Ellington

Sally L. Sears

Sally L. Sears, 90, passed away peacefully Dec. 16, 2019, at the Clark Fork Valley Hospital Long Term Care in Plains.

Brett Johnson

Brett Johnson passed away Dec. 14, 2019.

Plains boys team undefeated at 5-0

Just five games into the 2019-20 boys basketball season, the Plains Horsemen have stamped themselves as a contender.

Thompson Falls man accused of gun crime

A Thompson Falls man accused of possessing a firearm after having been found to suffer from a mental disorder appeared Dec. 16 on charges.

Sanders County opens new waste transfer station

Last Tuesday local officials, community members, commissioners and staff met at the location of the new waste transfer station for Sanders County to commemorate its opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

Winn's buzzer beater powers Lady Savage Heat to 48-47 victory

A buzzer beater from 5-foot-9-inch sophomore Lily Winn gave the Lady Savage Heat from Hot Springs a 48-47 win over Seeley Swan.

Vern B. Miller

Vern B. Miller of Superior, Montana, passed away Dec. 18, 2019 with his family by his side from complications of Parkinson’s disease.

Horsemen overcome slow start to beat Valley Christian

The Plains Horsemen overcome a slow start to claim a 66-41 win over Valley Christian Friday.

Clark Fork Valley Hospital hosts annual bazaar

Clark Fork Valley Hospital’s Long-Term Care Facility recently held their annual Bazaar, which benefits the patients.

Couple takes over Garden, Gift & Floral

Garden, Gift and Floral and Plains Liquor is under new direction.

Hot Springs Savage Heat slams Victor, 51-21

A strong beginning propelled the Hot Springs Savage Heat boys basketball team to a 51-21 win over Victor Saturday.

COUPLE TAKES OVER GARDEN, GIFT & FLORAL

Garden, Gift and Floral and Plains Liquor is under new direction.

Richard Carlson, 72

Surrounded by his family, Richard Carlson, age 72 of Plains, Montana passed away from brain hemorrhage brought on by Acute Leukemia Dec. 10, 2019, at St. Patrick’s Hospital in Missoula, Montana.

Bluehawk wrestlers place seventh at Owen Invitational

Five placewinners, including one runnerup, put the Thompson Falls Bluehawks into seventh place at the Owen Invitational this past weekend in Pablo at Salish Kootenai College.

Community events

The JMG class at Plains High School is raffling off a 2012 Miami Heat championship baskeball as it attempts to raise $1,000 for the Sanders County Cancer Network. The raffle will be drawn Friday, Dec. 20. One ticket is $5 and five tickets for $20. All proceeds will be donated to the cancer network. Following the raffle, they are planning on donating our half of the proceeds from 50/50 winnings from our first two home basketball games this year.

Plains boys and girls teams open 2-0 at Ronan tourney

Basketball season is off to a good start at Plains High School.

Art class decorates Plains for the holidays

The residents of the town of Plains are always coming up with ways to celebrate with their community members, and last Thursday, as has been done for many years, the students of the art classes of Plains High School descended upon the town to do just that.

Locals compete in gingerbread contest

Friday in the Plains Doghill Bistro coffee shop, several locals gathered to compete in a craft requiring both ingenuity and skill: gingerbread house building.

Thompson Falls Christmas parade

Clark Fork Valley Hospital hosts tree of life ceremony

Last Wednesday the staff of the Clark Fork Valley Hospital Hospice Long Term Care Center held their annual Tree of Life Ceremony.

Noxon basketball teams split games at Ronan tourney

The Noxon boys and girls basketball teams each split their respective games at last weekend’s Ronan tip-off tournament.

Plains wrestlers raise money with Christmas wreath sale

For the last couple of weekends, as well as for the next couple, the members of the Plains High wrestling tram have been doing their best to raise funds for their upcoming season with an annual Christmas wreath sale.

Dewey Lewis Russel Arnold, 84

Dewey Lewis Russel Arnold, loving husband, father, brother and grandfather passed away Dec. 5 in Plains, at the age of 84.

Iconic grocery store changes hands after 100 years

Some businesses become more than just a store. They become local institutions for generations of people.

Mary Queen of Heaven hosts Christmas concert

Choir voices and musical instruments filled the Mary Queen of Heaven Church in Superior last Monday night, heralding the arrival of the Christmas season.

White Pine vet needs help from community

Arthur Evangelista needs a helping hand.

