photo by Kathy Plonka, Spokesman-Review

It was a crisp winter night in Athol. The Saddle Up Grill had closed for the night. Owner Howard White was in a hurry to get home to Post Falls. It was his and wife Suz’s 13th wedding anniversary. Normally, with the couple working 16-hour days, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, they stayed in a motor home behind the restaurant. Due to sewage disposal problems, they had to quit doing that for a while. Howard would sleep in the Saddle Up Grill, so that he would have an early start at prepping for breakfast.

Howard closed, locked the doors and headed home for a date with his bride. It was Dec. 17, 2008, just a little short of two years in operation. About 4 a.m., a fire broke out in the dining room, probably caused by a space heater too close to upholstery. Timberlake Fire District, just a few blocks down the street, answered the call quickly and limited damage to the dining areas, saving the kitchen, except for severe smoke damage.

At the opening in March 2007, a lifelong dream was realized as Howie and Suz cranked out the first of many succulent smoked prime rib sandwiches, slathered with Suz’s secret barbecue sauce, along with what Howie called the world’s biggest and best burger. Twelve ounces of choice ground beef surrounded by all the fixings. Out back is a 500-gallon smoker, where they turn out their food from scratch along with their made-from-scratch barbecue ranch-style beans.

There is little doubt that had Howard White stayed that night in the restaurant, as he normally did, he would have been overcome by smoke and killed. The date with his wife probably saved his life.

Armed with an insurance policy, the couple figured a few months to rebuild, then back at it. This is when things started to come unwound. They bought this historic building, first used to house recruits headed for Farragut Naval training base. When a train with recruits came in late in the evening, they were put up in the bunkhouse. Many years later, it became the Saddle Up Inn. It was an owner contract, with title still residing with the previous owner. When the insurance company paid off, it paid the loan off. That left the Whites with a small amount of cash and a paid-in-full deed to a commercial lot and a half-burned building.

Today the Whites are without an income, or a restaurant without a loan to rebuild. Howard White’s one thought was, “Why, with the billions of dollars the federal government has thrown at the banks to stimulate the economy, don’t the banks then use the money for that purpose, instead of socking it away to protect themselves from bad loans?”

The Whites are hard-working people who enjoyed working 16-hour days to make what was once a dream come true. Now, it has turned into a nightmare. They are looking for help.

Help either in the form of donations, which can be sent to P.O. Box 16, Athol, Idaho 83801. Or the best solution, White hopes, is for a lender to step up with an SBA loan putting him and his wife back to serving smoked prime rib dinners.

Reprinted from my story in Sunday's spokesman-Review.

New Blog In Town

I just started a second blog. It is called "Kootenai country. You can reach it at: kootenaicountry.blogspot.com. I did this because I wanted to geographically spread my wings a bit. I will also be offering cheap ad space on it as well. While Bayviews is primarily about the community and people that surround me, Kootenai country will encompass all of North Idaho. You'll find the occasional commentary, some humor, straight news of interest and of course, I will be poking fun at people doing dumb stuff. I hope you will slide over to the blog to catch whatever I'm expounding on currently.

Halloween At The Wheel

Halloween is over and the costumes and decorations have been put away. There were some real good imaginative outfits displayed, but Jen & Dan Williams, pictured above walked off with first prize. The place was packed and folks danced to the Riverside Band tunes as well.

Proving that a 30 something woman can still be hot, restaurant manager, Marie Streeter showed up with a costume that looked like a cross between a lady leprechaun and an English bar wench.

The Captain's Wheel will go to Winter hours, closing Tuesday and Wednesday starting today, but Ralph's Internet Cafe will be open until 5:00 pm both days.

ELECTION MISPREPRESENTATIONS

Many of you that live in the Timberlake Fire district recently received a letter from Larry Spencer deriding the fire district, the fire chief and the need for more equipment. Spencer is a gadfly that hates all government and slams all projects that are proposed. He is currently suing North Idaho Community College over the education corridor, has opposed the Kroc center and just about every city and county official.

I posted a more balanced look at the fire district requests and status on this blog October 14. I suggest that those of you that received this letter check the blog for a little balance, in like telling both sides of the story. You can also go to www.timberlakefire.com and read it there. Spencer has a habit of dissing issues and candidates just before an election and in most cases, too late for a rebuttal. I detest these kinds of tactics.

This criticism does not necessarily apply to the Fire Commissioner race. While I'm not acquainted with three of the candidates, I fully support Rudy Rudebaugh. He is a local businessman, owning Victory Auto Parts and Solid Rock Solutions. You shouldn't hold Spencer's endorsement against him or other candidates.

OK, OK Halloween is Here

I left the Halloween post up longer than I usually do, so that the various venues would get the publicity. Having done that, I'll have fresh real good stuff by Sunday. Stay tuned, It's getting interesting.

Halloween Antics

It's Halloween week and here are the activities For Athol and Bayview:

First up is horror night at the Bayview Community Center.Tuesday, October 27,Sponsored by the Bayview Community Council, a chiller movie and popcorn will be served. This is a costume party, too, so wear your Halloween costume and win the $25.00 prize.

Saturday, Halloween, starts with the annual Timberlake Fire district party at Station 1 in Athol. Plenty of candy and of course, an appearance of sparky the fire dog. 5:00 to 7:30.

Athol Baptist Church is sponsoring a trick or treat tailgate party in the parking lot at the Athol Community Center. It starts at 6:30 'till 8:00 pm.

The evening party is the 20 plus year old annual costume party sponsored by the Captain's Wheel. This isn't just a local event. People come from Spokane, Post Falls, Coeur d'Alene and Sandpoint for this traditional party. Prizes will be awarded for various costume categories and live music by the ever popular Riverside Band. Music starts around 8:30 and will last at least until 12.30, at which time everyone's coach will turn into a pumpkin. Judging from the last few years, the Captain's Wheel Halloween party is even bigger than New Years Eve. Don't miss it.

Politics

Ahh, politicians and their supporters. Yah gotta love them. The one thing that consistently saves our form of government is the extremists shooting themselves in the foot. In all my years, and their have been a bunch of them, I have witnessed time and time again, the extremists frothing at the mouth, insulting and condescending, as they drive the moderates away from them.

