Ellington

Mineral County Community Calendar

Wednesday Nite Mixed League Bowling scores

Mineral County sees increase in whooping cough cases

MINERAL COUNTY - There has been an increase in the number of whooping cough cases, also known as pertussis, in Mineral County.  According to Mineral County Health Department, thus far in the past weeks three cases of whooping cough have been reported. 

Sanders County Justice Court week of 2/18 to 2/24

Sanders County Justice Court week of 2/18 to 2/24

OPINION: An update from Rep. Ingraham

On January 31, 2014 I had the opportunity to attend the 39

Grant funds child care classes

ALBERTON – A grant was recently issued by the Mineral County Community Foundation, which will help fund babysitter and child care assistant training programs around the county.

Scouts in Alberton

Logan Thiele, Frank McKinney and Tyler Thiele work on a cleanup project along a bike path in Missoula for their Baden-Powell Service Association scout group. McKinney is the scout leader for a new branch of the organization in Alberton.

Scouting into Alberton

ALBERTON – A new scout group the whole community can enjoy has come to Alberton through the Promoting Excellence in Alberton-area Kids Foundation.

Bass tournament

The Bassmasters Divsional tournament will be held in Trout Creek from May 19 to May 23. The event will bring 140 boaters in for the competition.

Bass Divisionals to be held in Sanders County

TROUT CREEK – Semi pro fishers and amateurs will flock to the area in May to participate in the Bassmasters Divisional competition.

Missoula Children's Theater production

Elanore ‘Ellie’ Faye Buffo is all smiles during one of the musical numbers of the Missoula Children's Theater production of

There are no small parts, only small actors

The Missoula Children's Theater performs Cinderella in Hot Springs

Fielder expresses concerns about water compact

SUPERIOR – During the Mineral County Commissioner’s meeting on Friday, Feb. 21, Montana State Senator Jennifer Fielder (R, District 7) presented an update on water rights issues being discussed in the state legislature.

Bowhunting honor

John Benda holds up the commemorative plaque and belt buckle he received for his 20 years of service as a bow hunting instructor.

Bowhunting instructor honored for service

MINERAL COUNTY – Approximately 20 years ago, John Benda of Superior began volunteering his time to teach people everything from proper bowhunting methods to archer safety for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

Thompson Falls Chamber meets

Letters to the Editor - Feb. 26

Let's really reduce the cost of healthcare

We all know something is very wrong with the cost of health care in this country. But is the answer more bureaucracy or less?

Kindergarten Roundup

Kindergarten teacher Dana Diehl works with Chad McGonagle on his development screening at last year's round-up in Plains.

ABC... it's as easy as 123

Church on the Move members travel to help Fijians

PLAINS – Keeping to their name, the Church on the Move is once again on the go aiming to help those less fortunate around them.

Scholarship offers $1,000

SANDERS COUNTY – The chance to win $1,000 is close at hand. Student applications are currently being accepted for the annual Montana Association of Clerk and Recorders Scholarship.

Bobcats continue undefeated into divisionals

SUPERIOR – The Superior Bobcats had a strong 20-point victory in their game against Hot Springs in their first game of the District 13-C Tournament in Ronan.

Lady Hawks advance after win over Loyola

THOMPSON FALLS – “We survived to live another day.”

Trotters basketball

Trotter Hailey Phillips looks to grab the rebound in the District Tournament game against Eureka.

Trotters tested in District Championship game

PLAINS – The District Tournament Semifinals took place Thursday night and the Trotters hosted the Eureka lions.

St. Regis Lady tigers

Pilar Cantrell-Field uses a screen from teammate Madison Hill to shake Charlo's Sienna Brown in St. Regis' semifinal win over the Vikings.

Lady Tigers squeak through to Butte divisionals

ST. REGIS – The St. Regis Lady Tigers are set to move on to the Divisional Tournament despite their defeat against Arlee in the District Tournament in Ronan.

Hot Springs basketball

Trevor Paro of Hot Springs floats a shot over Superior's Tanner Smith in Friday's semifinal action.

Savage Heat seal fate

HOT SPRINGS – The Savage Heat met the Noxon Red Devils in Ronan for the first game of the District Tournament. Hot Springs battled to move forward to the next round and further their season.

Panthers end season during tournament play

ALBERTON – The Alberton Panthers faced two defeats and were eliminated from the District 13-C tournament after their games against the Drummond Trojans and Victor Pirates.

Thompson Falls vs. Plains

Horseman Kyle Revier drives through the Thompson Falls defense to lay the ball up.

Horsemen rise to occasion

Superior basketball

Tanner Smith, guarded closely by Jarod White, rushes the ball past half court in Superior's win over Hot Springs.

Superior girls end season on a high note

SUPERIOR – The Lady Bobcats were eliminated after three games in the district tournament in Ronan.

Tigers return home after districts semifinals

ST. REGIS – The St. Regis Tigers were eliminated from the district tournament in Ronan after being defeated by Charlo and Two Eagle River.

Lady Panthers fall to Seeley-Swan, Granite

ALBERTON – The Alberton Lady Panthers were eliminated from the district tournament after they took two defeats against Seeley-Swan and Granite.

Superior wrestlers

Bridger Lapierre poses with Anthony Parkin and the team's plaque. Superior took third place in Class C, while Parkin took fourth individually.

A champion at heart

Red Devils fight hard to the end

NOXON – After experiencing two defeats, Noxon’s season came to an end a little earlier than the Red Devils had hoped.

Noxon girl's basketball

Noxon's Jenna Langdon uses her position to convert an easy layup in Thursday's loss to Charlo.

Noxon plays their strongest game of the season

NOXON – The Lady Red Devils played one of their strongest games of the season against Two Eagle River in hopes of continuing into the district tournament.

Guilty plea entered for Subway burglary

THOMPSON FALLS – The third person involved in the burglary of the Subway in Plains pled guilty in court this month.

Helen Ovitt

Helen Ovitt sits among co-workers and friends at her retirement party.

