Looking back

A few years back I was in an old working class neighborhood of Great Falls, walking down tree lined avenues that must have been something a few years back. But now the houses needed paint and lots of other things besides. Most of the residents seemed to have lived there for some time, and as I walked along I realized that once upon a time, this had been the realization of the Great American Dream for these folks; a secure job, their own house, a pretty yard, maybe even a flower garden. Not a lot to ask out of life. Not then, anyway, and now it was fading away.

Bobcats claw their way through camp

SPOKANE - The Superior girl’s summer basketball team went on the road this past week and received instruction from a storied basketball program a few states away.

Fire danger raised to high in Mineral County

MINERAL COUNTY - The U.S. Forest Service upgraded the fire danger in Mineral County from moderate to high last Friday in response to a combination of factors that lead officials to make the change.

Money in politics is destroying our democracy

David Brat, the upstart Tea Party candidate who scored a stunning victory over House Majority Leader Eric Cantor won in part by carrying a simple message;  “The crooks up on Wall Street and some of the big banks—I’m pro-business, I’m just talking about crooks—they didn’t go to jail, they are on Eric’s Rolodex.”

MHP cracks down on drinking and driving

MINERAL COUNTY – The Montana Highway Patrol and other law enforcement agencies around the state will be out in force over the long holiday weekend to aggressively target drivers under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

Hot Springs hosts football skills camp

HOT SPRINGS - The sounds and squeaks of running shoes echoed around the gymnasium as a group of young athletes participated in a youth skills football camp.

Obituary; Della Margaret Barrett Sampson Cook

DELLA MARGARET BARRETT SAMPSON COOK passed away in Missoula, Montana on June 11, 2014. Della was born August 21, 1916 in Belknap, Montana in the back of her father’s store to Jesse and Alice Schofield Barrett. In 1934, she graduated from Thompson Falls High School. At age 18, she attended Western Montana College in Dillon majoring in education and received her teaching certificate. From college, she moved to Lingshire and taught 1st-8th grades in a little one-room schoolhouse in the middle of nowhere. She moved to Lonepine and taught 1st and 2nd grades for five years. On May 26, 1940, she married Dean Davis Sampson at the Lonepine Presbyterian Church. She worked and loved being a wife, a mother of three children, rancher, and cook at the Lonepine School. Della then taught 3rd-5th grades there and 6th grade at Hot Springs. In 1966, Dean passed away. Della sold the ranch and moved to Missoula. In December of 1968 at the age of 53, she completed her bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Montana. She taught 5th-8th grade at Elmo for five years, at Rollins for two years, and at Proctor for one year. On August 5, 1972, she married James H. Cook in the First Presbyterian Church in Hot Springs. For the next 28 years they lived happily on the Lonepine Angus Ranch. In 2000, they sold the ranch and moved into Hot Springs. After 30 years of marriage, Jim passed away in 2002.

Bud Bras honored as grand marshal

HOT SPRINGS – Horse drawn wagons, fire trucks, police cruisers and vintage automobiles filled the streets of Hot Springs as the Grand Parade closed out the 65th annual Homesteader Days celebration.

Letter to the Editor

I am writing this letter in regards to the fire that started on our property near the mouth of Trout Creek on Friday, May 30, 2014.  Without the quick response of both the Superior Volunteer Fire Department and the US Forest Service, this bad situation would have had the opportunity of becoming a full blown forest fire as due to the strong winds, the fire had changed direction, headed down the creek and subsequently jumped the creek and would have gone on up the mountain had it not been stopped.

Old Schoolhouse Rock Car Show visits Superior

SUPERIOR – Perfect weather drew hundreds of people from all over Mineral County and beyond for the annual Old Schoolhouse Rock Car Show.

Candidate resigns from MCSO

SUPERIOR – One day after the primary election, Mineral County Sheriff candidate Robert Larson resigned from his position.

Tech initiative receives county's feedback

THOMPSON FALLS – The results from the Sanders County Community Development Corporation received from a recently held feasibility survey waging public interest in establishing a rural technology center in Sanders County came back with positive numbers.

Balenger fired for misconduct, previous instances of abuse arise

MINERAL COUNTY — Jim Balenger had a history of misconduct including excessive force and neglect of duty prior to joining the Mineral County Sheriff’s Office, according to documents released by the department.

Balenger's termination letters to be released

Alberton presents senior projects to community

ALBERTON – It’s evident that graduating seniors from Alberton High School made a difference in their community this year as they presented their senior projects May 14. 

Mineral County seat belt enforcement hits high gear

Balenger files for back pay

Mineral County candidates Q&A

Superior High students perform murder mystery

SUPERIOR – On a stormy night in the 1980s, a series of murders occur at an old mansion in the English countryside.

Swine virus cancels 4-H projects