I myself have been vilified, not because of what I believe, but because I'm not one the them, the elitists. At no time is this more prevalent than as elections near. Spewing hatred instead of calmly trying to convert those that aren't with them, they drive voters even further from their positions because of their juvenile behavior.

This is not an attack of the right on the left, or the left on the right. It is a pox on both their houses, and I love it. If these Whackos ever became reasonable, using issues instead of vindictive hatred, they actually might find allies instead of running them off. Walt Minnick wasn't elected by the Idaho Democrats. He was elected by the thousands of Republicans that were sick of the Whacko that held that office. Moderates i, Whackos 0

Our partisan elections are run by such people, so that the reasoned moderate from both the left and right are swayed back and forth as a dog worrying a bone, not respecting their opponents or even those that aren't an opponent. I love it because with the predictable behavior of these childlike types, they will never win the voters trust. Democracy is safe as long as they don't catch on and become intelligent boosters, rather than rabid insults to the system.

Social Security Payments Stagnate

Recently disclosed information announced that no cost of living increase will occur for seniors this year. I'm not an accountant, nor an auditor, but if you don't think senior citizens have higher expenses this year, lend me your ear.

First to hit me last month was a $50 per month increase in my mobile home park rental. That's an increase from $300. Then Kootenai Electric announced a 12% to 14% increase in power rates. Since I heat with an electric furnace .. well you do the math. Somehow, somewhere, I'm going to have to find roughly $100 per month more in income than I already pay in a pinched budget already.

I'm thinking of giving up television. Living down in a hole, far from TV transmitters, I don't have the option of going to an antenna. I can't get rid of cable for my computer, since I still occasionally write articles for the paper. Try sending 500 to 600 words plus six pictures by dial-up.

If the indexes indicate that there has been no inflation, then I suggest they check the validity of the indexes. Anyone noticed groceries going down? I haven't. Meat is sky high and so is everything else. The old standbys like chicken and hamburger are almost twice what they were two years ago, most likely due to the federal boondoggle of throwing the corn market into chaos, by sending this vital feed crop into bio fuels which could have been produced by waste that does not compete with the human food chain. No good thing that can come from this. I no longer have the option of eating as I have for the past 71 years. I now have to fill up on food that is cheap, rather than nourishing. Well, maybe I can lose some weight now, that is unless they raise the price of wine grapes, putting me back into poverty.

In short, long term problems should not be fixed by short term solutions, especially if politicians continue to pass feel good legislation without regard to unintended consequences.

Thought Police Next?

Currently, congress is in the process of adding yet another category to hate crimes. First race, then religion, now sexual orientation.

To attach a "I hate you because," (choose your own category)to the crime, in many cases raises the level of what normally would be a misdemeanor to the level of a felony.

Not because the injury was egregious, but because your motives were politically incorrect. Why not add old people like me to these minority class distinctions? I certainly don't want to get assaulted by someone half my age. Equal protection under the law, is perhaps the most important of all rights. Creating special categories of people such as these hate statutes violates that right to equality.

To re-classify these acts to a federal hate statute, might or might not fly. Definitely, an appeal, or civil suit is in order. There are already laws against assault, both physical and sexual.

For the higher purpose of designating simple assault as a hate crime, elevating it to felony status, needs a very lot of discussion...

Spencer Strikes Again

A knock on my door two days ago produced an unusual guest. Larry Spencer, an area Libertarian Gadfly was standing their with purpose in his countenance. I invited him in where he produced a letter he is hand carrying around the district bashing the Timberlake Fire District's chief.

In the letter, he alleged several things. First was a diatribe against a proposed levy to bring the district into compliance with the fire rating bureaus. He suggested that the levy was out of line substantially with other districts of like size and that the chief was using a threat to close two unmanned fire stations as a pressure tactic for passage of the levy. He quotes a passage from the fire district's own web site, saying,"You can either pay more for insurance or invest more into your local fire protection district." That followed by Spencer saying, "That's some choice you offer us, chief."

He goes on to blast the $14,000 raise Chief Krill received, snarking that it was out of line for a department that size. What he didn't mention was that the first year was a probationary salary to be renegotiated at years end, which it was.

The real issue surfaced, though, when he got into the endorsements of candidates for district commissioners. He endorsed David "Rudy Rudebaugh, owner of victory Auto Parts and Solid Rock Solutions, in Athol followed by Marty Fish, a plumber and real estate agent. With those endorsements, he clearly showed in print and verbally that he is extremely anti-union. The other candidates are unabashedly pro-union.The fire district full time staff is unionized. The other candidates are, Phyllis Page, wife of former Timberlake Fire District firefighter, and Monty Aarestad a firefighter currently employed by the Sagle Fire Department. Page's husband is also employed at Sagle. Spencer alleges that Aarestad doesn't live in the district he is running in. When asked, fire chief Krill explained that all four candidates were vetted for eligibility and are qualified candidates. Interestingly, both of the candidates just mentioned are connected with the Sagle Fire District, one that the fired empoyees of three or so years ago are now working.

What didn't make the "white paper" that Spencer is circulating are the verbal shots he took at Chief Krill. Anyone that cares to Google Jack Krill can find the details of his termination in an article by the Wassilla newspaper. In it was the headline, "Board Wants Krill Back." Apparently some allegations, never proven and some others that were subjective were the cause of his suspension followed by termination. Among those, were that he yell at and verbally abused his troops. I asked Timberlake Union President of local 4483, Jake Capaul, what he thought of the chief. He replied, "We love the guy." When asked about the alleged abusive management style, he laughed and said, "Chief Krill never yells or even raises his voice."

Spencer is famous with his taking half truths and spinning them toward whatever his goal is. In this issue, he is true to form. I don't at this time have issues with any of the candidates, excepting that the parties from Sagle may have retaliation in mind. It would appear that chief Krill is popular with his employees and the elected board that hired him.

Chief Krill declined comment, saying,"I don't have any business involving myself in a political discussion, especially when it is about those I work for." He went on to say that all of the correct information is available at the district's web site.

Back to the issue of a levy, one must understand that this fire district was essentially leaderless for several years in which old antiquated equipment got older and more antiquated. Here is an excerpt from the district's web site.

"The fire district is trying to educate our residents about the state of the district and our needs for the future. On Monday, October 12, 2009, we were given a letter signed by Larry Spencer and were asked to respond to his comments and accusations. We encourage all residents to learn about the current state of the fire district and the proposed levy by visiting our web site at www.timberlakefire.com."

