It's official: Everyone is sick of winter

By Andrea Dell

Ask a Clearwater County resident how they're doing this week, and you'll likely get some version of "Good, but I am sick of this weather."

After a winter that brought the most snow we've had in at least 20 years, snow and rain continue to hammer us. This week has been particularly dreary, with endless rain causing ponding in city streets and some residential areas of Orofino.

The Clearwater Basin's snowpack, unsurprisingly, is above normal for this time of year. The snowpack typically melts in May and June, and that runoff is what most affects the Clearwater River. It's hard to predict what will happen, but a high river and some ponding in Orofino City Park are definitely in the realm of possibility.

Higher elevations, including Pierce and Weippe, continue to receive several inches of snow that sticks. Orofino has seen snowfall, but it always melts the same day it falls, and is a skiff or less.

The soil is saturated from all the precipitation, causing rock slides left and right. Today, trees unable to stay rooted in the soaked soil tipped onto power lines in two different locations - once at a downtown residence, and another time along Highway 12.

The section of Highway 12 between Orofino and Kamiah has seen the most rock slides, but there have also been slides on the Lewiston side of the Highway, plus on roads in the county such as Grangemont, Highway 11, and Upper Fords Creek.

What the weather has in store for residents as we move into spring remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Clearwater County is ready for sunshine!

Slipping and sliding in a winter wonderland

By Andrea Dell

"When I was your age, I waded through 20 feet of snow for 10 miles just to reach the bus stop!"

I exaggerate (a bit), but you're probably grinning after reading that first sentence, either because you've heard this from your parents or grandparents, or you've said something similar to your children or grandchildren.

Clearwater County's winters over the last several years have been comparatively mild. Maybe a few inches of snow here and there, and a couple weeks of near-zero degree weather. 

We'd hear stories of the east coast getting hammered with two or three feet of snow and raging wind gusts, and think, "Thank God it's not like that here."

Then came winter 2016.

No, it's still not as bad as the east coast.

But, it's had more snowfall than I can remember in several years. Even people dreaming of a white Christmas are saying, "Okay, I'm over it!"

The National Weather Service says this particular weather system comes along every four years or so. Seems like it's been longer than that since we've seen this much snow here in the valley.

Next week, yet another rare weather system is supposed to descend with a round of bitterly cold temperatures, where the HIGHS will "struggle to reach zero degrees." That's Fahrenheit, not Celsius.

The lows, meanwhile, could drop down to -15 or so a couple days next week, in some areas.

As of this writing, the actual forecast for Orofino says highs in the mid-teens and lows around zero degrees, give or take a couple of degrees.

Orofino often doesn't get hit quite as hard as other places by these extreme weather conditions. Surrounding areas often do.

Meanwhile, we can expect more snow until that cold snap arrives to welcome us to the new year.

Take a look at the photo with this post. It's the rear entrance to Orofino City Park. There's even more snow piled up there than is pictured, and this image was taken less than a week ago.

The roads aren't going to improve for the foreseeable future. Neither are the sidewalks, many of which are slick with ice or three inches of gooey slush.

The town is quiet, and business is slow, as people wisely stay off some very scary roads. Those who don't often find themselves stuck, or in a fender bender. If they're lucky, they get by with a white-knuckle, fish-tailing round trip.

Wherever you are as you're reading this, I hope your new year is the best one yet. And if you're huddling in the throes of a real winter, as we are here in Clearwater County, stay warm and safe. We at the Clearwater Tribune will see you next year.

Orofino City Park's rear entrance is pictured in late December, 2016. Photo by Charlie Pottenger.

Fun for the whole family at 1860 Days Aug. 5-7

Who’s good at Pie-Eating? Got a talent for creating the culinary masterpiece using berries or cherries? How about slinging buckets of water? Then, we are looking for you! 

Pierce 1860 Days will be chock-full of awesome games and contests, guaranteed to get everyone involved. Just check this list out: Berry/Cherry Bake-Off - Bring your bestest, most beautiful treat to the contest Friday, August 5, and you might just win some cool cash. 

On Saturday, bet on a Duck in the Ducky Derby (sponsored by the Timberline Girls’ Basketball Team), and watch your duck float to victory (cash involved here, too). 

The Studio 205 Stick-Horse Roundup gives kids a chance at a variety of ‘horsey’ talents, all on Main Street, for coveted ribbons.

Have a knack for Dutch oven cooking? Sign up at The Outback to show off your finest Dutch oven accomplishments for bragging rights and cash prizes.

All the while on Main Street, there are many fun contests to join and stay cool! Pierce Hardware hosts the Ping Pong Ball Drop, a long-time 1860 Days tradition, all kids are welcome, with prizes galore. 

Have you ever, ever, experienced our amazing Water Balloon Toss, complete without many rules, just the last duo to have their water balloon intact! Really, this has to be enjoyed on a hot afternoon. 

Last, on Saturday, is another wet one. Gather up your team of six and sign up for the Bucket Brigade Contest - team of six; 2 over 21, two under 12, and two of any age…race to fill an empty barrel with puny one-gallon buckets. The best thing is the spilling!

Sunday might seem like a slow day (starts off that way), and then it all amps up after 1 p. m! How ‘bout the old fashioned Kids’ Sack Race, Three-Legged Race, and the now famous Pie-Eating contest, for Kids and Adult Kids. This should not be missed. Oh, and yes, another rousing Water Balloon Toss!

