Lake Life May 2014

Presorted Standard | US Postage Paid Newport, WA | Permit No. 18 | ECRWWS

Celebrating Life at Diamond Lake and Sacheen Lake Volume 3, Issue 2

Produced by The Miner Newspapers

May 2014

Publisher’s Note

ANGELA NEWCOMB Multi-Million Dollar Producer

Cell: 509-671-2088 Office: 509-447-3144

www.angelanewcomb.johnlscott.com angelanewcomb@johnscott.com 301 N Union Ave, Newport, WA 99156 Your Waterfront Specialist Welcome to Paradise!

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Lake life is good

he big fish are biting, birds are soaring, real estate prices are rising, the Inn at the Lake is reopening and the Fourth of July fireworks show is on – lake life is good again. That’s just a few of the things we discovered for this second issue of the summer.

Kudos to the Diamond Lake Improvement Association and all the people who donated to the annual fireworks show. They were close to ending it for financial reasons; it would have been a shame to end such a long running tradition at Diamond Lake.

The rebuilt Sacheen Lake boat launch looks good and is another of the growing list of improvements in that community.

So mix up a batch of the melon drink recipe in this issue and sit back on the dock and relax. Lake Life is good. See you next month.

--Fred Willenbrock Publisher

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Published: May 2014 Publisher: Fred Willenbrock Writers & editors: Michelle Nedved, Don Gronning and Desireé Hood Design: Charisse Neufeldt, Pandi Gruver and Michelle Nedved Advertising: Susan Willenbrock, Lindsay Guscott and Cindy Boober LAKE LIFE is published monthly in April, May, June, July and August as a supplement to The Newport Miner and Gem State Miner, 421 S. Spokane, Newport WA 99156.

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2 Lake Life | May 2014

TELEPHONE: 509-447-2433 E-MAIL: minernews@povn.com, mineradvertising@povn.com FAX: 509-447-9222 Reproduction of articles & photographs is prohibited without permission of the publisher.

See all issues at: The Miner Online: www.pendoreillerivervalley.com.

If you want to receive Lake Life in your mail contact The Miner at 509-447-2433.

Finch Lodge stands one more summer

BY DESIREÉ HOOD OF THE MINER

DIAMOND LAKE – The Boy Scout Executive Board will be demolishing Finch Lodge at Camp Cowles next summer, to make room for a larger, updated lodge to be used as a dining area and Cub Scout residence.

The board decided in 2007 to tear down and rebuild the historic Finch Lodge at Camp Cowles on Diamond Lake. The lodge was originally used as a dining hall and camp headquarters. Planning and fundraising is currently underway with construction plans looming in the near future.

“The decision was to erect a new lodge where the current one stands,” said Scout Executive and CEO of the Inland Northwest Council Tim McCandless. “It would be next year, or so, that we would begin construction on that new lodge.”

Camp Cowles was established by the Boy Scouts in 1920, turning the 80 waterfront acres into a retreat used

‘While there may have been people against, they saw why it was needed.’

Tim McCandless

Executive and CEO of the Inland Northwest Council of Boy Scouts

for camping, training and activities. Finch Lodge was built in 1923, designed by architect Julius A. Zittel.

McCandless said the decision to tear down Finch Lodge is controversial as the building has many supporters.

Some felt the lodge should be listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its SEE CAMP, 4

COURTESY PHOTO| PEND OREILLE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

This undated picture shows Boy Scouts entering Finch Lodge. The Boy Scout Executive Board decided to tear this lodge down and rebuild a modern structure with an updated kitchen to use as a Cub Scout residence.

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CAMP FROM PAGE 3

architectural and historical significance. McCandless said people wanted the building renovated, not torn down.

“We had a very open review process,” McCandless said.

“While there may have been people against, they saw why it was needed.”

The building has three distinct features that McCandless said will be part of the new lodge.

The historic Boy Scout memorabilia will be moved to the new lodge. The balcony railing that rims the inside room is very “elaborate,” McCandless said, and will be used in the new lodge.

“It is one highlight of that building,” McCandless said.

The final historic feature is the stone fireplace and McCandless said they cannot use the exact fireplace, however, they will replicate it in certain ways.

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“Visually it is a major piece of the existing building,” McCandless said.

The camp has grown since the 1920s and now has four areas used for scouting activities. The camp currently spans more than 900 acres and has more than a mile of waterfront on Diamond Lake.

Each area is designed for specific activities for different age groups of Boy Scouts.

Camp Cowles is the main camp used for a variety of activities, including Cub Country, a family camping

trip in July.

Camp Fosseen and Carbon Lodge are used for dining.

This area is also used for training youths and adults on leadership qualities. Finch Lodge was the original dining area until this one was built.

Camp Ponderosa boasts the Challenging Outdoor Personal Experience (C.O.P.E.) course and Dragon’s Back Climbing areas. The C.O.P.E course offers initiative games and activities like climbing, balance, jumping, repelling and other activities. This is

Boater safety classes offered at Diamond Lake DIAMOND LAKE – A free Boater Safety class is Saturday and Sunday, May 24-25 at the Diamond Lake Fire Station, Highway 2, from 8:30

a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Washington Boat Education card is required for anyone 59 years and younger in 2014 to operate a motor-

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4 Lake Life | May 2014

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ized water vessel of 15 horsepower or greater.

After 2014, a card is required for anyone born Jan. 1, 1955 or later.

Bring a sack lunch and beverages.

To register, call Charlie Schaefer at 509-447-2279 or 208-610-4248.

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Pend Oreille County

Pend Oreille & Bonner County Waterfront Specialist

for Scouts who are 13 years of age or older.

