Ellington

Cutting with the Jaws-of-life

Hunter Bradley, 4, cuts a can with the help of Lieutenant Pat Erving and the jaws-of-life.

Preschool students learn about fire safety

PLAINS – Plains Head Start and Agape Christian Preschool came together Wednesday at Plains-Paradise Rural Fire to learn about fire safety.

Preschool learns about fire safety

Cooper Spurr, 2, checks out the Plains-Paradise Rural Fire Department on Wednesday. Both Plains Head Start and Agape Christian Preschool learned about fire education from the firefighters at the department.

Plains Woman's Club celebrates 90th birthday

PLAINS – The Plains Woman’s Club took a break from serving the community on Tuesday night and celebrated a new milestone for the club – their 90th birthday.

Forest Service to create traffic delays

THOMPSON FALLS - The Forest Service will be completing a road reconstruction and stream rehabilitation project in Clear Creek beginning Wednesday, October 30. The project is expected to take up to three weeks to complete and will require traffic delays on the Clear Creek Road between the hours of 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. There are four locations in Clear Creek where the stream is immediately adjacent to the main road. The goal of the project is to move the road away from the stream as much as possible and create a small vegetated flood plain between the road and the stream. The first two locations where this work will take place are at mileposts 3 and 3.5. Activity at these locations will be most disruptive to public traffic due to the extent of work to be done and the fact that these sites are low enough on the road system that they effectively block the rest of the road. Once work progresses to the sites at mileposts 6 and 7, people will be able to use the Mosquito Ridge Road System (Roads 301 & 302) to access Little Beaver Creek and the Clear Creek Trailhead.

Life and death: a matter of minutes

Sanders County 911 Board assesses dispatch communication issues between Lake and Sanders Counties

VFW bazaar

Vendor Pat McDougal purchases her lunch from Meralise Nass at the VFW bazaar on Saturday in Plains. Monday raised helped fund the organization cancer effort and general fund.

VFW bazaar raises money for outreach efforts

PLAINS – The VFW of Plains hosted a bazaar Saturday to raise money for projects put on by their organization.

Emergency radio communication problems resolved

THOMPSON FALLS – The Sanders County Commissioners met with Safety Communications Manager Cody Best Thursday during their regularly scheduled meeting.

Hot Springs one step closer to water tower

HOT SPRINGS – The town of Hot Springs will soon be getting a new water tower after the town council voted 3-0 to approve the funding needed for the project.

An update from Rep. Ingraham

As I look about at the beauty being displayed this fall, the changing leaves, the crisp air and blue skies, it’s not hard to imagine why one of Montana’s nicknames is “Big Sky Country.” And with Montana’s anniversary of when she became a State approaching, November 8, 2013, I thought it might be time to reflect on her humble beginnings as she became a state on November 8, 1889.

Trials and errors - a gardening column by Green Thumb

Much of gardening is a haphazard sort of adventure. I have a habit, however, of viewing my garden plots as a number of science experiments!

Spaghetti dinner

Yolanda and Ernesto Ornelas and Bonnie Ford enjoy a spaghetti dinner and pie, supporting the Old DeBorgia Schoolhouse Friday.

DeBorgia raises money for old schoolhouse

DEBORGIA – For the 26th year, the town of DeBorgia held their annual spaghetti dinner and pie sale to raise money for the Old DeBorgia Schoolhouse.

Mineral Community Hospital receives new equipment

SUPERIOR – The Mineral Community Hospital recently acquired a new set of beds and brand new lab equipment that will improve their ability to diagnose and treat their patients.

Clowning around on Halloween

Jade Hunter gets a balloon from a clown, Nicki Tourtelette, during Superior Elementary School's Halloween party Friday evening. The party featured treats, games and a costume contest.

Halloween takes over Mineral County

ALBERTON/SUPERIOR – Halloween is just around the corner and the schools in Alberton and Superior are revving up with parties for their students before the big day of candy, costumes, ghosts and goblins.

Superior Fire department warns about heating dangers

Heating season is here and the Superior Volunteer Fire Department wants you to have a safe winter. Regardless of the heating fuel you use, there are some simple safety precautions you should take. It is essential that you have working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. If you haven’t done so recently, make sure you replace the batteries and test the alarms. These devices save lives.

Interim CEOS found for MCH and Mineral Health Center

SUPERIOR - Larry Putnam has accepted the position of Interim CEO of Mineral Community Hospital (MCH) in Superior.

Hunters should be bear aware

With big game rifle season having opened Saturday, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) reminds hunters that bears are still out and active throughout the fall. Think ahead about what to do in an encounter and carry and know how to use bear spray.

Commissioners discuss Superior event parking needs

SUPERIOR – In their weekly meeting Friday, the Mineral County Commissioners discussed issues related to parking at the County Fair and Lion’s Club Rodeo as well as possible technical upgrades for the Mineral County Library.

Bookmobile announces updates

SANDERS COUNTY - The Bookmobile is now offering many new releases in fiction, Montana books, young adult, junior, junior non-fiction, easy reads, non-fiction, and large print. Members of the community are encouraged to stop by the Bookmobile to check out the new selections. Their services are available to all Sanders County residents.

A fight for property, liberty and burial rights

Veteran Renn Bodecker, 90, continues a fight with the courts to keep what he believes is rightfully his. Not only is he fighting for his property but he is also battling to be buried next to his wife, a right that may be stripped from him.

Plains Elementary School concludes Red Ribbon Week

PLAINS – Plains Elementary School concluded their Red Ribbon Week with a visit from the Elks anti-drug trailer Friday on the playground at Plains School.

Bytes drama

Tierra Person as Scarlett Bytes and Hannah Knight as Elvira Bytes smell blood on Candy played by Tanna Cole during The Family Bytes drama performance put on my Plains High School.

Plains Drama Club provides comic relief

PLAINS – The Plains High School Drama Club took the stage with a performance of The Family Bytes on both Friday and Saturday night.

Pursuing adventure

Virginia Ragsdale, 93, prepares to go up on her first helicopter ride as part of her bucket list.

Superior woman flies high pursuing adventure at 93

SUPERIOR – At 93 years old, Virginia Ragsdale has lived through The Great Depression, numerous U.S. wars, political movements and the rise and fall of dozens of our nation’s leaders. Now she is living to the fullest and going on adventures while attempting to complete her bucket list. Most recently, she went up for her first helicopter ride as part of this goal.

Interstate 90 repaving work nears completion

ALBERTON – Road work on Interstate 90 near Alberton, running over the Missoula County line, is nearly complete.

Plains School Board of Trustees announces updates

PLAINS – The School Board of Trustees met on Monday, October 21st, providing building updates and discussing slight changes to protocol.

Book authors

Shirley Rorvik and Karen Wills display their novels after a book talk put on by the Hot Springs Artists Society.

Flathead authors visit Hot Springs for book talk

HOT SPRINGS – The Hot Springs Artists Society presented book readings by two Flathead Authors Saturday at Wall Street Place.

Lions Club offers Halloween fun

PLAINS – The Plains Lion’s Club will be hosting their annual Halloween party at the Fred Young Park on Thursday evening.

Hot Springs Halloween activities take over town for a night of scares

HOT SPRINGS – The Hot Springs Artist’s Society is holding their annual Halloween events in Hot Springs on Halloween night.

