Lake Life - June 2013

Presorted Standard | US Postage Paid Newport, WA | Permit No. 18 | ECRWWS

Celebrating Life at Diamond Lake and Sacheen Lake Volume 2, Issue 3

Produced by The Miner Newspapers

June 2013

N

k S y t h ig

Inside 4th of July Events page 8

Sacheen Sewer System Underway page 4

Fiber System Update page 5

War on Milfoil page 6

D R O A S K

Senior & Vet Discounts

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Night Sky Our cover picture is once again the great work of Diamond Lake resident Cliff Snow. He took this picture from his house Oct. 8, 2012 at 11:03 p.m. He says he has observed the Northern Lights show several times since moving to the lake in 1972. (His family has owned property on the lake since 1936.) The night sky over the lake will be colorful again Thursday night, July 4, with the annual fireworks show.

This issue is full of news, as lake area residents get even more active improving their commu-

nity and enjoying lake life. We hope you enjoy this third issue of the summer – two more issues are coming.

The Aurora Borealis: Aurora is from the Latin word aurora, “sunrise.” It is a natural light display in the sky particularly in the high latitude regions, caused by the collision of energetic charged particles usually from solar storms with atoms in the atmosphere. The charged particles are directed by the earth’s magnetic field into

the atmosphere.

In northern latitudes, the effect is known as the aurora borealis (or the Northern Lights), named after the Roman goddess of dawn, Aurora, and the Greek name for the north wind, Boreas.

Auroras seen near the magnetic pole may be high overhead, but from farther away, they illuminate the northern horizon as a greenish glow or sometimes a faint red, as if the sun were rising from an unusual direction.

-Fred Willenbrock Publisher

A S P H A LT • C O N C R E T E S A N D & G R AV E L SACKED PRODUCTS LANDSCAPE ROCK HORIZON PHOTO|LEO’S STUDIO

Site Locations Havana • Airway Heights • Post Falls • Elk • Chattaroy Millwood • Barker • Sprague Quarry 3 Local Ready Mix Locations

Historic Camp Diamond

Camp Diamond was located on the north end of Diamond Lake and operated from the 1930s until 1957, when it was purchased by investors. This picture was taken in the 1940s.

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Published: June 26, 2013 Publisher: Fred Willenbrock Writers & editors: Michelle Nedved, Janelle Atyeo and Don Gronning Design: Pandi Gruver, Charisse Neufeldt Advertising: Susan Willenbrock, Lindsay Guscott, Cindy Boober LAKE LIFE is published monthly in April, May, June, July and August as a supplement to The Newport Miner and Gem State Miner, 421 S. Spokane, Newport WA 99156.

TELEPHONE: 509-447-2433 E-MAIL: minernews@povn.com, mineradvertising@povn.com FAX: 509-447-9222 Reproduction of articles & photographs is prohibited without permission of the publisher.

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Runners of all ages line up for last year’s Diamond Lake half marathon run to celebrate Independence Day.

Swim, run to kick off Independence Day DIAMOND LAKE – Residents at Diamond Lake are spending the morning of the Fourth of July swimming a mile and running a half marathon, because they want to.

Participants will start at 6 a.m. with a one-mile swim that leaves from the public boat launch. After climbing to

the shore, they will then run 13.1 miles, leaving from the South Shore Store at 7 a.m. and crossing the finish line in front of the store when their run is complete.

In past years, more than 20 people have taken part in the community half marathon and swim. Jeffrey Bell, event

organizer, has a “handful” of volunteers that will kayak along with the swimmers and help with the runners as they complete this journey.

According to Bell, this informal half marathon has been going for the past six years. “It’s just a bunch of friends,” Bell said. “It’s a lot of fun.”

County planning for parks Parks board collects public opinion on park usage, funding

BY JANELLE ATYEO OF THE MINER

NEWPORT – Summer weather is beckoning people outside, and the county wants to know just how you’ll be recreating and ways you think the area’s offerings could be improved.

This June, Pend Oreille County residents and visitors alike were asked by the county parks and recreation board to provide opinions about outdoor recreation needs and desires by filling out a survey.

“We want to know what activities they’re interested in,” said Dixie Chichester, a consultant who is helping the park board devise a new comprehensive plan.

“These are very important surveys and will give people the chance to let us know what types of outdoor recreation they want provided by Pend Oreille County,” said Sam Nich-

olas, chairman of the parks and recreation board.

The survey questions ranged

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COURTESY ILLUSTRATION|JAMES A. SEWELL & ASSOCIATES

Every residence in the Local Improvement District will be required to connect to the system. Lots shown in green are within the system.

Sacheen Lake sewer system construction will finally start

Bid opening is July 24

BY DON GRONNING OF THE MINER

SACHEEN LAKE – Sacheen Lake is one step closer to having a sewer system, as the Sacheen Lake Water and Sewer District has called for bids to do the work.

District commissioners plan to open the bids July 24.

“They’ll take about a month to evaluate them,” said Kevin

Koesel, consulting engineer for James A. Sewell and Associates, the firm that designed the $7.8 million system.

If the weather cooperates, work will be well underway this year, with completion slated for 2014.

Sacheen Lake Water and Sewer District commissioners could award the contracts to three different firms, Koesel said, one to do the work on the treat-

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ment plant, one to work on the collection lines and one to work on the onsite improvements. Or they could award it to one firm.

The area will be busy this summer, as crews work to build the system, which will serve 388 lots around the lake. Regardless of how many firms get the bid all will be working simultaneously on the three parts of the project.

The sewer will be similar to the Diamond Lake system except for

one key component.

