Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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Sanders County Commissioners Glen Magera and Tony Cox selected a temporary replacement for outgoing Commissioner Carol Brooker last week after interviewing candidates the previous week. Plains Mayor Dan Rowan will be taking over as the interim commissioner in January after he resigns his post with the town. Five people, including Rowan, applied for the commissioner position: Daphne Boles and Mike Hashisaki, both of Plains, and Greg Hinkle and Daniel Moore, both of Thompson Falls. More than 300 people signed a petition in favor of Hinkle, a Repu...
The Cancer Network of Sanders County (CNSC) raised $1,610 in its annual Chinese Lantern Launch fundraiser, selling 161 lanterns at the Sanders County Fairgrounds Saturday night, but every cent will go right back into the community, said Shelley Bertrand, president of the nonprofit organization. More than 60 people spent time at the fairgrounds Saturday to send their heart warming messages handwritten on the lanterns to lost loved ones. Once the event got underway, it looked like the dark night...
Sanders County Community Development (SCCD) has assembled a platform that will give community members a way to connect with community events around the area. Sanders County Events is an online calendar that allows local organizations and businesses the ability to post their events online for free. The need to create an online presence for community events began last summer, according to SCCD Executive Director, Ray Brown. “We were noticing and hearing a lot of complaints from a lot of nonprofits that they were hosting their events on the same d...
The general hunting season ended in Montana November 28, and despite lower numbers of hunters through the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks check station at Thompson Falls, harvest were up for all animals. The check station, which is located near the rural fire station in Thompson Falls throughout the season, recorded 1,298 hunters. That is more than 400 less than passed through in 2019. Despite that, hunters checked in 105 white-tailed deer and 87 of those were bucks. In 2019, those numbers were 9...
Did you feel that warm weather that hovered near 60 degrees this week? It's hard to believe that December is here when we are still experiencing that kind of weather. (I realize I probably just jinxed it and by the time you read this, we may have several inches of snow.) The Thompson Falls Chamber (for which I am the secretary) has been busy helping coordinate the Christmas on Main Street events this week. The holiday stroll is tonight with caroling and the community tree lighting, then the ever-popular parade is Saturday. There are craft...
Anyone else wonder why the “media” doesn’t ask Ryan Zinke the status of those eight investigations from his brief time in office as Secretary of Interior? Respectful inquiring mind, Dawn Gandalf, Thompson Falls...
U.S. Highway 10-A (“A” stood for “alternate”) ran by our front gate when I was a kid, on its way to a rendezvous with U.S. Highway 10 just west of Missoula. For the last 27 miles, it coincided with US 93. I’m not sure what happened at the intersection of the three, but I don’t think 10-A continued. Sometime around when U.S. 10 was replaced by Interstate 90, U.S. 10-A became Montana 200. I believe this was just about the time I learned to drive, so it was a loooooong time ago. Since then, I have spent a lot of time driving up and down that r...
4 YEARS AGO NOVEMBER 19, 1981 FALLS RADIO OPERATOR TOURS WORLD BY SHIP Dewy Ross Duffel has seen more in the last 15 years than many of us will probably see in a lifetime. Duffel works as a radio operator on ocean-going ships. Duffel, 39, was born in Missoula, but spent his early childhood on the family ranch at the mouth of Swamp Creek. That ranch was submerged when Noxon Rapids Reservoir was filled. Duffel went to school in Noxon, Trout Creek and Thompson Falls. After a year at Montana State University, he went to Spokane Community College...
GEORGE VINSON, Thompson Falls - “I don’t think it’s necessary. It would depend on the cost of it. They already keep it open pretty late and open again pretty early in the spring.” ROY SCOTT, Thompson Falls - “Yes, it’s great for cutting down time to get to Spokane and Coeur d'Alene, but then again I can also see it being treacherous in the winter and not being cost effective to try to keep it clean through the winter.” TYREL WORTLEY, Trout Creek - “I don’t know if it would be worth keeping it open year-round, depending on the weather.” BONNIE N...
In 20th District Judicial Court on Tuesday, Jake Wieckowski pleaded not guilty to felony charges of criminal possession of dangerous drugs and criminal possession of drug paraphernalia. Wieckowski was arrested October 16 on an outstanding warrant. During that arrest he was found to possess a pipe that tested positive for methamphetamine as well as a small amount of the substance, according to charging documents. His attorney, Kirk Krutilla, argued for his release, and Wieckowski contended it was because he was in town to take care of his...
Ambulance: Plains, 9; T. Falls, 3; Hot Springs, 3; Heron, 1; Trout Creek, 1; Paradise, 1. Monday, November 22 Motor vehicle crash, Paradise. Animal other, Trout Creek. Welfare check, Trout Creek. Other law violations, Hot Springs. Motor vehicle crash, Plains. Tuesday, November 23 Civil attempts, Hot Springs. Welfare check, Paradise. Protection order violation, Trout Creek. Wednesday, November 24 Theft, Plains. Motor vehicle crash, Plains. Business contact, T. Falls. Business contact, T. Falls. Thursday, November 25 Assist motorist/citizen,...
Sanders County Sheriff’s Office Henry Demmons, 76, assault, $585. Joshua Smith, 40, night speeding, $70, deferred imposition of sentence. Montana Highway Patrol Lacey Beck, 22, stop sign violation, $85. Brody Black, 16, seatbelt violation, $20. Karen Hull, 70, day speeding, $20. Daniel Woydick, 45, day speeding, $20. Astrid Orozco Piamba, 27, careless driving, $85. Gregg Compton, 52, seatbelt violation, $20. Ashley Diller, 22, day speeding, $20. Daniel Wright, 25, night speeding, $70. Thompson Falls Police Department John Mears, 32, criminal p...
