“The Stealing of Idaho’s Capital” at Pierce 1860 Days

 

The Historical Actors Consortium out of Lewiston will perform “The Stealing of Idaho’s Capital” during Pierce 1860 Days.

The Historical Actors Consortium from Lewiston will be coming to Pierce as part of Pierce 1860 Days. They will perform a play entitled “The Stealing of Idaho’s Capital” at 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 6, at the Pierce Community Center. There is no admission fee.

This play will depict the historically accurate story of the beginning of Lewiston, and how it was the original capital of the Idaho Territory in 1863.

In 1865, disturbing and illegal events caused the capital to be moved to Boise. This is the only time in United States history this has happened.

You will meet hoteliers Hill Beachey and Madame Bonhore, along with Alonzo Leland, the tireless promoter of northern Idaho.

Other important Idaho pioneers will tell their stories, and the second Idaho Territorial Governor, Caleb Lyon, may even show up (if he isn’t run out of town…).

The actors who perform this place don’t use a stage—they create the play amongst the audience. You’ve probably never been to a performance like it!

Pictured here is Caleb Lyon, Idaho’s second Territorial Governor.

This is an Idaho Territory seal from 1863, when Lewiston was Idaho’s capital.

Date change on work to improve a portion of Idaho 11, Jaype to Headquarters

The deep-pavement rehabilitation of a portion of Idaho 11, from the junction of Grangemont Road, near Jaype, to Headquarters is slated to begin Tuesday, June 21.

Travelers can expect road work and intermittent delays from milepost 35 to milepost 42. The highway is in relatively poor condition and has multiple soft spots needing repair.

Work to be performed consists of a cold-in-place recycle, double seal-coat pavement rehabilitation, road widening at milepost 41.66, installing new signs and guardrail, and repairing soft spots in this 7.2-mile stretch. 

When complete, the rehabilitation work should extend the life of the roadway by up to 20 years. The road was originally an unpaved dirt road in 1955 and received several seal coats during its life, followed by numerous blade patches. 

The contractor is planning to work 10-12 hours every weekday. Work will begin at 7 a.m. each day.

A one-lane closure should be expected during the construction process. Flaggers and pilot cars will guide traffic through the work zones. 

The soft-spot repair, overlay and sign replacement are expected to be complete by Aug. 2. 

Knife River Corporation is the prime contractor on the project. The cost of the project is $1.4 million.

Prizes, games, and fun await at Pierce Winter Festival Feb. 5-7

By Greg Gerot

This year's Pierce Winter Festival (PWF), held the weekend of Feb. 5-7, will be an exciting weekend full of fun, stirring events, and educational opportunities for the whole family.

Our newly designed T-shirts with our Winter Festival logo are now available. They feature a genuine real tree camo-patterned long-sleeved crew-necked t-shirt with lettering and images in blaze orange. They will be available at White Pine Credit Union for $22 and they can also be ordered off of the Pierce Winter Festival Facebook page.

There are a couple pictures of this year’s shirts on the Facebook page. This is one of the few ways we support the effort to produce the PWF. 

This year’s grand prize drawing will be a $300 gift card to Sportsman's Warehouse. Second Prize will be a Sportsman’s Warehouse gift card for $100, and third place will be for $50. Tickets are on sale at S&S Foods, Pierce Hardware, White Pine Credit Union, The Saw Shop, Pierce Public Library, and Studio 205 on Main Street.

Individual tickets are $5 and five for $20. Sportman’s Warehouse has been more than generous in their contributions to the efforts of the Pierce Winter Festival. Thank you!

This year's events include an educational feature called Hilltop Demonstrations, which run Saturday, Feb. 6 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 to 5 p.m. at Pierce Hardware. Each demonstration will be about a topic of local interest, such as trapping, taught by Wes Lineberry, to a leather boot care clinic put on by Obenauf’s. There will also be game skull bleaching and presentation taught by Grant Getchell, and bee keeping taught by Charlie Berreth. 

