Ellington

Telephone Pole

The large truck hit the telephone pole as it turned onto Kruger Road. 

Tractor-Trailer hits telephone pole in Plains

PLAINS – Afternoon traffic on Montana Highway 200 near the entrance of Kruger Road was slowed down by a traffic accident involving a tractor-trailer hauling a large load and a telephone pole late Thursday afternoon.

Court report

An excerpt from the Mineral County court report week of July 18 to July 24

Burn Preparations

Jake Bauer looks for the next tree to cut down during a fuel operation by the Forest Service.

Forest Service works on land projects

MINERAL COUNTY – While the Forest Service waits for the next fire to fight in Mineral County, they have been staying busy working on a variety of projects that look to the future of forest management.

Tarkio Reunion

Former Tarkio school teacher Jeane Heller, right, greets her former student Jackie Robb. The two hadn't seen each other in 73 years.

Reunion 73 years later

TARKIO – Jackie Robb still remembers the one room schoolhouse in Tarkio where she learned reading, writing and arithmetic at the instruction of her teacher, Jeane Heller.

Airport to get pilot lounge

SUPERIOR – The only airport left in Mineral County will be getting new facilities and improvements to existing ones in the near future after county commissioners signed off on the improvement plans on Friday, July 25.

Fairgrounds

County commissioners listen to Dave Brink of the Mineral County Extension Office explain the fairground's needs.

Fairgrounds in need of a makeover

SUPERIOR – All three county commissioners took a field trip to the Mineral County Fairgrounds prior to their meeting last Friday to hear from Mineral County Extension Office representatives what can be done to improve the facility for the future.

Commissioners start work on budget

MINERAL COUNTY - The arduous task of deciding how much money Mineral County will have in the next fiscal year and how the money will be spent began last Friday during the county commissioner’s meeting in Superior.

Forest Service conducts land management projects

Jake Bauer works a chainsaw during one of the Forest Service's land management projects west of Superior.

Railroad

A spark from the rail grinder above ignited a small fire on several of the railway's railroad ties. The railroad crews on site were able to extinguish the fire a few minutes after it started using their safety equipment.

Small fire quickly extinguished on railroad tracks

PARADISE – With the fire danger in Sanders County raised to very high after several days of hot and dry weather, a small rail fire broke out in Paradise around 3 p.m. on Wednesday.

Bass Tournament

Anglers head out on Noxon Reservoir in the early morning hours of this weekend at the Tri-State Bass Tournament.

Bass anglers compete in Trout Creek

TROUT CREEK – Boats roared to life across Noxon reservoir over the weekend as anglers from all over the northwest flocked to Trout Creek to compete in the annual Tri-State Bass Tournament.

Summer basketball comes to a close

HOT SPRINGS – The sharp squeaks of sneakers and the hard crash of rebounds careening off the boards could be heard at the gymnasium in Hot Springs during the open gym sessions.

Ranch Run

Hayden Griffith jumps over a hay bale during the Naegeli Ranch Run on Saturday in Thompson Falls.

Runners clear obstacles at Naegeli Ranch Run

THOMPSON FALLS – Runners had to compete with a variety of obstacles at the Naegeli Ranch Run, jumping over hay bales and splashing through a creek to get to the finish line.

Volleyball

Kara Altmiller participates in a drill during the final session of the summer volleyball camp.

Trotters volleyball team wraps up camp

PLAINS – Volleyballs shot from one end of the gym to the other as the Trotters geared up for their upcoming fall season last week.

Six Piranhas advance to state meet

FORT BENTON – The Plains Piranhas stormed through this year’s divisional swimming meet, sending multiple swimmers to the state competition next weekend.

Art to fill Paradise School

PARADISE – The hallways of Paradise Elementary School will be filled once again, but this time it won’t be with students.  

Grant money helps complete Playground

Sidney Jackson helps her mother Carmen distribute wood chips around the new playground at Hot Springs Elementary School.

Public library to host exhibit

MINERAL COUNTY - The Mineral County Public Library will host a five-panel exhibit which chronicles the civic political history of women in Montana. The exhibition will open at the Mineral County Fair on Thursday, July 31, and remain open through Saturday, Aug. 2.

First commissioners

The first Mineral County Commissioners from left to right, Eugene Keesey, Frank Leudke and William T. Thorn. 

Mineral County to turn 100 years old

MINERAL COUNTY – As Mineral County gets set to celebrate its 100th anniversary, centennial event organizers are hoping more people will show up to participate in the event scheduled for the afternoon of Aug. 3.

MHP with dogs

Montana Highway Patrol officers stand with some of the new K-9 units that will patrol Mineral County and Montana. 

K-9 units to patrol Mineral County

MINERAL COUNTY – A new type of Montana Highway Patrol unit will be helping local law enforcement stem the flow of illegal drugs on the Interstate 90 corridor that runs through Mineral County.

DNRC rep visits county commissioners

SUPERIOR - A representative with the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation met with county commissioners last Friday to have them approve the updated fire management plan for Mineral County.

Mineral County Community Calendar

Road to Recovery

Hummingbird at rest

A hummingbird rests its wings near Superior.

Football

Superior starting quarterback Wyatt Zylawy, left, and guard Aaron Kelly say the team is ready to get to work on the 2014-15 season. 

Superior Bobcats ready to get started

SUPERIOR – As the Superior Bobcats football team gets ready for their first official practice in mid-August, players on the team are expecting to surpass the respectable results they achieved last year.