“The Diamond Lake system has septic tanks,” Koesel said.

While the liquid waste from Diamond Lake system is still pumped to a treatment plant located on Telephone Road, the sewer district has to periodically empty the sludge from the 1,000-gallon septic tanks at each home and business using trucks. That won’t happen at Sacheen Lake, as all the sewage

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will be pumped to the treatment site.

Treatment plant The Sacheen Lake system will pump all sewage to the treatment plant, which will be located about a mile north of the lake on 160 acres of wooded land the district owns. Sixteen acres will be used for the treatment system.

Sewage will be held and treated in a lagoon system.

There will be three lagoon cells constructed, with the option to add another as needed.

All the lagoon cells will be double lined with high-density polyethylene liners to prevent leaking. Two of the cells will be able to hold 5.3 million gallons each. These will be used to treat the sewage with aeration – using SEE SEWER, 19A

Fiber optic hook ups still happening About 58 customers have service as of late June

BY JANELLE ATYEO OF THE MINER

NEWPORT – The Pend Oreille Public Utility District may be scaling back its fiber project due to cost overruns, but managers say they are still committed to getting those who have expressed interest hooked up for service.

As of June 25, there were 58 people receiving high speed Internet and other services through the fiber system. Most are located in the Fertile Valley and Sacheen Lake area.

At the PUD board’s June 25 meeting, two members of the public addressed commissioners with their concerns about the fiber project. One summertime resident at Bead Lake wanted to know if there was an option for customers signing up for a shorter term contract. Retail service providers currently require a yearlong contract from their customers.

District managers said they would consider changing the policy.

Diamond Lake resident Tom VandeVanter asked why crews have visited the same locations so many times before actually running the fiber line.

Many people have had the same complaint, saying that their lawns and driveways have been marked with paint several times.

Fritz agreed that it was poor management, but assured him that the PUD was not paying for crews to make each visit.

The contractor charges per unit as they’re hooked up. He said the district brought this problem up with the contractor several times.

According to the PUD’s Community Network System records, about 447 people have signed up with a service provider as of late-June. To most of those homes and businesses, the fiber line is running between the backbone at the power line and the customer’s electric meter. After the customers signs up with a service provider – Concept Cable, iFiber and Pend Oreille

Valley Networks are currently offering service through the PUD’s system – the PUD contractors will put the electronic box in and turn them on for service, explained Robert Fritz, acting Community Network System manager.

“Everything is still moving with the commitments that we’ve made,” he said.

PUD commissioners learned last week that the fiber build out in south Pend Oreille County is $1.9 million over budget, due mostly to the engineering costs. The $34 million project is largely funded by a federal stimulus grant.

District managers are still examining ways to pay for the overrun, in the meantime, the

PUD will ramp down work on the fiber system as soon as possible.

PUD general manager John Jordan estimated it would take crews until mid-August took hook up customers, based on current sign ups.

“For those who have not requested service yet, we will honor our commitment to get fiber to their premise, but at our own pace,” Jordan said.

“They should be patient and trust us to keep our word.”

According to the PUD’s fiber policy, those people who didn’t express interest to the PUD by the deadline last September will have to pay $1,500 to have the fiber line brought to their house.

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June 2013 | Lake Life 5

Divers survey lakes for milfoil growth

Weed-laden boat caught at Diamond Lake launch

BY JANELLE ATYEO OF THE MINER

DIAMOND LAKE – Divers are doing their annual survey of milfoil growth in Diamond and Sacheen lakes. Sacheen divers were out June 21. Diamond Lake’s six divers will be checking different areas of the lake throughout the

month of July.

Jerry Senn, who heads up the Eurasian watermilfoil weed control for the Diamond Lake Improvement Association (DLIA), said divers will hand pull any small infestations while they’re out. What they find will ultimately determine where they’ll need to focus larger control efforts.

Hand pulling of weeds will take place in August, and if nec-

essary, an herbicide treatment would be done in September.

Senn said a small area in West Bay and one in East Bay have been the spots with the most growth.

DLIA also has a preventative measure in place to stop spreading milfoil to other parts of the lake. The Clean Boats Clean Water program checks boats for noxious weeds and mussels before they launch at the public

launch.

The lake host in charge of the voluntary checks had to call the Pend Oreille County Sheriff’s office June 3 when a boater with milfoil on the vessel wanted to launch at Diamond. The boater ended up washing the boat at the car wash in Newport and returning to the launch where it passed inspection.

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the boat launch for those who want to clear debris on site. So far, the Clean Boats program hasn’t washed any boats. Another boat found with milfoil this season was able to be cleaned by hand.

The newly upgraded launch, operated by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, has brought more people to the lake, DLIA member Pam Tully said.

“The program is going extremely well,” she said. “Generally, people have been quite good.”

The Sacheen Sewer and Water District is working with Terry McNabb of Aquatechnex to plan milfoil control work this season.

The diver surveys conducted in late June will determine whether the district will do an herbicide treatment. A diver dredger might also be used to address some patches of the weed.

District secretary Sheila Pearman said several residents used the diver dredger last season to clear their swimming areas of weeds.

That work qualifies for neighborhood cost share funding through the Pend Oreille County Noxious Weed Control Board.

The program requires at least two property owners working together and can provide reimbursement of up to half of costs of the control work, for a maximum of $500. You must apply in advance. For complete information, contact weed control coordinator Sharon Sorby at ssorby@pendorielle.org.

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DIAMOND LAKE – You can do a different kind of sailing at Diamond Lake Saturday, July 13. That’s the date for the Diamond Lake community yard sale.