More from the web site:

The commissioners agreed that a permanent levy is needed and one commissioner suggested a February 2010 election. However, there has been no official decision regarding if a levy election would happen, how much the levy would be, or when it would occur.

The 86% relates to a $500,000 increase as recommended by the chief to make the necessary corrections and improvements. The commissioners have not made any decision on the amount of increase.

"In 2000, the fire district earned an ISO rating of 4/8 by a slim margin (60 points are needed for a class 4; we earned 61.7). A lot has changed in 9 years. We worked hard to prepare for the August ISO review, but there was no way we would maintain the 4/8 rating with our current equipment and deficiencies. Based on all of the facts and records, we are not a Class 4/8 fire department anymore." (ISO stands for Insurance Services Office, which advises the Idaho Rating Bureau how to rate various fire risks.)

"The closing of a fire station is dependent on the available equipment and personnel. To meet minimum requirements by ISO, each station needs one fully equipped fire engine and we must show that the fire engine actually responds to calls. In a few months, our newest fire engine will be 16 years old (1994 model); the other 5 will be 21-30 years old (1989, 1987, 1986, 1984, and 1980 models). We have 6 stations and 6 engines currently in service. I am having each engine evaluated for safe operations by a qualified fire mechanic, based on those evaluations; we may have to reduce our fleet which essentially means closing a station. We have a 1979 engine that was taken out of service last year after being evaluated by a certified fire mechanic because it was too costly to repair (over $20,000 in materials and over 500 hours of labor) and had not been properly maintained in the past (water in the pump gears caused corrosion). If a piece of equipment is not safe to operate, I will not put our firefighters and residents at risk by continuing to operate it. The fact is that we need funds to properly maintain our assets and funds set aside to replace them when they have reach the end of their lifespan. We will be cost effective with these funds – for example, we can remount at least 2 of our current fire trucks (compartments/pump) on new chassis, which will save us half of what a brand new truck would cost."

These statements appear to be factual. The fire district encourages concerned citizens to call the department at 683-3333 with any questions or concerns they have. It also appears that the choices that Chief Krill has outlines aren't choices, but inevitable alternatives that you the voters will decide. Polling places for the replacement commissioners, two, are your usual polling places at general elections. Timberlake High School, Garwood elementary,Bayview community Center, and the Athol City Hall. This election will be held November 3.The real issue here appears to be that without upgrading equipment and personnel needs, the fire rating people will substantially lower our district ratings, causing an even greater cost to homeowners and business than the levy request. All government agencies are in a tough fiscal position during this financial crisis we find our selves in. Here are two choices. Higher insurance rates, or more taxes to pay for the upgrades needed.

I am not taking a position on any of the candidates, except to hope that the two candidates don't suffer too much from Spencer's endorsements and rumor mill. Rumors on the street say that candidate Fish didn't circulate his petition himself, but rather, Larry Spencer did. Stalking horse for an out of county wanna be? Here is a statement by Rudy Rudebaugh:

Hello Herb,

Thank you for allowing me to provide clarification for why I want to serve our taxpaying citizens of the Timberlake Fire Protection District as a Fire Commissioner.

“I David “Rudy” Rudebaugh wish to continue my public service by utilizing my 30 years of experience in leadership and solid business principles. This skill set is important in properly serving the taxpaying citizens and district employees in assuring we focus on today’s business in a tough economy and balance growth for the future."

"All of us must look at the tasks or current needs of the district and there impact not only today but also the future growth of our district in a fair unbiased responsible decision making process."

"The delicate balance between the responsibility of providing first class of fire protection service to our district citizens, the needs of the district operating correctly, and the cost to the taxpaying citizens of our district is why we need well rounded individuals to serve as your Fire Commissioners. I am committed to serving the citizens of the Timberlake Fire Protection District in this responsibility of being an effective Fire Commissioner for You the Taxpaying Citizen.”

“I would like to personally thank those who already are supporting me and thank those undecided in advance, for there unbiased commitment in educating themselves in understanding the candidates and why they want to serve the taxpaying citizens of the Timberlake Fire Protection District. This allows all of us citizens the ability to make an educated choice for the next Fire Commissioner to serve them”

Sincerely,

David “RUDY “Rudebaugh

Candidate Timberlake Fire Protection District Zone 4

*Comments from other candidates will appear here as they become available.

Scanner Reports

I avidly read the scanner reports as reported on Huckleberries online. Daily, Dave Oliveira posts the activities of the underside of our world in Kootenai county, Idaho. Some are funny, some tragic, but it makes for a great post, so here goes:

It appears that great good and equally great bad has risen with the birth of cell phones. To be able to instantly report accidents that may have been fatal, without instant response, of course is good. Also, the reporting of violent crimes hastens response is good also.The place that this system loses itself is when busybodies feel they have to report every single alleged aberration that occurs within their sight.

For instance, one such was a report recently of a suspicious male taking pictures of houses in a neighborhood. OK, so arrest the damned appraiser, for he probably will devalue your house. Or how about this one:

"4:03 p.m. Boy falls off bicycle @ Government Way & I-90. He’s uninjured." If he is uninjured, why the hell are you tying up the 911 line?

How about this one:

"3:27 p.m. R/P reports her son was almost hit by a blond woman driving recklessly while he walked home from school on 15th, north of Hanley." An emergency, or just a blond joke?

As to the guy that grabbed the pies without paying for them, I personally would have stepped up and paid for them. I'm concerned that more food thefts will occur in the near future due to the economic emergency.. My only complaint about the pie theft, is the lack of judgment of the thief. Pies don't have much nutritional value. Could he have been on a monster food trip? Well, I won't go there. After all, hunger is where you find it.

One of the great ones though, was this one: "Deer running loose one 15th near I-90."
One can only wonder, about all of those other deer that can't get loose, When did it get out that deer actually run loose in North Idaho.

I'm not sure what to say about the young lady that broke both ankles after jumping 15 feet.Rather than watching TV, come to think about it, I'm not sure we had that yet, we used to slide down a tar paper roof on waxed paper. The drop was about 9 feet. We did that for recreation. Perhaps this young lady was reacting from an emergency, in which case jumping was better than staying where she was. Perhaps the act of hanging out in front of a TV or using X-boxes has taken the resiliency from our young people's legs. Oh well, I am content to being able to step up two feet if absolutely necessary.

