CHUCK BANDEL
Valley Press
Recent Stories
Sparks fly at latest Paradise sewage meeting
After suffering a legal setback two weeks ago when a local judge denied their request for a temporary restraining order...
Hot Springs girls basketball suffers two defeats
It was a rough start to the season for the Lady Savage Heat as they struggle...
Hot Springs boys basketball splits with Clark Fork, St. Regis
Following a hard-fought loss to visiting Clark Fork in their boys 14C opener Thursday night, Hot Springs senior Lincoln Slonaker saw better...
Clark Fork wrestlers begin season victorious
After weeks of schedule changes and Covid-related issues, the Clark Fork Mountain Cats wrestlers...
The "Plains Girls" run and have fun
The trio of energetic women from the town...
Short-handed Clark Fork boys fall to Seeley Swan
With the odds stacked against them due to a reduced active roster, the Clark Fork boys almost pulled off a...
St. Regis Tigers slam Darby, 67-53
It happened in the pre-game warmups, a thundering, rim-bending twang that turned every head in the St. Regis High School gym...
St. Regis Lady Tigers hold off Darby, 36-33
The Lady Tigers traveled to Darby Saturday night and came away with a hard-fought 36-33 win...
Blue Hawks smash Troy Trojans, 76-13
The highly regarded Blue Hawks absolutely dismantled the Troy Trojans Saturday night...
Clark Fork Lady Cats fall to Seeley Swan
Four players scored in double figures as the Seeley Swan Lady Blackhawks ran away with a 58-39 win over Clark Fork...
Lady Hawks open season with rout of Troy
The highly regarded Class B Thompson Falls squad built an 18-1 first quarter lead in their game with Troy Saturday...
Plains wildlife artist a master of stone
Most often, he has to lay them out on the floor and study the stones and their natural patterns before selecting the next one...
Returning champ Thilmony gives Blue Hawks high hopes
With a returning state champion leading the way, the outlook for the Thompson Falls High Blue Hawks wrestling team...
Strong returners give Clark Fork wrestling team optimism for 2021
While some of those championship-caliber grapplers have graduated, an up-and-coming group of underclassmen promise to make 2021 another good year for the Mountain Cats...
Coronavirus vaccine arrives in Sanders County
The first wave of a nationwide plan to control the dreaded Covid-19 pandemic has arrived...
Paradise sewer opponents undaunted despite legal setback
Despite a recent setback, members of the Paradise sewer construction project say they have not...
Plains-Hot Springs wrestling squad features three state qualifiers
Returning experience and an exciting new beginning are the hallmarks of this year’s Plains-Hot Springs wrestling program...
Horse Plains VFW hosting Labor Day events
The cancellation of the 2020 Sanders County Fair and Rodeo, along with the always popular demolition derby, left a big hole in entertainment options for area residents suffering from COVID-19 fatigue frustrations.
Trotters volleyball team will bank on attitude
This year’s Plains High School volleyball team will have a very different look than the 2019 team.
Hot Springs volleyball hopes to be contender
Despite losing one of the top players in the region due to graduation, Hot Springs High School volleyball coach Alisha Pablo is confident her group of returnees will be a strong contender during the 2020 season.
Plains football opens in Philipsburg
Head coach Eddie Fultz is taking advantage of every practice as the season opener is close at hand for the Plains Horsemen football team.
Commissioner offers meetings with sewer protesters
What started out looking like a very contentious meeting in Paradise Friday night ended on a cautiously optimistic note, with County Commissioner Carol Brooker offering to meet one-on-one with anti-sewer protesters.
River float supports area veterans
There were 23 adults and 8 kids in the float,which including everything from large multi-person rafts to kayaks and paddle boards.
Dixon School students return to class
As schools open across the Treasure State amid the uncertainty of the COVID-19 obstacle, a small school in the southeast corner of Sanders County is proving the wisdom of two time-tested adages.
Hot Springs gridders ready to tackle new season
Like high school coaches, players and fans across the state and the country, Hot Springs High School head football coach Jim Lawson has been waiting and hoping for the best.
Rally held to head off sewer project in Paradise
With horns blaring and banners fluttering in the evening wind, anti-sewer protesters took their cause to the streets Saturday night in Paradise.
A transplant miracle in the making
When properly blended, faith, hope and charity can combine and create a field of positive energy that is palpable in many ways.
Sanders Co. schools move ahead with reopening
After months of planning and re-planning amid the logistic headwinds presented by the coronavirus situation, Sanders County students will be heading back to class before Labor Day.
Anti-sewer rally scheduled in Paradise on Friday
Determined to press forward with their opposition to a proposed sewer system, a group of Paradise residents is planning to take to the streets Friday evening.
Land dispute doesn’t stop the Old Perma Store
There is character in abundance at the Old Perma Store.
Plains self-pick farm a ‘berry’ special place
Nestled among the pine trees and shrubbery across the road from the Clark Fork River 16 miles downstream from Plains is a berry special place.
Trout Creek hosts 20th annual Cool Summer Nights Car Show
With temperatures hovering in the 90s due to a mid-summer heat wave, there was more than enough cool to go around for classic car fans in Trout Lake this past weekend.
Fire managers share good news about Magpie blaze
It was mostly good news for the approximately 20 local residents who attended the Magpie Rock Fire managers meeting at the Dixon School gymnasium Monday morning.
Plains Alliance Church celebrates 50th anniversary
Long-time congregation member Roger Mallery summed up the 50-year anniversary of his church in a simple phrase.
Sanders County deals with illegal dumping
One person’s garbage is not always another person’s treasure.
Fixing water, sewer systems is uphill battle
While residents in other parts of Sanders County are dealing with sewer and water systems of their own, Plains has been faced with that and more.
Four-day week the plan for Plains schools
Getting students back in the classroom this Fall amid the Covid-19 outbreak has proven to be a massive task.
More than 250 tested for COVID-19 at Hot Springs
Some came because they had cold-like symptoms and were concerned.
Sanders County forced to cancel popular fair due to COVID-19 virus
No fair!
Proposed sewer project divides Paradise
Paradise isn’t lost, but it is sharply divided.
Chouinard takes over leadership of Hot Springs school
Like so many of his fellow school superintendents, Gerald Chouinard’s to-do list is topped by the challenges associated with the COVID-19 situation.
Plains Schools get huge boost from grant and donation
Tom Chisholm is one excited guy.
Monster trucks make a loud roar on July 4
Sparks flew, BBQs smoked, music played, monster trucks roared and fireworks lit the skies throughout the area as Sanders County residents took advantage of beautiful summer weather to celebrate Independence Day.
Out with Benji’s, in with ‘Jaegerhaus’
Out with Benji’s, in with Jaegerhaus.
The Circle restaurant reopens despite obstacles
Country music legend Johnny Cash once asked in song, “will the circle be unbroken?”
Rock artist turns out solid work
Liz Smith quit smoking and became a “rock” star.
Hack & Blast raises money for Plains groups
They came, they saw, they blasted and they hacked.
Woman’s Club rummage sale is a Plains staple
Generosity and community were on full display Saturday at the Plains VFW meeting room.
Plains H.S. student teams up with local artist
When an aspiring, talented young artist joins forces with a talented, experienced artist good things can happen.
Hot Springs girls win twice; boys get swept in close games
The Hot Springs boys and girls basketball teams closed out a hectic weekend of Montana Class C basketball with games at home Saturday night.