Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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At Montana State University in Bozeman on Monday, the Montana Supreme Court heard oral arguments regarding two of the issues addressed in former Thompson Falls resident Danielle Wood’s appeal of her 2021 conviction for deliberate homicide in the May 2018 murder of her former partner, Matthew LaFriniere. Wood was found guilty following a two-week jury trial at the Sanders County Courthouse before former Judge Deborah Kim Christopher in January 2021, which she appealed in May of that year. Wood is currently serving her 100-year sentence in the M...
The former Sanders County Attorney was sentenced Monday for a 2022 incident that led to her resignation last year. Naomi Leisz pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of obstructing justice on Monday. Leisz was originally charged with felony insurance fraud, but a plea agreement withdrew that initial charge. In court on Monday, Leisz pleaded guilty to the allegations that, knowing her son was an offender and liable to be charged for an offense after being in a car accident that damaged property, assisted him in avoiding discovery or...
A bumble bee clings to the vibrant petals of a daffodil. Spring rains are predicted for Sanders County this weekend. See the full weekend forecast on page 14. Photo by Linda Elliott...
No one from the general public showed up for the Plains School levy forum, but that didn't seem to bother Superintendent Dr. Kathleen Walsh, who held the get together specifically to answer questions from the community. "I'm not discouraged by the numbers," said Walsh, who held the open forum in the school library last Thursday in an effort to inform the public about the purpose of this year's levy request. There were people from the school at the forum - two teachers, two school board members,...
When the Noxon fire destroyed three businesses it took away livelihoods and security for the owners and townspeople. Teresa Jackson lost her business, the Angry Beaver General Store. She and her fiance Walter Borgmann were in the process of remodeling the apartment above the store. Jackson said the community has helped by way of a spaghetti fundraiser. "We raised $6,000. It will be divided equally among employees, the loss of tools for the remodel, and for the cleanup process," she explained....
Most people know that April 15 is tax day, but it’s also Jackie Robinson Day, commemorating when Robinson broke the “color barrier” in baseball, playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers. On April 15, every baseball player wore number 42, Robinson’s jersey number, as Major League Baseball has done for the last 15 years. Robinson has been celebrated time and time again for helping to integrate African-Americans into the game, and rightly so. He received death threats, racial slurs, and indignities. The Los Angeles Dodgers, (they moved to Califor...
“Why?!” That was what was shouted out by someone on the Board when the motion was made to remove the Associate Supervisors from the Green Mountain Conservation Board (GMCD) last week. Many may not be aware of the role of GMCD. This elected board serves in coordination with affiliated resource management agencies with a “…mission to champion balanced conservation solutions and partner with private landowners to keep our land and water healthy for the next generation… All 58 [Montana] conservation districts administer stream (310) permittin...
By now most Montana homeowners and business owners have gotten a new and unexpected tax bill from their county treasurers. Here’s why. Due in equal parts to Covid and to the TV series “Yellowstone,” Montana real estate became a hot item and the value of Montana property was bid way up in the process. Out-of-state buyers were calling up Montana realtors and buying homes and acreage sight unseen and paying for properties worth hundreds of thousands of dollars with their credit cards. This incre...
7 YEARS AGO • APRIL 29, 1954 FEASIBILITY OF NOXON RAPIDS DAM TO BE DETERMINED THIS SUMMER The Washington Water Power Co. expects to determine feasibility of the proposed Noxon Rapids dam sometime this summer according to a spokesman for the utility. He also declared that it was possible that another 350,000 kilowatts of new power could be developed at the site. Currently three diamond drilling rigs are drilling tests for possible wing locations and to check the clay blanket along the reservoir shoreline. Last week the churn drilling rigs h...
Ambulance: Plains, 6; Hot Springs, 4; T. Falls, 2; Trout Creek, 1; Dixon, 1. Monday, April 15 USFS patrol, Heron. Civil standby, Paradise. Welfare check, Heron. Livestock. Civil attempts, Trout Creek. Welfare check, Heron. Disturbance, Hot Springs. Fire, Paradise. Fire. Tuesday, April 16 Disturbance, Plains. Theft, Hot Springs. Burglary. Warrant service, T. Falls. Suspicious activity, Paradise. Animal other, T. Falls. Burglary, Dixon. Body found/coroner, Trout Creek. Wednesday, April 17 Automated alarm call, Plains. Suspicious activity, Noxon....
Montana Highway Patrol Daniel Bruno, 59, speeding in restricted zone, $95. Michael Wait, 38, seatbelt violation, $20. Mathew Coker, 46, seatbelt violation, $20. Robert Flansaas, 60, speeding in restricted zone, $95. Jeffery Taylor, 65, speeding in restricted zone, $95. Steven Riebe, 73, speeding in restricted zone, $55. Scott Ambridge, 66, speeding in restricted zone, $65. Michael Freitas, 50, speeding in restricted zone, $85. Andrew Johnson, 34, speeding in restricted zone, $85. Tucker Trachsel, 23, speeding in restricted zone, $85. Shawn...
DEKLYN MEYERS, Thompson Falls - “I like swimming in the pool.” KIM MILNOR, Plains - I enjoy playing in the sprinkler with my dogs.” DANNI VANHUSS, Thompson Falls - “I like to take my dogs for a walk on Thompson Falls island.” BEBE TOWNSEND, Thompson Falls - “I like to sit inside with my windows and door open to the fresh air and do crafts.” SANDRA SCHRAEDER, Thompson Falls - “My favorite thing to do is go for a walk and pick flowers.” LACY BEAUCHAMP, Plains - “I like to go for a walk by the water. It’s very relaxing....
