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Independently owned since 1905
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Steady rain on Monday was a welcome sign for firefighters battling the River Road East Fire in Paradise. A crew of nearly 400 personnel with the Northern Rockies Incident Team is now managing the wildfire, which ignited Friday near the intersection of River Road East and Highway 200 just outside the town of Paradise. As of press time Tuesday evening, the fire had grown to 16,790 acres with no containment. Sheriff Shawn Fielders stated that as of Tuesday afternoon, 50 structures had been...
The second public meeting regarding the River Road East Fire was held Thursday evening in the Plains High School gym, where officials stated the fire was 5% contained and had consumed more than 17,000 acres. The state DNRC reported that they are still in a response stage of the fire with more work to do. The next stage will be recovery and to help people with their burned homes and replanting. "I appreciate the community pulling together. The teams have been outstanding," said Sanders County...
Former Sanders County attorney Naomi Leisz made her initial appearance in court on Tuesday, entering a not guilty plea to one charge of criminal insurance fraud. Leisz appeared before Judge Edward P. McLean at the Sanders County Courthouse. She is being represented by attorney Colin Stephens. Insurance fraud charge stems from an accident that occurred in April 2022, according to the charging documents, where a vehicle Leisz owned was involved in an accident in Trout Creek while allegedly being driven by her son. The vehicle was allegedly then...
As Sanders County school prepare to get back in session, students and parents will see some new and familiar faces in the hall. Plains and Noxon students went back to school Wednesday, August 23, while Thompson Falls starts Monday, August 28, and Hot Springs students return Tuesday, September 5. Trout Creek has a new 2-3 grade teacher who was in the Thompson Falls school last year. Madison Koonce has accepted the position and will be starting there this fall. Also from Trout Creek but new to teaching will be Beckie Doyle for grades 4-5, team...
It’s hard to sit back and do nothing. As I sat in my office Monday morning writing the latest update on the River Road East Fire, waiting for the rain that eventually came pouring, it was numbing. It’s hard to focus when we know what is happening to the east. On Sunday, I spoke with people who had lost their homes from the River Road East Fire. We’ve asked in the question of the week previously what people would take in case of a wildfire. I’d grab my dog and my phone, some clothes and the box of photos that aren’t digitized. Some of the resid...
Once upon a time, long, long ago — at least a decade, maybe more — I was enlisted by a couple of teachers from a local school to help lead a group of seventh graders into the wilderness. Their idea was to bring them back as well, not just leave them there, tempting as it might be. These were good kids, most on the cusp of puberty, some having passed that tipping point and some still maneuvering toward it. For the most part, they were divided into two basic groups: a giggle of girls and a boggle of boys. These classifications may not be com...
It is not unusual to hear people complaining bitterly about road closures on public lands. A certain amount of resentment is natural, when you encounter a gate or barrier blocking motorized access to what looks like a perfectly good road. What gives? Actually, road closures are not the result of a nefarious plot by evil people who want to take away our freedoms. The Kootenai Forest Stakeholders Collaborative (KFSC) wants the public to be aware that there are some solid reasons why not all forest roads are open to motor vehicles. Many years of...
7 YEARS AGO • JULY 29, 1953 NEW FLOOR POURED The concrete was poured Saturday for the floor of the new 4-H Club building at the Sanders County Fair grounds at Plains. The building is 24 feet by 54 feet. 4-H Club members will serve complete meals and soft drinks. Tables are now being built for the building. The outside of the building will be white asbestos siding with green trimming. This is expected to be complete in a week. This building is commonly known as the Pavilion at the fairgrounds. The old 4-H kitchen and dining room was directly w...
Montana Highway Patrol Ian Gardepe, 27, day speeding, $70. Jason Cooper, 50, driving under the influence of alcohol/drugs, 2nd offense, $2,135 with $800 suspended, 365 days jail with 350 days suspended. Nora Goforth, 72, seatbelt violation, $20. David Pluard, 69, operating without liability insurance, 1st offense, $285. Amber Caldwell, 47, day speeding, $20. Robert Joe, Jr., 58, day speeding, $120. Loran Nelson, 33, day speeding, $20. Tayler Van Den Top, 22, seatbelt violation, $20. Selena Marker, 44, day speeding, $70. Seth Alarcon, 22,...
Ambulance: T. Falls, 10; Hot Springs, 3; Plains, 3; Trout Creek, 2; Heron, 2; Dixon, 1; Paradise, 1. Monday, August 14 Warrant service, T. Falls. General animal call/complaint, Paradise. Property damage/criminal mischief, Hot Springs. Assist motorist/citizen, Trout Creek. General animal call/complaint, T. Falls. Motor vehicle crash, Noxon. Civil attempts, Plains. Civil attempts, Plains. Fire, Hot Springs. Fire, T. Falls. Civil standby, Trout Creek. Property damage/criminal mischief, Plains. Theft, Hot Springs. US Forest Service patrol, Plains....
2/10/1947 - 8/6/2023 Debra Lu Takarz of Thompson Falls, Montana, passed away August 7, 2023. Debra was born February 10, 1947, to Donald Wayne Bell and Shirly (Rundhammer) Bell in St. Paul, Minnesota. Debra is survived by her sons: Lisle DeMar and wife Diane, Cliff DeMar and wife Heather. Sisters, Dianne Canfield and Dedra Davies; brothers, Don Bell and Thomas Bell; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by parents, Donald W. Bell and Shirly B. Bell; brothers, Daniel and Richard Bell. Debra was my twin sister and though we...
