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THE VOICE OF PEND OREILLE COUNT Y SINCE 1901
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
www.pendoreillerivervalley.com
Volume 110, Number 41 | 2 Sections, 20 Pages
75¢
Manus, Dansel headed to election wins BY THE MINER STAFF
NEWPORT – For an off year election, there were some surprising results this year in Pend Oreille County. A write in candidate may win for the first time in county memory. A candidate who said he wasn’t running won. Another candidate who signed a pledge he wouldn’t serve if elected got the most votes. Pend Oreille County had a 53 percent voter turnout, with 4,340 votes cast and counted by Nov. 7. Statewide, voter turnout was 41.6 percent, with 1,628,478 ballots counted by Nov. 12. The election won’t be certified until Nov 26. Statewide, there are 119,938 ballots to count Mitch Stratton, who wrote
a letter to the editor saying he thought he had withdrawn from the Newport school board race, won a seat on the board of directors, defeating Lynn Kaney and Valerie Hein. (see related story) Steve Brown ran a write in campaign for the Fire District 4, commissioner 3 seat. He had 247 votes to 238 for Lawson S. Kaler III. The election isn’t over until it is certified Nov. 26. The last count in Pend Oreille County was Thursday, Nov. 7. Pend Oreille County elections supervisor Liz Krizensky said there are 16 ballots left to count with another 17 ballots being held because they weren’t signed. Rick Stone got the most votes in the Fire District 2 commissioner 1 race, outpolling Jon
Manus
Dansel
Carman 272-178. Stone signed a pledge with the Public Disclosure Commission that he wouldn’t serve if elected. Stone had declined to complete the
financial disclosure information that is required. Republican Mike Manus won one more year on the Pend Oreille County Commission
representing district 2, in the central part of the county. He defeated Republican challenger Mark Zorica 2,456 to 1,183, about 67.5 percent to 32.5 percent. He won all 27 precincts including those in Newport, where Zorica was a city council member and business owner. “The numbers were about as good as it can be,” Manus said. Manus was appointed to the county commission when Laura Merrill resigned to go work as a lobbyist for the Washington Association of Counties. Manus had to run for office to fill out the remainder of her term. He will have to stand election next year for a full four-year term. Zorica was upbeat after the election. “I’m glad I did it,” he said. “I
learned a lot and gained a lot of experience.” Zorica said he might run for county commissioner again next year. “I want to check with my family and make sure it’s OK with them,” he said. The race for 7th Legislative District Senator also involved an appointed legislator. Republican John Smith was appointed to fill Bob Morton’s seat when Morton retired. He faced another Republican, Brian Dansel, to fill out Morton’s term. Dansel was winning by 17,490 to 15,187 or 53.52 percent to 46.48 percent, a 2,303 vote lead. Neither candidate would declare the race over last week. SEE ELECTION, 2A
School Board candidate tries to withdraw, wins anyway BY DESIREÉ HOOD OF THE MINER
NEWPORT – Mitch Stratton, 54, wrote that he thought he withdrew from the Newport School District Director No. 2 position Oct. 23 in a letter to the editor, but withdrawing unofficially did not stop him from winning the elecStratton tion by almost 150 votes over incumbent Lynn Kaney. After giving it some thought, he said he plans to take the seat. He thought he had withdrawn months before the election, Stratton said in the letter published Oct. 23. But county election officials said he never came to them to withdraw and his name appeared on the ballot, much to his surprise. Stratton received 866 votes for the position, Kaney receiving 718 and Valorie Hein receiving 506. After the election when asked by The Miner if he would take the seat he said he needed until Friday to decide. “I am going to take the position,” Stratton said on Friday. “I was surprised by the number of people who voted for me. I did not expect that.” Currently Stratton said he is a teacher at Cusick, teaching vocational classes such as multi-media, introduction to business, publishing and keyboarding. He said he attended EWU but did not graduate,
opting to take a program that certified him to teach vocational classes only. He said he has spent 30 years in education, some of that coaching as well. Stratton has never served on a board, but he hopes to help Superintendent Dave Smith make the district a great place for the employees and children, Stratton said. “His heart is always in the right place in terms of staff and students,” Stratton said. Stratton has lived in Newport his whole life. His father was Lloyd “Lefty” Stratton, who served on the school board for many years and the elementary is named after. Mitch Stratton is married to Laurie Stratton, secretary at Stratton Elementary, and they have one daughter in high school at Newport and two sons who both graduated from the district. “I have a good understanding on the inner workings of a school district,” Stratton said. “I will do my absolute best to make Newport School District a fine institution.” Kaney said he would be a part of the school board until the first meeting in December when Stratton will then be sworn in. “I wish (Stratton) well,” Kaney said. Hein also expressed well wishes to Stratton and said she will still be involved with the school district when possible. “I hope (Stratton) will keep the position and that he can make a positive difference,” Hein said.
