Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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Sanders County voters participated in the General Election in record numbers, with more than 86% of voters returning their ballots by the time the polls closed at 8 p.m. on Tuesday. However, a technical glitch with the DS850 vote tabulation machine resulted in a delay of more than four hours for counting the county's ballots. Results of the local elections and the final count on Sanders County ballots were not available until early Wednesday morning, after press time for The Ledger. Sanders County Election Administrator Nichol Scribner said...
November 3 was a day of record voter turnout for Sanders County, with the last ballot coming in just before the polls closed. The last voter walked into the Sanders County Courthouse a few minutes before 8 p.m. Tuesday to cast his ballot in the General Election. Sanders County Elections staff was done counting ballots and election results released about 4:30 a.m. Wednesday. In local races, Sanders County Commissioner Tony Cox won his re-elect bid, gathering 3,933 votes while challenger Chris...
Election 2020 has surrounded itself with a sense of urgency for many Americans. Just how much agony would an individual go through to vote? Former Sanders County resident Logan Naegeli did what many would not to exercise his right to cast a ballot – drive over 1,000 miles while remaining in quarantine. After serving in the Peace Corps, Naegeli returned to his parents’ Beaver Creek ranch awaiting his next journey in life. As it would be, Naegeli relocated to Salem, Oregon, creating a mailing nigh...
The winner of the Plains Lions Club Halloween costume contest couldn't even be seen. The "Invisible Man" took first place and the top prize of $20 and he was actually a she. Tia Bellinger of Plains dressed in a dark suit and hat and black glasses, which appeared to be suspended. The 10-year-old looked through holes in the suit jacket, but wore panty hose to aid in concealing her eyes and a black ski mask so people couldn't see the top of her head, said Trista Feist, her mother, who made the...
Sanders County residents began their Halloween festivities early Saturday morning with the third annual Trick or Treat, Move Your Feet 5k and one-mile fun run/walk at Power Park in Thompson Falls, an event put on by the Thompson Falls Community Trails (TFCT) Committee in order to raise funds for trail maintenance. Volunteer efforts were coordinated to make sure safety measures were a top priority at this year's event. As people checked in, everyone was asked to fill out a health screening,...
Over the years a rise of crime has prompted the local Thompson Falls Police Department, and Officer Roy Scott, to reach out to the community to begin a community crime watch initiative. According to Scott, who is spear heading the initiative, there was a rush of crime in Plains over the Halloween weekend, and he believes that this is not an unusual thing. He has had several locals express concerns about the crime rate in the community, concerning drug trafficking, theft, disturbance and other crimes over the years. Though Thompson Falls does...
Last week, the Sanders County Commissioners met to discuss if and how to enforce the governor’s mask mandate. Why? Because the country has chosen to pass accountability to the state, the state passed it to counties, and the county has chosen to pass it down to businesses and individuals. The commission’s discussion ended with no real resolution. However, the state Department of Health and Human Services last month did release a complaint form, which residents can use if they see mandates are not being enforced at local businesses. Simply put...
Over the years, I’ve read the phrase “May you live in interesting times,” in fortune cookies and heard the same statement used as a toast. Legend says that the saying originated in China, and, although perceived as a blessing, is actually intended to be a curse. I have no idea which is true, but I don’t think there’s anyone reading this who wouldn’t agree that we definitely live in interesting times. Based on the way 2020 has gone so far, I’m pretty much leaning toward the ‘curse’ defin...
I recently read Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Crusade in Europe (1948), his autobiographical version of WWII from about 1941 to 1945. I assume there are historians who might argue “that’s not what really happened,” since (like a Facebook profile) an autobiography can be anything you want it to be. Nevertheless, I’ll take Ike’s version. He was there for real. This book is pretty dry, but I do have enough understanding of WWII to make the geography and some of the names familiar, so I’m able to plug along despite the style. It is also very informat...