The Diamond Lake Improvement Association will be holding a sale in the parking lot at the Boat Launch Restaurant to benefit the Clean Boats Clean Waters program.

Donations will be accepted through July 12. Call Pam at 509-447-5942 for the drop off location or to have a volunteer pick up items for you.

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This picture was taken Saturday June 15, of a group of diamond lake residents cleaning debris, branches, canary grass and root balls out of the Diamond Lake ditch to the west of North Shore Road culvert. Small new beaver dams were also removed. All material was hauled to a vacant field and burned.

Work continues on lowering Diamond Lake level

DIAMOND LAKE – Volunteers have been working to keep an outlet channel open near Diamond Lake’s North Shore Road. So far the outlet clearing and a drier spring has lowered the lake level to what residents describe as more normal levels than the past few years although still high.

The culvert on North Shore Road has about another eight inches to go before it is dry and no more water will flow out of the lake, according to volunteers. At that time it will still be about a foot and a half higher than the lowest levels recorded in the 1960s. After that evaporation will be the main reason the lake level would continue to drop.

Volunteers have been waste deep in some places of the channel leaving the lake as they cleared debris and beaver dams. They are concentrating on obstructions in the channel from the lake to North Shore Road and the road to the beaver ponds. The beaver dam in the pond is breached and draining.

The Diamond Lake Improvement Association has a hydraulics permit from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to clear new obstructions in the outlet. So far the work has helped lower the lake level to early summer levels which is less threatening to some prop-

erty owners.

Dan Holman, a DLIA board member said June 27 that they still have obstructions in the channel and are continuing to search for them so they can remove them. The association members said they would like to thank all of the people that have donated money to lower the water level of the lake.

They are still need funds. The

beaver trapping program costs the association $100 per beaver and they have trapped 10 so far.

Decreasing the beaver population has helped to slow the rebuilding of the dams the volunteers have either breached or removed. They say there are still plenty of beavers and WDFW officials who issue the trapping permit say they will never be eliminated completely.

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June 2013 | Lake Life 7

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Fourth of July Events

Celebrate with fireworks

DIAMOND LAKE – Fireworks and a boat parade will give residents and visitors at Diamond Lake a chance to enjoy the spirit of 1776.

Diamond Lake is holding its annual boat parade at 2 p.m. Thursday, July 4. Anyone with a boat is welcome to join the parade, with many of the participants’ boats decked out in red, white and blue. Line up at the Beach Club on the east end of the lake around 1:30 p.m.

The Diamond Lake Improvement Association will then set off fireworks at dusk, or around 10 p.m., from a barge located at the center of the lake. Spectators are welcome on the shores and in the water, but are asked to keep a safe distance from the fireworks display.

Displays light up around the region Other Fourth of July festivities in the area include the Kalispel Tribe of Indians celebration, with games and

prizes, a band, free snow cones and popcorn. The fun starts at 2 p.m. on the powwow grounds on the reservation at Usk. A free lunch is served from 3-4 p.m. The fireworks display begins shortly after the sun goes down.

The Usk Community Club is offering an all-you-can-eat breakfast from 8-11 a.m. A parade starts at the community club and will wind through the streets of Usk and Cusick.

The Cusick American Legion Post 217 will offer a membership drive and family Bingo at 1:30 p.m., hamburgers for $3 at 3 p.m. and the Texas Twister band will play on the Legion stage at 7 p.m.

Metaline is holding its annual potluck and fireworks again this year. Priest River residents will have fireworks and activities in Bonner Park West. Priest Lake will be celebrating the day with a variety of things to do, including a parade at Granite Bay and an ice cream social at the Coolin Civic Center. Fireworks

are at Hill’s and Elkins resorts on July 4 and at Grandview July 5.

LaClede Family Days includes a pancake breakfast, parade and fireworks.

Know your fireworks rules The rules for fireworks depend on where you live.

Only the “safe and sane” type fireworks are legal.

In Washington, including within Newport’s city limits, fireworks may be sold and discharged June 28 from noon to 11 p.m., June 29 to July 3 from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., July 4 from 9 a.m. to midnight and July 5 from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Discharging fireworks of any kind is illegal on all federal lands, including National Forest campgrounds. In Spokane County, no fireworks of any kind are allowed in the cities of Spokane and Spokane Valley. “Safe and sane” fireworks are allowed in Deer Park, Airway Heights and Medical Lake.

Renew those boating decals OLYMPIA – Boating season

8 Lake Life | June 2013

is here, and the deadline for

renewing boat and watercraft registration decals has passed. All Washington state boat registrations expired June 30.

Boat registrations can be renewed online at the Washington Department of Licensing website (www.dol. wa.gov) or in person at the Pend Oreille County Auditor’s Office in Newport. Those who choose to renew at an office should make sure to note the registration number on the bow of the boat or watercraft and take that information to the office.

Due to budget cuts, DOL discontinued paper renewal notices for boats in 2010 and instead offered boat owners the opportunity to sign up to receive email renewal reminders. It’s too late to sign up for an email renewal reminder for this year, but boat owners can sign up online at dol.wa.gov to receive renewal reminders by email.

Sacheen Lake Sights

MINER PHOTO|JANELLE ATYEO

Yellow flag iris line the north shore of Sacheen Lake at the Meyers Harter Sanctuary public recreation site. The flowers are a noxious weed, but make for a colorful sight.

MINER PHOTO|JANELLE ATYEO

The water ripples, reflecting the green trees on the north end of Sacheen Lake near Highway 211 and Fertile Valley Road.