Change is a part of life

Dean's List

LINCOLN, NE - Blade Andrew Jacobson of Thompson Falls was named to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Deans’ List/Honor Roll for the fall semester of the 2013-14 academic year.

County Commissioners meeting

County Planner Tim Read and County Commissioner Laurie Johnston look over a map marking the boundary of the River Hideaway plat during the commissioner's meeting.

County Commissioners discuss responsibility for road maintenance

SUPERIOR – In their weekly meeting, the Mineral County Commissioners discussed who had responsibility to plow certain roads around the county.

Chamber of Commerce meeting

Monte Turner listens to Glenn Koepke read a list of important dates in the history of Mineral County and the state of Montana at the Chamber of Commerce meeting.

Chamber of Commerce hears about important notes in county history

SUPERIOR – During the monthly meeting of the Mineral County Chamber of Commerce, the chamber talked about changes to their operation and plans for the county’s centennial.

Lady Savage Heat season wraps up

HOT SPRINGS – In the first round of District Tournament play, the fifth-seeded Lady Savage Heat faced off against the fourth-seeded Superior Lady Bobcats. The Hot Springs girls fought hard to continue their season but the Lady Bobcats proved to be worthy adversaries.

Living in a snow globe

Gennifer Deschamps and her daughter, Gen, ski home from school. The recent snowfall provided them with the perfect opportunity to get a little creative with their commute.

Plains Trap Club Scores

1. NRA: 0 - 500

Sanders County Senior News - Feb. 26

Dixon

Wednesday Nite Mixed League Bowling Scores

Standings:

Sanders County Community Calendar - Feb. 26

Open Gym at Plains

Sanders County Court Report - Feb. 11-18

Sanders County Justice Court week of 2/11 to 2/18.

Fair Board and Stand Down discuss funds

PLAINS – The Tri-State Stand Down may have moved to Trout Creek but unfinished business plagued the Sanders County Fair Board meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 19.

DUI Task Force cracks down with compliance checks

SANDERS COUNTY – Two organizations have teamed up in an effort to reduce youth access to alcohol as well as over service of consumers.

Department of Transportation seeks comment

HERON- The Montana Department of Transportation would like to notify the public and seek comments on a proposal regarding the replacement of an existing grade crossing signal system with new electronics and hardware including the addition of gates; as well as, the installation of new improved crossing surface material, on Heron Road west of Heron in Sanders County.

Judge James

Justice of the Peace Wanda James speaks at a meeting. After several months, the investigation into James has ended.

Judge James investigation declared finished

SUPERIOR – Department of Justice personnel have announced the state’s investigation of Justice of the Peace Wanda James is now complete.

Mullan Road Conference is just around the bend

MINERAL COUNTY – The Mullan Road opened Mineral County up for settlement. With the county’s centennial right around the corner, the Mineral County Historical Society has taken special interest in the Mullan Road Conference.

Mineral County Community Calendar - Feb. 26

Road to Recovery

Buckle Up Montana

Jackie Maxvill helps out at the Buckle Up Montana safety seat fitting station on Saturday, February 15.

Buckle Up Montana helps with safety seats

MINERAL COUNTY - We all want to keep our children safe and healthy. One way children learn is by watching their parents. If a parent or older sibling always fastens their seat belt when driving or riding in a vehicle, then chances are that behavior will be passed on.

Mineral County Court Report - Feb. 14-21

Mineral Justice County Court week of 2/14 to 2/21

Winter conditions cause school closure

SUPERIOR - 

Wednesday Nite Bowling scores

Friends of Scotchman Peaks scholarship essay competition announced

SANDERS COUNTY - Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness annually offers scholarships to a graduating senior from each high school in Thompson Falls, Plains, Noxon, Troy and Libby, Montana; as well as Clark Fork, Sandpoint and the Lake Pend Oreille Alternative High School in Idaho.

Flash mob

In early January a flash mob hit the court for a halftime performance. The dance routine helped kick off the Sanders County Relay for Life event. 

Relay For Life kicks off in a flash

SANDERS COUNTY - Community members hit the hardwood for Sanders County Relay For Life kickoff festivities in January and February. For the second year, Relay volunteers and community members performed a flash mob dance at local basketball games to raise awareness of this year’s event, scheduled for Aug. 1-2 at Thompson Falls High School. Participants were able to sign up for half off as part of kickoff.

Superior High School students sing out in all-state

SUPERIOR – Earlier this month two Superior High School students joined over a hundred kids from across three states for an all-star choir performance in Missoula.

Kids sharing and caring

MINERAL COUNTY – As Valentine’s Day put love in the air, the county’s kids got to end the day with parties as the elementary school classes held miniature celebrations in honor of the big day.

Valentine's Day in Mineral County

Alberton first grade students Georgia and Christina share a box of cookies during a party their class held for Valentine's Day. The class also exchanged valentines and watched a movie.

Jobs for Montana Graduates

Region One Game Warden Tom Chianelli interviews Plains senior Keely Benson during the JMG Career Fair on Tuesday, Feb. 11.

Plains students get a taste of the real world

PLAINS – Communication is the key to success and the seniors of the Jobs for Montana Graduates class in Plains got a crash course in just that last week.

Propane prices spike in county

SANDERS COUNTY – The rising prices of propane have caused some serious woes this winter. Local propane vendors explained why costs have been so high, how they feel about the situation and what the future may hold.

Alberton seniors work to help veterans

ALBERTON – In their time before graduation, two Alberton High School seniors have embarked upon a venture, which will help in the recovery of the nation’s injured veterans.

Forest Service seeks feedback on Lolo proposal

MINERAL COUNTY - The Forest Service invites your comments on two proposed Special Use Permit requests called LeaderTreks and Nelson Mountain Bike Shuttle Service. The LeaderTreks permit request is located primarily on the Superior Ranger District of the Lolo National Forest in Montana and partially on the North Fork District of the Clearwater National Forest and the St. Joe District of the Idaho Panhandle National Forest in Idaho. The Nelson Mountain Bike Shuttle Service permit request is located entirely on the Superior Ranger District of the Lolo National Forest.