2 YEARS AGO • APRIL 9, 2009 TROUT CREEK RESIDENTS RALLY TO CORNER AND DETAIN ROBBER By Jay Simons Fast action by Trout Creek residents prevented an armed robber from making a getaway Sunday after forcing a clerk at Aitken’s Quik Stop to give him $1300 in cash from the till. At about 6 p.m., a white Pathfinder pulled into the parking lot. A man, August White Dirt, entered the store and headed for the restroom. Clerk, Lindsay Achatz was behind the counter. Before long she found herself in his grasp and threatened with a knife. After being for...
KARI GODFREY, Thompson Falls - “I don’t think it should be mandatory to wear a mask, but I do think people should have the choice and probably wear them.” RUTH AKTEPY, Thompson Falls - “I think that the county should not enforce the masks under the COVID-19 conditions because it is an airborne virus. As long as you keep your hands clean, wash them and keep them away from your face and practice social distancing you’ll be OK.” TENEEKA BUYS, Thompson Falls - “I think that the mask mandate should not be enforced in the county. It would overall...
As a member of the city council, I am going to try to factually address issues and requests for information that I hear from city residents via text, email, Facebook or phone. I’m only going to do this as I become aware of issues city residents would like more information on, so this will not be a regular column. I need to be clear from the get-go. I am only speaking for me, not for the city, not for the mayor, not for other council members. I’m going to try to stick to facts and keep my opinions out of it. Those who know me will und...
Montana Highway Patrol Jeremy Tushka, 39, improper passing, $85. Chelsea Ramstad, 23, failure to yield, $85. Jared Harrison, 50, failure to slow for school bus, $135. Caleb Rosich, 20, night speeding, $120. Nicholas Banovich, 33, exceeding special zone speed limit, $85. Candida Coleman, 46, day speeding, $70. Meggie Couture, 22, open container, $75; failure to give notice of accident, 1st offense, $285; seatbelt violation, $20. Robert Dorr, 62, day speeding, $120. Kobe Morigeau, 21, operating without insurance, 1st offense, $285. Enoch...
Ambulance calls: Plains, 6; Hot Springs, 1; T. Falls, 4; Dixon, 2. Sunday, October 25 Informational case, Plains. Trespass, Noxon. Intimidation/harassment, Trout Creek. Monday, October 26 Assist motorist/citizen, T. Falls. Informational case, Paradise. Animal other, T. Falls. Automated alarm call, Plains. General animal call or complaint, Paradise. Disturbance, Hot Springs. Animal other, Paradise. Informational case, Plains. Animal other, Trout Creek. Informational case, Plains. Welfare check, T. Falls. Motor vehicle crash, Plains. Tuesday, Oct...
As COVID-19 continues to affect everything, Thompson Falls Schools voiced its reasoning for canceling the annual Christmas Bazaar. According to Bud Scully, Superintendent of Thompson Falls Schools, with pandemic restrictions making big events more and more difficult, they believe it would be a poor idea. After consulting with the insurance company, who advised against it, Scully found that the school did not want to pay higher premiums. Scully weighed in during Monday's School Board meeting, mentioning that the Sheriff’s Relief Fund, which i...
The Clark Fork Valley Elks organized a trunk or treat on Halloween in the parking lot of their lodge east of Thompson Falls. About a dozen cars participated and handed out candy. Kids in all kinds of creative costumes came out, including one young man dresses as a car salesman. Nearly all of the participants who showed up to hand out candy dressed up as well, including Elks Exalted Ruler Michelle Blackstone, who dressed up as the Cat in the Hat, Projct ASCENT members Rob Christensen and John...
Professionals from Sanders County Public Health hosted a series of drive-thru flu clinics (above) to deliver flu vaccinations to the residents of Sanders County. Over the course of three weeks in October, Sanders County Public Health set up drive thru clinics throughout the county in Thompson Falls, Plains, Trout Creek, Noxon, Hot Springs and Dixon. Of the six locations, Sanders County Public Health joined forces with Tribal Health of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes in Dixon and Hot...
