Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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Nothing political here, just an observation. I went to the new landfill on Wednesday with my truck full of garbage. While I was unloading next to a truck of young men one of them came over and said “need any help sir.” I did not need any help and said thanks I got it. Don’t have a clue who he was but I got to thinking later. What a nice thing to do, offer help. So, to his parents out there, you are doing things right. He saw an old man and offered assistance. What a great community we live in. Ron Hawkinson, Thompson Falls...
To the Thompson Falls School Board of Trustees, I have four children in the Thompson Falls School District, two current students and two graduates. My husband Noel and I have been active in our children’s education and the wellbeing of our public school system. I am writing to you about the decision made unanimously by board members on the non-renewal of high school principal Rich Ferris’s contract. To my knowledge, Rich has done an extraordinary job. Our family has gotten to know him and his family through school and having sons in the same gr...
Last week, President Trump said it is up to the states on when they want to remove restrictions due to COVID-19. In Montana, Gov. Steve Bullock has imposed a shelter-in-place order through Friday, April 24, when he will re-evaluate the situation. The spread of coronavirus has slowed in Montana. March 26 was the day with the most new cases in the state. That number has slowly gone down. Not because the virus is less contagious, but because Montanans are doing the right thing by social distancing and staying home. We're ready for things to get...
It has been quite a while since my service to you as your State Legislature of HD 13 came to a close do to term limits and that of my “Keeping in Touch” articles. I thought that maybe with all the craziness and the unforeseen impacts that the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has had on our everyday lives as, yet as we wait eagerly in anticipation of our day to day lives eventual restoration, that is might be a good time for a “Keeping in Touch” article to address an important issue that seems to be getting lost in the shuffle just a bit, that of...
This week I’m going to try a different approach to this column. So many things have happened in the last two weeks that it’s impossible to pick just one and write about it. Please forgive this “shotgun” approach, but there are so many topics worthy of discussion that I’m going to try to dedicate one paragraph to those that particularly struck me. The impact of the Coronavirus seems to be winding down. Granted, the process is slow, but we are seeing light at the end of the tunnel. Individual states governors are now formulating plans to restor...
It is not often that we, as a nation, are able to come together to help each other—those we know and those we don’t know. Yes, we do come together to help in disasters like floods and hurricanes, but those are essentially local or regional events and lack the universal sense of purpose that a nation-wide disaster can instill in a people. Of course, I am talking about the Covid-19 pandemic and America’s response to it, and frankly, I am heartened by what I hear. In the 1990s I would talk to pe...
Just over the hill from Sanders County, a Washington gubernatorial candidate recently declared Governor Inslee’s business closures “unconstitutional.” My initial reaction was to assume this labeling was made-for-TV campaign rhetoric that might fizzle away in another week or two, probably harmless, and instead of chewing on it, I should chew peacefully on my breakfast bagel. But over the past forty years or so I’ve heard the words “unconstitutional” and “constitutional” so many times from so many seemingly unqualified voices that I’ve becom...
It's taken far too long to take a minute to write this and send it. Every time I go into the newly owned Thompson Falls Family Pharmacy I am reminded how comforting Pharmacist Doug and crew were. For years Doug took care of all of us with his advice, expertise and compassion. He kept prices as low as he could. He always made time to answer a question. We miss him. We miss the crew. We are appreciative that a few of the old staff remained for the new owners. This is in no way a criticism of the new staff. Purely a belated thanks to Doug and his...
Being part of a small community definitely has large rewards. These communities are appealing because people tend to “look out” for one another and “have each other’s backs.” Fortunate for many of us, we live in one of the many small communities in Sanders County; Dixon, Hot Springs, Plains, Thompson Falls, Trout Creek, Noxon or Heron. Regardless of your residence, the quaintness usually exudes feelings of unity. Unity - the state of being united or joined as a whole (defined by Google’s dictionary). With this definition, it appears tha...
Staying at home so much makes us a little anxious. Thankfully we have plenty of outdoor space to explore in Sanders County. We can practice social distancing while still getting fresh air. Yes, it makes us a little antsy to not be in our normal routine, but here's the thing — it's working. As of Tuesday afternoon, more than 50 people had recovered from coronavirus in Montana. The curve is flattening. We still didn't have a confirmed case in Sanders County. More than likely, the virus is in the community and someone hasn't been tested. But e...
Editor: In this difficult and challenging time dealing with the coronavirus, there has never been a better time for smokers to quit and for people to protect their health by avoiding use of all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes. Scientists have noted that the coronavirus (COVID-19) attacks the lungs. Behaviors that weaken the lungs put people at more risk. Matthew Myers, president of Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, notes that “we all know the impact of smoking on the lungs. There is conclusive evidence that smoking increases the risk f...
At some point in weeks or months, this disruption to our lives will be past us. It’s difficult for us to know when that will be, our hopes and fears notwithstanding. We do know that God is fully aware and we should take some comfort from that knowledge. I’m pretending on some levels that it’s all over now so that I can be as comfortable as possible answering the question about how I did while this was all happening in real time. My intention is to speak and conduct myself in such a way that I don’t look back with a sense of loss for what I...