Following a global plea agreement that resolves the three cases pending before the court, Alton Steinhoff entered a no contest plea in 20th District Judicial Court on Tuesday to a felony charge of escape. Per the plea agreement, Steinhoff was committed to the custody of the Department of Public Health and Human Services for a period of 10 years, with five years suspended and credit for 203 days time served. Additionally, the other two cases were dismissed. In his statement to the court, Steinhoff expressed remorse for his actions and said that...
A journey toward self-sufficiency has turned into a business for a Sanders County duo. Rogue Hen Camp Farms, located on Blue Slide Road in Thompson Falls, has a herd of goats, chickens, turkeys, and Guinea fowl. Quinn and Court Roggenkamp are co-owners and business partners who decided to change the spelling of the farm as a play on words and to help people pronounce their name correctly, Quinn explained. She and Court are animal people. The business of raw milk, cheeses and other goat products...
A local organization has a special auction item for their upcoming banquet. NFL hall of famer Jerry Kramer autographed a Green Bay Packers helmet for the Foundation for Wildlife Management’s local banquet. Jerry Kramer was born in Jordan in 1936 and played 11 years in the NFL with the Green Bay Packers. The helmet was donated by Dick Vinson of Thompson Falls for the Foundation for Wildlife Management banquet scheduled for May 4. Vinson asked Kramer, who he has known for many years, if he would donate something to the local event. Kramer is t...
The Plains schools were treated to a special assembly series hosted by the PTA on Monday. Arlee native Isaac Fisher, named Dunk Master and Dunk King, joined by his brother Silas Dayrider and his uncle Les Fisher, gave a morning presentation to the high school and another afternoon presentation to the fifth through eighth grade students. They were invited by the Plains PTA to give inspirational talks as well as basketball dunking demonstrations. The presentations began with Fisher talking to his...
If you’ve been in a situation where you just applied for a loan, had your credit pulled, and then start getting phone calls from various creditors; you are not alone. This is called unsolicited credit or “trigger leads.” Trigger leads are created by credit bureaus. Once you apply for a loan, your information can be sold by the credit bureaus to other lenders. Trigger leads can be frustrating. You may experience a large number of phone calls, texts, e-mails, etc. from various creditors. These trigger leads are primarily geared towards givin...
Happy Spring everyone. If it seems this article looks familiar, I did write about the Local Government Review a couple of months back. Because there have been more questions, I have added some additional information. The Local Government Review (LGR) is going to be voted on in this upcoming primary. Some residents of Sanders County will vote twice, once for the County question and if they live in an incorporated area, vote for their city. Some history: The 1972 Constitution established that the LGR was to be held by each Montana city and...
Property Tax Assistance Program After discussions with the governor, the filing application deadline for the property tax assistance program has been extended until June 1, 2024. This program can help citizens on a fixed or limited income by reducing the tax rate on their home. To be eligible there are three important facts. 1. You must own or currently be under contract to purchase a home or mobile/manufactured home. 2. You must live in the home as a primary residence for at least seven months of the year. 3. You must have a 2022 Federal...
Edward Thompson, 76, a long-time resident of Thompson Falls passed away Tuesday, April 9, 2024 at the Montana State Hospital in Warm Springs. Services will be announced at a later date. Online condolences may be left at gardencityfh.com. Edward Roger Thompson, son of Joseph and Verna (Tresness) Thompson, was born March 11, 1948 in Superior, Montana. He graduated from St. Regis High School in 1966 as co-valedictorian and continued his education at the University of Montana obtaining a bachelor's...
Christine (Tina) Robinson, 67 years old passed away April 3, 2024, in Montana surrounded by her loved ones. She was born September 30, 1956, in Kiel, Germany. She is survived by her three sisters, Sue, Patty and Katie; oldest daughter Jessica Buchanan (James); youngest daughter, Meriah Degraff; grandchildren Jayme Armstrong (Michael), Ray Buchanan, Jesse Buchanan and Mason Box; and great-grandsons Liam, Landon, Linken and Logan Armstrong. A celebration of life will be held in summer 2024 in...
James Kim and Andrea Lowell of Thompson Falls announce the birth of their daughter, Francesca Rose Kim. Francesca was born at home on February 21, 2024, weighing 7 pounds, 9 ounces. This is the first child for the Kims. The birth was attended by midwife Julia Weaver of Plains and assisted by Alicia Walker. Welcome, Francesca!...
KALISPELL — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking public input on a potential project that would place nearly 33,000 acres of private timberland in northwest Montana under a conservation easement and protect working lands, public recreation access, and wildlife habitat. FWP has published a draft environmental assessment that outlines the proposed first phase of the project named the Montana Great Outdoors Conservation Easement. This is the first of a potential two-phased project totaling 85,792 acres of private timberland and fish and wildl...
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Serenity Barrus – Thompson Falls High School by Karen Thorson Students involved in music have many avenues to achieve their goals. "A road less traveled," but taken by some students, is the pursuit of perfecting their voice. Serenity Barrus is one of those. A 19-year-old senior at Thomson Falls High School, she is not just a singer, she is an opera singer with a long-term desire to perform professionally. It is no surprise to learn that her favorite musical era is Baroque, a musical genre w...
