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News |
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March 31 |
 United
Methodist to bless and dedicate 'The Gift:' Shortly
before his passing, Mark Truesdell gifted three vintage plaster
reliefs to the Bonners Ferry United Methodist Church. He wished
for them to be installed on the lounge wall in the church. The
antique plaster relics, survivors of a church fire on the east
coast, were originally part of fourteen Stations of the Cross.
Mark, born and raised in Bonners Ferry, as an adult lived a travel
filled eclectic life, collecting and creating art. |
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Boundary
County Commissioners agenda, week of April 3 |
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Kootenai
Valley Resource Initiative meeting, 7 p.m. Monday, April 17,
Boundary County Annex |
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British Columbia extends hours at Rykert's border crossing:
Please be advised of the change in hours at the Rykerts/Porthill
Border Crossing, British Columbia, effective April 1. The new
hours are: Heading South (into the USA): 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. ...
Heading North (into Canada): 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Please plan your
travels accordingly and note that the hours may be subject to
change. |
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March 30 |
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House fire near MP
499, Highway 95 |
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Little signs bill
allowing students to attend schools out of district:
Idaho parents have even more school choice options on top of a
long list of education alternatives in the State of Idaho after
Governor Brad Little signed Senate Bill 1125 into law this week.
Senate Bill 1125 allows parents to send their child to any public
school in Idaho regardless of where they live. Comment added |
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Idaho delegation
lauds new hours at Porthill POE: U.S. Senators Jim
Risch and Mike Crapo and U.S. Representative Russ Fulcher
celebrated the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s decision to
extend hours for the Porthill Port of Entry. CBP’s announcement
comes after Risch, Crapo, and Fulcher wrote Executive Assistant
Commissioner Pete Flores encouraging CBP to extend hours at
Porthill as a part of the pilot program that would evaluate
traffic flow. |
 Distinguished
Young Women bringing you a Jurassic Quest: This
year's Distinguished Young Women program takes place on Saturday,
April 29, at the Becker Auditorium, and this year's outstanding
group of participants is working hard to transport their audience
to the wonderful world of yesteryear as they set out on a
"Jurassic Quest." Without further ado, here are the first three of
this year's participants ... |
 Bonner
County sex offender may have had more 'pen pals:' On
March 23, the Bonner County Sheriff’s Office was notified that
registered sex offender David Anthony Stewart, 68, Sagle, had
attended the performance of “Mama Mia” at Sandpoint High School on
Friday, March 17, which is a violation of Idaho Code 18-8329,
Prohibited Access to Children. During the investigation it was
learned Stewart was planning to attend another presentation of
“Mama Mia” on March 25. |
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March 29 |
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Senate overrides
property tax veto: The Senate finished off a rare —
and resounding — veto override Wednesday, and a far-reaching
property tax overhaul is now on the books. On a 28-7 party-line
vote, the Senate upheld House Bill 292 — which promises $355
million in immediate property tax relief, but has huge
implications for public schools. The law earmarks $100 million
that schools must spend on property tax relief, perhaps by paying
down existing bonds or levies. But the law also eliminates the
standalone March election. |
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Bonners Ferry City
Council to take comment on new comp plan: The Bonners
Ferry City Council will hold public hearing at 6 p.m. Tuesday,
April 19, to accept public comment and consider the repeal and
replacement of its current comprehensive plan and future land use
map and to replace them with a new plan and map recommended by the
city planning and zoning commission March 1. |
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Comment sought on
Kaniksu OSV project: The Idaho Panhandle National
Forests has issued their Environmental Assessment for the planned
Kaniksu OSV (Over-Snow Vehicle) Use Designation Project. The
public will have the next 30 days to submit official comments
regarding the project. The goal is to designate OSV trails across
the North Idaho Panhandle in accordance with the Travel Management
Rule in a balanced approach to protecting wildlife and culturally
sensitive areas. |
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March 28 |
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Boundary
County Commission minutes, week of March 20 |
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Festival of Hearts
raises $34,000: The Fry Healthcare Foundation is
thrilled to announce the incredible success of their recent
Festival of Hearts Dinner Gala. Thanks to the overwhelming support
of the community, the event raised a total of $34,000 to support
critical medical equipment in the Emergency Department and the
newly expanded Med/Surg floor rooms. The community's support has
been instrumental in the hospital's ability to adjust to the