Camp Sunrise is an undeveloped area and is the home to the Japeechen Rendezvous in July. This is where Scouts spend a week living, camping, eating, sleeping and working like it is the 1820s.

McCandless said the Boy Scouts are very fortunate to have the camp. More than 1,100 boys come to Camp Cowles over the summer where McCandless said the wildlife is abundant and activities abound year round.

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Electric rates discussed at hearing NEWPORT – The Pend Oreille Public Utility District is holding an electric rate hearing, Tuesday, May 27 at 11 a.m. at the PUD to discuss a possible rate increase.

The PUD passed its budget in December 2013, stating that a 2 percent increase was possible and would generate about $100,000. Any rate increase would take effect in July.

STOCK PHOTO

Big bass plentiful on Diamond Lake Fish moving into shallows to spawn

BY FRED WILLENBROCK OF THE MINER

DIAMOND LAKE – If there are bass around, Thad Schultz will find them – especially in the spring on Diamond Lake.

He knows the lake, having lived on it at one time and fished it for decades. This month on the first sunny days he was finding big ones and declared it the best he has seen.

Schultz spends his free time fishing and work time on the water. Deputy Schultz is the Spokane County Sheriff’s Department Search and Rescue Coordinator. He had worked for the Pend Oreille County Sheriff’s Office 12 years ago. He and his wife Dina, who is often his fishing buddy, live in Newport.

“They’re just getting ready to spawn,” Schultz said last week.

He was also disappointed because he has to work the next few weeks when he predicts the fishing will be its best in the shallow water and under docks.

“The fishing is fabulous,” Schultz said. But he cautioned people to catch and release the spawning bass like he does, or it will hurt the fishery.

Schultz said if they take a bass now they won’t be able to spawn or protect the nests.

“They’re very aggressive now,” he said about their behavior, which makes them strike at the bait.

Bass repeat habits, he said.

An angler just needs to figure them out. Look for areas that change in depth and fish where the water temperature is warmer.

Later in the year, the bass spread out and they are feedSEE BASS, 6

Attention Boat Owners!

All boat registrations expire on June 30th.

You won’t get a renewal notice for your boat in the mail.

How to renew: • Online at www.dol.wa.gov • In person at the Auditors Office Pend Oreille County Courthouse • By Mail- send check or money order to PO Box 5015, Newport, WA 99156 • WN number requried Questions call (509) 447-6489

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May 2014 | Lake Life 5

BASS

Bass spawning

FROM PAGE 5

COURTESY PHOTO|THAD SCHULTZ

Thad Schultz caught and released this 5 pound large mouth bass in the lily pads on Diamond Lake in early May. He said they are coming into the shallows to spawn.

ing on just about anything, including big trout.

He wouldn’t comment on his specific secret lures and techniques for spring bass fishing so the fishery wasn’t exhausted. But some of the most common artificial lures and plastic worms cast into the shallows should produce fish.

Schultz said the bass get educated after many fishermen work the lake so it can become more difficult.

He noted that he caught large Crappie and Perch this year.

There are also large and small mouth bass in Diamond Lake.

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When it’s time to spawn, bass mean business. As a rule, they don’t waste a lot of time. In fact, the entire spawning process, which involves building a nest, finding a mate, hatching fertilized eggs and guarding young fish until they are ready to be on their own, can take as little as three weeks.

When winter ends and the water warms back up, bass feel the urge to spawn. At this time, male fish will find a suitable nesting area and prepare it for mating. Then the male bass circles the humble home slowly and waits for a mate. When a female has chosen to join the male in the nest, they waste little time getting to know one another.

The mating process begins with the two bass swimming right next to each other around the nest. While swimming, the bass are tilted on their sides with their vents closed. Simultaneously, they release their respective eggs or sperm into the nest. With the female’s role in this spawning over, she’s free to leave the spawning area or mate with a new fish.

The male bass is responsible for watching over his school of offspring. He’ll stay close and protect the eggs from harm until they hatch a few days later. After hatching, the young spawn will spend about two weeks growing and learning what to eat. Then they’ll disperse and leave the male free to mate again or head to warmer waters.

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Community yard sale funds Clean Boats Clean Waters program DIAMOND LAKE – The Diamond Lake Improvement Association is holding a yard sale to help fund the Clean Boats Clean Waters program.

The group is looking for items to sell, donated from residents’ garage, basements and storage units.

The sale is set for Saturday, July 19 in the parking lot of the Boat Launch Restaurant and Store.

Anyone with donations can call 509-998-1121 to schedule a pickup or drop off.

Bass basics Early spring bass fishing is big bass time. Nationwide, most of the big bass will be caught between February and May. During spring, the spawning instinct causes fish to move from deep to shallow water to spawn.

When big bass move shallow they are easier to catch because you can present a lure more effectively in the strike zone in shallow water than you can in deep water.

The time is now, but where and how are you going to catch it? It seems that the same group of anglers, year in and year out, catch big bass. What is their secret? Do they fish a secret lure, or are they just plain lucky, or a combination of both?

Anytime you put a big bass in the boat, luck plays a big part. You can, however, produce your own luck. Most anglers who consistently catch trophy fish are not just lucky, they are fishing the right lake with the right lure at the right time with the right skills, technology, knowledge and equipment.

To catch big bass in spring, think shallow water close to deep water, from mouths of major creeks all the way to the back ends of creeks.

Points, coves and banks with deep cuts or breaklines, and creeks running close to shallow water will also produce.

During cold fronts, fish the deep breaklines in the 10- to 15-feet of water range. During warming trends or consistent weather patterns, work both the shallow, four- to eight-foot, and deeper breaklines, 10- to 15-foot.

SEE BASS, 8

COURTESY PHOTO|THAD SCHULTZ

Shultz was surprised while bass fishing on Diamond Lake to hook this large Crappie. He also caught some giant perch.