Annual Food Drive

I received this e-mail for a public service announcement. This annual food drive is even more important this year, with the sad shape of the economy and high unemployment. Please give freely when they knock on your door.

"On behalf of the Bayview Community Council, could you please include in your upcoming column(s) for October, something that would address the following information?

Food Drive For Athol/Careywood/Bayview Food Bank

The Bayview Community Council is coordinating a one day Food Drive for the Food Bank on Saturday, October 17th. Council members will be conducting a door-to-door collection on that day.

Desperately needed items include canned food, canned meats, peanut butter, boxed meals (macaroni and cheese, scalloped potatoes, etc.), soups, cereals, and diapers. Monetary donations are always welcome.

If you are missed, donations can be dropped off at Marlys Bladgens on Merriweather Rd. (first road on the right, just past the Post Office, last house on the left), or bring your donations to the October 27th Council meeting, Oktoberfest at the Center on October 16th, or to the Food Bank directly.

The Council thanks you for your contributions."

Sally Newcombe
Health and Outreach
Bayview Community Council

Seasonal Changes

It seems just a few days ago that we were basking in 80 degree weather. Tonight, the first frost is expected in many areas, and definitely by Thursday night, when the lows are predicted to be around 25 degrees.

In Blaine county, Idaho, the first snowfall of the season closed at least one school. It seems that normally the leaves fall before the first snow, but with the deciduous trees still retaining their leaves, many branches broke from the weight of the snow, causing many power outages, including some schools.

Oktoberfest fishing derby ended Sunday with the largest fish, a 15 pound 7 ounce Rainbow walking off with the big bucks. Winners were Cory LaRue of Hayden with the aforementioned rainbow; Hal Bunyard, with a 5 pound 9 ounce Mackinaw; Vern Scott of Garfield Bay, with a nice 14 pound 7 ounce Rainbow; Robert Blackstone of Coeur d'Alene with a 5 pound 1 ounce Mackinaw. As always, the entry fees went into a pool of which all funds were awarded as prizes.

As the weather turns colder, the local snowbirds are leaving in droves for points south, primarily Arizona. Jim & Jean Campbell late of Bayview, left their jobs as food service managers at the Lake Syskiyou Resort, and have landed in Wellton where Monday Hamburger night at the VFW will find Jim flipping burgers again. It seems that Jim & Jean haven't retired from the food business after all. Liz & Larry Justus are closed at their RV park and are shortly heading the same direction.

James Darling, after shedding his partners is finally building the first of three phases in his Bayview development. The former trailer park site was purchased by Darling in the spring of 2007, but spec building loans were next to impossible to obtain then. Since, construction costs have gone down substantially,allowing the final product to be priced more modestly also. The first phase will include 6 condos on the second floor and 6 motel units on the ground floor. More on that as things develop further.

Burning Now Allowed

Date; October 2, 2009

From: The Kootenai County Fire Chiefs Association

Glenn Lauper, Coeur d’Alene Fire Department 208-769-2340

RE: Open burning and Yard Waste Burn Permits are available October 3, 2009 from your local fire department and the Idaho Department of Lands.

Due to the recent change in our weather, the Kootenai County Fire Chiefs have agreed to allow open burning throughout the county. Please contact your local fire department to obtain permits and specific requirements.

The following restrictions only apply to the city of Coeur d’ Alene. Cost $2.00

A burn permit is required and the permit is subject to the following requirements:

1. A yard waste and clean-up permit is good for the 10 days after the date issued.

2. The fire shall be a minimum of 50 feet from any structures or other combustible materials unless: The pile is less than 2 feet high and 3 feet wide. Then 25 feet clearances will be adequate.

3. Burning shall be conducted during daylight hours only. The fire must be totally out by dark

4. The fire shall be attended at all times.

5. Attendant shall have a hose connected to a water supply and readily available at all times.

6. The Fire Official is authorized to require that burning be immediately discontinued if smoke emissions are offensive to occupants or surrounding property.

7. Permittee shall call 1-800-633-6247, Air Quality Hotline, each day before 9:00am. A recording will advise permittee of acceptable environmental conditions. Burning shall only be conducted on a "Green" day.

ITEMS THAT CAN BE BURNED:

Dry pine needles, dry lawn clippings, dry garden waste, leaves, and tree limbs.

ITEMS THAT CANNOT BE BURNED:

Any type of plastics, rubber products, paint, paint cans, fiberglass products, carpeting, furniture, stumps, household garbage, and noncombustible or fire rated material. The permit is not for commercial logging debris or commercial construction/demolition materials.

Other types of burning permits are available, please call or contact your local fire department on week days from the hours of 8AM to 5PM.

If any of the regulations for burning are violated, the permit may be revoked immediately and you may be issued a citation for illegal burning.

The Coeur d’Alene Fire Department asks that you be considerate to your neighbors and to please consider recycling as an alternative to burning.

No Wake Zone Alert

There is currently a poll on Huckleberries online/SR asking the entire area if a no wake zone should be removed or not. The no's are leading big time. You can vote by going to: http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/hbo/ So far it is 23 votes in favor of the status quo, 2 votes for removal and 4 votes in the "I dunno" category. This poll is scrolled way down, as it was posted at 8:45 am. These are the final results as posted this morning on Huckleberries on line. Perhaps some of you will want to call this poll which included the entire area, to the attention of the board of county commissioners.

Should Kootenai County modify the no-wake zone at Bayview, if the community is solidly against such action?
Yes 12% (10 votes)
No 86% (70 votes)
Dunno 1% (1 votes)
Total Votes: 81

Oktoberfish Is Here

This is it, folks. Lube up the old reel because the annual derby in Bayview is on this weekend. Starting Friday evening at 7 pm, with an auction and free food for ticket holders at the Captain's Wheel. All proceeds, including the funds derived from the auction will be paid out to the winners. Tickets can be obtained at Ralph's Internet Cafe in Bayview, or at the Friday night auction held at the Captain's Wheel.

Entry fee is $25 per entrant, with all money raised to be given out to the various winners. You are invited to come down, bid on stuff you don't need, eat the free buffet and of course lie about the big one that got away.

