Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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The trial of a former Thompson Falls woman continues this week at the Sanders County Courthouse. Danielle Wood has been charged with one count of deliberate homicide in the death of 51-year-old Matthew LaFriniere, a lifelong Thompson Falls resident who was found dead at his home in May 2018. Wood, 56, has been awaiting trial since her arrest in March of 2019. The trial began last Tuesday in 20th District Judicial Court with Judge Deborah "Kim" Christopher presiding. Prosecutors Daniel...
Sanders County voters will decide on several special district and school board elections this year. Trustees can now file their intent and oath of candidacy with the Sanders County Elections office. Several area special districts will elect new trustees this year. The rural fire districts in Dixon, Heron and Noxon have one three-year position open, while Hot Springs and Thompson Falls rural fire districts each have two. Trout Creek Rural Fire District has a one-year position and a three-year position up for election. As of Tuesday, John Morigea...
It took more than 25 years, but they finally did it. It took going all the way to the top to get it done, and now the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) are in charge of the National Bison Range. "This is a great historic event and we worked hard to reach this point," said Robert McDonald, communications director for the CSKT. "This comes after a century of being separated from the buffalo and the Bison Range, and after a quarter-century-long effort to co-manage the refuge with the...
The state of Montana is now tracking data on those receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, as well as the number of coronavirus cases in the state. This week, the Montana Department Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) began providing information on the number of vaccines administered in each county on its website, dphhs.mt.gov/covid19vaccine. As of Tuesday, in Sanders County 342 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine had been administered to residents, with 23 residents having received the required two doses of the vaccine. The state also tracks...
The Big Game is coming up. On February 7, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will meet in Tampa and play the 55th NFL championship game. The Super Bowl is pretty much a national holiday in the United States. We've often heard chatter the Monday after saying that should be a holiday for offices, especially on the East Coast where the game doesn't start until after 8 p.m. Super Bowl Sunday is a day full of snacks and competitive banter and betting pools amongst your friends. Even more entertaining than the actual game or the cele...
This past December, the Clark Fork Valley Elks Lodge sponsored an “Americanism Essay” contest for students in Sanders County. Student contestants were given the topic, “How Can Patriotism Be Demonstrated?” Then they were tasked with completing a short essay. The top three contestants in two grade categories would be awarded monetary prizes. I recently had the privilege of reading the winning essays (I’m sure glad I wasn’t a judge. All six were great!). In a time when our country is so divided, i...
I do not oppose Article V per se, just all misuse of it. The Constitution is not the problem, amending or rewriting is not the solution. I stand solidly OPPOSED to SJ2 currently before the MT Senate Judiciary Committee. Just enforce the Constitution. The problem? An out of control judiciary and legislature bought and paid for by the same globalist interest that promote the A V Convention plan to undo our law. Our U.S. Constitution is NOT lacking the restraint necessary to stop federal tyranny, it is our current Legislative and Judiciary and...
LOTS OF INFORMATION IN NORTHERN PACIFIC LEDGER Excerpt from Wild Horse Plains Centennial Issue - 1983 On February 12, 1883, 35 bales of hay were shipped by Northern Pacific freight from Thompson Falls to J.L. Hallett, Plains, three days after the first NP locomotive arrived in the vicinity from the west over newly-laid railroad tracks. The ledger was found several years ago in the attic of the original Plains depot when it was torn down to make room for the present newer structure. A study of...
JOSIE BRAY, Thompson Falls - “I would say chili, or soup. Something warm.” PAUL CARLSON, Trout Creek - “I’ve got about five or six favorites, can’t decide.” LESLIE ROBERTS, Trout Creek - “Some kind of soup. That’s my go-to in the winter. Maybe broccoli cheese.” CHARLIE BARRUS, Trout Creek - “I would say some kind of stew, and chicken and dumplings.” TAMMY RAINES, Thompson Falls - “Chicken noodle soup, because my stepmom would always make that for me when I was sick.” NICHOLE SCHULZ, Thompson Falls - “Beef stew, homemade though....
Ambulance calls: Plains, 6; T. Falls, 6; Hot Springs, 5; Noxon, 1. Sunday, January 17 Disturbance, Plains. Assault. Road hazard, blockage, T. Falls. Welfare check, Plains. Fire, Plains. Fire, Heron. Fire, Plains. Motor vehicle crash, Plains. Theft, Trout Creek. Coroner, Trout Creek. Prowler, T. Falls. Traffic stop ended with arrest of suspended driver for possession of dangerous drugs (meth), intent to distribute, possession of dangerous drugs over 60 grams (marijuana), and possession of stolen property. Monday, January 18 Theft, Trout Creek....
Montana Highway Patrol Dane Bessette, 27, careless driving, $45. Cole McCrea, 19, seatbelt violation, $20. Derek Bell, 49, speeding in restricted zone, $65. Andra Firestone, 31, speeding in restricted zone, $85. Elizabeth Young, 34, night speeding, $70. Austin Scott, 26, speeding in restricted zone, $65. Jonathan Sepp, 34, day speeding, $70. Sanders County Sheriff’s Office Ashlee Legino, 27, speeding in restricted zone, $55. Cerria Swagger, 19, speeding in restricted zone, $105. Jason Friede, 32, operating without liability insurance, 1st o...
Sanders County Ledger readers should let their legislative senator (Bob Brown) know that they are not in favor of HB 102. This bill would allow college students to keep guns in their dorm rooms, classrooms, music events, and with them on campus. The addition of guns adds an unnecessary danger in a time young adults are already experiencing big changes. These years are too transitional, suicide too prevalent. If they want a place to keep hunting rifles, campus security will store them. This bill would also allow concealed loaded firearms...
