The Newport Miner THE VOICE OF PEND OREILLE COUNTY SINCE 1901
Wednesday, December 19, 2018
www.pendoreillerivervalley.com
A community that cares for its youth Youth Emergency Services expands offerings BY SOPHIA ALDOUS OF THE MINER
NEWPORT – A colorful row of presents lined the perimeter of the Sadie Halstead Middle School gymnasium last Saturday as Youth Emergency Services (YES) of Pend Oreille County celebrated its sixth annual Christmas party. Gifts were distributed to a record number of children and their siblings, with 220 people signed up for services. In December 2017, the number was 198. “It’s for the kids we serve and their brothers and sisters,” said YES Office Manager Teresa Brown, who was busily wrapping last minute gifts before the party started. “There were a lot this year, as you can see.” Tenzin Tsepal, Thubten Tenzin and Thubten Nyima of Sravasti Abbey, the Tibetan Buddhist monastery, also helped wrap gifts, pausing in a moment of downtime to shoot some basketball hoops. “It’s a wonderful thing, to see so much generosi-
ty from the community,” said Thubten Nyima, who volunteers on the YES Board of Directors. The gifts are donations from community members who “adopt” a tag with the child’s age, gender, and a short list of their needs and wants. YES also has some funds to shop for tags that don’t get filled by the time the Christmas party arrives. Approximately 20 families attended last Saturday’s Christmas party to eat a pizza dinner, take photos with Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus, and take their presents home at the end of the night. Each child was also given a free bag of toiletries and an anonymous community member also donated a box of new children’s books for kids to pick through. “There’s been a ton of effort; the community effort has been overwhelming, let me tell you,” said Janina Persick, Host Home and Marketing Director for YES. “It’s been so fantastic and humbling.” Annually, YES serves 120 to 130 children and young adults, ages 12-24. Ten-percent of clientele are from West Bonner County. “By law we can’t place Idaho kids in host homes because we’re in Washington, but we have
Vaagen Bros. Lumber, Inc. 509-445-1732 • Usk, WA 1ST PLACE PEND OREILLE COUNTY CHARLOTTE WHITNEY - STRATTON ELEMENTARY
SEE YES, 16A
City council on YouTube
BY CANEEL JOHNSON OF THE MINER
NEWPORT – The Newport City Council streamed their first live council meeting Monday, Dec. 17 on YouTube. The council will now be streaming their meetings every week and they will be archived so that people can watch it anytime. The link to YouTube can be found on the city’s webpage under the city administration link on the left hand side of the page. “Who would have thought we
Volume 116, Number 47 | 2 Sections, 38 Pages $1.00
would be on YouTube in 2018,” Mayor Shirley Sands said. The first snowplow of the year went well for the city, said David North, the public works director. The new loader was much faster and easier on the operator. “I tried to keep the fact that we were going to plow the sidewalks for the downtown businesses a secret, but it did not work,” city administrator Russ Pelleberg said. “It is a sign of good faith and shows that the city wants to take care of its patrons.”
The new parking restrictions went well, said North. There were only a couple people at the hospital that parked in the restricted zones. The Hospital administrators talked to them about it and it was corrected, North said. “I want to give accolades to the drivers,” North said. “They have done a great job so far.” The Newport Chief of Police Mark Duxbury was named city employee of the year. SEE NEWPORT, 2A
Sewer, water hookup fees focus of council BY SOPHIA ALDOUS OF THE MINER
PRIEST RIVER – Hookup fees for sewer and water seemed to take front and
center at Monday night’s council meeting in Priest River. Chris Yount, who owns the property 7 Brews SEE PRIEST RIVER, 2A
B R I E F LY Miner offices closed for holidays
Licensing office closed
NEWPORT – The Newport and Gem State Miner Newspaper office will be closed Tuesday, Dec. 25 and Tuesday, Jan. 1 for Christmas and New Year’s. Deadlines for the Dec. 26 and Jan. 2 issue of The Miner are moved up one day. Hot Box ads will be due by noon Monday, Dec. 24, and Monday, Jan. 31. Classified and legal deadlines will be Friday, Dec. 21 and Friday, Dec. 28 at 2 p.m.
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PRIEST RIVER – The Department of Motor Vehicles office located at 73 East Side Road, Priest River will be closed Wednesday, Dec. 19 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. for their annual Christmas party.
Magic show returns to Cutter Jan. 3 METALINE FALLS – Illusionist Isaiah Daniels returns to The Cutter Theatre Thursday, Jan. 3 at 7 p.m., courtesy of the Pend Oreille County Library District and 13B-14B
Kalispel Tribe. Tickets are free, but reservations are required, so call early to get tickets. There will be a taco dinner at 6 p.m. Cost is $7 per person and reservations are required. To reserve tickets, call 509-446-4108.
Santa is coming to town NEWPORT – The Newport Volunteer Fire Department will be riding Santa around town on the fire truck to hand out candy canes Saturday, Dec. 23 from 3-7 p.m.
OPINION
4A
RECORD
9B
7A
POLICE REPORTS
9A
SPORTS
4B-5B
9A, 15A, 16A
PUBLIC NOTICES
14B-16B
BOOSTER
8A
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