For the first time, Montana has opened a muzzleloader only season. The idea has been in the works for a while and was going to start next year, but with great public interest the season will begin this year. Called the Montana Muzzleloader Heritage Hunt, the season will open December 11 and will run a little over a week until December 19. The hunt was passed in the last legislative session as House Bill 242 and came through the House of Representatives Fish and Wildlife Committee. According to...
Shirley (Williams) McGuigan passed away on October 21, 2021, at St. Patrick's Hospital in Missoula, Montana. Shirley was born in Pasco, Washington, on February 12 1945, to John and Margaret Williams. Her family moved to Montana in the early 1950's. During her life in Montana she acquired many skills and hobbies. Her favorite things to do were cake decorating and playing cards with the Woman's Club. Shirley could be found at the river almost any day of the summer. She loved fishing, hiking, boati... Full story
Montana Highway Patrolman Steve Spurr wasn't working an undercover job along Railroad Street on Saturday. Donned in a bright red suit, snowy white beard and brass-framed spectacles, Spurr transformed himself to Santa Claus and handed bags of goodies to kids in front of Mountain West Clothing. For an hour and a half, Santa Spurr listened to children tell him they were good - he always got a quick confirmation from parents - and letting him know what they want for Christmas. "I love doing this,"...
The Sheriff’s Relief Fund crew has hit the ground running and this year. Deputies and volunteers are working harder than ever to help families and children in the Sanders County community this holiday season. The tree of hearts represents all the children in the community who need a little extra love this Christmas. Wooden trees are placed in local businesses throughout the county and on those trees, you will find red and green hearts hanging from the branches. Written on each heart, is the age and gender of a child. Red hearts represent g...
Cheryl Copperstone, says she loves her job as the new Deputy County Attorney for Sanders County. "I've been told I don't see any gray, just black and white," she said. Copperstone started working for the county about two months after moving to the area from Lincoln County. She previously was a civil attorney in Arizona and New Mexico, however, she prefers criminal over civil cases. "I love prosecuting because I love to see justice done, and I love to win." There are three attorneys in Lincoln...
Sanders County athletes are hitting the courts and the mats this weekend in the first round of play for the local basketball and wrestling teams. As Thompson Falls boys basketball coach Jake Mickelson said, “It feels like we just played a football game yesterday, and now we’re playing basketball.” And he’s right. Because of the Blue Hawk football team’s long season to a state championship, which was played on November 20, the boys on the team didn’t get much of a break and were at practice the next Monday. Mickelson said practice is going we...
In last week's Ledger, we celebrated the accomplishments of the 2021 8-Player Champion Thompson Falls Blue Hawks. I wrote about the community spirit and support, the stats of the game and interviewed players and coaches following. However, I forgot one important detail – the historical record. When the Blue Hawks won the semifinal football game this year, I immediately went to the basement of The Ledger and pulled out the archives from 1974 and 1975 to read the stories from the previous state ch...
For the first time ever, the newly revived Whitepine Grange held a craft fair in their hall. The organization has been reaching out to the community, asking if any group wanted to rent out the space. Lori Smith answered the call and helped organize the fair. The event had 11 vendors, due to the limited space, but according to all who participated, it was just enough to be a nice event. "Everybody says this is a great place to have it," said Jan Manning, president of the Whitepine Grange....
MONDAY NITE GALS W L Nascar Freaks 32 16 Dangerous Dames 31 17 Dolls with Balls 27.5 20.5 Talk of the Town 23.5 24.5 Rock’n Bowl 22 26 Bye 8 40 Team Scr. Game: Nascar Freaks, 434; Scr. Series: Dolls with Balls, 1244; Hcp. Game: Nascar Freaks, 632; Hcp. Series: Dolls with Balls, 1793; Inv. Scr. Game: Linde Pavlik, 205; Scr. Series: Linde Pavlik, 487; Hcp. Game: Linde Pavlik, 260; Hcp. Series: Linde Pavlik, 652. OVER THE HILL GANG W L Fun Team 32 12 Leftovers 29.5 14.5 Mixed Nuts 25 19 Joker’s Wild 21.5 22.5 Com’ Bak Kids 19 25 Bye 5 39 Team Scr....
SOLUTIONS ACROSS 1. CRESTS 7. SSB 10. SERAGLIO 12. SACO 13. ELEPHANT 14. SALAD 15. MEETS 16. IMAM 17. PIG 18. SRBM 19. APIO 21. A LA 22. TRACHOMA 27. YO 28. OCTOGENARIANS 33. PD 34. AGENCIES 36. APE 37. TACH 38. PAIN 39. GUI 40. CAHN 41. ATHAR 44. GRIEG 45. SEASHORE 48. AULD 49. PANCREAS 50. DDS 51. ARTHUR SOLUTIONS DOWN 1. CREE 2. RAPT 3. EGHS 4. SLA 5. TIN 6. SOT 7. SALAM 8. SCAM 9. BOD 10. SEMI PRO 11. ELEGIAC 12. SAMBA 14. SIRLOIN 17. PAT 18. SAYRE 20. OCT 23. HOPPING 24. OGDEN 25. ME 26.... Full story
Democratic congressional candidate Cora Neumann stopped in Thompson Falls over the weekend as part of her "Hometown Tour." Neumann, who is running for the newly added U.S. House of Representatives seat for Montana, spoke to more than 25 residents at the Rimrock on Sunday. Neumann said her focus throughout the tour has been to listen to rural Montanans. "What do you love about our hometowns and how do you want to see them thrive?" She said she is hearing a "huge amount of pain" around housing...