Prizes are as follows:

The first fish weighing more than last year's winner, 9 pounds, 10 ounces wins $100
1st prize goes to the largest Kamloop Trout 40%
2nd prize goes to the largest Mackinaw 30%
3rd prize goes to the 2nd largest Kamloop Trout 20%
4th prize goes to the 2nd largest Mackinaw 10%

Lest we forget, the 1st prize winner also gets possession of the traveling trophy for the year. Fish & Game is still awarding $15 per head for trout and Macks, so even if you aren't one of the big winners, you can still win. It is not advised, however, to detach the head before weigh-in.

I'm B a a a a ck!

I had a little disagreement with a trojan Horse virus last week. Thankfully, I'd already submitted my September column to the Spokesman-Review. I'm back up as of two hours ago. I'm missing some programs, as the operating system had to be reloaded. The tech backed up my files, crammed a new windows XP into the computer, then downloaded my files. Fortunately, all of my pictures, around 1500 in all and everything I've written for the last three years for publication is intact. I don't have sound though. for some reason when I opened an e-mail that needed sound, the computer went to windows media. It gave me an error message informing me that I didn't have sound installed. I guess I'll have to call my tech buddies for help again.

Wrapping up local news, the Buttonhook has closed for the season. A little early this year, but business was way down and Steve, the chef bailed out. He is now working for a restaurant ajacent to a golf course in Priest River. Steve survived several owners for the last several years.

The issue of the no wake zone may have been stalled or blocked. Chuck Waller, Gary MacDonald and a crowd of about 50 people crowed into a meeting room at the Kootenai county Administration building Monday, where the county commissioners were meeting in joint session with the Kootenai County Parks & Waterways Advisory Board. Parks and waterways seem to think that they represent all of Idaho and Spokane, Washington, too. I guess their boss needs to take a class in civics. Anyway, Chuck Waller informed me that a committee is being formed to include P & W as well as Bayview Chamber of Commerce members. Hopefully, the county will see the light.

Be aware that the No Wake Zone web site is still up. It can be accessed at: http://www.nowake.us/ Add your letters to the site and send them to the county commissioners, too. They work for us, not the other way around.

Boileau's Donnybrook

Just when we thought Summer was over and Bayview would quietly doze off, another chapter in the Bob Holland book of escapades occurred. I'll lead off by posting a well circulated e-mail that I received this morning:

Hi guys

I just got a call from Dave Nacarrato that had a float home at Boileaus. They sold it to Holland and has since filed papers on him requesting a demand in payment. So they are on the way to litigation. But what he had to tell me was that Grant and Delores Moore had sold their float home to Holland and are clearly in heavy litigation at this time.

Grant and Delores got wind that Holland is going to move the home off the front dock tomorrow morning. They in turn have called KCS ( sheriff ) dept who is suppose to meet them out there at 10:00 to make sure this is not going to happen since they have not received payment from Holland. There may be some other float home owners on the docks, and the press has been called and is aware of the situation. She would love it if you could pass the word and try and get others down there to see this mess as well.

Grant and Delores are some of the first long time float home residents, and it is a shame that it has to come to this regarding the sale of their float home.

I wish I could attend but I will be in town taking care of some business. Please pass the word to others. Someone please let Skip know as I know he would attend if he has time. If you do not know the number to get through the gate it is XXXX or just go through the patio (store) as you can get past the gates that way.

Thanks so much !

I checked with Skip Wilcox who has been monitoring the situation. He tells me that The Idaho Department of Lands has prohibited the movement of any float homes currently based at Boileau's Marina. Apparently there was a noisy confrontation on the docks between a resident and Mr. Holland. At this time, the situation has stabilized and no action will be taken by any of the affected parties, except that the former Fran's Landing was ordered to be towed out from the Kokanee spawning beds prior to the 15th of this month. That, of course, is today. We also learned that Chan is applying for a permit to operate the former Fran's Landing. He intends to move the vessel to his marina where it will once again be a restaurant. It seems though, that until Holland and Fran settle up, the title is still in her name and can't be moved except by the owner's request. Stay tuned.

Timberlake Fire District Reacts

Navy Reunion

The Navy reunion at Farragut State Park went off smoothly. Well it should, considering there have been 25 years of practice. Thirty-six hearty veterans, some past ninety year old were present and accounted for. As usual, Al Leiter held forth as master of ceremonies, with Ranger Errin Bair hosting for the park.

The weather was extraordinary and everyone had a great time. Sadly missed was Theora Lish, who had for many years enjoyed these reunions with her husband of 66 years, Charles. She passed on just two months ago.

The museum has had a makeover that has brought it up by twice the previous standards. New cabinets and showcases built by volunteer, Jim Graham, who along with his wife Jackie, hold down the fort at the brig. For the complete story on the reunion complete with veterans war stories, check out the "Handle Extra," in Sunday's Spokesman-Review.

Refusing to give in to age and infirmity, most vets were heard to say, "see you next year, and you know, I bet we do. Incidentally, a new Idaho parks Director has been chosen and will take charge Monday next. Nancy Merrill is a park professional, having served at Eagle Island state park. Although she is expected to be comfortable with the political side of things, she is known for her dedication toward the park system. In this tragic economy, it's not going to be an easy job.

Bayview's No Wake Zone

No one issue has ever united the citizens of Bayview faster, nor so completely as the threat by Parks and Waterways and the Kootenai county Commission to remove the protection within the bay of the no wake zone established over twenty years ago for the purpose of keeping the multi-use bay safe.

Citing the expense of maintaining the buoys and the alleged unfairness that Bayview has enjoyed the peace, tranquility and safety of the past twenty years, Commissioner Todd Tondee unabashedly endorsed the change, though no formal process had taken place, hearings held, or for that matter, even as much as engaging interested parties in the Bay.

This whole scene belongs in the category of, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it, our elected officials are hell bent for citizen disapproval, unless of course, they are running for office in Spokane County sometime soon.

A web site that has become very popular recently is here for your viewing and participation, should you wish to weigh in on the issue. Sheriff Rocky Watson, tongue firmly in cheek, when asked his views on the subject were, "I'm in favor of eliminating the no wake zone. We are short of organ donors." He, of course, was referring to the mix of fast power boats, sailboats, personal water craft, kayaks, inner tubes w/kids on board and kids paddling canoes.

http://www.nowake.us/

Farragut Naval Reunion

It's that time of year again, where surviving World War two alumni of Farragut Naval Base congregate once again. This will take place this Saturday, September 12 at the park. Festivities kick off at 9:00 am with the flag raising ceremony along with a memorial service dedicated to the sailors that are gone. We lose more every year and every year, it is considered probably the last reunion. This one may well be the end.