Don’t miss the fun; please pick up one of our 1860 Days programs, available almost everywhere. The schedule of events is posted on pierce-weippechamber.com, along with parade and vendor forms. The schedule can also be seen on windowontheclearwater.com. 

There is much more, so read the next chapter next week! See you in Pierce Aug. 5-7!

Dworshak Reservoir makes Bassmaster Magazine’s list of Top 100 best bass fishing spots for fifth year in a row

For the fifth year in a row, Dworshak Reservoir, a water-recreation destination managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Walla Walla District, made the nationwide Bassmaster Magazine Top-100 list of best places to fish for bass, according to information released June 20 by B.A.S.S. Communications at https://www.bassmaster.com/best-bass-lakes.

Dworshak Reservoir, located near Ahsahka, on the north fork of the Clearwater River, ranked as number five in the Western Region. In previous years’ Top-100 lists, it ranked: 2015 - 74, 2014 - 47, 2013 - 26 and 2012 - 85. This year marks Bassmaster’s fifth year of publishing the Top-100 list.

Bassmaster made a significant change in organizing the rankings for this year’s list: “The Top 10 lakes in the nation are ranked regardless of location, but instead of ranking the remaining lakes through 100, as has been done in the past, Bassmaster divided the nation into four regions: Northeast, Southeast, Central and Western. Now, readers will see the Top 25 lakes closest to them. This also created four No. 1 regional fisheries.” 

“We’re extremely pleased to be recognized for providing some of the best bass fishing in the nation,” said Paul Pence, Dworshak Dam and Reservoir natural resources manager. “Combined with our campgrounds, marinas and boat launches, we offer some great outdoors recreation experiences for our visitors.”

Bass clubs and other outdoor recreation groups frequently choose Dworshak for group events and tournaments, according to Corps park rangers at the dam. Organizations interested in scheduling an event at Dworshak, call the visitor center at 208-476-1255 to find out how to apply for a special use permit.

Dworshak reservoir extends 53 miles upstream of Dworshak Dam, with a surface area of 17,090 at full-pool, about 175 shoreline miles, and dozens of secluded inlets, streams, rocky points, stumps and long bars creating ideal bass-fishing conditions. The state-record smallmouth bass record, weighing in at 9.72 pounds, was caught on Dworshak Reservoir by Dan Steigers of Juliaetta, on Oct. 28, 2006. Dworshak Dam is a large straight-axis concrete gravity dam 717 feet high and 3,287 feet long. Its construction led to the development of various marinas, boat launches and camping facilities on the reservoir. 

The Columbia River in Oregon and Washington, downstream of McNary Dam to Portland, managed by the Corps’ Portland District, ranked number 18 in the Western Region. This stretch of the river also regularly made the cut on past years’ Bassmaster Top-100 lists.

Natural resources recreation opportunities are managed by the Corps’ Walla Walla, Portland and Seattle districts along much of the Columbia River’s length through the United States. 

The Columbia River runs about 1,200 miles from its headwaters in British Columbia, Canada, through Washington and Oregon to the Pacific Ocean near Astoria, Oregon. The Corps operates five dams on the Columbia River mainstem, each forming a lake and water recreation opportunities including fishing.

More information about Walla Walla District outdoor recreation opportunities is available at www.nww.usace.army.mil/corpsoutdoors. Portland District recreation information is available at http://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/Missions/Recreation/.

A photographic slide show of all top bass locations and their rankings in the Western Region is available on the Bassmaster Magazine website at http://www.bassmaster.com/best-bass-lakes/slideshow/25-best-bass-lakes-west.

In harm’s way after the fire

By Elizabeth Morgan

Clearwater County’s Emergency Management team, under the direction of Don Gardner, advised those residing along Orofino Creek, near the area burned in the Orofino-area Municipal Fire this past year, of some potential risks in the fire’s aftermath.

Of the 22 people who attended the public meeting Feb. 22, more than half were officials from the city and county, the National Weather Service out of Missoula, MT, and a field officer from the Bureau of Homeland Security. 

Issues of concern

Hydrologist Ray Nickless of Missoula’s National Weather Service described the patterns he’s noted in regions affected by wildfires. He shared a couple of fairly recent videos illustrating the intensity of debris flows and flash floods near Salmon and Helena, MT, where wildfires had burned two to three years ago.

As jaws dropped and eyebrows were raised, Nickless assured his audience that the acreage we lost in last summer’s fire was much smaller than those in the videos. 

Geological and terrain studies performed by both the Corps of Engineers and the Forest Service illustrated areas where the fire had burned the hottest, and its impact on the ground.

Aerial maps indicated the draws and drainages along the steep hillside which flow toward Orofino Creek which were of particular concern.

“Presently,” said Nickless, “even though there are many dead trees along the hillside, their roots are still holding the soil. We will be more watchful once those roots begin to decompose in the next couple of years when the potential for harm is greater.

Still, this winter’s precipitation and recent wet weather isn’t as threatening as it might seem, and still not bad as spring rains continue in April and May. Nickless predicts the greatest potential danger in the months of July and August, when our area experiences torrential downpours from thunderstorms which seem to come from out of the blue.

A heavy amount of precipitation within a short period of time is something we need to watch, such as those thunderstorms producing one-half inch or more of rain within 30 minutes to an hour’s time. 

Landslide vs. mudslide, debris flows, flash floods

Landslides are slow to evolve. Signs of trees bending, telephone poles, retaining walls or fences leaning are another indicator. Watch for new cracks or unusual bulges in the ground.

