Lake Life June 2014

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

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

Produced by The Miner Newspapers

June 2014

Publisher’s Note

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Lots happening

F

ourth of July marks the middle and height of summer for many; this is also the third of five issues of Lake Life. Our cover is another inspiring Cliff Snow photograph taken on Diamond Lake with a rainbow – it reminds us of the best of lake

life.

There are also many things to do in the area starting at the end of June and well into September. We have included advertising and schedules in this issue. But most of all this is the time to enjoy summer and Lake Life.

-FJW Published: June 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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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.

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Neil Mason and family feed the hungry

Country butcher and smoke house well known around the region

BY DESIREÉ HOOD OF THE MINER

DIAMOND LAKE – Neil Mason has been butchering cuts of meat since 1971, keeping Mason’s Meats a family business by working with his son Shane and son-in-law Chris Medrano next to his house at Diamond Lake.

Mason’s Meats sells precooked prime rib and ribs right out of the smoke house out back. Or they will pre-

‘That’s our secret sauce.’

Neil Mason Butcher

season a cut of meat and the customer can cook it.

If Mason’s does the cooking, Neil said, “Then the customer can take credit for it.”

They use a dry rub on the ribs and baste them with barbecue sauce while they are cooking in the smokehouse.

Neil said the dry rub is spices and seasoning but would not say what it includes.

“That’s our secret sauce,” Neil said.

The family business will stay in the family for generations to come. Shane said he tried other jobs but the family business was always in his blood.

“I always liked this better than anything else I tried,” he said.

Medrano married into the business, but quickly became the “right hand man,” Neil said. He takes care of the billing part of the business, as well as butchering meat.

Mason’s Meats butchers about 3,000 pounds of meat in a day during the fall months when hunters are

bringing in their deer, elk, moose and bear. On average, they butcher about 350 animals a month, Neil said. The spring is the butchers’ slowest time of the year.

“From now until the first of the year, it just keeps getting busier,” Neil said.

They offer an ice plant, serving their customers, grocery stores, restaurants, bars and convenience stores with up to 50 pound bags of ice. Shane takes care of this part of the business and has been “playing around” with ice since he was a child. He is busy prepping 13,000-14,000 pounds of ice for the upcoming Fourth of July weekend.

“We take care of Elk, Newport and all of Priest River,” MINER PHOTO|DESIREÉ HOOD Shane said. “That’s our busi- Neil Mason, owner of Mason’s Meats, has been operating the family business next to his house at Diamond Lake since 1971.

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MASON FROM PAGE 3

est weekend for the ice.”

The prices of meat have been varying, Neil said.

“Prices are really going up and expect it to be two to two and a half years before it peaks,” Neil said.

They custom process beef and pork and sell meats and sausage. Mason said he prefers to cut the animals the way the customer requests, often cutting the retail meats he sells in the presence of the customer to ensure they get the size and thickness they want.

“We cut it as they order them so they get fresh cuts and the size they want,” Neil said.

They will tell the customers how to cook their prime rib and other meats when they pick up the order if it is not precooked.

They use the smokehouse regularly and smoke hens,

MINER PHOTO|DESIREÉ HOOD

SEE MASON, 5

Shane Mason, left, stands with the next generation in the family, his son Kyle Benda. Shane takes care of the ice plant for the business, supplying bags of ice to grocery stores, convenience stores, restaurants and bars in the Elk, Newport and Priest River areas.

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Comment now on Inn at the Lake NEWPORT – Pend Oreille County’s Community Development Department has issued a determination of completeness for the vacation rental permit application and State Environmental Policy Act checklist (SEPA) from Jody L. White for Inn at the Lake, a vacation rental located at 581 Southshore Road in Diamond Lake.

The county planning commission will be hearing the permit application at the July 8 meeting.

SEE LAKE, 5

MASON FROM PAGE 4

bacon, prime rib, ribs, briskets, whole pigs and all kinds of sausage. In the fall, they are busy making wild game sausage for people out of deer, elk, bear and moose.

They also take animals that are killed on the roads and in good condition. They usually get them after the Washington State Fish and Wildlife Department agent has had them humanely killed and brought to them. From there, the animals are butchered, packaged and frozen before being given to the local food banks.

Mason’s Meats will butcher meat the way the customer wants for almost any type of animal. A customer brought in a couple of Ostriches that they butchered and Shane said that is probably the weirdest animal they have done.

“We did a couple and said, ‘yeah, that is enough of that,’” Shane said.

Mason’s Meats is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. They can be reached at 509-447-3788.

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June 2014 | Lake Life 5

Invasive species hand pulled at lakes

BY DESIREÉ HOOD OF THE MINER

DIAMOND LAKE – Milfoil work continues at Diamond and Sacheen lakes, with volunteer divers hand pulling invasive species throughout the summer, preparing for chemical treatments in August.

Richard Clubine, president of the Diamond Lake Improvement Association, said they are partnering with the Pend Scrap metal PRICES have not been this HIGH in years. rs rs rs. s..