growing community's needs without sacrificing other services
provided. |
 Flags
to half-staff for Nashville shooting victims: As a
mark of respect for the victims of the senseless acts of violence
perpetrated on March 27, 2023, in Nashville, Tennessee, by the
authority vested in me as President of the United States by the
Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I
hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at
half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and
grounds. |
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Record number of requests
to ban books in 2022: The American Library
Association (ALA) last week released new data documenting 1,269
demands to censor library books and resources in 2022, the highest
number of attempted book bans since ALA began compiling data about
censorship in libraries more than 20 years ago. The unparalleled
number of reported book challenges in 2022 nearly doubles the 729
challenges reported in 2021. |
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March 27 |
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Risch co-introduces act
to identify trafficked women seeking abortions: U.S
Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Ted Budd (R-North Carolina)
introduced the Stopping Traffickers and Their Accomplices Act to
require abortion providers to file a report with the National
Human Trafficking Hotline if there is reasonable suspicion to
believe a woman is a victim of human trafficking. |
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Porthill Port of
Entry to extend hours: U.S. Customs and Border
Protection (CBP) announced today that it will begin a 120-day
temporary expansion of hours at four northern border ports of
entry (POE), including the Porthill POE, on April 1. The other
locations are the Maida, Northgate and Sherwood POEs in North
Dakota. Corrected |
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Little vetoes property
tax relief bill: Governor Little vetoed House Bill
292 today, the so-called “property tax relief” bill passed by the
legislature last week. Little said House Bill 292 presents
significant impacts on election dates, public defense funding,
online sales tax collections, local government sales tax
distributions, and funding for transportation, and it jeopardizes
bonding for critical infrastructure projects. |
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Boundary County First
Judicial District Court dispositions |
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March 25 |
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Cemetery caretaker recreating lost records: The
caretaker of the Paradise Valley Cemetery is in the process of
recreating all the records for the cemetery that were destroyed.
There are many unmarked graves and many with information that
cannot be read. If you or anyone in your family has knowledge of
plot ownership or if one of your loved ones is buried in the
Paradise Valley Cemetery and does not have a marker, please e-mail
the caretaker at
paradisevalleycemetery@gmail.com. Once accurate, new records
are created, a listing of the cemetery occupants will be posted
on-site for the public. |
 Work
underway to repair and improve Highway 95 wildlife crossings:
The Idaho Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Idaho Fish and Game and
the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative recently
announced a joint project to improve traffic safety and protect
wildlife by repairing existing highway fencing and extending it by
about a mile near wildlife underpasses on U.S. 95 north of Bonners
Ferry. |
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March 24 |
 Moseley
files tort against sheriff, prosecutor: Claiming that
his reputation as an honest, law-abiding citizen of Boundary
County has been destroyed and that his name has been tarnished in
the community, Copeland Precinct Republican Central Committeeman
Mark Moseley on Wednesday filed a tort claim against the Boundary
County Sheriff's Office and the prosecutor's office. He is seeking
$550,000 for alleged violations of his constitutional rights by
filing false charges against him over an incident November 9 at
his Curless Road home. |
 Second
Harvest food truck here April 7: The Second Harvest
mobile food truck will be in Bonners Ferry from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Friday, April 7, at the west end of the Boundary County
Fairgrounds. This will be the second truck of seven that are
planned for this year. The March truck served 265 families with
around 14,000 pounds of free food. |
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Boundary
County School District 101 executive council meeting, 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday, April 5, district office |
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Boundary
County Commission minutes, week of March 13 |
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Boundary
County Commission minutes, week of February 13 |
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March 23 |
 Challis
escapee may be coming through North Idaho: On March
21, the Custer County judicial system granted Steven Pierson, 40,
a medical furlough to receive medical treatment at Steele Memorial
Medical Center in Salmon, Idaho. Pierson was expected back at the
Custer County Jail at 9:30 p.m. but failed to return. It's
expected he's on his way to a family member's home in eastern
Washington, to a friend’s house in Hamilton, Montana, or to
another family member's home in Missouri. |
 Trump
hasn't been arrested, let alone roughed up: Realistic