This is in response to Jim Elliot’s columns of Jan 7 and 21 “Montana Viewpoint.” I applaud and agree with Catherine Moore’s Jan. 21st letter. I hope that the authorities have the will and guts to continue to investigate and collect and protect all the evidence in those suspect precincts, including the voting machines and audit listings before it is all destroyed. And then prosecute the perpetrators if wrongdoing is found. I call what was done treason, and I hope it doesn’t take four years to get it done. During the immediate months before the e...
An advertisement in the Jan. 14 edition of The Ledger had the wrong date for the Rocky Mountain Accounting open house. The open house was held Wednesday, Jan. 20. The Ledger regrets the error and apologizes for any inconvenience....
For many, the great outdoors of Montana is the prime calling that brings them here. A good portion of that love for the outdoors is rooted in the wild creatures that roam the state’s mountains, valleys and waterways. According to The Pew Charitable Trusts, a private non-profit research group that specializes on analyzing and distributing information on public policy and the environment, in 2016 there were nearly 150,000 visits to Montana where the entire goal was wildlife-watching. This number grows each year and now amateur wildlife p...
Dear Editor, In regards to the “March for Life” this Friday, January 29, 2021, in our community, I would like to share this thought: “An unborn child was the first to recognize Jesus” Ref: the Holy Bible, Luke 1:39-45. Sincerely, Barb Kunch, Thompson Falls...
The first Sanders County Fair Commission meeting was short, but the manager and the three remaining board members are off to a fast start in readying for the 2021 fair. "We're going to go on planning for this year's fair until they tell us to shut it down again," said Randy Woods at last week's meeting, which was over in less than an hour. Manager Melissa Cady is in the process of sending out more contracts than 2020, although she didn't have an exact number. She said they're also working to...
Clark Fork Valley Hospital announced that the first baby born there in 2021 is Gracie Gianna Burbach (above). Tia and Kyle Burbach of Plains welcomed daughter Gracie Gianna Saturday, January 16 at 12:26 p.m. at the hospital in Plains. Maternal grandmother is Gina Phillips. Paternal grandparents are Brenda and Steve Burbach.... Full story
As the community continues to recover from the historic windstorm that swept through the county nearly two weeks ago, many of the local businesses and residents are still in the process of cleaning up from the excessive damage they witnessed. Thompson River Animal Care Shelter (TRACS), was hit particularly hard during the windstorm, and much of that damage can still be seen, even when driving by. However, not all hope is lost for the crew at TRACS, as they work diligently to get the shelter...
The Heat was stifling in Plains Thursday. Turning up the defensive heat on the Horsemen, the Hot Springs Savage Heat cooked up a 48-26 win over their county rivals in Plains. Now 4-1 in 14C boys basketball conference action, the Heat will try to fry again this week visiting the Clark Fork Mountain Cats in Superior Thursday and then hosting the St. Regis Tigers in the Spa City Friday. After defeating the Horsemen, coach Scott Fredrickson and his Heat returned to Hot Springs and defeated Noxon...
Sisters doing what sisters do. With little sister Ellie Baxter out, big sister Megan and her other Lady Hawks sisters got busy last week as Thompson Falls played three great games in five days, defeating Stillwater Christian 82-35 in Thompson Falls Tuesday, shading the Mission Lady Bulldogs 55-46 on the road Thursday and finally dropping a wild 55-48 decision to the powerful Class C Seeley-Swan Blackhawks in Seeley Lake Saturday. Now 6-2 overall and 5-1 in District 7B play, the Lady Hawks host winless Troy Friday, and then embark on one of...
The Thompson Falls Blue Hawks are wrestling lots of matches, learning what they need to work on, and zeroing their focus in on what lies ahead - and that’s just the way coach Mike Thilmony wants it. The Thompson Falls Blue Hawk wrestlers had another busy dual match week, competing with Arlee and Whitefish in Thompson Falls Friday and then doing more body battles with Mission and Eureka in Eureka Saturday. For the record, the Hawks defeated Arlee 33-21 and lost to Whitefish 42-24 Friday, b...
Now that’s more like it. Struggling to this point, the Plains Trotters put together their two best efforts of the season last week, working past Hot Springs 44-32 in Plains Thursday and then running past St. Regis 58-30 in St. Regis Friday. Suddenly on a two-game winning streak, coach Eddie Fultz and his 2-4 Trotters have a game with unbeaten Charlo in Charlo Friday in their only scheduled action this week. Fultz said last week’s games were a welcome relief. “We finally played like I feel like we are capable of playing,” he said. “Our sh...
Without a few of their best players, the Thompson Falls Blue Hawk boys still have the goods to compete with anyone. Proving that fact, the Hawks won two of three games last week, topping Stillwater Christian 50-48 in Kalispell Tuesday, falling to Mission 58-49 in Thompson Falls Thursday and bouncing back to defeat Seeley-Swan 62-26 in Seeley Lake Saturday. Hoping to have everyone back soon – Dante Micheli missed all three games, Nathan Schraeder was out for the Mission and Seeley games, and Justin Morgan was sidelined earlier this week, all f...
Enduring a cruel twist of fate, the Hot Springs Savage Heat girls basketball team will now have to soldier on without their best player for the rest of the season. Hot Springs junior Katelyn Christensen, already a two-time all-conference pick coming into the season, suffered a knee injury in Thursday’s game at Plains and is now expected to be out for the rest of the season. Christensen was injured while battling for a rebound off a free throw attempt. She donned a brace and tried to play after that, but was soon forced to the sidelines a...
