Your Best Source For Sanders County News
Your Best Source For Sanders County News
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The Thompson Falls sewer project got some national attention last week. Andy Berke is the Administrator for the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Berke came to Thompson Falls last week from Washington, D.C., to check progress on the city's wastewater project. Berke said the goal of RUS is to help rural America get the infrastructure they need. "These are projects that help communities thrive and grow," Berke said. He added that he was visiting RD-funded...
The Circle in Plains has reopened after a long closure. "Business has been steady," according to manager Braden Starika of Plains."We opened on July 23," said owner Joe Gamboa. The restaurant had been closed prior to COVID for remodel, then opened briefly during COVID, according to Gamboa. The old-time Coke decor and atmosphere has been a part of the Plains Circle for decades. "This is its 55th year of existence. The Coca-Cola company is going to redo our awnings," Gamboa said. The Circle is...
The Plains Schools administration is preparing to open this school year with additional security precautions in an effort to provide a safer environment for its staff and students. The teachers and staff held an evacuation exercise on Thursday, utilizing its new "Emergent 3" software. The E3 system connects the teachers and staff to a custom alert notification that lets the school staff know if the emergency is a fire, an earthquake or an intruder alert. "It's a great system. We have a few bugs...
David Lee Grant appeared before Judge Molly Owen on Tuesday, entering a not guilty plea to a felony count of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, fourth or subsequent offense. Judge Owen set this matter for a jury trial on February 10, 2025. On August 5, according to the charging documents, Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Zachary Rehbein received a report of a “rolling” partner or family member assault occurring in a vehicle on Hwy 382. Upon locating and stopping the reported vehicle, Trooper Rehbein identified the driver as Gra...
Ambulance: Hot Springs, 6; Plains, 5; Noxon, 4; T. Falls, 2; Paradise, 2; Dixon, 2; Trout Creek, 1; Heron, 1; Lonepine, 1. Monday, August 19 Fire, Plains. General animal call/complaint, Hot Springs. Disturbance, Plains. Theft, T. Falls. Disturbance, Heron. Trespass, Paradise. Animal other, Trout Creek. Business contact, Plains. Motor vehicle crash, Trout Creek. Other law violations, Trout Creek. Tuesday, August 20 Suspicious activity, Dixon. General animal call/complaint, Hot Springs. Suspicious activity, T. Falls. Other accident, T. Falls....
Montana Highway Patrol Ashley Kenmille, 41, speeding in a restricted zone, $95. Matthew Miller, 54, operating with expired registration, $85. Russell Flanigan, 34, speeding in a restricted zone, $85. Kristine Belista, 27, speeding in a restricted zone, $95. Thaiden Mullan, 23, speeding in a restricted zone, $95. Caitlyn Palin, 19, night speeding, $70. Aaliyah Gohl, 20, seatbelt violation, $20. Lonnie Deleeuw, 55, day speeding, $70. Amber Niblack, 38, operating in violation of restrictions imposed on driver’s license, $85. Calvin Timmer, 17, s...
The Town of Plains held a public budget hearing at City Hall last Monday in the event anyone from the community would like to comment on the upcoming annual budget. For 30 minutes, Mayor Joel Banham, clerk Cathy Emmett, and council members Lana Dicken and John Sheridan waited to hear from the public. No one showed. “Nobody ever goes to these things, but yet they complain and whine and holler,” said Emmett. “They don’t come to voice their opinion or even inquire about the budget. They just don’t care,” she added. “I can say it is frustrating t...
Ryan Noland is returning to Dixon as the school's principal. "My mom taught school in Dixon her entire career," Noland said. He went to school in Ronan but said that he used to come to Dixon and help his mother teach dance lessons to her junior high students, Noland commented. "I was in high school at the time," he added. Noland went to Salish Kootenai College for his teaching degree and took the principal job in Plains while living in Dixon. "I want to be closer to my dad," Noland explained....
