Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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'Tis the season for salmon snagging, an unusual form of fishing still practiced today that reaches back to the late ice age. As autumn rolls around, certain species of fish, including kokanee salmon, will begin their great journey upstream to spawn. This once-in-a-lifetime event, for the fish, is something that anglers and non-fishermen alike can enjoy every year. Kokanee are a land-locked, freshwater-only variety of the famous sockeye salmon of the west coast. Sockeye salmon will live their...
The number of people testing positive for coronavirus has been increasing in Sanders County and across Montana. As of Tuesday, Sanders County had 17 active cases of COVID-19. That brings the total positive cases since the pandemic began to more than 60 in the county. One death in Sanders County has been related to coronavirus. The state as a whole reached 15,000 total confirmed cases this week. Tuesday set a new daily record of 506 new positive cases being recorded. The Sanders County Commissioners released a statement last Friday announcing...
A praying mantis – also called mountain mantis – sits in a bunch of petunias west of Plains Plains. The mantis, measuring just over three inches long, was in the yard of Marc and Ellen Childress. There are some 2,000 mantis species in the world, including several in Montana. According to the Montana Field Guide, the mantis is not native to Montana, but are presently found throughout North America. The field guide notes that a mantis can camouflage itself in many ways and routinely wait to amb...
This week marks two years since a man was shot to death near Dixon and authorities are asking for help as they continue to investigate. William Patrick Conko Camel was shot to death on Frank McClure Street in Agency, just north of Dixon, around 11 p.m. on October 5, 2018, the Sanders County Attorney’s office said in a press release. Law enforcement from the Sanders County Sheriff’s Office, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Tribal Police, as well as the Montana Highway Patrol, were involved in the initi...
After 38 years of dedicating himself to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP), Wildlife Biologist Bruce Sterling has retired. His efforts in managing protected areas for future generations of wildlife, sportsmen, and recreationalists is a career highlight for both Sterling and FWP. Beginning in 1982, Sterling signed on with FWP as a fish culturist at Bluewater Springs Trout Hatchery in Bridger, Montana. He furthered his career moving into a wildlife biologist position while implementing...
Have you ever noticed that when you can't have something is when you really want it? Such is life in quarantine. Most people have enough groceries to last at least a week. Living in rural Montana, you learn to stock up on most things. Last week, I found out I was in close contact (more than 15 minutes with no masks) of two people who tested positive for coronavirus. Immediately I did the right thing and went into quarantine. And immediately, I thought about how I would occupy myself for 10 days. How I would run my business and everything I need...
There’s so much happening that it’s hard to pick a topic. I’m going to take another ‘shotgun’ approach and paraphrase conversations I’ve had with friends and family over the past two weeks. There’s a lot going on! The Presidential Debate was a debacle. While I proudly support President Trump, I was disappointed with his performance. I think he let his anger and frustration get the better of him. I also think though, that his anger was somewhat justified. It seemed to me that, at times, he was...
Editor, Tony Cox is running for re-election as the County Commissioner for western Sanders County. As an incumbent, Tony has a record of accomplishments that are outstanding. He has worked diligently to improve the roads, which is always a main topic of interest to voters. The Clark Fork ‘Back’ Road has recently been paved as far as the Idaho border, making it a safer for logging trucks, school busses and cars. Tony was instrumental in bringing a modern bridge to Heron, that meets all the requirements of Highway 200 traffic. His persistent wor...
Veterans are noticing the failure of a couple local businesses and some government buildings to adhere to American flag protocol. I recognize the inconvenience of lowering and raising flags on weekends and holidays to honor our patriotic national holidays, first responders and deaths of national figures. But imagine the inconvenience of serving in World Wars I and II, the Korean War, Vietnam War, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, not to mention serving daily, often away from family, in other distant parts of the world. And consider the heartache of...
HENRY ALEXANDER LARSON From Pioneers and Early Settlers of Thompson Falls Henry was born June 24, 1889, at Nome, North Dakota, to Anton Larson and Julia Olson, one of their eight children. Thompson Falls 1909 Polk directory lists him as clerk at the Thompson Falls Mercantile Co. The 1911 lists him as a drug clerk for the Thompson Falls Drug and Inv. Co. The 1913 lists him as clerk for E.D. Peek & Co. Henry Larson and Miss Maud Sullings were united in marriage June of 1912. In 1915, they moved...
DICK NOVAK, Missoula - “I will get it mailed it. If it gets there, it gets there.” DEBBIE SWARTZ, Trout Creek - “I’ve always mailed them in for me and my husband.” MARTY SCHERZER, Trout Creek - “I’ll mail it in.” CAROL NARANCE, Thompson Falls - “Drop it off.” BEV RIDER, Trout Creek - “We will be voting in person.” RONALD RIDER, Trout Creek - “Voting in person....
Ambulance calls: Thompson Falls, 11; Plains, 11; Hot Springs, 2; Dixon, 4; Noxon, 1. Sunday, September 27 Suspicious activity. Suspicious activity, Trout Creek. Motor vehicle crash, Hot Springs. Motor vehicle crash, Trout Creek. Disturbance, Trout Creek. Drugs, T. Falls. Suspicious activity. Harassment, privacy in communication. Welfare check, Trout Creek. Fire, Plains. Domestic. General animal call. Livestock, Plains. Monday, September 28 Alarm, Dixon. Nuisance complaints, Plains. Motorist assist, Paradise. Motorist assist, Plains. Animal...