Paid in America

Second amendement laws under consideration for 2015

Class of 1964

The Class of 1964 stands with their former adviser Alan McCoy and their former music director Gerald Larson. 

Matthias Maute

World famous Matthias Maute will be offering a free recorder workshop on July 28.

Free recorder class offered

PARADISE - The Montana Baroque Music Festival will be offering a free recorder workshop given by world famous Matthias Maute at Quinn’s Hot Springs Resort on Monday, July 28 at 2:30 p.m., to budding recorder player students. Those interested should bring their recorders.

Four locations fail compliance checks in Sanders County

SANDERS COUNTY - The Sanders County DUI Task Force, in partnership with local law enforcement agencies and Elevate Youth Coalition have conducted many compliance checks this summer.

School board listens to grievance hearing

PLAINS – The Board of Trustees met on Thursday, July 17, to take part in a grievance hearing filed by former English and Spanish teacher Melissa Martin.

Homestead

Renn Bodecker of Paradise hopes to regain the rights to his home following a lengthy court battle.

Bodecker experiences slight victory on homestead

PARADISE – Renn Bodecker, a World War II veteran and Sanders County resident, experienced a slight victory in court after battling to regain the rights to his home for the past several years. That victory was later thwarted with an appeal.

Cool Summer Nites

John Hamill stands by his 1966 Ford Fairlane at the Tenth Annual Cool Summer Nites Car, Truck and Bike Show over the weekend.

Cool Summer Nites rolls to Trout Creek

TROUT CREEK – Powerful engines roared and sharp paint jobs glittered in the afternoon sunlight as Trout Creek hosted the annual Cool Summer Nites Car, Truck and Bike Show.

Glacier Chorale

Micah Hunter, who was born in Hot Springs, will lead Glacier Chorale for its 2014-15 concert season.

Hunter to lead Glacier Chorale for 2014-15 concert season

HOT SPRINGS - The Glacier Symphony and Chorale announces that Micah Hunter who grew up in Hot Springs, will lead the 80-voice Glacier Chorale for its 2014-15 concert season. Hunter is only the third conductor for the 32-year-old symphony organization and he replaces James Stanard, who retired at the end of May.

Chicken Jamboree

Don Burrell of the Community Christians Men's Prayer Group marinates the grilled chicken with barbecue sauce at the annual jamboree.

Jamboree grills through the afternoon

THOMPSON FALLS – The sweet smells of barbecue sauce and grilled chicken filled the air in Thompson Falls as 465 pounds of chicken was grill up for the annual Chicken Jamboree.

Training

Gregory Hanson, the CEO and president of Clark Fork Valley Hospital, walks medical resident Nicole Russell through the correct process of how to intubate a young child.

Residents train at CFVH

PLAINS – You are called to attend an emergency C-Section of a 26 week infant with an estimated fetal weight of 1900 grams. The mother has a history of high blood pressure, unbearable headaches and has been diagnosed with pre-eclampsia. What would you do?

Search and rescue operations suspended

SANDERS COUNTY – The search and rescue crew was suspended for one day pending the update of paperwork and rosters.

Construction continues despite budget shortfalls

SANDERS COUNTY – The Federal Highway Trust Fund, which has served as the main route of federal funding to highway projects throughout the nation since the early 1990s, is running out of money putting the future of transportation projects at risk.

Flocking in the name of Lulack

PLAINS – In memory of a long-standing member of the community and one of the backbones of the Plains Woman’s Club, the club is coming together to raise funds by flamingos in the name of Louise Lulack.

Class of 64 reunites with a mission

PLAINS – After 50 years, the graduating class of 1964 was once again reunited, sparking old memories and sharing laughs of reflection, while brainstorming ways to better the P Hill.

Simply Neonatal Resuscitation Program

Medical residents Tim Ochoa and Justin Perry help regulate a model baby's breathing, while Mike Druschel keeps track of time.

FWS official bravely fights the tide

A top federal wildlife official’s call to withdraw a proposal to protect wolverines under the Endangered Species Act because of the supposed threat of climate change is a welcome breeze of common sense.

An update from Rep. Ingraham

In 2009 the Montana Legislature implemented the Emergency Medical Services Grant Program to help emergency medical service providers in many of Montana’s rural areas.  The rural providers found they have difficulty in funding the community based services which are a critical component of Montana’s health care system.  

West Mullan Fire

A tanker aircraft works the West Mullan Fire last year.

West Mullan: A look back

SUPERIOR - This time last year near Superior, the West Mullan Fire was threatening homes, businesses, people and property as it inched closer and closer to Superior during the time from July 14 to July 25 when it was declared extinguished.

Hearth

The hearth pictured was used by Chinese settlers who lived in Mineral County for warmth and cooking.

Remnants of Chinese heritage evident

MINERAL COUNTY - Evidence of a 19th century Chinese settlement still exists in Mineral County but local historians want the site to remain largely a secret to preserve its integrity.

Montanans urged to buckle up

MINERAL COUNTY - Summer in Montana.  Few things are as enjoyable as the freedom of driving the beautiful Montana roadways in the summer to a favorite destination.  And while the drive may be enjoyable even liberating; a Montana driver’s summer pathways may be characterized by a greatly increased number of other drivers.  

Passport in Time

Volunteers with the Passport in Time program trim weeds around seedlings planted by area school children.