pictures depicting former president Donald J. Trump being
manhandled by police as he's being taken into custody have been
circulating on the internet since shortly after Trump speculated
that he'd be indicted in New York last Tuesday. They are
computer-generated fakes. Trump has not been indicted by Manhattan
District Attorney Alvin Bragg nor any other of several agencies
conducting criminal investigations on the former guy. |
 VVES
kindergartner asks support on his very first fundraiser:
Noah Arthur Fletcher is a hard working and ambitious six-year-old
kindergartener at Valley View Elementary, and he's working hard to
help his classroom and school and to win prizes in his first ever
effort at managing his very own fundraiser! UPDATE: 11:17
a.m. March 24: Noah won his LED Galaxy Chair, and now he's just 86
points away from the grand prize: all the prizes he's already won
plus a PlayStation 5!! |
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March 21 |
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Idaho voter rolls
being reviewed: The State of Idaho is taking action
to ensure the accuracy and integrity of its voter rolls. County
elections offices throughout the State of Idaho recently completed
a biennial review and maintenance of the voter registration
system. A total of 74,332 voters statewide were removed from the
system due to inactivity, change of address, or who were otherwise
determined to be ineligible to vote. |
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March 20 |
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Boundary County First
Judicial District Court dispositions |
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March 19 |
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Little signs bill
to improve broadband: Governor Brad Little signed
Senate Bill 1129 into law today, adding another $125 million to
improve broadband infrastructure throughout the state as part of
his “Idaho First” plan. Another $100 million is nearing
legislative approval as part of the Idaho Department of Commerce
appropriation budget, for a total of $225 million in new funding
for broadband expansion in Idaho. |
 May
16 ballot set: A three-question slate has been set for
the May 16 election in Boundary County: Incumbent Boundary County
Library Trustee Zone 3 Aaron B.C. Bohachek is being challenged by
Lewis Clark for a six year term, incumbent Boundary County Library
Trustee Zone 5 William "Lee" Colson will face Mary-Esther Wilson
for a two year term and for Bonners Ferry voters, the question of
approving or denying the City Local Option Non-Property Tax. |
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March 18 |
 BCRCC
mum on meeting with state GOP chair Dorothy Moon:
Idaho State Republican Chair Dorothy Moon made an eight hour drive
to Bonners Ferry Friday for a meeting in response to issues raised
at the March 6 Boundary County Republican Central Committee
meeting, but she refused this morning to speak of it beyond saying
she only made suggestions, contending it was a private meeting
even though it involved an elected official. Updated |
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March 17 |
 Bonner
General closing obstetrics department: Several calls
and attempts to reach a busy public relations office at Bonner
General Health, Sandpoint, have so far proven fruitless, but a
call to their OB/GYN department did confirm that staff was told
yesterday that the obstetrics department would be closing. OB
nurses and doctors were told they would have their jobs until May.
Updated 3:15 p.m. ... Comment added |
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March 16 |
 Travis
Stolley announces bid for sheriff: Born and raised in
Bonners Ferry, Travis Stolley joined the United States Marine Corp
soon after graduating Bonners Ferry High School 2005, serving
nearly nine years before receiving an honorable discharge and
returning home. It wasn't long before he was once again in
uniform, this time Bonners Ferry Police Department blue. Now, with
sheriff Dave Kramer planning to retire, Stolley has announced his
bid to continue serving Boundary County as sheriff in 2024,
running as a Republican. |
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Boundary
County School District 101 board meeting, 6 p.m. Monday, March 20,
District Office |
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KVRI
Forestry Subcommittee meeting, 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 22, county
annex building |
 Billy
Tuttle in critical condition: On Friday, March 10,
Billy Tuttle went to the emergency room at Boundary Community
Hospital, where he was diagnosed with a ruptured colon and
transferred to Bonners General Hospital in Sandpoint. The initial
surgery seemed to be successful until the following day when he
became combative and delirious and had to be sedated. After two
days with no improvement and no diagnosis, it was decided that he
needed to be transferred and on Monday March 13, he was
transferred to a hospital in Missoula. |
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March 15 |
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Trees in power lines
knock power out: About 725 Northern Light customer in
an area from the North Hill to Camp Nine Road are without power
due to trees on power lines. Crews are en route. |
 Bonners
Ferry FFA Chapter has been busy: It's been a
whirlwind of activity of late for the Bonners Ferry FFA Chapter,
and it's not over yet as they are partnering with Boundary County
Farm Bureau and inviting anyone and everyone to enjoy a free
pancake breakfast to celebrate National Ag week from 7 to 9 a.m.
