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News |
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February 1 |
 Load
restrictions going into effect on area highways: In
recent days, Idaho has experienced above average temperatures and
precipitation which can lead to significant damage to highways,
prompting state and local transportation agencies to enforce load
restrictions. In an effort to reduce damage to roadways, the Idaho
Transportation Department has made the decision to restrict
several routes in North Idaho. |
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Kootenai
Valley Resource Initiative meeting, 7 p.m. Monday, February 13 |
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Senators seek to ease
National Firearms Act burden: U.S. Senators Jim Risch
(R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Roger Marshall (R-Kansas) on
Tuesday introduced the Stop Harassing Owners of Rifles Today
(SHORT) Act, which will remove the taxation, registration and
regulation requirements in the National Firearms Act. |
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January 30 |
 Nominations
sought for Idaho Teacher of the Year: The State
Department of Education is now accepting applications for Idaho’s
most prestigious award in teaching, Teacher of the Year.
Applications to nominate a teacher are now open. Nominations are
due by March 20. The contest is open to public school teachers
teaching any subject at any grade level in any part of the state
of Idaho. |
 BNSF
grant helps upgrade sheriff's radios: Like most
things, communication is important, but in law enforcement it is
critical. The Sheriff’s Office started installing trunk repeaters
in their patrol vehicles to boost the radio signal from deputies'
handheld radios by going through a repeater system in the vehicle,
extending the range of what they can receive and transmit. |
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Boundary County First
Judicial District Court dispositions |
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January 27 |
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Coyotes acting strange
in Bonner County: Idaho Fish and Game has received
multiple reports of highly unusual coyote behavior in and around
the city of Sandpoint. In early January, reports were received of
coyotes on Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort that were chasing skiers
as they navigated down the slopes. Fish and Game staff worked
closely with resort staff to develop a plan to dispatch the
coyotes in the interest of public safety. |
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January 26 |
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Snow expected overnight:
The National Weather Service, Spokane, has issued a winter weather
advisory for snow over North Idaho, in effect from midnight
tonight to noon Friday. Up to three inches of snow is expected,
and motorists should be prepared for winter driving conditions and
slush Friday morning. |
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January 25 |
 Jocy
Litterell to pursue lifelong dream in Paris and Africa:
Jocelene was born 21 years ago in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Her
mother hemorrhaged and passed away eight hours later. Jocy came to
be adopted by Josh and Jessie Litterell, and grew up in Moyie
Springs. But her home country was never far from her heart. |
 Jews
not the only faithful persecuted during the holocaust:
On January 27, the world will mark International Holocaust
Remembrance Day, a symbolic date to commemorate the victims of
Nazism. Murderous Nazi terror targeted millions for reasons of
biology, nationality or political ideology. But few people know
that the Nazis’ victims included thousands of Jehovah’s Witnesses,
who suffered for their Christian faith. |
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Winter storm advisory
issued for Kootenai Cabinet: The National Weather
Service, Missoula, has issued a winter storm watch for the
Kootenai Cabinet Region of northwest Montana, in effect from 1
p.m. Friday to 1 p.m. Saturday. Flash freezing, heavy snow and
windy conditions are expected. |
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January 23 |
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Boundary County First
Judicial District Court dispositions |
 Local
man seriously injured in logging accident: Ed Fallon,
Bonners Ferry, was helping a friend fell trees last week when one
fell on him, inflicting severe injuries. He was flown to Kootenai
Medical, Coeur d'Alene, where he underwent surgery for a broken
spine, broken leg and several broken ribs. He is now paralyzed
from the waist down. |
 Flags
to half staff for Monterey Park shooting victims: As
a mark of respect for the victims of the senseless acts of
violence perpetrated on January 21, 2023, in Monterey Park,
California, President Joe Biden has ordered that the flag of the
United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and
upon all public buildings and grounds throughout the United States
and its Territories and possessions until sunset, January 26. |
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January 20 |
 Kaylee
McCabe in running to be a U.S. Presidential Scholar:
The U.S. Department of Education has announced the candidates for
the 2023 U.S. Presidential Scholars Program, and an amazing group
of high school seniors from Idaho are now in the running to
receive this prestigious recognition, including Kaylee McCabe, who
graduated from North Idaho College in December with her
associate's degree and will graduate Bonners Ferry High School a
semester early with a 4.5 grade point average. |
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IDL gains 3,216 acres of
timberland in Boundary County: Idaho Department of
Lands announced it purchased almost 18,050 acres of timberland
spread across five north Idaho counties. Beyond generating ongoing
revenue for endowment beneficiaries, this acquisition keeps
working forests working, supports the forest products sector of
Idaho’s economy and preserves recreation for the public. This
purchase was authorized by the State Board of Land Commissioners
in November of 2022. |
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Opioid settlement
funds starting to come in: According to the Idaho
Department of Health and Welfare’s Drug Overdose Prevention
Program, in 2021, Idaho experienced 241 deaths related to opioid
overdose. Of those deaths, 152 were related to fentanyl overdose.