Fire district to build garage DIAMOND LAKE – The South Pend Oreille Fire & Rescue District has put out a request for qualifications for an engineer to design a vehicle storage building that they hope to have completed by October, according to Fire Chief Mike Nokes. The 88 foot by 44 foot building will be located at the Diamond Lake station and will be designed to house five vehicles, Nokes said. The district has budgeted $180,000 for the entire project, including the engineering, although Nokes said they hope it will come in considerably less than that.

The vehicle storage building will be the first phase of the project, Nokes said. The second phase, which will likely not happen for a couple years, will be for the district to remodel the current vehicle storage facility into a training area/community building, he said.

June 2013 | Lake Life 9

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From the commissioner’s desk With the recent rain I can’t help but think it is beginning to look a bit like parade weather.

I hope you GUEST got a chance OPINION to see the KAREN SKOOG county road PEND OREILLE department’s COUNTY big equipment COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 1 in the local parades. I am sure the road crews enjoyed sharing candy with the kids! I was thrilled to ride in the Elk and Newport Ro-

deo parade with my daughter to promote the new horse trail being developed between Pend Oreille County Park and what is now called Rustlers Gulch on Fertile Valley Road.

This year parks and recreation plans are being developed, and we would love your input. Please fill out the survey at pendoreilleco.org.

We are continuing our efforts at building connections with our county government team, the community and the region.

The Quad County group has worked together on several issues, the latest being a change in the state building code that would require additional insu-

lation and footing depth in only the four northern counties. We believe this will adversely affect residents and small businesses in our county and have asked for no change to the code. A special meeting will be held to decide this. Special thanks to Stevens and Okanagan counties for their work on this!

Commissioner Steve Kiss, who is well versed on timber, and I have recently toured U.S. Forest Service and private timber lands.

We both found this to be very helpful as we work on our goals for county timber lands and coordination with the Forest Service for sustainable harvest.

Enjoy the music of World War II Independence Day weekend SACHEEN LAKE – “Two Old Broads present the Songs of WWII” is coming to the Circle Moon Theater July 5 and 6.

These two performers will croon to your heart’s content such numbers as: “Sentimental Journey,” “I’ll Be Seeing You,” “Love

Letters,” “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” and many more standards of the World War II era.

Heidi Gnos Kuban and Diane Copeland have Gnos Kuban

been performing separately for many years and have now teamed up, but these two old broads are still very much in their Copeland prime. Copeland is one of the most brilliant piano and vocal performers the area has seen in many a year, organizers say. She can play anything. Gnos Kuban has been wowing audiences since she went back to performing in 2006. Together, the show highlights Copeland’s musicianship and the perfect, round lilting notes of Gnos Kuban.

With this throwback to the USO Canteen experience, dancing is encouraged, as is dressing in uniform or clothes of the era. Guests can enjoy an all American dinner of barbecue ribs made by River Catering by Darcie The Circle Moon Theater is located on Highway 211 near Sacheen Lake. Tickets are $25 for dinner and show. Show only tickets are $12 for adult or $10 for seniors and children. They’re available in advance at Seeber’s Pharmacy in Newport or make reservations by calling Terri or Zola at 208-448-1294.

Volunteers help monitor water quality

BY JANELLE ATYEO OF THE MINER

COEUR D’ALENE – Twice a year, Master Water Stewards collect water samples from IDAH2O monitoring sites, analyzing them for nutrients and bacteria.

The spring 2013 Snapshot was held May 29.

Idah2o Master Water Steward volunteers are encouraged to bring a water sample from their monitoring site to the University of Idaho Coeur d’Alene Harbor Center water lab to have it analyzed for Nitrate-N, total phosphorus, total coliform bacteria, and E. coli bacteria. Total coliform is a measure of all coliform bacteria in the water, of which E. coli is one type.

Over time, our snapshot events can provide valuable data,” said Marie Pengilly,

Idah2o Volunteer Coordinator with the U of I Extension.

The data from the Snapshot events indicate that both Diamond Lake and Sacheen Lake are not impaired for either bacteria or nutrients.

Test points at Diamond Lake are located at Elu Beach and North Bay. Diamond Lake Samples were taken last fall too. Nutrient levels were up slightly this spring.

Sacheen Lake and Moon Creek readings have been taken since the fall of 2011.

Coliform readings in Moon Creek fluctuated from 290.9 parts per 100 milliliters of water in fall 2011 and spring 2012 to 31.7/100mL last fall and 178 this spring. E.C coli was measured at 86 parts/100mL last spring but was down to 5.2 this year.

At Sacheen Lake, there was a higher amount of

total coliforms measured in 2011. A year ago, it was 25.9 parts/100mL, and this year it was 9.8. E. coli levels have fluctuated from 7.5 parts/100mL in spring 2012, to 2 parts/100mL last fall and 5.2 this spring.

Pengilly points out that the twice-a-year snapshot is not a perfect tool. Readings are taking on just a single day and from a single point on the lakeshore.

“To get an accurate representation of the entire lake system, we would need to collect samples at multiple sites along the shore and in the open water,” she said.

She urges those using the data to take caution because the parameters can vary significantly from day to day and from season to season.

Another sample will be taken in the fall.

Collection site

Coliform

(MPN/100mL)

Dock at Priest Lake 21.3 Cougar Creek Priest Lake 5.2 Dock at Diamond Lake 34.1 Dock at Diamond Lake 42.8 Dock at Sacheen Lake 9.8 Moon Creek 178

E. coli

(MPN/100mL)

2.0 <1 2 2 5.2 5.2

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FROM PAGE 3

from gathering opinions on how the park board should focus its efforts at Pend Oreille County Park – building trails, improving restrooms and campsites, building a picnic shelter, organizing nature hikes – to how the county should fund its parks.

