Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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Finally, with a little help from above in the form of welcome rains, this firestorm of 2021 seems to be mercifully over. The Thorne Creek fire, the big event in Thompson Falls all summer long as it has worked its way southeast along the slopes of Silcox Mountain from its original starting point in the Graves Creek area, was stopped in its tracks last week when rainstorms moved into western Montana and thoroughly soaked Sanders County’s biggest wildfire of the year. Ignited by lightning back on July 7, the Thorne Creek fire has dominated the h...
The Sanders County Fair’s green, green grass will start filling with feet on Sept. 2, the beginning of fair week, and by week’s end the smooth dirt of the main arena will be torn up, possibly still showing crash evidence with car parts on the surface from the fair’s biggest event — the demolition derby. Manager Melissa Cady said the fair is going to be amazing this year with 25 food and drink vendors and 150 commercial vendors — a record — and will include world famous chainsaw carver Steven Higgins of Missouri, who will be auctioning...
On August 15, the Thorne Creek fire began to quickly back down into the Thompson River canyon toward numerous homes and structures along the river. Overnight, the fire grew 6,157 acres, with the majority of that growth into the Thompson River drainage. With resources stretched thin across the west, and most of the United States at Fire Preparedness Level 5, the fire teams working structure protection had to work fast in extreme conditions. "The rain has put the brakes on this thing [the fire]...
Food, a shower and a safe place to sleep when not on the front lines; these are the basics emergency workers like wildland firefighters have a right to. The Thorne Creek fire camp just southwest of Plains, more or less a tent city on steroids designed and built from the ground up to support the effort, has done all that and more for the firefighters and fire staff working on that stubborn fire for over seven weeks now. Knowing that all their basic needs are met is a big thing for workers,...
Voters within the Sanders County Sewer District at Paradise voted this week to recall two of the district's board members. Each race was within two votes. Ballots had voters choosing for or against the recall of Rick McCollum and Sunny Chase. In both instances, more voters selected to recall the board members. For McCollum, the vote was 35 in favor of the recall, and 33 against. For Chase, the current board president, 36 voters in favor of the recall and 34 voted against the action. Of the 112 ballots mailed to voters within the sewer...
Two Sanders County nonprofit organizations have merged to become one entity in an effort to be more effective and to help administratively streamline operations. The Sanders County Arts Council recently dissolved and is now part of the Paradise Center, which continues under the umbrella of the Paradise Elementary School Preservation Committee. Instead of the two groups sometimes competing for fundraising money, they will now consolidate fundraising efforts for a common goal, according to Karen Thorson, the Paradise Center’s secretary. H...
It is entirely impossible to overstate the dangerous outcome of Biden’s Afghanistan debacle. We will experience fallout from his idiotic/cowardly decision making for decades. Because of the minute-to-minute changes taking place in Afghanistan, it’s impossible to discuss it in detail. What we know now might be completely different in an hour. Let’s look at Biden’s pathetic job performance from a broader perspective. Early this year, I wrote a column listing 21 predictions about what I thought we...
Dear Editor, I have been a resident of Sanders County and a veterinarian for over 45 years. In that time, I have never before written a letter to the editor. I’m proud to have served as a member of the Sanders County Board of Health for more than a decade. COVID-19 has been by far the most significant health challenge we have had to deal with. Most of the day-to-day work of the Board of Health is done by the county sanitarian, the county health nurse and other county employees. Particularly in these uniquely trying times, we are lucky to h...
Continued from last week... • Gem Peak – 8 miles SW of Noxon. It started as a camp lookout with a 15-foot pole platform. 1939, 20-foot pole tower L-4 cab. 1964, 30-foot tower with a R-6 flat cab. Staffed into the 1970s. Now available for rent on the Recreational Rental program • Government Mountain – 3 miles NE of Noxon. Established with a cabin in 1930. Fifty-foot pole L-4 tower built in 1931, abandoned in 1950. • Green Mountain – 8 miles N of Trout Creek. Developed as a camp in 1933, 50-fo...
Karli Thomas, Thompson Falls - “I am most excited to meet my new students and to have an active year in physical education with them.” Morgan Owens, Thompson Falls - “Being back in my home community and teaching. I am also teaching junior high for the first time so that will be an exciting experience. I am excited to create relationships with older students this year.” Kaela Burgess, Heron - “To become part of this community. We just moved our family over here for some great opportunities and we are looking forward to being part of the team....
Last month, the Thompson Falls Chamber of Commerce (for which I am the secretary) and Job Service Thompson Falls sponsored a job fair at Thompson Falls High School. We advertised in The Ledger and on social media. At the time, there were more than 100 job openings listed at our local Job Service. We had 20 employers and organizations sign up to attend the job fair. Others we spoke with couldn't attend the job fair, but expressed a need for employees. The job fair was held on a Thursday in mid-afternoon, hours that others who hosted job fairs in...
Montana Highway Patrol Clarence Bean, 64, operating without liability insurance, 1st offense, $75; operating under the influence of alcohol, 1st offense, $735, 180 days in jail, 179 days suspended. Sonia Petersen, 44, speeding in a restricted zone, $55. Joe Guevara, III, 49, operating under the influence of alcohol, 1st offense, $685. Demi Appleby, 31, day speeding, $120. Morgan Molzahn, 24, day speeding, $20. Jennifer McPherson, 43, failure to yield, $85. Grant Sexton, 46, habitual offender operating vehicle, $1,035, 30 days in jail; seatbelt...
