2014 in Sanders County

Jan. 8, 2014

Dinosaurs set free from Piccadilly Park

PLAINS – Piccadilly Park was once the recreation destination of a small town. People would come to enjoy the miniature golf course, the go-carts and the dinosaurs. Owner Les Wood remembers countless summer picnics under the wooden awning. Now the race track is cracked and crumbling. The putt-putt holes are consumed with weeds…and the dinosaurs are gone.

The dino statues that have inhabited Plains for many years have been relocated. Wood decided it was time to set them free. He believes the beloved dinosaurs deserve the best.

Jan. 15, 2014

The year of elections

THOMPSON FALLS – On Thursday, January 9 the election season officially kicked off as candidates entered the Elections Office to file their declarations of candidacy.

The majority of Sanders County incumbents have filed for reelection for the 2014 year.

As of Tuesday morning six of the seven incumbents had filed.

County Commissioner Tony Cox filed for another six-year term for district 3, while Nichol Scribner filed for county clerk and recorder. Tom Rummel filed for Sanders County Sheriff again, while Kathy Harris filed for County Coroner. Robert L. Zimmerman filed for county attorney and Donald M. Strine filed for justice of the peace.

According to Sanders County Elections Clerk Bobbi Christenson, Judge Jim Manley would need to file if he wanted to retain his position as the 20th district court judge. Manley took over for Judge C.B. McNeil after his retirement. This position requires a six-year commitment.

Jan. 22, 2014

Made in Montana initiative begins

PLAINS – In an effort to get Sanders County on the map for the plentiful products produced in the area, a push towards Made in Montana has begun.

Made in Montana Cooperative Organizer Ken Jones is working hard to get people registered on the site. His long-term hope for the project is to bring more awareness to the county and its local wares.

“It’s phenomenal the amount of products I’ve been coming across that are just excellent,” Jones said.

According to their website, Made in Montana offers an online product directory for crafts that are either created, grown or enhanced in the state resulting in 50 percent or more added-value.

Jan. 29, 2014

Stand down moves to Trout Creek

TROUT CREEK – After Plains hosted the largest Stand down in the country last year, the event is now being forced to move to Trout Creek to a smaller venue.

The Stand down will now be moved to the same location that hosts the Huckleberry Festival. With no permanent structures, Organizer Billy Hill said they would have to construct temporary shelters to house the equipment.

Due to the change in location, Hill had to cut his order down by 60 percent. In previous years, he had ordered $2 ½ million worth of surplus military gear to hand out to veterans at no cost. However, with the lack of security he is only ordering $800,000 worth of stuff.

Although that sounds like a lot of money, the decrease means less people will benefit from the event.

Feb. 5, 2014

Build it and they will come

PARADISE – The American Legion Post #129 is ready to turn over a new leaf after losing almost everything.

Members are ready to take down the existing structure and replace it with a new building.

A fire consumed the building last year in the early morning hours of Wednesday, July 31. The building was gutted by the fire and was deemed a complete loss.

Now the time to rebuild and celebrate has arrived.

According to Legion member Dave Koepplin the tear down of the building will begin on Monday, February 10.

The day will involve site preparation and the demolition of the building.Koepplin said the process is estimated to last approximately a day and a half.

The asbestos in the building has been part of the reason for the delay of demolition. Koepplin explained the building was a Hazmat site and was contaminated when the fire was extinguished.

Feb. 12, 2014

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.

Last week, the Governor’s Office and the Department of Labor and Industry of Montana released a statement.

For the past three months, Montana’s unemployment rate has held steady at 5.2 percent. That is half of a percentage point lower than at the start of the year and is 1.5 percent lower than the national average. This is not the case for Sanders County.

According to Chief Economist with the Department of Labor and Industry Barbara Wagner, the current unemployment rate of Sanders County is 13.5 percent.

The figures show the labor force of Sanders County at approximately 4,069 people. The employed population is listed as 3,519 people which makes the unemployed population around 550 people.

Sanders County and much of Western Montana was hit harder by the recession than the rest of the state for several different reasons.

“The Northwest region was really hurt by the wood works manufacturing going downhill,” Wagner said. “There were also a lot of construction jobs lost which was a major source of employment in [Sanders County].”

Feb. 19, 2014

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.

Debbie Buckingham, district manager of Northern Energy, has never seen propane as expensive as it has been lately.

“We are at about $4 a gallon right now. We were at $5 but it has since come back down,” Buckingham said. “I have worked here for 26 years and never saw it hit $3.”

With the price being $5 a gallon at the peak, many community members and local businesses were affected.

“It is an impact for everybody so it is hurting our customers and businesses,” Buckingham said. “It was not something anybody projected or prepared for.”

According to Buckingham, propane merchants are also upset about the rising prices and the resulting strain on buyers.