This spring, the county commissioners toured the Rustler’s Gulch area, property that became county parkland in recent years. The county is pursing a grant to build an equestrian trail on the property.

The county would use its money that’s earmarked for paths and trails. The fund totals about $90,000 right now. State law requires counties set aside a portion of their state road funding for capital projects used just for alternative transportation methods. It amounts to just a little money every year, community development director Mike Lithgow said, but it has been accumulating. The total project will cost more than $200,000.

Ahead of submitting the grant application, commisSEE PARKS, 18

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WEATHER BABBLE

Weather Babble: Contrails

BY BOB LUTZ CLIMATOLOGIST

SACHEEN LAKE – As promised (and I LUTZ always keep my promises) in this issue I am going to babble

about contrails. And no, I’m not talking the normal contrails that we see on a bright clear day, which are produced by your common passenger jet. No, it’s a little more complex than that.

U.S. Senate Bill 517 and U.S. House Bill 2995, a bill that

new

Exclusively at

would allow experimental weather modification by artificial methods and implement a national weather modification policy that does not include agriculture or public oversight.

And then there’s this – Trimethyl Aluminum (TMA) and barium are just two of the toxic chemicals used in recent atmospheric heating and testing programs, according to NASA. The Alaska HAARP (High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program) atmospheric heating program may have the capability of changing the jet stream, which could also change our weather.

Now, I have to tell you that after reading all this stuff a couple of years ago, I have not (in all fairness) personally witnessed any of this type of activity around our neck of the woods, and believe me, I

do stare at the sky more often than most, especially when my wife is giving me a list of chores to do for the week ahead!

None-the-less, the evidence is rather disturbing and what is even more troublesome, is the waste of money the government is allegedly spending on this nonsense.

From a scientific standpoint, the complexity of weather is simply mind-boggling when you think about its makeup.

Like temperature, wind direction and speed, atmospheric pressures, humidity, and a host of other stuff. All of which are under constant change and vary widely from elevation to elevation. Trying to control just one column of weather in one specific area is not even remotely possible, so why even bother to try?

Well, it all stems around one thing – global warm-

ing! For those that read my column last season, you have no doubt as to where I stand on that subject, and what I think about Gore the Bore. In any event, it appears that the government is under some illusion that by sending jets up to fly around over major metropolitan areas, that it will somehow murk the skies up enough to block the sun, and thus slow global warming. Yikes!

So, if you see lots of contrails up in the sky, it could be that somebody may be dropping a few chemicals on your head. Or is it all a myth? I’ll let you decide. Bottom line, it’s all a can of worms!

And speaking of worms, I think I’m going to wrap this up and head out for a little fishing before somebody drops something on my head for even bringing this subject up!

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Finch Lodge, as seen here in the 1930s, will be torn down and replaced with a larger dining hall to serve the scouts at Camp Cowles.

Historic Finch Lodge will come down

BY JANELLE ATYEO OF THE MINER

NEWPORT – A landmark building that has served Boy Scouts since the 1920s will be torn down and replaced with 12 Lake Life | June 2013

a larger facility to serve the growing needs at Camp Cowles Scouting Reservation on Diamond Lake.

Finch Lodge was built in 1923, overlooking Boy Scout Bay off of North Shore Road.

The goal is to put up a new dining hall in its place that will have the capacity to serve 350 people. Plans aren’t definite on when demolition of the old lodge would start – hopes were SEE FINCH, 15

Energy code will increase construction costs

BY DON GRONNING OF THE MINER

NEWPORT – A state energy code designed to make residential buildings more energy efficient will add thousands of dollars to home construction costs in four counties, including Pend Oreille County, unless commissioners can get the code changed, Pend Oreille County Commissioners said.

The four northeastern counties are Pend Oreille, Stevens, Ferry and Okanogan. The code was scheduled to go into effect July 1.

The code requires homes built in those four counties to have thicker insulation of the building envelope – the outside of the building – as well as deeper footings.

“The question is, is this change really going to save money in energy costs,” Pend Oreille County Commissioner Karen Skoog said.

Stevens County Commissioner Wes McCart has taken the lead in trying to get the code changed through a special rulemaking process.

County commissioners from each of the four counties sent a letter to the Washington State Building Code Council asking that the code be amended.

FINCH I FROM PAGE 12

to be ready to go this spring – but the Inland Northwest Council of the Boy Scouts of America is just piecing together the remaining funds needed for the project.

The new dining hall going up in its place will have seating for 350 people, a full kitchen and dishwashing facility, restrooms and showers, a dispensary, and cooks quarters.

The one-story structure will incorporate elements of the old Finch Lodge, including using some of the wood beams and stone from the two existing fireplaces that bookend the lodge. A professionally done historical display about Finch Lodge will go up in the new building.

“We very much want to SEE FINCH,15

The push seems to be having an effect, according to Tim Nogler, managing director of the State Building Code Council, the agency that handles building codes in Washington.

“I think (the change) will pass,” Nogler said. A conference call was scheduled for Friday, June 28 to discuss the change.

Nogler said he anticipates the four counties will be re-

classified to the same category as Spokane County.

Initially that will be a temporary 120-day change, he said. A permanent change will likely follow but will need to go through the formal rule making process, which requires a public hearing. A hearing is set for Sept. 20 at the Spokane Valley Event Center to take up the change.

The state updates its build-

ing codes every three years, Nogler said. The Energy Code was updated last year, he said.

The Energy Code is part of a national standard, he said.

