Newport Miner December 10, 2014

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HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS PREVIEW NEWPORT, CUSICK, SELKIRK, PRIEST RIVER SEE PAGES 5B-8B

The Newport Miner THE VOICE OF PEND OREILLE COUNT Y SINCE 1901

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

www.pendoreillerivervalley.com

Volume 111, Number 45 | 2 Sections, 24 Pages 75¢

Forest experiment moving ahead Environmental groups and timber industry impressed BY FRED WILLENBROCK OF THE MINER

COLVILLE – One year after Vaagen Brothers Lumber Co. said they’d put up $1 million without any guarantees of return to hopefully gain access to more timber from the

Colville National Forest, there hasn’t been a splinter moved. But surprisingly, all sides are saying they are close to putting boots on the ground and pleased with the new process. Russ Vaagen said they are actually about two to three weeks behind but are told if the U.S. Forest Service was doing all the planning, it would be two to three years behind. In fact, this 54,000-acre, 10-year forest health plan wasn’t even going to be on the Forest Service schedule to begin planning for five years. The treatments in the plan could yield more than 50 million board feet of timber for Vaagen’s mills in Colville and Usk during the next 10 years.

The lack of Forest Service projects isn’t necessarily because of Forest Service incompetence. The number of Colville National Forest employees has dropped by about 70 percent during the past 20 years, with current budgets for planning allowing the forest to harvest only about 40 million board feet of timber per year from this forest, which is a fraction of that allowed in the forest plan. This pilot program shifts the planning costs to private companies. The Forest Service still has the same screens and SEE FOREST, 2A

Sullivan Lake pipe work completed BY DESIREÉ HOOD OF THE MINER

METALINE FALLS – Crews will finish work on the Sullivan Lake cold water pipe project, Monday, Dec. 15, completing a substantial portion of the work, Mark “Bubba” Scott, PUD water systems manager, said. “The main portion of the Project will be completed this week with the contractor demobilizing from the site this week and next week,” Scott said. “There will be some small remaining tasks to be completed in the spring.” Scott said dam actuators would be completed mid-

January to open and close the gates. Grass seeding and other items will be completed in the spring. Pend Oreille Public Utility District (PUD) General Manager John Jordan said the PUD and the contractor developed the list of uncompleted items. The PUD is required by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to install the cold water pipe under the license surrender agreements for the Sullivan Creek hydroelectric project. The PUD will pay for half of the $4 million it will cost. Seattle City Light, operators

COURTESY PHOTO|MARK SCOTT

The crane sits afloat on Sullivan Lake, Nov. 21, which was used to sink and install a 54-inch cold water pipe. It is designed to release cold lake bottom waters through the Sullivan Lake Dam to cool Sullivan Creek for fish habitat. The crane will be removed in late December.

SEE LAKE, 11A

Festival of Trees deemed a success NEWPORT – Families from all over gathered for the 2014 Festival of Trees at Sadie Halstead Middle School Saturday. Record numbers of children turned out for the free Santa Claus photos, face painting, cookie decorating and tree viewing. Evening attendees enjoyed a holiday buffet and live music by local band, Scotia Road. Raffle tree ticket sales support the Newport Hospital and Health Services Foundation and the Healthy Kids Snack Bag program. Around $12,000 was raised during the event which benefits the foundation’s weekly snack bag deliveries into Cusick, Oldtown, Priest Lake, Priest River, and Newport. The 12 raffle trees were valued at a combined $8,300. 2014 Raffle tree winners were: Sandy Ellersick (“Whoville”- Sponsored by Exbabylon); John Nelson (“All Around Town Tree” – Sponsored by Newport, Priest River and Oldtown area businesses); Terri Miller (“Family Fun” – Sponsored by Priest

Human remains found in Newport NEWPORT – A hiker discovered what turned out to be human remains while walking on rented property off Highway 2, near the railroad tracks just west of Newport Tuesday, Dec. 2. Pend Oreille County Sheriff Alan Botzhiem

said the area along the railroad tracks have been favored by transients. “There have been transient camps along the railroad tracks for years,” Botzheim said, adding remains had been SEE BONES, 2A

Idaho lake lot auction candidates BOISE – One hundred eighty leaseholders of state owned lake lots at Priest Lake and Payette Lake locked in spots last week to participate in auction sales of the lots they lease over the next three years. By the end of 2017, the state expects to have sold

SEE TREES, 11A MINER PHOTO|DESIREÉ HOOD

Christmas spirit at Festival of Trees A young girl enjoys her candy cane while looking at one of the 12 Christmas trees that decorated Sadie Halstead’s gymnasium for the annual Festival of Trees, Saturday, Dec. 6. Scotia Road, playing on stage, provided musical entertainment.

two thirds of its ownership in the lake lots it owns and manages under a constitutional mandate to maximize long-term financial returns to public schools and other state institutions. The lots known as “cotSEE LAND, 11A

B R I E F LY Hospital board continues bond talks

NEWPORT – The Newport Hospital and Health Services board of commissioners will hold a second meeting this month, Thursday, Dec. 18, at 12:30 p.m. in the Sandifur meeting room in the basement of the hospital. The board will continue discussions on capital improvement plans, including building a new clinic and assisted living facility. The board discussed a bond proposal to go before voters at its meeting Thursday, Dec. 4. The district is planning to use reserves and bank financing to build a new clinic attached to the hospital. A bond will go before voters to build a new assisted living facility next to River Mountain Village, that will house

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CLASSIFIEDS LIFE OBITUARIES

the current Long Term Care.

Newport chamber elects officers NEWPORT – The Greater Newport Area Chamber of Commerce board of directors elected its officers at a regular board meeting Friday, Dec. 5. Randy Pymm of American Eagle HVAC is the new president. Mike Lithgow of Pend Oreille County’s Community Development Department is vice president. Steve Shumski of Newport School District remains treasurer and Nancy Thompson of the Pend Oreille PUD is secretary. 9B-12B

OPINION

Remaining board members are Rob Owen, Mark Zorica, Lynette Elswick, Dale Snyder, Bubba Konkright and Melannie Jones. The board meets the first Friday morning of each month. The next chamber members meeting is Tuesday, Dec. 16, at 6 p.m. at Washington Federal Bank, 224 S. Washington, Newport. Washington Federal staff wants to help local businesses understand the importance of business profitability and credit. They will discuss what is the best route to go for a business loan, line of credit or commercial real estate loan based on the needs of the business.

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RECORD

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SPORTS

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POLICE REPORTS

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PUBLIC NOTICES

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GIFT GUIDE 1B-4B

CHRISTMAS GIFTS PAGES 1B-4B


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