Sanders County Ledger - Your Best Source For Sanders County News

30 YEARS AGO • JUNE 14, 1990

BUSINESSES SHUFFLE ON FALLS MAIN STREET

by Jean Kato

Like a deck of cards in the hands of a professional gambler, a shuffling of storefronts and ownership of downtown Thompson Falls businesses has recently taken place.

Stopping in at 812 Main Street, you’ll find it’s no longer the home of Sue Manley Real Estate but is now “The Travel Corner.” The new business, owned by Diane Nelson, offers full travel services at no charge to the customer. Assisting Nelson with travel arrangements are Anita Kemper and Gayle Seratt. Now occupied by Till Valhalla Tattoo Company.

Sue Manley Real Estate has moved to the western end of Main Street, and is located in the building formerly occupied by The Doughnut Stable, next to Chevron Feed & Fuel. The Doughnut Stable went out of business recently. Now First American Title Co., 1211 Main St.

Going back to 909 Main, you’ll find The Liquor Store has moved and is now located at 913 Main, next door to the Sears Catalog Store, former quarters occupied by First American Title Company. Now occupied by Linda’s Gifts.

Doug’s Drug and True Value plans to expand, utilizing the space formerly occupied by The Liquor Store. The expansion which used to house the Drug Store is now Uptown Essentials. True Value is still where it was in 1990.

First American Title Company has moved to the west and is now occupying space in the Sue Manley Real Estate offices.

Management and ownership changes have also occurred at 1002 Main Street, home of the Inn Stitches and Outer Image stores. Now the Thompson Falls Public Library.

Inn Stitches was sold several months ago by Kim Conlin to Edna Relf, who is now doing business as “In Stitches Fabric and Upholstery Shop.”

The Outer Image clothing shop is in the process of changing ownership from one sister to another. Shannon Thompson, who opened the store four years ago, is turning it over to sibling Nanette Freed. Thompson reportedly plans to open a clothing store at Gig Harbor, Washington, in partnership with former Spring Creek employee Jane Henson.

At 1024 Main, ownership of the Falls Empire Foods store has transferred from Gary Lapka of Bigfork to Larry and Lisa Wadsworth and Rod and Rita Arlint of St. Ignatius. The store is now called Larry’s Foods. This building has been a grocery store under one name or another for years. It was originally built as the Vet’s Club, Chris Stobie bought it and it was Stobie’s IGA for many years. It was extensively remodeled and now houses Clark Fork Title Co., the Montana Department of Revenue Office and the Montana Departpment of Corrections, Probation and Parole Office.

JAILED DEFENDANT BLAMES DEPUTY

An afternoon accident along Highway 200 resulted in damage to not one but two Sanders County patrol cars last week, in separate incidents, and a Hot Springs man was cited for six separate offenses and a deputy sheriff for one.

Compounding the damage situation was that another patrol car hit a deer earlier in the week, leaving Sheriff Bill Alexander short three fully operational vehicles

Chief of Police Ernie Laws of Hot Springs told The Ledger that he called for backup assistance after responding to a domestic situation in Hot Springs. Deputy Sheriff Jon Hansen responded, coming from Dixon, but in the response, with lights and sirens going, he struck a car parked along Highway 200 near milepost 101. The vehicle had pulled over to get out of his way.

That accident, investigated by Highway Patrolman Harold Savik, resulted in a citation to Hansen for failure to drive in a careful and prudent manner in an emergency vehicle.

The later that day in Hot Springs, Laws called for help again to assist in handling an unruly tavern patron. Deputy Chris McGuigan responded and on the return trip to Thompson Falls and the jail, the individual caused damage to the door of McGuigan’s patrol car. He had to be heavily restrained.

The defendant continued to raise havoc when jailed and didn’t settle down until the following morning, when he became “apologetic.”

When he appeared before Justice of the Peace Robert L. Beitz, on the initial appearance for charges of resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and felony criminal mischief, the defendant said he was out of his head because of a mixture of pain pills and alcohol.

He said he had taken the pain pills because of an accident he had been in earlier in the day with Deputy Hansen.

When his vehicle was searched in Hot Springs the night of his accident, officers also found a small amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. He was also charged with criminal possession of dangerous drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia. A charge of failure to carry liability insurance was levied as a result of the investigation of the accident involving Deputy Hansen.