The only thing we have read about or watched in the news for the last month or so has been about the coronavirus. I understand that it’s the media’s job to keep us informed, but it seems that none of what we read or watch is very positive or uplifting. So, I decided to do a little digging, trying to find something upbeat to talk about. It turns out that, despite what we might think, there are some pretty positive things coming out of all the problems. People across the nation are getting rea...
If there's one thing the last couple of weeks have taught us, it's how much we appreciate others. Not only the front-line workers in hospitals, clinics and at the grocery store who are helping people, but also those teachers and school staff members who take care of our kids every day. Our parents told us stories of how when we got to a certain age growing up, they would skim our textbooks so they could stay on top of subjects like math and reading and be able to help us with our homework. It's one thing to help with homework, but it's a...
“A great people has been moved to defend a great nation.” — George W. Bush September 11, 2001 There is no symbolic date like September 11, 2001, that we can use to define the Coronavirus pandemic. If there were, the tragedy unrolling before our eyes might allow us to be more united in fighting it. In the suddenness of 9/11, there was no time to second guess what had happened because it was so immediate and awful. The only thought was to come together for the benefit of all. But with the almost...
Editor: What unabashed BS from “cat lovers.” From the Ledger’s 27 Feb 2020 edition. I suppose it would be okay for them to have their children run amok, crap in neighbors’ gardens, rip apart lawn furniture, kill and leave (or eat) native birds in their neighbors’ yards, spread leukemia and allergies among the neighborhoods they invade, and otherwise stink up areas in which they were not welcomed in the first place. How would cat lovers like it if their properties were invaded and they had found dead or ripped apart animals in their own bird...
Last week, Governor Steve Bullock ordered restrictions on businesses including bars, restaurants, spas and gyms. Some businesses are forced to close completely due to the threat of the coronavirus spreading. Others are able to work under strict restrictions, such as only offering take-out or delivery services. Even banks have changed the way they do business. These actions are going to hit our local small businesses hard. Many are already feeling the effects of the changes. Small businesses are doing their part to slow the spread of COVID-19,...
Letter to the Editor: As of recently, people in our great community have been blasting Harvest Foods on Facebook over the price of one certain type of 24-pack of water. Accusing the store of price gouging, saying they should be ashamed, threatening to report them, yelling at employees over it. It hurts that people are willing to do this, willing to say these things because I know Harvest Foods and its employees and store manager. I have worked there for almost six years. I am the deli manager and every day I work with the kindest people I have...
Dear Editor: The Veteran’s Memorial located in Ainsworth Park is an ongoing project. The Thompson Falls Main Street group is continuing to collect orders for memorial bricks. The plan is to have the next batch of etched bricks installed before May 25, Memorial Day. If anyone would like to order a brick for themselves, a friend or a loved one, forms can be found at City Hall, Sanders County Courthouse and the library. Or call (406) 827-4002 to have an order form mailed to you. Linda Rocheleau Secretary, TFMS, Inc....
Thank you for the timely “Remember When” article, hearkening back to the time of the Spanish Flu in Thompson Falls. With all the reference to unprecedented, it is helpful to realize that there is precedent, and the measures required then are pretty much exactly what we are being asked now. After reading the article, I went back to read a bit more about the Spanish Flu, and was struck by the fact that its spread was also the result of globalization – albeit the globalization of war. The term Spanish Flu had always carried with it, at least...
m a month working in Seattle. I got there just in time to be in what the media has referred to as “the epicenter of the coronavirus in the United States.” The media response to this virus is extensive and, in my opinion, potentially dangerous. I recognize that the coronavirus is quite serious, but I also believe that the constant reporting is a hazard. I’ve seen this happen before with the AIDS epidemic. I’d like to try to explain my opinion by drawing a correlation between what happene...
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state and federal governments are recommending the practice of social distancing to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Avoiding large gatherings, washing your hands and staying home if you have any illness are some of the recommendations with this practice. In a more densely populated area, social distancing means staying in your home and probably much more screen time for your kids. With Governor Steve Bullock ordering schools be closed for two weeks, your kids are going to get to the...
Response to Blackstone Maybe because I’m pretty much home-bound because of the coronavirus, or maybe because he struck a cord – and possibly both, I must respond to Blaine Blackstone’s epistle about Chuck Schumer’s comments. I wish that Schumer hadn’t apologized on his blasting of the Supreme Court Justices about their taking on abortion cases. There appears to be a concerted effort to chip away at Roe vs Wade – a decision that protected a women’s right to privacy concerning a decision to terminate a pregnancy. Gorsuch and Kavanaugh wer...
Dear Editor, After reading the letter titled “Media Causes Concern” (March 12, 2020), as well as answers to the “Question of the Week” in the March 5 issue, I have come to the conclusion that there are a lot of very uninformed and/or misinformed people out there. I am not an alarmist or a fear monger by nature, but I am a card-carrying realist. One can’t blame the media for reporting the truth just because one doesn’t want something to be true, or one doesn’t believe something to be true. Unfortunately, there is fake news in the world, but it...
I could write about coronavirus about which I know little, or politics about which I know too much, or the weather about which you know as much as I do, but they are all depressing topics so I am going to tell you about my uncle, Davey Maitland. He was my mother’s uncle, actually, and was born and raised on the family farm in Southern Ontario with his brother Frank and his three sisters, Robena, Gert and my grandmother, Margaret. Their own grandfather had bought the farm in 1837 when he and h...