Mudslides, debris flows, and flash floods can transpire much faster. These are harder to predict and often occur with little warning.

By planning ahead, and knowing ahead of time how and where to access the heavy machinery, we can clear debris from the creek if needed. It would be much easier to clear than if there were to be a mudslide. If debris were to lodge against the bridge or take it out, the situation becomes much worse.

What the city and county are doing

“As a county and city we felt it important to let you know what we know,” said Gardner. 

Having done his homework, Gardner will apply for the F MAG (Flood Mitigation Assistance Grant) from FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) for $400,000. The application’s closing deadline is March 10.

“It will take a couple of months to be approved and a few months beyond that to receive the money,” Gardner explained. “We’re looking toward the fall, before we have the funds. Then we’ll restore, reforest, and replant, then worry about weeds, as they love that open ground.”

Traditionally, government assistance is designated for roads, bridges, courthouses, etc. “This is one of those rare grants which is actually permitted to be spent on private lands,” assured Gardner.

“From my perspective, I see no issues this winter,” said Gardner. “The roots are still intact, and soon new grasses and growth will help stabilize the hillside. Later, this summer, there will be some concern, but next year, next summer, we’re going to have to be vigilant. The good thing is we have time to think about how to deal with it.”

For now, NOAA Weather Radios were distributed to those at the greatest risk for weather coverage and severe storm alerts available 24/7.

The radio helps to keep people informed of severe storms in neighboring counties and can sometimes send a warning three-five hours ahead of the storm. Still for some systems it may only be 45 minutes. But 45 minutes still allows for time to evacuate. 

If you were unable to attend but live in an area at risk, please contact Don Gardner at the Clearwater County Office of Emergency Management at 2200 Michigan Ave. or call (208) 476-4064. 

What individuals can do…before

Be aware of your surroundings.

Have a plan before it is needed.

Inform neighbors of any potential hazards.

Notify the sheriff’s office where and with whom (contact number) you are staying, should it be necessary to self-evacuate.

Help a neighbor who may need special assistance.

Stay alert and awake. Many fatalities occur at night, when people are sleeping.

And after…

Plant trees, grasses and shrubs to help stabilize the soil.

Trees which have been burned and are not being harvested may be used by placing them horizontally on the hillside to catch or impede the speed of debris and rocks being washed down.

A word of caution to homeowners: “Flood insurance does not cover mud slides.”

Having a plan doesn’t always guarantee that things will go the way we would like them to, but it does make us think beforehand and allow extra time to prepare. Make and review your plan with your family and loved ones at least once a year.

Last summer, we watched half of our town go up in smoke, with nary a warning. Let’s use this information and this time to prepare whatever and wherever we can. Being ready and alert will make all the difference.

Summer fire season is just around the corner—are you ready?

By Janet Boyer

Believe it or not, the summer fire season is just around the corner. Sunnyside Rural Fire District is hosting a “Firewise” presentation for the area residents on Thursday, Feb. 25, at 6:30 p.m., at the Sunnyside Fire Station.

Kip Kemak, Fire Prevention and Mitigation Specialist for the Nez Perce Tribe, will explain how you can prepare your home to better withstand a wildfire in your neighborhood.

There are many simple, effective steps you can take this spring to prepare your home before it is in danger. 

One of the most effective ways to reduce your risk during a wildfire is to reduce the level of flammable vegetation surrounding your home. This can also increase the moisture content of the remaining vegetation.

You will learn how to keep your home safer during fire season while still retaining its rural appearance.

Sunnyside Fire Station is located at about mile marker 7 on the Cavendish Highway.

If you have any questions, please contact Janet Boyer, Sunnyside Firewise Coordinator, at 208-476-0102, or Rich Hull, Fire Chief, at 208-827-0127.

Municipal Fire Damage meeting Feb. 22

Another fire meeting, this time covering the Municipal Fire that hit the Orofino area last summer, will be held Monday, Feb. 22, 6 p.m. at Orofino City Hall (217 1st St.)

The purpose of this meeting is to share with the public the results of a study done by the Corps of Engineers and Forest Service BEAR team. These studies looked at the damage done by the 2015 fire and the possible impacts.

They will discuss the possible landslide and debris flows along Orofino Creek and what the city and county are doing in relationship to the risk. They will also share what individuals can do.

Idaho fastest growing state in over-the-year job growth; December unemployment rate unchanged at 3.9%

Idaho’s 4.4 percent over-the-year growth of seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs in December was the nation’s fastest–the third consecutive month Idaho has held this distinction. 

The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.9 percent in December–unchanged from November due to a labor force increase of 2,600 workers. December’s labor force increase was the largest December increase since 2004 and pushed the state’s total labor force above 806,000.

Clearwater County’s unemployment rate crept up between November and December, from 8% to 8.4%. The December rate for 2015 was less than the December 2014 rate of 12.1%.

Idaho County’s December unemployment rate dropped to 5.2%, down from November’s rate of 5.7%. Last December’s rate was 8.8%.

The December unemployment rate for Lewis County jumped to 6.4%, up from November’s rate of 5.3%. Lewis County’s December 2015 was higher than the 2014 rate of 5.3%.

In Nez Perce County, there was a slight decrease in the November to December unemployment rate, from 3.6% to 3.3%. December’s rate was also lower than last year’s rate of 5.4%.

Idaho’s labor force participation rate—the percentage of people 16 years and older with jobs or looking for work—increased to 64.3 percent after November’s rate was revised down to 64.1 percent.