MCRAG discusses next step in project negotiations

SUPERIOR – In a meeting with the Mineral County Resource Advisory Group, the Mineral County Commissioners discussed their next course of action in attempts to get the regional forester’s help on various projects.

Spelling Bee winners

Seventh grader Clara Davis was winner of the Superior Spelling Bee with Logan Noonan as runner up.

Superior students spell their way to victory

SUPERIOR – Bulwark was the word to cement Clara Davis as the champion of the Superior Spelling Bee and give her the opportunity to participate in the state spelling bee next month.

An update from Rep. Schwaderer

A lot has happened in Montana politics recently, blurring in a big way from the state level into the federal level. Former Senator Max Baucus, who served in DC for longer than this State Representative has been alive, has been confirmed and is now the United States Ambassador to China. In this scenario, it is the Governor of the State of Montana who is charged with appointing the replacement of the Senator to serve the rest of the term.

Letters to the Editor - Feb. 19

Graduation Matters

Teacher Vicky Nytes hands a diploma to Jane Rosler for successfully completing the Graduation Matters Event.

Students bond at Graduation Matters Event

HOT SPRINGS – Little ones sat staring up wide-eyed at their idolized older peers as they proclaimed their future endeavors. One wants to be an engineer, another is joining the armed forces and the other wishes to be a dentist. Soon the elementary students found themselves thinking about what they want to be and what the future holds.

Valentine's Day

Pastor Jim Sinclair gives his wife, Renee, roses at the Valentine's Day banquet.

All we need is love...and good food

PLAINS – Love was in the air Friday night at the annual Church on the Move Valentine’s Day banquet. Community members gathered in the service hall to enjoy the company of their friends and loved ones while dining on a delicious three-course meal.

Through with Chew week hits county

SANDERS COUNTY - New products from the tobacco industry threaten Montana with nicotine addiction and lives cut short by fatal illnesses, according to organizers of a weeklong campaign slated to begin Sunday, Feb. 16.

Candidates continue to file with courthouse

2014 Special District Candidates – Fire, Hospital and Conservation Districts

Trap Club scores

1. NRA: 0-353

Sanders County Arts Council offers incentives

SANDERS COUNTY – In a new initiative to get students writing more, the Sanders County Arts Council is now aiming to reward kids for putting pen to paper.

Review of "The Miracle Worker"

The Miracle Worker (In other words the story of Helen Keller) was one of the best performances by the Montana Repertory Theatre I myself have ever seen. I thought this because the story was easy to follow, it was all from the original script except they added projections of images (the most show were of what Helen was experiencing in her view point). Its cast was phenomenal. From what I observed at the Banquet, they all got along nicely and when forced with adopting a family mentality they pulled it off. I was particularly impressed with the manner they acted when faced with having no work with a blind character. It felt like a life style and raw emotion. And lastly it wasn’t amateurs doing this. These were very experienced and their acting skills were top notch. An example was Annie Sullivan played by Caitlin Mclae struggle to find some way to reach Helen and she made it feel like as if it were a real conflict you were looking down upon. No part of it felt forged.

Wednesday Nite Mixed League Bowling scores

Standings

Local boy works hard for his cattle

Thirteen-year-old Coby Guenzler has been a member of 4-H for three years but has been helping his parents on the farm for much longer. The Guenzlers raise Red Angus cattle and so far Coby has three animals he hopes will be ready for the fair season.

Superior wrestlers take third in Class C at state

SUPERIOR – At the Class B-C State Wrestling Tournament in Billings, the Superior wrestlers took third place as a Class C team as two of their members placed in individual weight classes.

Plains wrestling team

The Plains wrestlers hopped on a fire truck Thursday morning before heading to the State Tournament for a town-wide send off. With sirens blaring, the boys made their way down the main strip of Plains and to the awaiting bus that took them to Billings.

Sanders County wrestling teams compete at State

Thompson Falls basketball

Bluehawk Trais Hoisington attempts to shoot past a Bigfork player in their game Friday night.

Bluehawks beat out Noxon

THOMPSON FALLS – The Bluehawks met with a strong force on Friday as they went head to head with Bigfork. The boys were able to keep up until late in the competition, however, in the end it wasn’t enough.

Hot Springs basketball

Hot Springs Savage Heat player Nate Gray takes a shot in the Tuesday night game against the St. Regis Tigers.

Savage Heat sear St. Regis

HOT SPRINGS – The Savage Heat had their two final games of the regular season last week. They hosted the St. Regis Tigers Tuesday night which also happened to be Senior Night. Jarod White and Jimmy Holland received balloons and praise from the crowd for their high school achievements.

Trotter takeover

Noxon girls go on to District Tournament

NOXON – The Lady Red Devils pulled together to put up plenty of points on the board this week. Despite their efforts, the team was unable to pull out a win but the time on the court helped the team work on a few things before heading into tournament season.

Bobcats vs. St. Regis

Tiger Dakota Wickham rushes the Superior guards, headed by Bobcat Wyatt Zylawy, in his last game of the regular season.

Bobcats undefeated after St. Regis rivalry game

SUPERIOR – A victory against the St. Regis Tigers last week was key in bringing the Superior Bobcats to their first undefeated season in approximately 50 years.

Panthers look forward to district tournament games

ALBERTON – When the Alberton Panthers played against the Valley Christian Eagles they took a loss in their final game of the regular season.

Lady Tigers vs. Lady Bobcats

Lady Tiger Gabby Moeller looks for an opening around Superior players Hannah Hollenback, Jordan Mueller and Marissa Koke.

Lady Bobcats and Lady Tigers end season strong

SUPERIOR – In an intense rivalry game between Superior and St. Regis, it was clear the winner would be a cat; the only question was how long the tail would be. In the end, the Superior Lady Bobcats were inched out in the double overtime match up.

Lady Panthers prepare for district tournament

ALBERTON – After a hard battle, the Lady Panthers took a 40-point loss against the Valley Christian Lady Eagles on Thursday, Feb. 13.