The city’s newly energized and manned fire department, headed up by newly appointed Fire Chief Tyrel Shaw, will be available for tours and demonstrations as well. This is always a big hit with the kids, and giveaways will be available for them. This event will be held concurrently with the horse-drawn wagon rides provided by Pete Armichardy.

This year’s festival will also feature the ever popular variety show, held at 6:30 p.m. Saturday night at the Pierce Community Center. This year, several talented local musicians, comedians, and our own Timberline High School drama class (performing four vignettes) will be featured. Before the variety show, enjoy a feast—the results of the new Dutch Oven Cookoff contest—from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., for just $5.

Those who provide a dish for the cookoff, be it a main dish, a bread, or a dessert, will each have a crack at some great prizes, compliments of Sportsman’s Warehouse. 

A staple of the PWF are great outdoors action events, beginning with the Ice Man Relay Saturday morning at 10 a.m. The hilarious Bar Stool Race is at 2:30 p.m. that afternoon at The Outback. In addition to a trophy, this year’s winner will receive a $100 gift certificate to S&S Foods, courtesy of owner Sammy Bhardwaj.

Add the downhill sledding Friday night of the festival weekend, complete with bonfire and snacks, and you have a mixture of outdoor activities to appeal to the whole family. 

Kids are important to those of us who organize the PWF, and the Faith Lutheran Church women are again making available to kids of all ages a craft workshop at the community center. It will be Saturday during the festival, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Games will also be available during the same time period in the gymnasium. 

For the spectator or for the player, the Spartanball Snowshoe Softball Tournament and Chili Feed at the Pierce Ballpark from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. You’ll also be supporting the Timberline High School football team.

Throw in the snowman building contest and the Suds and Snowshoe Race at the Flame Bar and you have a festival that will keep your interest and provide you with a weekend of enjoyment.

The schedule of events is posted on the Pierce Winter Festival Facebook page and can be downloaded and shared for your convenience. Look for the posted schedules around town.

Idaho Youth ChalleNGe academy is creating new opportunities for troubled teens

By Idaho Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter

In a remote corner of northern Idaho’s Clearwater County, there is a place where young people at a difficult time in their life are finding motivation and direction toward a better future. 

The Idaho Youth ChalleNGe Academy is flourishing in Pierce, a tiny timber town that’s benefiting from the program’s presence there almost as much as the dramatic and inspiring changes that those once-wayward teenagers are experiencing. 

On Dec. 19 in Lewiston, Youth ChalleNGe leaders joined the families and friends of 101 graduating teens. It was the largest class yet for the program established by the Idaho Legislature at my recommendation in 2011 as part of the Idaho National Guard’s mission – thus the capitalized “NG.”

Cadets in the most recent graduating class came from 27 of Idaho’s 44 counties, led by 26 graduates from my native Canyon County. 

Thirteen cadets received their high school diplomas and another 12 earned their GED certificates. Sixteen graduated with a 4.0 grade-point average, and since the Academy started its cadets have averaged academic improvement of more than two grade levels during their 17½ -month residential stays. 

Just as impressive, the latest group of cadets contributed over 4,600 hours of community service valued at $33,524 during their time at the Academy. Since it opened, 333 cadets have contributed almost 20,000 hours of community service in and around Pierce. 

PICTURED: Maj. Gen. Gary Sayler and Academy Principal Bicker Therian present a $1,000 scholarship to a graduating Idaho Youth ChalleNGe cadet at the Dec. 19 graduation ceremony in Lewiston.

There was early uncertainty among some folks about the State of Idaho getting into the business of helping troubled dropouts get their lives back on track. After all, there are plenty of private-sector and even non-profit alternatives. 

But most skeptics came around after seeing what other states have done with Youth ChalleNGe programs and coming to understand the value that such a proven, affordable and accountable option provides for the next generation of voters, taxpayers–fully functioning citizens of Idaho. 

Families and students volunteering for the program are looking for a way to succeed outside of a traditional school setting. At the Academy, cadets learn self-discipline, leadership and responsibility while working to complete their secondary education or re-integrate with their high school class back home. 