Idaho’s nonfarm job growth of 4.4 percent was the largest gain in Idaho since 2005, with a seasonally adjusted increase of 29,100 jobs from December 2014 to December 2015. The greatest gains were in construction, manufacturing and real estate. Mining and logging, information, and state government were the only sectors to show declines.

Over the month, Idaho nonfarm payrolls grew by a seasonally adjusted 0.4 percent between November and December due to strong showings in manufacturing and wholesale trade.

With December’s total employment at 774,543 and only 31,460 unemployed people looking for work, there were only 1.2 unemployed individuals per job listing, according to The Conference Board. 

Nationally, the unemployment rate also remained unchanged at 5.0 percent. This was the third consecutive month the rate has held flat for the nation.

Annually, unemployment insurance benefit payments were down from December 2014 by 16 percent, from $3.241 million a year ago to $2.736 million in December 2015, while the number of weeks compensated dropped 20 percent from a weekly average of 11,471 to a weekly average of 9,159.

Twenty-seven Idaho counties reported unemployment rates above the state average, with the highest of 8.5 percent in Shoshone County. The remaining 17 counties match or were below the state rate; the lowest rate of 2.6 percent was reported in Madison County.

Among the metropolitan statistical areas, Coeur d’Alene had the highest rate with 4.8 percent and Idaho Falls the lowest with 3.2 percent.

For more information on Idaho’s unemployment picture visit lmi.Idaho.gov.

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.

Orofino Police seek victims of Shake It Off Fitness scam

Orofino Police Department is asking anyone who was victimized by the Shake It Off Fitness scam over Orofino Lumberjack Days to file a police report with them, if you have not already done so. Please stop by their office at 217 E 1st Street (across from Hanson Garage), or call (208) 476-5551.

Shake It Off Fitness was present at the 2015 Orofino Lumberjack Days. The company offered for purchase the machine, described as a set of fitness plates that the company claimed would assist with a person’s health and fitness levels in various ways, such as increasing circulation, improving blood pressure, and massaging muscles, amongst other things, according to Officer Skye Ortiz with Orofino Police Department.

Victims were convinced to pre-pay $1,549 for the plates, which the company claimed they would ship to them, according to Officer Ortiz. Officer Ortiz described the scam as a pyramid scheme. So far, no one who ordered the machine has received one.

There are victims in Lewiston and Nezperce as well, according to Officer Ortiz, who also explained that, due to the number of people who have been affected by this scam, the FBI has been contacted.

Lewiston Police Department has reported that Shake It Off was present at the Nez Perce County Fair as well, conducting the same scam.

If you purchased from or gave any money to Shake It Off Fitness, please file a police report with Orofino Police Department (or the law enforcement agency in your town) as soon as possible.

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/.

“SAXsational” free concert with OJSHS band Nov. 17

Rob Verdi, SAXsational, will perform with Orofino’s Junior/Senior High School Tuesday, Nov. 17.

Clearwater Community Concert Association (CCCA) on Tuesday, Nov. 17 is presenting a free concert to the community. This free concert was made possible through grants that were awarded to CCCA this year from U.S. Bank, King’s Store Foundation through the Idaho Community Foundation, the Greatest Needs Fund through the Idaho Community Foundation, and an On the Spot Grant from the Idaho Community Foundation.

These grants were made possible, in part, due to the tireless work of CCCA grant writer and vice president, Barbara-Lee Jordan. Included as part of the grant is a student outreach program (which is required to receive these grants).Through cooperation of Kathleen Tetweiler, Music Director for Orofino Junior/Senior High School, Orofino’s own junior/senior band will be performing with Rob Verdi in SAXsational! Additionally, musicians from the community will be performing along with them. 

Verdi will participate in a two-hour rehearsal with the band members the day of the concert. He will then play lead on a variety of saxophones at the concert itself Nov. 17 beginning at 7 p.m. at Orofino Junior/Senior High School. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Student outreach programs are a wonderful tool that introduce young audiences to an eclectic mix of rare and unusual saxophones, famous saxophonists and well known popular melodies associated with Adolphe Sax’s 1846 invention. Educational content is designed for each academic level and may include clinics, masterclasses and all school assemblies.

Presentations for high school and college students include hands on participation as further advanced techniques related to jazz improvisation are explored. In our case, students will be invited to perform in the formal concert presentation. Rob Verdi’s unique teaching style and passion for music education is guaranteed to inspire young students.

Back in the early 1920’s, Vaudeville shows were the hot ticket. Saxophone virtuosos Rudy Weideoft and Adrian Rollini, along with famous saxophone ensembles such as the 6 Brown Brothers and the Schuester Sisters, were achieving great success and notoriety. The saxophone was the most well-liked instrument and a popular choice for young, aspiring music students to play in school band. 

Then, in the late 20’s, Vaudeville fell out of favor and the saxophone declined with it. With the drop in saxophone sales manufacturers such as Conn, Buescher, King, and Selmer were forced to create new designs to stimulate interest in the saxophone. What they conjured up was quite extraordinary.

In 2006 Rob Verdi launched an exciting new show entitled SAXOPHOBIA, which offered audiences a glimpse at some of the most unusual saxophones ever manufactured and paid tribute to legendary artists who contributed to the development of jazz and the popularity of the saxophone. Some of the instruments featured were a tiny curved soprano sax, straight tenor, C melody, connosax, slide sax, Grafton plastic alto, and a 6 1/2 feet tall contrabass. 