Implementing the code was tied to the Recovery Act, he said. States that accepted federal Recovery Act money agreed to update their codes, he said.

Currently only Washington, California, Maryland and Il-

linois are fully compliant, but he expects the other states to comply.

Nogler said that moving the four counties to a Spokane County standard won’t effect the Recovery Act money the state received. He said the federal government wants “overall equivalency” in the standards.

“This particular change won’t affect that,” he said.

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End of the boating day at Sacheen Lake

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Above:Smoke rises over the south end of Sacheen Lake as a boaters make their way to the boat launch.

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FINCH I FROM PAGE 13

honor the history and the legacy of those that participated in the camp over the years,” said Tim McCandless, scout executive and CEO at the Inland Northwest Council. He said the historical display “will help us remember our past and evoke the memory of those who have camped at the Cowles Reservation over the last 80 years or so.”

John A. Finch Lodge was named in memory of the Spokane mining magnate who provided funding for the lodge from his estate. It was designed by architect Julius A. Zittel, who designed many notable buildings in the region including the Kootenai County Courthouse, St. Aloysius Catholic Church and the administration building on Gonzaga University’s campus, and six buildings on the Eastern Washington University campus.

In 2007, Finch Lodge was placed on Washington Trust for Historic Preservation’s Most Endangered Historic Properties List.

A group collaborated an effort to save Finch Lodge, sending letters and meeting with the Boy Scouts council.

They say it’s crucial that Finch be saved.

“It is the icon for the history and heritage of scouting since the 1920s,” said the group’s spokesperson, Bobbie Beese. “It is an important part of Diamond Lake and southern Pend Oreille County history. It is a magnificent structure designed by a noted architect.”

The group believes Finch is still a useful facility. Even if a new dining hall were built, they’d like to see Finch Lodge remain as a space for meetings and training. Beese says a site about 100 yards northwest of Finch is the perfect site for a new dining hall.

“It would be midway between campsite areas and central to programs,” Beese said. “It would be more accessible to county roads and allow for traffic to be kept away from scout activities.”

McCandless said the all-new facility was the best route for them long term. They also considered a major expansion and renovation of Finch.

There aren’t currently kitchen facilities in Finch Lodge.

The camp is currently using the modern dining hall called

Carbon Lodge, located further west. Since it’s not located at the main camp area, there’s quite a hike involved for young scouts to get their meals.

McCandless said the dining facility was one thing holding them back in really growing its Cub Country program.

“People love the program, but they hate the walking,” he said.

This will be the seventh summer for Cub Country, a camp for Cub Scouts, ages 6-10. For a lot of families, it’s their first time doing a camping program, McCandless said.

“The program’s been growing like gangbusters,” he said.

Every summer there’s about 550 Cub Scouts, plus another 500 parents and grandparents that participate in Cub Country. Camp Cowles provides the only Cub Scout facility of its kind between Seattle and Minneapolis, McCandless said.

With a new dining facility, he thinks the program could

double within the next two to three years.

“Diamond Lake is a great location. We’ve got such a terrific bay we’re on,” he said. “It’ just can’t be beat.”

The council hopes to raise $2.5 million for the new dining hall. As of last fall, they had collected about $1.7 million through contributions from foundations, individuals and companies.

The road to a new lodge at Camp Cowles has had some bumps over the recent years.

The Boy Scouts launched their fundraising campaign in August 2008, just a month before the economy crashed.

“Things became a whole different ball game in raising gifts and commitments,” McCandless said.

Until the fundraising goal is met, Finch Lodge will remain.

It doesn’t have the dining facilities any more, but it is still used as a shelter.

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Law enforcement takes to the water SANDPOINT – Boaters in Idaho and Washington have been seeing marine patrol boats on the water.

The “Wear it Washington!” campaign is in effect to remind people to wear their life jackets.

“Each year, 400 to 500 lives could have been saved if boaters had worn their life jackets,” said Dan Shipman, recreational boating safety specialist with the U.S. Coast Guard District 13. “New

life jackets on the market today are comfortable, lightweight and perfect for any boating activity.

Don’t just carry a life jacket – wear it.” The most recent statistics released by the U.S. Coast Guard indicate that 84 percent of boaters who drowned in 2012 were not wearing life jackets.

During the State Parks Boating Program’s “Wear It Washington!” campaign this summer, special teams of volunteers, U.S.

Coast Guard Auxiliary, marine law enforcement officers, local marina personnel and other organizations will be at boating safety events demonstrating the latest designs in life jackets and providing free vessel safety checks. In Washington, a new law will increase the penalties for boaters who drive under the influence. The new law will go into effect July 28.

The bill strengthens Washing-

ton’s boating under the influence (BUI) law by making the penalty for BUI a gross misdemeanor punishable by a maximum fine of $5,000 and 364 days in jail.

Additionally, the law now allows for implied consent, which means an officer can require a boat operator to take a breath or blood test if the officer believes the operator is boating under the influence. If the operator refuses, he/she could be issued a $1,000

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civil infraction.

Lastly, the law gives marine law enforcement officers the ability to hold negligent or reckless boaters accountable and the authority to issue citations for vessel accidents they did not witness. Now, when an officer is investigating a vessel accident, like a vessel-to-vessel collision, and it’s determined a boat operator caused the accident by breaking a boating safety law, the officer can arrest the operator for criminal violations or issue a citation for an infraction.

