Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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A former Plains High School student has found herself back in school and the subject English was the culprit. English was the favorite subject for Alexis Kunzer and now she's teaching English. The 2010 Plains High School graduate was unanimously voted as the newest addition to the school staff and will be teaching English for grades seven through seniors. Kunzer will work until January, at which time she will determine if her teaching hours will accommodate her caring for her infant daughter. Ku...
It looks like the Bean Bug Cafe doors are closing, but another door is opening for owner Suzy VonHeeder. VonHeeder and co-owner Emmalie VonHeeder, her daughter-in-law, started the Bean Bug in December of 2020 and it was a prosperous enterprise, but Emmalie wants to be a stay-at-home mom with her 3-year-old son, Jaxx, and Suzy has been in the food service business for 25 years and wants to try something else. The Bean Bug's last day was Friday and one of its coffee specials during its final week...
The Thompson Falls Police Department is warning residents about a potential scam involving someone posing as an election worker. According to Chief Chris Nichols, TFPD received a notification that on Tuesday, October 29, a man was going door to door in the 200 block of North Gallatin Street claiming to be with the election canvasser office. The reporting parting stated the man had a stack of blue secrecy envelopes. TFPD said that the Sanders County Elections office does not have anyone...
The Montana Millionaire tickets went on sale at 5:30 a.m. Friday, and were sold out in less than three hours, the Montana Lottery reported. Town Pump in Thompson Falls reported a line of people waiting to get their tickets before they went on sale, and at 8 a.m. still had a short line inside the store. The three-hour sellout is a new record for the game, the Montana Lottery stated in a press release today. "The demand for Montana Millionaire this year has been absolutely incredible," said...
It might smell the same, but it now has a better look and is dust and mud free. The Plains Refuse District - the "town dump" - received a major facelift in October with a new shack delivered to the site on Saturday. Von Construction of Plains did the bulk of the project over the course of about three weeks, finishing the paving portion two weeks ago. Doran VonHeeder, owner of the construction company, said the project was done in three phases, starting with placing several truckloads of gravel a...
The Thompson Falls City Council awarded a contract for the Church Street emergency water project at its monthly meeting last week. The council met on Tuesday as Monday was a holiday, awarding the $338,960 contract to 40/50 Development of Ennis. 40/50 owner Michael Sprout said the company wanted to get started on the project as soon as possible. The company has a crew of 10 employees who will work on the project and is hoping to complete the project within three weeks. “We have a young, energetic crew. We’ll get it done,” Sprout said, addin...
Ambulance: Plains, 7; Hot Springs, 3; T. Falls, 3; Noxon, 2; Trout Creek, 2; Dixon, 1; Paradise, 1. Monday, October 14 Abandoned vehicle, T. Falls. Assist motorist/citizen, T. Falls. General animal call/complaint, Plains. Other accident, Plains. General animal call/complaint, Heron. Parking problem, T. Falls. Theft, Trout Creek. Theft, Heron. Request for welfare check, T. Falls. Business contact, Plains. USFS campground check, T. Falls. USFS campground check, Heron. Civil attempts. Civil attempts. Civil attempts. Motor vehicle crash, T. Falls....
Montana Highway Patrol Eric Thornton, 38, driving while privilege suspended/revoked, 1st offense, $325; operating without liability insurance, 1st offense, $275. Delano Smith, 50, negligent endangerment, $285, deferred imposition of sentence. Roxanna Dial, 61, careless driving, $135, deferred imposition of sentence. Daniel Fretto, 56, speeding in a restricted zone, $85. John Laimbeer, 79, day speeding, $70. Tracy McNair, 62, day speeding, $120. Brandy Paulson, 41, day speeding, $70. Virgil Thoms, 57, seatbelt violation, $20. Dustin Hoffman,...
Another summer has gone by and the Forest Service’s Big Hole Lookout rental cabin is closed up for the winter, thanks to volunteers from the Wild Plains Back Country Horsemen. John Errecart and Cheryl Burt took their horses and mules up the two-and three-quarter mile Trail #368 to the lookout at the 6,922-foot level last Tuesday to secure the lookout for the winter. It will reopen next June, also by members of the horsemen club, which adopted the lookout when it became a rental cabin in 2021. T...
HELENA – In Montana, maintaining positive relationships between hunters and landowners is a critical part of our culture and our heritage. In many towns around the state, these relationships extend well beyond hunting season as landowners and hunters share a commitment to their communities and ways of life. Over the years, however, things have changed and it’s more common now for hunters to use access programs to hunt private land, rather than gaining access through a direct contact with a landowner. To help promote hunter ethics and...
U.S. Representative Ryan Zinke was in Sanders County on Tuesday, making campaign stops as he seeks re-election next month. Rep. Zinke's first stop was in Noxon, where he addressed a crowd of about 50 community members and talked about the need for replacement of the Noxon bridge. Commissioner Tony Cox explained that the state recommended full replacement of the bridge. "The bridge is the jugular of the community of Noxon. We don't want to put a new saddle on an old horse. We want a new horse," C...
A Heron man is taking his concerns for a local river to the state level. Paul Overman has filed a rulemaking petition with the state Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC), asking them to restrict watercraft on Bull River. Earlier this year, Overman witnessed five small jet boats go by property he owns on the Bull River. “The jet boast really wreak havoc on our shoreline,” he said in June, adding that he was concerned for both the shoreline and safety of other river users. In the petition filed with the FWC, Overman states that “the opera...