SAXsational, Rob Verdi's latest musical endeavor, has given Orofino’s high school band the opportunity to share the stage with him and his rare collection of saxophones. This guest artist program includes custom arrangements and puts our student’s center stage.

Together, Rob and Orofino’s talented musicians will explore a repertoire covering a half century of musical styles including toe tapping songs of the Roaring 20’s, hits from the swing era, and popular jazz standards. Throw in a little Pink Panther, Tequila, and Yakety Sax just for fun, and you’ve got an educational, historical and entertaining presentation.

Rob received his Music Education Degree from Arizona State University in Tempe. While in Arizona he was a featured soloist with the Phoenix Symphony, performed in a variety of musical ensembles and enjoyed the excitement of teaching junior high music. In 1983 he was a founding member of the Side Street Strutters Jazz Band, which went on to become the house jazz band of the Disneyland Resort for 22 years. Rob continues to be a regular performer at Disneyland, conducts jazz workshops for the Disney Magic Music Days Guest Talent program and works as a freelance musician in the Los Angeles area.

His passion for collecting saxophones has resulted in a collection of over 100 saxophones and an additional 150 rare wind, brass, and percussion instruments. In 2008, Rob was featured playing his six-and-a-half-foot tall contrabass sax on the soundtrack of “Horton Hears a Who.” He hopes to someday establish a musical instrument museum where visitors of all ages can see, hear, and even play some of his rare instruments.

If you would like further information about CCCA or would like to join the CCCA you can do so by calling Sheila at 208-476-3895 or go to www.clearwaterconcerts.org.

Weitas Creek Bridge across the North Fork of the Clearwater River re-opens

The historic Weitas Creek Bridge, closed in 2009 has been re-opened. The bridge was placed across the North Fork of the Clearwater River in the late 1930s as part of a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) project. 

The impromptu ribbon cutting ceremony and signing of the order to open the bridge occurred on September 28 during a field tour for Forest and Regional recreational program staff. 

In addition to Forest staff, Alex and Julia Irby were at the bridge site for the ceremony. Alex and Julia have a long history of enjoying recreational opportunities along the beautiful North Fork River; Alex is currently co-chair of the Clearwater Basin Collaborative (CBC) Recreation Sub-Committee and a founding member of the Public Lands Access Year round (PLAY) group.

Don Ebert, Clearwater County Commissioner extended his regrets for not being able to attend the ceremony. However, he let Forest staff know how much he appreciated the invitation and the fact that the bridge had been restored to a serviceable condition.

He noted that his appreciation was not only personal but that of the county government and the people of the area. He thanked all of those folks that had a part in the success.

Clearwater County and surrounding communities will benefit from reopening the bridge as it restores access to the Weitas Creek Campground. Access is also restored to recreational opportunities that have not been available in recent years including access to the lower Weitas Creek for OHVs, motorcycles, stock users, outfitters, fisherman, and hikers; and access to an approximate 100-mile looped single track motorcycle route. 

The bridge was closed six years ago due to public safety concerns. The original estimate to repair the bridge was approximately two million dollars; a price tag the Forest just couldn’t afford. Over the years, Forest staff along with community partners explored alternative funding sources while Forest engineer, Travis Mechling, explored ways to lower the cost of needed repairs. 

In January of 2013 the Forest completed a preliminary engineering analysis on how to best repair the bridge and refine the repair estimate provided by the earlier study. From this study, it appeared that repairing the bridge was an economically feasible option.

This more economical proposal included completing a fracture critical inspection and a subsurface scour investigation to determine scour potential. As part of the proposal, inspections of all steel tension members and connecting pins to insure soundness were completed, and no unforeseen concerns with the steel superstructure were found. This left only the two primary safety concerns regarding the bridge pier caps and footings to repair. 

In 2014, the North Central Idaho Resource Advisory Council (RAC) approved $195,000 of Title II funds to complete the less expensive repair. With these funds, the Forest contracted Engleman Steel Erection from Boise to repair the bridge.

To complete repairs, the bridge was lifted off the pier caps so new concrete pier caps could be cast in-place then the bridge lowered back down onto the new caps; other repairs included removing and patching deteriorated concrete, and placing rip rap around the pier footings to mitigate for possible scour during high flows.

Cheryl Probert, Forest Supervisor, signs the order to open the bridge after the repairs. Also in attendance are Alex Irby (left), CBC Recreation Sub Committee Co-Chair, and Andrew Skowland (right), District Ranger on the North Fork Ranger District. Photo by George Bain, Regional Office Recreation Program Director.

August unemployment rate ticks up to 4.2%

An increase of 400 people looking for work nudged August’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate up a tenth of a point to 4.2 percent.

A seasonal decline of 500 nonfarm jobs – a 0.1 percent decline - in private higher education offset a modest August payroll gain in construction, manufacturing and service sector jobs. At a five-year average monthly change of 0.2 percent, August is typically a month of minor changes.

Year-over-year the numbers tell a different story. Nonfarm payrolls are up by 3 percent over last year due to an across-the-board gain of 19,800 jobs, underscoring 12 months of healthy economic growth, with the biggest gains in construction, trade, professional services and healthcare.

Even though August’s labor force increase was the smallest monthly increase so far this year, it was the eighth month in a streak of labor force gains, reflecting an annual increase of 21,000 people – or 2.7 percent - the largest percentage increase since March 2006.

With only one unemployed worker for every job opening, Idaho’s labor market continued to tighten in August, according to job opening estimates by The Conference Board.

