092816newportminer

Page 1

The Newport Miner the voice of pend oreille county since 1901

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

www.pendoreillerivervalley.com

Volume 113, Number 35 | 2 Sections, 20 Pages 75¢

Election fast approaching, key dates to remember By Don Gronning Of The Miner

NEWPORT – The Nov. 8 general election is fast approaching and there are some key dates to keep in mind for both Washington and Idaho voters. Monday, Oct. 10, is the last day to register either online or by mail in Washington. Idahoans can preregister with the county clerk by Oct. 14 but they can also register to vote the same days as the general election if they have ID and proof of residence. Voters will need ID to register in both states. To register online go to the Washington Secretary of State website at www.sos.wa.gov/ elections/myvote/ olvr. People will need to have a Washington ID to register, either a

drivers license or state ID card. To register by mail, people can print an application from the Secretary of State’s website or pick one up at the county courthouse in Newport. Complete the application and put it in the mail. The last day to register in person in Washington is Oct. 31, eight days before the general election. Ballots go out in Washington Oct. 20. Washington is a vote-by-mail state. They must be returned postmarked no later than Nov. 8. In Idaho, most vote the traditional way, in person on Nov. 8. People who want absentee ballots need to submit a written request by Oct. 28. They can go

Courtesy photo|Kelly Driver

Laughing in the face of disaster Two teenagers playing “victims” in last Saturday’s disaster drill in Newport bring some levity to an otherwise serious exercise by sharing a laugh. The event was orchestrated to provide training for area emergency services and included assistance from Newport School District and the Port of Pend Oreille.

See Election, 2A

Dual credit in Idaho: What the state’s numbers say By Kevin Richert Idaho Education News

BOISE – There’s no way to know, with any precision, how Idaho students actually apply state-funded dual credits. And the state’s two education agencies have painted decidedly different pictures of a program that allowed high school students to earn 80,000 college credits in 2015-16.

First out of the gate was the State Board of Education, which took a critical but brief look at the dual-credit program last week. During a State Board meeting last week, board staffer Tracie Bent said students use the majority of dual credits as college electives, not degree requirements. Soon after, the board gave preliminary approval to language designed to focus

students on college courses that would move them toward a degree. But the State Department of Education looks at the issue differently and late last week, the department issued some numbers to support its case. In 2015-16, 68 percent of dual credits fell under the heading of Idaho’s “GEM See Dual Credit, 2A

Youth have a song to sing with local choir Mountain harmony wants more singers, dancers By Sophia Aldous Of The Miner

NEWPORT - Is herding kids like herding cats? Apparently not for the adults behind Mountain Harmony Show Choir (MHSC). It also helps that the children want to be there, actively recruiting friends to join them at practices. “I’ve talked some of the guys into coming to rehearsal,” says a middle school student, Brandon McMeen, to choir volunteer Lauretta Heaney.

Miner photo|Michelle Nedved

Ushering in fall The sidewalk chalk contest was a highlight for kids at the annual Priest River Oktoberfest this last weekend, Saturday, Sept. 24. The day-long event also included a climbing wall, live music, and a book sale at the Priest River Library. Food and beverages were supplied by downtown businesses.

“Good job,” she says, giving him a high-five. Heaney adds that the choir, like most community performing arts organizations, could use more boys and men in its ranks. The choir currently has 20 kids in it, the majority of which are female. Heaney figures about half are middle school students while the other half are high school students. The majority of the singers are from Newport, but some kids hail from Blanchard, Priest River and Elk. In its fourth year, under the umbrella of See Choir, 2A

B r i e f ly SmileMobile brings affordable dental care to Newport NEWPORT – The Washington Dental Service Foundation SmileMobile, which travels the state offering dental services to children who might not otherwise have access to dental care, will be in Newport Oct. 4-7. It will be parked at Sadie Halstead Middle School, located at 331 S. Calispel Ave. The SmileMobile will provide dental examinations to children from birth up through high school age. Treatment appointments will be provided the duration of the stay. To make an appointment or for more information, call 888-286-9105.

Follow us on Facebook

classifieds

The SmileMobile accepts Apple Health and offers a sliding scale fee based on family income and size.

Labrador, Simpson join push for federal schools funding

WASHINGTON D.C. – Idaho Reps. Raul Labrador and Mike Simpson have joined the push to rescue federal funding for schools in Idaho timber country. The Republican lawmakers joined 50 colleagues Thursday, signing a bipartisan letter supporting the Secure Rural Schools program. The federal program expired on Sept. 30, 2015, with the last payments going out to 7B-10B

schools and counties earlier this year. Idaho schools received close to $6.7 million this year; the largest payment, slightly more than $1 million, went to the Mountain View School District in Idaho County. “The SRS program provides crucial support for law enforcement, transportation infrastructure, and education in the more than 720 counties in 41 states that depend on revenue from federal forests,” lawmakers said in the letter, addressed to House Speaker Paul Ryan and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. Last week, Idaho Republican Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch joined a bipartisan coalition of 29 senators, who sent a similar letter of support to Senate leadership.

Opinion

4a

Record

6B

sports

1B-3B

Life

4B

Police Reports

6B

Obituaries

6B

Public Notices

8B-10B

Newport Homecoming 8A

Check out voice In this issue Guns and Ammo


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.