Ambulance Trout Creek, 3; T. Falls, 9; Plains, 11; Paradise, 2; Heron, 1; Hot Springs, 3; Dixon, 4; Camas Prairie, 1. Sunday, August 15 Fire, Plains. Assist motorist/citizen, Hot Springs. Motor vehicle crash, T. Falls. Suspicious activity, Trout Creek. Assist motorist/citizen, Trout Creek. Motor vehicle crash, plains. Welfare check, T. Falls. Other law violations, T. Falls. Coroner called, Plains. Alarm-intrusion/holdup, Plains. Livestock, Hot Springs. Motor vehicle crash, T. Falls. Motor vehicle crash, Paradise. Monday, August 16 Motor...
The man who was cited for publicly threatening firefighters August 6 appeared in Thompson Falls Municipal Court on Monday to plead guilty. Douglas Brester pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor, and was fined $185. The Whitepine resident was witnessed by several persons at Town Pump and was seen directly threatening firefighters that were in close proximity. In a press release, Thompson Falls Police Chief Chris Nichols said, “Any threats of bodily injury are taken seriously and dealt with accordingly....
Thompson Falls High School welcomes a familiar face as its new principal this year. Jodi Morgan has been the school's counselor for the last 13 years and with the support of her staff, she has the confidence to take on her new role. "I care deeply about this school district and the students in it," Morgan said. "I want to make this a better place." Morgan has spent many years getting to know the district and its community, but says it has never felt like the right time to take on a new position...
Thompson Falls Elementary is heading into the school year with new faculty members and an increased enrollment. Principal Len Dorscher said the school will welcome five new teachers this year. Samantha Varner, who graduated high school from Bigfork, is the new first grade teacher, Morgan Owen will be the school’s new English language and arts teacher, the school’s new band director for grades 5-12 will be Haile Ward, Karli Thomas, a Thompson Falls graduate, will be welcomed as the new k-8 physical education teacher and Sarah Naegeli, who has...
Regarding the Aug. 19 article on the commissioner’s meeting on Aug. 17: No human activity is without error, science included. Science does, however, have a process to correct itself. Theories and publications are reviewed with a robust procedure to verify the accuracy and check for diligent work. Scientists acknowledge errors and disappointing results and those who publish deliberately false reports are discredited in their community and sometime lose their job or license. Facts evolve as new information is discovered and refined. Facebook, s...
Calvin Lawrence Howard died in his sleep August 14, 2021. He passed due to natural causes at the age of 93. Calvin was born August 2, 1928, in Camas Prairie, Montana, to parents Laura and Lawrence Howard. He went to school in Missoula and after, moved to Thompson Falls. He worked as a diesel mechanic after school and later bought his own logging truck. He met his wife Delores Sharp in Darby, Montana, and they were married December 22, 1952. Calvin and Delores were married for 62 loving years.... Full story
Lifelong local rancher Richard Beller, born October 18, 1924, in Seattle, passed away peacefully at home in Plains on August 15, 2021, at age 96. Richard was born 3 lbs. 13 oz. Given little chance of survival he was relinquished by his parents at birth and Ora Beller returned to Dixon, Montana, with Richard in a shoe box where she and Dick Beller raised him as their own. The Depression brought many jobs to the Beller's and young Richard; by the time he was 5, was running wild horses with his dad... Full story
Natalie and Jason Frankhauser of Plains welcomed a son, Nolan Thomas Frankhauser, on July 12, 2021. Nolan was born at Clark Fork valley Hospital, measuring 7 pounds, 9 ounces and 20 inches long. He joins a sister, Josie. Maternal grandparents are Thomas Ruzicka of Sacramento, California, and Tracy Ruzicka of Big Spring, Texas. Maternal great-grandparent is Dewey Sigmon of Lockhart, South Carolina. Paternal grandparents are Tom Price of Seattle and Diane Price of Tacoma, Washington. Paternal... Full story
Tiffany Hansen and Ben Plumlee of Trout Creek welcomed a son, William Wray Plumlee, on July 8, 2021, at Clark Fork Valley Hospital. William was 6 pounds, 2.8 ounces and measured 20 inches long. He joins siblings Charlie and Alexia. Maternal grandparents are Patti and Gary Vinson of Springtown, Texas. Maternal great-grandparent is Patsy Johnson of Graham, Texas. Paternal grandparents are Charles and Wanda Plumlee of Keller, Texas. Welcome, William!... Full story
The arena motocross event at Sanders County Fairgrounds last weekend was a big success, according to Jamie Larsen, who ran the two-day competition with her husband, Tyler. The Top Dawg Arena Cross competition drew more than 250 spectators on Friday and some 400 were in the stands Saturday evening, attracting over 60 racers each day. The competitors included 17 racers from Trout Creek, Thompson Falls and Plains, ranging from 6-year-old Gavin Gamboa to 39-year-old Anthony Young, both of Plains....
There is a great exodus in the world today. After COVID-19 struck so many people in so many ways, a great number of Americans have begun to re-evaluate the way they live their lives. The people are coming out to the country and moving away from big cities. As they do, they are beginning to realize the way of life lived for many years by those who call Montana home. However, there are many Montana youths who have not had the opportunity to experience the outdoors in the same way many outsiders wi...
Thompson Falls Police Department (TFPD) officers are investigating a fire last week that destroyed the pavilion at NorthWestern Energy's Power Park in Thompson Falls. The pavilion burned early in the morning of August 20. The pavilion was a popular event location for gatherings like the Chicken Jamboree, the American Radio Relay League Field Day and many more. According to Thompson Falls Police Chief Chris Nichols, the fire resulted in the destruction of the pavilion and restrooms. TFPD is...
All systems are go for fall sports. The fall high school prep sports schedules all begin this week with a busy first week of action in football, volleyball and cross country. In football, the only Sanders County team that will open any season at home this week will be the Plains Horsemen, who will host the newly reminted Superior Bobcats. The Bobcats are back as a one-school entity after breaking with the Alberton cooperative the schools were recently locked into, with the team then being called the Clark Fork Mountain Cats. The game, which...
