The Newport Miner Newspaper

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The Newport Miner

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THE VOICE OF PEND OREILLE COUNT Y SINCE 1901

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

www.pendoreillerivervalley.com

Republican leaders narrow to three; commissioners ready to choose one

Owner says services not impacted BY MICHELLE NEDVED OF THE MINER

SEE AMBULANCE, 13A

COURTESY PHOTO|KEVIN FREIBOTT

Tribal buffalo The Kalispel Tribe’s annual buffalo round up took place Oct. 23. The tribe has more than 100 head of buffalo. Handlers spent the day assessing the herd inventory and performed annual health checks and vaccinations. Here, a bison rocks the squeeze chute as it is immobilized for vaccinations.

Newport chamber not hosting Santa BY MICHELLE NEDVED OF THE MINER

NEWPORT – Santa Claus won’t be visiting the chamber of commerce office in Newport this year, but he will be in Newport. The Greater Newport Area Chamber of Commerce decided to not host the arrival of Santa and other related activities this year for the first time in more than 30 years. Chamber members, however, are helping with the organizing and the volunteering for the event, held Thanksgiving weekend. “While the ‘chamber’ will not be ‘organizing’ Hometown Christmas, like we did last year, a number of our chamber board members and the chamber’s ex-

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Commissioner candidates interviewed

IRS seizes Newport Ambulance properties NEWPORT – The Internal Revenue Service is auctioning off three properties in Newport belonging to Steve and Michelle Groom, owners of Newport Ambulance, including the storefront the EMS provider was located at until recently. Steve Groom said Tuesday that the seizure of property by the IRS will not have any affect on the services of the company and no equipment is being seized. The three properties are in downtown Newport, at 117 S. Washington Ave., an empty lot on the corner of First and Spokane, and a vacant house next door on Spokane Avenue. Steve Groom said this is a “blessing in disguise.” It puts and end to a seven-year ordeal, he said. Groom Enterprises changed from a sole proprietor business to a corporation in 2007. In a sole proprietor business, personal assets are also subject to liens against the business. In a corporation, the liens affect only the business. The corporation filed for bankruptcy and is now a non-profit agency operating in Oldtown. Groom said his company is actively trying to collect more than $1 million from patients and that last fall his write off amount was $475,000. EMS service providers have to transport patients regardless of their ability pay. Medicare and Medicaid doesn’t always pay for the actual cost of transports. “We live in an economically depressed

Volume 109, Number 39 | 2 Sections, 28 Pages

ecutive director will be supplying decorations and volunteering their time and resources in support of this event,” chamber president Barb Smith wrote in an email to The Miner. Smith said the chamber does not want to take away from other community events that are done “very well” and serve an identified need. She pointed out the success of the Newport Hospital Foundation’s Festival of Trees, that “provides arguably the best photos with Santa,” 25 cent crafts for kids and all the festively decorated trees that local business and organizations donate. “The chamber’s mission is to promote and strengthen our business and economic climate while enhancing our area’s

Republican Party soliciting candidates. Eight people who applied were interviewed by the party at the American Legion Hall in Cusick Tuesday, Oct. 23 BY DON GRONNING during the party’s regular OF THE MINER meeting. The 11 precinct comNEWPORT – The process mittee officers who could of selecting a replacement attend the meeting selected for outgoing county the three people after commissioner Laura they were interviewed. Merrill is expected “We tried to treat it to wrap up Wednesas a job interview,” said day, when the two Greg Portrey, the PCO remaining commisfrom Dalkena. He said sioners choose one the PCOs discussed the person from the three MANUS general way the process submitted by the would work ahead of Pend Oreille County time. Republican Party. Each of the candidates “They can’t vote gave opening and closuntil I’m off the ing remarks and anboard,” Merrill said. swered questions. Merrill resignation is “I thought it went effective Oct. 31. She really well,” said David is taking a job with ANTCLIFF “Jiggs” Cox, a PCO from the Washington AsTiger/Dry Canyon. “I sociation of Counties. thought we submitted Commissioners exsome really great candipect to swear in a new dates.” commissioner MonCandidates answered day morning, Nov. 5, what makes them at 8:30 a.m. a Republican and if Commissioners will they would run for the choose between Mike ZORICA position when the seat Manus, 60, a former comes open for elecNewport Safeway manager, tion next year and again in Newport city councilman 2014, when the position is Mark Zorica, 39, and Wayne up for election for a reguAntcliff, 51, a former Newlar four-year term. They port city councilman and were asked to pick a plank president of Concept Cable. of the Pend Oreille County The process started with the county SEE COMMISSIONER, 2A