“This is a great change and something we’ve needed for a long time. We’ve had this authority on land, but we lacked it on the water. I think this is really going to help us educate boaters about the importance of the boating rules of the road,” said Ed Holmes, Mercer Island police chief and president of the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs. According to state parks data, alcohol is a factor in 30 percent of boating fatalities. The law change was intended to deter BUI by increasing the penalty and introducing implied consent in the form of a monetary penalty - not tied to the driver’s license.

Other changes to the Washington law include: Testing language consistent with driving under the influence (DUI) procedures: The statute was updated to reference the breath and blood testing procedures used in DUI cases. These procedures have been thoroughly tested in court.

Marijuana references added: The statute was updated with marijuana references that mirror language in Initiative 502, which made the recreational use of marijuana legal.

Test refusal is not admissible in court: The statute makes it clear that a boater’s refusal to submit to either a breath or blood test cannot be used as evidence in a court of law. Recreational vessel rentals: The statue makes it clear that rented vessels must have all safety equipment, be properly registered and meet all other state requirements.

“We thank the sponsors of the 2013 Boating Safety Bill for bringing the Recreational Boating Association of Washington into the bill discussions,” said Steve Greaves, the association’s president. “We believe this collaborative approach will ultimately lead to safer boating.”

Watchdogs are back in county Community watch group formed in 1990 restarting

BY FRED WILLENBROCK OF THE MINER

NEWPORT – Many people will remember the blue and white signs with the funny hat wearing dog that covered the region’s buildings for 10 years starting in 1990.

The group that also had dozens of members strung out in a web throughout Pend Oreille County to report possible crimes was called simply: Watchdogs.

The Watchdogs lost their bite sometime in 2000 when they disbanded.

They’re back or at least attempting a comeback if people The Watchdog group will be selling signs like these Saturday at the volunteer day. are still interested. With the help of a founding member, Irv Kenney, they are going to try to re-establish themselves. ing the signs for a $5 donation at the county volunteer At the core of their crime deterrent efforts in the county appreciation day Saturday, June 1, at the Pend Oreille for 10 years were the signs with the sheriff department’s County fairgrounds. The next step Kenney said will be to number. Kenney started by offer-

Boat inspections top area lake cop calls DIAMOND LAKE – The warm weather brought out the Pend Oreille County Sheriff marine deputies, who made 61 boat inspections in the Diamond and Sacheen lake area in May and wrote four boating citations, according to figures released by Pend Oreille County Sheriff Alan Botzheim.

In all, deputies made 251 calls for service in Diamond Lake/Sacheen Lake area in May, up from 218 calls a year ago and up from 133 calls the month before.

Deputies responded to a half dozen burglaries, six thefts, four domestic violence assault calls, and two assault calls.

Deputies made 34 traffic stops, responded to three vehicle collisions with property damage and three collisions with injuries. They also recovered two stolen vehicles.

There were a number of animal related calls, including nine animal problems, two animal bites and two animal cruelty calls.

find a small group of volunteers to manage the organization’s fundraising for more signs.

Pend Oreille County Sheriff Allen Botzheim said although his department is not affiliated with the group he encourages citizens to assist his department with information.

The telephone number on the sign will connect people with the sheriff’s dispatcher. He said he also appreciates having this organization and others for a place to offer information about what his department is doing.

Botzheim, who was a deputy when the Watchdog group was active, says this community awareness and willingness to help his department is still important. He said with the widespread availability of cell phones there are now even more opportunities for citizens to help stop crime.

To contact Irv Kenney about Watchdogs call 509-9545384.

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PARKS I FROM PAGE 11

COURTESY PHOTO|KAREN SKOOG

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sioner Mike Manus said they requested letters of support from the area ATV clubs as well as the equestrian groups.

“We need to include everybody. That’s going to help make it go,” he said.

The board of commissioners has been discussing other ways to fund parks, including possibly using a percentage of logging revenue on lands countywide to support parks.

Currently, logging on the new Rustler’s Gulch park land is the biggest support for the parks budget.

Lithgow noted it would better protect the parks fund if parks didn’t have to rely on revenue from just that one section.

“The commissioners seem very supportive of parks,” he said. “They all see the value of having a lot of recreation opportunities for the county.

Hopefully we can have a sustainable fund.”

The park budget currently totals about $260,000. Lithgow hopes to use that to leverage some grants.

Some other improvements have been underway at Pend Oreille County Park along Highway 2. A new vault toilet was installed in the campground area, and Selkirk students built new picnic tables as a class project.

For the first time since 2006, the county is in the midst of updating its comprehensive parks and recreation plan, this time with the help of Chichester. She has a degree in recreation resources from Colorado State University.

She said they’re in the midst of taking an inventory of park lands the county owns, as well as state, federal and private park areas in the vicinity.

The survey will be one component that helps guide that plan. Town hall meetings will be held in August. Once approved by the county and the state, the plan will allow the board to apply for grants through the State Recreation and Conservation Funding Board, helping to fund parks and recreation projects in the county.

The park board hopes to have the first draft of the comprehensive plan to the county commissioners by fall.

Those with questions can call Lithgow at 509-447-6457.

SEWER I FROM PAGE 4

air to treat the sewage. In warm weather, it will take about 30 days to treat the sewage in the lagoon. That will extend to 180 days in the winter. The third lagoon will hold 13.2 million gallons and will be a storage lagoon.

The treated wastewater will be used to irrigate the forest. The sewage will be disinfected with chlorine prior to land application, Koesel said. Since irrigation won’t be possible in the cold months, the district will have to store the sewage about seven months of the year.

There will be an 800 squarefoot headworks building constructed at the treatment site. That’s where the system’s operator will be housed.