The Plains Town Council unanimously voted to seat John Dossett on the council as a replacement for Councilwoman Connie Foust, who recently resigned and moved to Nevada. The town held a special council meeting on Friday morning to choose between the two candidates who applied for the Ward 1, Seat 1 position - Dossett and Charles W. Bickenheuser - to fulfill the two years remaining on Foust's term. The 64-year-old Dossett was born in New Zealand, but has been a Plains resident for 38 years and...
Editor's note: The following are profiles of candidates for Sanders County legislative districts. All candidates were sent questionnaires, but some did not return information. SENATE DISTRICT 45 Name: Devin Jackson Occupation: Audio Engineer Education: Trade School Certificated Recording Engineer What qualities make you the best candidate? I would represent a change in the direction of Montana. Not only am I from a different party from the current Supermajority but I work in technology. If Montana wants to move forward we need people willing to...
Voters in Hot Springs passed a $183,000 levy last week. Ballots were counted last Wednesday at the Hot Springs school, with 293 voters casting ballots for the levy and 282 against. “We’re very happy within the district and heartfelt thanks goes out to everyone that voted. Our community came together and was able to pass this. We are absolutely elated,” Hot Springs Superintendent Gerald Chouinard said on Monday. The Hot Springs school board was scheduled to certify the election results at Wednesday’s meeting, along with voting on a budget...
The Sanders County Fairgrounds had its first train wreck when it ran into a truck last week, leading to bystander injuries and two women running into each other on bikes. Response time by several emergency services vehicles was quick and all 10 injuries were treated. However, since there are no railroad tracks at the fairgrounds, it must have been a drill. The county's Emergency Management Department, headed by Bill Naegeli, put on the "Fair Hazmat Exercise," which involved more than 30 men and...
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is seeking information on two incidents of wildlife being killed and left. FWP reported Monday that an elk was killed and left to waste on private property near Thompson Falls, and a cow moose was shot and left to waste outside of Plains. The elk was found October 4 on private property off Thompson River Road, and game wardens reported that the head was removed and the rest of the elk was left. Anyone with possible information is asked to visit tipmont.mt.gov or call the local game warden at (406)250-9498 to...
The event's biggest attraction of last year, "Barney the Bison," didn't make it, but the Harlow Bison Ranch was represented with a bison hide and skull for the kids at the Sanders County Fairgrounds last Tuesday. "They say you can make a bison do anything the bison wants to do and Barney didn't want to get into the trailer this morning," said Melinda Anakalea, who owns the Thompson Falls ranch with her husband, Adam. Nevertheless, the 115 third grade students from Noxon, Trout Creek, Thompson...
Gusty wind caused a downed power line last Friday, sparking a fire along Wilkes Creek Road in the Prospect Creek area southwest of Thompson Falls. Crews responded and were able to contain the blaze to under 6 acres....
Ambulance: Plains, 11; T. Falls, 6; Trout Creek, 4; Noxon, 1; Dixon, 1; Hot Springs, 1. Monday, September 30 Assist other agency, Dixon. USFS campground check, Trout Creek. Business contact, Lonepine. USFS campground check, Noxon. USFS campground check. Civil attempts. Theft, Heron. Theft, Noxon. Livestock, T. Falls. Civil attempts. Child welfare/abuse, Trout Creek. Civil attempts. Civil attempts. Civil attempts. Animal other, T. Falls. Business contact, T. Falls. Motor vehicle crash, T. Falls. Tuesday, October 1 Suspicious activity, T. Falls....
Montana Highway Patrol Clifton Jones, 65, speeding in a restricted zone, $135, deferred imposition of sentence. Thomas Caputo, 66, day speeding, $250, deferred imposition of sentence. Scott Payne, 58, operating vehicle not properly registered, $45. Joaquin Calderon-Cetina, 32, day speeding, $70. Cheyann Phillips, 27, day speeding, $70. Sanders County Sheriff’s Office Danny Lindquist, 58, operating without liability insurance in effect, 2nd offense, $135. Austin Varner, 24, reckless driving, 1st offense, $285. Kaarina Wedrick, 47, night speeding...
Grant Alan Skinner made his initial appearance before Judge Molly Owen on Tuesday, pleading not guilty to felony charges of criminal endangerment and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, fourth or subsequent offense, as well as a misdemeanor charge of assault. A jury trial was set for March 10, 2025. Making her initial appearance, Sharlyn Ann Vadnais pleaded not guilty to a felony count of assault on a minor. Judge Owen set a jury trial for March 10, 2025. Both Skinner’s and Vadnais’s charges stem from an altercation on September 7...
The following are profiles of candidates for Sanders County positions. Coming next week, profiles of state legislature candidates. CLERK OF DISTRICT COURT Name: Cynthia Neste Occupation: Clerk of District Court Education: Regent University, VA; Campbell University, NC; Community College of the Air Force; Austin Community College, TX. Numerous Information Technology Certifications. Currently working towards Certified Clerk of Court through Montana State University and the Montana Association of Clerks of District Court curriculum. What qualities...
The veteran suicide rate continues to grow but that doesn’t stop one veteran in Plains from his objective of getting the word out about the troublesome issue, just as he did last month for Suicide Awareness Month. Starting on Aug. 31, each night Ed Foste and a volunteer added 22 American flags to the display — representing the 22 veterans who die by suicide each day. Foste and Bill Beck of Plains added the final batch to the display last Monday evening. This is the seventh year for the Vet...
The final step of repairs to the Main Street project in Thompson Falls will occur on Friday. The Department of Transportation and Razz Construction are scheduled to complete final striping operations Friday on Main Street, weather and other factors permitting. This work concludes the warranty repairs of the Thompson Fall-Urban project. Drivers can expect single-lane closures, reduced speeds, potential width restrictions, delays and parking restrictions on Friday. MDT stated in a press r...