Water compact heads back to court to block vote

ST. IGNATIUS - The simmering dispute over the water compact is headed back to court. The latest development comes as the Flathead Joint Board of Control (FJBC) pushes to send out a referendum ballot to local irrigators, asking whether they approve of their districts’ withdrawal from the regulatory irrigation board. However, the referendum may never reach its intended audience, as the Jocko Valley and Mission irrigation districts have taken legal action to block the vote, contending that it not only wastes time and money, but also seeks to illegally undermine the districts’ decisions to withdraw earlier this year - a move primarily motivated by the camps’ differing opinions on the proposed water compact. The ballot was originally intended to be mailed out to about 2,000 Lake and Sanders County irrigators on Oct. 25, but could now be delayed by a court-issued restraining order.

Eric Stang

Eric Stang takes a jump shot during warm-ups at Providence College, one of many stops in his journey through coaching.

Coach's journey from small town to world stage

PLAINS – If you were to ask the average college basketball fan what they remember from the 1987 NCAA Tournament, they will more than likely say Keith Smart’s shot that captured Indiana’s fifth national title against Syracuse.

Trotters take third

Jade LaDeaux, Kimberly Earhart, Felicia Earhart, Shannon Dimond and Demi Horton pose along with Head Coach Tony Banovich after taking third place at the state meet.

Plains cross country team returns from state with hardware

PLAINS – In an unexpected series of events, the Plains Trotter Harriers brought home a third place victory from the State Championship meet in Missoula.

Hot Springs Savage Heat to advance to playoffs

ST. REGIS – Hot Springs football captured their sixth win of the season on the road against St. Regis/Alberton Friday night 67 -18. The win also secured the conference title for Hot Springs.

Timberwolves football

Senior Keir Sanzano wrestles for the ball with a player from Hot Springs during the Clark Fork Timberwolves' last game before playoffs.

Timberwolves finish season with Alberton home game

ST. REGIS/ALBERTON – In their final game of the season, the Clark Fork Timberwolves faced defeat at the hands of the Hot Springs Savage Heat in their Alberton game on Saturday.

St. Regis vs. Superior volleyball

Junior Gabby Moeller of the St. Regis Lady Tigers leaps to block the ball and senior Michelle Smith and junior Jordan Mueller of the Superior Lady Bobcats brace to recover the net shot. St. Regis played Superior on their last game before the regional tournament on Thursday.

St. Regis battles Superior before tournament begins

ST. REGIS/SUPERIOR – In one of their final games of the season before beginning the regional tournament the St. Regis Lady Tigers saw victory against their county rivals, the Superior Lady Bobcats.

Superior Bobcats finish season strong with win

SUPERIOR – In their final game of the season the Superior Bobcats had a decisive 60-32 victory against the Drummond Trojans Friday night.

Bluehawk football

Jake Smith carries the ball down the field during the Bluehawks' last game of the season. Smith played his last game of his high school career.

Young Bluehawks look to build for next season

THOMPSON FALLS – In the last game of the season, the Bluehawks gave it their all but ultimately size would be their worst enemy as the Bigfork football team overpowered the young team.

Noxon football ends season with first victory

NOXON – The Red Devils pulled out their first win of the season during their last home game, bringing joy to all the Red Devil fans.

Coach, players already excited for next season

EUREKA – The Plains Horsemen fell short to Eureka Friday on the gridiron 72-38.

Noxon volleyball

Noxon Lady Red Devil Zoey Osborne dives for the ball in a recent game. She had 10 kills and four blocks in a loss against Arlee on the road.

Noxon volleyball prepped and ready for districts

NOXON – The Lady Red Devils gained some more experience in time for the district competition, which will be located in Hot Springs.

Lady Hawk volleyball

Freshman Autrey Hannum reaches high to stop the ball during the game against Troy.

Lady Hawks earn first seed for districts

THOMPSON FALLS – The Lady Hawks finished the regular season undefeated and as the number one seed after two victories against Troy and Eureka.

Lady Panthers senior volleyball players

Lady Panther seniors Ryan Vicek, Rebecca Brae, Liz Pluth, Haley Marvin, Sam Bennett and Hailie Bahm played their final game of the normal season Saturday against Drummond.

Lady Panters prepare for tournament after final game

ALBERTON – In their final games of the season, the Alberton Lady Panthers played the Darby Lady Tigers and the Drummond Lady Trojans, gaining experience for the regional tournament.

Trotter volleyball

Senior Felicia Earhart passes the ball to her teammate in a recent game against Hot Springs. The Trotters would take the match in five sets.

Win or go home for the Trotters in districts

PLAINS – The Plains Trotters split with a win and loss this week in two games. Their week started Tuesday as they topped the Lady Savage Heat 25-14, 18-25, 25-19, 25-18 and ended with a conference loss to Bigfork in three sets 21-25, 17-25, 16-25.

Lady Savage Heat look to be aggressive at districts

HOT SPRINGS – The Lady Savage Heat had a busy week on their hands with three matches in five days.

Game Warden

Tom Chianelli watches for potential poachers and reaction of hunter vehicles from his truck at a checkpoint set up on Clear Creek near Thompson Falls.

OUTDOORS: City slicker spends day with game warden

SANDERS COUNTY – Waking up early on a Sunday morning has never been part of my routine. Sunday’s are a day to relax and sleep late. I might go to the office around noon or so to finish up the stories for press time or whatever else I have to do. The annoying buzz of my iPhone alarm goes off promptly at 6:25 a.m. The ringing is loud and hits your like the bitter cold of a winter’s day. Today marks my first day in the woods of Montana.

DEATH NOTICES

DEATH NOTICES - Kenneth (Ken) Harvey Jr. passed away October 4, 2013 in Walla Walla WA. A full obituary will appear next week.

Nicholas Franklin Hardy

Nick passed away on Oct. 26th, 2013 at Clark Fork Valley Hospital in Plains, MT at age 72 with all his loved ones by his side.

Mineral County Court Report - Oct. 18-25

Mineral County Justice Court week of 10/18 to 10/25.

Mineral County Community Calendar - Oct. 30

Free Medicare 101 Classes Coming Soon

CFVH to host meeting on Affordable Care Act

With about two weeks of listening to a lot of ‘noise’ from the news media and Washington, Clark Fork Valley Hospital thought we would once again sponsor an informational meeting to inform Sanders County business owners and their employees about the facts of the Affordable Care Act otherwise known as Obamacare.

Sanders County Community Calendar - Oct. 30

Open Gym at Plains

Sanders County Senior News

Sanders County Court Records - Oct. 15-21

Sanders County Justice Court week of 10/15 to 10/21.

Whitetail deer numbers down for northwest Montana

SANDERS COUNTY - Hunters took to the field Saturday and Sunday across northwest Montana for the opening weekend of the general deer and elk season. At the six northwest Montana check stations, a total of 2,900 hunters checked 85 white-tailed deer (66 of these were bucks), 16 mule deer, and 17 elk for a 4.1 percent rate of hunters with game. This compares with a 5.5 percent rate of hunters with game last year at the check stations.

Steve Carty resigns from MCH

SUPERIOR – Last week, staff members at the Mineral Community Hospital received word that effective October 4, Steve Carty had resigned as Chief Executive Officer of MCH and the Mineral Regional Health Center.

New fire task force to be established in Mineral County

MINERAL COUNTY – FireSafe Montana is looking to establish a fire prevention task force in Mineral County.

