Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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Sanders County Solid Waste Department board members recently met to discuss modifications to their recycling program. Rising costs associated with the transfer of collected mixed paper, along with low market conditions, have become an economic problem for the county. “There are a number of things going on in the fibers market right now,” Mike Wolf of Pacific Recycling commented. “Earlier this year Chinese export restrictions all but eliminated the export market which is what was keeping the prices up, so the prices are awful. Mills are full and...
The Sanders County Commissioners on Monday downgraded the fire restrictions in the county, moving from Stage II to Stage I. Cooler temperatures and precipitation throughout the area earlier in the week prompted the move, according to the resolution signed by the commissioners. The move to Stage I removes the “hoot owl” restrictions, which prohibited use of internal combustion engines, welding of open flame from 1 p.m. to 1 a.m., as well as operating motorize vehicles off designated roads and trails. With Stage I, campfires are also allowed in...
SANDHILL CRANES have become a common sight in Sanders County as they migrate in the spring and fall. This pair was spotted near Trout Creek recently. Sandhill cranes normally live up to 20 years and will sometimes nest on beaver lodges, according to the Montana Field Guide....
The Kootenai National Forest (KNF) has issued the Final Record of Decision (ROD) for Phase I of the Rock Creek Project, a proposed underground copper and silver mine near Noxon. RC Resources, Inc., a subsidiary of Hecla Mining Company, proposes to construct, operate and reclaim the proposed Rock Creek Mine. As proposed, this project would potentially result in more than 600 jobs in the area and produce more than 3.5 million tons of silver and copper ore per year while in operation. The mine is estimated to be viable for more than 30 years. RC...
Sanders County Coroner Kathy Harris has been charged with two felonies. Harris is charged with one count of elder exploitation and one count of exploitation of an older person, incapacitated person or person with a developmental disability. Harris, of Thompson Falls, made her initial appearance in court on Tuesday before 20th District Judicial Judge James Manley, pleading not guilty to both counts. According to documents filed by the Montana Attorney General’s office, the state Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) and Department of J...
With the passing of Arizona Sen. John McCain, we’ve heard a lot about his patriotism, his service and his commitment to this country. If you didn’t know before, after his passing you’ve learned more about his time as a prisoner of war and his leadership that kept him in the U.S. Senate for more than 30 years. What we were most moved by, however, was his strength and tenacity. Most people couldn’t survive five days, let alone five years, being held captive in Japan. And most people, when they are defeated in life, such as he was in the 2000 el...
Two weeks ago, during the fire that started along Highway 200 just west of Weeksville, I was told to prepare to evacuate. At the time I must have been in a mild state of shock as I really didn’t comprehend what the firefighter was talking about. As it turned out, all the regimented training that the various agencies involved had subjected their firefighters to paid off. While one landowner lost a mobile home and various equipment and two neighbors lost quite a few trees around their property, their homes were protected. The helicopter crews w...
I respect the importance Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has in ensuring protection of Montana’s environment. We acknowledge Director Livers’ support for Hecla when he accurately stated, “DEQ recognizes that Hecla’s track record of mine operations and reclamation has earned the company a favorable reputation for commitments to safety and to minimizing environmental impacts from mining.” We also support the intent of the law to hold operators accountable for compliance. However, the director’s actions and public statements make it cle...
I recently submitted a letter to the editor regarding my thoughts on the NFL players actions during the playing of our National Anthem. I'm happy to say that the feedback from that letter has been very positive. As a result, I was approached by The Ledger's editor, Annie Wooden, suggesting that I consider writing a bi-weekly column for the paper. Initially I was flattered by that idea. Next... I was intimidated! I've never done such a thing and frankly didn't know where I would start. However,...
7 YEARS AGO • AUGUST 11, 1948 A BIGGER & BETTER COUNTY FAIR Sanders County promises a bigger and better fair for this year. In fact, next week already, August 20, 21 and 22. With all the wonderful crops grown in the county, the exhibits should be much better. The rodeo will be bigger, a carnival has been added, etc. Improvements at the fairgrounds include a new agricultural building, a new building to be used as a combination dance pavilion and room for display of cars, and also a new poultry building. The old agricultural building has been r...
EDISON VANVLEET, Noxon — “Pump up with music and do a lot of practicing.” LEVI BRUBAKER, Noxon — “Start three weeks in advance of the game, train hard for two weeks, do your hardest workout, a lot of conditioning and mentally focus.” SHANE REISHUS, Noxon — “Just practice every day. You’ll get beefed up.” STEVEN HABEGGER, Noxon — “Just work as hard as you can. If somebody puts you down, just keep on doing it.” BRODY HILL, Noxon — “I sit in the locker room and listen to pump-up music. Then I come out and practice hard.” RYLAN WELTZ, Noxo...
Ambulances: Noxon, 3; T. Falls, 5; Plains, 7; H. Springs, 2. Sunday, August 19 Loud party at Noxon Reservoir. Boat in Noxon Reservoir with no occupants, T. Creek. Individual sleeping in a wagon in the front yard of a Plains residence. Harassment of patron of a H. Springs business. Cows on Hwy. 200, Dixon. Child custody dispute, T. Falls. Arrest made for DUI, drugs or alcohol, T. Creek. Intoxicated person refusing to leave residence, T. Falls. Fender bender in Quinn’s parking lot. Barking dogs, Plains. Arrest made for DUI, drugs or alcohol, T...
Two defendants made their initial appearances in court Tuesday on drug charges stemming from a traffic stop Aug. 10. Steven Ely, from Ronan, is charged with criminal possession of dangerous drugs with intent to distribute, a felony, and faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $50,000 fine. Ronald Clapper, from Elmo, is charged with felony criminal possession of dangerous drugs with intent to distribute, as well as criminal possession of dangerous drugs, a misdemeanor. Montana Highway Patrol conducted a traffic stop along Highway 200...