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BASS FROM PAGE 7

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The closer together these breaklines are the better.

Cover a lot of water, but stay on or near a breakline.

When you connect with a good fish, slow down and work the area thoroughly. There will be small and large schools of deep-water bass staging somewhere from the mouth of a creek to the back end. When you locate these staging fish you are in for some awesome bass action.

Don’t count on these fish being in the same spot the next day. They might be there, but most likely they will have moved to another location. To catch these bass throw deep diving crankbaits on the deeper breaklines, 10 to 15 feet, and lipless crankbaits on shallow breaklines.

These two reaction baits are great for covering a lot of water. When you locate some staging females, after throwing crankbaits, switch to a jig-and-craw or soft jerkbait.

Now is the time to start throwing them in earnest, especially when fishing shallow. Remember to cover a lot of water but stay on or near a break-line and when you hook up, work the area slowly.

One good tip for early spring bass fishing is to use larger lures. Big lures catch big bass.

Your equipment needs to be on the heavy side for rods. Use medium-heavy to heavy actions reels, bait casting or spinning, capable of holding 20to 30-pound mono or 50-pound braided line.

Inn at the Lake has new owners

BY DON GRONNING OF THE MINER

DIAMOND LAKE - The Inn at the Lake has new owners as of the end of April. Wayne and Jody Davis purchased the Inn and are in the process of getting it ready for an August opening as a bed and breakfast.

“We want to have an open house then,” said Jody as she took a break from working on the garden.

Jody is a 1976 Riverside graduate who grew up in Chattaroy, Wayne is a Spokane native. He owned a house on Diamond Lake which was destroyed by a fire last year.

Jody says they bought the Inn so she would have something to keep her occupied.

The 6,300 square foot, threestory, villa-style Inn will likely keep her occupied, especially in the months preparing it for opening.

“We’re updating the rooms,” she said. They’ll get new bedding, furniture and paint, as needed.

The Inn operated as a vacation rental for many years, but previous owners had maintained they didn‘t need a vacation rental permit and declined to apply for one. The county said they did need one and took action that ended up before a hearing examiner, who essentially upheld the county. The Inn closed down after that and went up for sale.

The Davises won’t operate the Inn as a vacation rental, instead they will have a bed and breakfast and will live onsite.

They will rent four of the suites and live in the other, she said.

Mike Lithgow, the county’s community development director, said there has already been a pre application inspection. Preliminary plans call for a maximum of 10 people and there is sufficient off road parking, Lithgow said. The SEE INN, 10

MINER FILE PHOTO

The Inn at the Lake is a 6,300 square foot, three-story property at Diamond Lake, featuring 4,000 square feet of decking on three levels.

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INN FROM PAGE 9

MINER PHOTO|FRED WILLENBROCK

Jody Davis and her husband, Wayne, are the new owners of Inn at the Lake. They plan to operate a bed and breakfast and live onsite. An August opening is planned.

downstairs rooms have adequate exits, he said.

The Davises needed to install a handrail and then can apply for the vacation rental permit, which will have to go before the county planning commission for approval.

Once they have that permit, they will be in the bed and breakfast business.

Both have experience in the breakfast part of the B&B. “Wayne owned a big restaurant in Seattle,” Jody said and she has cooked most of her life. She has also been researching how to operate a bed and breakfast business.

“My specialty is homemade cinnamon rolls,” she said. She plans to serve gourmet food.

“It will be all homemade, with as much organic, local products as possible,” she said. Biscuits and gravy and a crab asparagus bake dish are among the meals she will prepare for her guests.

Wayne Davis is an entrepreneur and inventor. He invented the Outrider Grip, an oversized putter. His latest invention

is a crossfire grill that will allow you to cook prime rib in 25 minutes, instead of three hours.

The couple was married about six months ago. They looked at several places before buying the Inn, including a resort on the St. Joe River.

The couple paid $600,000 for the property, which is appraised by the county at $707,000.

When they open in August, there will be four suites available.

The Mountain Penthouse Suite, is a third story, 600 square foot suite with a private deck with lake view, a two person Jacuzzi and a large gas fireplace.

It also has a large private bath and a shower.

The Island Suite is on the second floor and has a private entrance. It is about 500 square feet, also with a two person Jacuzzi. It features a shower with a ceiling rain shower, an electric fireplace and an English Havana King size bed.

The Bay Suite features a lake view, with a two person Jacuzi, private bathroom and shower and a king size bed.

The Meadow Suite also has a lakefront view and rain forest shower, as well as an iron-gate queen size bed.

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10 Lake Life | May 2014

DIAMOND LAKE – The Northwoods Performing Arts presents “Frivolity, Fun and Fancy” for three upcoming weekends at the Circle Moon Theater, offering an array of

eclectic choral music designed for the spring season.

The show is filled with music from around the world performed by a 50 voice chorale and directed by Mark

Caldwell.

The choral performance is Friday and Saturday, May 3031, June 6-7 and June 13-14 with dinner served at 6:30 p.m. and shows starting at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 10, a show only performance will be performed.

Tickets cost $25 for dinner and the show. For show only tickets, the cost is $12 and $10 for seniors and children.

Dinner will be sweet and sour chicken for the May performances, catered by Skeyes the Limit.

The June 6-7 performance will offer smoked pork by Owen’s Catering and the final weekend will offer Salisbury steak by Skeyes the Limit.

Lake Police Reports EDITOR’S NOTE: The police reports, taken from dispatch logs provided to The Miner by the Pend Oreille County Sheriff, are not intended to be an exact report but rather a list of police calls in the Sacheen and Diamond Lake areas.