Pumpkin decorating

Rick Lewis judges one of the pumpkins during the annual pumpkin decorating contest at the Mineral County Library. The free event allowed kids to get into the spirit of Halloween.

Let the judging begin...

SUPERIOR – Bringing the spirit of Halloween to kids early, the Mineral County Library, in Superior, held their seventh annual pumpkin decorating contest Thursday.

Indications are good for upcoming rifle season

THOMPSON FALLS – The Sanders County Commissioners held their quarterly wildlife meeting, which provided them with an update on many of the things FWP is currently working on.

Three arrested for Subway break-in

PLAINS – Three suspects have been arrested for the break-in and burglary that occurred at the Plains Subway in the early hours of Wednesday, October 2.

Plains Town Council overrides mayor's veto

PLAINS – Mayor Michael Brinson called a special meeting on Thursday at 8 p.m. to discuss a variance he vetoed after the town council approved the resolution earlier this month.

Preschool fun

Jaycee Carr, Annika Rivinius and Jaelyn Carr get pulled around in a tractor during the annual Preschool Fundraiser. The fundraiser brought the community together for a common goal of helping the kids.

Preschool Fundraiser rallies community

PLAINS- The Little Star Pre-School held their annual Pumpkin Patch fundraiser Saturday on the greenway in Plains.

SCCFF trains hotline volunteers in Plains

PLAINS- The Sanders County Coalition for Families held volunteer training for their helpline in Plains on Tuesday at the United Methodist Church.

Revett Minerals assess damage of Troy

Revett Minerals Inc. announced results from recent inspections along the Lower Quartzite haulage route and a decision to commence I Bed development at its Troy Mine in northwestern Montana.

Area trappers learn techniques from expert

PLAINS – Concerned citizens in Sanders County met Saturday to discuss the wolf population and to get an education on wolf trapping from Mark Schlenker, an experienced Alaskan wolf trapper.

Toxic fish pose problem in Paradise

PARADISE - Three state agencies today issued fish consumption advisories for northern pike and rainbow trout on a 105-mile stretch of the Clark Fork River in western Montana, including areas near Paradise.

Truck fire put out quickly

SUPERIOR – Superior’s Volunteer Fire Department responded to a call as smoke billowed into the sky near Superior on the morning of Tuesday, October 15.

County Commissioners discuss safety upgrades

SUPERIOR – The County Commissioner’s weekly meeting Friday brought the approval of two projects that will bring about beneficial changes to the Mineral County communities.

Community foundation presents updates

Grant Program donates $35,000 to Mineral County non-profits over seven-year period

Superior yard sale

Karina Woodford looked over items being sold by Jan Christensen during the community yard sale on Saturday.

Giant yard sale bring Superior community together

SUPERIOR – A huge community yard sale took off Saturday in the gym of the old schoolhouse in Superior.

Letters to the Editor - Oct. 23

Fall Bazaar

Kaylei Schultz picks out a door prize with the help of Sally Miller at the Mineral County Helpline's Fall Bazaar.

Fall Bazaar returns to raise money for helpline

SUPERIOR – The Mineral County Helpline held their annual Fall Bazaar Saturday, at the Superior Fairgrounds 4H building. The event was held to raise money to support the Helpline so they can continue to help the Mineral County community.

Superior motel gains global recognition

SUPERIOR – Superior recently made the global map as the Big Sky Motel was presented with a Certificate of Excellence as one of the top-performing business of the website TripAdvisor.

Blackfoot speaks at Chamber meeting

Joel Black and Frank Creasia of Blackfoot Telephone Services discuss the possibility of bringing high-speed internet to more people in Mineral County during the Chamber of Commerce meeting.

Blackfoot representatives speak at Chamber meeting

SUPERIOR – The possibility of bringing higher speed internet to more parts of Mineral County was a major topic of discussion during the Chamber of Commerce meeting last week.

Mineral County schools bring fight against drugs

MINERAL COUNTY --This week Mineral County schools will be observing Red Ribbon Week to raise drug awareness and encourage drug avoidance.

Plains community garden grows in second year

PLAINS – In only its second year, the Plains Community Garden experienced a very successful year renting all 60 of their plots.

Hot Springs mayoral candidates participate in Q & A

Plains mayoral candidates participate in Q & A

Valley Press & Mineral Independent sponsor rifle contest

SANDERS COUNTY/MINERAL COUNTY – The Clark Fork Valley Press and Mineral Independent are holding their annual rifle contest. The contest allows rifle hunters to display their kill proudly within the pages of their local newspaper and also gives them a chance to win a brand new Savage Axis 30-06.

McGann retirement

Hospital retiree Gloria McGann received a welcome surprise from her daughter Lee as she celebrated her last day on duty.

Hospital says goodbye to McGann after 40 years

PLAINS – In 93 years of life Gloria McGann spent over 40 of those at Clark Fork Valley Hospital. She had been there from the beginning and finally has called it quits.

Earhar family

Kimberly Earhart. Kim Earhart, and Felicia Earhart take a family photo sporting their Trotter gear before a Saturday afternoon game at Troy.

Earhart makes volleyball a family affair

PLAINS – A daughter’s relationship with her father is sacred. It’s a special bond that is everlasting. He is the man who gives her away on her wedding day, he is the man who helped raise her, and for the Earhart girls, he is the man who coached them.

Thompson Falls cross country team

The Thompson Falls boys cross country team captured the Western B Divisional conference championship at the Ronan Divisional meet on Saturday.

Cross Country teams see both group and individual victories

The Thompson Falls Bluehawks cross country team brought home the Western B Divisional conference championship, while Plains Horseman Russell Kujala brought home his second win in two weeks

Lady Tigers see two victories before last home game

ST. REGIS – The St. Regis Lady Tigers won two victories in their games against the Alberton Lady Panthers, the Victor Lady Pirates and played a game against the Arlee Lady Scarlet Warriors.

Savage Heat football

Senior Jimmy Holland celebrated senior night in Hot Springs by playing vigorously on both sides of the ball. He helped spark the second half defensive performance for the Savage Heat.

Savage Heat capture home field in first round of playoffs

HOT SPRINGS- The Savage Heat were able to capture another win Friday night at home against Lone Peak 76-30.

Plains volleyball

Junior Hailey Phillips shows off her vertical as she spikes the ball in Saturday's loss to Eureka at home. Phillips added 8 of the team's 34 kills on the afternoon.

Plains has volleyball senior night spoiled

PLAINS –The Plains Trotters got off to a slow start and could not recover from it on senior night Saturday 16-25, 12-25, 29-27, 22-25.

Plains football coach happy with effort from team

DEER LODGE – The Plains Horsemen came up short Friday against Deer Lodge losing 42-2.

Plains football

James Rulison, Chayton Lulack, and Cole Benson sport their Horsemen football 100 points club t-shirts they earned as part of Coach Lulack's new summer program.

Lady Red Devils struggle on court against competition

NOXON – The Lady Red Devils had a busy week playing two games against Valley Christian and Charlo. Both games ended in favor of the other teams with a score of 3 to 0.

Alberton volleyball

Senior Ryan Vicek bumps the ball to one of her fellow Lady Panthers during a home game. Alberton recently played close games against St. Regis and Lincoln. The team's final game of the season will be against Drummond on October 26.

