Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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Traffic is flowing a little faster east of Thompson Falls as the first phase of a project to widen 2.7 miles of Highway 200 wrapped up this week. Brandon Coates with consulting firm RBCI said that LHC of Kalispell finished removing stumps, shrubs and rocks along the roadway. LHC will continue to work on fencing in the area throughout the winter, as weather permits. In the spring, the second phase of the project will begin. The second phase will include widening the travel lanes to 12 feet, adding 4-foot-wide shoulders and adding guardrails...
The nostalgia of holiday traditions is what keeps us looking forward to next year, and the next and next. Kathy Logan of Plains' Dog Hill Bistro recently held her fourth annual children's gingerbread house decorating extravaganza and did not disappoint those who have returned time again to partake in the sweet event. A dozen children, and their parents, ranging from two years old to 12, spent one hour carefully selecting the perfect candies to create a sugary masterpiece. Over 36 cups were...
GET SET, GO! A group of bighorn sheep stands at attention in the Thompson River area recently. With construction to widen the road east of Thompson Falls, the sheep have not been as visible along Highway 200 this fall....
A Trout Creek man made his first appearance in district court on Tuesday, pleading not guilty to charges after allegedly attempting to start a fire at the Lakeside Motel in Trout Creek and engaging in an hours-long standoff with police. West Flockerzi appeared before Judge James Manley to enter not guilty pleas to attempted arson, assault with a weapon, assault on a peace officer and two counts of criminal endangerment. Flockerzi is being held in the Sanders County Jail with bail set at $100,000. Judge Manley set a trial date of June 10, 2019...
A group of kids and military veterans braved the cold temperatures last week to give a batch of U.S. flags a proper sendoff. With the weather dipping into the low 20s, VFW Post 3596 held a flag retirement ceremony in the rear parking lot of the post Friday evening. The ceremony included members of the 4-H South Side Sparks and Plains Boy Scout Troop 1957. "The American flag, otherwise known as Old Glory, the Stars and Stripes or the Star-Spangled Banner, represents the land, the people, the...
Let's face it, the holidays are full of stress. It's fun to get together with family and buy presents and see the excitement of Santa and holiday cheer. But the stress that comes along with it sometimes makes escaping somewhere warm a really attractive option. One way to help ease a little of the stress for you and for others, and to make a difference for your community, is to donate to one of our dozens of deserving organizations who lend a helping hand every day. This week, we have a list of organizations, agencies and volunteer groups who...
Recently, The Sanders County Ledger published a column called “Street Smart” written by Blaine Blackstone, titled “Group hug mentally won’t work.” (November 22, 2018) I am writing in response to the first line of that column and I quote: “ I am a white, pro-life, Christian, heterosexual male, Republican, who supports a strong immigration policy.” My question is for Mr. Blackstone. Is that sentence not the definition of bigotry? Why do we, the Sanders County Ledger readers, care about your sexual orientation or what color your skin is? Are...
To the high school students on the walkout about being harassed and bullied, good for you. I was not surprised that the administration did not really know what was going on after talking to a student from last year who was bullied and made fun of. It did not do that person any good to report it. Trinity, you did the right thing to stand up to the person making the rude remarks, apparently you hurt his pride. Why wasn’t the school counselor more aware of the problem? Instead of bringing in outside help next year what about the school resource o...
The Neva Wood Memorial Handbell Choir, under the direction of Dan Whittenburg, entertained the Sanders County employees at their Christmas Party last Thursday at The Elks. The Handbell Choir (with Mary McCoy) was amazing! How fortunate we are to have such a talented musical group to provide beautiful, inspiring music during times when we all need a lift in life. Thank you for your generosity and your music! Sanders County Board of Commissioners...
If you are involved at all in running a government, the first thing you need to learn is the Law of Unintended Consequences. That means that whatever changes are made in one area will suddenly be found to wreak havoc in an area you thought was only remotely connected to the thing that you changed. No matter what you jiggle, no matter how little you jiggle it, it will mess something up somewhere else. If money is involved — especially if money is involved — the process generates what I like to...
W.B. RUSSELL TIMBERMAN By Mike Scott contributor to The Plainsman William Bruce Russell is best remembered as the Eddy Sawmill man. He learned the timber business as a youth in the New York area. At age sixteen, in 1880, he headed west to seek his fortune. By 1891 he had moved to Thompson Falls where he operated a mill. Late in that year he moved to what was known as Russell Spur on the NP line, a mile east of Eddy. This was an ideal location for a lumber mill for driving logs downriver to the...
KENDA BRESTER, Trout Creek – “I’ve probably read five or six. I read mostly novels my mom hands down to me.” ELLEN BROWN, Thompson Falls – “At least 10. I like mysteries and animal-oriented.” GAYLE BORREGA, Thompson Falls – “I read a lot. Probably 120. I like history and mystery and nature, especially John Muir’s writings. I moved here three years ago and still haven’t unpacked boxes of books.” KATRINA GOATLEY, Thompson Falls – “Over 100. I like sci-fi and mysteries. I have no special favorites. There are too many books. My youngest reads at...