She said she watched another propane seller get interviewed about the current crisis and he was literally in tears because of the hardships put on his customers.

Feb. 26, 2014

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.

The bulk of the meeting focused on payment for the event.

According to Chairman Chris McGuigan, it cost $500 to put the Stand down on in 2012 and $2,500 in 2013.

Organizer Billy Hill has paid the fairgrounds $500 for 2013, however, the $2,000 remains to be unpaid.

According to McGuigan, the fair board obtained the amount the VA paid Hill to put on the event through the Freedom of Information Act.

According to the documents, Hill received $5,200 from the VA. Of that money, $2,500 was to go for the use of the facility.

“You were paid by the VA $2,500 for the use of this facility. We only received 500 dollars of that. My question is what happened to the $2,000 that were owed?” McGuigan asked.

Hill stated he had entered into a verbal agreement with Fair Manager Mike Hashisaki. According to Hill, the agreement was to charge $500 for the event – the same amount for the first year the event was held.

March, 5, 2015

Healthcare survey to hit Sanders

SANDERS COUNTY – Members of the Montana Office of Rural Health held a focus group on Thursday in Plains and Friday in Thompson Falls to discuss the major health concerns of the county. All comments were to be kept anonymous and will be used to collect data intended to implement improvements.

According to Project Coordinator Angela Bangs, the assessment is a tool for officials to familiarize themselves with individual communities.

“A big part of the assessment is to understand the major health needs in the area,” Bangs said.

The Montana Office of Rural Health is not only utilizing the assessment but are also sending out a survey to random members of the community in order to gain as much information as possible. The survey is simple to fill out and is worthwhile.

The survey should be arriving at the end of the month. It is six pages long and is designed to take no longer than 15 minutes to fill out.

“We really encourage people to fill it out,” Bangs said. “It will be on the Clark Fork Valley Hospital letter head. We will be sending out a couple hundred and are hoping for at least 30 percent back.”

March 12, 2014

Town council discusses possible rate increase

PLAINS – Water and sewer rates were high on the list of topics during the monthly Plains Town Council meeting. A presentation from Montana Rural Water took up most of the meeting and a combined rate increase of $12 to $14 was discussed.

After looking at the town’s expenditures, receipts and the outlook for the future, John Weikel of Montana Rural Water Systems put together a program for where the water rates should be. According to Weikel, the current rates Plains has are very low for Montana.

“What we see a lot of times is over the years things have not been looked at the way they need to be. There is no analysis done, there is no planning for future growth or even the equipment, assets aren’t being planned for,” Weikel explained.

He said the water rates have to pay for the system and as the rates sit now, there is not enough money to plan for replacements or renovations.

In order to create enough money for any improvements, the rate would need to be increased.

Weikel explained this is important because as of now the city does not have enough money to paint their storage tank – something that is overdue and needs to be completed.

March 19, 2014

Breaking ground

PLAINS – Plains Public Schools Board of Trustees, Superintendent Thom Chisholm and retired Superintendent Rich Magera participated in a groundbreaking photo opportunity on Monday, March 17 prior to the state monthly board meeting.

The group symbolized breaking new ground on the elementary addition project by digging into the area where the foundation will be constructed.

Although the official start date was on March 17, Western Interstate Inc., was able to take advantage of the nice weather and get an early start on Monday, March 10.

With the extra week, the safety fencing has been installed, the mobile office set-up and most of the initial excavation is completed. At the time of the ceremony, workers were setting forms for the footings and tying re-bar for the first concrete pour.

The schedule for the new addition sets August 1, 2014 as a completion date. This will allow time for the district to move classroom furniture, assign teachers and get ready for the students in the fall.

The work schedule is very accommodating to the educational environment, with the focus being on little, or no, interruptions to the students. As a result, no inside work will be done while classes are in session.

March 26, 2014

County jumps on enrollment

SANDERS COUNTY – On Saturday, March 22, officials from Clark Fork Valley Hospital, Sanders County Health Department, Mineral Regional Health Center and Missoula gathered in building two of the hospital. These people were certified application counselors and they came together in a final effort to encourage the people of Sanders County to get health care coverage.

Sanders County is behind in enrollments so the CACs showed up to educate and assist any with questions or concerns about affordable health care. Their goal is to help people meet the March 31st deadline and avoid the $95 fine at the end of the year.

Executive Assistant Russell Logan believes the lack of enrollment might be due to numerous false impressions within the community. He hopes to set the record straight.

“There were some misconceptions that people had about what health care is available to them,” Logan said. “We had several people pleasantly surprised to find that there are incentives for them to find in applying for coverage.”

According to Logan, there are several common fallacies about health care. Some of the misconceptions are the amount of subsidies that are available. Many people also have misunderstandings about tax credits and the penalty structure for not signing up for insurance.