The Sanders County Fair Commission gathered last Wednesday evening to discuss some final details for this year's fair Aug. 28-Sept.1. Chairman Randy Woods noted that the fairgrounds looked better than recent years, kudos to the recently hired part time staff worker, Derek VonHeeder, one of a handful of people at the hour-long meeting at the pavilion, along with board members Ted Forkum, Brian Crain, Jim Newman, and Jolene Burke. The board received two nominations for the Sanders County...
A new report recommends the full replacement of the Noxon bridge. The Sanders County Commissioners hired engineering firm Morrison-Maierle to complete a study on the bridge and provide information on what is needed to rehabilitate the bridge. The study was in process prior to inspectors finding two cracks in the bridge structure in July. The study was completed and presented to the commissioners in August. “We strongly recommend the County consider a full replacement for the Noxon Bridge,” the study states. “The bridge’s deteriorating conditi...
The Hot Springs School District is again asking voters to approve a $183,000 levy, but the school board on Monday approved a budget for the 2024-25 school year. The budget passed unanimously on Monday does not include the levy funds. The school will seek $100,000 in funding from the Impact Aid fund, a federal program which “reimburses school districts for the lost revenue and additional costs associated with the presence of nontaxable Federal property,” according to the program website. If that funding is received, the school would end the com...
Ambulance: T. Falls, 6; Plains, 6; Hot Springs, 3; Trout Creek, 1; Paradise, 1; Noxon, 1; Lonepine, 1. Monday, August 12 Request for welfare check, Plains. Person missing. Civil attempts. Animal other, Noxon. Suspicious activity, Hot Springs. Civil attempts. Other law violations, Trout Creek. Trespass, Dixon. Business contact. Tuesday, August 13 Assist miscellaneous, T. Falls. Assault, Heron. General animal call/complaint, Noxon. Motor vehicle crash, Hot Springs. General animal call/complaint, Heron. Road hazard/blockage, Plains. Theft,...
Montana Highway Patrol Tatonkaska Howard, 49, seatbelt violation, $20. Andrew Orr, 37, driving without valid driver’s license, $85; night speeding, $20. Brian Knutson, 40, speeding in a restricted zone, $85. Sandra Aschenbrenner, 79, careless driving, $85. Gary Casson, 77, speeding in a restricted zone, $55. Brittany Rutter, 39, day speeding, $20. Matthew Shuttle, 58, operating without liability insurance, 4th or subsequent offense, $535, 10 days jail; seatbelt violation, $20. Douglas Schallmoser, 37, speeding in a restricted zone, $85. S...
Appearing for his arraignment on Tuesday, Forest Taylor Grant pleaded not guilty to felony charges of partner or family member assault, third or subsequent, and driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, fourth or subsequent offense. Grant also entered not guilty pleas to misdemeanor charges of criminal destruction of/or tampering with a communication device, disorderly conduct, and operating a vehicle not registered. Judge John Mercer set this matter for trial on January 21, 2025. On August 4, as alleged in the charging documents,...
The budget for the City of Thompson Falls will be available this week for public review. At the monthly city council meeting last week, Mayor Rusti Leivestad reported that the budget would be available for public review beginning August 21. The council and public will have the weekend to review the budget before a public hearing is held August 26 at 5:30 p.m. to review before a 6 p.m. meeting to adopt the budget. Council member Katherine Maudrone thanked City Clerk Chelsea Peterson for organizing the budget, which will be available on the...
The Thompson Falls school board met on Monday. The 2023-24 Trustees Financial Summary report and the 2024-25 final budget were approved. Superintendent Bud Scully reported that the new tiles on the floor of the multi-purpose building are bad and need to be replaced. “The shop side of the building’s floor is done. About 1,000 square feet of tiles were replaced. New tiles are being shipped. The install company, Great Floors, has been great to work with as well,” Scully said. Scully reports that he has been discussing a land swap with Mayor Leive...
It was a happy celebration for the musicians of the Montana Baroque Music Festival, but halfway through their Wednesday performance, security entered and went to the stage to check the identification of bass player Andrew Harmon. Most of the group kept playing as Aaron Cain shined his flashlight in Harmon's eyes for identification verification. Though he was dressed for the part, when a security man arrives on a scene singing in German, it might be a clue that it's part of the performance. "I...
