Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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For one Thompson Falls man, dirt bike racing is in his blood. This year, Brandon Wakefield competed in the U.S. Hard Enduro series, a form of extreme racing with courses that Wakefield says are designed for people not to finish. "You get six hours and 90% of people don't finish it," the 32-year-old said of the series, of which he completed eight races across the country from February through August. Wakefield was up for the challenge, and ended up first in the nation in his age group. Wakefield...
The Noxon community showed up Tuesday to hear what's being done about the bridge leading into their town and find out what they can do to help the effort. Tuesday's meeting brought more than 60 people to the Noxon fire hall to hear from local officials, as well as engineers working with the county to find solutions for the deteriorating 102-year-old bridge. In July, the bridge was closed for a week after a routine inspection by the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) found two cracks in t...
The year 2025 is just around the corner, but the Sanders County Fair Board is deep into planning next year's events. At the fair board meeting last Wednesday, fair manager Kristy Sheehan and board member Brian Crain recapped the PRCA convention they attended, saying they made good connections. Sheehan is working on procuring additional rodeo sponsors, and Crain, in conversations with bull riders, said that many rodeos are struggling to get bull riders, just as the Sanders County Fair and Rodeo...
Montana Highway Patrol Rayanna Roberts, 17, seatbelt violation, $20. Kenneth Hutchings, 56, speeding in a restricted zone, $85. Ammon Clarkson, 28, night speeding, $70. Nicholas Jack, 30, day speeding, $20. Brooke Jackson, 18, night speeding, $120. Braden McDonald, 19, seatbelt violation, $20. Stephen Moreland, 70, night speeding, $70. Manford Tempero, 81, day speeding, $70. Joey Homola, 23, failure to carry/exhibit proof of insurance, 1st offense, $85; speeding in a restricted zone, $75. Holly Piper, 18, speeding in a restricted zone, $95....
Ambulance: Plains, 6; Hot Springs, 5; T. Falls, 4; Dixon, 1; Lonepine, 1; Trout Creek, 1. Monday, December 9 Assist other agency, T. Falls. General animal call/complaint, Noxon. Other law violations, T. Falls. Civil standby, T. Falls. Trespass, T. Falls. Other law violations, Hot Springs. Person missing, T. Falls. Suicide attempts/threats, Plains. Tuesday, December 10 General animal call/complaint, T. Falls. Drugs/narcotics, T. Falls. Protection order violation, Trout Creek. Automated alarm call, T. Falls. Wednesday, December 11 Other law...
The quilt that was the prze in the Thompson Falls Woman's Club raffle at the Rex Afterparty, shown in last week's paper, was created by Lorri Renard, not Rusti Leivestad. The Ledger apologizes to Renard, and also to Mayor Leivestad, who said when she first read the incorrect photo caption thought she had won the quilt. Thank you to everyone who supported the quilt raffle....
Natural resource stakeholders gathered last week for a local working group meeting at the Sanders County Fairgrounds pavilion. The group discussed the natural resource needs of the county and reviewed the long-range plan for natural resources. The meeting was led by Dillon Martini with the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) and included representatives from local agencies such as the county, Green Mountain Conservation District, Eastern Sanders County Conservation District, DNRC and...
The Montana Department of Commerce announced today that 26 local safety agencies will share more than $1.4 million of grant funding to support tourism-related emergency service projects in rural areas. The funding is through Commerce’s Montana Emergency Tourism Assistance Grant Program. “Emergency services are critical in rural areas of the state that may have experienced an increase in visitation recently,” said Paul Green, Director of the Montana Department of Commerce. “At Commerce, we’re proud to support first responders and others wh...
The community of Thompson Falls embraced the holiday spirit of the weekend with a variety of events for families to enjoy. On Friday, the Thompson Falls Main Street committee sponsored the holiday stroll, which featured carolers and treats at several Main Street businesses. That culminated with the Sanders County Chamber's annual tree lighting ceremony across the street from the courthouse. Rob Viens led community members in carols before Chamber President Dennis Spurlock addressed the crowd...