Reiki attunements to be taught in Superior

SUPERIOR – On March 8, New Age beliefs and spiritual healing will come to Mineral County as classes in Reiki begin to be offered in Superior.

Humane Society clinic

Paul Hein explains after-care instructions to Robert and Shelly Edmunds for their dog, Marty. The couple took their dog to the spay and neuter clinic in Alberton.

Humane Society clinic fixes area dogs and cats

ALBERTON – The Alberton Public Schools played host to the Humane Society of Western Montana last weekend in an effort to curb the number of unwanted pet pregnancies through a spay and neuter clinic.

New dog spa opens for Mineral County pets

SUPERIOR – As Leslie Heppe prepared to leave her job as cook at the Superior Senior Citizen Center, she opened the Paw Spa to try her hand at running her own business.

Thompson Falls girls basketball

Madison Fitchett takes the ball into the paint during the girl's game against Bigfork.

Thompson Falls girls put up a fight

THOMPSON FALLS – The Lady Hawks saw a mixture of success and defeat last week in their games against Bigfork and Noxon.

Plains Horsemen basketball

James Rulison lays it up despite the Whitefish defenders in their game Thursday night.

Horsemen take on Class A teams

PLAINS – The Horsemen hosted two nonconference games this past week. They played the Whitefish Bulldogs on Thursday and the Frenchtown Broncs on Saturday. These were their last regular games of the season before the District Tournament.

Lady Savage Heat

Meara Schmiedbauer looks for an opening in the game against St. Regis.

Lady Savage Heat look forward to fresh start

HOT SPRINGS – The Lady Savage Heat hosted the St. Regis Lady Tigers Tuesday night. It was also senior night for Rosa Dolson, Amanda Woods, Alex Green, Laurel and Meara Schmiedbauer. The girls received flowers, stuffed animals and applause for their four years of achievement.

7-B District tournament schedule

Boy’s Schedule:

Noxon boys basketball

Sophomore Zach Osborne lines up a shot during an away game against Superior.

Noxon boys clear slate for tournament play

NOXON – The Red Devils put up a competitive front in last week’s games as they faced off two tough opponents. In their first game of the week, the boys went to Superior were they met the undefeated Bobcats.

An update from Rep. Ingraham

While February has a number of special days such as Ground Hog Day, Valentine’s Day, Presidents Day and, of course, a day set aside for the Super Bowl, it’s also a month in which we receive our W-2’s, 1099’s and tax forms. Just a reminder that income tax season has arrived, bringing with it bitter-sweet moments.

Local commissioner appointed to advisory council

SANDERS COUNTY – Sanders County Commissioner Carol Brooker was appointed to the Local Government Advisory Council in the Department of Revenue recently.

Mineral County Community Calendar

Road to Recovery

A Lady in the Woods

MINERAL COUNTY - A “Lady in the Woods” is the name of the quilt that the Cabin Fever Quilters Guild will be raffling off at the Mineral County Fair August 2, 2014. This quilt has 100 blocks that consist of over 5,200 pieces. The money raised from this raffle will be given to a local non-profit organization.

Wolf and lion seasons on par with last year's numbers

SANDERS COUNTY – Predators are high on the wish list as hunting seasons slowly winds to a close. Currently both mountain lion and wolf season are well underway with numbers on par from previous seasons.

Sanders County CASA to kick off

SANDERS COUNTY – The national program Court Appointed Special Advocates will soon have a branch in Sanders County. The plan is to join with the already established CASA in Lake County. The newest local CASA member, Marissa Ilac is passionate about the program and what they do.

SCAC seeks art submissions for show

SANDERS COUNTY ART CALL - Sanders County Arts Council is accepting applications for the Spring Show of “Art on the Walls” at the Clark Fork Valley Hospital. The show runs March 26 through June 24, 2014. Art for this juried show must be the original work of a Sanders County artist and be display-ready for hanging on a wall. Applications are due March 10, 2014. For applications or more information call 826-8585 or 826-0112.

Sanders County - 2nd Quarter Honor Roll

Dixon

Sanders County Court Report - Feb. 4-10

Sanders County Justice Court week of 2/4 to 2/10

Sanders County Community Calendar - Feb. 19

Open Gym at Plains

Mineral County Court Report - Feb. 7-14

Excerpt of the Mineral County Justice Court week of 2/7 to 2/14

Mineral County Community Calendar - Feb. 19

Road to Recovery

Helen Mead Johnson

Helen Mead Johnson went to meet her Lord and Savior on Friday, February 7, 2014, of natural causes.

Engagement: Nance & Davis

Mr. and Mrs. Prentiss Campbell of Plains, MT announce the union of their daughter, Ms. Kelli Nance, in holy matrimony to Mr. Dallas Davis, the son of Doug Davis and Dalyn Frazier. A July wedding is planned in Lonepine, MT

Syd Warbrick

April 7, 1932 ~ February 8, 2014

FWP announces 2014 fishing and hunting licenses

SANDERS COUNTY - Montana’s new 2014 hunting and fishing year begins March 1. Licenses are now on sale statewide.

Snowmobilers

The annual Poker Run was packed with snow and participants this year. In all, 168 riders took to the trial. 

Plains School Board decides on contractor

PLAINS – In a short meeting the Plains School Board wrapped up 50 years of work in a total of approximately seven minutes.

Chamber discusses upcoming events

HOT SPRINGS – The Chamber of Commerce gathered for their monthly meeting Thursday, February 6 to discuss upcoming projects and events.

Troy Mine works to recuperate after cave-in

SANDERS COUNTY - Revett Minerals Inc. is pleased to provide updated reserve and resource estimates as at year end 2013 suggesting a twelve year Life of Mine. The Company is also pleased to provide an update on underground development activities at the Troy Mine in northwestern Montana.

TRACS

Marcy Shermikas gives a young puppy some affection at her new job as manager-in-training with TRACS. 

TRACS animals receive extra TLC

THOMPSON FALLS – As one walks into Thompson River Animal Care Shelter they see puppies and kitties galore, each one lovingly cared for. It has a proud history of servicing animals in need and finding them new homes and doting owners.

