Ellington

19 MC students head to BPA nationals

Mineral County Business Professionals of America (BPA) students returned from the annual State Leadership Conference where 14 students placed. Eleven students from St. Regis and eight from Superior will continue on to the National Leadership Conference (NLC) in Anaheim, Calif., set for May 1-5.

Folks can get Whipped Up now in Alberton, too

Folks can now get Whipped Up in two locations. Whipped Up! Café in Superior recently expanded their business in Alberton. They opened in the old Sidetrack Café located across the street from the Alberton School. They’ve been open about a month and café owner, Michele VanTassel said business has been nice and steady at their new location.

Superior High students in Italy visiting Rome

Jeff Schultz had always wanted to do some international travel. But between college football, marriage and children, he never had the opportunity. At least not until now.

Mineral County Justice Court

March 19, Haily Marie Baker, operating without temporary special fuel permit

MINERAL COUNTY JUSTICE COURT

March 19, Haily Marie Baker, operating without temporary special fuel permit

Folks get Whipped Up in Alberton

Folks can now get Whipped Up in two locations. Whipped Up! Café in Superior recently expanded their business in Alberton. They opened in the old Sidetrack Café located across the street from the Alberton School. They’ve been open about a month and café owner, Michele VanTassel said business has been nice and steady at their new location.

Statewide campaign fights tobacco and e-cigarettes

Ronnie Trentham stood in front of a gym full of junior high and high school students and explained why he no longer has a jaw bone. His face now deformed as a result of oral cancer caused by using chewing tobacco. It was a part of “Kick Butts Day,” a nationwide event to raise awareness on the problems caused by tobacco use.

Legislative Report

We still have a few house bills that will be worked across to the Senate soon. The committee meetings have been going late to take care of business. There will still be a few bills dropped in the house hopper before the deadline.

Expect traffic delays I-90 rehab project in Mineral County begins April 1

The Montana Department of Transportation is rehabilitating I-90 between St. Regis and Superior. The project begins 1 1/2 miles east of St. Regis and ends approximately five miles west of Superior near the Dry Creek Road Interchange (Exit 43).

Dawn Bauer recipient of prestigious Hunger Hope Award

Superior School’s Elementary Administrative Assistant and Afterschool Coordinator Dawn Bauer has been recognized for her work in securing food for hungry children. She was presented with an award during the Montana Food Bank Network (MFBN) event, The Taste, on March 8. This is an annual fundraiser for the food bank and was held at the Neptune Aviation airplane hangar in Missoula. Where over 100 food and drinks were prepared by nearly 40 local chefs, brewers, distiller and other food establishments.

Skatepark and more planned for Alberton

Ever since 2016, members of the PEAK Foundation in Alberton have dreamt of renovating the town park. Now, their dream will come true with an official ground breaking in early June. Armed with a $10,000 grant from the Tony Hawk Foundation, the money can be added to the pot to fund the project. Once they reach $150,000, Montana State Parks will match that amount dollar-for-dollar to complete the $300,000 renovation.

Plains/Hot Springs' Higareda wins state championship

Plains/Hot Springs had one individual champion and two other place winners at the Western Montana Little Guy State Wrestling Tournament held last Friday and Saturday at the Whitefish Event Center at Whitefish High School.

Mission Valley All-Stars rock the court; Light overshadows Dark

At the Ronan Events Center this past Thursday, area basketball players put an exclamation point on their hoops season with a pair of evenly matched Mission Valley All-Star Games.

Trout Creek teacher is featured at Blackfoot meeting

With a “passion for technology and for thinking outside here and now into the future,” as Daisy Carlsmith of Trout Creek puts it, she and a team of collaborating educators in western Montana have developed a highly successful non-profit to facilitate professional development on a host of topics for educators.

Excitement builds as annual quilt show approaches

One of the premiere art events of the year, the 2019 Flat-Iron Quilting Guild Annual Quilt Show, is Saturday, April 13, in the Thompson Falls High School gymnasium. Doors open at 9:30 a.m.