Once they leave the Academy itself, new graduates start a 12-month “Post Residential Phase” designed to help them continue their progress. They have Idaho Youth ChalleNGe case managers and community mentors helping them continue their education, enroll in college, begin job training, find employment or enlist in the military. 

For some of these kids, Idaho Youth ChalleNGe is providing them with their first taste of success. And it’s not a Band-Aid that quickly wears off. Fully 80 percent of Academy graduates re-enroll in high school or go on to college, military service, employment or volunteer service for at least 30 hours per week. 

But the real change is in the hearts and minds of the teens who learn how to follow, how to lead, how to respect others, and most of all how to respect themselves. 

That is the real measure of the Idaho Youth ChalleNGe program – how it changes the lives and the futures of adolescents at risk, not by restricting and marginalizing them but by enabling them to enter the mainstream of society with pride in what they have accomplished and the confidence to go even farther. 

Find out more about how the Idaho Youth ChalleNGe is changing lives, families and communities at http://www.idyouthchallenge.com/success-stories/.

Bird family to celebrate birthdays Saturday

Emma Lorraine Lawless Burch is pictured at the age of two on Big Horn Mountain, sometime in the 1920s. Emma later married Jesse (Jack) Bird of Stevensville, MT and became the mother of Bill Bird of Greer, and his siblings, Betty (Bird) Wouri, Jack Bird, Jim Bird, and Peggy (Bird) Bobbitt.

The Bird family of Greer and Orofino will be celebrating their birthdays at Konkolville Saturday, May 18, with special guests and siblings Bill Bird of Greer, 89, whose birthday is May 21; Jim Bird of Orofino, 80, whose birthday is May 23; and Betty Bird Wuori, 87, whose birthday is May 26.


The Birds migrate
When Evan and Cal Whitney “came over the hill” from Montana in 1946 to retire, they unwittingly began a minor Bird family migration to the Clearwater valley. Their daughter, Ruth, was engaged to Bill Bird, who at that time lived in Hamilton, MT. Ruth and Bill were married Dec. 18, 1946 at Hamilton.

Ruth and Bill settled in Greer (where they still reside), and so began the “migration.” First to come was Bill’s father, Jesse “Jack” Bird, who moved to Greer and lived at Ruth and Bill’s little ranch on Lolo Creek. Jack stayed there until 1974, then moved to Konkolville.

In 1950 the youngest Bird, Bill’s brother, James, came to visit Bill in Greer. While there, he was attracted to a pretty blonde girl he saw at The Fountain (now the Ponderosa). At that time, they didn’t exchange a word. When Jim came back to Orofino after being discharged from the Navy, he found his dream girl, Gerri Konkol, working at the theatre. Jim and Gerri were married April 14, 1956, and Jim has never been sorry he came to this area. He and Gerri have five children and nine grandchildren, and still live in Orofino.

Jack Bird junior first visited Orofino with a friend, after school was out. They arrived in Greer “by thumb,” via Boise. Jack returned in 1955 after he was discharged from the Navy. Bill introduced him to Ralph Space with the U.S. Forest Service. That led to Jack meeting Virginia Sturgess, daughter of Faye Sturgess, one of the group of well-loved teachers who finished their teaching careers at Orofino Elementary.

Jack and Virginia married June 16, 1956 at the Methodist Church. Jack flew the USFS air patrol with Jack Godwin. His career was with the government weather bureau. Before retirement he was in charge of the earthquake aftermath at St. Helen’s, and of observing 40 energy stations, including buoys on the ocean that had weather stations.

Jack and Virginia have four children and six grandchildren, and now live in Ashland, OR.

Peggy Bird graduated from high school at Stevensville, MT, and moved to Orofino in 1956. She went to work at the Bank of Orofino as a secretary and lived at Anna Bloom’s apartments on Michigan Avenue.