Frozen pipes threaten to flood local homes

SANDERS COUNTY – The bitter cold left many members of the community in need of professional assistance this past week. Pipes were freezing left and right, sometimes with unfortunate consequences. Luckily, local handyman Bill Newman was ready to help.

Snowshoeing

Danice Thorne of Trout Creek takes her first step atop the wall of snow separating road from wilderness. 

Walking in a winter wonderland

THOMPSON FALLS – A line of cars cut through a sea of white that climbed higher and higher in elevation. The destination was a winter wonderland scene and the purpose was snowshoeing. Women band together to lace up their gear and embark on a journey through the Ponderosa Pines. The first step atop the fresh powder was invigorating and many followed.

Beef high

McGowan Grocery Butcher Keith Steinebach arranges the different cuts of beef. 

Record beef prices bring good and bad news

SANDERS COUNTY - Consumers may continue to opt for less expensive white meats like chicken and pork as cattle prices continue to rise. But while sticker shock affects shoppers in the grocery store, ranchers are in a position to turn a profit as the price for feeder cattle soars.

Blue collar, white collar

SANDERS COUNTY – The ongoing Great Recession began in December of 2007 and took a turn for the worse in September of 2008. The recession caused significant debt, limited prospects for growth and high levels of unemployment.

Thirty-five years in the making

PLAINS – The Savage Horsemen made history once again at the divisional tournament in Ronan. The team came in second place, with five champions and three more placers.

Up in the air

Bluehawk Dalton Hooten shoots over Aaron Baker's head in the rival game on Thursday, Feb. 6. 

Victory means more after defeat

PLAINS – The road to redemption was not paved for the Horsemen in their rivalry rematch against the Thompson Falls Bluehawks. Both teams were unrelenting in their quest for bragging rights. Viewers were on the edge of their seats throughout the neck and neck game.

Baller

Lady Savage Heat player Alex Green takes it to the net in a game against Plains last week. 

Noxon and Hot Springs both overcome adversity

NOXON – The Lady Savage Heat traveled across the county to compete against their rivals on the west end coming face to face with the Noxon Lady Red Devils on Thursday, February 6.

Bluehawks to take three wrestlers to Billings

THOMPSON FALLS – The Bluehawk wrestling team came home from the Divisional Tournament with a small taste of success. The team was able to place three wrestlers on Saturday, Feb. 8 in Ronan.

Wrestling

Bluehawk Colton Bray finished in third place at the Divisional Tournament. He wrestled Jake Lile of Plains-Hot Springs on Saturday. 

Clash

Savage Heat Tanner Hoff looks for an opening during the game against Plains last week. 

Class C clash

HOT SPRINGS – Bruised and battered, the Savage Heat boys battled through a weekend of Sanders County rivals. They played a non-conference game against the Plains Horsemen on Saturday night and also played Noxon, a team they will meet again soon at the district tournament.

Red Devils

Luke Crowe of Noxon begins to escape the grasp of his opponent during the Divisional Tournament.

Noxon's expectations reach high point

NOXON – The percentage of success was high for the Red Devil wrestling team as they placed 60 percent of their team during the Divisional Tournament in Ronan.

Trotter

Carley VonHeeder looks for an open teammate

Girls come head to head in battle

PLAINS – The Trotters and Lady Hawks battled for bragging rights Saturday night in the ultimate valley rivalry of Plains vs. Thompson Falls.

Janet Hanson

Janet Hanson is the former superintendent of the St. Regis school She recently put in her resignation and went on leave until the end of the school year

Superintendent makes resignation agreement

ST. REGIS – The St. Regis Schools ended up without leadership last week as Janet Hanson officially stepped down as superintendent of the school.

Application for Montana Land Grant signed by commissioners

SUPERIOR – A grant has become available through the state for counties who map local cemeteries. The way of getting these funds was discussed over several meetings of the Mineral County Commissioners.

Responders

Superior Volunteer Firefighters Cody Crusson and Mike Kenyon suit up as they prepare to enter a house to fight the fire within. The fire was called in late Sunday afternoon.

SVFD extinguishes blaze

SUPERIOR – The Superior Volunteer Fire Department was quickly able to extinguish a fire on Pine Street in Superior after responding to a call from dispatch late Sunday afternoon.

Choices for Change

Beth Price was on hand to greet visitors at the Choices for Change Counseling Center's open house in recognition of the center's 10 year anniversary. 

Superior counseling center reaches 10 years

SUPERIOR – A week-long celebration accompanied the tenth anniversary of Mineral County’s local counseling center as they hosted an open house for community members to get more information about their services.

Fish Creek comment period ends

SUPERIOR – The public comment period for the draft management plan on the Fish Creek State Park came to an end last week, ending the discussion on some of the controversial topics.

Buckle Up Montana spreads safety

It’s time to kiss the Blarney Stone!

Letter to the Editor: Welcome the vets

The Sanders County Fairgrounds Manager, Mike Hashisaki’s arrogance and his Vultures committee says it all . A would be Dictator and his unconcern for the welfare and help for some one thousand plus, Veterans who gave their time and risked their lives for what?? Makes us wonder as we see the arrogance of this Fair board and its would be Dictators, they have chosen to close the fair grounds for this years stand down, scheduled again for this coming May. To close the use of the fairgrounds to those Veterans is incomprehensible. Last year Hashisaki tried to close the inside seating area to the Veterans during meal times, we had a last minute reprieve on that. The local Ladies cook and serve the free meals , mostly donated by the local business people. Many drive long distances to attend this annual Veterans get together. Trust is zero with this Dictator and his followers. They have besmirched and dishonored Sanders County and all the residents of Plains Montana and they don’t even care. Truly on the outside looking in. I Renn Bodeker© a world war 11 Airborne Combat Veteran, see a horror story of power abuse and shyster rule. How and why have the people of Sanders County ever let one person and/or a committee dictate the welfare of so many. Why have you let it get so bad?? Its long past time for a complete change of County Commissioner’s. Read what agenda 21 and EPA has in store for you in the next three years. Who will undertake the sanitization, the clean out necessary to restore values, freedom and wealth creation back to Sanders County? Insist that the Fairgrounds Board welcome this years Veterans stand down with no cost. Call Mike Hashisaki, Carol Brooker, Glen Magera and Chris McGuigan.