Volunteers help restore historical site

HAUGAN - Participants with the Passport in Time program, a volunteer archeology and historic preservation program through the Forest Service, were in Mineral County last week to help repair and maintain a facility that helped restore the area’s forests after a legendary fire destroyed them.

Railroad Day

Zoe Fisher makes a new friend during the Railroad Day celebration on Saturday.

Railroad Day takes Alberton by storm

ALBERTON - The celebration known as Railroad Day stormed like a runaway locomotive into Alberton on Saturday featuring a full day of activities and performances designed to celebrate the town’s railroad heritage.  

MRL responds to county

A representative from Montana Rail Link was in Superior on Friday July 11 to answer Mineral County Commissioner’s questions about why it took them nearly three hours to notify county officials about a train derailment.

Insurance company refuses to renew

One Mineral County couple is being denied renewal of their homeowner insurance policy because the carrier says they live in a “high wildfire risk area.”

Charles E. "Chuckie" Clinkenbeard

Charles E. “Chuckie” Clinkenbeard passed away in the loving arms of his friends and family on Sunday, July 20, 2014 at St. Patrick Hospital, due to complications from sepsis.  Chuckie lived and loved in a way that made everyone he came in contact with feel blessed. The impact he had on those around him was immeasurable. He was not the kind of man to tell you what you wanted to hear, but what you needed to hear, yet in a way that left no sting because it was always backed by love. He was generous with his worldly belongings and his love, but most of all, he was generous with his time. Despite suffering enormous medical challenges, he never complained or felt sorry for himself. Instead, he focused on what he could do for others. This world was a better place with him in it.

Forest Service

A Forest Service helicopter flies toward a small fire burning in Mineral County last weekend.

Forest Service stays busy

MINERAL COUNTY - There may have only been two small fires in Mineral County as a result of a lightning storm last Monday night but that doesn’t mean Forest Service personnel aren’t remaining vigilant.

Railroad Day rolls through

Judy Wheat drives her team of mules in the Railroad Day parade on Saturday in Alberton.

Creating balloon animals

Grant Applehans busied himself at the Chicken Jamboree in Thompson Falls by making balloon animals for the kids in attendance. 

Whitcomb

Danika Whitcomb performs the backstroke at an earlier swim meet this season. 

FWP seeks applicants for Region One CAC

SANDERS COUNTY - Over the past month, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) has solicited for volunteer applicants to fill four slots on the Region One Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC). The CAC is in its 19th year and was established to provide input and guidance to FWP from the public. This is a general advisory committee that works with FWP on all issues and programs. The Committee is advisory in nature and does not have decision-making responsibilities.

Chautauqua gets read to take over Hot Springs

HOT SPRINGS - The new old time Chautauqua is three days of fun for the entire family. The event starts on Sunday, July 27 and runs through Tuesday, July 29.

Travis Ray, Jr. and Trevor Robert Fitchett

Sanders County court report

Sanders County Justice Court from 7/8 to 7/14.

Dixon senior news

Dixon

Sanders County community calendar

Open Gym at Plains

Locals bring Missoula Marathon to life

MISSOULA – Distance runners from across Montana and from several states poured into Missoula for the city’s annual marathon in the heart of western Montana.

Barrel race

Ryley Knutson from Polson competes in the barrel racing event. 

Junior rodeo hits Sanders County Fairgrounds

PLAINS – Dust kicked off the group in puffs and the rain came down in a slight drizzle for a junior rodeo held at the Sanders County Fairgrounds over the weekend.

Piranhas bite down on competition in C. Falls

COLUMBIA FALLS – The Plains Piranhas cranked out laps and shaved seconds off their times as the swim team spent the weekend in Columbia Falls.

State champ

Barry Gilpin recently returned from the State Trap Shoot in Great Falls with a first place win. 

Shooting for the stars: Gilpin takes first at state

Work requires slow speeds in Mineral County

MINERAL COUNTY - The Montana Department of Transportation is getting ready for a busy season of construction and maintenance work on the 10,800 miles of roads and highway the department maintains.

History buffs take a walk

MINERAL COUNTY - Fourteen ardent Mullanites joined Jim Cyr to see a portion of the Mullan Military Road at Sohon Pass July 9. The road was constructed 1859-1862 by about 250 military and civilian workers. The total mileage was 624 miles from Fort Walla Walla, Washington Territory to Fort Benton, Nebraska Territory taking fourteen months, May 1859 to August 1860.

Physician says more resources needed

MINERAL COUNTY - A study conducted by the National Alliance on Mental Illness stated in 2010, 39,000 adults live with serious mental illness in the state of Montana and the public mental health system in the state only provides care to about 43 percent of them.

Mineral County Community Calendar

Road to Recovery

Coalition

Coalition members met last Thursday to review the details of the trip. From left to right: Larry Wadsworth, Lisa Wadsworth, Mary Furlong, Amy Cheesman, Ashley Cheesman, Jessica Peterson, Jena Peterson, Chuck Standeford.

Elevate Youth teens look to make a difference

SANDERS & MINERAL COUNTIES - Next week three teens representing the Elevate Youth Coalition will begin their journey to sunny Orlando Florida, not on a leisure trip but a working trip to learn the ins and outs of drug and alcohol prevention, planning and community development from a teens perspective.

Fourteenth annual quilt show to be held

MINERAL COUNTY - “Lady of the Woods” will be the fourteenth annual quilt show held by the Cabin Fever Quilters of Mineral County on Friday and Saturday, August 1 and 2.

Winding up

Jason Frost makes contact during one of the games in the annual S & S and Nugget Lounge Softball Tournament in Superior last weekend. 

