Cusick girls head to state. See page 1B
The Newport Miner
Follow us on Facebook
THE VOICE OF PEND OREILLE COUNT Y SINCE 1901
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
www.pendoreillerivervalley.com
Volume 109, Number 4 | 2 Sections, 16 Pages
75¢
Wear floats county administrator idea County leaders expect deficit this year BY DON GRONNING OF THE MINER
NEWPORT – Department heads had a mixed reaction to county commissioner Diane Wear’s idea that the county create a new half time position of county administrator and pay for it by county commissioners taking a cut in pay.
The county is facing a $500,000 reduction in state revenue, according to the budget passed out of the House. Just what the final budget looks like is yet to be seen, but it is doubtful the county will receive more money from the state. County Commissioners met with some employees and department heads Tuesday SEE WEAR, 2A to discuss the budget, inMINER PHOTO|DON GRONNING
Right: Public Works Director Sam Castro gives a presentation on how his department dealt with lack of money during a presentation to county commissioners and county employees Monday, Feb. 28.
PUD revolving fund closes BY DON GRONNING OF THE MINER
NEWPORT – The PUD’s Economic Development Revolving fund held its last meeting Feb. 21 ending one of the last local grant funds for community projects. Over the years it created seed money for many projects throughout the county including the renovation of Newport
School District’s Don Ellersick field. The fund was started in 2002. It has awarded $453,900 in that time. “We voted at the last meeting to dissolve the fund,” April Owen, interim executive director of the PUD said. “We worked ourselves out of a job,” joked Leroy Leland, the chair-
SEE PUD, 7A
Road union approves contract MINER PHOTO|ROSEMARY DANIEL
A snowy hand of poker
BY JANELLE ATYEO OF THE MINER
Snowmobilers start out in the Selkirk Trailblazers Club Poker Run, sponsored by the club Saturday, Feb. 18. Attended by more than 100 riders, snowmobilers traveled from Ione to Tiger Meadows, then on to Beaver Lodge and Beastrom Meadow before returning back to Ione, picking up a card at each stop. The best hand earned a grand prize of $1,000, which was won by John Sattler of Colville. Two loser hands were drawn and Jory Maupin of Ione and Andy Hydorn of Colville each won $25.
Pend Oreille Mine to hire more employees Exploration continues; production still at a halt BY MICHELLE NEDVED OF THE MINER
METALINE FALLS – While the Pend Oreille Mine remains on temporary shutdown waiting for the economy to turn around, it will be hiring 15 new employees for a total of 77, to continue exploration of minerals in the ground. The mine shut down about three years ago and has been operated on a care and maintenance status, waiting for the auto industry to recover and the need for zinc to increase.
While mining is not taking place, exploration of minerals continues. Former manager Mark Brown is no longer at the helm of the mine, which is owned by Teck American Incorporated. Dave Godlewski, vice president of environment and public affairs for Teck, said Brown has moved on to a coal mine at Cardinal River in Canada. Dave Riggelman is the interim mine manager, but Godlewski declined to say when or if a permanent manger would be hired. While the mine is currently on a temporary shutdown sta-
SEE MINE, 2A
Charges brought in pedestrian death BY DON GRONNING OF THE MINER
NEWPORT – A Spokane man is facing multiple charges in connection with the death of a pedestrian that occurred about a year ago on Highway 2 at Diamond Lake near the fire station. Kevin Patrick Shaw, 29, of Spokane, pled not guilty to attempted hit and run that resulted in a fatality, tampering with a witness, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of oxycodone, driving under the influence and obstructing a police officer, when he appeared before Supe-
|| Newport chamber meets March 6 NEWPORT – The Greater Newport Area Chamber of Commerce is having its next general members meeting Tuesday, March 6, at 6 p.m. in the PUD’s Box Canyon Room, located at 130 N. Washington, in Newport. Shirley Wagoner, an Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner with the Camas Center Clinic and Donna Molvik from the Kalispel Tribe will be presenting on the wide variety of health care services that the Camas Center Clinic offers to the entire Pend Oreille Valley community. The Camas Center Clinic offers medical, chiropractic, dental and mental health services, along with physical and aquatic therapy. The clinic is contracted as a preferred provider with insurance carriers in the service area and can bill Medicare, Medicaid and other health
Other county unions looking at contracts
rior Court Judge Allen Nielson Thursday, Feb. 23. The first four charges are felonies. Shaw is charged with driving the car that struck and killed Timothy James Davis about 3 a.m. March 26, 2011. Shaw is free on his own recognizance. The Washington State Patrol conducted the investigation into Davis’ death. Shaw was arrested at the scene the night Davis was killed, initially for vehicular homicide. He also had two warrants for driving with a suspended license. He was taken to Spokane County Jail. SEE CHARGES, 2A
B R I E F LY
insurance companies. In addition the chamber will also have a brief presentation on Healthy Newport, how the chamber is supporting this community coalition and the opportunities it will provide for members to both participate and promote their businesses.
Deadlines announced for election season NEWPORT – The Pend Oreille County Auditor’s Office released the deadlines for this voting season. Any resolutions must be turned into the office by March 2, with any special elections held April 17. May 11 is the deadline to turn in resolutions for the primary election set for Aug. 7, and Aug. 7, is the deadline for the general election held Nov. 6. Filing week is the third week in May, May 14-18. Declarations of candidacy can be accepted via mail on
NEWPORT – Members of Pend Oreille County’s road union voted 17-2 to approve a new labor contract. The vote came in Feb. 14. Other unions still undecided. The previous contract expired at the end of 2010 and they went
through 2011 with a one-year extension of the old contract. The contract includes no pay raises, but it does include a “me too” clause. If another group of county employees receives a pay raise, the road workers will get one too. The union also has the ability to open the contract every other year to discuss wages, but the contract is in place for six years, as proposed by the county.
SEE UNION, 2A
COURTESY PHOTO|MIKE MCGUIRE
Pickup collides with bus A 1980 Chevrolet pickup truck ran into a West Bonner County School District bus carrying 35 students the morning of Tuesday, Feb. 21. Five students were transported to the Newport Hospital, along with the 17-year-old driver of the pickup truck. SEE CRASH, 2A
||
April 30. The full election calendar is located on the Secretary of State’s website, www.secstate.wa.gov/ elections. For all election information for Pend Oreille County, visit www.pendoreilleco.org/county/elections.asp. Questions can be directed to Liz Krizenesky at 509447-6472 or lkrizenesky@pendoreille.org.
Property taxes in the mail
NEWPORT – Resident of Pend Oreille County are receiving their property tax statements in the mail based on assessed values established by the county last summer. While every property in the county gets a statistical analysis every year to determine assessment values, a quarter of the county gets an actual physical inspec-
tion. That happens in the summer and at that time, assessments go out in the mail. Newport and the south county will get physical inspections this year which will be used for assessed values going out to property owners this summer. That is when residents can appeal to the board of equalization if they believe the assessor’s office made a mistake on the new assessment, assessor Jim McCroskey said. The board of equalization is appointed by the county commissioners. A property owner must have proof that the assessor’s office made a mistake in the property’s valuation. Taxes this year have increased in Pend Oreille County because McCroskey is trying to get assessments as close to 100 percent of market value as possible, as required by state law, after years of evaluations being much lower than 100 percent.
SPORTS 1B - RECORD 3B - POLICE 3B - OPINION 4A - CLASSIFIEDS 4B - 7B - PUBLIC NOTICES 6B - 7B - DOWN RIVER 7A - LIFE 2B - OBITUARIES 3B