SCOTT SHINDLEDECKER
Scott Shindledecker is the editor of The Western News. He covers public safety, city, county, sports and outdoors news. He is a graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a degree in journalism. He has been the sports and outdoors editor for the Courier-Express newspaper in DuBois, Pa., and worked for Hagadone Montana newspapers in Northwest Montana. He can be reached at 406-293-4124 or sshindledecker@thewesternnews.com.
Recent Stories
Convicted killer Wood sentenced to 100 years with no parole
Even at the end, convicted murderer Danielle Wood proclaimed...
State champion Thilmony leads Sanders, Mineral county medalists
Wrestlers from Sanders and Mineral counties enjoyed successful weekends at the Montana High School Association Class B-C state...
Area wrestlers qualify for Montana Class B/C championships
Fifteen wrestlers from Sanders and Mineral counties punched their tickets...
Thompson Falls teams head to Eureka for divisionals
It’s time for the Western B basketball tournaments as both Thompson Falls squads...
MacDonald, Angle claim state wrestling medals
The girls of the Plains-Hot Springs wrestling team made their first trip to Montana’s first all-female state...
St. Regis Tigers win 14-C District Championship
For the Tigers, they had business to finish and they did with a 58-55 win...
Clark Fork wrestlers building steam for postseason
Last Tuesday in Ronan, the Cats picked up two wins over the Plains-Hot Springs Savage Horsemen (45-30) and the Ronan Chiefs (39-36).
Trotters on win streak heading into playoffs
Trailing 25-21 at the half against St. Regis, a strong second half in which the Trotters outscored the Lady Tigers 25-19 was the difference...
Lady Hawks twice victorious
But by halftime, Thompson Falls led by 20 points, 39-19, and were never challenged...
Plains female wrestlers will be part of Montana history
But it was the opportunity for his two daughters to wrestle competitively...
Jury finds Wood guilty of killing LaFriniere
A jury of eight women and four men found Danielle Jeanette Wood...
Jurors begin deliberations in Wood murder trial
A jury of eight women and four men began deliberating early Thursday afternoon the fate of a Polson woman...
Jury poised to begin deliberations in Wood murder trial
Jurors hearing the murder case of a Northwest Montana woman accused of shooting her ex-boyfriend...
Wood murder trial continues this week
The murder trial of Thompson Falls woman Danielle Wood continued this week at the Sanders County Courthouse.
Phone records allegedly link Wood to homicide
State investigators probing the 2018 shooting death of Thompson Falls resident Matt LaFriniere allege cellphone records link...
Prosecutors present evidence in Wood murder trial
A writing in the margin of a religious study book found inside a murder suspect’s vehicle...
Jurors hear how friend found murder victim's body
Friends, coworkers and family members of murder victim Matt LaFriniere knew it was very unusual when he didn’t come to work...
Wood murder trial set to begin Tuesday
Danielle Jeanette Wood, 56, is charged with deliberate homicide...
Blue Hawks secure big win over Bigfork, 81-75
The Thompson Falls boys basketball team passed a big early-season test when they knocked off Bigfork...
Northwest Montana anglers enjoy Sunriser family ice fishing derby
The Peterson family arose at 4 a.m. last Saturday and made the long drive from Thompson Falls to Smith Lake in the Flathead Valley...
Prison time for former Flathead Joint Board employee
A former Flathead Joint Board of Control employee accused of embezzling hundreds of thousands...
Firefighters battle blazes across Western Montana
Firefighters are battling a number of fires across Western Montana, but rain in the region was expected to give them a welcome break Monday.
Blue Hawks hold off Mission, 38-32, in season opener
A key defensive play and two touchdowns in the last 22 seconds of the first half keyed the Thompson Falls Blue Hawks to a 38-32 win over the Mission Bulldogs as the 2020 high school football season kicked off in St. Ignatius.
Wood’s murder trial rescheduled for January
The trial of a Polson woman accused of murdering her ex-boyfriend in Thompson Falls in 2018 has been rescheduled for early next year.
