Ellington

Cedar Creek road relocation almost complete

Before a railroad was built next to Cedar Creek, the 20-mile stream meandered through the forest and served as prime habitat for the bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout, the creek's native species.

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Suspect apprehended after stand-off near St. Regis

Montana Highway Patrol apprehended a suspect about three miles east of St. Regis following a vehicle pursuit Sunday, June 16 at around 8 p.m., according to Montana Highway Sgt. Shawn Smalley.

Dr. Karen LaRoe, 74

Dr. Karen LaRoe passed away on June 15, 2019. She was born on December 13, 1944, in her grandparent’s four-room farmhouse on Buck Creek, in Lawrence County, Ohio. Karen grew up as the cherished child and valued farmhand of Hershell and Ann Roach on their dairy farm just a half-mile down the road. Widowed at 23, with two young children and a high school diploma, Karen went on to earn a Doctorate in Educational Leadership. After serving at the Ohio State University, Fitchburg State University, and Montana State University Northern, Karen was appointed President of the West Virginia University Institute of Technology, just 90 miles from her parent’s farm. There, together with faculty, staff, and students, she led Tech to significant national recognition for academic rigor and value. She was a leader with a kind heart, an open and curious mind, enthusiastic optimism, and endless energy. Her guiding principle was, “A college is a place where we come together to debate one another’s ideas with love and respect.” May we all follow her lead. Karen retired with her husband to homes in St. Regis, Montana and Venice, Florida, where they enjoyed the frequent visits of family and friends for many years. Karen is survived by her children, Joseph West, Lee Ann West, and Steven LaRoe, her grandchildren, Amanda West and Joey West, her sister, Rena Snouffer, her brother, Keith Roach, an enormous extended family; and her husband, Lin Williams. Services will be held at the Trinity Baptist Church, a church her family and friends built, near Aid, Ohio, on June 29, at 2:00 p.m. Karen will be interred near her parents in the cemetery in Aid. Arrangements will be handled by the Phillips Funeral Home in Ironton, where visitation will occur from 5-7 p.m., Friday, June 28. Karen would tell you that she lived a wonderful life. Her childhood was nurturing and rich in the Appalachian traditions of family and community. Her adult life was full with the love of her family, her many treasured friends, her travels around the world, and her amazing career.

Victoria Wood Benefield

Victoria Wood Benefield, 74, passed away Tuesday, June 18, 2019 at St. Joe’s Hospital in Lewiston, Idaho, after a five-year battle with Dementia and long-term diabetes. She was surrounded by her children and grandchildren.

Darcy Rae Winston

Darcy Rae Winston, 54, passed away on June 17, 2019, in Kalispell, Montana. Darcy was born May 20, 1965, in Atlantic, Iowa, to Jack and Emy Barringer. She attended elementary school in Atlantic and Hastings, Nebraska until the family moved back to Iowa in 1976, locating in Ames, where she attended Junior High and High School, graduating in 1983.

Ricky Beason

Ricky James Beason passed away on May 25, 2019, while holding Megan’s hand. He left this earth a broken man and is now whole. Rick is healthy, surfing, riding snowmobiles and horses in the playground in the sky.

Kalvin Miller

Kalvin Winfield Miller was born Sept. 19, 1951, to Winfield Miller and Minnie VanCampen Miller in Missoula, Mont.

Alberton Community Center is beneficiary of a $4,940 grant

The cracked, rotted and leaking windows in the Alberton Community Center will soon be replaced after the town received a $4,940 grant earlier this month for the historic building.

E-cigarettes banned in public places in the county

Electronic cigarette users will no longer be able to “vape” in public facilities after Mineral County commissioners passed a motion to add them to the county-wide Clean Indoor Air Act at a public meeting on Friday, June 7.

Local afterschool programs in jeopardy

When Superior parent Roxanne Wyatt drops her kindergartner and fifth-grader off at Superior Elementary School for summer camp, she feels relieved to know her kids are being supervised and will be unplugged from their electronics while she’s at work.

Meeting set June 25 to discuss detention center future

After the Mineral County Detention Center closed six months ago due to a staff shortage, county commissioners will meet again with the CEO of a private prison organization to potentially form a deal and reopen the facility.

Decision on status of detention center on tap Friday

Mineral County commissioners and County Attorney Ellen Donohue hope to reach a solution to reopen the jail, which closed in January due to a staff shortage, on Friday, June 14 following a postponed deadline.