Class to teach lessons in fowl

SUPERIOR - A class to take place before the Mineral County Fair which starts August 3 will be designed to educate the public about why they should take an interest in the care and raising of fowl.

Annual softball tournament invades Superior

SUPERIOR - Two softball teams from Mineral County competed in the annual S & S Foods and Nugget Lounge Softball Tournament and while they didn’t come away with the winner’s trophy, they did gain experience they can bring to next year’s tourney.

Taking the shot

Morgan Sharp of the Superior Lady Bobcats lets loose a three-pointer against Mullan last Tuesday.

Lady Bobcats aim high at season end

SUPERIOR - The Lady Bobcats have been playing against what Coach Jeff Schultz considers some of the toughest competition in the area and it’s all in preparation for an upcoming tournament this weekend.

4-H Congress

Rachel Worrall, Mahala Sweet, Tanna Cole, Josh Wulfekuhle, Logan Naegeli, Austin Newman, Kaitlyn Havens and Abby Croft represented Sanders County in Bozeman at the 4-H Congress.

Locals head to 4-H Congress

SANDERS COUNTY – The next generation of leaders had an opportunity to show off their skills as they attended the Montana 4-H Congress in Bozeman.

Search and rescue called for missing person in river

PLAINS – Sanders County Search and Rescue was called to the bridge near the fairgrounds on Sunday, July 12 for a boater who had been missing in the river for 15-20 minutes. The call came in shortly after 6 p.m.

Federal funds made available for Sanders County

SANDERS COUNTY- Local parks and outdoor recreation facilities may receive a shot in the arm earlier this week following an announcement by Gov. Steve Bullock.

SCCFF receives grant for 40K

THOMPSON FALLS – Recently a local organization benefited from a grant that aims to help prevent juvenile delinquency, violence against women and children, while also providing funding for regional drug task forces.

Fire Danger

The Plains/Thompson Falls Ranger District upgraded their fire danger to moderate last week. 

County fire danger hits moderate level

SANDERS COUNTY – With a second consecutive week of high temperatures and not much precipitation predicted from forthcoming weather forecasts, many areas of the county have started to severely dry out.

TRACS prepares for renovations, upgrades

THOMPSON FALLS – There’s a popular saying that states volunteers are not paid, not because they are worthless, but because they are priceless.

Side-Kicks and Piranhas raise funds

Danika Whitcomb, a member of the Plains Piranhas churns out laps during the swim team's fundraiser on Thursday evening.

Court records

Excerpt from the Mineral County Justice Court.

Community calendar

Road to Recovery

Looking back

A few years back I was in an old working class neighborhood of Great Falls, walking down tree lined avenues that must have been something a few years back. But now the houses needed paint and lots of other things besides. Most of the residents seemed to have lived there for some time, and as I walked along I realized that once upon a time, this had been the realization of the Great American Dream for these folks; a secure job, their own house, a pretty yard, maybe even a flower garden. Not a lot to ask out of life. Not then, anyway, and now it was fading away.

Comments sought on hunting and fishing license fee increases, land and water control; An update from Senator Fielder

Last week the legislative interim committees I am assigned to held three days of public hearings on a number of environmental issues including Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks’ (FWP) proposal to increase hunting and fishing license fees, ongoing analysis of the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) Water Compact, the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) new rule seeking increased federal control over state waters,  and a draft report on SJ-15 Montana’s study of federal land management.

Letters to the Editor; Council lacks integrity

The water issue in our town and many and many others is a hot topic. I’m not here to debate for or against our water rates, but there is one part that is not being brought to the attention of the public. When big government puts regulation onto a business, or in our case a city ordinance, it is just a kind way to say tax. The city wants a commercial rate on the businesses, our own mayor said at a public works meeting this winter, he didn’t care if we (the city) charged a higher rate to the businesses because you can run it onto your customers anyway. Councilman Carl Reeb said and I quote, “I would rather have 50 pissed off business owners in here (city hall) then 500 pissed off residents, besides most of you don’t live in town and can’t vote for me anyway. Hahaha.”

Letters to the Editor; Revamp P Hill

I grew up in a home at the base of the P Hill in the 1950’s/60’s.  My memories of this landmark letter “P” are etched in my mind.  I can remember seeing the “P” every day of my 12 years of school in Plains and driving east to Plains in those days one would see was that famous “P”, stark against a brown or green hillside.  Sadly, I looked upon the “P” hill as I came into Plains several months ago from my home in Missoula, and was shocked at the extremely pathetic “P”.  What a disgrace for the town of Plains and the high school!  The organizing committee for the 50th anniversary (Class of 1964) also commented on this very poor representation of our town/school and felt something needed to be done.

Relay For Life

A water fight breaks out at the Relay For Life in Superior.

Relay For Life raises money for cancer research

SUPERIOR - Area residents gathered at the Superior High School track Friday night to honor lives lost in the fight against cancer and those who have survived or are currently fighting the battle.

Firewood permits granted to county residents, roads open

MINERAL COUNTY - Residents wishing to harvest firewood from the Lolo National Forest can do so in certain locations and in accordance with the Forest Service permitting process.

Group pushes for land management

SUPERIOR - A natural resource advocacy group in Mineral County is working to put the economy of the area back on track and they are getting some help from people in high places.

Historians search for the original Mullan Road

SUPERIOR - One local historian is trying to raise awareness of a historically significant aspect of Mineral County and in the process give the man who helped build it the recognition she thinks he deserves.

