Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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The Sanders County Fairgrounds in Plains looked a little different this Labor Day weekend. Normal fair activities including the carnival, rodeo and vendors were missing, but the Sanders County 4-H members still got the chance to show off their hard work. The efforts of the Sanders County 4-H members culminated with the annual livestock auction Sunday morning at the fairgrounds in Plains. The auction featured 16 steers, 34 swine, three sheep and a goat. With the COVID-19 restrictions this year,...
It was a busy Saturday for the Plains VFW. The group organized a parade that exceeded their expectations, hosted a gun show organized by the mayor who said that it was the biggest one he has ever held, and had live music and a dance that night. Vehicles and participants lined up at The Circle at 11 a.m. Saturday for the VFW parade. Over the last few weeks, the VFW sent out information and worked with the American Legion post in Paradise to contact veterans to participate. They had no idea the...
After a weekend of sunshine and temperatures in the 90s, Labor Day came in with a bang as strong winds pummeled Sanders County. The strongest wind gusts were seen in the west end of the county. Home owners in Trout Creek reported several trees down and power was knocked out throughout the Northern Lights service area. In Thompson Falls, some residents were without power for as little as an hour, while others didn't have power retored until Monday afternoon. As of Tuesday afternoon, hundreds of Northern Lights customers were without power due...
As you drive out of Thompson Falls on the west end, you'll notice a huge difference in the aesthetics of the city's Ainsworth Park. The park's renovation is nearly complete. Ainsworth Park is not yet open to the public, with the city planning a grand opening in the spring. But the improvement is breathtaking. The veterans memorial, the walking path, the picnic shelter and the restrooms are surrounded by established grass and some lovely landscaping. The park project took a long time, but it's worth it. There were times we questioned whether...
Two weeks ago, I threw myself a whiny little pity party because I was a little discouraged. I want to say thank you to all the wonderful people who called and wrote letters and emails encouraging me to continue writing this column. I needed the kick in the pants! Thanks! A friend sent me a “meme” via email last week that I’d like to share because it cracked me up. It was a political cartoon that had two separate panes. The first depicted the Republican symbol of the elephant holding a micro...
This a BIG THANK YOU to three Sanders County residents. I’m sorry I don’t have your names so everyone would know how kind and thoughtful you are. Hopefully when you read this and know who you are and how grateful we are. Right now, this world we live in is all turned upside down and it is really great to know that there are still people willing to help an elderly couple. We hear so much negativity but not so much positive. My husband and I went to the Trout Creek Refuse Station on Saturday, Sept. 5. Even though it was Labor Day weekend, thr...
Dear Editor, As a former long-time resident of Sanders County, I recently subscribed to the Ledger to see what was going on in my hometown of Thompson Falls. Frankly, I have been disheartened to see that the Sanders County I once knew is not quite the same as it used to be. Although there have been several pieces published by the Ledger that stir me to the quick, the recent article regarding the tobacco use ban at several recreational areas has prompted this letter. The rule of law in this country is intended to apply equally to everyone....
7 YEARS AGO • SEPTEMBER 6, 1950 COURTHOUSE TO BE DEDICATED Dedication ceremonies for the new Sanders County Courthouse will be held Saturday. A door prize, free football game between Thompson Falls and Hot Springs high schools, a big free dance, a parade with prizes for floats and costumes, as well as the dedication ceremony, will constitute the days program. Concessions such as bingo, chuck-o-luck, roulette, popcorn and others will help carry out the festive theme. The speaker, Reverend B.V. Edworthy from Plains, will talk about the early d...
FRANCIS AULD, Elmo - “I think it still does, and that peoples’ patriotism ignites when that day comes. There are some people that let it phase past them and they will say that it happened already, why don’t we forget about it. but I’m hoping that in the country our patriotism and our awareness remains very awake.” ELLEN FRYER, Plains - “Yes, in I think it mostly impacted the safety of our country and the travel industry. Hopefully someday patriotism will be as strong again as it was on that day.” PRENTISS CAMPBELL, Plains - “9/11 is stil...
Ambulance T. Falls 14, Plains 14, Noxon 1, Heron 1, Trout Creek 4, Paradise 1, Saturday, August 29 Protection order violation, Heron. Trespass, Plains. Fire, Plains. Theft, Dixon. Trespass, Trout Creek. Disturbance, report of person being run out of campground, shot fired by other male, Noxon. Fire, T. Falls. Sunday, August 30 Suspicious activity, T. Falls. Civil attempts, T. Falls. Property damage/criminal mischief, Dixon. General animal call or complaint, Plains. Animal stray/lost, Plains. Stolen vehicle, theft of 4-wheeler, Lonepine....
Sander County Sheriff’s Office Danial Elverud, 38, Driving motor vehicle while suspended, 1st offense, $285. Eric Hankinson, 30, day speeding, $20. Deanna Felts, 56, day speeding, $20. Justini Maloney, 68, day speeding, $70. Vasil Vasiley, 32, day speeding, $70. Thomas Propst, 26, day speeding, $70. Rachel Birrell, 38, day speeding, $70. Hunter Nunn, 25, day speeding, $70. Montana Highway Patrol John Belknap, 69, operating without insurance, 2nd offense, $75; operating without registration, $45. Brandon Anderson, 23, day speeding, $20. M...
Editor, Leave the mule pasture alone. The left side of the mule pasture has an open meadow which the deer and turkeys feed. If it is developed they will all move back to the yards in town which we already have enough of. I have counted as many as 140 turkeys and 25 deer in the clearing feeding. That is where they belong. I have also seen elk beds in the field. The bearproof garbage cans will just bring in more bears. We also have enough of them in town. The mule pasture on the left side is a nice place for walking and looking at the animals....