Lady Panthers will improve before tournament

ALBERTON – The Alberton Lady Panthers faced two defeats this week when they faced off against the St. Regis Lady Tigers and the Lincoln Lady Lynx.

Superior shows strong performance at home

SUPERIOR – The Superior Bobcats smoked the Noxon Red Devils with a final score of 68-14 in their football game Friday.

Superior football

Junior Wyatt Zylawy uses fancy footwork to get around the Noxon defender. Zylawy would complete two touchdown passes in the Bobcats' victory

Timberwolves put up big numbers in road win

ALBERTON/ST. REGIS – The Timberwolves claimed a decisive 53-12 victory Wednesday in their game against the Lincoln Lynx.

Volleyball in Superior

Sophomore Marissa Koke leaps up to spike the ball over the net during the Lady Bobcats' game against Plains.

Lady Bobcats victorious in two of three games

Bryce Gray

Lady Hawks volleyball

Junior Logan Beckman bumps the ball for the Lady Hawks in their home win over Bigfork.

Thompson Falls hopes to continue winning ways

THOMPSON FALLS – The Lady Hawks dominated at the court and showed the crowd they were ready for conference play as they won both of their games this week.

Noxon football

Sophomore Jacob Mitchell attempts to tackle the Superior ball carrier in Friday's loss on the road.

Inexperience on field hinders Noxon football

NOXON – The Red Devils managed to gain ground during the game against Superior, tacking on two touchdowns to their final score.

Bluehawk football

Senior Nate Norris carries the ball in the first quarter against Troy. Thompson Falls would lose the game 12-42 despite their good effort.

Bluehawks hope to bounce back against Bigfork

THOMPSON FALLS – The Bluehawks put up a tough fight against Troy on Friday during an away game. The final score was 42 to 12, with Thompson Falls falling behind.

Lady Savage Heat volleyball continue busy week

SEELEY LAKE – The Lady Savage Heat came up short to the Blackhawks of Seeley Lake-Swan 23-25, 27-25, 14-25, 25-16, 15-9 in a five set thriller.

Monitoring ducks

Warren Hansen has spent three years venturing to remote corners of the McDonald Creek watershed in Glacier National Park to monitor its thriving population of migratory harlequin ducks.

Outdoors: Troubled Water

Polson native studies harlequin ducks' sensitivity to changing stream flows, human disturbance

Lavern Rivinius

Lavern Rivinius died on Jan. 11, 2013 at Parkview Nursing Home in Billings, MT of natural causes. She was 86.

Ronald Laws

PARADISE - A long time resident of Spokane Valley, Ron passed away peacefully at his home in Paradise, Montana on October 13, 2013. Born in Portland, Oregon on June 8, 1935 to Burrage and Hazel Laws. Ron attended Lewis & Clark High School and proudly served in the United States Navy. Ron spent nearly 30 years serving on the Spokane Count Sheriff’s Department, where he was a part of many “firsts.” He started the county’s Boat/Safety Patrol, Motorcycle Unit (riding motorcycle #1), and began the polygraph unit just to name a few. Oh, the stories he could tell about events in Spokane!! One of his favorite duties was to escort Santa to the elementary schools and see all the faces light up as Santa entered the room. Ron was always a supporter of youth sports. He coached Babe Ruth baseball, and attended damn near every Central Valley H.S. football and basketball game for 25 years. He organized neighbors to build Terrance View Park and prodded the county to begin building swimming pools in the parks.

Pauline Marie (Stewart) Terry

1920 - 2013

Sanders County Court Report - Oct. 8-14

Justice Court week of 10/8 to 10/14/13

Sanders County Community Calendar - Oct. 23

Open Gym at Plains

Mineral County Court Report - Oct. 11-18

Bond Forfeited:

Mineral County Community Calendar - Oct. 23

Free Medicare 101 Classes Coming Soon

James Harvey "Harv" Scott

Beloved father, grandfather, great grandfather.

Ethan Harvey

Ethan Harvey was hired onto the Plains Police Department at the beginning of the month.

Town of Plains receives new police officer

PLAINS – The town of Plains hired a new police officer Monday night at the town council meeting.

School safety causes major concern

SUPERIOR – An issue of grave concern was raised during the public comments of the county commissioner’s weekly meeting Thursday.

MCH new technology

Cora Arnold, Chris Watson, Sherry Spangler, Loie Turner, "Monda" Pospishil, and Connie Schoening take a look at the new state of the art technology at MCH.

Hospital receives grant for radiology lab

SUPERIOR – The Mineral Community Hospital recently received a grant, which paid for a brand new, state-of-the-art radiology lab for mammogram screenings.

Restaurant Impossible takes over

PLAINS – Heather’s Country Kitchen is about to undergo a major facelift, gaining them national attention.

Harvest Party Fall Fun

Daniel Miguel and Amaris Velez listen to the pastor's worship thought during the annual Harvest Party put on by the Trout Creek Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Plains state champion sign

Riley Montgomery and Randy Garrison stand in front of a newly displayed sign congratulating Plains' teams on their championships.

Plains adds sign to honor state champions

PLAINS – Recently two signs were put up at the entrances to Plains, praising the girl’s state track champions and those who came before them.

Hot Springs after school program

Raferdy Samson learns shotgun skills from Harry Greene as a part of Hot Springs after school program. The meal program runs as part of the program through different grants.

Grant changes after school meals in Hot Springs

HOT SPRINGS- Hot Springs schools are able to expand their after school snack program with the help of a grant from money provided from the state’s Child and Adult Care Food Program.

We Care Foundation festival

Parris Young gives Kaleb Seitz a hand-drawn "tattoodle" at the annual fall festival fundraiser for the We Care Foundation.

We Care Foundation holds annual fundraiser

SUPERIOR – Autumn was heralded into Superior on Saturday during the fourth annual We Care Foundation Fall Festival fundraiser at the gym of the old schoolhouse.

Mineral County Commissioners

John Updike explains how the Mineral Community Hospital expansion would be affected by the search and rescue's new facility.

Mineral County Commissioners discuss hunting regulations and land use

SUPERIOR – Some big changes were discussed at the county commissioner’s weekly meeting on Thursday.

Bart Granlund

Bart Granlund is a 5th grade teacher at Hot Springs Elementary. He is a world traveler who settled in the small town.

Hot Springs' new teacher causes a stir in town

HOT SPRINGS –Meet Bart Granlund, fifth grade teacher and the hottest thing at Hot Springs Elementary School. Granlund is a Montana native who has had the unique opportunity to travel all over the world and teach.

Forest service remains closed due to shutdown

SANDERS COUNTY – With the government shutdown still going in full swing, the Plains/Thompson Falls Forest Service remains closed without any word of when they can begin operations again.

Letter to the Editor - Oct. 16

Federal Foolishness - An update from Senator Fielder

“We were ordered to make life as difficult for people as we can” a National Park Service employee told the media.

Mayor vetoes variance granted by council

PLAINS – Mayor Michael Brinson vetoed a decision made by town council to grant a variance to a taxpayer who was planning on building her home on a lot here in town.

Town council lets adult probation back to Plains

PLAINS – The town council met Monday night to discuss a variety of issues from bringing adult probation back to Plains to building their own dog kennels and hearing two concerned citizens discuss lots they hoped to purchase.

Plains tennis court repaired

Workers repair the tennis court at the El Johnson Memorial Pool Park. The city only had to pay for $1,800 of the $3,900 project cost.

