County Commissioners have last meeting of 2015

The last Mineral County Commissioners meeting for 2015 was held on December 31. April Quinlan and Jennifer Donovan with the Mineral County Health department presented commissioners Roman Zylawy and Laurie Johnston with information about a Local and Tribal Public Health Systems Improvement Grant. The $15,000 grant was award to Mineral County Department of Human Health and Services in Mineral County in March 2015.  

Madplume pleads not guilty

POLSON - Melvin Madplume, the 29-year-old who stands accused of rape and deliberate homicide following the “suspicious death” of his cousin, Laurence Kenmille, made his initial appearance in Lake County District Court last Thursday and pleaded not guilty to both charges.

Fees increase for snowmobile trail passes

Snowmobilers and other groomed trail users in Montana will see changes to trail passes for the 2019/2020 riding season.

Plains vandal to be charged with felony

Coming into work early in the morning is never an easy feat, but for seven business owners in Plains last Tuesday, June 15, the morning was made even more difficult as they were greeted by a slew of vandalism on the outside of their business fronts.

Charges filed

SANDERS COUNTY – Charges against a Plains resident accused of embezzling from a local business owner were reinstated last week by Sanders County Attorney Robert Zimmerman according to information supplied by Plains Police Chief Shawn Emmett.

Sanders County Court Report

Justice Court cases seen in the Thompson Falls Court room by Judges Douglas Dryden, Donald Strine this past week are as follows:

Mineral County Health Department provides Covid tests, vaccines

Mineral County Health Department will be visiting communities this month to provide COVID-19 vaccines/boosters and free rapid antigen COVID-19 home testing kits provided by the state health department.

Public comment sought for federal forest programs

The Lolo and Bitterroot National Forests are preparing to modify their Forest Plan’s monitoring programs to transition to the requirements of the 2012 National Forest System Land Management Planning Rule.

NW Montana Fair and Rodeo opens Aug. 17

The 2022 Northwest Montana Fair & Rodeo opens Aug. 17 at the Flathead County Fairgrounds in Kalispell and will feature a performance by country star Lee Brice, three nights of Ram PRCA Rodeo, a Big Air Bash motorcycle stunt show, a carnival and hundreds of exhibits.

Holiday hours at the National Bison Range

Counties pressured to object to CSKT Compact

As the deadline approaches to file objections to water rights claims set out in the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes-Montana Water Compact, some local officials are considering the effects of the landmark deal.

Historic Superior received stock of Yellowstone elk

The Great Fire of 1910, also known as the Big Blowup, had a tremendous impact on what would later be known as Mineral County – the towns of De Borgia, Henderson, Taft and Haugan were completely destroyed in what is believed to be the largest fire in United States history.

Spicing up the new year

ALBERTON – The River Edge Steakhouse was filled with an assortment of aromas New Year’s Day as chilies simmered away at the resort’s second annual chili cook-off.

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.

Patriotism is no longer in our schools

Goodbye America, home of the free; land of the brave.

Keeping in Touch

Many of you will remember that during our 2009 Legislative session, property reappraisal was an integral part of that session as the Legislature addressed the reappraisal process per the Montana Constitutional requirement as found in Article VIII.  Article VIII requires a periodic reappraisal of property, in the interest of equal taxation, once every six years on all taxable real and personal property. 

Letters to the editor

What’s in a year?

LETTER: Stay engaged with social distancing, vigilance

The threat of Corona Virus is not going away soon.

Obituary; Donald Parkin

 Donald Parkin passed away at his home outside of Superior, Montana on May 25th.  Don was born August 26th 1934 on Iron Mountain in Superior, Montana at his Grandma Bennett’s house.  The only child of Kenneth & Jane (Bennett) Parkin he attended elementary and high school in Superior, Montana.  During high school he worked for local businessman Wally Schneider.  Don’s work ethic allowed him to have one of the first automobiles in his high school class which made him a popular friend if you had gas money which Romie Doyle and Ray Bennett will attest to.  In 1952, Don joined the Navy.  He spent 3 years touring the South Pacific on the USS McKinley after which he returned to Superior.  Don had a love for all things associated with the military especially aircraft.  In 1955, he married Sylvia Schierding and shortly thereafter went to work at Diamond Match Sawmill where he  worked as a mechanic for 27 years.  They had two children Valerie and Wade.  Don cared deeply for his children and grandchildren.  He served many years as a volunteer fireman and volunteered on the ambulance.  Don was an entrepreneur, he had his own dump trucks, had a fabrication shop and at the same time maintained the school buses for many years.  He had a deep affection for the outdoors and spent many of days traveling the hills of western Montana in his Kubota.  There wasn’t a vehicle he could not fix, a piece of metal he could not weld or a task that was too big for him to complete.  He built his dream house on the Clark Fork River where he resided for several years.  Don loved to travel and during retirement he visited many of the world’s greatest historical sites with his good friend Kathy Jasper.  Don likened himself as a historian of Mineral County as he had a knack for remembering names and faces. If you had an old picture or were trying to remember someone’s name he could usually provide you with the information you sought, plus he would add his own take and opinion free of charge. The last few years Don enjoyed travelling with his life companion Elaine White.  Don will be dearly missed by his friends and family. Don is survived by his son Wade and his wife (Sue) Parkin of St Maries, ID, daughter Valerie Parkin of Billings, MT, grandchildren  Mike and Kenneth Dewey of Billings, MT and his “guiding light” Elaine White of Superior.  Graveside services will be held June 7th at 1 PM with a reception and potluck following at his home.  In lieu of flowers, we request that donations be made in Don’s honor to Mineral County Museum and Historical Society or to the charity of donor’s choice.

Sanders County Fair opens Monday

Countdown continues for the annual Sanders County Fair, set for Monday, Aug. 27 through Sunday, Sept. 2 in Plains.