Mineral County jail closed due to staffing issues

By KATHLEEN WOODFORD

Jail closed due to staffing issues

The Mineral County jail has been closed due to insufficient staffing, with inmates being transferred to other facilities or released.

Kenny Lee Marjerrison

Kenny Lee Marjerrison, 34, passed away on Oct. 25th, 2017, at 4:30 p.m. during a fatal collision outside of Arlee. He was born in Plains, one of three children born to Jerry Marjerrison and Yvonne Roesler on May 9, 1983.

Local mills and fires highlighted during Forest Products Week

Montana Forest Products week was Oct. 15-21 which is an annual event started by the Montana Legislature in 2011 to honor the forest products industry and its appreciation for providing locally made wood products, stewardship of Montana’s public and private forests, and employment.

'Choose to be healthy,' motivational speaker tells county's high school students

“Leaders choose to believe in themselves; leaders choose to outsmart the bullies; leaders choose to set healthy boundaries; leaders choose to forgive and move forward,” these were the four tools motivational speaker, Jessie Funk told a gym full of high school students last week as part of Mineral County’s Red Ribbon Week.

Hunting season has begun; numbers look promising

Montana’s general deer and elk season opened on Oct. 21 and hunters are grabbing their rifles and orange gear and heading into the mountains. Fish, Wildlife and Park reports indicate that mule deer numbers are up and whitetail populations are beginning to recover after severe winter weather in the past.

Highlighting survivors: Audrey Kolbeck

Each week this month we have visited with a breast cancer survivor, and each story has been as unique as the woman herself.

Getting to know the next possible Alberton mayor

Drug dealers sentenced after Mineral County arrests

Defendants from two separate drugs busts which occurred in Mineral County were sentenced by the U.S. District Courts earlier this month. Hector Ricardo Gonzales, 30, from Kennewick, Washington was arrested on January 20 along with codefendant, Christian Jesus Ruiz, for 20 pounds of methamphetamine after being pulled over by sheriff’s deputies. On Oct. 12 in Helena, U.S. District Court Judge Sam Haddon sentenced Hector to 260 months in prison with five years supervision after his release.

Mineral County prep roundup

The Clark Fork Lady Mountain Cats leapt over the Lincoln Lynx during Saturday night’s matchup taking them to first place going into 13C District playoffs next week in Missoula. They won all three sets 25-13, 25-22, 25-10 with senior Kenzie Mueller leading the pack in kills with 9 out of 26, 2 out of 3 blocks and 6 aces out of a team total of 15. Montanna Baughman led in digs with 8 out of 31 and Madison Mask had 21 out of 23 assists.

'Don't give up,' says local cancer survivor

After eight months, Terri Decker’s husband, Mark Rimmer had lost his battle with leukemia. Then, one short year later, she was diagnosed with lymphoma.

When things go bump in the night, beware!

Halloween is a night of scary monsters, skeletons, witches and tall tales about demons and ghosts. It’s the time of year that we allow ourselves to be frightened of things that go “bump” in the night and let our imagination run wild about unexplained phenomenon. Here are a couple of stories submitted by Mineral Independent readers who dare you to read their tales from the beyond.

Runners help cancer patients 'Fuel The Fight'

Colorful balloons representing different types of cancer adorned the finish line at Frenchtown Pond State Park on Sept. 30 at the second annual Fuel the Fight 5K and 1 Mile Fun Run. The event is a fundraiser to provide pre-paid fuel cards to help cancer patients in rural communities around Missoula off-set the costs of traveling to and from their treatments.

Five candidates vying for four positions on Alberton Town Council

There are five candidates running for four council member positions for the Town of Alberton. Elections will be held on Nov. 7 with mail-in ballot arriving in resident mailboxes by the end of the week.

Delegation says climate change is cause of wildfires

A group of delegates traveled to Washington, D.C., recently and met with their legislators to discuss climate change and proposed cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Golf tournament helps pay for local medical needs annual tournament

The Mineral County Medical Foundation hosted their 35th Annual Golf Tournament at the Trestle Creek Golf Course on Sept. 30. There were 11 teams that participated in the Foundation’s largest fundraiser, with players from Mineral County and Missoula.

Montana Aussie adventures with Erin-Jay

Another week of cooler weather has welcomed us here in Sanders County, and though I may already be cold, I love the fall weather.

Kathryn Mary Sweeney, 68

Surrounded by family and resting comfortably, Kathryn Sweeney passed away in the early morning hours of Sept. 21, 2017.

St. Regis School closed briefly after bomb threat

ST. REGIS — Teachers and students at St. Regis School were evacuated on Wednesday, Sept. 20 at 4:20 p.m. due to a bomb threat. According to Superintendent Joe Steele, the threat was made on a written note and left in the locker room. A student found it in a locker while changing out for football and alerted administration.

Sharron Mitchell Noyes, 64

Sharron Mitchell Noyes, 64, passed away Friday September 8, 2017 in Kalispell due to complications with pneumonia. She was born March 06, 1953 in Aberdeen, Washington to Isadore Jackson Mitchell and Jane Agnes (Whitworth) Mitchell.