Idaho’s labor force participation rate - the percentage of people 16 years and older with jobs or looking for work - remained unchanged at 64.1 percent for the third consecutive month.

Nationally, unemployment fell to 5.1 in August, from 5.3 percent in July.

Clearwater County’s rate fell slightly from July, to 7.8 percent, compared with July’s rate of 7.9 percent. In August of last year the rate was 8.9 percent.

Lewis County’s rate climbed to 4.7 percent in August, up from 4.3 in July and 4.1 last August.

Idaho County’s rate also climbed from July to August, 6.4 to 6.6, respectively, but was still down from last year’s August rate of 7.2 percent.

Nez Perce County’s August rate of 4.0 was exactly the same as August 2014’s rate. It was up a bit from this July’s rate of 3.9 percent.

The state’s unemployment benefit payouts were down from July by nearly 21 percent in August to $1.29 million, with the number of claimants receiving benefits declining by 25 percent to 4,597.

Twenty-four Idaho counties experienced higher unemployment rates than the state average during August. Madison County claimed the lowest unemployment rate in the state at 3.1 percent, while Adams, Clearwater and Shoshone counties reported the highest rates.

Almost all of Idaho’s Metropolitan Statistical Areas had unemployment rates below the state average except for the Coeur d’Alene MSA at 5.1 percent. The Idaho Falls MSA remained unchanged from July with the lowest unemployment rate of the MSAs at 3.7 percent.

Additional insight into Idaho’s unemployment picture can be found at lmi.Idaho.gov.

Rural Idaho since the recession

It’s been six years since Idaho began to recover from the 2007-09 recession, according to the University of Idaho’s Idaho at a Glance newsletter. Some facets of Idaho’s demographics and economics have changed significantly, while others have barely budged.

The National Bureau of Economic Research defines a recession as a period of time during which the national gross domestic product (adjusted for inflation) decreases for two consecutive quarters.

The latest economic recession, which lasted 18 months (from December 2007 to June 2009) was the longest recession since the 1930s.

About one-third of Idahoans live in rural counties (compared to 14% nationwide), yet rural counties comprise 32 of Idaho’s 44 counties.

In this article, “rural” refers to the 32 of Idaho’s 44 counties that the U.S. Office of Management and Budget classifies as nonmetropolitan. Rural counties have no urbanized area with at least 50,000 people; nor are they linked to such an area through commuting patterns.

The 12 counties considered urban make up Idaho’s metropolitan areas: Boise-Nampa-Caldwell (five counties), Idaho Falls (three counties), Pocatello (two counties), Coeur d’Alene (one county), and Lewiston (one county).

Urban counties are defined as have an urbanized area with at least 50,000 people, or are linked to such an area in a neighboring county through commuting patterns, according to the UI newsletter.

Demographic changes

Since the recession ended, population growth in rural Idaho has stagnated, growing less than 1 percent, from 544,000 to 548,000, an increase of just 4,000 people.

Urban Idaho, on the other hand, has seen its population grow by 6%, with Ada, Canyon, and Kootenai counties leading the way at 8.5%, 7.5%, and 6.4%, respectively. In 2010 urban Idaho’s population was 1,023,000. In 2014 it was 1,086,000, an increase of more than 63,000 people.

Almost 40% of rural Idahoans live in counties that lost population between 2010 and 2014, compared with just 2% of urban Idahoans. Rural counties with the biggest losses include: Clark (-12%), Camas (-7%), and Custer (-5%).

Rural counties with the biggest gains include Twin Falls (5%), and Cassia and Latah (both 3%).

Idaho’s Hispanic population is altering the landscape as well. Between 2010-13, rural Idaho’s Hispanic population grew by 6%, compared to a 1% decline in the population of Idaho’s rural, non-Hispanic population.

Agriculture plays a significant role in rural counties where Hispanics make up a large share of the population. These counties include Clark (42% Hispanic), Jerome (34% Hispanic), Minidoka (33%), Power (31%), and Gooding (29%).

Both rural and urban Idaho counties have lost jobs during the recession, and remain at below pre-recession levels. Since job growth finally returned in 2010, rural areas have experienced a 2.6% increase, and urban jobs have increased 4.8%.

Rural Idaho has experienced an out-net migration since 2010 (more people leaving than coming in), while urban Idaho experienced net in-migration that contributed to overall population growth.

Idaho’s growth after the recession was due, in part, to positive natural change: more births than deaths. Both urban and rural Idaho experienced positive natural change rates of 3% between 2010 and 2014. In rural Idaho, this increase was enough to make up for losses due to out-migration.

Five rural counties still had more deaths than births, which reflects decades of young people moving away, and older people aging in place. These counties are: Clearwater, Shoshone, Lemhi, Washington, and Idaho.

Economic changes

Though Idaho’s job market in both rural and urban areas has seen gains of late, they remain below pre-recession levels. By 2013 the jobs in rural counties were 4% lower than pre-recession levels. In urban counties they were 3% lower. Rural counties with significant job losses since the recession include: Lemhi (7% loss), and Bonner, Elmore, and Clearwater (each with a loss of 4%).

Rural Idaho’s unemployment rates are inching down, but remain high. In 2010, a year after the average annual unemployment rate peaked in urban Idaho, rural Idaho’s unemployment rate peaked at 9.1%.

Rates since then have declined, but average annual unemployment rates in both rural and urban Idaho remain higher than pre-recession levels. Rural unemployment rates ranged from 3.3% in Madison County to 10% in both Adams and Shoshone counties.

