Boundary County News Archives ~ May 2011 |
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May 30, 2011 |
For This We
Remember: Today's Memorial Day observance was a day
to remember, from heroes past to heroes we only now know. A News
Bonners Ferry pictorial. |
May 27, 2011 |
Momentum
for local Medal of Honor growing: Support for
upgrading the Navy Cross Marine Corps Lance Corporal Ricardo C.
Binns, retired, was awarded for heroism 44 years ago during the
Vietnam War is growing, with U.S. Senators James Risch and Mike
Crapo and Idaho Senator Shawn Keough all agreeing to help.
|
Governor
declares flood emergency: Idaho Governor Butch
Otter has declared a Statewide Declaration of Emergency because
of statewide flooding and the potential for record runoff. The
declaration, approved today, brings the availability of state
resources and rapid response to support impacted areas.
|
High water could
help sturgeon: While the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers continues to regulate Libby Dam for flood risk
management, conditions are such that many attributes for a
previously planned sturgeon spill are likely to be achieved
without the spill.
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Decision reached
on East Fork of Meadow Creek: After careful review
of the East Fork Meadow Creek Environmental Assessment (EA),
resource reports, the Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI),
comments from the public and the project file, I decided to
implement a subset of Alternative 2, referred to as Alternative
2- South. This Alternative is composed of those treatment units
in the southern half of the East Fork of Meadow Creek project
area, located in sections (or portions of) T63N, R2E; Sections
6-8, of the Boise Meridian. |
May 26, 2011 |
Property valuation
notices to be mailed June 6: The 2011 Boundary
County property valuation notices will be in the mail on June 6
this year, and the market value shown becomes the basis for the
property tax bill generated in November. Changes cannot be made
after June 27, so property owners are encouraged to review their
notices right away and call the Assessor's Office, (208)
267-3301, if there are questions.
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Jefferson
to present Memorial Day oration: Two years ago,
Army Staff Sergeant Lawrence Jefferson II marked Veterans Day at
the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena, where former U.S.
Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker pinned the Purple Heart to the
tunic of Jefferson’s already beribboned uniform. This year,
Jefferson, now a Sergeant First Class, will mark Memorial Day
here in his home town, presenting the Memorial Day oration
during services at Grandview Cemetery. |
May 25, 2011 |
Flood Watch
issued for Eastport: The National Weather Service
in Spokane
has issued a flood watch for the Moyie
River at Eastport.
|
Commissioners
minutes
|
Court records and
sheriffs log |
May 22, 2011 |
Army Corps flood
fighters continue work in Idaho: The Army Corps of
Engineers’ Seattle District has flood fight teams out in three
river basins, and the Corps' Emergency Operations Center is
under 24-hour operation as rivers remain high. On Monday the
Corps began reducing outflows from Libby Dam from 20,000 cubic
feet per second to 16,000 cfs. The Libby Dam outflow reduction
should help to keep the stage below 1,764 feet at Bonners Ferry
while the local inflows remain high.
|
Run for the
Fallen seeks Facebook friends: Because of changes
to Facebook group policies, organizers of the upcoming Bonners
Ferry "Run for the Fallen" have had to set up a new Facebook
page, and they're looking for Facebook friends to help spread
the word.
|
Gatlin
Brothers to perform at Mountain Fest II: After
bringing country legend Ricky Skaggs and Country Thunder to
Bonners Ferry last year for a free concert in Mountain Fest I,
Mountain Springs Church is doing it again this year, hosting
Mountain Fest II and bringing in as headliners The Gatlin
Brothers.
|
School
district salary negotiations begin Monday: The
Boundary County Board of Trustees and Boundary County Education
Association will meet in open session to negotiate salaries and
benefits for 2011-12 beginning on Monday. |
May 21, 2011 |
Victims of
Tuesday accidents doing well: Two Bonners Ferry
people injured in separate accidents Tuesday, one of them flown
out on a MedStar helicopter and the other one nearly so, are
recovering well.