Wednesday, March 22, in the Bonners Ferry High School Ag Shop! |
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Native people hard hit
by scammers: Scammers and dishonest businesses can
target people in unique ways, so it’s important to understand how
communities are affected — and at times, differently affected — by
consumer protection issues. A new FTC report focuses on the
agency's recent efforts to identify frauds, scams, and bad
business practices that impact American Indian and Alaska Native
(AI/AN) communities. |
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March 14 |
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LEVY PASSES: BCSD 101 M&O Levy
results |
 Two
sentenced to prison for possession of stolen vehicles:
A Naples man and a Bonners Ferry man will each spend time in
prison after being convicted in separate cases of grand theft by
possession of stolen property, both vehicles; one a Bonner County
work truck and the other a Honda four wheeler offered for sale on
Facebook. |
 Lifelong
county resident needs help after bad fall: In
November, lifelong Bonners Ferry resident Edwina Owens, 74,
stepped off a curb and fell, hitting her right shoulder and head,
shredding her rotator cuff. Apparently something during surgery
triggered the chronic autoimmune disease Myasthenia Gravis, which
causes a breakdown in communication between nerves and muscles,
leaving her unable to swallow or speak understandably. There is no
cure, and Edwina will suffer symptoms for the rest of her life. |
 Don’t
test your luck this St. Patrick’s Day, plan for a sober ride home:
As St. Patrick’s Day nears, the Bonners Ferry Police Department
reminds those celebrating to make plans for a sober ride home.
March 16 – 19 we are joining law enforcement agencies statewide to
increase patrols for impaired driving. This year St. Patrick’s Day
falls on a Friday and that means more parties throughout the
weekend. |
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Boundary County First
Judicial District Court dispositions |
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March 13 |
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Boundary
County Commission minutes, March 6 |
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Boundary
County Commission minutes, February 27 |
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March 12 |
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Wild
time at this month's BCRCC meeting: Monday evening,
March 6, was atypical for Boundary County Republican Central
Committee chair and expectant father Caleb Davis, who oversaw one
of the most contentious BCRCC meetings ever, and did so while his
wife, Madelyn, was in labor. After the meeting, he drove home,
picked up Madelyn and they drove to Kootenai Health in Coeur
d'Alene. On Tuesday morning, their son, Atticus, was born.
Video added |
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March 11 |
 Rex
Theater owner set to lose properties: On December 27,
2022, Featherston Law Firm, Sandpoint, recorded Notice of
Trustee's Sale on three Bonners Ferry properties; the building
housing Northern Treasures and the lower floor of the building
that once held Huckleberry Treasures, both in downtown Bonners
Ferry, and a residential structure at 6629 Comanche Street on the
Northside near Boundary Community Hospital. But on March 2, 2023,
the registered agent of three different business entities listed
as owners appeared on a prestigious Realty podcast touting her
many contributions to the town she grew up in.
Comment added |
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March 10 |
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Boundary
County Commission agenda, week of March 13 |
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March 9 |
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First responders to
train at BFHS Sunday: Boundary County first
responders will be conducting a training exercise at the Bonners
Ferry High School from 8 a.m. to around 3 p.m. Sunday, March 12.
