EASTER COLORING CONTEST WINNERS SEE PAGE 9A
EASTER EGG HUNTS THIS WEEKEND
The Newport Miner THE VOICE OF PEND OREILLE COUNT Y SINCE 1901
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
www.pendoreillerivervalley.com
Volume 112, Number 9 | 2 Sections, 20 Pages 75¢
Newport to get new well
$1 million proposed to settle suit
Part of years old plan
Ponderay Newsprint workers allegedly didn’t get uninterrupted breaks
BY DON GRONNING OF THE MINER
NEWPORT – City administrator Ray King watches with interest as Charlie Slocum works drilling a well for the city on the corner of Highway 2 and Firth Avenue in Newport. King thinks it is going well, but you never really know when you’re drilling for water, he says. “It‘s a roll of the dice,” King says. Drilling for water is full of unknowns. You don’t know how far you’ll have to drill. You don’t know how much water pressure you’ll find. “If I get 80 to 120 gallons a minute, I’m a happy camper,” King says. He remembers a well in the area came in at 35
BY DON GRONNING OF THE MINER
‘If I get 80 to 120 gallons a minute, I’m a happy camper.’ Ray King
Newport City Administrator
gallons a minute a few years ago. Newport has had a plan for at least four years to drill another well. There is $52,000 earmarked for new wells in the capital outlay fund. “If they don’t find water, it can get real expensive,” Kings says as he watches the drill go down about 40 feet. The bid is an estimate, and it depends how deep you have to drill, he says. Slocum owns Drillerman. He was the lowest of five bidders, at $15,833. The bid is just to drill the well. The next closest bidder was Carl Pitts and Sons, who bid $23,511. King thinks, based on wells in the area, they will have to drill 80 to 120 feet before hitting water. “We’ll see how close I am,” he said Friday. The city knew they were going to put a well on this piece of land for some time but they didn’t know exactly where to dig before the well site was located by dowsing, also known SEE WELL, 2A
MINER PHOTO|DON GRONNING
Driller’s foam spews from a well being drilled on city land in Newport Friday, March 27. The foam lubricates the metal pipe that is lowered into the well. Charlie Slocum of Drillerman works drilling for water. Drillerman was the lowest of five bidders on the project.
NEWPORT – A class action lawsuit against Ponderay Newsprint Co. brought by employees who were required to eat “on the run” rather than take work-free meal breaks is moving towards settlement, according to a preliminary settlement agreement approved March 1 by Pend Oreille County Superior Court Judge Pat Monasmith. According to a letter sent to the 99 effected class members, the newsprint company will establish a settlement fund of $1 million. All awards, including attorney’s fees, will be paid from the fund. Monasmith gave preliminary approval for $275,000 in attorney fees for plaintiffs’ attorneys, with an additional $12,000 in court costs anticipated before final settlement. Ponderay Newsprint Co. does not admit wrongdoing, according to the proposed settlement. A final settleSEE LAWSUIT, 2A
Drug dog visits Newport again, doesn’t stop
New principals chosen for Newport’s elementary, middle schools BY DESIREÉ HOOD OF THE MINER
BY DESIREÉ HOOD
NEWPORT – The Newport School District has chosen Jennifer Erickson and Tony Moser as the new principals of Stratton Elementary and Sadie Halstead Middle School. Current principals Terri Holmes and Janet Burcham are retiring at the end of the school year. Erickson was chosen for Stratton Elementary after interviewing Friday, March 27, and Moser was chosen for the middle school after interviews Monday, March 30. All candidates were interviewed by a written letter to the community, by school officials and individuals from the community. Students also talked with the middle school candidates. There were about 14 staff members on the committees and about 15 parents and community members attended the forums. Erickson is a kindergarten teacher in Deer Park. Newport High School Principal Troy Whittle participated in the day-long interview process and said she had a good sense of humor and got along well with the community. “The community thought she was really personable,” Whittle said. “I think she related well with the staff at the elementary.”
OF THE MINER
MINER PHOTOS|DESIREÉ HOOD
Above: Jennifer Erickson, right, was chosen as the new principal of Stratton Elementary. April Owen, center, the School Board Chairwoman and local parent, sat in during the community forums, Friday, March 13. Erickson is a kindergarten teacher at Deer Park Elementary. Left: Tony Moser will be the Sadie Halstead Middle School Principal.
SEE PRINCIPALS, 2A
NEWPORT – The Newport School District had the Bonner County deputy and his drug dog Diesel search the high school again, this time without Diesel even stopping in the hallways once, Wednesday, March 25. “The deputy doing the search said it was one of the quickest he has ever done,” Superintendent Dave Smith said. Lockers on the school premises are school property, which gives school officials the right to search, Smith said. Principal Troy Whittle and Assistant Principal Geoffrey Pearson accom-
panied Bonner County Deputy Darren Osborn and his black lab Diesel during the search. Whittle said the deputy and his dog arrived about 1 p.m. Wednesday and were gone by 2 p.m. The students were placed on a modified lockdown, meaning the teachers were asked to remain teaching during the search but to keep the students in their classrooms. “We were happy that nothing was found after a second straight search of our lockers,” Whittle said. “It was pretty quick and painless.” The district had Osborn and Diesel, a lab-mix, SEE DOG, 2A
B R I E F LY Hospital forums to discuss capital projects
Planning commission applicants interviewed
NEWPORT – Newport Hospital and Health Services is holding a series of community forums to discuss the district’s new capital projects, including a new clinic and proposed assisted living facility. The forums will be held Thursdays, April 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30 at 5:30 p.m. in the Sandifur Room, located in the hospital’s basement. The district is considering putting a $9.5 million bond on November’s ballot for the assisted living facility, and is building the new clinic with reserves and bank loans. Snacks and beverages will be served.
NEWPORT – Three more applicants for Pend Oreille County Planning Commission appointments were interviewed by county commissioners Tuesday, March 31. Dan Mueller, Dennis Osweiler and Deborah Barrett were scheduled for interviews. Mueller lives on Yergens Road, Osweiler lives in Cusick and Barrett lives on Box Canyon Road. The planning commission was getting close to the minimum required to hold meetings. Dan Fitzpatrick was appointed to fill a District 2 position that was vacant. He will serve the rest of the four year term that expires Dec. 31,
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CLASSIFIEDS
8B-9B
2018. Fitzpatrick, 50, works in the Technology Group for Burlington Northern railroad.
NLI customers to experience power outage PRIEST RIVER – Residents of Priest Lake will lose power Saturday, April 11, from 12:01-4 a.m. The Bonneville Power Administration is conducting maintenance that will affect Northern Lights Inc. members in the entire Priest Lake area north of Priest River, including Blue Lake, Coolin, Eastside, Westside, Bear Paw, Lamb Creek and Nordman.
OPINION
4A
RECORD
7B
LIFE
3B
POLICE REPORTS
7B
SPORTS
1B-2B
OBITUARIES
7B
PUBLIC NOTICES
9B-10B
EASTER
7A
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