A relatively newcomer to Plains was elected to the top office of the Plains Lions Club and is probably the club's first woman to hold the club's highest office. "It was never my intention to be president of the Lions Club, but I guess someone believed I would make a good president and I was nominated and voted in," said Connie Foust, who moved to Plains from Nevada in 2018 to be closer to her children. When she arrived, she almost immediately got involved in the community by serving on the...
Kelsey Charlene (Fitchett-Howard) Cold passed away in a tragic motorcycle accident on October 6, 2020. Kelsey Charlene was born on March 17, 1995 in Dickinson, North Dakota, to Michelle (Fitchett) Brown and Duane Howard. She graduated high school in Thompson falls, Montana, and cherished the many memories she made with her classmates, team members, and family including her sister and trips to state tournaments. Kelsey excelled and was an all-state athlete in softball, volleyball, and... Full story
Dear Editor, It’s my understanding that the Chamber of Commerce is looking for a grand marshal for the Christmas on Main Street parade. As a Christian, it is a notion that the living Jesus Christ ought to be selected as the King we know that will be coming. This country has become what it is primarily because of the Puritans and subsequent Christian immigrants. Most of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were Christian pastors. Being that the December season has been celebrated for such a long time as the birthing time for the i...
SOLUTIONS ACROSS 1. Mast 5. Softy 10. Apache 12. Abrade 14. Destination 16. MD 18. Min 19. SBE 20. Eider 22. IOU 23. Femes 25. Sine 26. ASL 27. Aar 28. Nae 30. Ads 31. Tuba 33. Cremes 35. Acini 37. Reedy 38. Pamper 40. Bolt 41. PIA 42. Sap 44. Tar 45. Rad 48. Attu 50. Tacet 52. Ice 53. Liens 55. Lin 56. Cry 57. LF 58. Salmonellae 63. Franca 65. Ideals 66. Dyads 67. Spec SOLUTIONS DOWN 1. Mas 2. Act 3. Shi 4. Tenser 5. Sateen 6. Obi 7. Froe 8. Tanis 9. Yd 10. Adios 11. Penultimate 13. Emended... Full story
The Dahlia. A coveted addition to any flower garden. These plants are the most widely grown and well-loved in the flower world. The plants produce blooms in an array of colors, whose beauty is almost too hard to describe in words. Pictures don’t even do them justice. Which is why I wanted to grow them myself. Dahlias aren’t considered perennials necessarily, they are extremely cold sensitive. So, in order to grow them the following year, the tubers (they look like a clump of potatoes) need to be dug up in late fall and stored over winter. Dah...
The time for giving is rounding the bend and the Sanders County community is again working to bring the Thanksgiving holiday to those who cannot afford to celebrate it on their own. Thanksgiving baskets is a community initiative that started over 16 years ago with the Thompson Falls Community Congregational Church. What started with Pastor Gaylund Olsen as a small outreach program has transformed into “quite an operation,” said David Reedy, who is now in charge of the whole thing. He has been doing it himself for nearly as long as the initiativ...
Over 25 people showed up to bid at the Cancer Network of Sanders County's (CNSC) annual auction fundraiser, last Friday on Halloween weekend. Almost every business in Plains, along with several doners from throughout Sanders County gave items to CNSC to auction off to help those with cancer. The auction hosted about 60 items and baskets, with around half in the live auction and half in the silent auction. Items of all kinds, including a Honda four wheeler, donated by former Cancer Network...
The last steel horse of the Plains greenway will be going up in a matter of weeks, according to its creator, Kenton Pies, who sprayed on a coat of special concrete stain last week and it is nearly ready to be transported. Plains Mayor Dan Rowan said he's waiting for Mountain Range Materials for a small batch of concrete that will be connected to the horse's steel pedestal. Rowan and Pies both hope to get the steel horse installed before winter. Pies has already flagged a spot for the Plains...