MAY 1 BURGLARY: Southshore Diamond Lake, report of a burglary.

MAY 3 WEAPON OFFENSE: Sacheen

Southshore Rd.

MAY 4 THEFT: Southshore Diamond Lake, report of stolen wave runners.

ILLEGAL BURNING: W. Sacheen St., illegal burning reported.

MAY 5 ILLEGAL BURINING: W. Sacheen St., report of illegal burning.

MAY 8

SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES: W. Sacheen St., report that complainant had a bunch of missed phone calls from a restricted number, then after answering one he got a text that said “I am going to shoot myself.”

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MAY 10 SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES: W. Sacheen St., third party report of coffee can set on fire under complainant’s porch.

Animal complaints still rampant near Diamond Lake

BY DESIREÉ HOOD OF THE MINER

DIAMOND LAKE – The amount of animal complaint calls skyrocketed in the Diamond Lake area during the month of April, Sheriff Alan Botzheim said.

There were 12 animal complaint calls during the month.

Botzheim said the animals were just being a “nuisance.”

Most of the calls were about dogs barking but on three occasions, horses were in the road and needed to be gathered up and taken home.

Botzheim said this problem with horses is persisting into May and the case is being referred to the prosecutor. The reason the resident gave the sheriff for the horses fleeing was turkey hunters leaving his gate open.

“This is excessive,” Botzheim said.

The best way to keep the animals in their area is to build and upkeep a proper fence and watch that gates get closed properly, Botzheim said.

One resident violated the burn ban by burning household items in a barrel.

Botzheim said only vegetation should be burnt and barrels are illegal.

Burning is only allowed in areas of the county that are not urban growth areas for the towns in the county, Botzheim said.

There were 135 calls in the Diamond/Sacheen Lakes areas in April. Botzheim said this report encompasses as

far south as Camden and north on Highway 211.

“That’s a huge, huge area,” Botzheim said.

There were 133 calls in April 2013 and 159 in 2012.

“I thought it was a really good month,” Botzheim said.

“It’s pretty consistent.”

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Common Merganser Common Mergansers are streamlined ducks that float gracefully down small rivers or shallow shorelines.

The males are striking with clean white bodies, dark green heads, and a slender, serrated red bill. The elegant gray-bodied females have rich, cinnamon heads with a short crest. In summer, look for them leading ducklings from eddy to eddy along streams or standing on a flat rock in the middle of the current. These large ducks nest in hollow trees; in winter they form flocks on larger bodies of water.

Many birds share Diamond Lake with people

L

ongtime lake resident Cliff Snow knows he shares the lake with many species of birds.

These beautiful and fascinating creatures frolic in the water and feast on the abundant fish and insect life during the spring and summer around his home. Their soaring, diving and swimming are a testament to the abundant natural life here.

The birds are a frequent focus of many of Cliff’s excellent lake pictures. Published here are just a few of the species of birds that live and visit the area lakes that he has captured on his camera.

Horned Grebe Below: Familiar to most North American birders in its black-and-white winter plumage, the Horned Grebe is more striking in its red-and-black breeding feathers. Its “horns” are yellowish patches of feathers behind its eyes that it can raise and lower at will.

Mallard Duck Above: If someone at a park is feeding bread to ducks, chances are there are Mallards in the fray.

Perhaps the most familiar of all ducks, Mallards occur throughout North America and Eurasia in ponds and parks as well as wilder wetlands and estuaries. The male’s gleaming green head, gray flanks, and black tail-curl arguably make it the most easily identified duck. Mallards have long been hunted for the table, and almost all domestic ducks come from this species.

12 Lake Life | May 2014

Golden Eagle

The Golden Eagle is one of the largest, fastest, nimblest raptors in North America. Lustrous gold feathers gleam on the back of its head and neck; a powerful beak and talons advertise its hunting prowess.

You’re most likely to see this eagle in western North America, soaring on steady wings or diving in pursuit of the jackrabbits and other small mammals that are its main prey. Sometimes seen attacking large mammals, or fighting off coyotes or bears in defense of its prey and young, the Golden Eagle has long inspired both reverence and fear.

Tips for learning to ID birds Are you amazed at how quickly birders can identify birds? Actually, it’s just like getting to know your human neighbors. When you move into a new neighborhood everyone is a stranger, but soon you recognize people based on their characteristics, such as habits, shape, styles of walking, and the places where you see them.

Paying attention to individual differences can help you identify birds, too. You can recognize many birds simply by noting their shapes, even if seen only in silhouette.

Other useful characteristics are a bird’s posture, size, flight pattern, and the kind of habitat in which the bird was seen.

Start by learning to identify general groups of birds – warblers, flycatchers, hawks, owls, wrens – whose members all share certain similarities. As your observation skills improve, familiarize yourself with the field marks – colored or patterned areas on the bird’s body, head, and wings – that help distinguish species.

Great Blue Heron Whether poised at a river bend or cruising the coastline with slow, deep wingbeats, the Great Blue Heron is a majestic sight. This stately heron with its subtle blue-gray plumage often stands motionless as it scans for prey or wades belly deep with long, deliberate steps. They may move slowly, but Great Blue Herons can strike like lightning to grab a fish or snap up a gopher. In flight, look for this widespread heron’s tucked-in neck and long legs trailing out behind.

Common Golden Eye The black-and-white Common Golden Eye is one of the last ducks to migrate south in fall. It often will winter as far north as open water permits.

Humming Bird These brilliant, tiny, precision-flying creatures glitter like jewels in the full sun, then vanish with a zip toward the next nectar source. Feeders and flower gardens are great ways to attract these birds, and some people turn their yards into buzzing clouds of hummingbirds each summer.