Relay For Life held in Superior

Amanda Gramata, left, and Nancy Acheson release balloons during the Relay For Life in Superior on Friday.

Planting independence

Orion Pry-Hyde helps hammer in flags for the Field of Flags displayed on the Plains greenway.

Fourth quarter Hot Springs Honor Roll

Seventh grade

Michael A. Peters

Michael A. Peters

Sanders County community calendar

Open Gym at Plains

Sanders County court records

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

Faith Lynn Stewart

PLAINS – Faith Lynn Stewart was born on June 2, 2014 at 5:07 a.m. at Clark Fork Valley Hospital. She weighed 7 pounds and 15 ounces and was 22 inches long. Parents are Acacia and Beau Stewart of Thompson Falls. Maternal grandparents are Lynne and Orville Eaton of Trout Creek. Paternal grandparents are Pat and Darrin Baker of Thompson Falls. Great-grandparents are Rosemary and Walter Borgmann and Patty and Clyde Baker.

Cody James Albano

PLAINS – Cody James Albano was born on July 3, 2014 at 5:48 a.m. at Clark Fork Valley Hospital He weighed 8 pounds and ½ an ounce and was 21 inches long. Parents are Tasha and Seth Albano of Thompson Falls. Maternal grandparents are Robert and Lisa Young of Thompson Falls. Paternal grandparents are Doug and Laura Albano of Thompson Falls.

Erica Nicole Giffin

PLAINS – Erica Nicole Giffin was born on June 3, 2014 at 2:01 a.m. at Clark Fork Valley Hospital. She weighed 7 pounds and 4.5 ounces and was 22.5 inches long. Parents are Kyli LeeAnne and Nicholas Eric Giffin of Thompson Falls. Maternal grandparents are John Cox of Oregon and Christie Cox and Scott Yaw of Washington. Paternal grandparents are Charles and Jennifer Giffin of Morgan Hill, Ca. Great-grandparents are Mikki Jackson of Oregon and Wanita Parker of Crescent City, Ca.

Commissioners receive quarterly wildlife update

Thompson Falls joins Main Street Montana program

THOMPSON FALLS – The future for the downtown area of Thompson Falls looks bright following a recent announcement by the Montana Department of Commerce.

Chamber meets

The Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce held their monthly meeting on Thursday, July 10. 

Hot Springs chamber preps for events

HOT SPRINGS – Preparing for the final events of the summer and reflecting upon the season’s earlier events, the town of Hot Springs held its annual chamber of commerce meeting last week.

Swimming laps

Hondo Ryan swims laps for the annual fundraiser to benefit the Piranhas swim team. 

Side-Kicks and Piranhas swim for funds

PLAINS – Participants churned out laps on Thursday evening as members of the swim team and the community pitched in to help fundraise for the Piranhas.

Hot Springs students hit the hardwood

HOT SPRINGS – The shouts of enthusiastic children echoed through the gymnasium at Hot Springs High School as the youth basketball camp held its final day of activities.

Summer league

Kyle Weeks of the Plains Horsemen gears up for a free throw shot during the team's scrimmage against the St. Regis Tigers on Tuesday evening. Plains won the exhibition 57-33. 

Horsemen win scrimmage with Tigers

PLAINS – The trademark squeak of basketball shoes and the rhythmic sounds of dribbling filled the gymnasium as the Plains boys scrimmaged against St. Regis on a warm Tuesday evening last week.

Golf

Steve Anderson of Trout Creek celebrates after draining a challenging put during the annual Cabinet Ridge Riders golf tournament at River's Edge Golf Course on Saturday. 

Cabinet Ridge Riders hit the golf links

THOMPSON FALLS – The Cabinet Ridge Riders traded in their normal modes of transportation for golf carts over the weekend as the outdoor enthusiasts came together for the annual Cabinet Ridge Riders Tournament.

Railroad Day

A young contestant competes in the watermelon eating contest during last year's Railroad Day in Alberton.

Railroad Day coming to Alberton

ALBERTON - The event known as Railroad Day will be held next Saturday in Alberton and organizers are expecting a good turnout for an event that celebrates the area’s historical connection to the rail industry.

Deputy

MCSO Deputy Michael O'Brien recently joined the force.

New deputy to patrol streets of Mineral County

MINERAL COUNTY - The Mineral County Sheriff’s Office recently welcomed a new deputy to the force who took the job after a 15 year hiatus in his law enforcement career.

Mineral County gets advice

MINERAL COUNTY - County commissioners listened to a presentation at their meeting on Thursday to learn what is working when it comes to natural resource management in Idaho.

Gonzaga Basketball Camp

The Superior Bobcats pose for a photo at the Gonzaga Basketball Camp in Spokane, WA.

Bobcats claw their way through camp

SPOKANE - The Superior girl’s summer basketball team went on the road this past week and received instruction from a storied basketball program a few states away.

Cup fever hits Superior

I am new to Mineral County so for those of you who don’t know me yet I am your new reporter and I love soccer. So for me, around this time every four years is a magical experience. It is the time of the most popular sporting event in the world. More people watch the World Cup than watch the Olympics and the Super Bowl. But not so much in the states.

Fire danger raised to high in Mineral County

MINERAL COUNTY - The U.S. Forest Service upgraded the fire danger in Mineral County from moderate to high last Friday in response to a combination of factors that lead officials to make the change.

