Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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Dear Neighbors, As of September 18, 2020, only 43% of Sanders County residents have responded to the Census. But it’s not too late to be counted! It only takes five minutes and the staff at your library can help. The census provides critical data that lawmakers, business owners, teachers, and many others use to provide daily services, products, and support for you and your community. Every year, billions of dollars in federal funding go to hospitals, fire departments, schools, roads, and other resources based on census data. The results of t...
Editor: A big thank you seems in order to Kiewit Corporation for its many significant contributions to the local area while it maintained a presence here repairing the Trout Creek bridge. Not only were their employees a boon to the economy, but Kiewit also generously donated many of their gently used items — office furniture, appliances, electronics, etc. — to charitable groups here when they left. We’re all glad the bridge is completed but we will miss the workers who made it happen. Jan Manning, Trout Creek...
Ruth Bader Ginsberg fought for equality not just for women, but for all Americans. She reached celebrity status for her ability to stand up for human rights. With the passing of Ginsberg, the Supreme Court Judge, it has us thinking about strong women who have influenced us throughout the years. My first job out of college was at The Herald in Everett, Washington. I had family in the area, but my work buddies at the daily newspaper became my family. One of my coworkers was Theresa Goffredo. She was a reporter and then a night city editor, and wi...
I first met my friend Bob in March of 1984. I was the FNG (Google it…I can’t write the definition here!) in Metro and Bob was an assistant squad leader in SWAT, which for me at the time was the epitome of what I aspired to be. Bob impressed me from day one. He was easy going, friendly and an absolute professional. Bob is an Oklahoma cowboy who joined the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) in 1972 after serving in Vietnam. Over the years, I got to know Bob really well and we developed a clo...
Editor, It is illegal to steal and remove the signs of your political opponents. Some signs that were legally posted, with the landowner’s permission, on their private property, have been removed on the “back" Clark Fork Road. If you disagree with a candidate, contact them with your concerns, don’t illegally remove their legal signs. These actions get reported and there are consequences for those actions. Attempted intimidation and verbal threats are also uncalled for. This thief-bully mentality reflects society at its worst. Debbie Lyman...
Dear Editor: Rumor has it there’s a critical election coming November 3rd. Rumor has it the very fabric of our Republic and U.S. Constitution is at stake. Rumor has it your vote should count only with proper validity. So let’s consider this: if you agree with the message of Anti-Fa and Black Lives Matter, vote the Biden-Harris Ticket because they do not condemn the violence, destruction, and looting of businesses and private property nor the brutal attacks that severely injure or murder citizens. If you think it wise to Defund Our Police, vote...
I first met Monica Tranel during her 500-mile bike trip from Lincoln County to Ravalli County to meet with her constituents. She was as fresh as a daisy despite the 90-degree heat the day she arrived at Cascade Campground. She took time during her Sanders and Mineral county visits to listen and answer questions from residents who met her along the route (masked and socially distanced). Not all people pay much attention to the duties of the Public Service Commission. Tranel explained the job of regulating utilities and her former experience as...
On September 4, I sent the following letter to Noxon School Board Trustee Chris Stough. It should be noted Stough is running for county commissioner. “There is talk that your children no longer attend Noxon Public Schools. If this is not the case, please disregard my question. If it is true, why have you lost confidence in the school’s ability to provide an education, so much so that you took this drastic measure? You highlighted the fact you are a parent during your school board campaign and in your bid for county commissioner you are tou...
Let's not talk about politics for a minute. Let's instead talk about a sense of community. We live in rural Montana. Most people see it as a positive that we know our neighbors and don't have a stop light in the county. However, that also means that resources such as volunteers and donations are stretched. We often see the same people involved in nonprofits or community events. Often, you see those same people burn out and some of the events or organizations disappear. Being involved creates a sense of community. Where can you help out? The...
It is hard for me to understand why many politicians are able to abandon principle in order to get re-elected. I know that they want to be re-elected above all else — I understand that. As a legislator I wanted to win re-election, but I like to think I didn’t have to sell my soul to do it. There is something that drives public officials to seek election in the first place, whether it is a sense of obligation to a nation that has treated them well or a belief that they can make America a bet...
I have known Bryce Bennett for 10 years. There is no one I’d rather vote for as Secretary of State. As a State Representative and Senator, Bryce fought so all Montanans, regardless of their party affiliation, had their voices heard. He was instrumental in passing the Disclose Act, our nation’s toughest anti-dark money law, and is dedicated to keeping corruption and special interests out of Montana elections. Bryce helped ensure access to healthcare for over 90,000 of our most vulnerable friends and neighbors by voting to expand Medicaid and...
I first met Diane when I moved to Montana and we were both involved with the ACS Relay for Life, but I didn’t get to know her well until after the 2016 election when she and another community member put out a call for people interested in reactivating the Mineral County Democratic Central Committee. This group quickly formed, and Diane was elected Chairperson. Over the next four years I witnessed her quiet but effective leadership and her willingness to step out and involve herself in community activities, from attending hospital board m...