Enjoy them while they’re around; by early fall they’re bound for Central America, with many crossing the Gulf of Mexico in a single flight.

May 2014 | Lake Life 13

Calendar of Events WEDNESDAY, MAY 21 DIAMOND LAKE WATER AND SEWER DISTRICT BOARD: 10 a.m. District Office

WEDNESDAY, MAY 28

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SACHEEN LADIES OF THE LAKE: Noon - Various Locations, call President Maria Bullock at 509-998-4221

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4 DIAMOND LAKE WATER AND SEWER: 10 a.m. - District Office, 172 South Shore Road DIAMOND LAKE IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION: 6:30 p.m. - Diamond Lake Fire Station, Highway 2 SACHEEN LAKE SEWER AND WATER DISTRICT BOARD: 7 p.m. Sacheen Fire Station, Highway 211

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11 HOME AND COMMUNITY EDUCATORS DIAMOND LAKE CLUB: Noon - Call Billie Goodno at 509-447-3781 or Chris King at 208-437-0971

MONDAY, JUNE 16

Experienced & knowledgeable sales staff to assist you with design, pricing and materials.

DIAMOND LAKE BOOK CLUB: 1 p.m. - Contact Val Urbat 509-2200200

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18

Delivering quality marine products to Marinas, Developers, Commercial and Residential Dock Builders

DIAMOND LAKE WATER AND SEWER DISTRICT BOARD: 10 a.m. District Office

Dock Floats • Hardware • Fasteners • Decking • Accessories

SOUTH PEND OREILLE FIRE & RESCUE: 7 p.m. - Station 31, 325272 Highway 2, Diamond Lake

THURSDAY, JUNE 19

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25 SACHEEN LADIES OF THE LAKE: Noon - Various Locations, call President Maria Bullock at 509-998-4221

No lake host at Diamond launch Large g Enough g To Serve You, Small ll Enough To Know You!

Visit our new website: www.albenifalls.com Specials / Coupons 520 Hwy 2, Oldtown, Idaho (208) 437-3153 • (800) 676-3153

14 Lake Life | May 2014

DIAMOND LAKE – The Diamond Lake Improvement Association has yet to find a host to live at the boat launch and inspect vessels for invasive species.

DLIA volunteers began inspecting boats Saturday, April 26, the opening day of fishing season. They will continue to SEE HOST, 16

Weather Babble

Coming to Terms with the Summer Outlook

BY BOB LUTZ CLIMATOLOGIST

Before we begin the main topic of discussion, I must digress a bit concerning what I said in last month’s issue of Weather Babble concerning yellow jackets. Now, in my little sheltered world, I would have guessed that our cold winter would have knocked a majority of those beasts for a loop! However, in looking out Lutz my window of late, it appears that I was sadly mistaken as the great outdoors has been transformed into a flying maze of yellow jackets and bald face hornets.

In fact, my yard looks sort of like O’Hare International

Airport on the day before Thanksgiving! Yes, Mother Nature has a way of survival whether we like it or not but, we don’t have to stand for it!

Take a moment to get a trap or two out and see if you can terminate some of those evil doers! One queen (which are the only bees flying around this time of year) in the can now, could mean about 500+ less bees come late summer.

Remember, “Only you can prevent yellow jackets.”

(Sorry Smokey, I kind of stole your slogan, but I won’t let it happen again.)

Okay then, now onto our main theme which is what my best guess of what the upcoming summer will bring weather-wise and a few terms to back it up. In fact, you may have heard several weather terms being tossed about in recent weeks, one of which includes El Nino.

This is the only phenomenon we need to be concerned with right now as it does now look likely that we will see its affects later this year.

So, what does that mean for us? (So glad you asked.) In

short, not much as I really think that we will see a fairly normal summer in both temperature and precipitation; however, there is one fly in the ointment, El Nino. (Yes, there seem to be plenty of flies flying around outside too.)

If El Nino cranks up early instead of during the fall like it normally does, then we may end up with hotter than normal temperatures for parts of the summer.

El Nino (which means “The Christ child” as it typically peaks in late December) is the warming of the equatorial Pacific. This occurs when the trade winds over the equator slacken, which allows for better solar heating of the equatorial waters. In addition, any of the warmer waters that have built up to the west will usually “slosh” back toward the east, further enhancing the warming process.

El Nino (and his sister La Nina) do create havoc with the world weather patterns, but they are not the only things that we weather gurus look at for making our SEE WEATHER, 16

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May 2014 | Lake Life 15

WEATHER

Who to Contact Diamond Lake Water & Sewer Dist.

FROM PAGE 15

509-447-4660 Fax: 509-447-0180 172 South Shore Road, Newport, WA 99156-9300 Operates water and sewer systems around Diamond Lake.

Commissioners (six-year term): chairman Bob Graham (2017), Secretary Richard Swan (2016), Ray King (2019).

Commissioner stipend: $70 per meeting Board meets on the first and third Wednesday at 10 a.m. at the district office.

Office open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday-Friday. Maintenance hours 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Sunday.

In addition, they can be reached by telephone after hours for emergencies.

long-range guesses.

For the weather here in the Inland Northwest we also monitor a couple of other phenomena’s like PDO and AO. No, those acronyms do not stand for Poor Dazed Ostriches or Alien Opossums. No, they stand for Pacific Decadal Oscillation and Arctic Oscillation respectively.

Both of these weather features greatly affect our weather, especially PDO, which is the warming and cooling of the Northern Pacific. Some scientists believe that we are seeing a PDO warming phase right now, which would explain the dry start to our winter last season, but the jury is really still out on that.

Where the jury is not at odds concerns that pesky ridge of high pressure that has been around in one form or another since last fall, like a bad relative that won’t leave.