Relay celebrates life in Superior

Orvil Thompson looks at luminarias during the 2014 Relay For Life event in Superior on Friday evening.

Birth announcements; Conner James Mushaney

PLAINS – Conner James Mushaney was born at Clark Fork Valley Hospital on June 27, 2014 at 1:31 p.m. He weighed 6 pounds and 11 ounces and was 19 inches long. Parents are Tesha Lynn Stark and Charles Mushaney from Thompson Falls. Maternal grandparents are Dan and Cheryl Stark of Thompson Falls. Paternal grandparent is James Mushaney of Thompson Falls. Great-grandparents are Ernest and Esther Nelson of Miles City, Mont.

Birth announcements; Emma Grace Brotherton

PLAINS – Emma Grace Brotherton was born at Clark Fork Valley Hospital on June 27, 2014 at 8:27 a.m. She weighed 7 pounds and 9.5 ounces and was 18 ? inches long. Parents are Danielle and Andrew Brotherton of Thompson Falls. Maternal grandparents are Rebecca Resner and Greg Sharp. Paternal grandparents are Richard and Angie Brotherton of Thompson Falls and Kathy Brotherton of Athol, Idaho. Great-grandparents are Nyla Buck and Leonard Resner of Thompson Falls; Bonnie and Ronnie Sharp of Thompson Falls.

Birth announcements; Caroline Faye Johnson

PLAINS – Caroline Faye Johnson was born at Clark Fork Valley Hospital on June 30 at 1:53 p.m. She weighed 7 pounds and 8 ounces and was 19.5 inches in length. Parents are Sabrina Fletcher and David Johnson of St. Regis.

Birth announcement; Collin Wesley/John Finley

PLAINS – Collin Wesley/John Finley was born at Clark Fork Valley Hospital on June 28, 2014 at 4:06 a.m. He weighed 6 pounds and 9 ounces and was 19.5 inches long. Parents are Sierra Harwood and Brandon Finley.

Community calendar

Open Gym at Plains

Sheriff's report

Excerpt from the Sanders County Sheriff’s Report week of 6/22 to 6/28.

Fourth quarter Dixon honor roll

Fourth grade

Revett provides update on Rock Creek and Troy Mine

Rock Creek Permitting

Noxon

Madi Koonce walked Joan Kelly's Shetland pony during the Noxon parade, raising awareness of breast cancer.

Noxon celebrates Fourth of July with a bang

NOXON - The Noxon Fourth of July celebration was a lot of fun thanks to the many volunteers.

Paradise

Shirley King carries the flag and leads the parade during the annual Fourth of July festivities in Paradise on Friday. 

Paradise hosts Independence Day fun

PARADISE- Wood saws cut through lumber, tomahawks flew through the air and fireworks filled the sky as Paradise celebrated the Fourth of July in style throughout the day on Friday.

Thompson Falls to hold countywide e-waste pick up

 THOMPSON FALLS – In an effort to keep the community as green as possible, Thompson Falls will be holding a countywide used electronics pick up.

Trout Creek resident pronounced dead after collision on Highway 200

SANDERS COUNTY - Jon North, a Trout Creek resident was killed in a collision on Highway 200 near mile marker 40 on Monday, June 30.

Blood drive

Mark Sheets of Thompson Falls prepares to give blood in the Thompson Falls High School gym at a blood drive in 2012.

Blood drives coming to Sanders County

SANDERS COUNTY - Blood donations typically decline during the summer months, especially around the Independence Day holiday. To help prevent a summer blood shortage, donors are urged to make an appointment to donate with the American Red Cross leading up to Independence Day and in the weeks after.

Candy cannon

Mike Tomell fires off a candy cannon for the children in attendance at Saturday's fur trader era event.

Era of frontier explorers brought to life

THOMPSON FALLS – Fire trucks rolled down Main Street and black powder from flintlock firearms filled the air as Thompson Falls celebrated David Thompson Days over the course of this weekend.

Bison

A lone bison stands at the National Bison Range in Moiese.

Possible relocation of bison may affect National Bison Range

MOIESE - Over the course of the next several years bison herds may once again roam across portions of their expansive historical habitats.

Pool improvements

Greg Welty and Earl Crawford of the Public Works Department place one of the last screws for the dividers in the girl's bathroom.

Plains pool sees over $11K in improvements

PLAINS – Swimmers using the Plains Pool will notice a lot of improvements when entering the newly updated pool. The town has used a grant of over $11,280 to help bring the popular swimming area to code.

David Thompson Days

Lloyd Priest fires off his flintlock Pennsylvania Rifle as part of a demonstration during the David Thompson Days Fur Camp event on Saturday afternoon.

Court records

Mineral County Justice Court weeks of 3/27-7/3

Community calendar

Road to Recovery

Guest opinion: Terrorism addressed

Our world is facing international terrorism movements like we have never seen before.  With modern weaponry and other advances in all aspects of outreach, no nation is safe from attack.  This is a fact.  So what can we do?  ITEM could be an answer.

An update from Rep. Ingraham

I recently had the opportunity to volunteer at the Sanders County Historical Society’s Old Jail Museum.  For me, as well as those visitors that stop by throughout the summer, it’s an opportunity to revisit the past, of which some of it I personally remember as it was a functioning jail when we moved here in 1974.

Rodeo

Newly crowned rodeo princess Mary Grace Donally rides past the crowd during her performance on Wednesday at the Mineral County Fairgrounds.