April 2, 2014

PTO works hard so kids can play

HOT SPRINGS – Mulch spreads across an empty schoolyard where a rotting wooden playground once stood. Blue benches face the vacant space with nothing save a blacktop with cracks that continue to grow.

The Hot Springs Elementary School is in need of a new playground. The old one was torn down in the summer of 2013 because it was deemed a safety hazard. The Hot Springs Elementary Parents Teacher Organization has been working tirelessly to meet their goal of getting a new playground structure this summer.

The PTO has been pursuing donations, fundraisers and grants to earn the necessary money in time. The students in kindergarten through sixth grade sold Elliott’s cookie dough and earned $1,900 for the cause. The Hot Springs VFW donated $1,000 for the playground and the school recently received a grant.

On Wednesday, March 26 Senior Manager of Planning for Plum Creek Timber David Greer traveled to the school to hand-deliver the check for $2,500 to go towards the new playground structure. According to former PTO President Jen Christensen, Plum Creek Timber and the VFW have long been charitable towards schools.

“They give a lot of money to the schools and have given a lot to Hot Springs so I think it was a nice opportunity today to give them some credit too,” Christensen said.

With the generous donations and the fundraising done by the students, the PTO members are now two-thirds of the way to their goal.

April 9, 2014

Town to hold compliance checks

PLAINS – After noticing issues with the town’s septic system last year, the town is ready to act in an effort to ensure that a town ordinance is being followed.

According to Plains Mayor Greg Eitelberg, last year the town experienced a grease plug up. The lagoons, where wastewater is managed, were filled with items that should not be put down people’s toilets such as plastic.

The Public Works Department was tasked with cleaning out the debris. In an effort to curb the amount of trash flushed down the toilets, the town of Plains sent out a letter to the restaurants and businesses in town stating that the city had found and repaired blockage, “containing grease, rubber gloves, and cloth materials; between Highway 200 and Airport Road.” The letter stated the Public Works Department would be inspecting grease traps to ensure they are in compliance with the ordinance.

The ordinance states that grease, oil and sand interceptors would be provided when deemed they are necessary for the proper handling of liquid wastes containing elements of excessive amounts.

“All interceptors shall be of a type and capacity approved by the PWD and shall be located as to be readily and easily accessible for cleaning and inspections,” states the ordinance.

April 16, 2014

Away for life

Melvin Madplume, Jr. sentenced to life without parole for the rape and murder of his cousin, Laurence Kenmille, last May in Hot Springs

POLSON – After listening to Laurence Kenmille’s family members fight through quivering voices and muffled sobs during victim statements Monday, District Court Judge John Larson wasted little time sentencing Melvin Madplume to life in prison without parole.

Larson cited Madplume’s lack of compassion, his high chance of re-offending and protecting Kenmille’s family from future parole hearings as the basis for his ruling.

A 12-member jury found Madplume, Jr., 30, of Ronan, guilty of the murder and rape of Kenmille, his cousin, on Feb. 1, two hours after deliberations began. Madplume murdered and raped Kenmille, 28, of Elmo, on May 25, 2013 in a private room at Wild Horse Hot Springs.

“He was the center of the family,” said Kenmille’s mother during her statement. “He held everyone else up.”

Unlike many others on her side of the family, she wanted to see Madplume put to death, at one time speaking about taking, “an eye for an eye.”

“He shouldn’t be allowed to leave the courtroom,” she said.

The animosity between the two sides of the family was so high, 11 law enforcement officers were in the courtroom. Many of Kenmille’s family members wore T-shirts with his picture printed on them.

April 30, 2014

Company looks at buying dam

THOMPSON FALLS - The Thompson Falls Dam may be under new ownership as early as January of next year, if a proposed buyout is approved by the Montana Public Service Commission and the deal survives a public hearing, scheduled for early July.

NorthWestern Energy, a utility company based out of Sioux Falls, South Dakota has proposed to buy Thompson Falls Dam, and ten other hydroelectric facilities in Montana.

The Thompson Falls dam began operating in 1915 and was constructed on the site of natural falls of the Clark Fork River. It is a seven-unit hydroelectric plant that can produce 94 megawatts of energy.

The current owners of the aforementioned dams, PPL Montana, a subdivision of the PPL Corporation, an energy company headquartered in Allentown, Pennsylvania has been offered $900 million for the properties throughout the state.

The Montana Public Service Commission has initiated the process to determine if the proposed acquisition of utilities will be approved. Commissioners from the state’s five PSC districts, Sanders County falls within District 4, have started to host listening sessions around the state, in an effort to gauge public input on the pending transaction.

