“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.

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.

Kayakers beware: Lolo Creek is unsafe

Dangerous areas like this have appeared on Lolo Creek since last year’s Incendiary Creek Fire, according to Clearwater County Sheriff’s Office.

Clearwater County Sheriff’s Office would like kayakers to be aware that Lolo Creek is extremely treacherous at this time, due to what happened with the Incendiary Creek Fire last year.

In August of 2013 the Incendiary Creek Fire burned approximately 1,100 acres in the Lolo Creek drainage in Clearwater County. Lolo Creek is the boundary line between Idaho and Clearwater counties, and runs into the Clearwater River.

In the spring of each year Lolo Creek becomes a popular area for kayakers, with most starting at the Lolo Creek Bridge near Weippe and ending at the Clearwater River.

During the fire last summer several large trees fell across the creek, completely blocking it. There were at least six trees completely across the Lolo Creek and concern that more would fall across over the winter. There was also concern about rock and mudslides along the creek due to the loss of vegetation from the fire.

An April flight over Lolo Creek found only a couple of problem areas where trees have fallen into the creek. The first area is approximately half a mile down from the bridge near Weippe. There is a complete blockage of the creek from trees, and it is not possible for a kayak to go over or under this blockage. This blockage is on a fairly calm part of the creek and should be easily seen from upstream. The bank would allow portage around this blockage.

The next blockage is from a single tree and appears that you could navigate around it. There are also several other trees that are currently sticking out over the creek and could become a problem during higher water or if they break off.

One of the challenges of Lolo Creek for kayakers is the inability to scout ahead before starting down the creek. In the past this has caused difficult Search and Rescue Operations for Clearwater County, when kayakers have gotten in trouble.

If you are considering kayaking on Lolo Creek this year, please be aware of the potential dangers.

Hiring to begin at National Guard Youth ChalleNGe school

By Alannah Allbrett

The Idaho National Guard Youth ChalleNGe (IDNG) School in Pierce is nearing the hiring stage. IDNG has issued a hiring plan which calls for a staggered schedule, and federal money has been released to begin the long awaited program.

Idaho will fund $1.4 million, with matching federal dollars of $4.2 million. Superintendent, Bob Vian, speaking Monday evening to the School Board, passed along the rather convoluted path the money will travel. “The state sends the money to us” he said. “We send the money to the military; the military is going to send a check to us for the teachers and students. It will be paid for in full by them” he stated. “The Food Service Program will be contracted, billed high, and adjusted every month based upon use.”

The school year will be a longer one for teachers, teaching for 22 weeks, taking a four week break, and going for another 22 weeks, thereby earning contract teachers double the regular salary. The school will be “broken out” as a separate entity from Joint School District 171, otherwise the increased salaries would figure into the district’s overall average. That would negatively affect the Pay for Performance structure currently in place. Mr. Vian said the IDNG School will be one of the only schools in Idaho that, in fact, has money.

The school district will contract with the National Guard for school bussing, food, and educational staff. The state will advertise for a head teacher (Principal) in January 2013.

Mr. Vian said the school, by its nature, will call for unique staffing. There will be a G.E.D. program for former drop-out students, attempting to earn a high school equivalency diploma. Students will also do community service on weekends, tied in t d teacher, as there is a high special education threshold involved,” said Mr. Vian.

Vian said the IDNG program, unlike the one in Bremerton, WA, will be required to take every student “that walks through the door.” There is a catch, however, once a student has entered the program and leaves voluntarily, is expelled, or leaves the campus unauthorized, he or she will not be allowed to return to the program. “It’s kind of like a high school dance,” said Vian. “Once in – and once out.”

The program will have a very military structure to it with a Commandant, and Cadré Leaders. Students will be working virtually ‘round the clock including mandatory weekend study halls. When asked if the students would be provided with religious services, Mr. Vian said, knowing the military, he was sure they would have a Chaplain or other religious activity of some sort.

A Program Coordinator and RPM Coordinator will be hired in December of this year. Beginning January 2013, the following positions will be filled: a Budget Officer; Recruiter; Commandant; LOG Specialist, and an Administrative Assistant.

By March, a Lead Teacher (Principal); Lead Counselor; MIS; two RPM Assistants; an Administrative Assistant, and a Maintenance person will be hired.

Five contract instructors; two Counselors, and two Case Managers will come on board in May. In September 2013, three Shift Supervisors; a Cadre Team Leader; a Nurse Practitioner, and Medical Assistant will join the team.

The school is set up to accommodate up to 120 students. There will be a total of 54 positions, 33 initial hires and 8 contracted workers, with 13 additional positions to be filled as the program grows.

Mr. Vian, accompanied by the district’s Business Manager, Special Education Director, Food Service Manager, and probably one special education teacher, will travel to Bremerton, WA to observe the National Guard operation there. The Guard will begin an advertising campaign within ten days, to include television, radio, and newsprint media announcements on the program’s particulars. Their website is located at: http://www.youthchallengeidaho.org/.

Historic Pierce Cemetery Friends Memorial Day celebration

Forty-one American flags will be placed at the Pierce Cemetery on Monday, May 28. 

Volunteers are invited to join the Historic Pierce Cemetery Friends on Monday, May 28 (Memorial Day) at the Pierce Cemetery. This year the group will be displaying 41 Memorial Flags. 

Flag set up will be at 8 a.m. At 7 p.m. the group will take the flags down. It is our goal to be able to display flags at the Pierce Cemetery on special days with the help of volunteers. 

To accomplish this goal, the group is asking for donations to purchase Memorial Flags. This project is intended to beautify the cemetery and honor Veterans and loved ones who have served and sacrificed for us. 

The purchase price of $100 includes the flag, flagpole, hardware to attach the flag, in–ground pole holder, and a memorial plaque. Any individual or group may purchase a flag in memory of a Veteran or a loved one, regardless of whether the person is buried at the Pierce Cemetery 

Anyone wishing to assist with this project by making a donation of $100 may do so by contacting Dan and Patty Goodrich at (208) 464-2333. Please join the Pierce Cemetery Friends in this worthwhile project!

Lack of funds put Pierce youth challenge on hold

The National Guard sponsored Youth Challenge program at Pierce has been put on hold due to lack of funding.

The school was intended to go into the vacated Pierce Elementary School which is owned by the School District.

The program would have employed about 50 persons and could serve 100 youth at a time in two 22-courses per year.

A public affairs officer for the National Guard reports the program will not be opening anytime soon but remains a priority for Idaho Gov. Butch Otter and the Guard.

The program is funded three-quarters by the federal government and one-fourth by the state. The program is designed for at-risk youth between 16 and 18 to help them get back on track with their education.

In the case of Idaho the Guard had been given the authorization to start the school but no funding according to a Guard public affairs officer.

The initial cost would be $4 million with $1 million from state sources.

Gov. Otter tried to seek private donations after the Idaho legislature indicated last year it would not put money toward the program. But so far that has not worked out according to the Guard spokesperson.

The program would have employed about 50 persons and could serve 100 youths at a time in two 22-courses per year.