Mountain Cats wrestlers finish sixth at Owen Invite

Five placewinners helped catapult the Clark Fork Mountain Cats wrestling team to a sixth place finish at the 43rd Annual Owen Invitational in Pablo last weekend.

St. Regis boys off to good start; girls stumble

There were mixed results for St. Regis High School basketball fans in the wake of last weekend’s Ronan Tip-off Tournament.

Lady Mountain Cats collect win, but boys lose two

The Clark Fork Mountain Cats high school boys and girls basketball season got off to a 1-3 start last weekend at the Ronan Tip-off Tournament.

Food for Thought: Depression and Christmas

While the holiday season brings joy and celebration for some, for others it is a time of isolation and an increase in feelings of depression and negative thoughts.

A Montanan's view of a kibitzer: Fake guns in the hands of greenhorns

Reading last week’s (Nov. 27) Independent, On page 6 they have a new news creative writer. Did the Independent make a mistake? Yes.

Kvelve's Comments: Unapologetic Christmas wish list for others

I hope it’s not too late to get my Christmas wish list for others to the guy with the white beard and red suit.

Alberton Student Spotlight: Jordan Taapken

Name: Jordan Taapken

Community Calendar

- Saturday, Dec. 14. Retirement party for Cathy and Ken Kuhl at Methodist Church in Superior from 1-4 PM. They have owned Castles Market for the past 44 years. The public is invited to attend.

A MONTANAN’S VIEW OF A KIBITZER: FAKE GUNS IN THE HANDS OF GREENHORNS

Reading last week’s (Nov. 27) Independent, On page 6 they have a new news creative writer. Did the Independent make a mistake? Yes.

Hunting season sees average harvest

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks reported checking 10,225 hunters with 837 harvested game animals at its three long-standing check stations in western Montana from opening day on Oct. 26 until the general big game hunting season ended Sunday afternoon.

Plains High School egg drop

Two decades and counting

Community Calendar

- Friday, Dec. 6 p.m., the Peak Foundation will present its Annual Tree Lighting and Community Gathering at the Alberton Community Center. The hours are from 6–8 p.m. Potluck and bring a candle to put under the tree in remembrance of someone who has recently passed on. Games will be played. For information contact Laura Acker at 406-722-1133.

Huckleberry Festival chair ready to pass the torch

After six years of being President of Huckleberry Inc. and Chair of the Huckleberry Festival, I am stepping down.

Five locals named to all-state volleyball team

It was a good year for local high school volleyball players and their fans.

Hot Springs' Knudsen named QB of Western Division All-Conference team

Brandon Knudsen, Hot Springs Savage Heat standout quarterback and linebacker heads the list of post-season honorees from the Western Division 6-man All-Conference team.

St. Regis Senior Spotlight: Judy Stang

Name: Judy Stang

St. Regis Student Spotlight: Kylee Thompson

Name: Kylee Thompson

Time to thank Ken and Kathy Kuhl

In 1994, when my wife and I first came to Superior, she was short a dime at Castles – Ken Kuhl reached into his pocket and gave her a dime.

Katherine Warders, 60

Katherine Warders passed away in St. Regis, Montana, Nov. 28, 2019.

Horse Plains VFW shares a 'little piece of home'

For the past four decades, Meralise Nass has been doing her part in making sure local military members get a “little piece of home” during the holidays.

St. Regis Christmas Bazaar supports community

Saturday was national Small Business Day, aimed at attracting Christmas shoppers to the many and varied products turned they bring to market.

GOP governor candidates talk jobs, state economy

The three Republican candidates seeking to be Montana’s next governor laid out how they would use the power of the executive branch to boost the state economy at two events last week.

Paradise Tree Lighting Ceremony

Students kick off Thanksgiving break with annual Turkey Bowl

Last Tuesday the National Honor Society and the Student Council of Plains High School hosted their annual turkey bowl, a flag football game held in the school’s gymnasium to kick off the Thanksgiving break.

Food for Thought: Healthy couple relationship

All relationships go through certain stages of development. Usually the first year or two is full of excitement, fun and passion.

Lanterns released to honor those affected by cancer

Saturday night locals gathered for the Cancer Network of Sanders County’s ninth annual Lantern Launch.

Plains Girls Basketball Preview

2018-19 RECORD: 10-6 CONFERENCE; 15-7 OVERALL