Wages are higher in Idaho’s urban counties, but rural Idaho’s are beginning to catch up since the beginning of the recession. At the start of the recession, the average wage per job in rural Idaho was $6,939 less than in urban Idaho. By 2013, that gap had narrowed to $5,431. Unlike urban wages, rural Idaho’s wages increased during the recession, and have surpassed pre-recession levels.

The gap between urban and rural Idaho incomes has also decreased. Prior to the recession the per capita income in urban Idaho was more than $4,000 higher than in rural Idaho. This gap narrowed during and after the recession, to just $515. Urban Idaho’s income has stalled since the recession, while rural income has surpassed pre-recession levels.

Even so, poverty rates remain high, particularly in rural Idaho. After the recession, poverty rates in America in general were the highest they’d been since the mid-1980s. Poverty rates in both urban and rural Idaho peaked in 2011. Rates continue to be higher in rural Idaho than in urban Idaho, and both remain higher than pre-recession poverty rates.

In 2013, Madison County had the highest poverty rate of all Idaho counties (29%), followed by Shoshone (19%). Eight other rural counties each had a poverty rate of 18%: Boundary, Clark, Clearwater, Latah, Lemhi, Payette, Power, and Washington.

Wildfires disrupt power to Dworshak’s Dent Acres campground; campers, visitors urged to use Dworshak State Park

Because of multiple fires burning in the region near Orofino, Idaho, electrical service to Dent Acres Campground has been disrupted, also affecting sewer and water availability.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers staff at Dworshak Dam and Reservoir are closing the camp except for dry-camping in a large parking lot. Water and power services are also unavailable throughout the park, although the boat ramp and day-use area remain open.

Campers, visitors and residents displaced by Clearwater Basin fires are encouraged to go to Dworshak State Park, where full services are available at Freeman Creek Campground, according to Idaho State Parks and Recreation staff. For camping information at Freeman Creek Campground, contact IDPR at 208-476-3132.

“Sometimes internet mapping apps direct drivers to take a gravel road – Don’t go that way. Follow the signs and stay on the pavement,” said Mary Stanley, IDPR visitor assistant at Dworshak State Park.

Stanley recommends drivers arriving from Orofino follow the Cavendish Highway (Old Idaho 7) to Freeman Creek Road, which leads directly to the park and campground. For more information about Dworshak State Park, check out IDPR’s website https://parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/parks/dworshak.

Clearwater Power crews are deployed to repair power outages, but some areas are still unreachable due to fire conditions. There is currently no estimated power-restoration time. Power outage maps are available at http://www.clearwaterpower.com.

Currently, area fires have not spread to Corps-managed lands at Dworshak. The dam, visitor center and recreation areas are operating as usual, with the exception of the Dent Acres power outage. For information and updates about fires near Dworshak, go online to Clearwater County’s website www.clearwatercounty.org.

The risk of wildfires is extremely high throughout the Pacific Northwest because of exceptionally hot weather, dry landscape and drought conditions, and forecasts for more of the same. To reduce the risk of accidental wildfires, fire restrictions are in effect at all recreation and camping areas at Dworshak and throughout Clearwater County http://firerestrictions.us/id/clearwater-area.

For the latest information about Dworshak outdoor recreation opportunities and updates about facility services, go to www.facebook.com/dworshakdam.

Watch equestrians show their stuff in new Freestyle/Liberty spectacle Saturday

The Clearwater County Open Class Horse Show is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 9, but any equestrian, 4-H or not, will have a chance to shine the night before, during the new Freestyle/Liberty spectacle.
The Freestyle/Liberty portion of the show, held Saturday evening, Aug. 8, at 8 p.m. is a chance for all horses and riders to show off a little and look their best, complete with lights and music.

As a spectator, you'll be treated to some great entertainment. This event was opened up to drill teams, horse tricks and 4-H groups, who will showcase their horses' talents.

Head down to the log show arena at Orofino City Park Saturday night at 8 p.m. for a fantastic horse show spectacle!

Fair booths, horse shows, and more

By Diana Colgan

The 68th Annual Clearwater County Fair dates are Sept. 17-20, and this year’s theme is “Red, White & Blue, This Fair’s for You.”

It’s time to do some planning if you would like to reserve a booth in the Exhibit Building during the Fair. Several sizes of booths are available: shallow walk-in, deep walk-in, shelf, and several double booths, and most have a power outlet. If you are interested in reserving a booth or would like more information, please contact Cynthia Hedden at 476-3234.

The annual 4-H Horse Show will be held July 25 at the arena in the Orofino City Park. Marie Armitage, at the Clearwater Extension Office, can be contacted regarding the 4-H Horse Show at 476-4434.

The weekend of Aug. 8-9 will be filled with fun and interesting events in the arena area of the Orofino City Park. The Welsh Pony Show will be Saturday, Aug. 8, at 9 a.m. Plans are being made for Saturday evening, which will include lights and music and activities for all horseback riders in our community. 

The Open Class Horse Show begins at 8 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 9, and is a judged event. Entry forms will be available at the Clearwater Extension Office at a later date. For information regarding the Open Class Horse Show, please contact Joyce Bird at 476-7861. For information regarding the Welsh Pony Show, please contact Sharon McHone at 435-4750 or Joyce Bird at 476-7861.