Big Arm man pleads guilty to child porn charges
A Big Arm man accused of felony child pornography recently pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court.
Bear starts Ravalli fire; Magpie blaze 75% controlled
Western Montana firefighters have a Sanders County wildfire under control and worked to quickly extinguish another started by a bear Sunday.
Mineral County records first two COVID-19 cases
Mineral County became the latest in Montana to record a COVID-19 case when health officials received two lab-confirmed positive results Monday afternoon.
Danielle Wood murder trial postponed
The trial of a Polson woman accused of murdering her ex-boyfriend in Thompson Falls in 2018 has been postponed.
Danielle Wood’s murder trial to begin July 20
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Danielle Wood’s murder trial to begin July 20
The trial of a Polson woman accused of murdering her ex-boyfriend in Thompson Falls in 2018 will begin next week.
Sanders County records first three COVID-19 cases
Last week’s first apparent COVID-19 case in Sanders County turned out to be a false positive, but a trio of cases this week are the real thing.
COVID-19 test result was a false positive
The COVID-19 test result for a Sanders County resident turned out to be a false positive.
Sanders County reports first positive COVID-19 case
Sanders County health officials have reported the county’s first case of COVID-19.
Mineral County sheriff to resign Aug. 1
For the second time in less than three years, Mineral County will be looking for a new sheriff.
Angler catches Mack Days $10,000 lake trout
For the just the second time in tournament history, the famous $10,000 tagged lake trout has been caught during the annual Mack Days event on Flathead Lake.
Campsite fugitive back in court in Flathead County
When a Western Montana man went missing from a campsite in Sanders County on Memorial Day there was considerable reaction from the social media community.
Wait is over: Plains pool finally opens
After a two-year wait, area residents finally were able to take a dip in the E.L. Johnson Memorial Pool Saturday.
Plains residents hold rally to support law officers
Even as some city officials across the country consider disbanding police departments, residents of Plains, Montana took to the street Friday afternoon to let everyone know how they feel about law enforcement officers in Sanders County.
Savenac kids fishing day a delight
Strong winds and threatening skies did little to dampen anyone’s enthusiasm at the kids fishing day last Saturday at Savenac Pond in Haugan.
Trout Creek’s Conlin wins Montana BASS state title
A great start and a strong finish lifted Trout Creek’s Jim Conlin to the Montana BASS Nation State Championship last weekend at Noxon Rapids Reservoir.
Mineral, Sanders county election results
The COVID-19 pandemic did little to discourage voters from placing their ballots in the mail box.
Homesteader Days Rodeo this weekend
Homesteader Days in Hot Springs may look somewhat different in 2020, but for fans of the rodeo and live music, those are two things they can count on at next weekend’s event.
A range of emotions for 2020 Hot Springs graduates
Hot Springs High School made the most of its outdoor graduation ceremony Sunday, May 24.
Plains hosts unique ceremony
Drivers honking their vehicle horns as a means of applause was one of the unique things about the Plains High School graduation ceremony.
Plains VFW Post 3596 remembers the fallen
Saturday evening in Plains, members of the Plains VFW Post 3596 gathered at the Plains Cemetery for a ceremony to honor the deceased who served in the armed forces.
T-Falls seniors perservered
A brisk wind Sunday afternoon made it a challenge for Thompson Falls’ Class of 2020 during graduation ceremonies, but it wasn’t the most difficult they endured.
Two deaths reported in separate crashes near Hot Springs
Two Northwest Montana residents died recently in vehicle crashes near Hot Springs.
Getting a glimpse at the great gray owl in its native habitat
I had my first sighting of a great gray owl last week after finishing a walk near home.
A mixed bag for Sanders County events
The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and related concerns have led to many events being cancelled in Sanders County.
Traffic stop raises suspicion of sex trafficking, but no charges
A traffic stop by Montana Highway Patrol in Sanders County left troopers suspecting the people were involved in sex trafficking.