Fifth-generation Mineral County brothers host festival in Haugan

Music enthusiasts from all over the nation attended the fifth annual Silvercloud Campout, a family and dog friendly music festival next to the 50,000 Silver Dollar Bar, in Haugan on Friday and Saturday, June 7 and 8.

DeBorgia Foundation yard sale to benefit schoolhouse

The DeBorgia Historical Schoolhouse Foundation will host their annual yard sale on Friday and Saturday, June 14 and 15 from to benefit the schoolhouse maintenance.

Community garden in Alberton to collaborate with schools

Last year, Ang MacDonald started a community garden filled with fruit trees, tomatoes and other vegetables in Alberton after two previous failed attempts. The Alberton Railroad Days Community Garden is a nonprofit that MacDonald runs and she’s responsible for most of the work. Her long-term goal is to start a Farm to School program with Alberton, where schools feature locally produced food on their school menus.

Cougs seeking true identity

The Clark Fork Valley Cougs Babe Ruth teams are still working on carving out the team’s identity.

Rodeo draws plethora of contestants

Nearly 200 cowboys and cowgirls combined competed in the two-day Homesteader Days Rodeo last Saturday and Sunday, June 8 and 9 at Hot Springs.

VonHeeder's track & field career progressing at MSU

Former Plains High School track and field standout Carley VonHeeder continues to pursue qualifying for the NCAA Division I National track and field championships.

New CFVP reporter seeks adventure in Sanders County

A new reporter/photographer has arrived at the Clark Fork Valley Press, and he is ready for action.

Sanders County drivers to expect traffic delays

The Montana Department of Transportation has released information on three road construction projects to take place in Sanders county over the next few months. Two of them will be taking place on Montana Highway 200, and one will be on secondary highway 382. Expect travel delays.

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Sanders County considers needs assessment for housing

One of the most pressing issues facing the growth of Sanders County, and in fact most of western Montana, is the conundrum of affordable housing.

Parade Results

There was an abundance of outstanding, colorful costumes worn by youngsters for the Homesteaders Day Kiddie Parade held at noon Saturday, June 8 on Main Street in Hot Springs.

Legals June 12, 2019

PUBLIC NOTICE This notice has been revised from the May 22, 2019 release to update the public comment period and public comment website. BNSF Railway Company (BNSF) has submitted a permit modification request to the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to modify BNSF's hazardous waste permit for its remediation activities located in Paradise, Montana. The hazardous waste permit provides requirements for operation of a corrective action management unit (CAMU), continued maintenance of designated regulated units, and Facility-wide corrective action. The modification is being submitted under Title 75, Chapter 10, Part 4 of the Montana Hazardous Waste Act. This notice is to inform the public of the permit modification request and to seek their participation in the decision-making process. During the public comment period, the public may submit written comments to DEQ. The comment period will extend from May 17, 2019 to August 6, 2019. The permit modification is available online at http://deq.mt.gov/public/publiccomment, at the DEQ Helena office and DEQ Missoula office during their business hours, and at the Plains Public library located at 108 W Railroad St, Plains, Montana 59859. A public meeting will be held on June 12th, 2019 at 6 pm at the Paradise Civic Center, 2 School House Hill Road, Paradise, Montana 59856. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Yueh Chuang at 406-256-4040 or at email address, yueh.chuang@bnsf.com. All written comments of the permit modification request should be addressed to Ann Kron, DEQ, Waste Management and Remediation Division, Waste and Underground Tank Management Bureau, P.O. Box 200901, Helena, MT 59620-0901 or emailed to DEQhazwaste@mt.gov. Interested persons may also call Ann Kron at 406-444-5824 or email at akron@mt.gov for additional information. The permittee's compliance history during the life of the permit being modified is available from the DEQ. Based on the comments received, DEQ will make a final decision to accept or deny BNSF's permit modification request. Notice of DEQ's decision will be given to BNSF and each person who submitted written comments or requested a notice of the decision. Published in the Clark Fork Valley Press on June 12, 2019. MNAXLP

Oren Wood

Born April 22, 1933, Oren Wood grew up in Plains, Montana, the son of Marie and Marshall Wood.

Frieda Huberty

Frieda Ann Huberty, 60, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday May 26, 2019.

Joan Veeder

Joan Marie Veeder, 78, born Feb. 18, 1941, in Butte, Mont, passed away May 6, 2019, in Spokane, Wash.