Montana Highway Patrol Lars Foley, 17, failure to carry proof of insurance, 2nd offense, $385; night speeding, $70. John Belknap, 67, speeding in a restricted zone, $85. Douglas Townsend, 55, failure to carry proof of insurance, 1st offense, $285. Nolan Larson, 29, seatbelt violation, $20. Barbara Gillott, 71, seatbelt violation, $20. Connor Perry, 20, day speeding, $20. Cheryl Ward, 73, seatbelt violation, $20. Gregory Hall, 69, careless driving, $85. Henry Mcvay, 76, seatbelt violation, $20. Sanders County Sheriff’s Office Christopher J...
Ambulances: Noxon, 6; T. Falls, 7; Plains, 3; H. Springs, 3. Sunday, December 2 Motor vehicle crash, significant damage to vehicle, no occupant, Hwy. 200, Noxon. Protection order violation, T. Falls. Monday, December 3 Domestic disturbance, T. Creek. Sighting of possible stolen vehicle, Plains. Dog bite, T. Falls. Civil standby requested, T. Creek. Backpack containing drugs and paraphernalia abandoned at Plains business. Tuesday, December 4 DUI arrest made by MT Highway Patrol. Suspicious activity, H. Springs. Domestic disturbance, T. Creek....
Compassion, excellence, integrity, unity, respect... the core values spoken at Thompson Falls School District. How do you teach a child what these complicated words mean? Crystal Buchanan with Sanders County Coalition for Families knew the answer: with fun, hands-on projects. Buchanan organized Thompson Falls Elementary School's seventh Family Literacy and Art Night, which took place last Thursday evening. "She tied the core values and found books that teach that value and then had a project to...
Charles Morland (Mort) Neiman passed away on November 13, 2018, at the age of 89. Mort was born October 12, 1929 in Spokane, Washington, to Charles Marion and Ellen Neiman. He attended school in Washington, where he excelled in sports and outdoor activities, graduating from Otis Orchards. Mort briefly attended the University of Montana prior to joining the Army in 1951. He spent his military service stationed in the Far East, where he had the opportunity to serve as a member of a volleyball team...
HONORING THEIR SERVICE – A group of veterans were recognized for their military service when Ed Foste and Dave Williams presented each of them with a Quilts of Valor custom made quilt. From the left: Charles Foreman, Jim Gillibrand, both Army veterans, Gary Jenson, Navy, Ron Chisenhall, Army, Ron Kilbury, served both in the Army and Navy, Bob Kunch, Navy, and Jimmie Allison, Air Force. Foste and Williams are members of the nonprofit organization Joint Operation Mariposa, which works with Q...
Editor’s Note: During this special season of giving, The Ledger and First Security Bank would like to salute all the local nonprofit agencies that provide services to our Sanders County communities. They volunteer time, services, hearts and souls to help others. They truly put the “unity” in community. While there are many wonderful and worthy organizations in our country we hope you will consider a donation right here at home this holiday season. Cancer Network of Sanders County PO Box 1311 Plains, MT 59859 Phone: 826-4278 Contact: Kathy...
You start by looking at people's faces, the whole point is that the width between the eyes is the same as one eye width, the bridge of the nose doesn't come to a sharp point, it is rounded.... Things you do not think about until you must. A time when you are carving Santa Claus's face perhaps. John Meckler, a retired English teacher who now volunteers as a woodworking teacher, put on a demonstration at the Paradise Center for those interested in learning how to carve a wooden Santa Claus last Sa...
One Plains teacher took her students out of the classroom for their lesson last week to learn art and to help spread the holiday spirit. Forty-three students from Plains High School scattered throughout Plains Friday to paint Christmas designs on business windows. “They’ve done a fabulous job and they love doing this, especially the new ones, and they love being out of the classroom,” said Kristen Cole, the school’s art teacher, who spent the day going from one end of town checking on her stu...
The Thompson Falls City Council is reviewing the way they hold court proceedings. City Attorney Naomi Leisz was recently elected as Sanders County Attorney, and will be leaving the city at the end of the year. With that, the council on Monday signed a two-year contract with Tim Goen to be the new city attorney. Leisz brought up some concerns to the City Council on Monday, noting that with the addition of another police officer, the city court caseload has increased. “The court is not running efficiently,” Leisz stated. She said that means mor...
"It gave me such great memories when I went to school here," said 94-year-old Betty Meyer after the 2nd Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration at the Paradise Center, formerly Paradise Elementary School Sunday evening. Meyer was one of more than 60 people who gathered in the multi-purpose room, which used to be the school gymnasium, to attend the Christmas program, sponsored by the Paradise Elementary School Preservation Committee. Meyer was a student at the school from first to eighth...
Plains is known for horses. It's the school mascot. The former elementary school was called Wild Horse Plains. An entire herd of horses recently lined the fence along the greenway. The town police patches had been Wild Horse Plains. Chief of Police Shawn Emmett said the town was called Horse Plains until it was incorporated in 1907. And now there's a new horse in town standing by itself on the grass along Railroad Street near Central Avenue. It's a 600-pound, 8-foot long, 9 ½-foot tall...
Sanders County Community Development Corporation (SCCDC) in Thompson Falls has expanded their staff with the creation of a new, part-time position, Business Development Coordinator (BDC). The BDC will be client-driven, motivated and responsive to the needs of the business community and tourism sector in Sanders County. Network building and developing relationships within the communities served by SCCDC is vital. Activities undertaken by the non-profit community and economic development organization are a result of those mutually beneficial...