|
Investigation
into arrest death delayed: The Idaho State Police
investigation into the death of a California man during an
attempted arrest early Monday morning north of Bonners Ferry has
been delayed by a more pressing homicde investigation that broke
almost simultaneously in St. Maries.
|
Idaho's
jobless rate falls in April for first time in four years:
Idaho's economy generated more jobs than expected in
April, putting over 3,000 people back to work and dropping the
seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for the first time in more
than four years. |
May 19, 2011 |
Legion
planning another memorable Memorial Day: On Monday,
May 30, Boundary County American Legion Post 55 will continue a
tradition that goes back for decades, that of recognizing those
of our neighbors who've answered the call of duty from a nation
in need.
|
May 18, 2011 |
Second time a
charm for school levy: More than 3,000 Boundary
County voters went to the polls today, more than 900 more than
turned out March 8, and when the counting was done, the School
District 101 Supplemental Maintenance and Operations levy passed
by a margin of 371 votes, Melanie Staples retained her seat as
zone 4 trustee and David Brinkman earned the zone three seat. |
May 17, 2011 |
MedStar
called in for two injured in separate accidents: A
Bonners Ferry woman is reported to have suffered non-life
threatening injuries after colliding with a south-bound semi on
U.S. 95 this morning, and a Bonners Ferry man was injured
shortly after 1 p.m. in a tractor roll-over in Paradise Valley.
MedStar helicopters were called in for both accidents.
|
Permits required
for outdoor burning: Burning permits are now
required for individuals wishing to use fire outdoors. As of May
10, anyone doing open burning between then and October 20 must
have a valid permit.
|
Flood dangers increase
on area forests: The combination of late snowpack,
warm temperatures and predicted rains are increasing the
potential for flooding and associated damages across the Idaho
Panhandle National Forests.
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Commissioner's minutes
|
Court records and
sheriffs log |
May 16, 2011 |
California man
dies during arrest: A suspicious activity call on
U.S. 95 north of Bonners Ferry near milepost 526 early Monday
morning resulted in the death of an as-yet unnamed California
man.
|
Long time
local resident dies in collision with train:
Long-time Bonners Ferry resident Richard E. "Dick" Kelson, 77,
was pronounced dead at the scene Monday morning after his 2002
Volkswagen Jetta was hit by an east bound Burlington Northern
Sante Fe train at a private railroad crossing near Mirror Lake
Golf Course. |
May 7, 2011 |
|
Ten
North Idaho College students participated in an Alternative
Spring Break trip March 27 through April 1 in Skagit County,
Wash., to build a Habitat for Humanity house. On the job site
are (left to right) Derrick Meister from Bonners Ferry, Molly
Jean Canegaly from Boise, Stephen Baxter from Post Falls,
Natosha Beach (blue jacket) from Sandpoint, Gwendolyn Miller
(green jacket) from Idaho Falls, Fatima Madrid from Hayden Lake,
Josh Holland from Coeur d’Alene, the future homeowner Gabriella
Gonzalez
from Skagit County, Nick Dimico from Post Falls, Smantha Magill
from Priest River, and Wesley Saunders from Moscow.
|
Conachen claim
against county tossed: A tort claim against the
Boundary County Sheriffs Office and a patrol deputy over the
arrest of former Boundary
County resident James Conachen was
dismissed April 29 by Idaho Court District Judge Edward Lodge
without oral arguments.
|
Three injured, two
arrested after crash: Three women were injured
Friday afternoon and two men jailed after a head-on collision on
Eileen Road.