Oreille Conservation District (POCD) for the upcoming work. They applied for a grant from the Department of Natural Resources and received $15,000 for milfoil removal work.

POCD put out a bid and proposal and Lakeland Restoration was awarded the contract. Lakeland Restoration was the only bidder for the project, estimating costs at $13,768.

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“The plan that was proposed by Lakeland Restoration best matched the goals of this year’s project and they were awarded the contract,” Clubine said.

The work currently being done is hand pulling of milfoil by volunteer divers and other lake residents. They are also spraying the riparian area at the west end of Diamond Lake for Reed Canary Grass, Yellow Flag Iris and various other invasive plants, Clubine said. This work will continue throughout the summer.

Lakeland will be doing work on Diamond Lake Aug. 18-21.

They will be doing a survey of the lake and marking bad spots on their GPS map before spraying the invasive species. “(This is) to find out where the infestations are,” said Terry Holloway, District Administrator at POCD. They will be spraying Aquaneat, Polaris, Agridex

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and DMA 4 IVM to rid the area of milfoil, Yellow flag iris, Canary grass, Phragmites and Purple Loosestrife.

Holloway said Lakeland will be sending an opt-out letter to Diamond Lake residents because many people like Yellow flag iris for their “pretty” yellow flower. If residents want to keep the Yellow flag iris, they need to sign the opt-out letter.

“They will avoid spraying the area,” Holloway said.

Holloway said the iris plant grows in clumps and when it floats away and lands somewhere, they spread.

She said it causes big problems in creeks and rivers because it clogs up tributary areas.

Lakeland will also be sending out letters and posting signs around the lake to warn residents of the spraying.

Holloway said they will follow the state laws in alerting residents.

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PUD board votes on rate increase June 17

BY DESIREÉ HOOD OF THE MINER

NEWPORT – The Pend Oreille Public Utility District Board of Commissioners is discussing a 2.55 percent rate increase to take effect in July, because inflation and operating costs are going up.

The Board of Commissioners decided on the increase, Tuesday, June 17 at their regular board meeting, after Lake Life went to press.

The proposed increase is showing at 3 percent, however, the PUD is estimating the costs of power from Boundary Dam, operated by Seattle City Light, to decrease by 0.45 percent. The PUD powers almost all of the residences and businesses in the county from Boundary Dam as part of a contractual agreement.

“A measure of general inflation is up 2 percent from April of this year to April of last year,” PUD Treasurer Sarah Holderman said. “One percent inflation will increase District costs by $186,000 annually. The proposed 3 percent district rate increase will generate approximately $400,000 in one year.” The rate increase will be 2.55 percent after the Boundary reduction. Holderman said the proposed rate is based on a zero percent customer growth for general service, meaning no new revenue from new customers.

Holderman said the average residential customer SEE PUD, 16

Returning snowbirds find damage Burglaries on the rise

BY DESIREÉ HOOD OF THE MINER

situations like this increase calls to the sheriff’s office, requiring a deputy to respond.

Two weapon offenses occurred at Diamond Lake, one cleared immediately upon deputies arriving as no noise was heard. The other was

DIAMOND LAKE – Along with the warm weather comes an influx of people at Diamond ‘This guy thought he was and Sacheen lakes, and along with that comes shooting at him.’ increased law enforcement calls, according to Sheriff Alan Botzheim.

Diamond Lake had reports of nine home and Alan Botzheim business alarm systems going off and Botzheim Pend Oreille County Sheriff said that is a higher number than normal. In 2013, they had 47 for the year.

“It’s probably more than we typically have,” a person shooting at soda cans and a nearby Botzheim said. resident was concerned for his safety.

Five burglaries were reported in the Diamond “This guy thought he was shooting at him,” and Sacheen areas. Botzheim said summer Botzheim said. homes are being opened for the season and Increases in suspicious circumstances, from people are returning to find damage to doors, two in April to 10 in May, and in civil disputes missing chainsaws and storage units broken from four in April to 11 in May, contributed to into. One house was missing clothes, shoes, a the number of overall calls increasing. four-wheeler and a six-wheeler. The six-wheeler Botzheim said four of the 11 civil disputes was recovered and a suspect has been identiwere from the same address. He said suspicious fied. The prosecuting attorney has the report circumstance calls include many different cirand will determine what charges the suspect cumstances, from a suspicious car to someone faces. walking down the street. There were more than “It’s so important to meet some people and 172 calls in May, an increase from 135 in April have them check on your home,” Botzheim for the two lake areas. said.

Thefts were also on the rise in Connecting the Diamond and Sacheen Lake areas, with 13 reported in May Diamond Lake, Newport, and five in April. They ranged Oldtown & Priest River from packages being taken off of a porch to a stolen antique tracto the World tor. Botzheim said the tractor Your Best Internet and Cable Option was supposed to go to the man’s HD, SD, Digital, Analog son for yard art, but when the son went to retrieve it, it was Video Packages gone. The tractor was going to • • • • • • be sold as scrap metal by the INTERNET OPTIONS INCLUDE person who stole it, Botzheim Cable Broadband DOCSIS II up to 15 x 2.5 said.

