70 YEARS AGO • FEBRUARY 1, 1950

FEEDING PROGRAM FOR BIG GAME

IS NOW IN FULL SWING

The feed committee of the local Rod & Gun Club and many others wish to give a vote of appreciation to those persons who are now doing such a fine job of feeding the deer and elk.

Locally there are six different defined areas being fed regularly and they are: Prospect Creek, Wuerl-Thayer Road, Blue Slide to Copper Point including the Vermilion River, Thompson River and Cherry Creek. It’s a real treat to drive through these areas and see the game cleaning up every last morsel of hay put out for them. And if you chance to go that way drive slowly when you come to then so as not to scare them into the deep snow, let them pick a trail leading away from the road.

To date nearly 8 tons of hay have been fed and it will take at least 8 or 10 more. The local club has exhausted its funds and any donations toward the feeding will be greatly appreciated. Donations may be left with Bob Saint, Saint’s Service or Tom Macho, Macho’s Store.

30 YEARS AGO • JANUARY 11, 1990

FIRE CLAIMS Cherie’s Cafe

By Bev Czerwinski

Despite efforts by the Trout Creek Volunteer Fire Department, a Trout Creek landmark was totally razed by fire last week.

The long standing Cherie’s Cafe, a popular restaurant along Highway 200, was a total loss.

Dorothy Lee, owner of the Naughty Pine Bar and John and Betty Bindl of the Lakeside Motel, discovered the fire in the restaurant shortly after midnight and called the sheriff’s office, which then dispatched the Trout Creek Volunteer Fire Department. By the time the firemen arrived the fire had spread along the roof and was burning through the roof above the kitchen area. All firefighters could do at that stage was try and keep the adjacent buildings from burning.

Cherie Hooten, owner, knew as she watched her café burn that she was facing major losses financially from the fire, even though the restaurant was covered by insurance. But even as the cafe burned, Cherie visited with her friends and neighbors who came to give moral support and said she was more concerned about her customers and employees.

Cherie felt that the fire was not started in the grill area of the kitchen or by any negligence by her or her employees. Cherie said that she had always feared fire and had tried to take extra precautions to prevent one. The following morning the state fire inspector verified her convictions, determining from the remains that the fire was an electrical fire, started in the electrical box located inside the restaurant.

Cherie and Ron Hooten bought the cafe June 1, 1979 from Jean and Lou Hannum of Trout Creek. Although Cherie came to restaurant ownership with no cooking or waitressing experience she put in long hours “ropes” of restaurant business. The restaurant was originally built in the 1940s by Stella Smith, on property now owned by the Joe Czerwinskis. When dam work was begun on Noxon Rapids Dam, Highway 200 was opened in 1951 to replace Highway 10A (now Fir Street) and Stella had her restaurant moved between what is now Miller’s Market and the Wayside Bar, so that it would be on Highway 200. Flo Nelson bought the restaurant in 1957 and moved it to its final site across the street on Highway 200. The Trout Creek Cafe, like most restaurants was a place for people to visit and see friends over a meal of coffee.

Sharon Tessier, owner of Miller’s Market, has set up a coffee and donut table in her market, while residents wait to see if someone decides to start another restaurant.

Cherie is not going to rebuild the restaurant, saying she felt that she had insured the restaurant for as much as she could afford, and after facing the financial losses from the fire. She encourages others to insure their property for as much as they can afford and periodically update and check their policies.

That morning, at the cafe site, a trucker stopped by on a return trip. Cherie told him, “We’re barbecuing this morning.”