Oktoberfish has come around again. October 2 Ralph's Cafe sponsors a fishing derby every year at this time with all entry fees going into the prize pool. Friday evening, 7 pm at the Captain's Wheel hosts an auction with the proceeds also going to the winners pool. Prize distribution can be seen on the blog if you scroll down a few posts. The derby itself is Saturday and Sunday, October 3 & 4.

The community is still roiling over the behind the scenes attempt by Kootenai county Parks and Waterways to eliminate or severely modify the no wake zone in Scenic Bay. The 5 mph speed limit in the bay has been in effect for more than twenty years with the required hearings followed by the then county commission voting to establish this low speed zone. Since then there are no re callable incidents where injuries or death have resulted from slow moving boats interacting with kids on tubes, kayaks and canoes. It appears that a slight inconvenience to out of town boaters who are in a hurry have complained, yet when asked to produce logs of such complaints, which we understand are required, show no complaints at all. A further misrepresentation by an unknown entity, informed KREM TV that the Navy is in favor of abolishing this safety net for more efficient operations. When asked directly, Alan Griffith, director of research at the base, denied that any statement of that sort was made. He went further and I quote, "My job is to protect the safety and security of the base. We take no position and can live with either a no wake zone, or without."

This is going to be an issue that will be remembered for a long time. Elected officials must on occasion take note that the folks stepped on have long memories come election day. That was proven in recent election cycles, when an almost complete turnover of commissioners occurred.

The issue raised the question who should maintain the buoys. For these twenty plus years, the county parks & waterways people have done so. Now they say they don't have the money and want out. This is not acceptable to the Bayview community. The fees from boaters that use our bay and in most cases, actually moor their boats here should more than pay for the small amount needed to retain the status quo. For those that are just learning about this issue that should have been brought up in the community long ago, write or e-mail your county commission with your concerns. Remember, however, the waterways board only represents boaters, not shoreline homeowners or marinas. Now that the issue is above water, so to speak, we, as a community can deal with it out in the open and not behind closed doors.

The Navy, not subject to county or state law, may, if they wish, do whatever they want out there, but a desire to foster good community relations has held them to compliance with local regulations. We hope that continues.

A web site has recently been created for people to use as a forum regarding this issue. You can access it at: http://www.nowake.us/

Senseless Litigation

Most of the time, I sit back and ignore the injustices that clog our court system. That was then, this is now. The E-mail that I received and replied to is exibited below:


-----Original Message-----
From: hhuseland@aol.com
To: FooterSettlement-ctg0aecacaac5ocasdedy5fklbgnamoq@dc.aol.com
Sent: Mon, Sep 7, 2009 7:34 pm
Subject: Re: OFFICIAL NOTICE OF PENDENCY OF CLASS ACTION AND PROPOSED SETTLEMENT

Now I understand why lawyers can swim safely with sharks. You absolutely have to be related. Let's start by pointing out that aol is free. One can either use it, or not. If a user doesn't like the advertising, (which is pandemic as the reason the service is free) they can sign up for a plethora of other choices. May you choke on the Filet Mignon that this action will reward you, as you relentlessly attack the successful and reward those that don't give a damn.

Class action attorneys make millions of dollars at the expense of otherwise profitable companies. They do this by gloming onto an issue, real or imagined, then inviting people that hadn't given the alleged injury a single thought, until, Aha! Here's some free money. Well folks, it isn't free. First, most of the settlements that are won, go to, guess who. The attorneys. Secondly, any megagazillion dollar settlement will reflect the prices that you and I pay for goods and services, since legal settlements are a part of the overhead.

Perhaps it is time to reform the tort system, or at least the class action racket. This will most assuredly result in lower prices for goods and services. In an egregious situation, the courts are still there, to protect you and yours from excesses and damages that are actually real. If class action suits take over the legal system, beware, because that will cause an over reaction to tort law, and the pendulum will swing too far.

Tourist Season winding down

It always amazes me that so many sane, (normally) persons get so loose when they are recreating in the North Idaho forests. Several serious injuries have happened in the back country east of Bayview. Today, Saturday, a motorcycle accident happened in the Lakeview area. Fortunately, a private boat was available to transport the patient to MacDonald's where Timbertlake fire District EMS was on the scene. We understand the victim was transported to KMC where his condition was not considered serious.

We were unable to get more details, as the Fire district was racing from incident to another. Kind of looks like a holiday weekend , doesn't it. Somehow, perfectly intelligent people go berserk when faced with a three day week-end. Monday Morning will undoubtedly produce more insanity, with a predictable several water born injuries.

In other news, residents that hadn't heard about the plot to turn Scenic Bay into a racetrack have suddenly woke up to the fact that yet again, our elected officials are not representing our best interests. It would seem that voters should wake up to the fact that speed boaters from Spokane and other venues are not in the least interested in the community that they periodically invade for recreation. What is even more disturbing, is that apparently our own representatives in county government feel the same way. Oh, God, bring on the next election, where once again, commissioners are reminded who they represent.

Bayview's Pearl Harbor Attack?

Recent rumors have been floating around that the Kootenai County Commissioners are considering removing the no wake protection from Scenic Bay. A concerted attack on the status quo is taking place from several directions. One, the city of Post Falls recently was denied a no wake zone on the Spokane River. They then point fingers at Bayview saying, "If they can have one, why can't we?" Thats a pretty valid question, actually. Perhaps the county should consider doing their jobs, which is to protect and serve their constituency.

The history of the no wake zone goes way back to over 20 years ago. It was petitioned for, hearings were held and the protection granted for safety reasons. Many people in Bayview are perfectly happy to have the roar of big engines cranking up delayed until clearing the bay proper. Noise echos off the hill sides and bounces back and forth ruining the quality of life we have heretofore enjoyed. Children can currently paddle small craft and inner tubes safely. That will not be the case if commissioner Tondee gets his wish. Sailboat masts will sword fight at the marinas. Commissioner Tondee suggested to me that during storms, the wind kicks up more waves than boat wakes. I disagree. I live where I can see most of the bay and wind coming into the bay tends to push water, rather than creating large waves. Try comparing that to a speedboat doing 50 mph right down the center of the bay.