Eberhardts enjoying Sanders County surroundings

Steve Eberhardt has created tens of thousands of images during his 45-year career as an artist, and he’s just getting warmed up.

Homicide suspect was ex-girlfriend, mother of victim's child

The Polson woman accused of murdering Thompson Falls resident Matthew George LaFriniere in May 2018 was LaFriniere’s ex-girlfriend and had a child with him, according to charging documents filed last week in Sanders County District Court.

Blackfoot breaking ground on fiber optic cable expansion project

Result will be faster Internet

Legals March 27, 2019

LEGAL NOTICE Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) is recommending that the Fish and Wildlife Commission approve the amendment to the Thompson-Fisher Conservation Easement (EA) which would remove 1.63 acres of developed land and replace it with 5 acres of undeveloped, upland and riparian habitat along the Little Thompson River as proposed in Alternative B, the Proposed Action, of the environmental assessment (EA). FWP released the draft EA for public comment from February 13 through March 15, 2019. Four comments were received and only one issue was raised which was to improve the detail of the map for the parcels being removed from the conservation easement. An appendix with more detailed maps was added to the EA document. The proposed land exchange and accompanying CE amendment will resolve an encroachment issue on the CE land. The developed land on the CE involves seven different parcels of State School Trust Land managed by DNRC. Each parcel is adjacent to the conservation easement and lies within the Thompson River valley. The DNRC parcels are leased for cabin sites and they include various structures or other improvements that encroach onto the CE. Weyerhaeuser has agreed to remove the 1.63 acres of developed land from the easement and add 5 acres of undeveloped land which is adjacent to existing CE land, for a net gain to the easement property of 3.37 acres. The 5-acre parcel to be added to the CE is currently managed by Weyerhaeuser as forestland and this proposal will ensure that it will be managed in the same manner in the future. No immediate changes in land use would occur because of this amendment either on the land removed from or added to the CE. No money would be exchanged to complete the proposed amendment. Copies of the decision notice are available at the FWP office, 490 N. Meridian Rd., Kalispell; Montana State Library, 1515 E 6th Ave., Helena; FWP State Headquarters, 1420 E 6th Ave., Helena; the FWP website at http://fwp.mt.gov/news/publicNotices/decisionNotices/; and available for viewing at local libraries. If you have any questions regarding this project or the draft environmental assessment, please contact Kris Tempel at ktempel@mt.gov or via phone at (406) 751-4573. Published in the Clark Fork Valley Press on March 27, 2019. MNAXLP

Community Notes

The Mineral Independent reported in the March 20 issue that sixth-grader Abigail Wheeler, from Superior School, won first place in the intermediate division for the Keep Montana Green Association poster art contest. Her mother proudly announced that she recently won first place in the state competition in her division. Congratulations, Abigail!

Woman arrested, charged with murder of Thompson Falls man

The Sanders County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday announced the arrest of a Polson woman charged with the murder of Matthew George LaFriniere of Thompson Falls, who was killed nearly one year ago.

Thompson Falls Council votes 3-2 to create two new sewer districts

Plains and Paradise are not the only Sanders County towns with sewer and water treatment plant woes. Thompson Falls is going through its own throes.

Blue Hawks, Lady Hawks earn postseason basketball honors

Five Thompson Falls High School student athletes earned District 7B postseason honors for the 2018-19 basketball season, led by Lady Hawks 6-foot sophomore Megan Baxter.

Plains/Hot Springs softball fundraiser

Renovated Whistle Stop is now Thompson Falls Laundry

When you think of a downtown renewal project, a laundromat might not be the first idea that comes to mind. But the Whistle Stop Laundromat is helping bring a fresh new feel to Thompson Falls’ Main Street.?

4-H Competition Days finals

Kids these days. Seems like nothing intimidates them.

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DEQ presents update on salt in groundwater

How much headache can a simple pile of highway sand cause?

Paradise area artist Eberhardt building his legacy

Sit down with Steve Eberhardt, and you’d believe he’s lived in western Montana all his life.

