, $85. Robert Berg, 55, seatbelt violation, $20. Pamela Brooks, 59, operating without liability insurance in effect, 1st offense, $85. Marion Green, 30, seatbelt violation, $20. Casey Holland, 37, day speeding, $70. John Schulz, 59, day speeding, $70. Michael Marshall, 24, speeding in a restricted zone, $85. Raymond Vanepps, 67, day speeding, $70. Cecelia Wood, 20, day speeding, $70. W...
The Plains Town Council held their monthly meeting Monday, discussing proposed increases of the sewer rates. The council discussed how to approach an increase that would be most appropriate for all residents affected. The discussion included whether to increase the base rate, currently $26.86. The council said the addtional revenue will go toward moving the wastewater plant to a new location. The plant currently is near a stretch of the Clark Fork River where the bank has been eroding. The move has been discussed in the past but recently...
The Thompson Falls Beautification Committee honored three properties with a Thumbs Up Award for keeping Thompson Falls looking beautiful last week. Each year the awards are given out to a residence, a community property and a business. The awards recognize the efforts of residents, businesses and institutions in keeping their properties attractive in Thompson Falls. The residential Thumbs Up Award went to Bud and Judy Leufkens for their home on Maiden Lane. They were nominated for their...
Hunters and anglers with licenses that are displaying faded text making them difficult to read can have those licenses replaced at no cost at their regional Fish, Wildlife & Parks office. Another option is to go to fwp.mt.gov, login to MyFWP and request a digital version of your license to print at home or download to a smart phone. Digital licenses are good for everything but a carcass tag. Replacement at an FWP office for faded licenses do not count against the number of replacements an individual is allowed. Local license providers are...
The Kootenai National Forest has announced a new Forest Supervisor who is a native of Plains. Chad Benson will assume duties of overseeing operations on the Kootenai, which includes the Cabinet Ranger District in Sanders County. For a brief period, Benson worked as an engineer at the Cabinet District in 2001 before transferring to Missoula to work for the Lolo National Forest’s Supervisor’s Office. In 2006, he relocated to the Powell Ranger District on the Clearwater National Forest in Idaho serving as District Ranger. Continuing to work for...
Jasmine Watts and Seth Keller announce their engagement and forthcoming marriage. Jasmine is the daughter of Jim and Julie Watts of Plains and the late TJ Morkert of Lonepine. Seth is the son of Kim Keller and Brian Knuth of Thompson Falls. The couple plan a September 21, 2019, wedding in Plains....
Huckleberries will take a back seat to other fruits on Saturday evening at the Huckleberry Festival in Trout Creek. The pie eating contest commences at 7:30 p.m. at the main stage, and organizer Sarah Dramstad is hoping for an even bigger turnout than last year, when the contest had 43 entrants. “It was so fun,” Dramstad said. “I wouldn’t have thought that pigging out would be that entertaining.” She noted that last year, Thompson Falls Superintendent Bill Cain challenged some of his students in the competition, and one toddler sat on her da...
"They work tirelessly, they investigate and figure out what is the best interest for the child," said Sanders County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) founder Polly Cavill. She was referencing the advocates who volunteer their time providing services in finding the best fit for children who have been legally removed from their parents because they are victims of abuse or neglect. The important work of CASA can only continue through grants received at the federal and state levels as well...
Just because blues music originated in the south doesn't mean northerners don't know how to jam. This last weekend Noxon provided grounds for the tenth Big Sky Blues Festival held at Pilgrim Park along the majestic Clark Fork River. The festival kicked off on Friday and closed on Sunday featuring many of the best in the land of blues music. Opening was Robin Barrett featuring Tiphony Dames, Coyote Kings special guest Diego Romero and Crocs with special guest Richard Sabo. Randy McAllister,...
Once again, the Huckleberry Festival Auction will begin at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 11, on the stage in the Trout Creek Park. Bidder registration and viewing of items will begin at 5 p.m. Kevin Hill of Kevin Hill Auction Service is again donating his services. Auction Chairperson Sandy Green said Hill also is donating special items to the auction, including a 10-lb. seasoned prime rib roast in a new cooler and a bottle of wine. Each time an item is purchased at the auction, the buyer’s name will be put into a drawing for the special packag...
Next stop: State. The Plains Piranha swim team competed at a qualifying meet recently and several local swimmers earned berths at the upcoming State meet with their efforts. With their efforts, Hallie Corbin, Ireland Corbin, Alexis Helterline, Caleb Lakko, Cree Lulack and Pepper Lulack all earned berths into the Montana State swim meet. Also competing but not moving on to State for one reason or another were Emmerson Tingley, Reagan Tingley and Sam Tingley. Hallie Corbin earned her berths in the girls 11-12 200 meter Individual Medley (IM),...
First Security Bank is now in first place. First Security golfers Dan Whittenburg, Michael Scharfe, Bill Nolen and Ben Mummert joined forces to shoot the low team gross of 174, allowing their team to leap-frog Whitefish Credit Union and move into first place in Wednesday Night Men’s League play at River’s Bend last week. Also moving up in the standings, Wild Coyote linksters Gary Thompson, Dave Petteys, Scott Pardee and Howard Morkert shot the low team net of 143 helping that team move up from fourth place and into third. Dan Kier fired a 39...
For one day at least, River’s Bend became part of Wally’s World. Wally Gibe enjoyed a banner day at the Bend, shooting the low gross and capturing four flags otherwise in leading the Over the Hill golfing gang through yet another round of friendly, sunny, Monday morning golf earlier this week. In addition to shooting the low gross round of 40, Wally made the Bend his world for the day by also hitting his ball closest to the pin in two shots on No. 2, putting down the long putt on No. 2, hitting his tee shot closest to the pin on No. 5, and fin...
Led by Dan Kier’s low individual gross round of 41, Big Sky Pantry golfers (also including Howard Morkert, Bill Nolen and Gary Denio) shot the low team gross of 180 in Tuesday Night Men’s League action at River’s Bend last week. Feed-N-Fuel duffers Steve Clark, Dave Petteys, Charlie Hooten and Doug Gunderson captured low team net honors with a collective 143, paced by Gunderson’s low individual net of 28. Sparky’s Gutter Time continues to lead the Tuesday men in second half play with 106 points and Double H Dirt Works is second with 102. In h...