The Sanders County Fairgrounds may have lacked the aroma of fair food and carnival noise, but there was still excitement in the air from 4-H kids that spent four days showing their projects last week. Montana State University Sanders County Extension Agent Juli Thurston had to get special permission from the county Board of Health to have the 4-H events, including not having the general public, other than family, on hand to watch the judging. They also canceled the interview portions, although...
20 - 2020 Vernon "LeRoy" Jorgensen died peacefully in Plains, Montana, at the age of 83. He is survived by his wife, Janet Jorgensen, and three children, Brian Jorgensen and wife Mary of Castella, California; Todd Jorgensen and wife Judy of Thompson Falls, Montana; and Lynn Broom and husband Roger of Antioch, California; nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister, Carol Logan and husband Charles of Stevensville, Montana. LeRoy was born in Omaha,... Full story
August daytime highs were slightly below average and nighttime lows continue the trend of being above average. Rainfall was a measly 0.12 inches compared to the 1.21-inch average. As of the writing of this report (9/7) we have gone 66 days since we last had a rain of greater than 0.1 inch in a day. It is the second longest dry spell behind the 93 days of 2017. But this year’s drought hasn’t ended yet. NOAA is reporting a 60% chance of La Nina conditions developing for this fall and winter. The La Nina ocean circulation pattern tends to bring mo...
Thompson Falls High School senior Justin Morgan has been named a semifinalist in the Nationa Merit Scholarship Program. Morgan will compete for one of 7,600 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $30 million that will be offered next spring. Semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the finalist level of the competition. From the approximately 16,000 semifinalists, about 15,000 are expected to advance to the finalist level, and in February they will be notified of this...
Congratulations to Sarah Byrne! You won a $200 Labor Day Bonus. Sarah was randomly chosen from the nominees below. Thank you to who those who nominated these hard-working Sanders County residents and recognized their efforts. NOMINEE: Wes Hedahl EMPLOYER: Harvest Foods Wes has always been very helpful to me in the produce section, going out of his way to see that I have what I need. He is very friendly and courteous, and I always try to share a laugh with him to hopefully brighten his day and mine. He personifies what the majority of people in...
On September 11, 2001, America changed forever. Airplanes were hijacked and flown into the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. Though far removed from Ground Zero, the effects of 9/11 were immediately felt in Sanders County.. Asleep after working night shift the night before, Chris Nichols awoke to his girlfriend telling him that the nation was under attack. They turned on the news to watch as the towers billowed with smoke thousands of miles away. Nichols, now...
It started with a kneeling soldier, a cross and a tattered flag, but the next night, two rows of American flags showed up, and every night for the last week, 22 American flags were added to a Joint Operation Mariposa display on the Plains greenway along Railroad Street. Within a week's time there were 154 flags and by the end of September there will be 660 flags to represent American military servicemen and women lost to suicide, said Plains resident Ed Foste, vice president of the Joint...
Governor Steve Bullock last week issued an executive order declaring a state of fire emergency due to extremely hazardous fire conditions throughout Montana. Above average temperatures, unpredictable winds, and low humidity are all factors that have resulted in these extreme fire conditions. “Local, state, and federal partners, and the brave men and women on the front lines are working together to take on this fire season and we are prepared to use every resource available to protect Montana lives and property,” Gov. Bullock stated in a pre...
The Falcons won round one but there is still a lot of volleyball to play. In a much-anticipated meeting of Western B powers, the Florence Falcons topped the Lady Hawks 25-21, 25-23, 25-22 in a non-conference match in Thompson Falls Thursday. The second-place team in the State B tournament last fall, the Falcons have another talented, veteran team. The third-place team in the Western B last fall, the Lady Hawks are also wildly talented, they just have some seasoning to do. "We are a solid team...
Thompson Falls coach Jared Koskela didn't quite know what to expect taking his 1-0 Hawks into battle against 1-0 Clark Fork in Superior Friday, but he did expect a battle as Clark Fork was rated No. 3 in the initial Montana 8-Man rankings. Revamping his defensive scheme to take away Clark Fork's vaunted passing attack, the No. 7 Hawks stunned the homestanding Mountain Cats 42-0 to score a key early-season Western Conference win. By early this week, the Hawks were now ranked No. 4 and the Cats...
Who ordered the ground chuck? Turning almost exclusively to their ground game and grinding out over 350 yards of total rushing, the Plains Horsemen officially opened their 8-Man football season with a 44-0 win over Troy in Plains Friday. Denied their first game with Flint Creek due to a COVID-19 scare in Granite County two weeks ago, the 1-0 Horsemen will now travel to Charlo Friday for a game with the always dangerous Vikings. Plains Coach Eddie Fultz thinks the game at Charlo could be a pivotal one. “This could be kind of an early season m...
Fresh off a 51-0 whitewashing of the Gardiner Bruins in Noxon Friday night to open the season, the Red Devils will now lie in wait for the Hot Springs Savage Heat. Since much of the Devils' original schedule was lost due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including next week's contest, coach Bart Haflich and his boys are free to start game-planning for one of the biggest games of the season, in Hot Springs Sept. 18. The State 6-Man champs in 2012 and 2016, the Savage Heat went 10-1 last year and won the...
Valley Christian turned out to be a little bit more than bargained for but, in the end, the visiting Eagles were just what the Hot Springs Savage Heat needed. Rallying back from a surprising early deficit, the No. 2 ranked Heat fought past Valley 53-38 Saturday night to open the Montana 6-Man football season. Now 1-0 and the second ranked 6-Man team in Montana according to the latest 406mtsports.com poll, the Heat will visit 0-1 Gardiner Saturday afternoon. Gardiner opened their season with a 51-0 loss in Noxon last week. Hot Springs coach Jim...
