Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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The sun was shining, the kids were laughing and literally a good time was had by all at the 2024 Sanders County Fair and PRCA Rodeo. Kids could be seen playing ball in their self made pen in the camping area. The atmosphere was filled with frivolity and safety for all attendees. A new event this year was a concert in the main arena on Wednesday evening. Levi Blom entertained a small crowd with his mix of country and rock. Blom showed up with an RV and a pop-up trailer perfect for playing from...
The Sanders County Fair activities for 4-H members culminated Sunday morning with the annual livestock auction. After the market animals have been judged and the showmanship skills displayed, 4-H members lead their animals around the arena as businesses, organizations and individuals bid to purchase the animals. There were smiles - and some tears - as the 4-H members worked their animals for the last time while auctioneer Kevin Hill interviewed the youths and then led the bidding. The auction...
People attend the Sanders County Fair for a number of reasons - carnival, rodeo, demolition derby, and greasy food - but seeing the 4-H kids show their animals is always a big draw. "I think most people come to see the exhibits and the animals," said Karrie Baldwin of Thompson Falls. Her grandson, John McNamara of the South Side Sparks club in Plains, had the most animals at the fair, including six sheep, a rooster named "Reggie," and the only pocket pet at the fair, a scorpion named "Forest."...
There wasn't an empty seat at the Plains Fairgrounds arena this last Sunday night. The crowd was full of anticipation as over 50 drivers from far and wide came to compete in the 45th annual Carnage on the Clark Fork Demolition Derby and they did not disappoint. The roar of the crowd was deafening as everyone cheered on their favorite drivers as they crashed into each other, hoping for a chance to win the grand prize. For over five hours the sound of crunching metal and roaring engines could be h...
by Emily Senkosky, UM News Service According to naturalist and author John Muir, between every two pines is the doorway to a new world. In Noxon, Montana, at a base camp for wildlife biologists nestled deep in the pines, camera traps and other measuring instruments are capturing forensic evidence of what is happening to the state’s elk population. A new management plan released by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks last year has accelerated matters concerning the antlered ungulate, and an investigative team consisting of University of Montana w...
Members of the Thompson Falls Woman's Club gathered last week with the Sanders County Commissioners, Thompson Falls Mayor Rusti Leivestad, city council members and representatives from the Thomspon Falls Police Department and Sanders County Sheriff's Office to mark the achievement of the Woman's Club in raising funds for a speed radar sign for the city. Gussie O'Connor of the Woman's Club said that $5,500 has been raised so far, enough to purchase one of the radar signs. She stated that club...
I wasn't expecting to spend all weekend at the fair. My mom and I judge 4-H cooking, baking and cake decorating on Thursday. It's tradition. This was our fourth year, and it's great to see the kids come back each year and be more open and comfortable with their interviews and their cooking skills. And it's become tradition for me to work with my pal Heidi in the beer booth on Friday night. It's a great way to see all sorts of people, make new friends, and help out the Sanders County Fair Foundation, which is a nonprofit that helps the fair...
With back to school, the beginning of soccer, and the fair, many families are dealing with high emotions, not just in the littles, but the bigs. Another parent recently explained their childs’ meltdowns to me and all I could do was nod along and smile, “I feel that way too,” I blurted. Sometimes it’s too many people, sometimes it’s being hungry, sometimes there’s no obvious reason. Another parent came up and told me how their child may not realize they’re overheating, if they become grumpy to ask them to shed a layer and see if that fixes it...
8 YEARS AGO • JULY 19, 1944 BROWN MILL BURNS The Brown lumber mill caught fire and burned just as the noon shift was coming on work Wednesday. Sparks from the burner must have ignited the mill, and once started and fanned by a strong wind, the mill went up in smoke in no time. The town fire department went out, but it was useless to do anything. Any saw mill is usually saturated with oil, and shavings and other inflammable materials are everywhere. The loss experienced is speculative on our part, but we would say offhand at least $40,000 w...