Ryan Busse of Kalispell wants to be the next governor of Montana. Busse and State Auditor candidate John Repke visited the Whitepine Grange last week for a campaign stop. The candidates spoke to a crowd of about 40 people last Thursday, then stayed to talk to community members and answer questions. Busse, a Democrat, stated that Republicans have made Montana "a playground for billionaires." Busse's campaign slogan is "Get your Montana back." He talked about the importance of rural healthcare...
Ambulance: Plains, 9; Hot Springs, 5; T. Falls, 5; Trout Creek, 3; Noxon, 2; Dixon, 2; Heron, 1; Paradise, 1; Lonepine, 1. Monday, August 5 Fire, Trout Creek. Livestock, Trout Creek. Civil attempts. Road hazard/blockage, Noxon. Animal other, T. Falls. Threats, Trout Creek. Suspicious activity, Hot Springs. Suspicious activity, Plains. Suspicious activity, Heron. Road hazard/debris on road, Noxon. Motor vehicle crash, Plains. Welfare check, T. Falls. Tuesday, August 6 Suspicious activity, Trout Creek. Trespass, Hot Springs. Motor vehicle crash,...
Montana Highway Patrol Dillan Bauer, 20, operating without liability insurance in effect, 1st offense, $85. Sarah Dumont, 47, operating without liability insurance in effect, 1st offense, $85, deferred imposition of sentence. Richard Couture-Ness, 21, speeding in a restricted zone, $55. David Griffin, 57, speeding in a restricted zone, $105. Sanders County Sheriff’s Office Haileigh Current, 46, criminal trespass to property, $235, 180 days jail with 179 days suspended. Lester De La Torre Alfonso, 42, day speeding, $20. Conor Prischmann, 50, s...
The members of the Plains School took less than 30 minutes to approve two new policies and this year's school sports handbook. Some residents have questioned why the school had no dual sports policy, such as the one Thompson Falls has on hand. The Dual Activities Policy and the Activities Fundraising Policy were both unanimously approved by board members Ellen Childress, Monica Weedeman, Lana Dicken, and chairman Beau French. The two policies were written by the school's new athletic director,...
Michael Feiger, District Ranger for the Cabinet Ranger District, gave a briefing to the Sander County Commissioners on last regarding wildland fires and other forestry concerns for Sanders County. Logging projects with timber sales and vegetation management were on the agenda. Recreation, wildfire and prescribed burns were updated. Feiger said the Tuscor project is a big accomplishment. “The decision was signed July 28 to put the project up for bid and it was advertised on August 8 of this year. This brings the project, from inception to f...
The Sanders County Fair is less than two weeks away, but it looks like it’s going to be packed with fun activities, food and sights, according to Kristy Sheehan, the fair manager. The fair this year will perhaps for the first time open with a concert for the first night entertainment event. Country singer and songwriter Levi Blom will kick off the fair on Wednesday, Aug. 28, at 7 p.m. in the fair’s main arena. Tickets for the Butte resident are $20 for bleachers and $25 on the arena floor in front of the stage. With this year’s theme as “Hors...
Members of the Plains Town Council unanimously approved the hiring of a contractor to decommission and demolish the old sewage lagoon last Monday at City Hall. Olympus Technical Services of Helena won the bid to dismantle the old wastewater treatment plant at the end of Helterline Drive with its bid of $71,670. Olympus Technical Services was one of five companies, including one from Sanders County, to bid on the project, said Mayor Joel Banham. The liners from the old ponds will be removed and...
Judges might be a little hesitant about getting too close to one 4-H member's entry at the Sanders County Fair competition on Aug. 29. "It's kinda fun when their eyes get real big, but it's kinda nice when they edge a little closer," said 11-year-old John McNamara of the South Side Sparks club, who has shown a tarantula and a snake for his pocket pet project in past years and judges were reluctant to get close to his projects, let alone hold them. This year, McNamara has several projects - photo...