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Comments sought
on Moose Drool restoration: The Coeur d’Alene River
Ranger District, Idaho Panhandle National Forests, is
considering a proposal to accomplish watershed improvement
activities within an area identified for the purpose of this
analysis as the Moose
Drool Restoration Area.
|
Register
vehicles on-line: Vehicle owners now have the
option of renewing their annual vehicle registrations on-line
using a credit or debit card. |
May 6, 2011 |
Teacher explains
teacher pay: At a recent school board meeting,
someone asked about the salary schedule for teachers, how long
our teachers have been in Bonners Ferry and what it takes to
keep their teaching certificates. Long time high-school art
teacher Tama Bergstrand decided to answer.
|
Conoco Food
Mart closes suddenly: Without warning or fanfare
last Friday, staff at the Conoco Food Mart and Subway on the
South Hill in Bonners Ferry shut out the lights, strung yellow
tape in front of the gasoline pumps and locked the doors in what
appears to be an acrimonious split.
|
Historic
flooding possible on the Moyie: During the May
meeting of the Local Emergency Planning Committee, Emergency
Management Director Dave Kramer told those in attendance of the
risk of major flooding on the Moyie River, particularly in
Eastport, as spring warms up, and Jay Baker, Idaho Bureau of
Homeland Security, said the risk was extremely high region wide.
|
Roads closed list still
shrinking: Boundary County Road and Bridge reopened
several more county roads to hauling May 4, but the March
weather caused significant damages to county roadways.
|
May 5, 2011 |
'Run for the Fallen'
coming to Bonners Ferry: Last year, more than 8,300
runners in 45 states and two countries ran over 49,000 miles in
honor of U.S. service members who gave their lives in service to
their country in Operation Iraqi Freedom. On August 20 of this
year, "Run for the Fallen" makes its Idaho debut in Bonners
Ferry, to honor 51 service members who paid the ultimate
sacrifice with ties to this great state.
|
School board
to meet in Moyie Springs: The Boundary County
School District 101 board of trustees will meet at 6 p.m.
Friday, May 6, at Moyie Springs City Hall to provide information
to the community about the May 17 Supplemental M&O levy. |
May 2, 2011 |
Flood threat
high: Today, Boundary County Emegency Management
Director Dave Kramer and Incident Commander Bob Graham alerted
Boundary County Commissioners to the heightened potential for
flood risk in the days ahead, and set in place measures to
minimize potential damage and to alert county residents if
danger becomes imminent.
|
Moose Valley
Farms appreciation day a two-way street:
For the eighth year in a row, Mary Kimball and
her daughter, Cindy, have set aside a day to
show their appreciatioin for their customers at
Moose Valley Farms, an old fashioned nursery on
U.S. 95 south of Naples on Latigo Lane.
That day came Saturday, April 30, and judging by
attendance, it was much more. It wasn't a
business event, but a community event.
|
Court record and
sheriff's log
|
Obituaries |
Lary
W. Troutner, September 6, 1954 ~ May 24, 2011 |
Marcella Lee (Elston) Abell, March 16, 1945 ~ May 6,
2011 |
John
Poston:May 30, 1928 ~ May 17,
2011 |
Richard 'Dick' Elmer Kelson: September 2, 1933 ~ May
16, 2011 |
Linda
Carol Turner Sawyer, August 15, 1948 ~ April 25,
2011 |
Tory
Oliver Andrew Fort, August 8, 1961 ~ May 4,
2011 |
Larry Oliver Billingsley, February 6, 1933 ~ May
2, 2011 |
Social |
Rotary
presents scholarships: The Bonners Ferry
Rotary Club handed out a baker's dozen scholarships
worth $7,600 to deserving high school students during
their meeting May 12. |
Holzhauser, Leach to wed: Penny Howell and
Roy Holzhauser, both of Bonners Ferry, are pleased to
announce the engagement of their daughter, Andre'a
Holzhouser, to Benjamin Leach, also of Bonners Ferry.
|
Smiths
welcome Calvin William: Jessica and Layne
Smith, Bonners Ferry, welcomed their second son, Calvin
William Smith, May 16, born at Bonner General Hospital
in Sandpoint.
|
Dugger
graduates West Point: Bonners Ferry High
School graduate Zachary Dugger graduated from the U.S.