Plains tennis court gets repaired at park

PLAINS – After three generous donations came in, the town of Plains was able to repair one of the tennis courts at the EL Johnson Memorial Pool Park.

Hot Springs Library holds fall fundraiser and sale

HOT SPRINGS – The Hot Springs Library was able to raise nearly $1,200 at their fall fundraiser on Saturday to help combat the projected revenue shortfall in their budget.

Local artist recreates and improves on masterpiece

PLAINS – Kenton Pies created a legend on Mercer Island nearly 50 years ago and now he has the opportunity to recreate and improve on that legend.

Plains cross country runners

The Plains boys cross country team starts their run at the Whitefish Invitational on Saturday. Several of the runners posted new personal best times at the meet.

Cross country runners post personal best

WHITEFISH – Both Thompson Falls and Plains cross country teams competed at the Whitefish Invitation this past Saturday.

Superior Bobcats

The Superior Bobcats plow through the lines of the Arlee Warriors during Friday's game. Superior played well, with great defensive and offensive plays, and beat the Warriors by 38 points.

Superior Bobcats dominate on the field

SUPERIOR – The Superior Bobcats won an amazing 58-20 victory against the Arlee Warriors on Friday.

Noxon volleyball

Zoey Osborne returns the volley against Superior on the road. The Lady Red Devils would return to the court to face Two Eagle River later in the week.

Noxon volleyball rides wave toward end of season

NOXON – The Lady Red Devils played two games this week experiencing both a win and a loss.

Thompson Falls volleyball

Shasta Wilson spikes the ball into the Trotters' court Thursday night.

Thompson Falls volleyball continues advancing

THOMPSON FALLS – The Lady Hawks had a very busy and successful week as they begin to prepare for their upcoming tournament play. Although a few weeks out, time is moving by fast and every chance to play benefits the young team.

Plains football coach proud of team effort

PLAINS – The Plains Horsemen football team put up a good fight but fell short to the Bigfork Vikings 54-14.

Plains football

The Horseman tacklers bring down the Big Fork running back during the senior night game Friday at Plains.

Noxon football comes up short

NOXON – The Red Devils had another opportunity to learn on the field as they went against Drummond Friday night.

Alberton volleyball

Liz Pluth dives to save the ball during Saturday's game against Drummond.

Alberton Lady Panthers play strong match

ALBERTON – The Alberton Lady Panthers faced defeat in three sets during Saturday’s game against the Drummond Lady Trojans.

Superior Lady Bobcats volleyball

Senior Michele Smith spikes the ball across the net and past the Noxon defense during her last home game as a Lady Bobcat on Thursday.

Superior Lady Bobcats trump Noxon in three sets

SUPERIOR – Superior’s Lady Bobcats gained a decisive three-match victory in their game against Noxon’s Lady Red Devils Thursday evening.

St. Regis victorious over Two Eagle River

ST. REGIS – The Lady Tigers of St. Regis took a straight set victory against the Two Eagle River Lady Eagles during Thursday’s game in St. Regis.

Timberwolves game provides team lesson

The Alberton/St. Regis Timberwolves saw a 58-27 defeat to the Westby/Grenora Mon-Dak Thunder.

Shutdown closes forest service

SUPERIOR – The Mineral County branch of the forest service in Superior is closed for the foreseeable future as a result of the federal government shutdown earlier this month.

Plains volleyball looking to attack the net

PLAINS – The Plains Trotters volleyball has put itself into a must win situation if they plan on getting the first round bye at districts after falling to Troy on Saturday in five sets.

Lady Savage Heat look to keep winning

HOT SPRINGS – The Hot Springs Lady Savage Heat were able to pick up a win against Superior Saturday in four sets 25-23,25-18,15-25,25-15.

Lady Savage Heat volleyball

Laurel Schmiedbauer returns the ball at the net during the game against Superior on Saturday.

Bluehawk football

A group of Thompson Falls Bluehawks swarm the ball during Friday night's game against Ronan.

Thompson Falls hopes to bounce back on the gridiron

THOMPSON FALLS – The Bluehawks played a big game against Ronan on Friday, October 11. The team faced the goliaths full throttle ahead and did not give up until the game was over.

Hunting elk

Bill Sansom holds up the head of a bull elk he killed during a bow hunting trip to "the Breaks."

Outdoors: Hunting tales to span generations of sportsmen

Being new to Mineral County, I was interested in learning what the locals did in their free time. The prevailing interest was definitely hunting, with people of all ages going out with guns and bows. Having never gone hunting, and knowing very little about it beyond what an uncle had told me, I decided to learn more and went in search of people’s stories.

Buckle Up says Mineral County teens have the power to reduce crash rates

The report from The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and State Farm measured a 47 percent decline in teen driver-related fatalities over the past six years. Still, risky behaviors -- such as texting or emailing while driving, driving after drinking, and low seat belt use -- remain serious problems, and experts see specific opportunities to “apply the gas” to these common factors in crashes involving teen drivers. “When you see the needle move, as we have in this report, it’s time to apply the gas on programs that encourage safe teen passenger behaviors, as well as those that address what causes teens to crash.”

Oktoberfest comes to Alberton

(Back Row:) Andreas Carson, Dave Hurrliman, John Zunski, (Bottom Row:) Yvanne Mames, Michaela Alberti and Priya Jopek show off their traditional German outfits at the first annual Oktoberfest.

Germany comes to Alberton for Oktoberfest celebration

ALBERTON – A little bit of Germany came to Alberton Saturday when the town celebrated their first annual Oktoberfest.

Mineral County Court Report - Oct. 6-12

Excerpt from Justice Court week of 10-6 tp 10-12.

Mineral County Community Calendar - Week of Oct. 16

Free Medicare 101 Classes Coming Soon

School garden

Pattie Fialcowitz, right, sifts through a bin housing 20,000 compost-producing worms, as Melchiah Daniels, left, and Carla Hahn, center, look on.

School garden grows strong

DIXON — Teeming with greenery and kids bearing armfuls of fresh vegetables, the garden outside of Dixon Elementary School has yielded far more than simply a strong harvest in its inaugural growing season. Besides produce, the plot of land has also proved to be fertile ground for hands-on instruction on gardening and broader lessons about the importance of good nutrition and eating locally-grown food.

Plains TOPS leader appointed area captain

Plains TOPS, MT #202 is honored to announce, our leader Jane Christiansen has been appointed area captain of Sanders, Lake, Flathead, Lincoln and Glacier Counties. She will be visiting 16 chapters in this area.

An update from Rep. Ingraham

The State Administration & Veterans Affairs Committee (SAVA) will be meeting on Monday, October 21 in room 102 of the Capitol Building for those of you interested in following the work of the committee, especially in regards to their work on elections and the Office of the Commissioner of Political Practices. This is an opportunity for the public to attend and make their voices heard.

Birth: Sophia Rose Foste

PLAINS – Sophia Rose Foste was born on October 3 at Clark Fork Valley Hospital at 7:18 a.m. She weighed 8 pounds and 4 ounces and was 21 inches long. Parents are Felicia Robbins and James Foste of Plains.

Birth: Dillyn Avery Doble

Plains – Dillyn Avery Doble was born on September 26 at Clark Fork Valley Hospital at 3 p.m. She weighed 7 pounds and 10 ounces was 20 inches long. Parents are Rachel and Josh Doble of Plains.