She met the man of her dreams, Dale Bobbitt, at the bank. They were married July 4, 1958 in Montana. Dale was an electronics wizard all his life. He and Peggy have three children and nine grandchildren, and live in Spokane, WA.

The last Bird to migrate was Betty Bird of Stevensville. She came to this area often to visit family. The Birds spent a lot of time camping and dancing at the Wilderness Gateway on the Lochsa. It was there Betty was blessed to meet Sulo Wuori from Pierce, and they married in Missoula on Aug. 8, 1997 and danced the years away.

Finalists for Youth ChalleNGe Director interviewed in Pierce

By Alannah Allbrett

Four final applicants for the National Guard Youth ChaleNGe director’s slot were interviewed in Pierce Jan. 3.

Loren Whitten-Kaboth, Coordinator of the Clearwater Economic Development Program in Orofino, provided an update on the hiring schedule before the program gets underway in Pierce in 2013. The official interviewing and hiring process has begun for the program, starting with the position of Director. Many applications were received for that position, and were narrowed down to 10 applicants and, subsequently, four finalists were chosen.

Major General, Gary L. Sayler, had the four candidates for directorship drive to Pierce for final interviews so they could get a real time taste of what life in the small community might be like. Two of the candidates took extra time to stop into City Hall to meet with staff and ask questions firsthand. Mayor Carmen Syed made herself available during the entire interview process. 

Volunteers needed

Ed Hildebrand, former custodian of Pierce Elementary, has been working at the school, getting things ready for the NGYCP. New lighting fixtures have been installed. Mayor Volunteers are needed to help with cleaning the lighting covers before they can be installed.

Please call city hall for more information: 208-464-2222.

Year-End Review: Part I

January

Fire broke out at approximately 4 p.m. Monday, Jan. 2, at Central Idaho Offset Printing, located at 910 Grangemont Rd. The building, owned by Stanton Logging, houses the press equipment used for printing of the Clearwater Tribune and other regional publications. Due to the fire, the Clearwater Tribune has a new look. Page size is smaller. After 100 years of the paper’s page size measuring 14x23 inches it is now 11x21 inches.

Through the American Restoration and Recovery Act, grants have been obtained, with matching funds from the tribe to undertake erecting towers for a comprehensive broadband system over the Clearwater Valley. Cities that will have accessible coverage include Culdesac, Kamiah, Fraser, Orofino Riverside area, Ahsahka, Peck, Cherry Lane, Cottonwood Creek, and as many areas in between as possible.

Ryan Smathers was sworn in for his second full-term as Mayor of the City of Orofino. Along with Mayor Smathers, two newly elected councilmen took their oaths of office for the first time: Avery Dunaway and Don Gardner. The two new council members fill the seats of Doug Donner and the late Roy Clay. A motion passed, naming Marguerite McLaughlin, as the new President Pro Tempore for the council.

The Pierce-Weippe Chamber of Commerce has erected a new Chamber member sign in front of Pierce Free Library. Chamber appreciates Jared Construction and Express Nametags & More, both Chamber members, for creating this handsome sign.

Cindy Downing celebrated nearly 28 years of public service to Clearwater County. Cindy retired on Friday, Jan. 27. She began working in the Clearwater County Auditor/Recorder’s Office on March 22, 1984 and worked in that office the entire 28 years. She worked as a deputy auditor recorder for Clerk, Allen Medalen until 1992 when she was promoted to Chief Deputy for Clerk, Robin Christensen, and continues to serve in that capacity for Clerk, Carrie Bird.

A power outage hit the Orofino area at approximately 2:15 p.m.

Jan. 19, knocking out power to a total of 1,991 Avista customers. The cause was weather-related, reportedly damage to a substation. A total of 750 Clearwater Power customers were also affected by separate power outages, according to Bob Pierce with Clearwater Power.
 

February

Talon Lewis Francis Palmer was the first baby of 2012 to be born at CVH. Talon’s parents are Jamie Jackson and Marcus Palmer, Kamiah. He was born Wednesday, Jan. 25 at 12:34 a.m.