New rodeo princess crowned

SUPERIOR - Mineral County crowned a new rodeo princess on Thursday July 3 at the fairgrounds in Superior and her first responsibility as a representative for the area was met on Friday as she marched in the 4th of July parade in St. Regis.

Fire training

Craig Jeppson with the Montana State University Extension Fire Training Program emerges from the smoke-filled burn trailer.

Training lowers insurance rates

SUPERIOR - The next time Superior Volunteer Firefighters respond to a structure fire, they will be even more prepared for unforgiving conditions in the field after a training session on Tuesday July 1.

St. Regis celebrates Independence Day

Jacob Lapenski waves a sparkler in the air during the fireworks show at the St. Regis community park.

Superintendent

New St. Regis School District Superintendent Judy McKay has been on the job for just over a week.

New faces = new changes in St. Regis

ST. REGIS - The St. Regis School District has already welcomed one new face to the community and is set to welcome another when the new principal arrives sometime in August.

Horse camp

Vincent Temple, seated above on a horse, gets a ride led by Mary Grace Donally at the Tarkio Equestrian Center on Wednesday.

Horse camp teaches kids about the equine arts

Children as young as five and as old as ten were afforded an education in all things horse related at a camp outside of Superior last Wednesday at the Tarkio Equestrian Center.

Fourth

McKenzie Stortz, left, oversees the ring toss during the children's games in St. Regis for the Fourth of July celebration.

St. Regis holds townwide celebration for Fourth of July

ST. REGIS - Residents from all across Mineral County descended upon St. Regis on Friday to spend  the day celebrating the nation’s independence starting with a parade in the morning and concluding with an hour and a half of fireworks in the park.

Firecracker

TJ Philip goes up to bat during the championship game for his team sponsored by Loko Joes, a bar in St. Regis.

Firecracker softball tourney hosted by St. Regis

ST. REGIS – Teams from as far away as Idaho and across Montana descended on the community of St. Regis Saturday and Sunday to compete in the annual Firecracker Softball Tournament.

Superior summer basketball winds down season

SUPERIOR - The Superior boys summer basketball coach Chris Toivonen has been getting some solid performances from his team in the last few weeks.

St. Regis celebrates fourth

A fireworks display by a combination of professionals and amateur enthusiasts lit up the sky above St. Regis community park on Friday for over an hour.

Plains Horsemen stay sharp during off-season

PLAINS – Most of Plains High School may be on vacation for the summer months, but a group of student athletes are taking some time during the summer to gear up for the upcoming sports season.

Wildhorse soccer prepares for season

PLAINS – Whistles and goals will fill the air of the athletic fields of Plains as children of all ages start running from one side of the soccer field to the other once the youth season starts up.

Bringing in the fourth

Fireworks burst above the Sanders County Fairgrounds on Friday, July 4 as the town partook in their annual fireworks display.

Train derailment

Airplane fuselages wait to be relocated after a train derailed east of Superior. Many of the fuselages were sent into the Clark Fork River, closing the Alberton Gorge section of the river. 

Train derails east of Superior

SUPERIOR - A train carrying airline parts and other materials derailed at approximately 4 p.m. on Thursday 18 miles east of Superior sending airplane fuselages plummeting into the Clark Fork River.

Stand down

Deborah Allen stands with Tri-State Veterans Stand Down's organizer Billy Hall at the third annual event. Allen was one of the first women to become a diver in the United States Navy.

Stand down helps vets

TROUT CREEK – Long lines formed at the park in Trout Creek early in the morning as veterans from across the region gathered at the Tri-State Veterans Stand Down.

Branson entertainers come to town

The Haining Family, Branson's premier Gospel Bluegrass band, will be performing at the First Lutheran Church in Plains on Saturday July 12 at 7 p.m.

County Commissioners

County Commissioners Carol Brooker, Tony Cox and Glen Magera meet with Clerk and Recorder, Nichol Scribner last week. 

County begins work on new budget

THOMPSON FALLS – With the new fiscal year officially beginning on Tuesday, July 1, the county commissioners are in the midst of drafting the county budget for the coming year.

Frame to Finish

Shelly Borden, Rhonda Flemmer and Debbie Burwig of the Frame to Finish Relay For Life team helped out on Cedar Street in Thompson Falls on Saturday, June 21.

Relay For Life yard and bake sale held

THOMPSON FALLS– The Fort on Cedar Street was bustling throughout the day on Saturday, June 21 with shoppers searching for bargains and delicious baked goods.

Fair board

The Sanders County Fair Board met up on Thursday evening to discuss preparations for the fair in August and to recap the Plains Day Super sort.

Fair board holds meeting

PLAINS – In less than two months the Sanders County Fairgrounds will once again be filled with visitors for the annual fair.

Art Show

Lisa French provided the live music for the opening night of the third quarter Art on the Walls show.

Art on the Walls returns to Clark Fork Valley Hospital

PLAINS – Original works of art and artistic photographs filled the hallways of the Clark Fork Valley Hospital in Plains as the third quarter of Art on the Walls kicked off.

Local students earn degrees, spot on Dean's List

Degrees earned

Trail Rail Run

Randal DeFalco of Plains took first place in the annual 50k Trail Rail Run event.

DeFalco wins 50k

PLAINS – After over 30 miles of long strenuous road, one local winner came out ahead of the competition at the annual Trail Rail Run 50K, after running for almost five hours.

County Yard Sale

Jackie Mustain of Thompson Falls smiles following a completed sale during the annual county yard sale last weekend.