John Schober

John G. Schober, 86, passed away Feb. 14, 2019, at Community Medical Center, surrounded by family and friends.

Sandra Palaniuk

Sandra Palaniuk, 78, beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, went to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Sunday March 3, 2019.

Superior student wins Keep Montana Green poster contest

Every year the Keep Montana Green Association holds a poster art contest and this year, Superior School’s Abigail Wheeler was the regional winner. She won in the intermediate division which is grades 4 through 6 for her poster.

No major flooding as snow thaws

“As the ground starts thawing, the rocks start falling,” was a post made on the Mineral County Sheriff’s Office’s Facebook page last week. A photo accompanied the post of a big rock which had come down on Mullan Road East near the Big Eddy fishing access in Superior on March 11. “Please be aware of your surroundings and pay attention while driving,” they warned in the post.

Library celebrates third annual Pie Contest

Bakers young and old showed their stuff at the Mineral County Library third annual Pie Baking Contest on Saturday, March 16. Brandy Elhert in the children’s division won the overall prize with her Key Lime Pie. There were several entries where judges Debbie Kelsey, Sheelia Miller, Kiana Cox and Library Director Guna Chaberek sampled a variety of pies — from fruit to cheesecake.

Mineral County court report

Mar. 12, Maks Aiher, false log

No headline

The Catholic Church in Superior will host Lenten lunches on Tuesdays until Holy Week (April 14-20). The first lunch was March 12 and then held on Tuesdays until April 9. Lunch is noon to 1 p.m. The Methodist, Assembly of God, LDS, Catholic and Community Churches will be responsible for each lunch. Donations will be accepted with proceeds supporting a local charity. Contact Nancy Wilson at 406-822-4548 for details.

Superior qualifies for free hot lunch program

Thanks to the efforts of Superior School’s administrative staff, the school will qualify for the free hot breakfast and lunch program. Last week, the Mineral Independent reported that Alberton and Superior schools were slated to lose their status for the free hot lunch program. However, staff members reviewed the state records for students who qualify and found those reports out of date.

Support group started for grandparents raising grandchildren

In Montana, more than 7,400 grandparents are raising their grandchildren without parental involvement. These children come to them because of family crisis and the relative parents are often ill-equipped to deal with the emotional, physical, financial and social hardships of raising children “a second time around”.

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Mountain lion spotted in Superior

There have been numerous reports of a mountain lion in Superior over the past few weeks. It has been seen at night near Eva Horning Park. the high school and in the area of 4th Avenue. The Mineral County Sheriff’s Office and the local game warden had been notified. However, the warden, Alex Mattson, said he had only received one call.

Schools could lose free hot lunch program

Area schools are at risk of losing their free breakfast and lunch hot lunch programs.

Resource Coalition continues to work on Saltese Trestle funding

The monthly Mineral County Resource Coalition meeting was held on March 5 with the main topic of discussion the restoration of the Saltese Trestle. The 100-year-old trestle is in need of repair and parties involved with the restoration project attended the meeting to talk about the next steps needed to be taken in order for the project to move forward.

Arrive Alive! Don't Drink & Drive campaign underway

Last weekend, students helped the Mineral County DUI Task Force spread the word about the dangers of drinking and driving. The task force had reached out to local schools to see if they had students willing to do community outreach. Students from all three schools — St. Regis, Superior and Alberton — stepped up to help said Barb Jasper with the county health department.

Eighth-grader Molia Dao is the S-P-E-L-L-I-N-G B-E-E winner

“P-O-R-T-E-N-T-O-U-S-L-Y” is what Alberton eighth-grader Molia Dao spelled to become the Mineral County Spelling Bee winner. Competition was held at St. Regis School on Monday, March 4. Molia beat out 30 contestants to take home top honors. Alternates were Skylar Knapp, an Alberton fifth-grader and Trizten Avila, sixth grade, from Superior.