A potential stumbling block for this massive infrastructure deal is the rise in utility rates that are likely to occur, if NorthWestern Energy becomes the new owners of Thompson Falls Dam and the other facilities in western Montana.

May 7, 2014

Swine virus cancels 4-H projects

SANDERS COUNTY – After an outbreak of a virus, seven million pigs in the United States were killed. The deadly virus known as Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus or PED has now affected the Sanders County Fair.

According to MSU Extension agent, Meghan Phillippi, both 4-H and open class have decided to not allow breeding swine at the fair due to the virus.

“Both groups have opted for this route to protect breeding swine from the virus,” Phillippi said.

The virus is a disease, which is only known to occur in pigs, and produces acute and severe outbreaks of diarrhea, causing the virus to rapidly transmit throughout all ages of pigs.

The virus has been present in Asia and Europe since the 1970s, but just recently made its way to the United States. It has been known to devastate large swine operations.

Phillippi said that if a breeding animal were to get the virus, it would most likely destroy a herd.

“A hundred percent of the litters born to sows with the virus are likely to die,” Phillippi said.

Montana has had some reported cases of the virus, however, Phillippi was unsure of where.

May 15, 2014

It takes a village

SANDERS COUNTY – The citizens of Sanders County came together with law enforcement on Saturday for a cause bigger than them all.

Through the sweat and the exhaustion, the group of participants proudly carried the Special Olympics torch over numerous hours and 77 miles of highway, helping to signify the impending games.

According to organizer April Phillips, the 2014 Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics went off without a hitch.

Phillips, a Sanders County Sheriff’s deputy, organized the event for her second year in a row and was happy with the overall success. With fewer participants than in previous years, runners, bicyclists and horses teamed together to tally more individual miles than normal.

The day was long and grueling for some, but the rewards were high.

Phillips said the day started bright and early at 7:30 a.m. and finished a little before four. Although the exact number of participants was not known, the group came together, starting at the Idaho-Montana state line and carried the torch until mile marker 77, which landed right at the Subway in Plains.

May 21, 2014

Retired officers take another shot

THOMPSON FALLS – Retired law enforcement officers throughout the area had a rare chance to renew their nationwide carry on Thursday, May 15, taking shots to secure their rights.

The Sanders County Sheriff’s Office held a HR-218 nationwide carry qualification shoot, allowing retired officers to renew their carry permits.

HR-218, otherwise known as the Law Enforcement Officers’ Safety Act was signed into law in 2004 by former President George W. Bush. The bill exempted qualified active and retired law enforcement officers from local and state prohibitions on the carrying of concealed firearms.

Narcotics Detective Doug Dryden held the course, a one of a kind opportunity in the area. Retired officers traveled from the surrounding areas to get recertified to carry their weapons.

All officers that attended were required to bring their carry handgun and a minimum of 32 rounds of ammunition.

The group of officers were required to put their name and date on a target and shoot the 32 rounds from distances varying from two yards to seven yards, while adding in certain moving tactics such as stepping sidewise or moving backwards.

May 28, 2014

The end of an era

PLAINS – After almost 80 years of service, the Wildhorse Elementary School not only shut its doors on the school year, but it closed them for good.

On Friday, May 23, approximately 50 students left the building excited for summer. One thing the students probably did not comprehend was that they were closing the doors on a long chapter of the town’s history.

Next year the school will sit empty and all of the students will be on one campus together, a project that’s been in the works for close to 50 years.

The elementary school, originally built in 1938, sits where the main campus of the Plains Public Schools once was. As the only remaining building, the school has outlasted the test of time.

Although some nostalgia is attached to the building, Plains Superintendent Thom Chisholm said it was a great sense of relief knowing that everyone will now be on the same campus.

The current school expansion is well underway and the building is on schedule to be completed before the new school year. The expansion will now house kindergartners through second graders, as well as a the K-2 title classroom, the elementary counselor and title 1 services.

June 4, 2014

Plains prepares for celebration

PLAINS – Country scenes and children’s dreams will soon fill Plains on Saturday, June 7 as the annual Plains Day celebration begins.

The day is packed full of activities, stretching from 7 a.m. until way past sunset.

According to the parade and vendor organizer, Carol Day, this year will not see many changes.

Other than a new event, which will take place at the Sanders County Fairgrounds, Plains Day will look much like last year’s celebration.

Pat Waldoch will hold a Super Sort event at the fairgrounds, targeting both competitive riders from outside of town, and has also catered Sunday’s events to provide a fun time for less experienced riders, which will most likely feature locals.

This year, a lack of volunteers hindered any major changes, however, the celebration still caters towards bringing family friendly fun to the area.

This year, the day will start off with the Mason’s Breakfast at the VFW, which will run from 7 – 11 a.m. The breakfast is the Mason’s main form of fundraising and this year hopes are high that a good turnout will take place for the meal.