It is what has caused the big drought in the Southwest, and its influence is once again being felt here in the Northwest as well. It too can lead to a hotter than normal summer.

Well that about covers it. I feel like I forgot something … Oh yeah, one final word about the summer forecast …

HOT! In our next issue of Lake Life: Hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding, lightning, Arctic outbreaks and heat waves! Out of all these, which do you think is the leading killer?

And no cheating by looking it up on the Internet either!

I’ll have the answer next month.

Sacheen Lake Sewer & Water Dist.

509-447-4641 Mail: 8272 Fertile Valley Rd., Sacheen Lake, WA 99156 Located at Sacheen Lake in southern Pend Oreille County, the Sacheen Lake Sewer & Water District is in the process of constructing a sewer collection and treatment system that will serve the majority of the lakefront properties. The district also continues to work on lake water quality and lake level issues as well as milfoil control.

The district also owns and maintains the Myers/ Harter Sanctuary, located near the corner of Highway 211 and Fertile Valley Road.

Commissioners: position 1 Perry Pearman (2017), position 2 Gary Garrett (2015), position 3 Peggy Johnsen (2019) Commissioner stipend: 0 District manager: Sheila Pearman Commissioners meet at Sacheen Lake Fire Station, Highway 211, on the first Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m.

South Pend Oreille Fire & Rescue Serving south Pend Oreille County including Diamond Lake, Sacheen Lake, Deer Valley, Camden and Fertile Valley areas.

Chief: Mike Nokes 509-447-5305 Annual salary: $62,000 Commissioners: Gary Wilkey 509-447-0744, Randy Miller 509-292-8065, Galen Hansen 509292-9458, Karen Johnston 509-939-7714 Commissioner stipend: $100 per meeting Commissioners meet the third Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. at Diamond Lake Station.

Diamond Lake Station is staffed 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Monday-Friday.

Mail: 325272 Hwy. 2, Newport WA Website: www.spofr.org

Pend Oreille County Commissioners 509-447-4119 District 1: Karen Skoog, chairwoman (2016) SEE WHO TO CONTACT, 17

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FROM PAGE 14

inspect boats for the time being on a volunteer- available basis.

Volunteer Pam Tully said volunteers are welcome. Call Tully at 509-447-5942.

During past summer seasons a host lived in their own RV at the launch, inspecting boats and opening and closing the gate. They also operated the power washer, if necessary, to clean boats and passed out education information and record statistics. They received a stipend of $25 per day.

Anyone interested in the position can email Tully at tullyspoint175@povn.com, or call Ken Schueman at 208-6613402.

Who to Contact FROM PAGE 16

District 2: Mike Manus, member (2014) District 3: Steve Kiss, vice chairman (2016) Four-year terms Annual salary: Manus $53,148, Skoog and Kiss $50,490 Duties: Serve as chief legislative and executive body in county; including, but not limited to, approve taxes; adopt a balanced budget, operate budgets under control of appointed department heads; oversee public roads and works; counseling; planning of unincorporated areas; and other services which are not clearly the responsibility of another elected official. Appoint citizens to commissions and boards; represent the county locally, regionally and statewide on various boards such as public health and economic development.

Mail: P.O. Box 5025, Newport, WA 99156 Board meets every Monday and Tuesday at 9 a.m. in commissioners’ office, main floor of the courthouse.

Clerk of the board: Elizabeth Braun Office hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday

Pend Oreille County Community Development Department 509-447-4821 Mike Lithgow, director Responsible for county land use, growth management planning and the county park system. Also responsible for the review and approval of various development and construction permits, such as building permits, shoreline development permits, subdivision and mobile home park and recreational vehicle park approvals. The park board meets the third Wednesday of every month at 2 p.m. in the Cusick Community Center.

Mail: P.O. Box 5066, Newport, WA 99156 • Planning Commission

District 1: John Stuart, Norris Boyd, Doug Smith; District 2: Don Comins, Terry Holloway, Guy Thomas; District 3: Rob Payne, Paul Edgren and Judy Ashton.

Meets on the second Tuesday of each month at the Cusick Community Center for business, and on the fourth Tuesday of each month for workshops, starting at 6 p.m.

• Park board members: Sam Nicholas, Greg Jakeman, Dave Gruver, Ken Timmreck, Don Comins, Mark Bender The park board meets the third Wednesday of every month at 2 p.m. in the Cusick Community Center.

Pend Oreille County Noxious Weed Board

509-447-2402 Fax: 509-447-6477 Charged with ensuring the control of noxious weeds in the county. The weed board office is located in the courthouse annex 418 S Scott Ave., and is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Monday-Friday.

Mail: P.O. Box 5085, Newport WA 99156 Board: Dist. 1 Warren Koontz, Dist. 2 Wes Bailey, Dist. 3 Vacant, Dist. 4 Joe Sherman, Dist.

5 Vacant The board meets every even month on the second Wednesday at 2 p.m. in the weed board office.

Weed coordinator: Sharon Sorby Email: ssorby@pendoreille.org

Natural Resource Conservation (USDA) 509-447-4217 Fax: 855-847-5495 P.O. Box 280, Newport, WA 99156 Located at Newport post office, Room 110.

Resource conservationist: Mark Simpson

Paper Recycling Do’s and Don’ts Please no cardboard in paper bin!!

YES! Pend Oreille does accept: • Loose newspaper, no strings or plastic • Magazines, but not in plastic wrapping • White office paper only • Window & non-window white envelopes • Loose, white shredded paper and junk mail

NOT Recyclable:

• No brown paper bags • No telephone books • No colored paper • No manila clasp envelopes • No paper inside plastic bags

Pend Oreille County Solid Waste (509) 447-4513

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(509) 671-6668 at Diamond Lake

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May 2014 | Lake Life 17

Prices better for lakefront real estate

BY DON GRONNING OF THE MINER

COURTESY PHOTO|RICHARD BOCKEMUEHL

This is the Island House, which is listed at $1.79 million, making it the most expensive property for sale on Diamond Lake. Realtors say they are starting to see some signs of recovery for waterfront property sales.

