Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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The fair was canceled, but 4-H was able to put on their annual competition for its members, starting with the horse show last Saturday. Ten 4-H'ers - half of last year's numbers - from three clubs demonstrated their horsemanship skills for the first show of the week last Saturday at the fairgrounds. The South Side Sparks had five participants, the Trout Creek Mavericks had four and the Whitepine Happy Workers had one. The competition took just over three hours with 21 classes, including...
A heavy helicopter loosens its load of water on the Shorty fire last Friday. Believed to be a lightning-holdover fire, the Shorty fire was limited to eight acres as approximately 50 firefighters backed by three helicopters effectively put the fire down late last week. The fire was in the Prospect Creek drainage, about 10 air miles west of Thompson Falls. Fire danger remains at high in most of Sanders County....
For 10 years, the fish ladder attached to the Thompson Falls dam has been providing a reliable flow of information to researchers on the patterns of fish-travel around and through the dam. Connected by researchers to a network of tag detecting antenna throughout the water system, fish captured at the dam can then be tracked throughout the Clark Fork, then Thompson and beyond. Since being installed in 2010, the fish ladder has captured over 34,000 fish. According to Jon Hanson, a fish biologist...
A Hot Springs man was arrested last week on charges of arson after a large fire at Wild Horse Hot Springs. Dennis D. Larson, 63, was booked at the Lake County Jail on a charge of felony negligent arson on August 26. Lake County Sheriff Don Bell said in a press release that Hot Springs Volunteer Fire Department requested the assistance of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office due to the large fire started on the property that burned out of control. Deputies responded and provided aid to the fire department by clearing out onlookers on nearby roads w...
We're going to miss the cheesy curly fries, the fair burgers, the demo derby, the rodeo and the kids crashing in the car on the way home from the sugar rush they get at the fair. Yes, this Labor Day weekend looks a bit different in Sanders County as the fair is limited to the 4-H displays and competitions. Even with the pandemic restrictions, Sanders County 4-H kids have spent the year preparing their animals and project for the Sanders County Fair. The MSU Sanders County Extension staff and the club volunteers and parents have been working har...
It was a stirring sight to see the beautifully illuminated White House from the South Lawn, all awash with American flags and the President of the United States standing before it at the podium. If the occasion had been, say, a memorial for American victims of the COVID pandemic or a recognition of America’s servicemen and servicewomen, it could have been truly inspiring. However, it was nothing more than an opportunity to use the “people’s house,” as Ronald Reagan used to call it, as a prop fo...
To Your Readers: Colleen Hinds, running to represent your district in the state legislature, became my friend in Sunday School at our small farm community church west of Minneapolis. Over the decades we’ve kept friendship alive on bare bones of occasional letters, e-notes and visits. Colleen became a Montanan while she was still a young nurse and I was putting down roots in Minnesota. Political candidates’ positions on issues are make-or-break important. You can learn everything you need about Colleen’s stances on your concerns on her websi...
For more than 14 years, the Kootenai Forest Stakeholders Coalition (KFSC) has brought together individuals, businesses and organizations that take an interest in the management of our public lands. In particular, we’ve been focused on how we can make the Kootenai National Forest work for all of us. The Forest is central to our way of life in northwest Montana. We rely on it for timber, tourism, hunting, recreation, education and personal rejuvenation. It’s the KFSC’s mission to represent all of these interests. We are loggers, foresters, conse...
3 YEARS AGO • SEPTEMBER 6, 1990 T.F. CIVIC LEADER LOVHAUG DIES Thompson Falls lost a community leader last week when an unexpected heart attack claimed longtime resident Leonard Lovhaug. Lovhaug was pronounced dead at Clark Fork Valley Hospital in Plains after being taken there by ambulance after collapsing at the home of Chris and Ruby Stobie on the Eddy Flat. Chris Stobie said he was just returning home when Lovhaug pulled into his driveway ahead of him. Leonard expressed that he was feeling ill and asked if he could go inside to clean u...
Bonnie Nicol, Thompson Falls - “The food.” Nichole Glase, Plains - “I’m going to miss the demo derby the most.” Deanna Roseberry, Plains - “The Food!” Shannan Roseberry, Plains - “I really miss the rides, and the food.” Marilyn Saunders, Trout Creek - “The 4-H exhibits.” Sean West, Thompson Falls - "Monster trucks and the rodeo....
Ambulance T. Falls 12, Plains 13, Noxon 3, Heron 2, Paradise 2, Hot Springs 4, Trout Creek 1, Dixon 1. Saturday, August 22 Welfare check, Paradise. Disturbance, assisted with initial call for assault, Hot Springs. Theft, Plains. Property damage/criminal mischief, Heron. Motor vehicle crash, T. Falls. Theft, Noxon. Assist motorist/citizen, T. Falls. Theft, Plains. Trespass, Hot Springs. Motor vehicle crash, Noxon. Assist motorist/citizen, Hot Springs. Fire, Dixon. Informational case, T. Falls. Informational case, Hot Springs. Informational...
Montana Highway Patrol Patrick Murray, 40, driving while privilege is revoked, $285. Joseph Gies, 44, seatbelt violation, $20; Failure to carry proof of insurance, 1st offense, $85. Tyler Huetter, 28, exceeding special zone speed limit, $95. Jennifer Sineni, 37, day speeding, $70. Dales Landon, 19, exceeding special zone speed limit, $95. Tibb Carr, 20, seatbelt violation, $20. Buckmaster Adams, 70, failure to yield, $86. Davis Moore, 23, day speeding, $70. Bradley Voyles, 66, day speeding, $20. Jediah Hovet, 38, seatbelt violation, $20....