June 11, 2014

Primary election concludes

SANDERS COUNTY – Election results from the primary election held on Tuesday, June 3 came in the early morning hours of Wednesday.

For the local elections, James Manley came out ahead of Mark Russell with 1503 votes to 936 votes. In the non-partisan election, both will continue on to the general election in November.

In the three-way non-partisan race for Sanders County Coroner, incumbent Kathy Harris led with 1219 votes, just 75 votes ahead of Wayne Egbert who had 1144 votes. Becky Kelly McDonald brought in 446 votes.

For county treasurer and superintendent of schools, incumbent Carol P. Turk led with 1,773 votes, with Jenny Williams following with 1,173 votes.

Donald M. Strine led the justice of the peace race with over 1,300 votes, tallying up a grand total of 2,122 votes, while opponent Mark T. French brought in 807 votes.

A number of candidates were unopposed and for county commissioner A. Ben “Tony” Cox brought in 2662 votes, while Nichol Scribner brought in 2,383 votes for the county clerk position. Sheriff Tom Rummel was also unopposed and brought in 2,545 votes in all, while Sanders County Attorney Robert L. Zimmerman had 2,289 votes.

June 18, 2014

Tourism numbers show promise

SANDERS COUNTY – As the days grow longer and the temperature warms, out of state visitors are beginning to make their way to destinations in and around Sanders County.

The summer season provides a boon for small businesses across the County as large numbers of tourists come to explore the natural wonders of western Montana.

“Sanders County has so much to offer resident and non-resident travelers alike,” Executive Director Racene Friede of Glacier Country Tourism said.

Friede pointed out many of the visitors to the counties across western Montana are in-state travelers, a number boosted by the wide expanse and impressive variety of terrain to be found within the state.

Sanders County experienced a very strong tourism year throughout 2013 and early reports, available from first quarter data indicate 2014 will be another productive season.

One of the main groups that tracks the impact visitors have on communities across the state is the Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research of the University of Montana, College of Forestry and Conservation.

June 25, 2014

Real estate market recovers

SANDERS COUNTY – Following sizeable alterations during the last recession, the real estate market within the county is showing positive signs as statistics begin to tick up.

In 2013, the state of Montana enjoyed a 13 percent increase in the number of houses sold over the previous year.  

In 2012, 8,614 homes were sold within the state, a number which surged to a grand total of 9,733 houses sold for 2013.

Dacy Holland of Century 21 in Plains explained how real estate prices have started to stabilize after the shock they experienced during the recession.

“Over the last few years prices have leveled out,” Holland said.

Holland noted the main activity on real estate within the area focused on houses listed at prices under $200,00 with a handful of properties in the $200,000 to the $300,000 range receiving some attention as well.

The recent activity is an improvement over what the markets were like in the years immediately following the recession of 2008.

“After the recession we sold very few homes, land did not move well, everything was selling before 2008,” Holland said.

July 2, 2014

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.

This year’s third-annual stand down was held on Saturday, June 28 from 8 am to 4 pm in Trout Creek.

“The stand down offers veterans a chance to get together, share stories and get the gear they need,” Billy Hill, organizer of the Tri-State Veterans Stand Down, said.

Military surplus clothing and gear were all available, in addition to the distribution of food, free of charge for the veterans who attended the event.

Both breakfast and lunch were served to veterans.

Veterans in attendance also had an opportunity to learn about Department of Veteran Affairs services and benefits, in addition to information on healthcare and employment opportunities for servicemen and servicewomen.

Hill noted the stand down was also an opportunity for veterans to meet with one another, swap stories and be appreciated for their service to the nation.

“The day lets each veteran get a moment where the world says thanks,” Hill said.  

July 9, 2014

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.

The United States Department of the Interior released a report on Monday, June 30 raising the possibility of relocating bison from Yellowstone National Park to public lands across the American West.

Federal officials proposed 20 areas of public land across ten different states, which potentially would be suitable for some form of transplanting a portion of the National Park’s famous bison herd.

One of these locations is the National Bison Range in Moiese on the border of Sanders and Lake counties.

Stephen Torbit, the Assistant Regional Director for Region 6 of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service explained the report examined where bison are currently located, where current populations could be augmented and where new populations could potentially be introduced in areas across the western U.S.  

The report was a multi-year effort initiated by former Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer’s efforts to relocate bison populations three years ago and subsequent proposals by former Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar to further investigate the feasibility of transplanting bison populations.

The recently released federal report notes it will likely be years before any bison are moved from Yellowstone to their potential new habitats.

“A lot would need to be done before we could consider relocating any bison,” Bob Rebarchik, deputy project leader at the National Bison Range, said.

July 16, 2014

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.

