December 18, 2013 Newport Mine

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Disc Golf, Sullivan Lake, Wellness Center See Horizon Inside

H o m e o f t he

2013 Winter

Last minute gifts Pages B1 - B4 Church schedule Page A6

The Newport Miner A healthy good tipemlse’

at Kalis ter Wellness Cen

THE VOICE OF PEND OREILLE COUNT Y SINCE 1901

History of Sullivan Lake

ure’s Natural treas on big impact unty Co le eil Or Pend

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

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Volume 110, Number 46 | 3 Sections, 48 Pages

Disc golf in any weather

County raises elected officials’ salaries

Fastest growing sport arrives

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Newport and

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Miner New

Adopted budget with raises, lower road levy shift BY DON GRONNING OF THE MINER

NEWPORT – The budget Pend Oreille County commissioners passed Tuesday, Dec. 17 included a 5 percent increase in pay for elected officials and a smaller road levy transfer than anticipated. Commissioners shifted $200,000 in taxing authority from the road fund to the general fund in a move started years ago to balance their general fund budget. But that’s less than the $300,000 that was planned and the $400,000 shifted a couple years ago. Reduced road maintenance because of this has been a concern for state and local officials. Commissioners increased elected officials’ salaries because they haven’t had an increase since 2009, they said. “I don’t have a problem with 5 percent,” commissioner Karen Skoog said when commissioners

met Monday, Dec. 16, to discuss the raise for elected officials. Commissioner Steve Kiss agreed, as did commission chairman Mike Manus. “We would be remiss to acknowledge the fact that you didn’t get raises,” Manus said. Elected officials last saw a salary increase in 2009, when they received a 3 percent raise. Elected officials met with commissioners in July to pitch a salary increase of about 15 percent. Marianne Nichols, the Pend Oreille County auditor, James McCroskey, the county assessor, Terri Miller, the county treasurer and Tammie Ownbey, clerk of the Superior Court, will see their salary increase from $53,148 to $55,805 starting in 2014. Pend Oreille County Sheriff Alan Botzheim will see his pay increase from $79,104 to $83,059. SEE BUDGET, 2A

COURTESY PHOTO|KELLY DRIVER

Port expands facilities About 40 people attended the ribbon cutting ceremony Tuesday, Dec. 10, for the opening of the Port of Pend Oreille’s expanded shop and paint booth. Pictured here are former port commissioner and current county commissioners Steve Kiss, left, along with port commissioners Bob Shanklin and Van Whysong cutting the ribbon. The port is refurbishing train locomotives along with operating Pend Oreille Valley Railroad (POVA).

Woman found dead in Newport Park BY DON GRONNING

Fatal shot not from hunting party guns

OF THE MINER

NEWPORT – A 25-year-old woman from the Newport area was found dead by the picnic area in Newport City Park Sunday, Dec. 15, according to a news release from the Pend Oreille County Sheriff’s Office. The body of Bradi M. Jacobe, 25, was discovered Sunday morning. According to Pend Oreille County Sheriff Alan Botzheim, a person called in a report of a suspicious person at the park. Deputies responded shortly after and found Jacobe dead, with prescription drugs on the scene. An autopsy was conducted and no significant injuries were found, according to county coroner Tom Metzger. A sealed suicide letter addressed to someone else was found away from the park, Botzheim said. “It’s not a who-done-it at this point,” Botzheim said. “We’ll try to finish the investigation. We want to contact the last person to see her.” Because the body was found in such a public place, Botzheim said he wanted to reassure the public there wasn’t a murderer running loose. “Our main concern was to ease the minds of the public,” Botzheim

Homicide investigation into hunter’s death BY DON GRONNING OF THE MINER

NEWPORT – The Pend Oreille County Sheriff’s Office has begun a homicide investigation into the death of a Yakima teen shot to death last month while hunting in dense brush just off Deer Valley Road. Sergio Tinajero, 16, was on a hunting trip with six family

members Nov. 15, when he was found dead in the brush. The autopsy found that he was killed by a single gunshot wound to the abdomen. All the firearms given investigators by the members of the hunting party, including Tinajero’s gun, along with the bullet that killed him, underwent SEE HUNTER, 2A