The High Country Inn celebrated it's 10th anniversary with two evenings of romantic candlelight Valentine's dinners and a special gift for the ladies each evening. The grand opening event for the High Country Inn happened during Valentine’s of 2002.

Kelly and Lois Lineberry celebrated 50 years of marriage with a reception at the Christian Faith Worship Center in Clarkston, WA.

Dale Durkee, Joint School District #171 Superintendent, submitted his letter of resignation to the board of trustees at a special board meeting. His resignation will be effective at the end of June. He has worked in the district for 26 years.

Helen Alocco, 66, of Orofino, was found by Clearwater County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue. She and her husband, Carl Alocco, 60, got stuck in snow up Cascade Drive Sunday and she attempted to walk out. She was found on Cooper Road off Cascade Drive, reportedly cold but in good health. Helen had walked 12 to 14 miles before she was located.

Ed Glaze and Rick Alain of Orofino were trolling for trout on Dworshak Reservoir when Ed hooked a 33” steelhead. They didn’t have a net large enough so Rick grabbed it by the tail to get it in the boat. The hatchery steelhead somehow ended up in the reservoir.

An open house birthday party was held at the Riverside Assembly of God Church for Marj Hardman, who turned 80 years old.

The Clearwater Tribune celebrates 100 years. The first issue of the Clearwater Tribune was published Friday, May 5, 1922, after the Clearwater Republican and Orofino Tribune merged. The Clearwater Tribune’s 100th anniversary begins with the Clearwater Republican’s first issue in March of 1912.

Fire destroyed the 1895 Heritage House, an unoccupied historical house on Old Melrose Grade Rd., above Peck. The structure burned to the ground at approximately 3:30 p.m., Wednesday. Feb. 8. Three trucks and five fire fighters responded to the scene.

March

Emersyn Marie Wiese is the Leap Year baby born on Wednesday, Feb. 29, 2012, leap day, at CVH. Her proud parents are Nate and Amber Wiese.

The Orofino Distinguished Young Woman program was held March 10 at Orofino High School. Orofino Distinguished Young Woman for 2013 is Kate Conner. First Runner Up is Devonee Perrin and Second Runner Up is Katie Alverson.

Psalm 40 Feed, owned by Bridgette Heighes, located at 1782 Cemetery Road in Weippe, is now open and ready to serve your pet and livestock needs. It is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday.

AREA ATHLETES BRING HOME GOLD—The Lewis Clark Special Olympics floor hockey team traveled to Boise for state competition on March 3. The team, made up of players from the area, including local teammate Jack Vaage from Orofino, played well and swept their competition. The team represented the region with skill, courage, sharing and joy—attributes of a Special Olympics athlete. The O-Stars Cheerleading Silver team won the National title at Pac West Nationals in the junior level 1 division in Portland, OR, March 3-4.

Casey Meza, CEO, St. Mary’s and Clearwater Valley Hospitals and Clinics, has accepted the Executive Director of Regional Services position with Kootenai Medical Center in Coeur d’Alene.

Boyd and Millie Brookshier have purchased The DogHouse business from Dana Losey.

April

This year the 12th Annual Orofino Spring Round-Up, held on April 14, was dedicated to the memory of Roy Clay, longtime businessman who was committed to serving Orofino and the people who live here.

Drake Hernandez was awarded Mr. OHS. He is the son of JJ and Ringo Hernandez.

World jet boat racers were welcomed by a meet and greet event held in the Orofino City Park. The meet and greet was sponsored by the Orofino Chamber of Commerce. Fans had the opportunity to talk with racers from various countries and see the fabulous boats before they hit the river the following day.

Robert Vian, who has been principal at Timberline Schools for the past year, has been hired as school district #171 superintendent, to replace Dale Durkee who has resigned effective at the end of this school term.

Heather Leach left the Idaho Department of Labor after 14 years for a new challenging opportunity where she is working for Manpower which, as a staffing company, is known as a world leader in workforce solutions.

Bob McKnight retired from the Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) after nearly 30 years.

