Newport Miner November 5, 2014

Page 1

VETERANS DAY EVENTS SEE PAGE 5B

The Newport Miner TH E VOIC E OF PE N D ORE I LLE COU NTY SI NC E 1901

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

www.pendoreillerivervalley.com

Volume 111, Number 40 | 2 Sections, 20 Pages 75¢

Veterans Remembered

Health insurance reform cuts losses

Hospital district board eyes 2015 budget BY MICHELLE NEDVED OF THE MINER

NEWPORT – It took nearly a half a year for the Newport Hospital and Health Services district to see if the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, would have a positive or negative impact on the district’s books. As the board of

commissioners prepares to approve an operating budget for 2015, WHAT’S NEXT: THE HOSPITAL they’ll see that BOARD WILL HOLD A BUDGET charity HEARING: Thursday, and bad Nov. 6 at 12:30 p.m. in the basement of debt is down for Newport Hospital. 2014. “Good news,” said Kim SEE HEALTH, 2A

Rezone back before planning commissioners BY DON GRONNING OF THE MINER

CUSICK – Pend Oreille County Planning Commissioners held a workshop Tuesday, Oct. 28 at their monthly meeting in Cusick to hear about amendments to the county’s

COURTESY PHOTO|EILEEN NORRINGTON

Giles Norrington, left, addresses a graduation class of the San Diego Navy boot camp. He spent almost five years as a POW in Vietnam, returning only to find out that hundreds of people wore his name on bracelets showing support for the controversial war.

COURTESY PHOTO|TERRI ANN HEDTKE

Terri Ann Hedtke, top right, wore Norrington’s bracelet, bottom left, during his time in captivity. After visiting the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, she felt strongly about returning his bracelet, finding him in Florida in July 2014.

Vietnam POW bracelet returned after 40 years Soldier touched by hundreds who wore his name BY DESIREÉ HOOD OF THE MINER

NEWPORT – Terri Ann Hedtke,

SEE REZONE, 10A

accountant for Pend Oreille County Community Development, was raised in a military family in St. Louis, Mo. When her brother Ralph, an electronics technician 2 in the Navy, sent her a prisoner of war (POW) bracelet in 1970, she wore it proudly in honor of

the soldier who was being held captive during the Vietnam War. “It was a very unpopular war,” Hedtke said. “It wasn’t always a real popular thing to have on.” SEE VETERANS, 2A

Two-day workshop develops trail concept Funding to be pursued after details finalized BY MICHELLE NEDVED OF THE MINER

MINER PHOTOS|FRED WILLENBROCK

Congresswoman holds town hall meeting before Election Day On Monday, the day before ballots were counted, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., held a town hall meeting at Newport High School. Half the audience was comprised of students with a few supporters of McMorris Rodgers’ Democratic

opponent Joe Pakootas mixed in among local Republicans. After a brief review of issues facing Congress, she answered questions about health care reform, Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT), and her voting record.

PRIEST RIVER – A twoday design workshop is planned for the Pend Oreille River Passage Trail Friday and Saturday, Nov. 14-15, at the Beardmore Building in Priest River. The National Park Service and the Idaho/Montana Chapter of the American SEE TRAIL, 10A

B R I E F LY Hotel/Motel tax board taking applications NEWPORT – The Pend Oreille Hotel/Motel Tax Board is accepting grant applications from groups that could use funding for tourism promotion. This is their annual meeting to budget grants for 2015. The tax is collected on overnight stays in Pend Oreille County and can only be used to promote tourism from people outside the county. The deadline to apply is Dec. 5. Request an application by contacting the board at P.O. Box 5025, Newport WA 99156; 509-447-4119; or at www.pendoreilleco.org,

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search for Hotel/Motel. The board will hold a meeting Friday, Dec. 12, to review the applications.

PUD will talk budget NEWPORT – The Pend Oreille Public Utility District Board of Commissioners will hold a hearing to review the proposed 2015 budget, Tuesday, Nov. 18 at 11 a.m. PUD Commissioner Curt Knapp said the board will not approve the budget at the meeting, only discuss the different options they are shown by PUD staff. 7B-10B

“This is our first presentation from staff,” Knapp said. The PUD budget for 2014 was more than $86 million. The hearing will be held in the Newport Conference Room at the PUD administration building.

Election results posted online NEWPORT – Results from Tuesday’s elections are posted online at www.PendOreilleRiverValley.com. Results from Pend Oreille County’s elections were posted Tuesday evening, after ballots were counted.

SEE BRIEFLY, 2A

OPINION

4A

RECORD

6B

SPORTS

1B-3B

LIFE

5B

POLICE REPORTS

6B

OBITUARIES

6B

PUBLIC NOTICES

9B-10B

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