The annual 4-H and Open Class Dog Show will be Saturday, Aug. 22, at the Orofino City Park. The 4-H Dog Show begins at 9 a.m. and the Open Class Show will begin at 1 p.m. Entry forms will be available at the Clearwater Extension Office at a later date. For more information, Kathy Deyo can be contacted at 476-3228.

Volunteers are always needed to help with the entering of exhibits and during the judging of the exhibits in the Exhibit Building and Fair Barn during the Fair. Please contact Linda Weighall at 476-4996 if you are interested in volunteering.

Communities unite to end sexual violence

During the month of April, in honor Sexual Assault Awareness Month, YWCA organizers along with members of the Sexual Assault Response Team invite all local community members to participate in joining together to raise awareness about sexual violence. 

Sexual Assault Awareness Month’s events include the hanging of teal colored ribbons in downtown Orofino on Monday, March 30. This will be done by the local chapter of the YWCA, along with members of the police and sheriff’s department and other volunteers to increase awareness of the problem of sexual assault. 

Coffee shops will also be provided with information labels to put on coffee cups and putting table cards in local restaurants to provide information about this problem.

The month will end with “Denim Day” which symbolizes our solidarity with sexual assault victims and our commitment to their defense and support. This is in response to a rape case several years ago in which the judge ruled that since jeans cannot be removed without the help of the wearer, the rape victim must have consented.

Wearing jeans on this day is our statement that all people deserve to be safe from sexual assault and victims of this crime need to be heard, believed and respected, and the responsible persons brought to justice. 

For more information, please contact Staci Taylor at the YWCA 208-476-0155. The YWCA is a community program that provides advocacy for people who have suffered domestic and sexual violence.

Dworshak gears up for warm-weather recreation

Enjoy springtime in picturesque north Idaho at outdoor recreation facilities operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Dworshak Dam and Reservoir.

Merrys Bay day-use, Dam View, and Canyon Creek campgrounds open April 1. Dent Acres campground will open April 13, with campsite fees at $10 per day by self-deposit registration. Regular-season camping will start May 21, with full hook-up sites available for $18 per night. Reservations for the regular season can be made by calling 877-444-6777, or by reserving online at www.recreation.gov.

Dent Acres Boat Ramp opened March 16. The nearby ramp restroom will be open. Canyon Creek, Bruces Eddy and Big Eddy ramps are already open. 

Visitors wanting to launch boats may encounter large houseboats using the ramps to exit the reservoir. Park rangers ask boaters to be patient or use a different ramp, as loading and removing the houseboats can require considerable time on the ramp. 

The State of Idaho Parks and Recreation recently notified the houseboat owners and the Corps that they no longer intend to offer moorages for houseboats as part of their lease to operate Dworshak State Park recreation facilities because of increased liability, staff safety and anticipated moorage failure. 

“What started as a test to determine feasibility of a large-boat marina to provide additional recreation opportunities and economic benefits to the surrounding community has run its course,” said Dworshak Natural Resource Manager Paul Pence. “Over the past decade or so, the moorage buoys have failed because of high winds and the fluctuating rise and fall of the reservoir. We’re down to one functional buoy, and several vessels whose buoys failed have been tied off to various Corps structures - it’s not safe for the boaters or the public property. 

“With no new concessionaire or user group willing to invest in a large-boat marina, it’s time to call this experiment done,” Pence agreed with the State’s decision to no longer renew the annual moorage rental contracts. “It would take a big pot of money to build and maintain the infrastructure needed for these large vessels, and recreation budgets have continually declined.”

Despite a recreation budget almost half of what it was in 2006 (approx. $1.23 million versus about $778,000 in 2015), staff at Dworshak makes the most of what they have to continue improving the quality of recreation on and around the reservoir and providing safe and fun experiences for visitors. 

Safety is the Corps’ top priority! Please, remember to allow plenty of line when tying-off vessels along the reservoir shoreline to allow for water-level fluctuations. Corps officials advise boaters and others using waterways, both in Dworshak Reservoir and below the dam, on the Clearwater River to be alert to changes in water elevation and volume of flow. The weather may be warming up, but the water in Dworshak Reservoir is still very cold. Always be aware of hypothermia, and wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket. 

The region’s snow pack and weather impact flood risk, and consequently Corps Reservoir Management decisions. Current snowpack for the Clearwater sub-basin is 72 percent of normal, and Dworshak Reservoir is just 30 feet from full pool. 

“A low snow year creates good early season recreation conditions for Dworshak since not as much space in the reservoir needs to be reserved for potential inflows,” said Pence. “The higher pool elevation makes it a short hike to the shoreline campsites.” 

Given 2015’s current snowpack outlook, weather and continuing environmental operation requirements, visitors can anticipate seeing the following water-management operations at the Dworshak reservoir through April:

March 1 - water supply forecast for April to July runoff is 74 percent of normal March - currently releasing minimum discharge to conserve water and slowly refill the reservoir April 1 - flood risk management target elevation 1,577.7 feet (22 feet below full pool) April - transition from flood risk management draft to refill; anticipate elevation of 1,580 feet by April 30

For updated water level and boat ramp information, call 800-321-3198. For more information regarding facilities access and current conditions, call 208-476-1255, or stop by the Dworshak Dam Visitor Center, which is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The visitor center also has fun displays for kids, including a water safety room where they can play in a boat, create water safety posters and try on life jackets.

For more information about activities, programs and recreation opportunities at Dworshak Dam and Reservoir, stop by the Visitor Center, or connect with them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dworshakdam.