Spring burning season nears end

The spring burn season is officially drawing to a close in western Montana, and several land agencies in charge of administering burn permits have already stopped issuing permits as of Monday, June 12.

An update from Rep. Ingraham

It’s been a little over a year since I shared with you some resources which may be of value to you in helping to alleviate some of your medicinal concerns and struggles.  And since it might be the last time I am able to pass along the information due to my term coming to a close, I did not want to miss this opportunity to share some information with you again.

Concerned Plains parents vent after alleged school threat

School officials in Plains are dealing with the fallout of an alleged threat that occurred there Friday morning.

Noxon basketball readies for 2015-16 sports season

Aquatic Invasive Species Task Force Meets

THOMPSON FALLS – The Sanders County Aquatic Invasive Species Task Force met on Wednesday, Feb. 25, with a major point of emphasis placed on watercraft inspection stations.

Open burning season ends, permits required

Open burning season in Sanders and Mineral counties officially ended April 30, and burn permits are now required until fire season begins.

Larry Bennett is the 'Road Report Guy'

“Hit the road, Jack” … so the beloved 1961 Ray Charles tune goes.

The year ahead for Mineral County Sheriff's Office

Dissecting the Mineral County Sheriff’s Office, you have three departments that are intertwined, but each has separate specific responsibilities and duties.

Unruly behavior at commission meetings

I am deeply concerned about what is happening in our county and more specifically, the behavior that is occurring at our Mineral County Commissioners’ meetings.

Where are Montana's porcupines?

North American porcupines live up to 18 years and average 30 inches long and 20 pounds in weight. They are the second-largest rodent on the continent.

Suspected mountain lion attack near city limits

PLAINS – A suspected mountain lion attack occurred in Plains late last week. The victim, a four-year old mare named Missy was discovered by her owners Lisa and Kent Stewart with scratches on the left side of her hind quarters. While incidents like this are rare according to numbers from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the Stewarts remain concerned.

Students connect around the world

Nick Ianniello

Local delivery service makes runs to Missoula

To live in rural Montana and love the quiet life of Mineral County there is the ever-present necessity of traveling for what you need. Whether it’s a monthly trip to Missoula for groceries, doctor visits, or getting snow tires put on, everyone out here knows about the commute.

Plains keeps wrestling, softball, cross country

After a month-long postponement for more research, the Plains School Board decided to keep their cross country, wrestling and softball teams, but to give each only $6,000 and let the programs raise the rest of the funds themselves.

Clark Fork Valley Hospital continues COVID-19 vaccines

Steady progress is being reported on the Co-vid 19 vaccination front from Clark Fork Valley Hospital...

Food for Thought: Homework Battles

With school closures many parents and children are struggling with the frustration of homework. Indeed, this time often becomes a war zone where there is begging, pleading, bargaining and demanding between parent and child.

Chamber chatter

No doubt you’ve noticed that the committees and organizations you participate in have had a drop in membership, rather, a drop in volunteerism. Not only here, but nationwide. The fraternal organizations have seen a major decline to the point of closing many, or at least chapters. I remember when the Elks Club in Missoula was the most popular social gathering spot in town. The Moose was a close second. Service organizations such as Rotary and Kiwanis there are still pretty solid and I partially attribute that to the time of day meetings are conducted. But they face the same challenge all do: 20-80. Twenty percent of the membership does eighty percent of the work. Some places are 10-90, but regardless, this ratio is the norm. Burn out. And I get that. Too much for too long and the torch needs to be passed. Hopefully, there is someone who has the energy and vision to take it for a few years, and so the cycle continues. Which leads me to where I want to ‘soapbox’ for a moment. The American Cancer Society Relay for Life has been a well organized, profitable event in Mineral County for many years. To the by-stander, it is a well oiled machine that involves gobs of volunteers (help) that culminates into a FUN event. We all know someone close who has been affected by cancer which is one of the reasons this is so successful (and FUN) in our county. But their leadership is plum worn out and they are in need of a chair for 2015. This requires a committed individual(s) who oversees the event through meetings, phone calls, emails and personal relationship building. It’s not easy, but it’s not killer, either. It pays squat, but the reward is magnificent! You get to meet and work with some of Mineral Counties finest people and raise money to fight one of the most despicable diseases on earth. A couple of years ago, Mineral County raised nearly $45,000. That same year, Missoula County raised $86,000. Kinda tells ya of the generosity of our neighbors, doesn’t it? Call me at 822-5122 if you’re interested. Thanks.

Grievance decision announced

PLAINS – The School Board of Trustees in Plains met to deliver their decision on a grievance hearing they heard earlier in the month.

Proposal to reduce number of voting precincts

County Clerk and Recorder Jennine Robbins and Elections Administrative Assistant Bobbi Christenson have put the fate of voting precinct boundaries in the hands of Sanders County Commissioners for consideration.

Legals August 7, 2019

The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation Requests Input for Proposed Timber Sales PUBLIC NOTICE The Plains Unit of the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation is developing plans for two proposed timber sales. The first proposed sale would be known as the Sales Mine Timber Sale. This proposed sale is located approximately 36 air miles north of Plains, MT on the divide between the Elk Creek, Whitney Creek and Indian Creek drainages, Section 36, Township 26 North, Range 28 West. This sale is in the earliest stages of planning and would most likely involve seed tree and shelterwood harvests with ground and cable-based logging systems. This sale may require new and/or reconstruction of roads and would include some minor improvements on existing roads. This sale would likely sell in the fall of 2020 and is projected to generate approximately 3-4 million board feet of timber for the Common Schools Trust. The second, known as the Smiley Face Timber Sale, is located approximately 12 air miles north of Plains, MT, on the divide between the Todd Creek, Mudd Creek and Smiley Creek drainages, Sections 30 & 32, Township 22 North, Range 26 West. This sale is in the earliest stages of planning and would most likely involve seed tree and shelterwood harvests with ground and cable-based logging systems. This sale may require new and/or reconstruction of roads and would include some minor improvements on existing roads. This sale would likely sell in the spring of 2021 and is projected to generate approximately 3-4 million board feet of timber for the Common Schools Trust. These sales are being considered to generate revenue for the Common Schools Trust Fund, improve forest health by reducing the possibility of insect and disease activity, to reduce excessive fuel loading and the related risk of wildfire, and to reestablish and promote timber types historically found in these areas. These proposed harvests would contribute to the DNRC's sustained yield as mandated by state statute 77-5-222. As an adjacent landowner or interested party, we request your input regarding these projects. Your concerns and comments are needed to assist the DNRC in planning, analyzing, and implementing these projects. We would appreciate your response by October 31, 2019 so that we may incorporate it into our planning process. Please send comments to: DNRC Plains Unit, ATTN: Dale Peters, PO Box 219, Plains, MT 59859 or by email to dpeters@mt.gov or by phone at 406-826-4722 Please direct oral or written comments to: Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation PO Box 219 Plains, Montana 59859 Attn: Dale Peters (406) 826-4722 E-mail: dpeters@mt.gov Published in the Clark Fork Valley Press on August 7 and August 14, 2019. MNAXLP