Letter to the Editor: Reaction to letters

The two Dear Editor pieces in the Feb. 5th edition could not have been more opposite to one another. The first by Kathleen Hassan of Trout Creek was right on and I could add hundreds of more examples of where common sense has died and been replaced by “non-common sensible” comments as were made by John F. Middlemiss, Sr. also of Trout Creek.

Letter to the Editor: Veterans as taxpayers

To the citizens of Sanders County:

Letter to the Editor: IRS restricts speech

Dear Editor:

I work for you - an update from Senator Fielder

I believe one of the most important aspects of public service is listening to the people I serve and understanding what is important to you. American government derives its just powers from the consent of the governed. At least it is supposed to.

Brainstorming to bring possibilites to Mineral County

Hidey Ho Neighbor! As co-president of the Mineral County Chamber of Commerce for 2014, let me begin by first thanking the Mineral Independent for this space each month to share with you what your chamber is doing, has done and would like to do. If you’re not in business, we still want to reach out to you for your ideas, input and thoughts so please keep reading.

Bobcats take victories over Charlo and Noxon

SUPERIOR – After their originally scheduled game was cancelled, the Superior Bobcats took a powerful victory against Charlo in their make up game on Friday, Feb. 8.

Lapierre

Superior's Bridger Lapierre works on pinning a Eureka wrestler in semifinal action Saturday afternoon.

Superior wrestlers head to state competition

SUPERIOR – When the Superior wrestlers went to the Divisional Tournament in Ronan on Saturday, Feb. 8, all four members of the squad came away in top places.

Lady Tigers fight hard for two weekend victories

ST. REGIS – The Lady Tigers continued their winning streak last week with two home games against Two Eagle River and Darby.

Lady Tigers

Madison Hill aims a shot past a player from Darby during the Lady Tiger's home game against Darby on Saturday. 

Tigers

Brandon Managhan chases down a ball in the game against the Darby Tigers. 

St. Regis goes against Eagles and Tigers

ST. REGIS – The Tigers fought a hard battle during the game against Two Eagle River on Thursday.

Alberton girls take on Eagles

ALBERTON – As the Lady Panthers faced off against Drummond at home, they struggled against the Lady Trojan’s defense and ended in a loss.

Lady Bobcats fight hard against Charlo Lady Vikings

SUPERIOR – The Lady Bobcats took a 23 point loss on Friday when they went up against the Charlo Lady Vikings.

Panthers

David Stafford lunges to catch the ball during the Alberton home game against Drummond on Friday. The team played the Eagles again on Monday as a make up game. 

Panthers take on Eagles twice

ALBERTON – As the Lady Panthers faced off against Drummond at home, they struggled against the Lady Trojan’s defense and ended in a loss.

Smoke free fair

Peggy Stevens detailed a plan to possibly make this year's county fair smoke free during the commissioner's meeting.

Election rules name courthouse neutral ground

SUPERIOR – A ban on campaigning within the courthouse was just one thing discussed when the county department heads presented their monthly updates to the Mineral County Commissioners during their regular meeting.

LEPC members present updates

SUPERIOR – New safety precautions and emergency response procedures were discussed during the Local Emergency Preparedness Council’s meeting on Thursday, February 7.

Helen Mead Johnson

Mineral County community calendar

Dixon senior news

Sanders County court report

Elda E. (Richard) Greeno

Elda E. (Richard) Greeno was born July 10th, 1935 in Bisbee, North Dakota. She was one of six children born to Elnora “Elly” McLean and Fred Richard. Elda was baptized & confirmed in the Lutheran faith and received her formal education at Egeland, North Dakota.

Sanders County Community Calendar

Open Gym at Plains

James Myers death deemed suicide

SUPERIOR - The death of James Myers has been ruled a suicide.

'Get 'em Home!' campaign aids lost dogs

Jumping through hoops

Local agility dog is tops in the nation

TROUT CREEK - A Trout Creek terrier was the top agility dog of her breed in the nation in 2013, according to recently released statistics from the American Kennel Club (AKC).

CFVH works to reduce falls in older adults

PLAINS – Clark Fork Valley Hospital is reaching out to Sanders County residents with a free workshop called Stepping On. The workshop’s purpose is to help seniors prevent falls as they navigate their daily routines. The workshop will be held for two hours, every Tuesday, for seven weeks, at the Clark Fork Valley Hospital Conference Center (Building #1 on the Main Hospital Campus – at the end of Horizon Lane) beginning Tuesday, March 18th at 10:30 a.m. Contact CFVH Rehabilitation Services at 826-4821 to register or get more information.

CFVH receives grant for better health

PLAINS - Clark Fork Valley Hospital partnered with the Frontier Medicine Better Health Partnership through a grant to improve healthcare in Sanders County. The grant funding was made possible by the federal Affordable Care Act, the Center of Medicare and Medicaid Innovation which provided $1 billion in grant funding to projects that would aim to improve health outcomes and care and increase efficiencies while lowering total healthcare expenditures. There were over 3,000 applicants who applied for the funds and of them 700 were approved. The Frontier Medicine Better Health Partnership is comprised of 25 critical access hospitals throughout the state of Montana including CFVH.

Build it and they will come

Madplume

Melvin Madplume is led out of the Lake County Courthouse after being found guilty.

Madplume found guilty

POLSON - Melvin Madplume’s weeklong trial reached a conclusion on Saturday afternoon, when a jury found the Ronan defendant guilty of deliberate homicide and sexual intercourse without consent. Madplume, 30, stood accused of raping and killing his cousin, Laurence Kenmille, in a private room at Wild Horse Hot Springs, near the town of Hot Springs, last May.