One Plains girl might be a bit sheepish when talking with adults, but when it comes to showing sheep, she can be quite talkative. Ayla Rehbein of the 4-H club South Side Sparks showed her Suffolk Hampshire last year and took grand champion accolades in showmanship and reserve championship in the breeding class. Though she's showing "June" again in showmanship, she's showing her newest sheep in a new class this year. The 10-year-old Rehbein of Plains will have her two Olde English Babydoll...
One Plains woman is planning far ahead by forming a new softball club in Sanders County. Although the season doesn't begin until late next spring, Whitney Tanner-Spurr wanted to get a jump on forming the Sanders County Smoke 12U girls fastpitch softball team. She held tryouts in Plains and Thompson Falls last week and is planning a third one this week for those who couldn't make the first two. So far, Tanner-Spurr has 25 girls from Plains, Thompson Falls, Trout Creek, Noxon, Heron, and one from...
The Shakespearean theater group showed up in Plains for their Thursday performance only to find it too smoky and hot for a park performance. Montana Shakespeare in the Park’s (MSIP) presentation of The Three Musketeers was moved to the school gym. The new building, which has a performance area also used as a second gymnasium, had bleachers for the audience to sit on, instead of a grassy lawn. This marked the 51st year of the traveling troupe’s performances across the state. Alexandre Dumas wrote the book that was released in 1844, a year bef...
by Ginger Ward Green Bay, Wisconsin's Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley was the site of the 2023 National Senior Bowling Tournament. Twelve bowlers from Montana were eligible to participate in this tournament. Six women, one from each of the six age divisions and six participants from the open division, one from each of the six age divisions. The qualifying tournament for Montana was held in Miles City in October 2022. Wendy Kelley and Bernie Groshong both qualified in their divisions. Their entry fee was paid by the Montana United States Bowling...
The Over the Hill Gang played like champions Monday at River's Bend Golf Course. The gang enjoyed a Ryder Cup scramble in which they played three holes as a scramble, three as best ball and three with alternating shots. Jesse Mack and Ron Beaty were the low pair with a gross round of 39, while Bary Moore and Larry Eddy combined for the low net of 29, Barb Wooden and Chris Gross were second with a 31, and Randy Hojem and Al Luckow were third with a 33. Barb Wooden had a birdie on No. 14, also winning closest to the pin on that hole. Chip-ins...
Lana Nolen and Liz Morkert held on to first place in the last week of competition play for the ladies league at River's Bend Golf Course. The duo sits in first place with 150 points and Morkert sank the long putt on No. 6 last Thursday. Tina Wheeler and Jeanne Holleran shot the low team gross of 98, Danice Toyias and Kristy Beaty combined for the low net of 70, Wheeler had the low individual gross round of 43 and Barb Wooden the low net of 31. Holleran's fourth shot was closest on No. 2, Kim Pardee had the long putt on No. 3, Sharon Pound's...
Montana's Best Builders were the best all year in Tuesday men's league play at River's Bend Golf Course, no playoff needed. The team won both halves of the season and are the league champions. Team members Sean Kelly, Nathan Snead, Doug Czerwinski and Mike Thilmony combined for the low gross round of 180 last week, while Bear Muscle Fitness teammates Doug Robichaud, John Mosher, Cody Mosher and Steve Fairbank had the low team net round of 146. Dave Garr carded the low individual gross round of 38 and Cody Mosher's low net of 33 was best on the...
Whitefish Credit Union won both halves of the Wednesday night mens league season and were crowned the champions last week. Team members Shawn Morgan, Randy Hojem, Wally Gibe and Chuck Manry combined for a low net of 146 on the last night of play, while Clark Fork Seamless Gutters (RT Brown, Bob Brown, John Owens and Ross Gunn) had the low gross round of 172. RT Brown's 39 was the best gross score, and Manry had the low individual net round of 33. RT Brown had the closest third shot on No. 2 and the long putt on No. 6, Robichaud sank the long...
SOLUTIONS ACROSS 1. BAKST 6. SST 9. LUBA 13. ILEAC 14. DACE 15. ORAN 16. BARF 17. SAGAN 18. CEDI 19. BENEFITED 21. TAALS 22. SORES 23. DAL 24. YE 25. OSS 28. BEL 29. HOPIS 31. PYAS 33. SIMONIZED 36. INKED 38. NIL 39. SEARS 41. CEREBELLA 44. SLAB 45. SEMIS 46. YEN 48. SMA 49. EQ 51. NEB 52. SWOOP 54. SURAS 56. ELONGATES 60. HEAD 61. MIASO 62. BALL 63. ERNE 64. ARID 65. LIBRA 66. RYAS 67. CAN 68. BRING SOLUTIONS DOWN 1. BIBB 2. ALAE 3. KERN 4. SAFES 5. TC 6. SAGES 7. SCAD 8. TEN 9. LOCALIZES 10. UREA 11. BADLY 12. ANISE 14. DATELINES 17. SIRES...
Eligible Montana homeowners may now claim their property tax rebate up to $675 at getmyrebate.mt.gov. Claims must be filed by October 1, 2023. “Property taxes are too high, which is why we prioritized and secured immediate property tax relief for Montanans this legislative session,” Gov. Gianforte said in a press release. To qualify for the rebate, taxpayers must have owned and lived in their home for at least seven months during 2022. The amount of the rebate is the property taxes paid on this principal Montana residence for 2022, up to $67...
The annual Avista Charity Scramble broke a fundraising record this year as the golf tournament at River's Bend in Thompson Falls raised more than $25,000. This year the four-person scramble and silent auction benefitted the Sanders County Community Housing Organization. Eighteen four-person teams participated in the tournament and helped raise money with a 50/50 drawing and silent auction. Lisa Fried de Reyes with SCCHO expressed appreication to Avista and the comunity. "This is an amazing...