The Noxon community showed up Tuesday to hear what's being done about the bridge leading into their town and find out what they can do to help the effort. Tuesday's meeting brought more than 60 people to the Noxon fire hall to hear from local officials, as well as engineers working with the county to find solutions for the deteriorating 102-year-old bridge. In July, the bridge was closed for a week after a routine inspection by the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) found two cracks in t...
They were tattered, torn, frayed, and discolored and their service to the country had passed - the end of life for a national symbol - the American flag. A dozen military veterans gathered behind Horse Plains VFW Post 3596 on Saturday evening to bid farewell to a comrade they had served on active duty. It was a quiet and solemn ceremony that took less than 15 minutes. One by one, the veterans put an unserviceable flag into a barrel of flames. The barrels eventually got so hot, the vets had to...
The last Plains Town Council meeting of the year was short, but finished with a surprise request from a resident. Plains resident and business owner Matthew Jaramillo accused Chief of Police Brian Josephson of misusing his authority and engaging in personal vendettas. "I come to you today to raise urgent concerns regarding Chief Brian Josephson's continued service as police chief for the Town of Plains," Jaramillo said at last Monday night's council meeting at City Hall. Mayor Joel Banham gave h...
The Thompson Falls City Council moved closer to the finish line on phases 1 and 2 of the city sewer project at Monday's meeting as they voted to close out two of the project's funding sources. After approving final reimbursements, the council voted to close out the TSEP grant of $750,000 and the DNRC Renewable Resource Grant of $188,685. The city is progressing with phases 3 and 4 of the project, which will include installation and hookups from Grove Street east in Thompson Falls. At Monday's...
Ambulance: Plains, 8; T. Falls, 7; Hot Springs, 3; Heron, 2; Paradise, 2; Dixon, 1. Monday, December 2 Request for welfare check, T. Falls. Suspicious activity, Trout Creek. Civil attempts. Civil attempts. Motor vehicle crash, T. Falls. Fire, Hot Springs. Request for welfare check, Noxon. Animal other, Hot Springs. Automated alarm call, T. Falls. Assist miscellaneous, Plains. Child welfare/abuse, Paradise. Road hazard/debris on road, T. Falls. Fire, Plains. Tuesday, December 3 Road hazard/debris on road, Trout Creek. Welfare check, Hot...
Montana Highway Patrol Robin McGee-Morigeau, 63, seatbelt violation, $20; speeding in a restricted zone, $95. Erin Dwyer, 27, failure to carry/exhibit proof of insurance in vehicle, 1st offense, $85. Brent Wiegele, 38, seatbelt violation, $20. Sarah Eisherbeny, 32, operating with expired registration, $85. Shannon Niblack, 40, seatbelt violation, $20; speeding in a restricted zone, $65. Matthew Thurston, 15, operating without liability insurance, 1st offense, $85, deferred imposition; careless driving, $35, deferred imposition. Dylan Hess, 20,...
Three co-defendants made their initial appearances before Judge Molly Owen on Tuesday, facing charges stemming from a traffic stop near Plains at the end of November. The three co-defendants, Jace Patrick Boles, Jeanysa Dem Ridley, and Riley Robert Lee McConnell, are set for jury trials on May 12, 2025. Boles pled not guilty to three felony counts of criminal possession of dangerous drugs and one misdemeanor count of criminal possession of drug paraphernalia. His attorney, Brian Owens, requested Boles receive an own recognizance release as he...
by Ed Moreth Dozens of small colorful boxes lit up the dark sky over Plains last weekend with sentimental messages and seasonal greetings. The annual Cancer Network of Sanders County "Lantern Launch" was held along the greenway at downtown Plains on Saturday night following the Christmas Light Parade. The nonprofit organization raised $450, which goes directly back to county residents going through cancer treatment. "Our goal is to show our local community members that they are not alone in thei...