90 YEARS est. 1924

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DIAMOND LAKE – The real estate market is remaining steady, with prices rising, says Dick Bockemuehl of Century 21 Beutler and Associates.

“It’s off from five or six years ago and prices have adjusted accordingly,” Bockemuehl says.

In the last couple years, though, prices have started to rise, he said. There is inventory for about all price ranges, he said.

According to the multiple listing Multiple Listings Service, there are currently 17 properties for sale on Diamond Lake. Those are properties listed with real estate agents and don’t count for sale by owner properties.

The asking prices for the 17 properties range from $184,500 to $1.8 million, he says.

Seven listed properties have sold in the past year, Bockemuehl says, at a median price of $505,000. The median asking

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price was $567,900, meaning half the properties were priced higher and half lower than that.

On Sacheen Lake, there are currently eight properties listed on the MLS, priced from $215,000 to $399,000. In the last year five properties sold, with a median price of $245,000.

The median listed price was $269,000. Dorothy Yeaw is a Diamond Lake resident who sells real estate at John L. Scott. She agrees the market is improving.

“Every year it gets a little better,” she says.

The real estate season, normally confined to the warm weather months in Pend Oreille County, started a little earlier this year, she said.

“Now lots of marketing is Internet based,” she said, with a global market, so winter isn’t as much of a consideration as before. The real estate market runs in cycles, she said, and it is on the rise. Not surprisingly, she advises people who are contemplating buying waterfront property to buy now.

She says most waterfront properties are priced above the amount that can be financed with an FHA loan. That’s not much of a problem for people looking for waterfront property, she said.

“Most people are going to be more financially stable, so financing is not a problem,” she said.

Randy Nelson, one of the owners at Coldwell Banker in Newport, agrees.

“It’s not like you’re going to walk in and ask about a $500,000 property without having your financing set up,” he said.

People looking to sell property should be aware that buyers are more knowledgeable and aggressive now.

“There’s a lot of competition this time of year,” Yeaw says.

“So your property needs to be in SEE ESTATE, 22

MINER PHOTO|FRED WILLENBROCK

New launch for Sacheen

The Sacheen Lake boat launch is sporting an upgraded ramp and new toilets. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife spent $500,000 on the project, approved by the Washington State legislature last year. Fishing prospects include rainbow, tiger and eastern brook trout in Sacheen Lake.

Connecting

Diamond Lake, Newport, Oldtown & Priest River

Fireworks show a go at Diamond Lake DIAMOND LAKE – There will be a Fourth of July fireworks show on Diamond Lake again this year. After the show nearly being canceled due to funding, the Diamond Lake Improvement Association received enough donations to reach their goal.

The DLIA membership voted at the end of last summer to only hold the fireworks show if they were able to raise the $5,025 needed for the show.

The deadline was May 15 in order to order supplies and file SEE SHOW, 23

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It is on a paved road and there is room to dock your boat or water crafts. You also have a fabulous view of Diamond Lake!

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Fiber outage process revealed

BY DESIREÉ HOOD OF THE MINER

NEWPORT – CNS fiber experienced an outage, Tuesday, May 6 at 7:30 p.m., when three hub areas had a mechanical malfunction stopping the data from being sent through the lines into resident homes, CNS Specialist Dario Nila said.

The Pend Oreille Public Utility District’s Community Network System had the problem fixed by 11:50 p.m. after sending out a crew after hours.

“This was a unique situation.Manufacturers are looking into it and everything will get replaced,” Nila said. “If it is a wide area outage and we get multiple calls from one location, we will look into it.” He said electronics in the core network are on a five-year warranty.

When Nila was alerted that multiple customers on different Retail Service Providers (RSP) were calling in, he checked the CNS lines and found an equipment malfunction where the three hubs were affected, including Beaver Valley, Coyote Trail and Deer Valley east.

The process for customers when experiencing an outage is to call their RSP first, Nila said.

The fiber customers on the system are not customers of CNS but are customers to the retail service providers, Nila said. “The retail service provider is our customer,” Nila said. “Support wise, their job is to support their customers.”

Nila said the RSPs are the ones who help the customers with modem or router connection issues, which has caused many problems before.

He will receive about 10 trouble tickets a day, however, most days CNS does not have to roll a truck because the issue is with the customer’s equipment or resolved on a computer.

Once the RSP has received the complaint, they contact the NoaNet Network Opera-

N

tion Center, which is contracted by the PUD to handle fiber issues via computer monitoring from Spokane. They operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“NoaNet will then create a trouble ticket with the information about the customer and a detailed description of their problem,” Nila said. “The trouble ticket gets forwarded to the CNS department immediately and escaladed accordingly.

We treat trouble tickets as high priority.”

For one or two customers, CNS will wait for normal business hours.

“The CNS department responds to standard class trouble tickets Monday through

‘If it is a wide area outage and we get multiple calls from one location, we will look into it.’

Dario Nila

CNS Specialist

Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. unless it is a wide area outage that affects multiple customers,” Nila said.

Business class customers, such as the county, for example, operate on a 24-hour a day, seven-day a week process. “We contract with NoaNet because they have a truly great Network Operations Center and it is far more cost effective than building our own round the clock support,” PUD General Manager John Jordan said.

Jordan said a lot of the troubleshooting for fiber connections can be done virtually.