Sanders County Court Report - Oct. 1 - 7

Justice Court week of 10/1 to 10/7.

Sanders County Community Calendar - Week of Oct. 16

Open Gym at Plains

Phyllis Irene Bright

Phyllis Irene Bright, born January 3, 1936, passed away on October 10, 2013, peacefully at home with her family at her side. Phyllis is survived by husband John Bright, having celebrated 60 years of marriage on June 7, 2013; their three children Terri Totzke, Cindi Bailey and John W. Bright; seven grandchildren Kristen, Angela, Nicholas, James, Shawn, Nicholas B., Annie and six great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by son Garry Bright.

Sanders County Bowling Scores

Wednesday Nite Mixed Bowling League

Forest Plan may be good for Scotchman Peaks

THOMPSON FALLS – The Sanders County Commissioners received an update Thursday on the forest plan for the Kootenai National Forest and how it may affect the Scotchman Peaks Wilderness area.

Murder in Hot Springs

Melvin Madplume pleaded not guilty to the rape and deliberate homicide charges after a suspicious death occurred in Hot Springs.

Madplume pleads not guilty

POLSON - Melvin Madplume, the 29-year-old who stands accused of rape and deliberate homicide following the “suspicious death” of his cousin, Laurence Kenmille, made his initial appearance in Lake County District Court last Thursday and pleaded not guilty to both charges.

MRL derailment cleanup nears completion

Investigations are still underway as to the cause of the Montana Rail Link derailment of 23 freight cars in late August of this year.

Future uncertain for forest projects

On Monday Sept. 30, Northern Regional Forester Faye Krueger announced that the Cedar Thom Project had been placed at the top of the priority list for working with Fish and Wildlife Service and getting to the boots on the ground phase.

Illegal burn pile seen off interstate

SUPERIOR – Late Sunday evening, Superior firefighters responded to a call of a brush fire seen off of Interstate 90.

Mudslides are not a major concern

SUPERIOR – Concerns are mounting over the possibility of mudslides interfering with the Environmental Protection Agency’s Superfund cleanup of Superior area homes and land.

BBQ benefit

Mike Perotti cooks hamburgers and hotdogs on his homemade grill outside the Old Superior Schoolhouse.

BBQ benefits troops, vets

SUPERIOR – Members of the Superior community held a barbecue Saturday at the old schoolhouse to raise awareness and collect donations for the United Service Organization.

Car accident in St. Regis

According to Montana Highway Patrol, the vehicle went off the road and over an embankment to come to rest in woodlands near St. Regis.

Car goes off embankment

ST. REGIS – Early Sunday evening, a vehicle went off an embankment on Cold Creek Road, just east of St. Regis.

Plains High School Homecoming

Juniors Jenna Peterson and Nick Barnes competed in the king and queen games to better their chances for being crowned.

Plains High School Homecoming comes to an end

PLAINS – The 2013 Homecoming festivities in Plains kicked off on Wednesday as the football, volleyball and cross country teams took their places atop fire engines and paraded their way through the downtown area.

Hot Springs Mayor debate

Hot Springs candidates Leslee Smith, Randy Woods, Ed Persico, and Karen Evans discuss questions posed by Hot Springs High School students.

Candidate forum held at Hot Springs Senior Center

HOT SPRINGS – Hot Springs High School government class hosted a candidate forum Monday October 7 at the senior center. The forum featured mayoral candidates Randy Woods and Karen Evans and Ward II candidates Leslee Smith and Ed Persico. Dick Adams gave up his time to the candidates in contested races.

An update from Rep. Schwaderer

As a member of the State Tribal Relations Interim Committee, between now and the next session I will be attending six meetings for updates on tribal issues in the state. Four of those meetings will be held with various tribes across the state.

Letters to the Editor - Oct. 9

Fighting the blaze - by Justyna Tomtas

Patrick Bischof gets ready to tend to the fire that was set ablaze by the Plains-Paradise Rural Fire Department as part of a hands-on training event.

Plains firefighters receive additional training

PLAINS – A plume of dark, toxic smoke rose into the air behind the Plains-Paradise Rural Fire Department as the firefighters completed their final training of the weekend.

CNSC fundraiser

CNSC President Kathy Miller speaks to the crowd about fundraising efforts in 2013.

Cancer Network hosts annual fundraiser

PLAINS - The Cancer Network of Sanders County held their annual fall fundraiser on October 5 at the Sanders County Fairgrounds Pavilion.

Fresh Off the Vine

Fresh Off the Vine performed at the Symes Hotel in Hot Springs on Sunday night, sharing their love of jazz music.

Symes hosts jazz band

HOT SPRINGS – The Hot Springs Artist’s Society presented an evening with Fresh Off the Vine, a jazz instrumental band from Whitefish. The band combined a unique guitar and cello medley to create a smooth relaxing experience for anyone listening.

MCPAC concert

Dr. Roger Glenn Pafford showcases his talent as he captivates the audience with his guitar playing as the Mineral County Performing Arts Council opened its 2013/2014 season at the LDS church.

MCPAC opens season with classical guitar concert

SUPERIOR – The strumming of guitar music filled Superior’s Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Tuesday evening as the Mineral County Performing Arts Council presented the classical guitar playing of Dr. Roger Glenn Pafford.

Friends of the NRA fundraiser

Joe Crismore runs an auction at the Friends of the NRA dinner in St. Regis on Thursday.

Mineral County NRA hosts fundraiser in St. Regis

ST. REGIS – People from all over Mineral County and beyond gathered in the St. Regis Community Center Thursday evening for the annual Mineral County Friends of the National Rifle Association fundraiser banquet.

Timberwolves football

Quarterback Jack Lehl throws a pass down the field during Alberton's homecoming game.

Timberwolves run down Big Horns for Homecoming win

ALBERTON – The Alberton/St. Regis Timberwolves had a terrific 62 to 44 victory for the Alberton homecoming game against Lone Peak Friday night.

Lady Bobcat volleyball

Senior Michele Smith makes a save during Superior's match against Charlo.

Lady Bobcats play strong against Charlo

SUPERIOR – Saturday evening, the Lady Bobcats saw a close 20-25, 20-25, 21-25 defeat against Charlo’s Lady Vikings.

Hot Springs football

Jarod White makes an advance down the field as Hot Springs annihilated the Bears of Lima.

Hot Springs Savage Heat dominates on the field

HOT SPRINGS - Firing on all cylinders Friday night the Hot Springs Savage Heat pelted the Bears of Lima 74-0.

Plains vs. Thompson Falls football

Horseman Trent Brouillette works his way further from the Bluehawks' defense during the Homecoming game.

Plains clashes with Bluehawks during homecoming

PLAINS – The Horsemen played in their Homecoming game last Friday against their rival Thompson Falls.

Cross country

Plains runner Demi Horton raced to the finish at the invitational pulling her seasonal best of 19:54.

Cross country teams run at Thompson Falls

THOMPSON FALLS – The Plains and Thompson Falls Cross Country teams competed at the Blueslide Golf Course for the Thompson Falls Invitational.

Noxon volleyball

A Lady Red Devil player returns the ball to St. Regis during one of their head-to-head matches.

Noxon prepares to take on Superior

NOXON – The Lady Red Devils competed against St. Regis on both Thursday and Friday nights in two District 10-C matches, gaining experience and valuable lessons on the court.