Military Academy at West Point May 21 and was
commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. After
leave, during which he plans to marry Riley Boorman, he
will report to Fort Rucker, Alabama, for flight
training.
|
Local
students graduate NIC: Around 900 students
were awarded degrees at a North Idaho College
commenencement ceremony held May 13 on the campus in
Coeur d'Alene, and among them were 16 students from
Boundary County.
|
News
from Naples: The Naples Easter Egg Hunt was
a big success, and thanks to all the hard work of
numerous volunteers and for Linda Rs leadership. We put
together 1,000 eggs for all the Naples Elementary
students and some home schooled students who braved the
weather for candy-filled eggs.
|
Visitors Center volunteers gather: On
Wednesday, 15 people who volunteer at the Bonners Ferry
Visitors Center gathered at the lovely Great Northwest
Territories Event Center for their annual spring meeting
and potluck.
|
Huff
publishes 'Courting Felicity:' Isabell Huff
lives in a log cabin at the base of Hall Mountain, part
of the setting for her second novel, "Courting Felicity:
In the Days of Long Butt Logging in Northern Idaho,"
recently published by Outskirts Press. |
Northern Air trained pilot to attend USAF Academy:
New Private Pilot Barry Wilson recently
received a full scholarship to the United States Air
Force Academy. |
Sports |
Vandals
basketball camps coming in June: Registration is
now open for the Idaho women’s basketball camps, which run June
13-17. The Vandal Scrimmage Days will be offered two different
days, June 13 and 14.
|
Fry Foundation to
host golf tourney: Bright sunshine, green
grass, glass surfaced ponds. If you're wondering what these
three elements call to mind, the answer is golf, and Mirror Lake
Golf Course is calling on all you duffers to come alone or join
up with a teammate and take part in this year's Fry Healthcare
Foundation Golf tournament, hitting the greens at 1 p.m. Friday,
June 17.
|
Warriors end
highly successful season: Although the Warriors
lacrosse team lost the last game of the regular season to the
Sandpoint Bulldogs 9-8 in a close contest that saw the Bulldogs
score the go ahead goal with just over two minutes left in the
game, the Warriors had many firsts for the season.
|
Badger nine
third at state: The Bonners Ferry Badger baseball
team had one of their most exciting season finishes in years,
knocking off Buhl and Kimberly before falling to Payette in the
3A State Championships held in Ontario, Oregon.
|
Girls 7th, boys
9th at state track meet: The Badger girls finished
in seventh place at Bronco's Stadium Saturday at the state 3A
track and field tournament, and the boys finished ninth, led by
Courtney Tucker's second place finish in the 400-meter run.
|
Pass in the
Grass Mower Races coming June 4: The sixth-annual
Pass in the Grass lawn mower race hits the outdoor arena at the
Boundary County Fairgrounds at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, June 4, and
everyone is invited to either participate or come watch.
|
Badger softball
team makes history: The Badgers softball team,
along with the baseball and track programs, converged at
Timberlake High School
on Friday, May 13, for the beginning of district playoffs. The
ladies’ first game was a buy-in game against Kellogg to
determine who would compete in district play.
|
Warriors
down U-High, advance to playoffs: The Bonners Ferry
Lacrosse Club Warriors Traveled to Spokane May 13 to take on the
University High School Titans in a league game. They walked away
with a 16-6 victory which propels them into a semi-final playoff
game against Gonzaga Prep May 18 at 7:30pm at Gonzaga.
|
BF Swish need
help: Ron Sukenik never asks for help. When
driving, he doesn't need no stinking directions. But as manager
of the upcoming Bonners Ferry Swish 3-on-3 hoops tournament,
coming July 16, he needs all the help he can get, and he's
asking.
|
Popular Priest Lake campground closed: The popular
Outlet Campground on Priest Lake is closed for the season as the
U.S. Forest Service works to make renovations. |
Letters |
Gil Hagen:
What has the school district done do save money? A look at some
of the numbers.
|
Sherri Wood:
Over three years,
Idaho’s
public schools have lost nearly a quarter of a billion dollars
in funding, and we rank 50th in the
United States
in per-pupil investment. State Superintendent Tom Luna’s radical
plan to overhaul education has piled insult on top of injury. |