December 21, 1949 – September 6, 2020 Carolyn Keller passed away peacefully September 6, 2020, in Thompson Falls with her two daughters by her side. She knew her time was coming. She couldn't wait to reunite with her husband Bill Keller. Carolyn was born to James and LaVerna Curbow December 21, 1949, in Kellogg, Idaho. She had four siblings, Ron, James, Donnie and her beloved sister Norma. Carolyn grew up and graduated high school in Kellogg. She then went to beauty school. She married W... Full story
As you drive out of Thompson Falls on the west end, you'll notice a huge difference in the aesthetics of the city's Ainsworth Park. The park's renovation is nearly complete. Ainsworth Park is not yet open to the public, with the city planning a grand opening in the spring. But the improvement is breathtaking. The veterans memorial, the walking path, the picnic shelter and the restrooms are surrounded by established grass and some lovely landscaping. The park project took a long time, but it's worth it. There were times we questioned whether...
Two weeks ago, I threw myself a whiny little pity party because I was a little discouraged. I want to say thank you to all the wonderful people who called and wrote letters and emails encouraging me to continue writing this column. I needed the kick in the pants! Thanks! A friend sent me a “meme” via email last week that I’d like to share because it cracked me up. It was a political cartoon that had two separate panes. The first depicted the Republican symbol of the elephant holding a micro...
This a BIG THANK YOU to three Sanders County residents. I’m sorry I don’t have your names so everyone would know how kind and thoughtful you are. Hopefully when you read this and know who you are and how grateful we are. Right now, this world we live in is all turned upside down and it is really great to know that there are still people willing to help an elderly couple. We hear so much negativity but not so much positive. My husband and I went to the Trout Creek Refuse Station on Saturday, Sept. 5. Even though it was Labor Day weekend, thr...
Dear Editor, As a former long-time resident of Sanders County, I recently subscribed to the Ledger to see what was going on in my hometown of Thompson Falls. Frankly, I have been disheartened to see that the Sanders County I once knew is not quite the same as it used to be. Although there have been several pieces published by the Ledger that stir me to the quick, the recent article regarding the tobacco use ban at several recreational areas has prompted this letter. The rule of law in this country is intended to apply equally to everyone....
Editor, Leave the mule pasture alone. The left side of the mule pasture has an open meadow which the deer and turkeys feed. If it is developed they will all move back to the yards in town which we already have enough of. I have counted as many as 140 turkeys and 25 deer in the clearing feeding. That is where they belong. I have also seen elk beds in the field. The bearproof garbage cans will just bring in more bears. We also have enough of them in town. The mule pasture on the left side is a nice place for walking and looking at the animals....
We're going to miss the cheesy curly fries, the fair burgers, the demo derby, the rodeo and the kids crashing in the car on the way home from the sugar rush they get at the fair. Yes, this Labor Day weekend looks a bit different in Sanders County as the fair is limited to the 4-H displays and competitions. Even with the pandemic restrictions, Sanders County 4-H kids have spent the year preparing their animals and project for the Sanders County Fair. The MSU Sanders County Extension staff and the club volunteers and parents have been working har...
It was a stirring sight to see the beautifully illuminated White House from the South Lawn, all awash with American flags and the President of the United States standing before it at the podium. If the occasion had been, say, a memorial for American victims of the COVID pandemic or a recognition of America’s servicemen and servicewomen, it could have been truly inspiring. However, it was nothing more than an opportunity to use the “people’s house,” as Ronald Reagan used to call it, as a prop fo...
To Your Readers: Colleen Hinds, running to represent your district in the state legislature, became my friend in Sunday School at our small farm community church west of Minneapolis. Over the decades we’ve kept friendship alive on bare bones of occasional letters, e-notes and visits. Colleen became a Montanan while she was still a young nurse and I was putting down roots in Minnesota. Political candidates’ positions on issues are make-or-break important. You can learn everything you need about Colleen’s stances on your concerns on her websi...
For more than 14 years, the Kootenai Forest Stakeholders Coalition (KFSC) has brought together individuals, businesses and organizations that take an interest in the management of our public lands. In particular, we’ve been focused on how we can make the Kootenai National Forest work for all of us. The Forest is central to our way of life in northwest Montana. We rely on it for timber, tourism, hunting, recreation, education and personal rejuvenation. It’s the KFSC’s mission to represent all of these interests. We are loggers, foresters, conse...
I’d like to thank the Sanders County Historical Society (Old Jail Museum) for creating a wonderful military exhibit for 2020, commemorating the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II. The exhibit, which covered other times than WWII, was well put-together, and the description of each displayed item was informative. My mother, father, sister and step-father (Dolores Aldrich Hill Burrese, Paul Hill, Diane Hill Larango and Bob Burrese, respectively) were featured, along with several other people. Having grown up in TF, the exhibit brought b...
by Nils Rosdahl My first summer out of high school (age 18) I worked for the Forest Service in Noxon. The job for our team was to work on building a trail over a mountain ridge into the wilderness area of Wanless Lake. A crew of about 15 of us hiked into the lake area and set up a camp with tents and trail-working supplies. A designated cook would make the meals, but firewood had to be cut to cook them. That was the job of my friend Bruce and I. We had a stack of 18-inch rounds cut from logs...
This has been quite a year. We are living through a pandemic that very few alive today have ever seen. Chances are, we probably won't see anything like this again in our lives. As our kids go back to school, there is so much of the unknown. They are excited to go back to school and see their teachers and friends. As parents, we're anxious about whether we — and the school — have done enough to keep our kids safe. The fact is, no one knows what to do in these situations. School districts and local governments are tasked with keeping stu...
