Newport Miner February 19, 2014

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POST SEASON PLAY CONTINUES FOR SELKIRK, CUSICK

NEWPORT BOYS, GIRLS END SEASON PAGE 1B-2B

The Newport Miner THE VOICE OF PEND OREILLE COUNT Y SINCE 1901

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

www.pendoreillerivervalley.com

Volume 111, Number 3 | 2 Sections, 16 Pages

75¢

County supports schools in levy election BY DESIREÉ HOOD OF THE MINER

NEWPORT – Pend Oreille County residents voted in favor of the school district Maintenance and Operations levies, Tuesday, Feb. 11, with more than 47.39 percent of registered voters returning ballots for the Cusick, Newport and Selkirk levies.

‘I think it kind of sends the message how the community feels about their schools and what the teachers are doing.’ Dave Smith

Newport School District

Newport Superintendent

The Newport School District was holding a three-year M&O levy, with 1,415 votes or 63.42 percent in favor to 816 votes or 36.58 percent against. This will replace the current levy that expires at the end of the year and collection on this new levy will begin January 2015. “I think it kind of sends the message how the community feels about their schools and what the teachers are doing,” Superintendent Dave Smith said. He said he is very appreciative to have gotten the levy

passed during his first year in the school district. “Everybody is excited,” Smith said. “We are very, very, very appreciative to our community.” The district asked for more than $1.6 million for 2015, more than $1.65 million for 2016 and more than $1.7 million for 2017. The levy will add about $3.97 per month in taxes on a $200,000 home or SEE LEVY, 2A

Newport aerospace plant soaring

Planning commission approves moto-cross

C&D Zodiac adding jobs without Boeing’s new plane BY FRED WILLENBROCK

BY DON GRONNING

OF THE MINER

OF THE MINER

NEWPORT – With all the hype recently from Boeing’s new plane and billion dollar order book, it would seem logical some of it would spill over on Newport’s aerospace manufacturing plant. But last week they said no Boeing work and that’s fine because they are soaring to new sales and staff levels by supplying their growing company’s plants around the world. Two years ago C&D Zodiac, located behind McDonalds, had about 85 employees and last week they were at 100, said Natalie Osborne, plant manager with an official title of Newport Value Stream Manager. She ‘We have a great says they plan to add another 50 in three years but thinks workforce, low that will occur sooner because of the many acquisitions the turnover.’ international parent company based in France, Zodiac AeroNatalie Osborne space, has made. Manager, C&D Zodiac At this time, they have four shifts working around the clock, seven days a week, filling orders from around the world. They do supply the Triumph plant in Spokane for their work on Bombardier planes, Osborne said. Triumph, in a plant formerly owned by Boeing, has among other clients Bombardier in Canada. Bombardier manufactures a large range SEE ZODIAC, 2A

CUSICK – At their Feb. 11 meeting, the Pend Oreille County Planning Commission, on a split vote, conditionally approved a motocross track located in the central part of the county.

‘The main concerns were noise, traffic and dust.’ Mike Lithgow

Community Development Director

MINER PHOTO|DESIREÉ HOOD

Zodiac honeycomb core saw operator Matt Cooper cuts the large honeycomb cubes into the correct thickness so Zodiac can ship the pieces off to companies who turn the material into overhead bins and flooring in airplanes. This is the newest department added to the Zodiac facility in Newport.

Escaped inmate still on the loose OF THE MINER

SEE ESCAPE, 7A

SEE PLAN, 7A

Bill would allow land swaps for cottage sites

BY DON GRONNING

NEWPORT – An inmate who climbed over three razor wire topped fences to escape the Pend Oreille County Jail Wednesday, Feb. 12 and run away barefoot and bleeding was still loose on Tuesday, according to Pend Oreille County Sheriff Alan Botzheim. “We’re still getting tips, so that’s encouraging,” he said. Botzheim said this was the first time inmates had been allowed in the recreation yard for several weeks because of the cold weather. One of the immediate changes that came as a result of the escape is that inmates will not be allowed in the recreation yard without direct supervision, Botzheim said. Inmates are supposed to get at least three

“The main concerns were noise, traffic and dust,” Pend Oreille County Community Development Director Mike Lithgow said. He said getting

Keogh sponsors bill to help cottage site leasees at Priest Lake BY MICHELLE NEDVED OF THE MINER

MINER PHOTO|DON GRONNING

This is the last razor wire fence on the Newport school district property side scaled by an inmate who escaped the Pend Oreille County Jail Wednesday, Feb. 12. The inmate, Ryan A. Apling, 29, of Newport was cut in the escape. He ran off barefoot and bloody and has not been caught, although authorities continue to get tips.

BOISE – Six Senators are sponsoring a bill to amend the existing Idaho law on exchanges for state endowment lands that could help cottage site leasees at Priest Lake hold onto their land. Sen. Shawn Keogh, R-Sandpoint, and five others are sponsoring S1277 that would clarify law to uphold ConSEE EXCHANGE, 8A

B R I E F LY High school principal leaving Newport NEWPORT – Newport High School will be under the direction of a new principal next school year as current principal Dennis Matson resigns to take a job in Walla Walla, Wash., heading up a new technical education school program in the middle of the state. “It’s the opportunity for me to take over a new skills center they are building,” Matson said. He said this is a continuation of what he loves about being a principal, helping students develop technical skills to further their opportunities for the future. Superintendent Dave Smith thanked Matson for his four years of service during the special meeting of the board of

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directors Tuesday, Feb. 11 at the high school. Matson said the highlight of being in Newport was developing programs to meet a variety of needs for the students. He said he is hopeful to expand the new program in the Walla Walla Public Schools in the same manner he has expanded Newport.

Newport loses power, caused by pole fire NEWPORT – The Pend Oreille Public Utility District reports a pole fire made all the residents of Newport lose power Sunday, Feb. 16 from 4-6 a.m. The fire killed the power coming from the Pine Street Substation, which supplies the city of 5B-6B

Newport with power. Eileen Dugger, Contracts and Public Information Officer, said area residents resumed normal power by 6 a.m. A faulty cutout on the power line caused the fire. A cutout is the part of the line that reduces surging once a fuse blows.

Norovirus as persistent as flu HAYDEN – The flu virus gets all the attention this time of year, but the Panhandle Health District warns of norovirus, which is responsible locally for at least as many illnesses this

SEE BRIEFLY, 2A

OPINION

4A

RECORD

4B

SPORTS

1B-2B

LIFE

3B

POLICE REPORTS

4B

OBITUARIES

4B

PUBLIC NOTICES

7B-8B

ADOPT-A-PET 6A

BE LOOKING FOR SPRING SPORTS PREVIEW IN MARCH


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Newport Miner February 19, 2014 by The Newport Miner - Issuu