Sullivan Lake pipe planned MINER PHOTO|DON GRONNING

Friends of Brandi Jacobe set up this makeshift memorial in Newport City Park. Jacobe’s body was found there Sunday morning, Dec. 15. Authorities believe she died of a drug overdose.

said. Jacobe’s Facebook page was still up Tuesday, with friends and family passing on condolences. “Cousin you’ll be missed I love so much!” one person wrote. “My heart hurts when I think of her son only five years old.” “When I lived in Idaho I didn’t

know a whole lot of people n u were one of the ones who always came to visit me at the gas station r joined me for a girls night out from time to time,” another wrote. Jacobe graduated from Priest River Lamanna High School in 2007 and had worked at Newport

|| POCVS raffles support Child Abuse Awareness Walk

Hospital and Health Services. On her Facebook page, people are tentatively planning two vigils at the park, one Thursday, Dec. 19, at 4 p.m. and one Friday, Dec. 20, at 6 p.m. A memorial service will be Saturday, Dec. 21 at 11 a.m. at Sherman-Knapp Funeral Home in Newport.

B R I E F LY

Offices close for Christmas

NEWPORT – Pend Oreille Crime Victim Services is holding two raffles to benefit the Child Abuse Awareness Walk in April. The raffles consist of a Toyland gift package that includes a miniature wagon full of toys and games with a giant teddy bear, as well as a quilt made by a local quilter. The quilt incorporates last year’s Child Abuse Awareness Walk T-shirt and logo. Raffle tickets are $1 each or six for $5. Tickets may be purchased at Pend Oreille Crime Victim Services, 730 W. 1st St. in Newport. Raffle drawings will be held Friday, Dec. 20. Call 447-2274 for more information.

NEWPORT – Government offices will close for the Christmas holiday next week. The Pend Oreille County commissioners’ office will be closed Dec. 24-25, and Dec. 31. The Bonner County commissioners’ office will be open Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, but closed on Christmas, Wednesday, Dec. 25. Bonner County Sheriff’s Office and the Priest River and Sandpoint Drivers’ License Offices will all be closed Monday, Dec. 23 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The offices will be closed for training and the office Christmas party. The Pend Oreille Public Utility District will be closing at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 24, and reopening

BY DESIREÉ HOOD OF THE MINER

NEWPORT – The Pend Oreille Public Utility District is designing a $4 million system to pipe cold water from the bottom of Sullivan Lake to the warmer tributaries during the summer months. The project is part of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) requirements for fish mitigation included in the license surrender

agreements for the Sullivan Creek hydroelectric project. “That pipe will transfer cold water at times to the dam and the creek,” said Mark Scott, PUD water systems manager. The design for the project is currently about 99 percent completed. The system includes a pipe that will be more than 900 feet in length and more than 48 inches in SEE PUD, 2A

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Thursday, Dec. 26.

Miner office closes for Christmas NEWPORT – The Miner Newspaper office will be closed Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 25-26 for the Christmas holiday. The deadline for legal notices is Friday, Dec. 20 at 2 p.m. Classifieds are due by 3:30 p.m. and the Hot Box deadline is Monday, Dec. 23 at 2 p.m. News deadlines are all moved up one day.

Sheriff’s office to host active shooter training NEWPORT – The Pend Oreille County Sheriff’s Office, in collaboration with Pend Oreille County

schools will be hosting Active Shooter training for law enforcement. Trainings will occur in all three school districts, Newport, Cusick and Selkirk, over the Christmas holiday break. “Utilizing our local schools will ensure that all officers who may be called upon to respond in the event of an emergency will be familiar with the buildings, protocols and tactics,” a press release from the sheriff’s office stated. Participating agencies include the Kalispel Tribal Police, Washington State Patrol, Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Forest Service and the Department of Corrections.

SPORTS 7A-8A - RECORD 6B - POLICE 6B - OPINION 4A - CLASSIFIEDS 7B-10B - PUBLIC NOTICES 9B-10B - DOWN RIVER 9A - LIFE 5B - OBITUARIES 6A, 6B, 10B


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