Mineral County Justice Court

Mar. 7, Alejandro Edson Arce, reckless driving

Community Notes

The Catholic Church in Superior will host Lenten lunches on Tuesdays until Holy Week (April 14-20). The first lunch was March 12 and then held on Tuesdays until April 9. Lunch is noon to 1 p.m. The Methodist, Assembly of God, LDS, Catholic and Community Churches will be responsible for each lunch. Donations will be accepted with proceeds supporting a local charity. Contact Nancy Wilson at 406-822-4548 for details.

Ratliff, Sparks bound for National AAU Championships

It has been a very busy, and sometimes hectic time, for young amateur wrestlers over the last four or five weeks. The high school season ended in late February, and grapplers from 4 through 18 have spent hours on the mats during practice and competition.

Mission Valley All-Star Games set March 21

Top high school basketball players from Lake and Sanders counties will celebrate March Madness with the 24th annual Mission Valley All-Star Games on Thursday, March 21 at the Ronan Event Center. The girls’ game tips off at 6:30 p.m. followed by the boys’ contest at 8 p.m.

Manhattan Christian wins C title

Manhattan Christian, Bigfork and Wolf Point captured championships at state basketball tournaments held last week.

4-H youth demonstrate talents and aplomb

The annual 4-H Communication Days kicked off last weekend in Thompson Falls and Hot Springs.

Plains sixth-grader Ducept headed for Treasure State Spelling Bee

Plains Schools sixth-grader Kaitlyn Ducept emerged as the repeat champion of the 2019 Sanders County Spelling Bee held Friday, March 1 at the Sanders County Courthouse.

Poet Laureate Lowell Jaeger works to 'enliven your mind' at Arts Council event

Montana Poet Laureate Lowell Jaeger was the featured artist during the Sanders County Arts Council’s fifth event of its Tapestry Performing Arts Season for 2018-19.

Plains council faces tough decisions on sewer plant future

The Plains sewer lagoons are increasingly vulnerable to the encroaching Clark Fork River.

Grizzly bear conflict-prevention specialist making a difference

Cabinet Resource Group (CRG), a grass-roots conservation watchdog group active since 1976 in northwest Montana, held its annual meeting Saturday, March 9 at Bighorn Lodge on the Bull River. The group uses this event every year to share issue updates with members, introduce like-minded groups in the region, give awards, and vote on board members.

Legals March 13, 2019

Amy M. Scott Smith, Esq. WORDEN THANE P.C. Attorneys at Law 321 W. Broadway St., Ste. 300 Missoula, MT 59802-4142 Telephone: (406) 721-3400 Facsimile: (406) 721-6985 Email:ascottsmith@wordenthane.com Attorneys for Personal Representative MONTANA TWENTIETH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, SANDERS COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF: MICHAEL THANE, Deceased. DEPT. No. 2 PROBATE NO. DP-19-05 NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed Personal Representative of the above-named estate. All persons having claims against the decedent are required to present their claims within four months after the date of the first publication of this notice or said claims will be forever barred. Claims must either be mailed to TIM THANE, the Personal Representative, return receipt requested, at c/o Worden Thane P.C., 321 W. Broadway St., Ste., 300, Missoula, MT 59802-4142, or filed with the Clerk of the above Court. DATED this 13th day of February, 2019. /s/ Tim Thane c/o Worden Thane P.C. 321 W. Broadway St., Ste. 300 Missoula, MT 59802-4142 WORDEN THANE P.C. Attorneys for Personal Representative By: /s/ Amy M. Scott Smith Amy M. Scott Smith, Esq. Published in the Clark Fork Valley Press on February 27 and March 6 and March 13, 2019. MNAXLP

Little Guy wrestlers back in action

Adverse weather conditions resulted in the cancellation of numerous Little Big Wrestling events last week in Sanders, Lake and Beaverhead counties. Organizers had the safety of everyone traveling to the USA Wrestling events in mind since poor road conditions were common the last week of February.

Plains/Hot Springs softball fundraiser is this Saturday

The Plains/Hot Springs softball team is raising funds to support the high school program with their annual benefit event.