W.J. (Bill) Lesmeister of Orofino was honored at the 74th Annual Avista Trailblazers dinner April 14, for 50 years as a member of the group.

Angela Miller, age 13, shot her first turkey April 15. The turkey had an 8 1/2 inch beard and weighed 24 pounds. Angela shot the turkey with her 20 gauge shotgun given to her from her grandpa Albert Lawrence. Angela is the daughter of Ken and Bonnie Miller.

Local amateur radio (HAM) operator, David Justesen, With the aid of other club members and computer/ internet resources, wrote the complex communications plan needed to ensure continuous radio communications that was crucial to the safety of the two-man crews racing their 100+ mph boats in the narrow canyons for the Toyota Weaver Seed World Jet Boat Marathon.

Jim Richards retired after 20 years as Maintenance Supervisor for the City of Pierce.

Coach Bo Cummings’ jersey was retired and presented to him during a ceremony between baseball games against Grangeville April 19.

May

Clearwater County Marine Deputy Mike Gladhart has been named Idaho’s Marine Deputy of the Year. He has been employed in law enforcement by Clearwater County for the past 10 years.

Dworshak Reservoir made the Bassmaster Magazine Top-100 list of best places to fish for bass, according to an April 24 release by B.A.S.S.

Orofino Celebrations, Inc. has assembled new aluminum bleachers to replace the old bleachers that were between the log arena and the city park.

Record crowds ushered in a new era of jet boat river racing in north central Idaho during the 2012 Toyota Weaver Seed World Jet Boat Marathon Championship held April 13-21. U.S.A. driver Ryan Rogers of Lewiston and Crabtree, OR navigator Gary Weaver won the overall championship title completing the fastest time piloting #285 Pure Insanity for all 24 race legs on the St. Joe, Snake, Clearwater and Salmon rivers.

The Clearwater Tribune received an American flag that was flown in Afghanistan from SSgt. David S. Taylor. The flag was his way of saying thank you to the Tribune for publishing an inspiring editorial written by SSgt. Taylor.

Orofino Maniacs mangled the Tigers of Kendrick (18-1) in the first of two games played in Orofino on May 4. The Maniacs wasted no time in making 13 runs in the first inning.

The Spartan Ladies’ track team broke two school records at the Meet of Champions in Lewiston on May 3. The medley relay team of Lacey Bonner, Morgan Willett, Mattlyn Brouwers and Aspen Jared placed first with a time of 1:56.23, breaking the 1988 school record by 1.27 seconds! Mattlyn Brouwers’ third place triple jump finish of 33’9” broke her own school record again by 12 inches!

Swade Patrick Malloy is serving a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Milan Italy Mission. Swade was raised in Reno, NV but has resided in Orofino for the past year and has spent summers here with his grandmother, Nancy Umphenour, for most of his life.

Shania Rales, a 2012 Orofino High School graduate, is the Kooskia Old Opera House Theatre American Idol winner. According to Shoni, “She came in second, but we just knew we had to make sure she had the chance to go for her dream. We decided that we would pay for her trip to an American Idol tryout in Denver.”

Success was sweet for Orofino’s Lady Maniacs softball team against Kendrick, (4-0) in the Idaho Class 2A District II championship game in Orofino, May 12. The Lady Maniacs are undefeated this season!

Six Timberline tracksters headed to state track May 18-19 in Meridian.

Angela Baldus has resigned as Orofino Elementary School principal after five years to accept a position as new principal for Highland Elementary School in Clarkston.

The Lady Spartans Track Team, consisting of Aspen Jared, Mattlyn Brouwers, Morgan Willett, and Lacey Bonner, brought home the gold and set a new 1A state record with their 1:53.83 finish in the 800m sprint medley!

June

Garold and Carol Choate celebrated their 50th anniversary with an open house June 2 at the Lenore Community Center.

Kelly and Ronnie Zink celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary with a family gathering at their daughter’s house in Culdesac.