The true meaning of this saying will come into effect on Saturday, July 26 as the Thompson River Animal Care Shelter comes together with volunteers to help improve their facility.

TRACS, a privately funded non-profit animal care shelter located in Thompson Falls, will utilize the day to spruce up their facilities with the help of a $5,000 renovation grant.

Both Pedigree and the GreaterGood Network have come together to help the facility.

Pedigree has pitched in another $5,000 worth of dog food for the shelter. That money will help provide approximately 100-120 bags of dog food, something that should last the shelter a couple of years, said Wanda Thorpe, founder of TRACS.

The shelter will be given coupons for 40-pound bags of food that can be used to help restock their supply.

The money saved by the newly received food will be rerouted to other services, such as veterinary care, which is approximately 55-60 percent of the shelter’s budget.

Thorpe sent off the grant application in January and was happy to hear TRACS was chosen as the recipient.

“Sometime in March they actually called me back and told me I got it, which was kind of a surprise for me,” Thorpe said. “This is very nice.”

July 23, 2014

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.

The ladies have been flocking neighbors to help support Shakespeare in the Parks, a passion and driving force that propelled Lulack.

Flocking is a form of fundraising brought to the club by late president Fern Johnson and Debbie Kirschbaum. Members of the woman’s club set out in darkness to place up to five dozen pink flamingos in the yard of the person being flocked. Supporters pay the club to flock their friend’s yard to raise money for the club.

“This year we’ve decided to dedicate the money from flocking to support Shakespeare in the Parks,” said club Vice President Glenda Wolverton.

And they are doing so mainly to pay tribute to Lulack who always held arts closely to her heart. Lulack was the main driving force in bringing Shakespeare in the Parks since the year 2000. Since her passing, the club has kept themselves busy trying to fill Lulack’s shoes.

“It’s taken our whole group to do what Louise did singlehandedly for 15 years,” Wolverton explained. “We are all working our tails off to do what she did and so we are wanting to augment the money that’s come in as a memorial to her name and this is a fun way to do that.”

July 30, 2014

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.  

The first annual Artists in Paradise event will span four days from July 30 – August 2 and will offer members of the community and beyond the opportunity to look at a variety of art. The exhibit will connect those in attendance to the artists exhibiting their work, offering an interactive feature to the event.

In all 18 exhibitors signed up to display their work, which varies from quilts and woodwork to paintings and fused glass. Karen Thorson, member of the Sanders County Arts Council, said the number of exhibitors will most likely drop to 15 – 16 artists due to a few conflicts.

After a year long planning process, the Visual Arts Committee of the Sanders County Arts Council is putting on the show in order to give the artists more exposure in the area.

The group started a little over a year ago as a platform to discuss the visual arts.

“It started with five or six of us chatting about the fact that in our county there wasn’t a venue or an opportunity for visual artists to get together and to support each other, inspire each other and really help each other,” Thorson said. “A part of what we do is literally encourage each other.”

The group now has 60 members.

Some of those members will be the ones participating in the exhibit itself. Not only will their works of art be on display, but Thorson said each artist would also have some type of project in the works.

August 13, 2014

DUI tagline contest begins

SANDERS COUNTY – The Sanders County DUI Task Force has started a catchy new campaign to discourage people from drinking and driving. The bumper sticker and banner contest challenges the community to get creative in order to find a new tagline for the phrase ‘don’t drink and drive.’

According to board member, Marti Good, the goal is to give the important message a make-over, bringing it to the forefront of everyone’s attention.

“You see ‘don’t drink and drive’ everywhere and we are all desensitized to it,” Good explained. “What we are wanting to do is have a bumper sticker and banner with a tag line like ‘don’t drink and drive – you can’t hunt from a jail cell.’”

August 20, 2014

Wrestlers save fair’s parade

PLAINS – After word was announced that the Sanders County Fair’s parade had been canceled, the Plains/Hot Springs Savage Horsemen wrestling team stepped up to save the day.

Typically the Plains-Paradise Chamber of Commerce hosts the event, however, after a lack of volunteers and talk of dissolving the chamber as a whole, the parade was canceled last week.

In an email from the Plains-Paradise Chamber of Commerce sent to members of the chamber at the beginning of July, a lack of participation has led to talk of disbanding the chamber.

“Due to the declining membership and lack of volunteers the Board of Directors is considering dissolving the chamber,” stated the email.

In order to keep a Plains tradition alive, the wrestlers decided to take over the event. According to Fair Manager Mike Hashisaki the fair entered into a contract with the wrestling team to produce the annual fair parade.

August 27, 2014

School addition opens

PLAINS – A line of people led down the hallway of the Plains school as attendants waited to witness history. A dream that begin in the early 50s finally came to fruition – the grand opening of the new school addition.