Ambulance: T. Falls, 8; Plains, 4; Hot Springs, 3; Dixon, 2; Trout Creek, 1; Paradise, 1. Monday, August 26 Assist miscellaneous, Plains. Assist motorist/citizen, T. Falls. Livestock, Lonepine. Other law violations, T. Falls. Fire, T. Falls. Civil attempts, Hot Springs. Business contact, Hot Springs. Business contact. Livestock, Plains. Threats, T. Falls. Tuesday, August 27 Person missing, T. Falls. Theft, Hot Springs. General animal call/complaint, Paradise. Fire, Heron. Property damage/criminal mischief, Plains. USFS campground check, Noxon....
Judge John Mercer sentenced Isaac Samuel Warnes to a six-year deferred imposition of sentence on Tuesday for his role in the January 2024 break-in at the Top Shelf Botanicals dispensary in Plains, with credit for two days time served. In addition to the deferred sentence, Warnes will also be required to pay restitution in the amount of $39,506 and is prohibited from being on the premises of where the burglary took place. The other two co-defendants in this incident, McKenzie Allen Managhan and William Lucas Wyatt, have hearings scheduled for...
YAVY BURFORD, Plains - “Seeds planted with water in the ground. Needs to be in a safe spot with sunshine and nutrients in the ground.” JENNY BURFORD, Plains - “I pull the weeds out of the garden.” HAILEY YODER, Trout Creek - “You have to make sure you water them, and find out what they like.” MADISON YODER, Trout Creek - “Ya gotta keep them in sunlight and make sure they are watered the right way.” JOHN LEMRO, Plains - “For peppers and tomatoes, use Tums for calcium, epsom salts for magnesium, and coffee for nitrogen. You have to have worm...
Montana Highway Patrol Niles Fullerton, 40, speeding in a restricted zone, $95. Rue Hussion, 19, day speeding, $20. Kevin Sterner, 53, seatbelt violation, $20. Justin Yoder, 21, seatbelt violation, $20. John Sturdivant, VII, 57, no motorcycle endorsement, $85. Numa Caye, 37, seatbelt violation, $20; speeding in a restricted zone, $85. Alec Ray, 31, seatbelt violation, $20. Conner Cook, 22, speeding in a restricted zone, $135, deferred imposition of sentence. Cheryl Granger, 72, speeding in a restricted zone, $95, deferred imposition of...
The Sanders County 4-H horse project leaders added a new activity to the fair this year and nearly a dozen kids from four clubs participated in the event. The "Working Ranch Horse" competition is not purely new to 4-H members. It's usually held elsewhere and not during the fair, said Sanders County extension agent Wendy Carr, but for the first time it was conducted on the fairgrounds during the fair. Four girls competed in level one, the beginner class, and five girls and one boy competed in...
"There's more to 4-H than just animals," said Karen Dwyer, a volunteer who has helped with the home economics and non animal projects of the 4-H at the fair for more than 30 years. Even now, as a volunteer, she is surprised at the ingenuity and imagination from the 4-H members from across the county. There were more than 900 entries last Thursday afternoon in the fairgrounds home economics building, where nearly a dozen judges looked over the kids' work - woodworking, paintings, photographs,...
Jeff Kirkland born September 1, 1963, to Joe Blanton and Jane Kirkland, passed away August 28, 2024 at his home in Noxon, surrounded by loved ones. Jeff moved to Noxon his junior year, where he met Jackie Larkin. They got married June 5, 1984, and had three daughters Acacia, Jessica and Jasmine. Jeff battled cancer and SLE for many years, but always kept his positive spirit and smile. Services are being held Thursday, September 5, 2024, at 4 p.m. at the Noxon Methodist Church. Graveside...
Lela Marlene Barrick Orr was born January 8, 1924, to Troy R. and Edna Pearl Barrick in Butler, Oklahoma. She grew up in the Arapaho, Oklahoma area, attended school and graduated from Arapaho High School in 1942. She married Howard Arthur Orr on May 30, 1942, and they were married 54 years when he died in 1996. The family lived in Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming and Montana. Marlene was a housewife, raising four kids, while her husband worked for Shell Oil Company as a seismologist. In...