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June 2014 | Lake Life 7

People dump old docks and debris in lake It’s illegal and volunteer cleanup crews are mad

BY FRED WILLENBROCK AND DON GRONNING OF THE MINER

COURTESY PHOTO|CLIFF SNOW

This pile of dock debris on Diamond Lake is just the tip of the iceberg of junk dumped illegally by people. These volunteers and others work each year to clean up what people discard in the lakes. From left to right are: Tom VandeVanter, Austin Taylor, Jeff Taylor, Bill Miller and Rob Rickard.

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DIAMOND LAKE – Some people would never dream of throwing a piece of paper out the window of their car but they don’t seem to think twice about dumping a 500-pound sinking, rotting dock section in the beautiful wetlands of a lake. They might not realize that volunteers that clean up their junk each year are mad at them or that the lake dumpers could get almost a year in jail if caught.

The problem occurs on every lake in the region according to residents informally surveyed recently.

Diamond Lake residents Tom VandeVanter has volunteered his time, boat and equipment for years to haul out what he

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describes as tons of junk, mostly created from dilapidated docks.

“I’m sick of doing it,” he said recently.

He and his volunteers hauled dump truck loads from the Boy Scout camp beach where they had gathered this year’s junk. The handful of volunteers needed the help of a giant loader to get the 1500 pounds of debris from the beach to the dump trucks.

These aren’t pieces of dock that just get away on their own.

Cliff Snow, who has lived on the outlet end of the lake near the wetlands, says he sees people towing the unwanted dock pieces to that end of the lake and pushing them into the shallows.

Snow has taken pictures of the volunteer groups for years and has a good idea of how much wood, metal, Styrofoam, tires and cement they have hauled out of the lake.

He said he can’t imagine what the lake would look like if they weren’t hauling it away every year. The end the lake which is undeveloped would look like a dump site.

VandeVanter said he and his small group of volunteers are getting tired of doing it and are even mad.

But he says he knows the illegal dumping will continue.

VandeVanter says he can already see the docks that are falling apart on Diamond Lake; he says it’s only a matter of time before they are towed to the end of the lake or worse. Some people just tow them to the middle and release them causing boating hazards.

It’s one thing if your dock breaks away by itself and another to intentionally cut it loose, lake residents said.

If you intentionally cut it loose, it is a crime – littering.

Depending on the size of the dock, it can be either a misdeSEE DUMP, 9

DUMP FROM PAGE 8

meanor or a gross misdemeanor.

If the dock (or anything else) is greater than a cubic foot but less that a cubic yard, it is a misdemeanor, punishable by up to 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.

It is a gross misdemeanor to improperly throw away items larger than one cubic yard – 3 feet by 3 feet by 3 feet – about the size of a desk chair. The maximum penalty is 364 days in jail and a $5,000 fine. Many of the pieces that the volunteers are hauling are over this size they said.

According to the state law that applies, RCW 70.93.060, the person shall also pay a litter cleanup restitution payment equal to twice the actual cost of cleanup, or $50 per cubic foot of litter, whichever is greater.

VandeVanter said he knows that many lake property owners haul their dock debris. He said that for a few hundred dollars in labor and and dump fees the old docks and debris can be removed.

Diamond Lake Improvement Association raffling off quilt DIAMOND LAKE – The Diamond Lake Improvement Association is raffling off a handmade quilt donated by the Diamond Lake Quilt Club.

Tickets are $1 or six for $5. The drawing will be held at the annual DLIA meeting Aug. 30.

To buy tickets, contact Pam Tully at 509-447-5942, Debbie Harkness at 509-998-1121 or Sandy Christiansen at 509998-6272. Proceeds benefit the Clean Boats Clean Waters Program.

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Thursday, August 7th The Head and the Heart with Matty and Mikey

Friday, August 8th Huey Lewis & the News with Miah Kohal Band

It’s time to rodeo Music, carnival, parade part of weekend fun

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Super Saturday, August 16th Montgomery Gentry with Wade Bowen and Chris Webster & Nina Gerber

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Thursday, August 14th Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue with Galactic Dance Concert!

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Adult: $39.95 ~ Young: $10.95 Complimentary Wine Tasting

NEWPORT – Preparations are underway for the 65th annual Newport Rodeo, which takes place June 27 and 28, with performances getting underway at 7:30 p.m. Adult tickets are available for $10 advance, $12 at the gate. Advance tickets for children 5-11 cost $5 and children under 5 are admitted free.

This year’s rodeo will feature a drill team, the Skagit Rein Riders from Sedro-Wooley, Wash., along with ranch bronc riding and the standard rodeo events. For local participants, there is the crowd pleasing calf panty pull contest, in which teams compete to see who can be the fastest to put pantyhose on a calf. Call rodeo president Ray Hanson at 360-770-1180 if you want to participate.