Health center fights substance abuse with improved standards

SUPERIOR – Mineral Regional Health Center recently updated their policies to ensure a consistent protocol when dealing with controlled substances.

Smiling bright

Third grader Orion Plakke has his teeth examined by Dr. Andrew Ordelheide as Superior Elementary School worked with the Mineral County Department of Health to promote oral hygiene in the students.

Student pearly whites shine bright

SUPERIOR – The smiles of county students were made a little brighter last week as local dentists came to Superior Elementary School and St. Regis School to do free cleanings.

Superior Elementary grant

Superior Elementary School Principal Scott Kinney accepts a check from Town Pump store manager Heather Seaman as Joe Hummel and Tom Woody stand by as witnesses.

Superior Elementary school receives grant

SUPERIOR – For approximately the tenth year, Superior Elementary School was the recipient of the ExxonMobil Educational Alliance grant from Town Pump as a supplement to their math and science programs.

Snow plow

Batt Lulack busies himself with plowing the properties on Lynch Street in Plains on Monday. Lulack cleared a number of parking lots for local businesses.

Winter conditions cause school closure

SANDERS COUNTY – Blistering winds and buckets of snow hit Sanders County this week and bitter cold is soon to follow. These weather conditions, courtesy of Jack Frost, forced the Hot Springs schools to close early Monday.

Hot Springs Chinese New Year Festival 19

The Symes Hot Springs Hotel offered an Asian-themed menu including pork noodles and pot stickers.

Hot Springs Chinese New Year Festival 16

Numerous local volunteers take the dragon around downtown Hot Springs.

Hot Springs Chinese New Year Festival 15

Bella Ilac, Vivian Lazaro and Nevaeh Bowen lead the way for the dragon waving their red and gold pom-poms through the air and smiling.

Hot Springs Chinese New Year Festival 14

Robert Dobrovolny and Paul Stelter took turns holding the heavy paper maché dragon head as they marched up and down Main Street.

Hot Springs Chinese New Year Festival 12

Little Bella Ilac plays in the snow in front of the dragon before the parade starts.

Hot Springs Chinese New Year Festival 9

Numerous local volunteers brave the cold and snow to hoist the handmade dragon over their heads and guide it down Main Street.

Hot Springs Chinese New Year Festival 4

The Hot Springs drum circle gathered together to add a musical element to the Chinese New Year celebration.

Hot Springs Chinese New Year Festival 3

Caitlyn Myton and Seaerra Denny help provide music for the dragon's dance.

Hot Springs Chinese New Year Festival 2

Courtney Subatch lays out chopsticks in the dining room of the Symes Hot Springs Hotel.

Hot Springs Chinese New Year Festival 1

Noble Barber joined in on the parade that took over downtown Hot Springs for the Year of the Horse festival. Barber was one of many who followed the dragon through the streets.

Health Center

Monte Turner and Kassidi Scott play a game at the Mineral Regional Health Center's health coverage fair at the Superior ambulance facility.

Health center raises awareness of coverage options

SUPERIOR – The outreach staff of Mineral Regional Health Center held a health fair Saturday, February 1, to encourage the community to seek out health coverage.

St. Regis FFA holds auction to honor troops

ST. REGIS - St. Regis FFA Chapter has been working hard on building a garden or storage shed with help from Mr. Braaten’s carpentry class. We plan to auction it off February 8, 2014 during our Darby home game. We are also building picnic tables from the old bleachers that were in the gym; they will be auctioned as well.

Another candidate files for 2014 race

MINERAL COUNTY – A new candidate has entered the race of the 2014 elections as the entry deadline approaches.

Buckle Up Kangaroo

Jackson Muller, Tana Lawrence, Gannon Quinlan, Turner Milender, Karina Pearce, Josie Crabb, Koda Jones and Carson Toivonen gather around Bug-a-boo, the Buckle Up Kangaroo. The kids learned about seats and seat belts during the Buckle Up Montana event.

Mineral County Jail discovers security breach

SUPERIOR – The Mineral County Sheriff’s Office recently discovered a security breach at the Mineral County Jail as an inmate drilled a hole into the window of one of the cells.

Unusual ticket raises questions

MINERAL COUNTY – In a recent Mineral County Justice Court report, an unusual entry was listed as a ticket given to a driver for not speaking English.

Letters to the Editor - Feb. 5, 2014

Dixon Pennies for Patients

Dixon Elementary School students Izabell Lorentine and Abigail Wagner put change into their class donations box for the charity Pennies for Patients.

Dixon donates to Pennies for Patients

DIXON – Dixon Elementary School will be devoting the month of February to raising money for the national charity Pennies for Patients. The charity raises funds for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Holiday of Hearts raises money for sheriff's relief fund

HERON – With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, the spirit of love is in the air. While people are planning their perfect date night, one Heron couple has bigger plans.

I Love to Read month

First graders Matthew Wyatt and R.J. Butler read together during their "stop, drop and read" time.

To fall in love with reading

Chris Borntreger

Chris Borntreger talks to employees and customers as he slices homemade Amish bread in the back of the local deli that he manages along with wife, Lydia.

Breaking free

Chris Borntreger tells story of Amish past and present gifts

Horsemen basketball

Horsemen Aaron Baker attempts to score inside the paint in the game against Deer Lodge.

Quest for redemption

Lady Hawks basketball

Thompson Falls Lady Hawk Shey Hannum jumps to shoot past a Troy player.

Lady Hawks glide past Troy

THOMPSON FALLS – The Lady Hawks only played one game last week but they played it well.

The thrilling three-pointer

Superior girls basketball

Sierra Bruning evades Hot Springs players as she dribbles the ball to the basket at the Lady Bobcat's Saturday home game.

Superior girls victorious against Hot Springs

SUPERIOR – After their first game last week was cancelled, the Superior Lady Bobcats came back for a 33-point victory in their game against Hot Springs.

Lady Tigers basketball

Pilar Cantrell-Field dribbles the ball as she looks over her shoulder to check on the Noxon players pursuing her.

