HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS BACK IN ACTION SEE PAGES 6A - 7A
The Newport Miner THE VOICE OF PEND OREILLE COUNTY SINCE 1901
Wednesday, January 6, 2016
www.pendoreillerivervalley.com
Volume 112, Number 49 | 2 Sections, 16 Pages 75¢
PUD, newsprint mill clash over contract PUD wants $200 million in damages for anticipated mill closure designed to compensate for the crippling burden a sudden shutdown of the newsprint mill would cause the community, he said. Willenbrock said although Ponderay Newsprint Company has not given any formal indication they’re closing by 2017, a projection of power use supplied by PNC indicated they would use far less power in 2017, an amount so low as to indicate the company wouldn’t be operating its Usk
BY DON GRONNING OF THE MINER
NEWPORT – Will the Ponderay Newsprint Co. mill in Usk close by 2017? PUD General Manager Colin Willenbrock says it looks like it and wants the PUD to take steps to capture more than $200 million in “liquidated damages” due it in contracts between the PUD and the partners that own the newsprint mill. The damages are
mill, according to Willenbrock and senior PUD management. “This is new,” he said of the projected 2017 power use. “This is a signal (from PNC) that ‘we don’t think we can sustain.’” Willenbrock says that puts the company in breach of contract, as such a forecasted reduction in power needs is prohibited under terms of contracts signed more than 25 years ago. The contracts were not set to expire until 2027, he said.
Willenbrock said the PUD, through its attorneys, sent notice to Resolute Forest Products, the Montreal based managing partner of the newsprint mill, that they were in breach and gave them a chance to “cure” the breach by adjusting the projected power usage. Lake Superior Forest Products Inc., an indirect subsidiary of Resolute Forest Products Inc., owns 40 SEE PUD, 2A
Fire damaged forest closed to snowmobiles 92 miles of national forest trails still open BY DON GRONNING OF THE MINER
NEWPORT – A big portion of the National Forest will be closed to snowmobile riders this season, according to Forest Service spokesman Franklin Pemberton. “It’s the Tower Fire area,” Pemberton said, referring to the area northeast of Newport. “There are hazardous trees and we can’t invite the public in when the trees are actively coming down.” Pemberton said there are still 92 miles of trails in the National Forest that people can use. He was optimistic
that most of the trees that are going to come down will have come down by next spring. “By spring it should be mitigated,” he said. He says the National Forest plans on doing quite a bit of trail grooming next spring. Longtime snowmobiler Dan Jones of Usk said there is a certain amount of risk in going into the woods in the best of conditions. “When you go out in the woods, you assume some liability,” Jones said. “Trees fall down even when there isn’t SEE FIRE, 2A
First baby of the year born at Newport Hospital
COURTESY PHOTO|BEV MAYFIELD
Cameron Michael Humphrey is the first baby of 2016 in the Pend Oreille and west Bonner County area. He was born to Marissa and Bryce Humphrey of Priest River. He joins sister Desarai, 9.
NEWPORT – Cameron Michael Humphrey was born to Marissa and Bryce Humphrey Saturday, Jan. 2 at 5:47 a.m. He weighed 6 lbs., 6 oz. and was 20-1/2 inches long. He has one sibling, Desarai, 9. Maternal grandparents are Tami and Tom Kurylo and paternal grandparents are Val and Rick Humphrey. Humphrey is the winner of The Miner’s New Year’s Baby Contest, and the family receives the following prizes: 1 gallon of paint for the nursery from Selkirk Ace Hardware, $25 gift certificate from Ben Franklin, $25 savings account from Mountain West Bank, $10 gift certificate from Riverbank Family Restaurant, hair cut for baby from Connie’s Cuts, spa basket
MINER PHOTO|SOPHIA ALDOUS
Newport Food Bank volunteer Barbara Rutland was in the holiday spirit as she put together a food box for Christmas.
Food banks review holidays, face New Year BY SOPHIA ALDOUS OF THE MINER
NEWPORT – With the holidays come and gone, and the New Year here, area food banks in Northeast Washington and Northern Idaho are tracking their output of food and setting plans for possible
SEE BABY, 2A
expansions and additions. “We’ve been very fortunate,” said Newport Food Bank Manager Pearl Pulford of holiday donations for food items and money. “Our community really supports the food bank.” According to Pulford, the food bank received around 2,500 pounds of food
donations for November and December and served 256 households for both months. “Our clients are across the board,” Pulford said of clientele demographics. “We have a lot of seniors that come in, a lot of single SEE FOOD, 2A
B R I E F LY Burn ban extended for seven eastern Washington counties SPOKANE – The Stage 1 burn ban in Pend Oreille, Chelan, Douglas, Ferry, Kittitas, Okanogan and Stevens counties is being extended to 10 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 7 because stagnant air conditions could cause unhealthy air pollution. The Washington Department of Ecology has lifted the burn ban in Asotin and Walla Walla counties because air conditions have improved. Under a Stage 1 ban, all outdoor burning is prohibited including residential, agricultural and forest burning. Use of uncertified wood stoves, fireplaces, inserts, and other
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uncertified wood-burning devices is prohibited unless they are a home’s only adequate source of heat. Certified wood stoves, pellet stoves and other certified woodburning devices are allowed.Call 866-211-6284 if you think someone is illegally burning or you are impacted by smoke.Up-to-date burn ban information is available at www.waburnbans.net. Ecology’s burn bans do not apply on tribal reservations, where the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has jurisdiction. Call 800-424-4372 for tribal burn ban information or visit EPA’s Washington Burn Ban page on their website https://waburnbans.net.
Community force being organized PRIEST RIVER - Bonner County Sheriff Daryl Wheeler says people can help be eyes and ears to combat crime in the community. The Community Force is looking for volunteer men and women to help combat crime by volunteering in the area they live. People who vote at the Blue Lake Community Club and are interested in becoming involved are invited to call Republican Precinct Committeeman John Weyant at 208-610-5051 or Sheryl Kins at the Sheriff’s Office at 208-263-8417 Ext. 3049. Weyant will be setting up a meeting after the holidays for interested persons in the Blue Lake area at the Blue Lake Community Club. All other
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WINTER FUN AT PRIEST LAKE
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