Patricia "Patty" Louise Geiger, beloved wife, mother and grandmother, age 78, of Nirada, Montana passed away peacefully on August 27, 2024, at St. Joseph Medical Center in Polson. Patty was born on March 6, 1946, to Mary Hopkins. She was raised by her mother and stepfather Edgar Hopkins in Hamilton, MT. After she graduated from Corvallis High School in 1964, she went on to study nursing at MSU Northern in Havre, MT. After graduating with an associate's degree in nursing, she started her first...
On August 9, 2024, Dusty Ann Fratzke, 43, of Kalispell, Montana, passed away. On December 17, 1980 Dusty was the fourth and last child born to Scott Fratzke and Edna Brotherton in Sanders County, Montana. Dusty spent her childhood in Thompson Falls and Ronan. In her younger childhood she spent much time with her grandparents on their ranch outside of Thompson Falls before moving to Ronan. She had a lifelong love of animals and at the age of 23 she earned a diploma as an Animal Care Specialist....
Dude Sheffer cashed in his poker chips and left on his Harley for one last ride on May 28, 2024. Dude died from complications of diabetes in St. Pat's Hospital in Missoula. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers, Allen and Bryan (who was also his best friend) and his sister Bonnie Vulles Dodd. He is survived by his stepson Todd Zak, three sisters, Shirley Stephens, Ruby Stobie and Kim Nordhagen and many nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his poker playing buddies and his o...
The Clark Fork Valley Hospital Foundation has been hosting a golf tournament fundraiser in Plains for 17 years, but this year was extra special for the foundation, the tournament and the people involved. The golf tournament was renamed the Barry Fowler Memorial Golf Classic this year in honor of the late Barry Fowler, who died in December 2023. Fowler began working at the hospital in 2002 and along with running the CFVH Foundation, he was a past coach of the Plains golf team. Teams, sponsors...
For the first time in nearly 10 years Plains High School hosted a cross country meet and the results were positive for the local athletes. Eight Horsemen and six Trotters took part in the Plains Sanders County Fair Cross Country Meet, the school's first home cross country meet Friday against the Arlee Warriors and Scarlets. The 3.1-mile race course was held on the property of Joel and Wendy Collett about one mile into the woods off Combest Creek Road. "I'm happy that we are able to put on a...
THOMPSON FALLS 48, CONRAD 45 The Thompson Falls Blue Hawks hit the road for their first game taking on the Conrad Cowboys, securing the 48-45 victory. The Cowboys opened the game with the first touchdown, but were quickly answered with a massive 60-yard touchdown by Hawk senior Braedon Ferris. Conrad tried to break past the Hawk defense but was unable to before Kaiden Robins was able to score a touchdown, giving Thompson Falls a five-point lead. The Cowboys dominated the second quarter with...
THOMPSON 0, LONE PEAK 10 Previs field had a different look to it Saturday as the newly formed Plains-Thompson Falls Blue Hawk girls soccer team hosted their first game of the season, taking on the Lone Peak Big Horns and falling 10-0. Both teams started out putting pressure on each other, but the Big Horns were quick to show their competitiveness and were able to sneak a shot past the keeper to score their first goal. The Blue Hawks held their own and were able to get the ball down the field....
The Thompson Falls cross country team took to Ronan for the Canal Bank Run. The course is three miles along the canal, a dirt and gravel road, with lots of sunshine. Freshman Weston Block had a great time of 19 minutes 31 seconds, while Blake Shusterman had a time of 20:52. Tuff Ryder came in behind with 22:20, and Nathan Baxter finished in 22:48. Luke Pastorius (22:51) and Jakob Molina (27:24) also had a great race. “Weston also ran on the varsity team as an eighth grader last year, and ran a fantastic first freshman race in the heat!” said co...