The state also experienced over 5,000 drug overdose visits to
emergency departments and over 1,000 of those visits involved
opioids. In the Idaho panhandle, 97 overdoses occurred in 2020,
increased to 122 in 2021, and rose again to 161 in 2022. |
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January 18 |
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City looks to
local option tax to address shortfall: After
discussing a range of options to offset a 2017 Idaho Supreme Court
decision that declared a funding source the City of Bonners Ferry
has relied on since the 1950s unlawful, the city council on
Tuesday evening opted to proceed with putting a local option tax
before city voters in May. Bonners Ferry, like several other Idaho
cities offering utilities for its residents, billed to realize a
small profit so as to help pay for other city services. |
 Brailsford
nominated to Idaho U.S. District Court: U.S. Senators
Mike Crapo and Jim Risch (both R-Idaho) today announced that Idaho
Court of Appeals Judge Amanda K. Brailsford has been nominated to
fill the open U.S. District Court judgeship in Idaho. The
nomination was secured after negotiations with the White House and
upon the advice given by the senators from Idaho. |
 Man
charged with petit theft enters plea agreement: Sam
Charles Testa Jr., Bonners Ferry, charged with four counts of
petit theft November 21 for four alleged shoplifting incidents at
Super 1 Foods in Bonners Ferry between October 24 and November 1,
entered into a plea agreement and was sentenced to community
service and ordered to pay restitution. |
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Boundary
County Commission minutes, week of January 2 |
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January 17 |
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First day to file taxes
is Monday: The Idaho State Tax Commission starts
processing 2022 Idaho individual income tax returns on Monday,
January 23. The Internal Revenue Service begins processing federal
returns the same day. |
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January 16 |
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County P&Z to hear two conditional use applications: The Boundary
County Planning and Zoning Commission will hear and accept comment
on conditional use permit applications seeking to establish a
business retreat on McArthur Lake Road and a wood products
manufacturing plant off Enterprise Way when they meet at 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, January 26, at the Boundary County Annex, 6566 Main
Street, Bonners Ferry. |
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Boundary County First
Judicial District Court dispositions |
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January 15 |
 What’s
in a name? May 3, 1963. 700 Black children marched
peacefully in Birmingham, Alabama to protest racial segregation
and were met with police brutality that shocked the country and
the world. Public outrage was a catalyst that spurred major steps
for civil rights. June 11, 1963. President John F. Kennedy
proposed a Civil Rights Act in a nationally televised address at
the urging of the civil rights leader, Martin Luther King, Jr.
Five months later, President Kennedy was assassinated while the
bill was stalled in Congress. |
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January 13 |
 Slots
open for National Youth Science Camp: Applications
are now being accepted from high school juniors and seniors in the
classes of 2023 and 2024 to represent Idaho at the 2023 National
Youth Science Camp. Two students from each state, Washington D.C.