Treasures abound at county yard sale

SANDERS COUNTY – Many say one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. That saying proved true this weekend as the eighth annual Sanders County Yard Sale-ing event hit the county.

Employment numbers improve

SANDERS COUNTY – As the nation and the state of Montana move farther away from the Great Recession of 2008, the job market is steadily beginning the long road to economic recovery.

Montana State Parks to purchase permanent easements

THOMPSON FALLS – The lone state park in Sanders County is starting to get pretty busy as the summer progresses, with locals and visitors utilizing the acres of wilderness and water frontage.

Obituary; Irene Frances Grabin Dent

Irene Frances Grabin Dent passed away on June 8, 2014 at the Mineral Community Hospital in Superior Montana.

Community calendar

Road to Recovery

Hit the river, but be careful with fish

Summertime in Montana…Hopefully that means many or ALL of you are outside enjoying the great outdoors.  When indulging in some relaxing time on the river casting a fishing pole or fly rod should you catch and release or eat the fish?  The answer may be some of both.  

Letter to the Editor; Lawful government

Around this Independence Day let’s consider the law and the role of a judge.

Money in politics is destroying our democracy

David Brat, the upstart Tea Party candidate who scored a stunning victory over House Majority Leader Eric Cantor won in part by carrying a simple message;  “The crooks up on Wall Street and some of the big banks—I’m pro-business, I’m just talking about crooks—they didn’t go to jail, they are on Eric’s Rolodex.”

MCSO says look twice before you lock up

MINERAL COUNTY - Kids in hot cars are a deadly combination. Whether intentional or accidental, these deaths are preventable, which makes it all the more tragic. Here are some helpful tips to make sure it doesn’t happen to you.

Mineral County Relay For Life

Linda Letcher survived two breast cancer diagnoses and now spends much of her time helping the Mineral County Relay for Life.

Survivor pitches in to help Relay for Life

SUPERIOR – After being diagnosed with breast cancer on two different occasions, Linda Letcher is fighting back alongside the Mineral County Relay For Life to find a cure for the disease.

Locals earn degrees, spot on Dean's List

Degrees earned

MTGOP supports transfer of public lands

MINERAL COUNTY – A resolution in support of granting federally managed public lands to the state met with overwhelming approval at this year’s MTGOP state convention, June 19-21 in Billings, MT.

Tourism numbers on the rise

MINERAL COUNTY - It’s the most wonderful time of the year.

Lunch in the Lot

Lanie Crabb, 9, watches as her sister Josie, 6, makes some more lemonade. This year four teams participated and raised funds for the Mineral County Relay For Life event. 

Fighting for the cure one cup at a time

SUPERIOR – Aromas of food filled the greenway where food, drinks and desserts were sold, raising money for the fight against cancer.

Sanders County deputy graduates from academy

Jenna Volinkaty of the Missoula Police Department stands with deputy April Phillips of the Sanders County Sheriff's Department.

MCCF announces scholarships

MINERAL COUNTY - For the past 14 years, the Mineral County Community Foundation (MCCF) has provided college tuition scholarships to selected graduating seniors from the county. To receive a scholarship, a graduate must submit an application which is reviewed by the MCCF Board. Decisions of who will be awarded a scholarship are based on five factors; (1) overall character, (2) leadership qualities, (3) community service, (4) scholastic achievement and (5) extracurricular activities.

Sanders County Community Calendar

Open Gym at Plains

Dixon Senior News

Sanders County court report

Sanders County Justice Court week of 6/17 to 6/23.

Tying flies

Hot Springs Superintendent Kevin Meredith lends a helping hand as students work on tying their handmade fly lures at the Hot Springs fly fishing camp last week. 

Students enjoy outdoor themed camps

HOT SPRINGS – Students practiced their casts, worked on making fishing flies and learned about nature in a series of camps held at Hot Springs High School last week.

Newman finishes in first at Cut Bank

CUT BANK – Only one swimmer represented the Plains Piranhas at an away swim meet, bringing home gold for the team.

Bluehawk boys gain practice on court

THOMPSON FALLS – There are quite a few months before the high school basketball’s regular season gets underway throughout Sanders County, but that has not kept young athletes from hitting the hardwood during the summer months.

Bluehawk

Tanner Laws passes the ball to a teammate during regular season play last year. 

Riverdogs see success at tournament

SANDERS COUNTY – The Clark Fork Valley Riverdogs have shined in their first couple tournaments of the summer, impressing their supporters and opposing teams.

Sliding into home

Bransen Krebs of the Mission Valley Mariners collides with the Missoula Mavs catcher sliding safely into home plate.

MHP cracks down on drinking and driving

MINERAL COUNTY – The Montana Highway Patrol and other law enforcement agencies around the state will be out in force over the long holiday weekend to aggressively target drivers under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

Lady Bobcats improve on court

SUPERIOR – The Lady Bobcats recently passed their halfway mark in their summer league basketball season and have reaped in an ample amount of experience.

St. Regis football to switch to junior varsity

ST. REGIS – After splitting from the cooperative with Alberton, the St. Regis football team will now solely be a junior varsity team.

Superior holds town clean-up event

The Rustlers 4-H club helped spruce up the town of Superior on Saturday, June 28 for the annual town clean-up event. 

School pursues grant, tech levy

ST. REGIS – The St. Regis School is hoping to get their hands on another Department of Commerce grant to continue to improve the school, after already utilizing one grant to help bring the school to ADA standards.