Montana's general deer and elk hunting season concluded last weekend and the overall harvest results at game check stations in northwest Montana showed increased success compared to last year. More than 10,800 hunters stopped at regional check stations this season, and approximately 10 percent of them had successfully harvested game, compared to 9 percent a year ago. A total of 954 white-tailed deer, including 745 bucks, were reported at the four weekend check stations. Last year hunters checked 761 white-tailed deer, including 567 bucks....
Timothy George Johnson made his initial appearance for one felony count of criminal possession of dangerous drugs and one misdemeanor count of criminal possession of drug paraphernalia, entering not guilty pleas to both charges. Judge John Mercer set this matter for a jury trial on April 14, 2025. On November 8, as alleged in the charging documents, Plains Police Officer Kenny Hamilton initiated a stop on a truck in Plains. The passenger and registered owner of the truck, identified as Johnson, requested to use the bathroom at a nearby...
Montana Highway Patrol Samuel Dolloff, 54, seatbelt violation, $20. Angela Drew, 38, speeding in a restricted zone, $65. Jamie Giddings, 38, seatbelt violation, $20. Theodore Bruce, 33, speeding in a restricted zone, $85. Kriss Lund, 68, speeding in a restricted zone, $95. Katie Grilley, 36, speeding in a restricted zone, $85. Steven Edwards, 53, speeding in a restricted zone, $65. Keith Shepherd, 51, day speeding, $70. Sanders County Sheriff’s Office Jason McDonald, 46, livestock unlawfully running at large, $135. Raymond Lauber, 57, owner p...
Ambulance: T. Falls, 5; Plains, 5; Hot Springs, 3; Paradise, 1; Noxon, 1. Monday, November 25 Livestock, T. Falls. Livestock, Perma. Disturbance, Plains. Property damage/criminal mischief, Noxon. Suicide attempts/threats. Civil attempts, Plains. Livestock, Plains. Civil attempts. Civil attempts. Civil attempts. Motor vehicle crash, T. Falls. Automated alarm call, Heron. Suspicious activity. Fire, Plains. General animal call/complaint, T. Falls. Assist miscellaneous, T. Falls. Intimidation/harassment, T. Falls. Civil attempts. Tuesday, November...
The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) would like to announce and invite the public to comment on a proposal to preserve the bridge that crosses the Clark Fork River on Montana Highway 200 (MT 200), just west of Thompson Falls in Sanders County. Proposed work entails a variety of bridge deck repairs and preservation treatments, including removal of the existing asphalt overlay, milling the existing deck surface, repairing the concrete deck, overlaying with new concrete surfacing, re-anchoring the existing steel expansion joints, and...
A Montana district court has sided with a Thompson Falls woman in a case that alleged neglect. A district court judge recently ruled that Michele Manning of Thompson Falls was not neglectful in the death of a teenager under her care. According to court records, on August 20, 2021, the Department of Public Health and Human Services issued a neglect substantiation against Michele Manning relating to the June 25, 2021 death by suicide of a 17-year-old girl at Reflections Academy, a private alternative adolescent residential program which Manning o...
Nick Lawyer was born at Clark Fork Valley Hospital, and 43 years later, he is stepping into a leadership role for the community medical facility. Lawyer will take over as chief of staff for the medical staff at CFVH in 2025. Lawyer recently completed the Healthcare Excellence in Leadership Program (HELP) through the Montana Medical Association, gaining valuable leadership skills that he is excited to use in his new position. "It's billed as a leadership development course for medical leaders,...
The 2024 Christmas on Main Street parade grand marshal has been busy since moving to Thompson Falls in 2022. You may have met Rob Viens through his choral group, the Clark Fork Valley Singers, but he's involved in many projects throughout the community. The Sanders County Chamber of Commerce chose Viens as the grand marshal to lead the community parade next weekend. Chelle Mitchell, secretary for the chamber, nominated Viens for the honor. "He directs music for the Thompson Falls Main Street...