Trotters look toward the future at third-place finish

Plains-Hot Springs softball coach Michelle Bangen knew her team had the capability, and after they finished third at the Montana High School Class B-C state softball tournament, her team now believes what she knows.

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Hot Springs track coach Bethany White knew Katelyn Christensen would have an immediate impact on the varsity team during her first year at the varsity-level competition.

Protecting our states against invasion is a key guarantee of Constitution

Article 4 Section 4, Constitution of the United States, says: “The United States shall guarantee to every state in the Union a republican form of government [meaning Congress], and protect each of them against invasion.”

Thompson Falls

Hot Springs

Celebrating our 2019 graduates

Flockerzi committed to Warm Springs

West Bowen Flockerzi of Trout Creek was found not fit to face trial at this time on several felony charges when he appeared before District Court Judge James Manley on Tuesday, May 28 at the Sanders County Courthouse in Thompson Falls. Flockerzi was committed to the Montana State Hospital in Warm Springs for treatment.

A community at its best

It is difficult to capture an event as broad-ranging and active as Plains Days in words. Throughout the community, from the fields to the streets, the gym to the golf course, the corners to the clouds, Plains abounded with laughter, good sportsmanship, generosity, athleticism, kindness, volunteerism, and fun.

Young Eagles take to the sky

Since 1992 the EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) has been giving youth a chance to get interested and involved in flight, such as during Plains Day on Saturday, June 1 at the Plains airport.

Memorial Day at Plains Cemetery

Memorial Day honors

Mineral County loses dispatcher Newart

After working for the Mineral County Sheriff’s Office for almost 10 years, 911 dispatcher Robert Newart has decided to hang up the dispatch phone on Tuesday, May 28. He’s one of three dispatchers who have recently left the job, right behind Roni Philips and Brandon Church. “He was very friendly and outgoing and knew how to make people calmer in a bad situation,” St. Regis Assistant Fire Chief Kat Kitteridge said. “He knew just what to do and say.” Dispatchers have a tough job. Their duties include listening to the radio while many different systems go off, including Mineral County’s deputies, fire departments and Emergency Medical Systems. “They’re the hinge pin to the county,” Kitteridge says. “They’ve got to be very attentive to what’s going on.” Newart, 34, began his career with the Sheriff’s Office as a detention officer 10 years ago and was transferred to dispatch after six months. “I liked the fact that I was helping the community, whether it was simple questions about road conditions or when open burn was to helping people that were in life or death situations,” Newart said.

Celebrating St. Regis Class of 2019

Commissioners to decide jail's fate Friday

Mineral County commissioners will decide on Friday, June 7 whether or not to contract with a nonprofit private prison CEO to reopen the detention center which closed in January due to staff shortages. Commissioners met with Mike Thatcher, the CEO of Community, Counseling and Correctional Services Incorporated (CCCS), on Tuesday, May 28 to discuss leasing the facility from the county. Thatcher toured the jail with county officials to see if he would be interested and there was a public meeting afterward to discuss ideas. One idea was that Thatcher would reserve 16 beds while the remaining ten beds would be reserved for Mineral County inmates. For example, Thatcher’s reserved beds could be used for overflow probationary inmates from Lake County while the county’s reserved beds would be used for criminals arrested in Mineral County. Thatcher also discussed having a treatment center in the county down the road as an additional facility to help the program, and to add and maintain jobs. “It’s a longer-term treatment concept,” Thatcher said. “That’s something you should parallel to the discussion.” Thatcher says treatment facilities are a niche operation, and the county has potential to have separate programing. ANOTHER OPTION in addition to a contract with Thatcher for commissioners to consider is creating a Temporary Contractual Agreement for Coordinating Position. County residents Denyse Traeder, Diane Magone and Judy Stang proposed the idea to commissioners at the May 31 meeting for the position to jumpstart the process for reopening the jail. The proposal entails hiring a temporary person on a 3- to 6-month contract who will be responsible for “exploring the options available to reopen the county detention center in a timely manner and performing all duties that would accomplish this goal,” according to the proposal. The coordinator would create foundational procedures to recruit and retain employees. Traeder says the coordinator position could potentially work in tandem with CCCS and work together to reopen the jail. However, some residents don’t believe a coordinator would be necessary. Former detention officer Brandy Taylor says a Jail Administrator should be responsible for these duties. “What I’m hearing is, we want to hire someone to hire people to hire people,” Taylor said. She says the coordinator position is the definition of what a jail administrator is supposed to be.