Good ghouls at Rotary haunted house

quality of life. We have spent a lot of time focusing on exactly what that means and how we stay true to it,” Smith wrote. Organizing the beginning of the holiday season in the Newport and Oldtown community has been done by the Newport chamber for more than 30 years. It has taken on many activities over the years but always included a free visit to Santa in the chamber office, the community tree lighting ceremony, free treats and holiday music. Chamber members made sure the first Santa arrival of the season came by Pend Oreille Valley Railroad train, fire truck, sled dog or horse drawn wagon. The

They were a little scary, but all around good ghouls at the Rotary Interact haunted house held at the visitor center in Oldtown Friday and Saturday, Oct. 26 and 27. Admission fees raised $405 for the Feed the Children program in Ecuador, a project of the Rotary Interact youth group, and about 100 items were collected for the West Bonner Food Bank in Oldtown. Here, Rotary Club member Nadine Parker of Priest River poses in the “haunted hospital” as movement from the camera makes for eerie lighting.

SEE SANTA, 2A MINER PHOTO|JANELLE ATYEO

|| Man facing manslaughter charges for shooting NEWPORT – A 57-year old Newport man was shot and killed Monday, Oct. 29 and a 62-year old man is in custody, charged with first-degree manslaughter. Pend Oreille County Sheriff Alan Botzheim said a man called to report that his adult son had shot another man. Deputies went to the residence about seven miles south of Usk, where they found Dana M. Morey, 57, dead from a single gunshot wound to the upper chest Monday afternoon. They arrested Charles E. Langford, 62. He appeared in court Tuesday, where he was charged with first-degree manslaughter and his bail was

B R I E F LY

set at $100,000. Langford and Morey were longtime friends visiting at Langford’s father’s residence when an apparent dispute occurred, Botzheim said. Langford was treated for seizure-like symptoms at Newport Community Hospital, prior to being booked, Botzheim said. The case is under investigation.

Ione voters may get two ballots IONE – An unidentified problem in the mailing process has resulted in some voters in the Ione area receiving two ballots for the General Election. Voters are being instructed to return just one bal-

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lot. The computer system that counts the ballots won’t allow double voting. Pend Oreille County auditor Marianne Nichols learned of the problem last week. She said about 60 people did not receive their ballots. The voters who were missing their ballots were scattered across two precincts, but all were post office box holders. Nichols visited the Ione post office to put up signs altering people to the problem last week. “We’re trying to be proactive,” she said. Friday, the elections office mailed out 300 ballots to voters with post office boxes in Ione. Monday, the Ione post office received the tray of 289 missing ballots in from Spokane. Pend Oreille County’s mail is processed in Spokane. Nichols said she’s not

sure where the problem occurred, but she will be following up with the Spokane postal center. It’s not acceptable for voters not to get their ballots until Oct. 29 when they were mailed on Oct. 17, she said. It was a costly issue, Nichols added. Postage alone cost about $200 for re-mailing ballots, and re-printing ballots for two precincts cost several hundred dollars. Those with questions about their ballots can call the auditor at 509-447-3185 or elections supervisor Liz Krizenesky at 509-447-6472. Voters have until Nov. 6 to return their ballots. As of Monday, 2,316 out of 8,223 – or 28 percent – of Pend Oreille County voters had voted.

SPORTS 8A-10A - RECORD 12A - POLICE 12A - OPINION 4A - CLASSIFIEDS 11B-14B - PUBLIC NOTICES 13B-14B - DOWN RIVER 13A - LIFE 11A - OBITUARIES 12A


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