There are a host of other activities during rodeo weekend, including the Paradise Amusements Carnival, which rolls into town Thursday, June 26, and remains through Saturday, with a full variety of rides and games. This year, carnival discount tickets are available were rodeo tickets are on sale.

Saturday’s activities get underway at 8 a.m., with the Cowboy Breakfast at the vendors area of the rodeo grounds, hosted by the Newport Eagles.

The rodeo parade will be held Saturday, June 28 at 11 a.m.

Parade participants will gather at the grounds near Sadie Halstead Elementary School at 9 a.m. Those who want to participate in the judged portion of the parade can find an entry form on the Greater Newport Area Chamber of Commerce website (www.newSEE RODEO, 12

Sacheen Lake sewer system bids awarded Construction to start in July

BY DON GRONNING OF THE MINER

SACHEEN LAKE – Sacheen Lake Sewer and Water District commissioners awarded bids for the Sacheen Lake sewer and wastewater treatment system June 4 and people can expect to see work started by July.

“They came in under the estimate,” said Perry Pearman, Sacheen Lake Water and Sewer District commissioner.

“We hope to start building in July.”

If all goes well, nearly 400 lots will be hooked up by the end of 2015. Not all the lots have homes, but 270 of them do.

The bids for the three schedules came in at $9.74 million.

Kevin Koesel, consulting engineer for Sewell Engineering, had estimated the work would cost more than $9.93 million.

The total price of the project is expected to be $12.2 million, including engineering, land purchases, easements, sales tax, permits, project management, PUD service and a 5 percent contingency fund.

A lot has happened since last year when the bids for the same sewer system came in nearly $3 million over the $9.2 million estimate.

For one thing, Koesel raised his estimate.

But more importantly, the district received a $5 million state Department of Ecology grant and received a $6 million, no interest loan from Ecology.

“It really helped, getting that $5 million grant,” Pearman said. The district also has a $1.2 million loan from the state Public Works Trust Fund. That loan is at 1.75 percent if the project is completed in 2015, 2 percent if it goes longer.

That means that residents won’t have to pay an expensive assessment.

Instead of costing nearly $17,000 per household, an amount talked about last year, the project will be paid off over 20 years. Properties will be charged about $130 a month.

The sewer project has been controversial, but some of that seems to have died down, Pearman said.

The project was divided into three schedules – the treatment plant, the collection lines and the onsite improvements. A contract for materials was also awarded.

Contractors Northwest of Coeur d’Alene was awarded the bid for the wastewater treatment plant.

They bid $4.28 million.

They were the lowest of the six firms that bid on the work.

S&L Underground of Bonners Ferry had the low bids

or both the collection lines and the onsite improvements.

Their bid of $2.37 million was the lowest of three bids for the collection lines.

Their bid of $2.296 million was the lower of two bids for the onsite improvements.

Environment One Corporation of New York was awarded the materials bid for their $757,874 bid.

The Sacheen Lake sewer will be similar to the Diamond Lake system except for one key component.

“The Diamond Lake system has septic tanks,” Koesel said.

While the liquid waste from Diamond Lake system is still pumped to a treatment plant located on Telephone Road, the sewer district has to periodically empty the sludge from the 1,000-gallon septic tanks at each home and business using trucks. That won’t happen at Sacheen Lake, as all the sewage will be pumped

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to the treatment site.

Treatment plant The Sacheen Lake system will pump all sewage to the treatment plant, which will be located about a mile north of the lake on 160 acres of wooded land the district owns. Sixteen acres will be used for the treatment system, which will consist of lagoons and a headworks building.

The system’s operator will be housed in the 800 squarefoot headworks building.

Sewage will be pumped to the headworks building from the collector lines, entering the building through an eight-inch line. At the headworks building inorganic materials such as plastics will be removed before the sewage goes to the lagoons.

SEE SEWER, 14

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Weather Babble Pend Oreille County

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SEE WEATHER, 13

RODEO FROM PAGE 10

portareachamber.com).

After the parade on Saturday there will be music at the Gazebo in downtown Newport. Also Saturday, from 3-6 p.m. at the Newport City Park there will be free live music. Members of the Newport Music Festival Association, which puts on their musical festival in the park Sept. 5-7, is organizing this show. It includes The Howling Gaels. This very popular group plays and sings traditional Irish music and songs, making occasional forays into the broader reaches of Celtic music with a surprise visit to somewhere much farther east. Brown’s Mountain Boys are one of the hottest bluegrass bands in the northwest.

Weather Babble FROM PAGE 12

list of options was that I gave you? Of course you don’t, but I have you covered … here’s the list – hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding, lightning, Arctic outbreaks and heat waves!

Now I’m going to throw a bunch of information your way but don’t worry, there won’t be a test at the end; however, what you learn here, could one day keep you from becoming a statistic, so pull up a toilet seat in your favorite “reading room” and let’s get started.