Sewage will be pumped to the headworks building from the collector lines, entering the building through an eight-inch line. At the headworks building inorganic materials such as plastics will be removed before the sewage goes to the lagoons.

Collector lines Before it gets to the treatment plants, the sewage will travel through eight miles of collector lines. The collector lines, which will be varying sizes, will run down the highways and roads around Sacheen Lake.

The lines will be underground, which will involve a lot of digging.

“It will be challenging,” Koesel said. “It’s not like going into a new subdivision.”

Crews will likely encounter a great deal of solid rock, he said, although there will also be areas where it will be relatively easy digging. Nevertheless, Sacheen Lake residents will likely see plenty of heavy equipment and crews around the lake as the lines are installed.

with an electric controller on each home.

Since each home likely has a septic system, the old septic tanks will be pumped and filled with gravel.

“Some of the septic systems are in pretty bad shape,” Koesel said.

Crews will install the new system, test it and make sure it’s working and then dig up the pipe and connect it to the new system. Koesel said that the plan is each home to be without sewer service only a couple hours while the switch is made.

All but 21 property owners within the LID have given permission to do the onsite improvements, he said, with more still coming in. Since everyone in the Local Improvement District (LID) will have to be connected to the system, if the onsite improvements aren’t made at the time the system is constructed, property owners will be responsible for paying for the onsite improvements necessary to connect.

COURTESY ILLUSTRATION|JAMES A. SEWELL & ASSOCIATES

This is the pump station that will be installed at each residence. Most of the station will be underground.

COURTESY ILLUSTRATION|JAMES A. SEWELL & ASSOCIATES

This shows where the lagoon system will be located.

Attention Boat Owners!

FOR SALE

All boat registrations expire on June 30th.

You won’t get a renewal notice for your boat in the mail.

Call

How to renew: • Online at www.dol.wa.gov • In person at the Auditors Office Pend Oreille County Courthouse • By Mail- send check or money order to PO Box 5015, Newport, WA 99156 • WN number requried Questions call (509) 447-6489

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Onsite improvements Workers will do the onsite improvements at each home at the same time they are building the lagoon system and the collector lines. Each home will get a pumping station, with 1 ¼ inch pipe taking to sewage to the collector line, which in most areas will be on the street.

The pumping stations will are about 30 inches in diameter and about 6 ½ feet tall, but will be installed underground, with only the top showing. They will operate using an electric pump

306 S. Washington Ave. • (509) 447-5913 June 2013 | Lake Life 19

Calender of Events WEDNESDAY, JULY 3 Diamond Lake Water and Sewer - 10 a.m. - District Office, 172 South Shore Road Diamond Lake Improvement Association - 6:30 p.m. Diamond Lake Fire Station, Highway 2

Parking Lot Boat Parade: 2 p.m. - Diamond Lake

JULY 5-28 Cub Country: Camp Cowles FRIDAY, JULY 5 Two Old Broads Present the Music of World War II: 6:30 p.m. - Circle Moon Theater

Diamond Lake Water and Sewer District Board: 10 a.m. - District Office THURSDAY, JULY 18 South Pend Oreille Fire & Rescue: 7 p.m. - Station 31, 325272 Highway 2, Diamond Lake

WEDNESDAY, JULY 17

SATURDAY, JULY 6 Two Old Broads Present the Music of World War II: 6:30 p.m. - Circle Moon Theater

THURSDAY, JULY 4 Diamond Lake Swim: 6 a.m. Public Boat Launch Diamond Lake Half Marathon: 7 a.m. - Boat Launch

Fireworks Display: Dusk - Diamond Lake

• Cooking Classes • Fresh Baked Bread & Cookies • Great Kitchenware & Wines!

MON-SAT 10-5:30

WEDNESDAY, JULY 10 Home and Community Educators Diamond Lake Club: Noon - Call Billie Goodno at 509-447-3781 or Chris King at 208-437-0971 Sacheen Lake Sewer and Water District Board: 7 p.m. - Sacheen Fire Station, Highway 211 SATURDAY, JULY 13 Community Garage Sale: Diamond Lake

WEDNESDAY, JULY 24 Sacheen Ladies of the Lake: Noon - Various Locations, call President Maria Bullock at 509-998-4221

E-CYCLE is FREE

• Laptops • Computer CPU’s • Computer Monitors • Televisions SOUTH COUNTY TRANSFER STATION Solid Waste Division NEWPORT, WA

(509) 447-4513

(509) 447-4600 211 S. WASHINGTON NEWPORT

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20 Lake Life | June 2013

MONDAY, JULY 15 Diamond Lake Book Club: 1 p.m. - Contact Val Urbat 509220-0200

Be cautious around bats HAYDEN – Bats are beneficial and often misunderstood by people. They play a vital role in our environment in dispensing seeds, pollinating plants and eating insects.

However, a certain percentage of bats in the area carry the rabies virus. Rabies is an extremely dangerous virus and nearly 100 percent fatal once symptoms start.

Northern Idaho’s third rabid bat in this summer was caught recently in Coeur d’Alene by a family pet dog, prompting public health officials to remind people not to handle bats and to make sure their pets’ rabies vaccinations are up to date.

Bats are the only animal to test positive for rabies so far in northern Idaho, according to the Panhandle Health District (PHD). However, bats can transmit rabies to other animals as well as to people.

“It’s unusual to have three rabid bats this early in the year,” says Dave Hylsky, an epidemiologist at PHD. “People need to remember, and to teach their children, not to touch bats or any wild animals with their bare hands.”

JohnLScott.com Dorothy Yeaw Broker ABR, GRI, SRES (509) 671-0458

dorothyyeaw@johnlscott.com

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