In a conversation with Tondee yesterday, he freely admitted to being in favor of elimination. A television station recently interviewed a boater from Spokane who objected to the exaggerated 20 minutes it takes to clear the bay. Those that don't live here, pay no local taxes, and don't vote for commissioners, probably don't give a rat's ass what happens to our life style here. But then why the commissioners are siding with outsiders is a puzzle. One theory is that to keep Bayview safe and sane, they would have to grant Post Falls it's reasonable request for similar protection, and perhaps other bays as well. OK, why not. If the need is there, pay the bucks. Are the commissioners going to fund more sheriff department water deputies?

It has become obvious to this blogger, that our elected leaders are taking an approach to areas like ours, that is not representative of the majority at all. When I asked the receptionist at Parks and Waterways if the rumors were true, she said she had not heard any such thing and would know, if it were true. Tondee explained that the waterways advisory board was instructed to hold a town meeting in Bayview at an yet undecided time and date. If this sounds like the skids being greased for a decision already made, it probably is.Folks, it is time to come out publicly and howl in protest if you believe this move is not warranted. It also would behoove our elected officials and those working for them, to be more dedicated to the truth.

Don't Store That Fishing Pole Yet

Don't put away your fishing gear just yet. It's Oktoberfish in Bayview again. Kick off is the auction Friday, October 2 at 7 pm at the Captain's Wheel Resort. That will be followed by the derby itself, Saturday & Sunday, October 3 & 4.

Entry fee is $25 per entrant, with all money raised to be given out to the various winners. You are invited to come down, bid on stuff you don't need, eat the free buffet (ticket holders only) and of course lie about the big one that got away. (I once had a fifty pound Kam, until someone produce a picture of it. Curses, foiled again.)

Prizes are as follows:

The first fish weighing more than last year's winner, 9 pounds, 10 ounces wins $100
1st prize goes to the largest Kamloop Trout 40%
2nd prize goes to the largest Mackinaw 30%
3rd prize goes to the 2nd largest Kamloop Trout 20%
4th prize goes to the 2nd largest Mackinaw 10%

Lest we forget, the 1st prize winner also gets possession of the traveling trophy for the year. Fish & Game is still awarding $15 per head for trout and Macks, so even if you aren't one of the big winners, you can still win. It is not advised, however, to detach the head before weigh-in.

Goods, Services, Gift Certificates and donations are needed for the auction, which proceeds will go into the pot for prizes. Tickets are available at the derby sponsor, Ralph's Internet Cafe and Friday night at the Auction. For further information, call Ralph at 208-683-2218.

Same Ol', Same Ol'

Somehow, when I hit the road, lean back and stretch out the miles, I have a problem with stopping. I hate, for some reason, stopping for anything. Food, sightseeing, anything but gas.

Last week, I set out for Manteca, California. My daughter had been in a serious accident that she was very lucky to survive. Only her seat belt saved her, and then barely. It was touch and go for a while, but then she rallied. Rolling her car, then having it flip end over end, could have, should have killed her. Somehow it didn't She had a few broken bones and some head trauma, which is what is taking the longest to heal. I spoke to her doctor just before I left. He announced that she should completely recover, but it will take two or three months.

The above referral to same ol', same ol' is in reference to my return trip. When I drove down, I didn't want to arrive in the middle of the night, so I took a motel rppm in Redding. Coming back was back to my usual habits. I hugged my daughter and ,left the hospital in Lodi that she is recovering in. 9:00 am and I'm on the road again, was Willie would sing. Plans were to stop at Lake Siskyou to visit Jim & Jean Campbell. I did that, arriving around 1:30 pm. We had a short but nice visit, in which I was treated to Jean hand feeding some of the tame deer that hang out at the campground. Darn it all, I had a camera in the car and didn't take a picture of that. Jean, if you have a digital camera. please send me a photo of that.

After about 20 minutes or so, I was on the road again. Thinking about where I would stop for the night was briefly mused over, then forgotten. I would stop when I got tired of driving. I pulled into a very quiet Bayview at 3:30 am the next morning, having driven non-stop. You would think that at my age, I would have better sense. Obviously that isn't the case. At any rate, I got back, my little girl will be alright and everything is OK with the world. I did have my tail light knocked out in a parking lot, but there to admit to it was a very embarrassed, but honest lady. She gave me her insurance information and I hopped back on the highway.

Both going down and coming back, I chose to peel off at Weed and take Hwy 97 via Bend and Biggs Junction, thence the gorge to Ti-cities and up 395. I thought about staying in Bend, then again at the Tri-cities, but by then I smelled the barn and headed back out. Jim & Jean said to say Hi to everyone, so there you have it. I'm up, about and taking nourishment as the saying goes. I'll catch up on the local news and get that information out.

In the, "It's a small world" category, when I gassed up, late at night at a truck stop in Pasco, I asked a trucker for directions to get back on 395. He complied, then said, "I know you from somewhere." Well it turned out that sometime in the past he had discussed mutual friend here in Bayview, Gary Hart & son. apparently sometime back, since I didn't remember him or the discussion. He did, and as soon as I told him I live in Bayview, he recalled everything. I sure didn't. I guess I've just murdered too many brain cells over the years. It turns out that he had left Stockton, California about the same time I left Lodi, which is just down the street from each other. We probably passed each other several times on the way north.

The picture was taken at a view point near the John Day Dam in the Columbia Gorge. It turned out rather well and DFO published it in "Huckleberries on line," while I was gone.

Deja Vu ...Not Again!

After a rather uneventful Summer regarding Bob Holland and his building escapades, Bob and crew has finally provided the entertainment we all have enjoyed these past few years. It seems that his people jumped the gun with an installation of a fire alarm panel at Vista Bay. A stop work order was issued by Timberlake Fire District. Since then, the stop work order was removed and work is in progress.

Boileau's Marina, however, things do not look so good. A fire extinguisher location inspection was concluded in April, with June 1 as a fix-it date. To this date, fire extinguishers still have not been installed in the locations approved by the fire district. Last week, a fire broke out on a boat moored in the first boat shed, opposite the Patio Restaurant, which burned down a few months ago. No extinguisher was present in the boat shed. The boater rushed over to the Patio from whitch they borrowed an extinguisher. The fire was small, and was extinguished easily ... This time.