I thought we would begin with fire and ice, aka heat waves and Arctic outbreaks.

Heat is indeed a huge killer, especially in big cities where heat-island effect (hot pavements) combines with humidity to send heat indices soaring higher than a nitro filled bottle rocket! As for Arctic outbreaks, come on!? Is cold really a leading killer? Geez, if you were to look at it in terms of insect survival, I say phooey! The Arctic outbreaks we had last year obviously couldn’t even kill a fly, not to mention yellow jackets. Okay, you knew that was coming! (My wife says that I may need to go to therapy on this yellow jacket thing.) Yes, Arctic outbreaks do kill, with an average of 52 fatalities per year, but where does all this stand in the whole scheme of things?

So did you guess hurricanes?

If not, why not? After all, they are huge, windy beasts with no other goal than to rearrange whatever coastline they happen to run across. In addition, they generally create massive areas of destruction and cover wide areas. But, are they the “leading” killer? Well, you’ll just have to read on.

Ah, I bet a lot of you guessed SEE WEATHER, 16

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FROM PAGE 11

Sewage will be held and treated in the lagoon system.

There will be three lagoon cells constructed, with the option to add another as needed.

All the lagoon cells will be double lined with highdensity polyethylene liners to prevent leaking. Two of the cells will be able to hold 5.3 million gallons each. These will be used to treat the sewage with aeration – using air to treat the sewage. In warm weather, it will take about 30 days to treat the sewage in the lagoon. That will extend to 180 days in the winter. The third lagoon will hold 13.2 million gallons and will be a storage lagoon.

The treated wastewater will be used to irrigate the forest.

The sewage will be disinfected with chlorine prior to land application, Koesel said. Since irrigation won’t be possible in the cold months, the district will have to store the sewage about seven months of the year.

Collector lines Before it gets to the treatment plants, the sewage will travel through eight miles of collector lines. The collector lines, which will be varying sizes, will run down the highways and roads around Sacheen Lake.

The lines will be underground, which will involve a lot of digging.

Crews will likely encounter a great deal of solid rock, Koesel said, although there will also be areas where it will be relatively easy digging.

Nevertheless, Sacheen Lake residents will likely see plenty of heavy equipment and crews around the lake as the lines are installed.

SEE SEWER, 15

SEWER

COURTESY ILLUSTRATION|JAMES A. SEWELL & ASSOCIATES

Every residence in the Local Improvement District will be required to connect to the system when it is completed. Lots shown in green are within the system.

FROM PAGE 14

Onsite improvements Workers will do the onsite improvements at each home at the same time they are building the lagoon system and the collector lines. Each home will get a pumping station, with 1 ¼ inch pipe taking sewage to the collector

line, which in most areas will be on the street.

The pumping stations are about 30 inches in diameter and about 6 ½ feet tall, but will be installed underground, with only the top showing. They will operate using an electric pump with an electric controller on each home.

Since each home likely has a septic

system, the old septic tanks will be pumped and filled with gravel.

Crews will install the new system, test it and make sure it’s working and then dig up the pipe and connect it to the new system. Koesel said that the plan is each home to be without sewer service only a couple hours while the switch is made.

All the right of ways have been purchased for the system. There is still time for people to sign up, Koesel said.

The people who have signed up before the project is complete will get to take advantage of the grant and loan. “Once we close out the construction, people will still be able to sign up, “ he said, “but it will be more expensive.”

June 2014 | Lake Life 15

PUD FROM PAGE 6

would see about a $3 increase on their bill per month. The average increase for single-phase business owners will be about $3, similar to the residential increase, Holderman said.

However, the commercial customers who use three-phase power will see about $15 added to their monthly bill.

Vegetation management may be covered under the increase. Holderman said the PUD has not kept up with vegetation management recently.

“It was neglected for so many years,” Holderman said to the Commissioners, Tuesday, May 27, during the public rate hearing.

PUD General Manager John Jordan said another driver for the cost increase is communication costs. He said the Aquatic Weeds Workshop • Wed • July 9 • 8:15-3:30

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information technology needs and related connectivity costs increased to help the utilities with communication among the power system.

Regulatory requirements are also driving the costs up, Jordan said.

“North America Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) is a big cost driver as the federal government has instituted considerable technology designed to keep the power grid up and functioning despite any terrorist attack,” Jordan said. “If the grid goes down, our nation’s industrial might is affected.

The goal is appropriate, however, the regulatory cost on a small utility can be staggering.”

In 2012, Washington State had the lowest residential power rates in the nation and the PUD rates are two-thirds of the state average, Jordan said. He said the PUD reviewed a federal database on utilities with rate information on more than 2,000 investor owned, municipal, cooperative and political subdivision utilities.

“Fewer than 60 had residential rates lower than the PUD, meaning we are in the top 3 percent of the nation for low rates,” Jordan said. “It is much easier to have low rates in an urban setting. This PUD only has eight customers supporting each mile of line. Screening out urban utilities with lower rates, the PUD is in the top 1 percent.”