CASA's chili feed fundraiser March 14

CASA is the acronym for court appointed special advocate, and the organization is very valuable to at-risk youth throughout the country.

In its 40th year, Montana Water Court future uncertain

HELENA — The Montana Water Court could soon reach a turning point once all its old water rights cases are settled.

One reason we fight sewer north of track

We, the people of Thompson Falls, Mont., did not ask for, nor were we afforded the right to vote for or against, “sewering” the town north of the BNSF-MRL line.

Plains students rewarded for 'I Love to Read' efforts

Learning can be a lot of fun — for students, teachers and staff — and it certainly was during the month of February at Plains Schools.

SC Fair manager McGuigan moves on after 52 fairs

Chris McGuigan missed a Sanders County Fair once. He was away to college in Wyoming. All 52 others in his life, he attended.

Richard Warnken

Richard Geheart Warnken, 86, of Superior, Mont., passed away peacefully on Feb. 25, 2019. Richard was always surrounded by his loving family and friends.

The weather outside is frightful

Mineral County residents are doing the best they can to deal with the onslaught of heavy snow and frigid temperatures.

RIP Stinky Renegade black goat dies after years in the wild

A legend died in Deborgia last week by the name of Colt (a.k.a. Stinky). A black goat who famously hung out on a rocky cliff off Interstate 90 near a cell tower. Marsha and Tom Hoag, who live below the cliff, often saw Colt since he would drink from their pond and hang out on their property.

Local firefighter heading to Seattle stairclimb competition

“356, 357,” is what a breathless Nathan Lapinski counted a few days after he and fellow firefighter, Jake Sporna, climbed a combined total of 714 stairs. It was part of a fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS). Where the two had pledged to climb a story for every dollar donated with a total of $1,000 raised, which included additional donations.

Mineral County court report

Feb. 26, Joshua Aaron Haney, basic rule reasonable and prudent

Snowfall seen as worst in last 30 years

Last week, long-time Mineral County residents saw more snow than they’ve seen in 30 years. Estimates from the storm that hit last Monday, Feb. 25 were around 18 inches in Alberton, 12 in Superior and eight in St. Regis.

Legals March 6, 2019

LEGAL NOTICE Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) seeks public comment on a proposal to amend the Thompson-Fisher Conservation Easement (EA) to remove 1.63 acres of developed land and replace it with 5 acres of undeveloped, upland and riparian habitat along the Little Thompson River. This land exchange and accompanying CE amendment would resolve an encroachment issue on the CE land. The developed land on the CE involves seven different parcels of State School Trust Land managed by DNRC. Each parcel is adjacent to the conservation easement and lies within the Thompson River valley. The DNRC parcels are leased for cabin sites and they include various structures or other improvements that encroach onto the CE. Weyerhaeuser has agreed to remove the 1.63 acres of developed land from the easement and add 5 acres of undeveloped land which is adjacent to existing CE land, for a net gain to the easement property of 3.37 acres. The 5-acre parcel to be added to the CE is currently managed by Weyerhaeuser as forestland and this proposal will ensure that it will be managed in the same manner in the future. No immediate changes in land use would occur because of this amendment either on the land removed from or added to the CE. No money would be exchanged to complete the proposed amendment. The comment period extends for 30 days. Written comments will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. on March 15, 2019. The draft environmental assessment is available at the FWP office, 490 N. Meridian Rd., Kalispell; Montana State Library, 1515 E 6th Ave., Helena; FWP State Headquarters, 1420 E 6th Ave., Helena; the FWP website at http://fwp.mt.gov/news/publicNotices/environmentalAssessments/acquisitionsTradesAndLeases/. A copy of the plan may also be obtained by contacting the FWP Kalispell area office at 406-752-5501 or by emailing ktempel@mt.gov, and available for viewing at all local libraries. Please send all written comments to either of the following addresses: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks; Attn: Kris Tempel, Thompson- Fisher EA; 490 N. Meridian Road; Kalispell, MT 59901; ktempel@mt.gov Published in the Clark Fork Valley Press on February 20 and March 6, 2019. MNAXLP