Lady Hawk volleyball

Logan Beckman attacks the net against Eureka.

Lady Hawks hope to continue winning ways

THOMPSON FALLS – The Lady Hawks met Eureka on the court on Friday night during a home battle, sweeping the team 3 to 0.

St. Regis Lady Tigers

Madison Hill sets the ball for her team during the game against the Noxon Lady Red Devils on Thursday.

St. Regis brings victory in three

ST. REGIS – The Lady Tigers won two amazing victories against Noxon on both Thursday and Friday last week.

Superior Bobcats crush Granite Prospectors 60-18

SUPERIOR – The Superior Bobcats brought home an amazing 60 to 18 victory against Granite Thursday evening.

Trotter volleyball

Junior Hailey Phillips goes up to spike the ball. In the game against Bigfork, Phillips helped control the net for the Trotters.

Trotters prep for rival Thompson Falls

PLAINS – Trotter volleyball fans were left disappointed Saturday in a straight set loss to the Bigfork Valkyries 19-25, 23-25, 18-25 despite a valiant effort. The Trotters were brought down by errors that allowed for early leads in each set by Bigfork, though the team never gave up and continued to play hard throughout each set.

Coach hopes to motivate players with tough love

HOT SPRINGS - The Lady Savage Heat split their two matches last week with a loss to St. Regis in four sets, but came out on top against Two Eagle River in straight sets.

Hunt for bull elk

Aaron Miller bugles hoping to get a bull elk to respond. Although some luck was had, the animal proved to be elusive.

OUTDOORS: The hunt for the perfect bull elk proves difficult

Archery hunting is a test of patience, skill, accuracy and determination. It requires one to quietly stalk its prey – luring it in, the closer the better.

Sanders County community calendar - Oct. 9

Open Gym at Plains

Sanders County court records - Sept. 24-30

Justice Court week of 9/24 to 9/30

Mineral County court records - Sept. 27 - Oct. 4

Justice Court of 9/27-10/04

Minimum wage to increase in Montana

MONTANA - Montana residents earning minimum wage will see an increase from $7.80 per hour to $7.90 per hour on January 1, 2014.

Mineral County Community Calendar - Oct. 9

Free Medicare 101 Classes Coming Soon

Carol Anne Kinzie

Carol Anne Kinzie, 64, died September 30, 2013 in Missoula surrounded by her family. A memorial service is planned for 5 pm Saturday, October 5th at the Assembly of God church in Plains.

Chef Robert Irvine

Chef Robert Irvine will be in Plains with the Food Network show Restaurant Impossible. The show is currently looking for volunteers to help with the project.

Motorcycle vs. deer

The bashed up helmet sits on the side of the road after a motorcycle versus deer accident occurred on Highway 200. The man involved in the accident walked away with minor injuries.

Man walks away from motorcycle vs. deer accident

PLAINS – A motorcycle hit a deer on Highway 200 Friday afternoon at approximately 1 p.m. The motorcyclist was headed towards Plains when he encountered the deer.

Hot Springs grant

David Greer presents Hot Springs Athletic Director Chris Clairmont with the check from Plum Creek.

The wreckage

The grade-all forklift sits 100 feet off the road. Currently accident investigations are being conducted by multiple agencies.

Fatality occurs on Pat's Knob

PLAINS – An accident occurred on Pat’s Knob Road Tuesday afternoon that took the life of one of the crewmembers working in the area.

Hot Springs High School receives numerous grants

HOT SPRINGS – The Hot Springs High School Athletics Department recently received two grants from an organization known as The Plum Creek Timber Company to repair the baseball field and purchase two IPads that will help coaches ensure the safety of their teams. Plum Creek Senior Manager for Planning David Greer was on hand at the high school to present both checks to Athletics Director Chris Clairmont and local resident Lanny Page on Thursday.

Charges filed in suspicious death

The death that occurred at Wild Horse Hot Springs on May 26 has been deemed as a rape and murder case.

Steve Carty on leave from MCH

Officials with Mineral Community Hospital confirmed Monday that CEO Steve Carty is “on leave.”

USFS designates Cedar Thom project for priority consultation

At the last commissioners meeting regarding county forest management, Mineral County Resource Advisory Group member Angelo Ververis asked what needed to be done in order to make local forest service projects such as Cedar Thom a priority – even suggesting that the county had to become “the loudest voice” in the room in order to get projects going.

Curious pup - by Keith Cousins

Pat and Diane's Metzger's dog Bandir strikes a pose while playing in the backyard of their Superior home.

Thompson Falls games

Thompson Falls students get splashed with water during the water volleyball competition.

Homecoming week takes over Thompson Falls

THOMPSON FALLS – The festivities surrounding the 2013 Thompson Falls High School Homecoming kicked off on Thursday as the community gathered at the football field to watch students square off during the annual Olympic games.

FWP announces decision to release revised walleye EA

NOXON – The Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks recently released a notice of their intent to proceed with a proposal to suppress the population of walleye in the Noxon Reservoir. The proposal has generated controversy among anglers who flock to the area to fish for the elusive prey.

Keith's Column: Not goodbye, see you soon

I was attempting to sort through the pile of seemingly unnecessary attachments and plastic pieces in order to install new windshield wipers on my car when I did something that seemed to sum up the entirety of my time in Mineral County.

Buckle Up

Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Steve Spurr shows a resident how to properly install a child safety seat during an event in September.

Mineral County Buckle Up Program hits the streets

The Mineral County Buckle Up Montana Coalition has hosted a total of two events in the county in order to educate residents on the importance of buckling up while driving as well as the importance of properly utilizing child safety seats.

Update from Rep. Schwaderer

Revenue update:

Update from Rep. Ingraham

With the passing of time, I thought I should update you on how things were progressing for the State Administration & Veterans Affairs (SAVA) Committee since their first meeting that was held on July 11.

Letters to the Editor - Oct 2

Guest opinion: Historic changes occuring for irrigators

Message from Boone Cole, Chairman of the Flathead Joint Board of Control, to Fee Land Irrigators concerning need for upcoming Referendum.

Hot Springs debates

Vicki Nytes prepares her senior United States government class for their upcoming candidate debate.

Class of Hot Springs to host debates for candidates

HOT SPRINGS – A senior class at Hot Springs High School is taking the classroom outside the halls of the school and relating the lesson plan to some real world applications. The senior United States Government class taught by Vicki Nytes is planning to host a forum for the mayoral and city council candidates for the community.

WSA Oktoberfest

WSA President Cory Ovitt is doused because of the bean bag toss from Koby Carter during the Oktoberfest celebration at the Sanders County Fairgrounds Pavilion in Plains.

WSA holds Oktoberfest celebration in Plains

PLAINS – The Wildhorse Sports Association held their annual German-style Oktoberfest celebration and fundraiser on Saturday. Participants consumed a bratwurst dinner complete with potato and pasta salads and tasted a variety of micro-brewery style beers during the event that included games, a raffle and a water dousing chair.

SCCDC receives award for feasibility study

THOMPSON FALLS – Sanders County Community Development Corporation will be conducting a feasibility study for the Sanders County Technology Initiative. Lake County Community Development Corporation, the Certified Regional Development Center, will contract SCCDC to complete the six month study utilizing a grant from the Big Sky Economic Trust Fund (BSTF), administered by the Montana Department of Commerce.

