BULLS ARE IN TOWN SEE PAGE 2B
The Newport Miner THE VOICE OF PEND OREILLE COUNT Y SINCE 1901
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
www.pendoreillerivervalley.com
Volume 111, Number 24 | 2 Sections, 16 Pages
75¢
Two women want prosecutor job EDITOR’S NOTE: The Miner staff interviewed each candidate in the prosecutor’s race at The Miner office. Both candidates will move on to the general election with the one receiving the most votes in the primary listed first on the ballot. We attempted to ask each candidate similar questions with follow up questions, as well as allowing them give us a question to ask their opponent.
Dolly Hunt BY DON GRONNING OF THE MINER
NEWPORT – Dolly Hunt has worked for three different prosecutors during her career as a deputy prosecutor – in Okanogan, Lincoln and Pend Oreille counties. “I’ve been a prosecutor my whole career, for the last 11 years,” says Hunt. She has see three styles of running a prosecutor’s office and the strengths and weaknesses of each county’s system. She sees prosecuting crime as the main job of the prosecutor, but recognizes that the job is bigger than just prosecuting crime. For one thing, in Pend Oreille County, the prosecutor has been the chief civil attorney for county commissioners, as well as the coroner. Hunt says she has experience with all the roles, including coroner. In a small community such as Pend Oreille County, the elected prosecutor has to be
familiar with all aspects of the prosecutor’s duties, Hunt says. “The coroner piece is a piece I have been lucky enough not to have to do since I’ve been here, but I did it when I was in Okanogan,” she says. If she wins election, Hunt says she isn’t sure how should would organize the office. In Okanogan County, the prosecutor tried some high profile criminal cases. It has been a while since Pend Oreille County Prosecutor Tom Metzger has tried a criminal case.
Robin McCroskey BY DON GRONNING OF THE MINER
NEWPORT - Robin McCroskey is best known for her work as a public defender, something she has done for Pend Oreille County for the last 12 years. But she also has done a lot of civil work in her private practice and says she would be comfortable
SEE DOLLY HUNT, 8A
providing legal advice to elected officials, including county commissioners. The main job of the county prosecutor is seeing that crimes are prosecuted, she says, and that will remain the main focus. “That’s what we think of first, but there is more to the job,” McCroskey says. “I would be responsible to give legal advice to the county commissioners, as well as the elected officials. I am ready to do that based on my civil experience. I’ve done a lot of work in land use, zoning and I’m very involved in the Growth Management Act.” McCroskey recognizes that drugs and crime are linked. She says the county used to have a lot of meth labs in the 90s. That isn’t the case now, but there is still plenty of meth, she says. “And if you want meth and you need to buy it and don’t have any money, you steal from other people,” she says. “It’s kind of a what comes first the chicken or the egg. Do we get rid of the meth and then we won’t have problems with burglaries or do we put all the people who commit the burglaries in jail and then we won’t have any need for meth? Well, I don’t see it that way. I think both problems need to be dealt with simultaneously.” SEE ROBIN MCCROSKEY, 8A
Ballots mailed Wednesday NEWPORT – Elections supervisor Liz Krizenesky said primary ballots were mailed out Wednesday, July 16, and must be returned to the county by Tuesday, Aug. 5. Ballots can be dropped off in the Pend Oreille County Auditor’s Office Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or on Election Day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Twenty-four hour ballot drop-boxes are located in the alley behind the County Courthouse at 625 W. Fourth St. in Newport and between the Library and Community Center at 112 N. Central in Ione. They will remain opened
Fairies painted faces and volunteers taught how to make lavender wands during the 11th annual Pend Oreille Valley Lavender Festival this past weekend. The event included various juried artists, artisans, growers and demonstrations, live music, food and a beer and wine garden. Area resident Billie Martin said there were always crowds around the plants, flowers, lavender and lavender creations. The festival had a smaller than average attendance by about two-thirds because
SEE BALLOTS, 2A
Fiber installs getting quicker
MINER PHOTO|DESIREÉ HOOD
Fairies painted during hot festival
until 8 p.m. on Election Day. The Accessible Voting Unit will be available for use at the Pend Oreille County Auditor’s Office. The primary elections include a race for the first female prosecutor in Pend Oreille County with defense attorney Robin McCroskey running against deputy prosecutor Dolly Hunt. This is the only contested election among Pend Oreille County officials and both will advance to general elections in November. For McCroskey and Hunt, the primary election will only decide the order their names
BY DESIREÉ HOOD OF THE MINER
the heat was in the mid-90’s, festival organizer Loyce Akers said. That kept some area residents from enjoying the flowery smell of lavender, a huckleberry lemonade or shopping at the various vendors. Martin said the trees in the park were a welcome relief from the hot blistering sun. “The smoothies, frozen drinks, iced coffees, teas and cold fruit drinks were a certain hit with temperatures in the high 90’s,” Martin said. “The beer and wine garden was definitely a popular spot.”
NEWPORT – The Pend Oreille Public Utility District’s fiber to the premise project will see faster installations with the hiring of a new contractor to handle some of the construction work. Robert Fritz, CNS supervisor, said they have about 1,245 requests for service and have 1,085 connections installed. He said to get the wait time down from 4-6 weeks for installations to 1-2 weeks, they have hired Speccom Incorporated from Rathdrum. SEE FIBER, 2A
B R I E F LY Motorcycle crash takes a Newport postal worker NEWPORT – Melody R. Edwards, of Priest River, was killed Saturday, July 12, when the Harley Davidson motorcycle she was driving swerved off U.S. Highway 12 near Lewiston. Edwards was a longtime worker for the Newport Post Office. She was travelling westbound near Kooskia, Idaho when she drifted to the right shoulder and down a bank. She was riding with her husband and a group of friends. Edwards was pronounced dead at the scene. A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, July 19, at
Follow us on Facebook
CLASSIFIEDS
11 a.m. at the Sherman-Knapp Funeral Home in Priest River. Sherman-Knapp Funeral Home in Priest River is in charge of arrangements. A complete obituary was not available at press time.
Man found electrocuted in the woods NEWPORT – A 59-year-old Newport man died Wednesday, July 9, while cutting a tree off Calispel Trail Loop Road in southern Pend Oreille County. Walter Richard Rohrer III was found dead by a Pend 5B-6B
Oreille Public Utility District lineman shortly before noon. PUD personnel had responded to the area after receiving a report of a tree leaning on a power line. After cutting the power and investigating, the lineman discovered Rohrer and called for emergency personnel. It appears Rohrer had been cutting down a dead tree for firewood and fell it on the power line. When Rohrer attempted to cut the tree from the power line, he accidentally knelt into the live wire. He was pronounced dead at the scene. See obituary in this issue.
OPINION
4A
RECORD
4B
SPORTS
2B
LIFE
1B
POLICE REPORTS
4B
OBITUARIES
4B
PUBLIC NOTICES
6B-8B
DOWN RIVER DAYS NEXT WEEK