“NoaNet, or an employee here at the District, can look at their computer and make many determinations as to what is wrong and why. Some items, NoaNet contacts the PUD and we roll a truck. Some items will self-resolve or can be fixed from Spokane via computers.”

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PUD launches Smarthub application for smart phones NEWPORT – The Pend Oreille Public Utility District will launch Smarthub, a customer service application that allows users to monitor their account from a smart phone or tablet, starting Wednesday, May 21.

The application allows customers to check usage, contact the PUD, pay a bill, report a service interruption and check the PUD news feed for current information. The online bill pay system currently used by the PUD, will SEE PUD, 23

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May 2014 | Lake Life 21

ESTATE FROM PAGE 18

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good shape.”

That means the property should be clean and bright, with neutral colors. The idea is to have the potential buyer envision themselves and their things in the place, she said.

Buyers have a good idea of what they want and what it is worth, she said.

“They come in knowing what they want and if there are two or three things they don’t like, they’ll leave and look at something else,” she said.

Nelson agrees.

“Your place needs to be in tip top shape,” he says. Price and condition are two major considerations of buyers.

Nelson says more than 90 percent of potential buyers start their search online.

“They walk in with print outs and know what they want to look at,” he says.

He also is optimistic about the market.

“We started to see some signs of recovery last year,” he says.

“We hope it continues.”

CONTACT

Floating & Free-Standing Docks Gangways & Ramps Boat Lifts & Canopies Swim Rafts

FROM PAGE 17

Display yard 8800 N. Fairview, Spokane

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Rock Walls Water Features 22 Lake Life | May 2014

509-991-2718

Excavating Bobcat Work

Website: www.POCD.org Office is located at 121 N Washington Ave. in the back of the building District Administrator: Terry Holloway Board of Supervisors: Chairman Ralph Christiansen, Vice Chairman George Stuivenga, Treasurer Michele Mausen, and members Randall Leestma and John W. Floyd Board meetings are held the second Wednesday of the month at 9:30 a.m. except July when there is no meeting. Elections and appointments are held in February.

PUD FROM PAGE 20

be unavailable as of Sunday, May 18 at 5 p.m.

Registration for Smarthub begins, Monday, May 12, but will not be operational until May 21.

Customers who have stored information on the current bill pay service will automatically have the information transferred to Smarthub.

Automatic bill pay will not be affected.

The customers that pay their bill by phone will now call 1-855-875-7209 to make a payment beginning May 21.

Register online for Smarthub at http://popud.smarthub.coop.

For questions about the new system, contact a customer service representative at information@popud.org.

Beautifully appointed Diamond Lk home offers hardwood floors, granite countertops & stainless appliances. Quality throughout, comfortable floor plan includes island kitchen w/eating bar, informal dining & living room that looks out over the spacious lot & lake. Bedrooms are comfortably sized w/ large closets & ceiling fans, full bath offers quality fixtures & tile flooring.

Entire ground floor is huge garage W/laundry & workshop area. Lot leaves plenty of room to build dream home. Deck, 75 feet of sandy beach and sunset views. $485,000

Rare find! Vacant lots on Diamond Lake. One has water & sewer already on the property, both are level, treed and sit on a quiet, paved, county maintained street.

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SHOW

Serving Washington & Idaho since 2000

FROM PAGE 19

for permits. Members designate on their membership renewal extra donations they want to make to specific projects like the fireworks.

As of May 8, the association had only raised $4,100 and spread the word the show may be canceled.

As of May 14, DLIA president Rich Clubine announced the group received enough donations in the last week to reach the goal.

“To those who have donated to make our celebration a reality: Thank You!” he wrote in an email to the membership.

Those who would like to still donate may do so, as a jumpstart on 2015’s fireworks show.

Email diamondlk.wa@gmail. com to donate.

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STATISTICS FROM PAGE 21

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Too many upgrades to list including MIL or guest quarters, hand hewn wood floors, spa room, four bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms. Builder/Owner spared no expense to make this home amazing.

Every detail is well thought out. Please call today for a private showing $389,000.

Bring your boat and enjoy this beautiful Pend Oreille River waterfront home on a very large lot.

Remodeled with gourmet kitchen and wonderful master suite. Private dock, garden area, RV parking and much more... $449,000

Rhonda Thornton

509.759.5858 Rhonda@cbnorth.com

North Country Realty

“Helping make your real estate dreams become a reality.”

24 Lake Life | May 2014

of boating fatalities on record.

From 2012 to 2013, deaths in boating-related accidents decreased 14 percent, from 651 to 560, and injuries decreased from 3,000 to 2,620, a 12.7 percent reduction. The total reported recreational boating accidents decreased from 4,515 to 4,062, a 10 percent decrease.

The fatality rate for 2013 of 4.7 deaths per 100,000 registered recreational vessels reflected a 13 percent decrease from the previous year’s rate of 5.4 deaths per 100,000 registered recreational vessels. Property damage totaled approximately $39 million.

“We are pleased that there have been fewer accidents on waterways in recent years and thank our partners for their work,” said Capt. Jon Burton, director of inspections and compliance at U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters.

“Together we will continue to stress the importance of life jacket use, boating education courses and sober boating.”

The report states alcohol use was the leading known contributing factor in fatal boating accidents; it was listed as the leading factor in 17 percent of deaths. Operator inattention, improper lookout, operator inexperience, excessive speed and machinery failure ranked as the top five primary contributing factors in accidents.

Where the cause of death was known, 77 percent of fatal boating accident victims drowned; of those drowning victims, 84 percent were not wearing a life jacket. Where boating instruction was known, 20 percent of deaths occurred on vessels where the operator had received boating safety instruction. The most common types of vessels involved in reported accidents were open motorboats, personal watercraft and cabin motorboats.