Kenny Miller, age 12, shot his first turkey on the last day of turkey season. The turkey weighed 20 lbs and had a 9 inch beard. Kenny is the son of Ken and Bonnie Miller.

Dalton Jones, six years old, caught his first salmon off Ahsahka Bridge at 7:32 a.m. on Sunday, June 2. It took 12 minutes to get it in. The salmon was 31 inches long and weighed 13 pounds.

Annie Lozar retired from Walrath Insurance Agency. An open house was held Friday, June 29, in honor of Annie’s retirement.

James Harper of Orofino caught a monster Chinook salmon on Flag Day, June 14. He hooked a 21-pound, 40-inch-long salmon on his second cast, and it took 15 minutes to reel the fish to shore. Harper said in 52 years of living here, this is the largest salmon he’s ever caught.

Pierce youth to receive Eagle Scout award

 

Jonathan Syed, of Pierce, has been involved with scouting since he began as a Tiger Cub at six-years-old. At that time, there was a Scout Pack of Pierce and Weippe boys.

Unfortunately, after a couple years, the Hilltop pack disbanded due to a lack of interest, and Jonathan joined the very active Pack/Troop #536 of Orofino. For the past nine years, he has enjoyed many campouts and activities with this group.

Jonathan, now 17, will be honored at a special Eagle Scout ceremony Sunday, July 15, 5 p.m. at the Pierce Community Center. The public is invited to attend.

To earn Scouting’s highest award, Jonathan had to earn 21 merit badges, serve as a leader in his troop, and complete a major community service project.

Jonathan’s service project took place at the Chinese Hanging Site, along Highway 11, just south of Pierce. After almost nine months of research and planning, in June of 2010, Jonathan led a group of 11 Scouts and adults to perform the work of clearing the 360’ trail up to the historic site, and installing four interpretive signs along the path.

The signs begin with E.D. Pierce, arriving in the area on a gold-seeking expedition, discusses the ensuing gold rush, introduces the influx of the Chinese into the area, and the final sign details the Fraser murder and Chinese hanging incident.

Jonathan will be a senior at Timberline High School this upcoming year, and he plans to pursue a degree in criminal justice at the University of Massachusetts in the future.

Pierce Winter Festival Photos

Here are some photos of the always entertaining Pierce Winter Festival, held last weekend. All photos were submitted by Colleen Nelson.

Cassi Aderhold enjoying the Kid's Crafts

Jim Hall, Vicki Ludwig with their love seat entry

Justin Karst on Longhorn Steer Racer, Josh Radke catching a ride down the hill

Christopher Jenkins riding an examination table

Mary Jo Medley, Linda Turrill, Val Armachardy, The All Girls Ice Man Relay

Team

Linda Applington (in background) driving tractor with riders Brian, Kori and Anna Ross from Lewiston

Ethan Gilliam from one of the two Orofino teams jumping in Orofino Creek during the Ice Man Relay

Colton Jared, Dustin Hodges, Jake Jared and Greg Gerot (Studio 205 team - second year winners)

John Bergen, Greg Gerot walking their entry over the finish line

Josh Radke with S&S Foods’ Shopping Cart entry

Linda Smith and Randy McKinnon with Linda's Toilet Seat Racer

Lonnie Cowger with his son, Kelly

Harv Nelson signing "Passports to Pierce" for Joy Hall, her daughter Serina, and grandchildren Sasha and Dakota. Three of them won the drawing.

Shiloh Sharrard performing

Pete and Ben Lawrence, Sarah Nelson at Bald Mountain Ski Hill Sledding Party

Greg and Diane Gerot of Studio 205 with one of their winning team members, Dustin Hodges

Austin Flemming, Todd Billups, Jason Young, Randy McKinnon, Charlie Billups, Rob Harrell, Timber Inn's Ice Man Team

Todd Billups, reigning Bar Stool Champion won both trophies for the regular class and the Open class, pictured with Charlene and Joe Douglas from Black Dog Tackle

Rocky and Karen Smith from Lewiston