The training activity will involve simulated live gunfire,
multiple emergency vehicles and over 40 first responders. The
public is asked to please avoid the area around the high school on
Sunday, including the school parking lots and access roads. |
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School
District 101 special board meeting, 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 15,
district office, 7188 Oak Street |
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Women reaching women
in forestry: We imagine foresters as bearded men in
flannel. That’s changing. More professional women than ever work
to sustain and protect our natural resources. Now they want to
inspire women to be more active in managing family owned forests.
Women landowners are playing an increasingly important role in
forest management decisions but they are consistently in the
minority at forestry education events in Idaho. |
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Crapo, Risch propose
getting back to building the wall: U.S. Senator Jim
Risch (R-Idaho) with Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Bill Hagerty
(R-Tennessee), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), Ted Budd (R-North
Carolina), and John Boozman (R-Arkansas) today introduced the
Solving the Border Crisis Act. This bill would secure the southern
border by resuming construction of the border wall, strengthening
management and enforcement capacities and upholding the rule of
law. |
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Winter snow advisory
issued: The National Weather Service, Spokane, has
issued a winter weather advisory for snow in North Idaho and
northeast Washington, in effect from 4 a.m. Friday to 4 a.m.
Saturday. Motorists should prepare for winter driving conditions
for the Friday morning commute. |
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March 8 |
 Services
for Phil Batt set for Friday morning: Former Idaho
Governor Phil Batt's body will be transferred to the Idaho capitol
in a ceremony at 10 a.m. Thursday. The Idaho Army National Guard
Band will perform honors and, weather permitting, there will be a
flyover by the Idaho Air National Guard. Governor Brad Little will
lead the Capitol service, with remarks by former governors Butch
Otter and Dirk Kempthorne and U.S. Senator Jim Risch. |
 Risch
helps reintroduce Future Logging Careers Act: On
Tuesday, U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) helped a bipartisan
group of legislators reintroduced the Future Logging Careers Act,
which would allow teenage members of logging families to gain
experience in the logging trade under parental supervision so they
may carry on the family business. The Future Logging Careers Act
would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act to allow 16 and
17-year-olds to work in certain mechanized logging operations
under parental supervision. |
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March 7 |
 'The
Play That Goes Wrong' earns $2,466 for Shriners: With
community support, this crazy bunch of kids raised $2,466 for the
Shriners Childrens Hospital. Thank you to everyone who came to
their show! A very special thanks to our local Shriners Club,
Randy Peterson owner of Peterson Farm, Second Chance Thrift Store,
The Pearl Theater, Patrick Atkins owner of Bones INC, Ryan
Peterson, and all the parents who raised these awesome humans. |
Congratulations, Rafael Droz!
Attorney Rafael
Droz, formerly of Wilson Law Firm in Bonners Ferry, has accepted a
position in the Idaho Attorney General's Office! |
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Senate votes to repeal
ban on parading with firearms: The Republican
supermajority in the Idaho Senate passed a bill Monday that
repeals a state law banning groups of people from parading in
public with firearms in any Idaho city or town. Passing the bill
would also remove Idaho’s prohibition on private militias, one
Democratic senator who voted against the bill said. But Senator
Dan Foreman, R-Moscow, said Senate Bill 1056 is necessary to
support the freedoms expressed in the First Amendment and Second
Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. |
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Kootenai
Valley Resource Initiative Board meeting, 7 p.m. Monday, March 20,
Boundary County Annex |
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March 6 |
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Boundary County First
Judicial District Court dispositions |
 Work
underway on I-90/SH-41 interchange in Post Falls: The
second season of construction will resume this month at the I-90
and State Highway 41 Interchange, which is funded by Governor
Little’s Leading Idaho initiative. Work this spring will primarily
cause nighttime closures on I-90 and SH-41 as weather allows.