Lady Tigers take victory at home and defeat away

ST. REGIS – The St. Regis Lady Tigers went 1:1 last week as they faced off against the Noxon Lady Red Devils and the Arlee Lady Scarletts.

Bobcats basketball

Jarrod Tippens and Clint Voll lunge for the rebound during their game in Thompson Falls on Tuesday, January 28.

Bobcats continue undefeated winning streak

SUPERIOR – The Superior Bobcats took two victories last week at their away games against Thompson Falls and Hot Springs.

Wrestlers prepare for divisional tournament

SANDERS COUNTY – With the divisional tournament right around the corner, Sanders County wrestling teams are hitting the mats hard in preparation of the competition.

Noxon basketball

Red Devil Tanner Tammaro looks for an opening in his opponent's defense.

Red Devils continue to put up tough front

NOXON – The Red Devils played two strong games this week and continue to work on their goal of putting a full game together.

Thompson Falls basketball

Greg Wadsworth looks for an open teammate during the game against Superior.

Bluehawks almost take out undefeated foe

THOMPSON FALLS – The Bluehawks fought long and hard against their undefeated rivals on Tuesday, January 28, just barely falling behind in the second half.

Lady Red Devils basketball

Lady Red Devil Kristin Webley prepares to put the ball back into play in the away game against St. Regis on Tuesday.

Lady Red Devils take on hefty competition

NOXON – The Lady Red Devils continue to grow and come together as a team with each and every game they play.

Superior wrestlers prepare for divisionals

SUPERIOR – The Superior wrestling team got some time off last week after circumstances caused the Thompson Falls and Plains tournaments to be cancelled.

Panthers play through adversity in two games

ALBERTON – The Alberton Panthers saw two defeats when they played at home against Seeley-Swan and in Lincoln.

Tigers basketball

St. Regis Tiger Dakota Wickham prepares to dart around two Noxon players during a home game.

Tigers struggle through week of Warriors and Devils

ST. REGIS – The St. Regis Tigers took two defeats in their games last week when they played against the Noxon Red Devils and the Arlee Warriors.

Lady Panthers show improvement after weekend

ALBERTON – The Lady Panthers ran into problems fighting the defense of Seeley-Swan during their home game on Friday, January 31.

Trotters find their stride in game against Eureka

PLAINS – The Trotters had a challenging weekend of games. They traveled with the Horsemen to Eureka in order to compete against the Lions. The night before, they were faced with the daunting task of taking on the No. 2 ranked team in the state, Deer Lodge.

Lady Savage Heat basketball

Lady Savage Heat Alex Green dribbles the ball while she looks for an open teammate in the game against Superior.

Lady Savage Heat fight through injuries

HOT SPRINGS – The Lady Savage Heat met the Lady Bobcats at Superior Friday night and then traveled to Seeley to play against the Lady Blackhawks on Saturday.

Sanders County Senior News

Dixon

Genevieve Catherine Emerson

Born – August 7, 1937

Carol Livingston

DEATH NOTICE - Carol Livingston, 92, of Hot Springs, MT passed away Monday, January 27, 2014 at her home in Hot Springs. Memorial Services will be held Thursday, February 6th at 1 pm at the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Hot Springs. Sunset Hills Funeral Homes are in charge of arrangements. Friends and family may express condolences online at sunsethillsfuneralhomes.com.

Dana Lynn Baxter

Dana Lynn Baxter, 58, of Arlee, was called home on Friday, January 31, 2014.

Sanders County Community Calendar - Feb. 5

Open Gym at Plains

Vehicle fire

On Friday, January 31, Plains-Paradise Rural Fire Department responded to a fire in a privately owned field off Highway 28 between mile markers three and four. A vehicle had caught fire but the fire department stopped the flames from spreading.

Forest Service gives update to commissioners

SUPERIOR – The Forest Service’s latest projects and fire risks for this summer were one of the main topics of discussion at the weekly county commissioner’s meeting.

Getting to the big screen

Alberton local Abe Kurien takes a moment for a picture on location near Helena during the filming of an independent film.

Local Alberton man reaches the big screen

ALBERTON – A Mineral County resident recently reached new career heights as a film he worked on premiered across the state.

Winter roads present danger to area drivers

MINERAL COUNTY – Last week saw several days of nearly continuous snowfall, which left the roads slick with slush and ice.

Substitute judge Sharkey awaits training waiver

MINERAL COUNTY – Rumors of Judge Doug Sharkey being fired have been refuted by the Mineral County Commissioners and Mineral County District Court personnel.

County students discover healthcare careers

SUPERIOR - On Wednesday, February 5, St.Regis High School and Alberton High School students will take part in a R.E.A.C.H. program hosted by Mineral Community Hospital. On the consecutive Wednesday, Superior High School students will attend an identical program. R.E.A.C.H., which stands for Research and Explore Awesome Careers in Healthcare, was developed by the Montana Area Health Education Center in 2007. The Western Montana Area Health Education Center (WMT-AHEC) R.E.A.C.H. program provides an opportunity for students to have hands-on exposure to latest equipment, practices, and procedures in the healthcare industry. Students will spend the morning at Mineral Community Hospital (MCH), working in teams, rotating through a variety of departments, where MCH professionals will provide a close-up view of job duties, daily practice, policy and procedures, and explain the education and training required for their positions.Larry Putnam, Mineral Community Hospital CEO and hospital staff are choreographing the day’s events to include student visits to Radiology, Physical Therapy, Respiratory Therapy, Lab, Surgery and ER.

Assembly of God facelift

Ginger Deronneback and Pastor Rick Lewis secure the new sign to the facade of the Assembly of God church.

Assembly of God church to reopen after facelift

SUPERIOR - The Superior Assembly of God Church has gotten two fine facelifts which will be celebrated and dedicated Feb. 9, 10:30 a.m. at the church (500 2nd Ave. East).

Mineral County Court Report - Jan. 24-31

Mineral County Justice Court week of 1/24 to 1/31

Mineral County Community Calendar - Feb. 5, 2014

Road to Recovery