MINER PHOTO|DON GRONNING
Properly disposing of flags About 35 American flags were disposed of in a formal ceremony following the Veteran’s Day ceremony at Newport Cemetery Monday, Nov. 11. Scouts salute as Frank Capehart of American Legion Post 212 puts a flag on the fire. After the flags were burned, the ashes were buried.
No ‘Tree of Sharing’ for Newport BY MICHELLE NEDVED OF THE MINER
NEWPORT – Due to space constraints, there will be no Tree of Sharing in the Newport
|| Hometown Christmas set for Nov. 29-30 NEWPORT – Newport and Oldtown’s Hometown Christmas is Friday and Saturday, Nov. 29-30. The event is put on by the Greater Newport Area Chamber of Commerce, billed as a start to the Christmas shopping season. Particiapting businesses will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. Saturday, from 1-4 p.m., get your picture taken with Santa Claus and enjoy free hot dogs and hot chocolate.
Visitors center closed until spring NEWPORT – The Visitor Center at Centennial Plaza in downtown Newport is closed for the season, following the weekend of Nov. 1-2, which included
area this Christmas season. The program, which links up children in need with specific gifts they request, is usually organized by the state Department of Social and Health
B R I E F LY
the Capitol Christmas Tree celebration and Who Let the Girls Out?! shopping event. Loyce Akres, president of River Arts Alliance, the local group who contracted with the Greater Newport Area Chamber of Commerce said the office is closed and will reopen sometime in May or June. The chamber of commerce used to operate the visitor center but decided earlier this year to find a group or business that would be willing to either host the center or man the current visitor center. RAA receives $200 a month in Hotel/Motel Tax funds via the chamber from the county. The future of this agreement, however, is pending. The chamber board of directors will be discussing the future of the visitors center at a meeting Friday morning, Nov. 15, at 7:30 a.m. The property the
Services Newport office. In past years, gifts are collected and organized at the Spokane Community College Newport Center. Nia Patton, the DSHS Super-
visor in Newport, said the college is not able to host the gifts this year and no other facility is available. SEE SHARING, 2A
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building is own is owned by the Pend Oreille County Historical Society and under the terms of an agreement when it was built with grant funds they allow the chamber to use it for the purpose of a visitors center and office. The chamber no longer uses it for an office.
Driver’s license office closed for Thanksgiving holiday PRIEST RIVER – The driver’s license office in Priest River will be closed Wednesday, Nov. 27, through Friday, Nov. 29 for the Thanksgiving Day holiday. The office will re-open for business Monday, Dec. 2. The Sandpoint office will be open Nov. 27, and Nov. 29, for business. That office can be reached at 208265-1431.
Downtown business burglarized NEWPORT – Just Because, the women’s clothing and jewelry store, was burglarized early Tuesday morning Nov. 5, according to Steve Linton, whose wife, Jill, owns the Newport store. Linton says the break in happened about 4:30 a.m. Sheriff deputies arrested more than one person, Linton said. Sheriff deputies arrived and spotted a suspect car in the alley, Linton said. They waited for the people who were in the car to return, then arrested them, he said. Calls to Pend Oreille County Sheriff Alan Botzheim were not immediately returned. The burglars gained entry by breaking through the wall of an adjacent vacant building, he said. Clothing and jewelry were taken, although the value was not immediately known.
SPORTS 1B, 3B, 5B - RECORD 6B - POLICE 6B - OPINION 4A - CLASSIFIEDS 8B-10B - PUBLIC NOTICES 9B-10B - DOWN RIVER 9A - LIFE 8A - OBITUARIES 6B