Cancer Network of Sanders County to host event

PLAINS - Cancer Network of Sanders County invites everyone to come to the 12th Annual Fall Fundraising event – “Brats, Hops & Grapes,” on Saturday, October 5 at the Sanders County Fairgrounds Pavilion from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.. There will be a silent auction, a live auction, and plenty of food, wine and beer for all. It is, however, a night for the adults as you must be 21 to attend.

Horse show

Alan Chojnacky placed seventh with his horse Sky. Chojnacky is pictured showing a horse at the Sanders County Fair.

Local 4H members compete at statewide horse show

SANDERS COUNTY - Seven Sanders County 4H Horse Project Members competed in the Statewide 4H Horse Show held at the Majestic Arena in Kalispell September 13th thru the 14th. All returned home with ribbon placings. The competition is one of the largest horse competitions in the state with over 100 competitors. Many 4H families traveled from across the state to attend this event.

Medicare classes to be offered in Sanders County

SANDERS COUNTY - The Agency on Aging will be offering free three-hour Medicare 101 classes in Sanders, Mineral, Lake and Lincoln counties in October to help you with this milestone in your life. When approaching Medicare age there are decisions that need to be made in a timely manner. At first it can seem confusing and maybe even overwhelming.

Award

Deb Achatz and Ernie Scherzer present Dan Bates with a plaque from SCCHO.

Local presented with plaque of appreciation

SANDERS COUNTY - Dan Bates was recently presented with a plaque of appreciation from the Sanders County Community Housing Organization. Bates served as president of the organization for many years. He served at the time when the SCCHO embarked on its first large project, the acquisition and rehabilitation of five duplexes in Plains. This was a complicated and lengthy project to which Bates gave a lot of time and energy to. The project was, and still is, a great success.

PPK competition

Kelsey Frank passes the ball during the annual Punt, Pass and Kick Competition.

Punt, pass and kick competitors try to win trip

THOMPSON FALLS – Competition heated up on Sunday afternoon, as excited participants exercised their punt, pass and kick skills on Previs Field in hopes of getting a free trip to Seattle down the road.

Fun Run in Thompson Falls

Joe Breiner and Cael Thilmony dash towards the finish line in the Elementary School Fun Run on Thursday.

Elementary school fun run takes off in Thompson Falls

THOMPSON FALLS – As the gun went off with a bang, the young kids of Thompson Falls also took off with a bang during the annual Elementary School Fun Run.

Lady Hawk volleyball

Lady Hawk Shey Hannum spikes the ball during the game against Frenchtown. Hannum had 15 kills.

Lady Hawks play hard against tough competition

THOMPSON FALLS – The Lady Hawks played hard against tough competition this week, coming up short but gaining valuable experiences from both games.

Hot Springs dominates the competition

WEST YELLOWSTONE – The Savage Heat football team from Hot Springs dominated their opponents away from home on Saturday easily dispatching the team 71 to zero. The team applied relentless pressure in the first half on offense and defense repeatedly stopping drives by their challengers and scoring touchdowns in the hands of nine different players.

Bluehawks homecoming game

Bluehawk McKenzie Holt blocks a pass to the Eureka Lions during their Homecoming game Friday night.

Thompson Falls competes in Homecoming game

THOMPSON FALLS – During the highly anticipated homecoming game, the Bluehawks battled for a win against Eureka in a match that had plenty of almost grasped opportunities.

Noxon football team gains experience on the field

NOXON – During their homecoming game, the Red Devil football team fought against Arlee, a class C team.

Lady Red Devils come away with a win against Hot Springs

NOXON – The Lady Red Devils took on the Lady Savage Heat once again, clashing with their rival team in hopes of taking revenge and coming out on top of the competition this time.

Hot Springs improves on their season in Arlee tourney

HOT SPRINGS – The week started out in rough fashion for the Lady Savage Heat of Hot Springs but they finished with a solid performance at a tournament in Arlee full of stiff competition from around the region. The team lost in straight sets to Noxon 25-8, 25-14 and 25-12 but according to Head Coach Alisha Pablo the match did feature some bright spots for the future of the team.

Superior Bobcats volleyball

Superior sophomore Danielle Ewounik makes an athletic move to block a Granite spike during the Bobcats home game on Thursday night.

Lady Bobcats continue to improve

The Superior High School volleyball team came out strong Thursday night at home against Granite with a commanding 25-9 first set win.

The Trotters come away with a win against Eureka

EUREKA – The Trotters of Plains came away with a victory in Eureka on Saturday. The volleyball team needed five sets to dispatch the young team on their home court.

Plains Horsemen in Troy

Trent Brouilette rushes the ball during a recent game against Troy. Brouilette scored for Plains.

Plains Horsemen continue to make strides during season

TROY – The Horsemen of Plains continue to meet some of their goals stated at the outset of the 2013 season. One of those goals was for the football team to put points on the board against opponents. Despite a loss at Troy on Friday, the team did manage to bounce back after halftime and score two touchdowns, one on the ground and one through the air.

Cross country tourney in Missoula

Caleb Connolly competes at the Mountain West Classic.

Cross country teams compete in prestigious tourney

MISSOULA – The Plains and Thompson Falls cross country teams both had exceptional performances at the Mountain West Classic meet in Missoula on Saturday. Over 1,800 athletes from as far away as Washington state gathered at the University of Montana Golf Course to run a course that will also be the setting for the state championship meet at the end of October.

Superior Service Center has changed ownership

New additions are coming to Superior as The Superior Service Center recently changed owners.

Council discusses park maintenance, EPA cleanup

SUPERIOR – On September 16, the Superior Town Council held their monthly meeting. Issues from the status of the town parks to the sale of land were discussed.

MRHC assisting with health insurance marketplace needs

Mineral Regional Health Center has retained a new outreach/enrollment specialist who will assist residents in Mineral County and the region to enroll in Montana’s new Health Insurance Marketplace, which opened Oct. 1.

Mineral County Commissioners Briefs

The following briefs are from the official minutes of the September 27 and 30 meetings of the Mineral County Commissioners.

Mineral County Community Calendar - Oct. 2

Free Medicare 101 Classes Coming Soon

DCI investigation into Judge James continues

According to Anastasia Burton, Deputy Communications Director with Montana Attorney General Tim Fox’s Office, the investigation of Mineral County Justice of the Peace Wanda James is still underway.

Sanders County Senior News

Thompson Falls

Robert Jessie Humphrey

Robert Jessie Humphrey, known as RJ or Bob, lived at Clark Fork Long Term Care facility with Dorothy, his wife of 69 years. Dad went to be with his Savior, the Lord Jesus, and many loved family members and friends, on 10 September 2013. He was born in Bradley, Arkansas, 3 February 1922, as the second oldest in a family of eight surviving siblings.

DEATH NOTICE: Adeline M. Hand

DEATH NOTICE: PLAINS - Adeline M. Hand, 84, of Plains passed away Wednesday, September 25, 2013 at Clark Fork Valley Hospital. A memorial service will be held Sunday, October 6th, at 2 pm, at the Clark Fork Baptist Church in Plains, MT.

Sanders County Court Records - Sept. 17-23

Sanders County Justice Court week of 9/17 to 9/23

Sanders County Community Calendar - Oct. 2

Open Gym at Plains