Nighttime lane closures on I-90 will begin tonight, and in late
March SH-41 will be closed for several nights as construction of a
temporary bridge on I-90 over the highway progresses. |
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Idaho CDL drivers can
soon renew license online: The Idaho Division of
Motor Vehicles will soon expand online license renewals, thanks to
the passage of House Bill 9. Consistent with Governor Little’s Red
Tape Reduction Act, the legislation allows people to renew an
Idaho Commercial Driver’s License online if eligible, an option
already available for many non-CDL drivers. The DMV will begin
implementing online CDL renewals on July 1. |
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March 4 |
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Flags
to half staff to honor Phil Batt's passing: Governor
Brad Little ordered the immediate lowering of U.S. and State of
Idaho flags to honor former Governor Phil Batt, who passed away
peacefully at his home today on his 96th birthday. Flags will be
lowered at all state buildings and facilities immediately and will
remain lowered until his day of interment, which will be announced
at a later date. |
 Young
lady found on Stephens Street looking lost: Anyone
looking for this sweet girl? She was found at about 5:30 this
morning on Stephens Stret near Valley View, barking at houses and
looking lost. She's not wearing a tag and appears to still be a
puppy. If you belong to her or know who does,
message Samantha or call (208) 295-1016. |
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March 3 |
 Local
family loses unborn son after Bonner County crash:
Shaylynn Richards, Bonners Ferry, was a few weeks shy of her due
date February 28 when a pick up lost control on Highway 95 in
front of North 40 in Ponderay, crossed the center line and hit her
vehicle head on. Shay was rushed to Bonner General Hospital and
Kayven Chase was brought into the world by an emergency C-section,
but his injuries were too great, and he died later that morning. |
 New
art display graces museum portrait hall: On
Wednesday, March 1, the Boundary County Museum hosted fourth
graders from Mt. Hall, Naples and Valley View Schools. The
occasion was to celebrate March 4 - Idaho Day. This year's theme
for Idaho Day was "We the People, Serving Idaho." With a bit of
community pride, the theme was changed to "We the People, Serving
Boundary County, Idaho." They left behind a wonderful collection
of art, now on display in Portrait Hall. |
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Bonner County man gets
10 years for arson: Idaho Department of Lands (IDL)
collaboration with the Idaho State Fire Marshall’s Office and law
enforcement on arson fires last summer which resulted in a Bonner
County man receiving 10 years in prison. Ryan Nathaniel Greene was
sentenced for six counts of arson III for burning forestland on
both state and federal lands. |
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Legal notice:
Notice of election: Notice is hereby given that the
following locations are designated as polling sites for the
Election to be held March 14, 2023 in Bonners Ferry, Idaho, County
of Boundary ... |
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March 2 |
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Boundary
County Commission agenda, week of March 6 |
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March 1 |
 It's
National Ag Month and BSCD is getting a Little Free Library:
March is National Agriculture Month! It’s a time to celebrate all
the hard work and dedication that farmers put into feeding the
world. It’s also a time to learn more about agriculture and the
important role it plays in our lives, especially here in Boundary
County. Idaho agriculture is diverse, abundant, and rooted in our
history. According to the Idaho State Department of Agriculture,
Idaho has nearly 25,000 farms and ranches which produce more than
185 different commodities. |
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Idaho senate nixes
using endowment money for school facilities:
Conservative senators killed a bill Wednesday to use $61 million
in annual endowment money to replace and repair school buildings.
The 5-4 Senate Education Committee vote effectively derails the
one proposal that came from a House-Senate working group, which
spent the fall studying the state’s facilities backlog. It also
means the 2023 Legislature might not address the state of Idaho’s
school buildings — an issue that has gone largely unanswered for
decades. By Kevin Richert, IdahoEdNrews |
 Labrador
joins AGs in defense of Kentucky wedding photographer:
Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador today joined a coalition of
21 states, led by Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, in
filing an amicus brief before the United States Court of Appeals
for the Sixth Circuit supporting the religious liberty and free
speech rights of a Louisville wedding photographer to decline to
take photographs in a wedding that would go against her religious
beliefs. |
 Dam!
Boundary County holds one of Idaho's most mysterious places:
KIDO Talk Radio, Boise, ran a piece today on their website, "The
Fascinating True Story About This 'Abandoned' Idaho School," just
one of Idaho's ten most mysterious places hiding in plain sight.
One of those places is in Boundary County. |