Montana Highway Patrol Robert Kraus, 35, day speeding, $70. Naomi Chamblin Rummel, 24, seatbelt violation, $20. Arturo Montoya, 75, speeding in restricted zone, $55. Mason Miller, 24, operating without liability insurance in effect, 3rd offense, $85; operating with expired registration, $45; day speeding, $70. Jennifer Ridnour, 50, day speeding, $20. Edgar Farmer, 48, reckless driving, 1st offense, $185. Sheila Frees, 62, day speeding, $70. Terry Piger, 55, day speeding, $120. Earl Bates, 82, day speeding, $20. Kaitlyn Carr, 28, day speeding,...
Pine cones are collected year-round by people to make garland, holiday wreaths, centerpieces and floral arrangements, but pine cones are also vital to the replenishment of conifer trees. Members of the Forest Service's Plains Tree Improvement Area (TIA) in Plains are working to ensure that happens. Like a lot of boys, Riley Dopler liked to climb trees, but he probably didn't think he'd still be climbing at age 41 - and get paid to do it. Dopler, a Genetic Resource Forester, has been manager of...
Editor: The Montana Public Service Commission is a five-member board responsible for the regulation of energy, telecommunications, water/sewer, transportation, and pipeline utilities. PSC District 4 spans Lincoln, Sanders, Mineral, Missoula, Powell, Granite, and Ravalli counties. The total square miles of these counties rivals that of New Jersey, Connecticut and Delaware combined. District 4’s population is larger than that of Salt Lake City, Utah. Therefore, the board member position requires someone who can think big and consider what is best...
The 2020 election is pivotal to our liberty, individual rights and security. This is the time to push back and not allow our country and communities to be fundamentally transformed by some who hate this great land and our freedoms. We owe it to our children and their children to give them a future with leaders who cherish our way of life, the right to life, the ability to speak freely, worship openly, bear arms, pay less taxes, and are committed to limit government intrusion. We need to elect members of our community who have courage under...
There’s a feisty feminist bumper-sticker that reads “You say ‘b…’ like it’s a bad thing,” and it seems to carry paradoxical attitudes similar to those conveyed by the word “liberal” in Montana politics. To Republicans, “liberal” must mean really bad things because it accompanies images of riots and dark money and socialism. I assume there are Democrats who disagree with those images and might claim liberal credentials, but you don’t hear them saying so during campaign season. I’m not sure why Democrats haven’t turned around and demonized...
To the Editor: When election year comes around, I like to evaluate the candidates as if I were hiring them to work for me. Their experience and education prerequisites may vary, depending upon the position they seek. This year we select a Commissioner for the Public Service Commission. This is one of the more technical selections I have to make. I’ve reviewed the qualifications of both candidates: Monica Tranel and Jennifer Fielder. The results brought Monica Tranel to the top because of her education with a Bachelors degree at Gonzaga U...
With the General Election less than a month away, candidates are hitting the trails of Montana to connect with voters. On Monday, Kathleen Williams, a Democrat from Bozeman, made a stop in Thompson Falls as part of her 26-town Solutions Tour of Montana. Williams is running for Montana's lone seat in the House of Representatives. Matt Rosendale, the state's Republican auditor, is also competing for the seat. This will be the former three-term state legislator's second bid to represent Montana in...
On Monday night’s meeting, the Thompson Falls School Board discussed several pressing matters including a previously discussed review for a new salary schedule for their administration; as well as questions regarding city sewer easements. The meeting began with a public comment asking the administration to approve a mask mandate for the schools, regardless of the number of active cases in the county. The argument was given that the “off and on again” mask mandate has made the teachers' jobs more difficult, as well as the safety for every...
Kenneth Keith McQueen was born in Weatherford. Texas May 24, 1935 to Leonard and Lorraine McQueen. He passed peacefully at home and went to live with our Lord Jesus Christ and his heavenly family Friday morning, October 2, 2020. Ken spent the majority of his life in Texas, where he had his own roofing business, but his dream was to someday live in Montana. He later met and married his Montana wife, Donna, in September 1987. They lived in various places before choosing to settle in Thompson... Full story
My four ducks started to lay eggs just recently, and if you haven’t seen a duck egg, their size is double that of a chicken egg. Duck eggs also contain a higher fat content than chicken eggs, making them ideal for baking. While my excitement upon seeing that first duck in a little homemade nest, compared to the excitement of a child on Christmas day; what I’ve really been “cooing” over are the two Ameraucanas we added to the flock this year. One of them lays the most beautifully colored olive-green egg that I have ever seen. They are almost...
Thompson Falls High School seniors Dane Chojnacky and Josey Neesvig were crowned the homecoming king and queen during last Friday's football game. Other seniors nominated to the homecoming court included Riley Wilson, Jasmine Pearson, Faith Frields, Roman Sparks, William McPherson and Cody Burk. On Wednesday, the annual Blue Hawk Olympics, a series of friendly class competitions that take place during Homecoming week, saw its first event taking artistic abilities into account. Micah Grossberg,...
The annual Walk to End Alzheimer's took place Sunday at Power Park in Thompson Falls. Residents from around the county and some from even further, showed up on what seemed to be one of those "perfect fall days" to help share their support and raise awareness for a disease that has affected so many. Jodie Bittinger, coordinator of the event, was present under the pavilion to greet the walkers and runners as she handed out information and different resources for those who were interested. "We had...
Jobs for Montana's Graduates, a state-level program developed to assist students achieve graduation and obtain skills to become successful in the college and work industry, has earned national recognition. For its 14th year, the program received a "5-of-5" rating for reaching a 98.8% graduation rate, an employment rate of 81% and full-time engagement (college, work, or military at least 40 hours per week) rate of 96%. "I am pleased Jobs for Montana's Graduates is being recognized yet again for...