Jordan said the increase will not be used for covering the debt of the PUD or the debt incurred by the CNS fiber to the premise project.

Holderman said the rate increase is sufficient to maintain the cash reserves of the PUD.

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Weather Babble FROM PAGE 13

lightning, right? Did ya? hah?

Did ya? Get hit by lightning and you’re likely to hop around like a kangaroo with its butt on fire. But believe it or not, many have actually survived lightning strikes, though their brain (like mine) might be a little foggier for it!

Even so, the question remains as to if the fatality rate is enough to make it the leading killer. Stay tuned.

So what about tornados?

Did you guess tornados? That would be a good guess. After all, they are one of Mother Nature’s most powerful storms. A strong tornado will effectively relocate your common house cat into the next county in two shakes of a duck feather, but here’s the thing, even though they get the lion’s share of the weather-related news, it may surprise you as to where tornado-related deaths rank, or maybe not.

What about flooding? Does common sense go right out the window like furniture in a home when it is flooding? And if so, how many humans have lost their lives to this? Ah, the suspense of it all!

So before we get to the actual statistics, I want to first explain the findings so that those of you that looked this up on the Internet (even though I advised against it) will understand a little about the conflicting information you might have discovered.

In short, the National Weather Service (NWS) has been keeping statistics on many of these weather related deaths since as far back as 1940, so my research is based on what the NWS reports, and not any of the other unofficial sources out there in SEE WEATHER, 17

Weather Babble

ld”

SEE WEATHER, 18

il

or

cyber space. So using the 30year NWS average, here are the numbers: No. 4: Hurricanes - Average of 47 deaths per year No. 3: Lightning - Average of 51 deaths per year No. 2: Tornado - Average of 75 fatalities per year No. 1: Floods - Average of 85 deaths per year So there you have it – but wait – there’s more! (I’m starting to sound like one of those infomercials.) In 1986, the NWS started to record a new statistic which turned out to be quite significant. With this new element now in the equation, the numbers have changed quite a bit, but it does not come without a bit of controversy. In light of all this, the new 10 year average weather related fatalities (published just last year) goes like this: No. 4: Floods - Down a bit to 75 fatalities per year. The worst year was back in 1972 when 555 died in flood related incidents, but in the hurricane statistics below, some other information was revealed which puzzles my brain even more.

No. 3: Hurricanes - An average now of 108 deaths per year, the worst being in 2005 when 1,016 people died, a majority of them during hurricane Katrina in August. Now here is where I find the stats to be a bit controversial. It has been reported that some 771 succumbed to the flooding caused by the hurricane, yet they were not recorded as flood-related fatalities! Hmmmm-mm.

No. 2: Tornados - With an average now of 109 deaths per year. It is interesting to note that in 2011, an all-time record of 553 people perished, shattering the old record of 384 set way back in 1942. The year

We W

FROM PAGE 16

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FROM PAGE 17

2011 really brought that average up proving that even with today’s modern technology, tornados are still nature’s most unpredictable phenomenon!

And finally No. 1, though as stated above, this one comes with a bit of controversy. Even so, according to the NWS, the “official” leading weather related killer in the United States is now … Drum roll please … HEAT WAVES – With an average of 123 deaths per year.

What really got everyone’s attention was the high fatality rate recorded back in 1995 when 1,021 people died in heat related incidents.

Did you notice that lightning did not even make it into the top four this time around? Only 33 deaths per year are now being recorded due to lightning. This is way down from the 200-300 fatalities per year recorded back in the 1940s 50s and 60s and is a direct result of much improved early warning detection systems.

Oh, and this heat wave thing is not the newest statistic being recorded by the NWS. In 2002, they started keeping track of rip current fatalities which is now up to an average of 48 per year!

This is something we shouldn’t ever have to worry about here in Pend Oreille County, that is unless you happen to get sucked up by the rip current generated by the legendary Pend Oreille Paddler … Don’t ask! That’s a story for another day.

In our next issue of Lake Life, we’ll babble about this “micro climate” thing everyone talks about and why home weather stations are a must if you want accurate climate information where you live. I’ll also toss in an opinion or two as to what home weather stations are the best value.

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.

FRIDAY, MAY 16 STRUCTURE FIRE: W. Sacheen St., kitchen fire reported.

NOISE COMPLAINT: Southshore Diamond Lake, noise complaint about neighbor’s music.

TUESDAY, MAY 20 PHONE OFFENSE: Northshore Diamond Lake, report that male subject keeps sending complainant harassing text messages.

FRIDAY, MAY 23 THEFT: Eastshore Rd., Diamond Lake, stolen canoe reported.

SATURDAY, MAY 24 BOATING OFFENSE: Sacheen Lake FOUND PROPERTY: W. Sacheen St.

SUNDAY, MAY 25 ARREST: South Shore Rd., Robin Ann Eby, 47, of Bonners Ferry was arrested for driving with a suspended license.