Sanders County Sheriff’s Office James Phillips, 59, night speeding, $120. Larry Crain, 69, speeding in a restricted zone, $55. Casey Caldwell, 43, improper passing on the right, $85. Montana Highway Patrol Frank Martinez, 48, speeding in a restricted zone, $105. Corey Ruis, 25, day speeding, $70. Cody Miller, 24, operating with expired registration, $85. Cody Miller, 24, no liability insurance, 1st offense, $275. Wade Chaney, 63, seatbelt violation, $20. James Ratzlaff, 59, night speeding, $70. Kent Engstrom, 73, reckless driving, 1st o...
Brent Prophet, our beloved husband, father, brother, grandfather and great-grandfather met our heavenly father on August 23, 2018. He was born on January 29, 1936, in Sugar City, Idaho, to Harold "Shorty" Prophet and Alt M. Prophet, and later moved to Armstead, Montana, where he met his future wife Barbara Harwood. Brent served four years in the U.S. Navy assigned to the USS Cimarron and USS Mount Katmai. He had a stroke in 1959 and was paralyzed on the right side of his body. He didn't allow...
In a move to support local music and promote their upcoming performing arts season, Sanders County Arts Council (SCAC) enlisted the help of D&D Good Time Music and Fire Creek Band. Both are local favorites who make the rounds in the county venues and help when they can for benefits and fundraisers. To kick off their Tapestry Season of performances, SCAC booked Fire Creek Band to play Big Eddy's Deck Bar in Thompson Falls on Friday, and D&D Good Time Music on Saturday. "We had a great turn out...
Summer is winding down. Kids are back to hitting the books and fall sports are in full action. This time of year, life gets quite exciting... and extremely busy! Trying to chase everyone down and accommodate multiple schedules, who has time for preparing healthy meals? Some tips to make your week less hectic are, preparing all weekday meals on Sunday then refrigerating or freezing them until needed, making large quantities so you have leftovers for a quick reheat, cooking smaller and thinner sec...
This fall Sanders County Community Development Corporation (SCCDC) is inviting all business owners to participate in multiple training opportunities targeted to strengthen efficiency, determine best management practices, reveal business needs, and develop resource networking all while becoming more marketable. The Thompson Falls courses begin on September 14, at the State Offices Building, with Business Planning. This class is designed to help entrepreneurs develop a business plan that will be the foundation for success. Identifying your...
With Sanders County students returning for school, districts are welcoming new staff in their ranks. Plains School saw a slew of retirements and one departure, leaving many empty positions to fill. Dixon School had no turnover and retained all their educators from the previous year. Thompson Falls School District’s new staff were featured in last week’s issue of The Ledger. Plains superintendent Thom Chisholm said things went well filling their vacant positions. “We had all the teaching positions filled before the end of the school year, and a...
Firefighters were able to save a Paradise house from total destruction after a fire started in an upstairs room last Tuesday. Plains-Paradise Fire District Chief James Russell said the cause is unknown, but it is likely to be an electrical fire. Russell and another firefighter were at the fire station when the call came in around 10:45 a.m. and were on the scene within 10 minutes. Russell said the home at 110 Central Avenue belonged to Spencer Smith. He said his partner smelled smoke and got the three children, ages 3 and 5 years and a 9-month...
It was an idea with a vision for local brews and live tunes that has gained momentum in the last year. The Beer Parlor – Barber Shop was created by couple Nick Barber and Abby Coleman at a time when they were looking to sell their building on Main Street in Hot Springs, in 2016. "We just didn't see the need to keep the building, but then a beer and wine license came up and we had an idea," shared Barber, who always loved the music scene in Hot Springs and wanted a venue of his own, "we looked i...
HOT SPRINGS – This is how 6-Man football is played down under the Canadian/American border. Back in the 6-Man game for the first time since winning the Montana State C championship in 2016, the Hot Springs Savage Heat rambled past the visiting J.C. Charyk Hanna Hawks from Hanna, Alberta 43-8 in Hot Springs Friday. Now 1-0 in non-conference play, coach Jim Lawson and the Heat will travel to White Sulphur Springs Friday for a key league game against the Hornets. Lawson was happy with how things w...
PLAINS – The Horsemen hung tough for awhile but, in the end, the Landers Smith-led Charlo Vikings were just a little too much for the young Plains football team. Charlo defeated Plains 42-6 in the Western C conference opener for both teams in Plains Saturday night. Sitting at 0-1 in Western C play, the Horsemen will travel to Seeley Lake Friday for a game with the 1-0 Seeley-Swan Blackhawks. Second-year Plains coach Eddie Fultz was impressed with how his guys played early against powerful C...
At the road’s end was Townsend. Coach Jared Kosekla and his Blue Hawk football team opened the season with a brutally long road trip to Townsend Friday and received a 45-0 beating from the powerful Bulldogs. Koskela knew Townsend was going to be a challenge, but expected his boys to respond better than they did. “We have to focus on the fundamentals, when you are unsure of yourselves you should always be able to fall back on the fundamentals,” he said. “And we just never did gain our footing in Townsend. We made way too many simple, simple...
Better than advertised. It’s hard to argue with that assessment of the Noxon Red Devil football team after the West End boys ran over and squashed flat the visiting Lincoln Lynx 70-0 at Jenny Lampshire Field in Noxon Friday. “The boys played a lot better than I expected them to right out of the gate like that,” coach Bart Haflich said. “That was a good way to start the season.” Now 1-0 in Western C 6-Man action, the Red Devils do not play again until Sept. 7 when they host White Sulphur Springs, another team with State C playoff hopes, in...