I’d like to thank the Sanders County Historical Society (Old Jail Museum) for creating a wonderful military exhibit for 2020, commemorating the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II. The exhibit, which covered other times than WWII, was well put-together, and the description of each displayed item was informative. My mother, father, sister and step-father (Dolores Aldrich Hill Burrese, Paul Hill, Diane Hill Larango and Bob Burrese, respectively) were featured, along with several other people. Having grown up in TF, the exhibit brought b...
by Nils Rosdahl My first summer out of high school (age 18) I worked for the Forest Service in Noxon. The job for our team was to work on building a trail over a mountain ridge into the wilderness area of Wanless Lake. A crew of about 15 of us hiked into the lake area and set up a camp with tents and trail-working supplies. A designated cook would make the meals, but firewood had to be cut to cook them. That was the job of my friend Bruce and I. We had a stack of 18-inch rounds cut from logs...
Maria Elena "Jake" Jacobson Legault, 76, of Thompson Falls, passed away August 24, 2020, at her home after a brief battle with brain cancer. Jake was born in Kellogg, Idaho, September 30, 1943, to Roy and Lois Jacobson. She didn't like her first name and her friends nicknamed her Jake in high school. She graduated from Kellogg High School in 1962. Jake met Ron Legault at an Eagles dance in Wallace. They were married December 21, 1963, in Osburn, Idaho. They welcomed daughter Elena in 1964 and... Full story
The Thompson Falls Bowling Association has elected several new officers and directors this season. The association has 34 members. The local association re-elected Ricky Hagedorn president, with Ron Beaty as vice president. Ron Hawkinson was elected second director, Bernie Groshong fourth director, and Kerry Schwarz sixth director. Ron Beaty won bowler of the year. Beaty was nominated for his, “outstanding performance, dedication to the sport and willingness to help others,” Ginger Ward said. Rookie of the year went to Jed Howard. The hall of...
A new handmade shop has opened just outside of Noxon at the Bull River junction on Highway 200. The Local Artisan Market opened on August 1, and features quality handmade items from residents around Sanders County and Northwest Montana. "I know there is a lot of talent in the area, and that's what I want in here," owner Jen Fratzke said. Fratzke opened this type of store for several different reasons, "there are so many folks in our region that are extremely talented and make quality handmade...
Rural communities across Montana are grappling with ideas and solutions for keeping their local communities’ great places to live, work and raise a family. Sanders County Community Development Corporation (SCCDC) along with MSU Sanders County Extension Office is offering a series of virtual statewide gatherings called Reimagining Rural. The sessions are designed to bring people together who are passionate about creating vibrant, robust rural places, growing local capacity and who are eager to learn, connect and lead local change. The series i...
A pronghorn antelope doe stops to let her calf nurse at the National Bison Range which recently opened to visitors this year. According to Bison Range officials, there are about three dozen pronghorns at the refuge....
Project ASCENT met with the Sanders County Board of Commissioners last week to present their plans to lease part of the mule pasture north of Thompson Falls as part of their base of operations for their outdoor recreation program. Rob Christensen, Executive Director of Project ASCENT, presented to the board a three-phase approach that would utilize the left side of the mule pasture in Thompson Falls. In order to proceed with these plans, Project ASCENT will need to acquire a special use permit...
Denied one race, the Thompson Falls cross country team created their own; and then went out and ran like the wind. Thompson Falls coach Sarah Naegeli and some of her running cohorts quickly set up a course and organized the event when the Deer Lodge Invitational, the race the Hawks were originally going to run in, was canceled. Led by seniors Justin Morgan and Josey Neesvig, who cruised to wins on the boys and girls side, Thompson Falls hosted Mission for a 5K dual meet run in Thompson Falls...
When we get to the end of this season and look back, this football game in Mission Friday with the hometown Bulldogs that Thompson Falls just won 38-32, could loom very large indeed. With the Western 8-Man division looking fairly wide-open this season after a slew of talented players from all corners of the conference graduated away this spring, Blue Hawk coach Jared Koskela could be excused that the win in Mission could take on a little extra meaning later on this fall. “The way I see it, Mission an us are both potential playoff teams, and b...
When the going got tough, the Easy Street boys got going, and ended up toughing it out. Capping the Tuesday Night Men’s League title with a one-round playoff win over the doubly good Double H Dirt Works team, Dave Garr, Ron Beaty, Jens Jantzen and Rusty Haggard are the team members for the championship Easy Street Autoworks team. Sparky’s golfers Kevin Sparks, Sean Kelly, Tom Holleran, Brian Foster and Caleb Bates won the play night scramble round with a combined round of 30. In other Tuesday night action of the final night of the season on...
As the sun waned in the western sky quickly dropping toward Flat Iron Ridge, this was the last men’s league golf war that would be waged on Wednesday night at our own natural treasure at River’s Bend, this historic, socially distant year of 2020. And the winners of the 2020 River’s Bend swan song round were Ron Beaty, Rick Kendall, Rusty Sharp, Randy Hojem and Chuck Manry – those guys who played Wednesday Night Men’s League championship golf for Whitefish Credit Union this summer - wrapping up the title with a playoff win last week. Whitefish...
Long live the new king and queen! At least until the summer of 2021. Ryan Ostwald and Lana Nolen were crowned royalty Saturday after the 2020 River’s Bend Club Championships were played. Ostwald fended off a strong challenge from Dan Kier, with Ostwald shooting a 79 and Kier carding 80, to win the men’s low-gross title. Rick Hagedorn finished third with 83. Largely unchallenged and now the undisputed queen of the Bend, Nolen stood alone as the women’s champ with the low gross round of 94. Tina Wheeler copped the women’s low-net crown with a...