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TUESDAY, MAY 27 SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES: Southshore Diamond Lake, complainant wants to speak to deputy regarding conditions at neighbor’s residence.

THURSDAY, MAY 29 JUVENILE PROBLEM: Northshore Diamond Lake, report of email to sheriff in reference to kids playing in road and throwing items at vehicles.

FRIDAY, MAY 30 SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES: W. Sacheen St., report that female at above address is blaring music and in yard yelling odd things.

SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES: W. Sacheen St., complainant thinks someone may be tampering with her car, she is missing fuel.

SATURDAY, MAY 31 NOISE COMPLAINT: Northshore

SEE POLICE, 20

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20 Lake Life | June 2014

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Diamond Lake Water & Sewer Dist.

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.

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Sacheen Lake Sewer & Water Dist.

509-447-4641 Mail: 8272 Fertile Valley Rd., Sacheen Lake, WA 99156 Located at Sacheen Lake in SEE CONTACT, 21

Lake Police Reports FROM PAGE 19 Diamond Lake, report that neighbors are playing really loud music; unsure if residence is next to him or across the street.

SUNDAY, JUNE 1 ANIMAL NOISE: Southshore Diamond Lake SEX OFFENSE: Southshore Diamond Lake, sex offense reported.

SUNDAY, JUNE 8 ERRATIC DRIVER: Diamond Lake, report of vehicle swerving.

Who to Contact FROM PAGE 20

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

DIAMOND LAKE – The annual Fourth of July boat parade, half-marathon and fireworks show are set to go on Diamond Lake. Boats are to line up at the boat launch on the south side of the lake at 2 p.m. They will travel around the lake in the traditional, counterclockwise direction. A fireworks show is set for 10 p.m., after the sun goes down. Also on July 4 is the Diamond Lake half-marathon.

People need to contact Jeff Bell at JeffreyB@gallatinpa.com to sign up. The event includes a 1-mile swim, which starts at 6 a.m. at the public boat launch. The run starts at 7:15 a.m. at the South Shore Store. People can just run or swim or do both.

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 509-4475305 Annual salary: $62,000 Commissioners: Gary Wilkey 509-447-0744, Randy

Miller 509-292-8065, Galen Hansen 509-292-9458, 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.

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Monday-Friday.

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Registration available at Greater Newport Area Chamber Office & Pend Oreille County Community Development Department June 2014 | Lake Life 21

Diamond Lake band in battle of bands

Will play The Hop in Spokane June 29

BY DON GRONNING OF THE MINER

DIAMOND LAKE – The JetPack Renegades, a family trio who live off Camden Road near Diamond Lake, have been recruited for a Battle of the Bands contest in Spokane.

“If we make it past the first round, we’ll do good,” says Rick Espinoza, the father of the other two members of the JetPack Renegades.

The Battle of the Bands will start out at The Hop, located at 706 N. Monroe in Spokane.

Their show will start at 4 p.m.

Sunday, June 29.

The top three from that show will go on to play at The Knitting Factory in Spokane, a major music venue.

The JetPack Renegades are Rick and his two sons, James “Jimbo” and Gabe.

“The whole thing started with

the boys so we could play as a family,” says Rick, who works as a URM truck driver. He played music growing up in California, performing in a variety of bands.

He knew music was something you could enjoy for a lifetime, so he started teaching them guitar and drums. He plays bass for the JetPack Renegades.

James, 12, showed talent at an early age. Rick had bought a small guitar for his wife, Sandy, who played piano growing up.

But a 4-year-old James was attracted to the guitar and started playing it. She never got it back, she laughs.

James kept playing and improving. About four years ago he started playing seriously, learning chords and progressions from his father.

Then he started composing original music.

His instrumental “Eclipse,” has been doing well on ReverbNation, a website for musicians.

“It’s number 14 of 80 in the rock category,” says Rick.

MINER PHOTO|DON GRONNING

Rick Espinoza plays bass for the band. Espinoza played in a variety of bands growing up in California. He built a studio so the band would have a place to record.

ReverbNation is the way the Knitting Factory contacted them for the battle of the bands competition.

That led to other contacts.

“We got two invitations for

Land O’Lakes Purina

N

hern t r o

festivals in North Carolina and New York state,” says Rick. They don’t plan to go, but it was nice to be invited, he said.

The Espinozas are members of the House of Lord Church in

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Oldtown. Rick has been involved with the church since 1995.

When the boys got old enough, they started playing with the Worship team, a group of musicians who practice Wednesdays and perform for church members on Sunday, drawing crowds of up to 250 people.

While the boys play contemporary Christian music at House of the Lord, they will be playing hard rock at the Knitting Factory.

“I like Christian grindcore,” says James.

Gabe likes a variety of music.

Rick likes contemporary rock.

The boys are homeschooled.

Music adds to their education, Rick figures.

“It requires memory and creativity,” he says.

Music has been tied to mathematics, something Gabe likes.

James, like many boys his age, likes comic books.

The Espinozas started playing music as a family activity.