An orange and black bow separated those in attendance from the new classrooms that waited down the hallway. Plains Superintendent Thom Chisholm welcomed everyone to a new chapter of the school’s history.

“We began construction here in Plains the middle part of March,” Chisholm explained. “About 110 days later on the other side of this ribbon is a brand new school building.”

September 3, 2014

Fair is another success

PLAINS – The town of Plains ballooned in population as the Sanders County Fair hit the area in full swing. The usually peaceful streets saw an increase of traffic as this year’s fair-goers headed to ride carnival rides, eat fair food and take part in the events scheduled.

This year’s theme was Sow it, Grow it and Show it and like always, the 4-H kids showed off their hours of hard work. The fair opened its doors on Monday, Aug. 25 when entries started to fill the barns.

Not only were photography, prized vegetables and sewing projects on display, but the 4-H kids showed their animals as well.

September 10, 2014

CSKT to bring footpath to Hot Springs

HOT SPRINGS – Outdoor enthusiasts will soon have an area in town to call home as a new walking path will soon be constructed in Hot Springs.

Surveyors have been out along the edges of Highway 77 east of Hot Springs preparing for the construction of a pedestrian path along the highway to Hot Springs.

According to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Roads Program, the ongoing project called the Hot Springs Path, plans on constructing a detached pedestrian pathway alongside Highway 77.

The proposed path is to be made available to both pedestrian and cyclist traffic alongside the highway.

“It is funded and it’s ready to go. We are actually in the design phase right now,” said Mike Brown, program manager of the CSKT Roads Program.

According to Brown, the pedestrian path is slated to start in town by the Hot Springs Schools and will run east to the highway. The point at which the path terminates will be a cul-de-sac by the intersection of Highway 77 and its junction with Highway 28.

September 24, 2014

Who sent letter for Elvis?

NOXON – The Dwight D. Eisenhower Library and National Public Radio in Washington, DC is asking for help in finding three young ladies from Noxon who wrote a letter, pleading with then president Eisenhower, to allow Elvis Presley to keep his side burns when he was drafted into the United States Army.

According to a letter received by Noxon Public Schools from the library, located in Abilene, Kansas, the letter was most likely written in February or March of 1957.

“We would appreciate any assistance in locating school photographs of these individuals, or in tracking down their present location,” stated Martin M. Teasley, the assistant director of the library. “We hope to use this for future exhibits and student programs.”

According to Noxon schools secretary, Tami Mercer, the school received the letter in June of 2004. At the time the letter was received, Mercer researched old student records, looked through pictures of graduating classes in the hallways and even talked to elders in the community to see if anyone remembered the girls.

October 1, 2014

Firefighters support young man battling leukemia

PLAINS – The Plains Paradise Rural Fire Department has come together to rally around a junior member of their department, who is currently a sophomore at Plains High School.

In support of Franklin Reed, who has been diagnosed with Leukemia and is currently receiving treatment in Spokane, the fire department has come together in an effort to show support and raise funds for Reed.

“Everybody at the fire department is very involved with it,” Chief John Holland of the Plains Paradise Rural Fire Department said.

In several businesses throughout the Plains community, members of the department placed boots to receive donations for Reed.

Flyers have also been posted in town in an effort to get the word out and draw support for the department’s cause.

October 8, 2014

Sanders County GOP joins lawsuit

SANDERS COUNTY – The Sanders County GOP recently joined a lawsuit against open primary elections within the state of Montana.

The central committee within the Sanders County GOP joined GOP central committees from Gallatin, Stillwater, Dawson and Ravalli County in the push for closed primaries to be instituted in Montana.

The Ravalli County Republican Central Committee originally filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Helena last month on Sept. 8.

The central committees representing the Republican Party in Sanders, Gallatin, Stillwater and Dawson counties joined the suit last week on Tuesday, Sept. 30, brining the total number of counties involved in the suit up to five.  

According to attorney Matthew Monforton of Bozeman, who filed a motion amending the original suit to include the four additional counties as plaintiffs in the case, the suit centers around abuse of the primary system currently in place throughout the state.

October 15, 2014

Plains High School rallies around student

PLAINS – Students from Plains High School filled the bleachers at the school’s gymnasium last week to show their support of fellow student Franklin Reed.

Plains students from several grades took part in the assembly in support of Reed, who was recently diagnosed with leukemia and is currently receiving treatment in Spokane.

The assembly was planned and put on by the Plains High School Job’s for Montana’s Graduates class, made up of senior students at the school.

October 22, 2014

Hospital recognized for sustainability

Plains – This Wednesday, Oct. 22, marks the Second Annual National Bioenergy Day across the United States.

    Several facilities across Sanders County have been able to cut back on costs and improve the sustainability of their energy consumption by switching over to wood energy projects.