and select countries will attend the all-expenses-paid program,
held from June 19 – July 12. Hosted since 1963 in the Monongahela
National Forest in West Virginia, the NYS Camp is a residential
science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics program. |
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Become a trooper with the
Idaho State Police: The Idaho State Police is
accepting applications from exceptional candidates to join a team
of dedicated professionals serving the people of Idaho. As a
statewide law enforcement agency, commissioned troopers specialize
in highway safety and traffic enforcement, criminal
investigations, commercial vehicle safety and alcohol beverage
control. |
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Boundary
County Commission minutes, week of January 16 |
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January 12 |
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Boundary County election calendar 2023 |
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January 11 |
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School district
clarifies 2023 election calendar: The 2023 Boundary
County Election Calendar was recently published. The election
calendar notices for Boundary County School District #101 had to
be submitted to the county by December 30, 2022. The published
public notice shows Boundary County School District #101 having
ballot questions on all four election dates. |
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Break-up restrictions
on SH 3, 5 and 54: In recent days, Idaho has
experienced above average temperatures and precipitation which can
lead to significant damage to highways, prompting state and local
transportation agencies to enforce load restrictions. In an effort
to reduce damage to roadways, the Idaho Transportation Department
(ITD), has made the decision to restrict several routes in North
Idaho. |
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Oregon bill introduced
to merge 15 counties into Idaho: A bill inviting
Idaho to begin talks with Oregon on the potential to relocate the
state line they share was read on the floor of the Oregon Senate
on Monday. The bill, SJM 2, became public along with other
pre-session filed bills. It states “we, the members of the 82nd
Legislative Assembly stand ready to begin discussions regarding
the potential to relocate the Oregon/Idaho border." |
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January 9 |
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Boundary County First
Judicial District Court dispositions |
| Serving Boundary
County ... |
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| Amy Robertson photo |
| Boundary County's public servants, most elected or
retained to office in November, were sworn in at 9 a.m.
today in the foyer of the courthouse. They are, back row
(l-r) Justin Julian, First District magistrate judge,
Wally Cossairt, commissioner, District 1, Glenda Poston,
clerk, David Kramer, sheriff, Tim Bertling, commissioner,
District 2, and Ben Robertson, commissioner, District 3.
Front row (l-r); Chad Workman, coroner, Olivia Drake,
assessor, and Jennifer Economu, treasurer. Thank you for
your service! |
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 Little
outlines state budget: Governor Brad Little delivered
his 2023 State of the State and Budget Address today, pledging to
deliver on the mandate given by the people of Idaho to continue
investing in public schools, strengthen our workforce, provide
more tax relief, and promote safe communities. “Our success did
not happen by accident," he said. "What we’re doing is working." |
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January 6 |
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Cabinet Mountain Water
gets $2-million grant: The Idaho Department of
Environmental Quality Thursday announced the award of $30,304,970
in construction grants to nine drinking water and wastewater
systems, including Cabinet Mountain Water District. These
construction projects are funded from American Rescue Plan Act
funds that Governor Brad Little directed to DEQ in 2022. |
 Man
wanted on Canada wide warrant: Surrey RCMP is asking
for the public assistance with locating a man wanted on a Canada
wide warrant for Robbery and other offences including unlawful
confinement. On September 28, 2022, Jaden Kahnapace-Newton was
released while awaiting trial in relation to 14 charges stemming
from three robberies that occurred in October 2021. |
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Boundary
County Commission minutes, week of December 26 |
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KVRI
meeting, 7 p.m. Monday, January 23, Boundary County Annex |
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Boundary
County Commission agenda, week of January 9 |
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January 5 |
 Low
speed chase far more dangerous than it seemed: Court
records show that a low-speed chase up and down through Bonners
Ferry Tuesday evening could have been far worse than it was, and
demonstrates once again the blessings of having dedicated and
well-trained law enforcement professionals serving in our
community. |
 PC
affidavit reveals how Pennsylvania man implicated in U of I
murders: According to affidavits of probable cause,
released today, one of the surviving University of Idaho students
living at 1122 King Road in Moscow where four other students were
slain awoke at about 4 a.m. Sunday, November 13, heard victim
Kaylee Goncalves say "there's someone here." |
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January 4 |
 Low
speed chase ends painfully for local man: A report of
a reckless driver at about 7:51 p.m. Tuesday led to a low-speed
chase involving a white SUV-type vehicle and as many as four
Bonners Ferry Police vehicles making an extended tour of the city
as the driver made about six circuits of Main Street from the area
of Super 1 to the North Side as well as a few side trips through
residential areas. Officers finally stopped the vehicle and then
the driver on Highway 95 in the area of Alderson Lane. Updated
12:39 p.m. |
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January 2 |
 Boundary
County registered sex offenders: At present, there
are 27 registered sex offenders living in Boundary County. There
are currently no registered juvenile sex offenders in Boundary
County and none in Boundary County are identified as violent
sexual predators. All are currently in compliance with registry
requirements. |
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Boundary County First
Judicial District Court dispositions |