As Rick discovered how good the boys were, he built a studio at their Camden Road property so that they could record.

“We wanted to give the kids SEE BAND, 23

That’s a big brown trout DIAMOND LAKE – Blake Edmondson, 12, hooked a30inch brown trout on Diamond Lake Saturday, May 24. Edmondson and his father, Dave, both from southern California, were visiting Blake’s grandfather Ron Edmondson, who lives at Skookum Rendezvous RV Park in Pend Oreille County.

Blake used a little “kokanee killer” that caught a small rainbow trout and while bringing it to their boat the brown trout attacked and got hooked.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife stocks Diamond with brown trout each year. In April, 12,000 “put, grow and take” browns were dropped into Diamond, in addition to 250 jumbo rainbow trout and 30,000 triploid rainbows.

The Diamond Lake Improvement Association also release their net pen raised fish after the opener. Bass fisherman this week are reporting exceptional fishing in the shallow water were the fish are spawning. They encourage fishermen to catch and release so the adult bass can protect the young fish and nests.

Sacheen Lake was stocked with 6,000 triploid rainbow trout, and 600 Eastern Brook trout, in the last year.

BAND FROM PAGE 22

something positive to do,” Rick said. He said they already fished, hunted and snowboarded together, playing music seemed like a logical extension.

Just how far they will go is anybody’s guess. But a foundation has been laid for a lifetime of music.

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Blake Edmondson, 12, hooked this 30-inch brown trout on Diamond Lake Saturday, May 24. Edmondson and his father, Dave, both from southern California, were visiting Blake’s grandfather Ron Edmondson, who lives at Skookum Rendezvous RV Park in Pend Oreille County.

Roger Ens

509-671-0818 509-447-2421 rogerens@gmail.com Waterfront Specialist

“Top Dollar for Your Property”

NORTH COUNTRY REALTY 300 S. Washington Newport, WA

• Cooking Classes • Fresh Baked Bread & Cookies • Great Kitchenware & Wines!

MON-SAT 10-5:30 (509) 447-4600 211 S. WASHINGTON NEWPORT

Integrity • Leadership • Experience

Vote for

Dolly Hunt (R) Pend Oreille County Prosecutor

www.dollyhunt.com

Paid for by Committee to elect Dolly Hunt-Lori Hunt, Campaign Manager

FFE O N A E AK

M

R

81 Terrace Ave $230,000 MLS# 201412472

Beautiful spot to build your new lake house! Its on .35 acres with 50 feet of water front. The property is all grassed and treed with a slight slant towards the water. It includes public sewer, water and electricity.

This property is located only 45 minutes away from North Spokane and 15 minutes away from the town of Newport.

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!

RE/MAX Infinity Group Kelly A Stratton, Associate (509) 991-2612 (Direct) (208) 292-4230 (Office) kelly@infinitycda.com • www.infinitycda.com June 2014 | Lake Life 23

Calendar of Events Rhonda has over 13 years of real estate marketing experience including Seattle and Central Washington.

She specializes in lake and riverfront properties.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18 DIAMOND LAKE WATER AND SEWER DISTRICT BOARD: 10 a.m. District Office

THURSDAY, JUNE 19 SOUTH PEND OREILLE FIRE & RESCUE: 7 p.m. - Station 31, 325272 Highway 2, Diamond Lake

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

FRIDAY, JUNE 27 NEWPORT RODEO: 7:30 p.m. – Newport Rodeo Grounds

SATURDAY, JUNE 28

Beautiful custom home on five acres.

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.

NEWPORT RODEO PARADE: 11 a.m.

– Downtown Newport NEWPORT RODEO CARNIVAL: Noon – Newport City Park and Rodoe Grounds NEWPORT RODEO: 7:30 p.m. – Newport Rodeo Grounds

WEDNESDAY, JULY 2 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

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

SACHEEN LAKE SEWER AND WATER DISTRICT BOARD: 7 p.m. Sacheen Fire Station, Highway 211

FRIDAY, JULY 4 FIREWORKS SHOW ON DIAMOND LAKE: Dusk

WEDNESDAY, JULY 9 HOME AND COMMUNITY EDUCATORS DIAMOND LAKE CLUB: Noon - Call Billie Goodno at 509-447-3781 or Chris King at 208-437-0971

SATURDAY, JULY 12 PEND OREILLE VALLEY LAVENDER FESTIVAL: Newport City Park

SUNDAY, JULY 13

Rhonda Thornton

PEND OREILLE VALLEY LAVENDER FESTIVAL: Newport City Park

WEDNESDAY, JULY 16

509.759.5858 Rhonda@cbnorth.com

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

THURSDAY, JULY 17

North Country Realty

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

24 Lake Life | June 2014

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

SATURDAY, JULY 19 NEWPORT BULL-A-RAMA: 7:30 p.m. – Newport Rodeo Grounds

MONDAY, JULY 21 DIAMOND LAKE BOOK CLUB: 1 p.m. - Contact Val Urbat 509-2200200