    One such local facility, Clark Fork Valley Hospital received recognition for their efforts in switching over to a wood energy heating system from the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation and the USDA Forest Service last week.

October 29, 2014

Plains celebrates Red Ribbon Week

Plains- Across Sanders County schools will be marking Red Ribbon Week with activities this week.

November 5, 2014

Spooky Spirits roam free in Sanders County

Sanders County – The streets of Sanders County were filled with children last week as enthusiastic youngsters dressed in a wide array of costumes and set out in pursuit of sweet treats last Friday on Halloween.

In Plains, Railroad Avenue was the center of trick-or-treating activities during the afternoon hours with several local participating in the annual festivities.

November 12, 2014

Election day 2014 in Sanders County

Sanders County – Election day swept through Sanders County last week with several contested races in last Tuesday’s mid-term elections.

In town’s across Sanders County voters went to the polls, while many others voted via absentee ballot.

November 19, 2014

Paradise celebrates the return of the clock

PARADISE – Residents of Paradise filed into the gymnasium at the Paradise Elementary School last week to celebrate the return of one of the school’s old pendulum clocks.

The clock, which dates back to 1900 and until recently was displayed in Kalispell at the Museum at Central School in the seat of Flathead County.

Last week the clock returned to its home in Paradise following ceremonies in Kalispell and in Paradise.

The Paradise Elementary School Preservation Committee worked with the staff at the Museum at Central School and members of the Northwest Montana Historical Society to return the clock to Sanders County in support of efforts to save and repurpose the Paradise Elementary School.

November 26, 2014

Alliance hosts benefit

Saturday, members of the Plains Alliance Church hosted their annual program to raise funds for, “The Alliance,” which is the church’s program to support International Missionaries as they spread the Gospel. This annual event is known as the, “Money for Mission Bazaar.”

Without any return, members of the congregation donated artwork, crafts, household appliances, and their time in the kitchen and at the doors providing information to raise money. Just some of the items a spendor could have left the bazaar with were handmade soaps, knitted hats, paintings, drawings, shawls, handmade pottery, or even hand-forged dinner bells.

December 3, 2014

V.F.W. Auxiliary gets in holiday spirit

It all came to a head Monday as wives, widows, and daughters of servicemen, who have been working since October, prepared care packages to be sent to soldiers and units abroad and statewide. 24 boxes were put together, filled with magazines, hygiene items, snacks, candies, handmade letters from Plains Elementary, crosswords and books, all of which was donated or bought by the ladies.

December 10, 2014

House raided to rescue dogs

Sunday morning, a house and barn southeast of Plains were raided to rescue 30 Labradors from unsanitary and inhumane conditions. Not much is known, but what is, is that that a breeder vacated the premises Saturday the 6th after receiving an eviction notice. The resident left with a dog and the next day the 30 that were left were rescued and taken to shelters run by TRACS and Haven Stables, a boarding facility. Two deputies were present to document the process and evidence. Reports of possible neglect were called in before to TRACS from citizens, but legal issues prevented an investigation.

December 17, 2014

 A humble beginning turns into something larger

Last week, 15 chocolate lab puppies and 15 older labs were coated in feces and urine, in need of water and warmth. Today, they are in a giving, caring facility that is treating them for ailments and searching for the right owner who will give them the attention they need.

The dogs were taken from an abandoned residence and barn, where food was left out to fight over. The overpowering smell of ammonia from the urine filled the residence and every dog could be smelled from 10 feet away. The dogs in the barn had little protection from the elements as the wind and cold came through the walls. Thompson River Animal Care Shelter, TRACS, organized the rescue and is holding onto many of the dogs as they are being prepared for adoption.

For TRACS, the events of last week bring back memories of how the shelter began and where it is now today.

Wanda Thorpe, operations manager and founder, did not have a background in animal care, only a love for pets. Until 2006, Thorpe was a drug representative who sold pharmaceuticals, and traveled extensively doing so. While in Noxon, she visited a small animal shelter and it hit her. “It kind of came about because I had an epiphany... you would call it that one day...,” she said as she described visiting the tiny shelter. She thought to herself, “... And I thought, oh my gosh, where are all the animals in Sanders County going? And I decided I needed to start an animal shelter.”

December 24, 2014

Raugust petitions for post conviction relief

Thompson Falls – Richard Raugust is currently serving a life sentence in Montana State Prison in Deer Lodge for the murder of Joe Tash.

Tash was killed in cold blood at his camp in Swamp Creek outside of Trout Creek, in the early morning hours of July, 24, 1997.

Raugust was arrested later that day, charged with deliberate homicide, and has maintained his innocence throughout the last 17 years.

Last week Raugust, who was convicted of the crime in 1998, was back in Sanders County Court in Thompson Falls for a new evidence hearing.