The burning question, (ouch!) is whether proper fire suppression equipment or the next fire will happen first. The main dock at Boileau's has had a history of fires, boat fuel fires and such. One would think that the cost of properly placing fire extinguishers would by far, be exceeded by a serious fire. One could also speculate as to the attitude of their insurance carrier, should a serious fire break out without compliance regarding codes and inspection results.

In a completely unrelated subject, many will want to begin preparations for Oktoberfish, the annual derby ran by Ralph's Cafe. The derby will be October 2, 3 4th. Tickets and rules are available at Ralph's coffee house. 683-2218. Summer is racing to a conclusion with Fall colors not far off. I'll be down for a week due to family medical issues. Please feel free to slide back and read from my past posts and archived stuff while I'm gone.

I'm toying with the idea of selling ad space on my blog. This would consist of ads in jpg format in the size the pictures on the right are. If you are interested in advertising on this blog, e-mail me at bayviewherb@gmail.com. I average about 72 visits per day and right around one hundred page views. Demographics can be ascertained by clicking on the site meter box at the bottom of the page, which gives locations of the various readers, as well as referral info.

Ode to Bayview by Mike Lee

Massive Storm Hits Athol & Bayview

Contributed by Jessica Haddon of Bayview

Mom Nature Roars

Most of the time, the little village of Bayview ducks the serious storms. Air currents that separates the systems, brought about by Mt. Spokane, and perhaps Rathdrum Mountain, tend to split weather. Whether Summer or winter, the pattern stays the same. ... Most of the time,Storms either pass to the north of Bayview, or south behind Bernard Peak and on to the North Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River.

Not so today.We in Bayview, got caught in a direct hit of a series of cells that were/are feeding from southwest to northeast and coincidentally, are passing directly across Bayview and of course, Athol. Gravel has spilled out onto the roadways from Athol to the end of Cape Horn in Bayview. Rock falls at the slide area of a few years ago are again harassing motorists passing through.

It all started about 5:00 pm. A serious thunderstorm hit Bayview, after devastating Athol and Silverwood, too.It was a direct hit. Typically, a thunderstorm has a relative calm center, with most of the heavy rain/hail and winds around the periphery. With a direct hit, we received heavy rain, then a relative calm with sprinkles, then the back end hit with a vengeance. Silverwood Theme Park, faced with the inevitable, shut down about 8:30pm

The sun came out then, but only for a little while. Around 7:00 pm a dark, almost purple cloud formation came at us, this time with much more fury. Lights went out, satellite TV went out and as of 9:30 pm, calm has enveloped this little water born community. Idaho tends to be a state with weather extremes, but luckily not like the midwest, where tornadoes roar through the flat open spaces. We do, however, have our moments, and tonight was one of them. Trees are down actross local roads, and extreme caution is advised while driving.

Bayview's Centennial

In the last two years, both spirit Lake and Athol have celebrated their centennial. Next year is Bayview's turn. Even though Bayview isn't incorporated, the town was plated back in 1910 and Bayview is going with that as a starting point.

The steering committee has been working for over a year to make 2010 a memorable celebration.
The goal is to have an exciting calendar of events running from January and culminating on Labor Day.

Centennial memorabilia went on sale at this year's Bayview Daze and will continue to be sold throughout this year and next - including T-shirts, note cards, historic photos, historic poster - and coming soon a 2010 calendar, Centennial poster and flag.

A capital campaign - with three 3 levels of giving - is underway to help raise money to go toward a permanent gift to the town. Based on results from a survey distributed in the spring of this year, the committee has narrowed the choices to four categories and will be meeting with all area groups to gather input before a decision is made. Additional funds will be sought through grants. The hope is to have a significant and lasting addition to town to commemorate our first 100 years. Donations of any amount will be gladly accepted and deeply appreciated.

Checks should be made out to the Bayview Community Center Foundation and may be sent to P.O. Box 493, Bayview. Be sure to note that your check is for the "Centennial Fund." Call Jackie Lloyd at 683-1680 or Kathi Ellis at 683-9191 to volunteer or get souvenir items. Many more hands are needed!

Tornado flattens Train

I received this on the internet from a friend. There is no referrence to what railroad, nor what date this happened, but it is obviously genuine. The camera is mounted on the rear of the last engine unit, as well as a camera on the front. This is looking backward from the engine.

Athol Daze R Us

Were all hyped for Athol Daze, especially since it is the centennial. The parade starts at 10:00 am with two and possibly three bands playing. The Albeni Falls Pipe band will lead off, with the Shadle Park High School Band playing as well. There are rumors that a Civil Air Patrol band will appear. Along with the usual floats and horseback riders, we will have a Llama, two camels and many other things as well. As thankful as we are to have the Shadle Park Band, one wonders where our local high schools are when needed.

The two surviving members of the mid-sixties Athol all women fire brigade, Chief Joreen Bohn, and Vicki Upchurch. Joreen is also a former Mayor and city council member as well. They will be riding the Farragut State Park Navy fire engine, a 1942. While not the same one as in the Athol department, it was also a 1942, a Dodge. February 1966 marked the organization of the Athol Fire Department under Chief Joreen Bohn. Shortly thereafter, the city purchased an old 1942 Dodge Fire truck. As the Chief put it, “Most of the men were working either in the woods, the mill, or for the railroad. Those that were left in town were either old, disabled or drunk.” The department originally had seventeen members, but as all volunteer organizations, some dropped out, or had babies. There were, however always a core group which was composed of Chief Bohn, Ruth Hunter-Ewing, Marie Allen and Vicki Upchurch.

The original settler in Athol was A.H. Noble, in 1892. A Northern Pacific Railway watering stop and section gang shacks followed, and a town was born. The church across the street from the Athol city Park was originally a Baptist Church, built in 1901.

Saturday, after the parade, will be a fair at city park. Shown above, is a picture of the church as it originally looked.

After the fair in the park there will be a knockout,call the cops, jam session organized by Larry James at the Legion starting about 4:00 pm. A reunion of the Hwy 54 band, complete with all of the singers and instrumentalists will appear as well as the Bell's. The Bells will also be playing in the park prior to the jam. Every musician that is of any stature at all in the area will be participating. All in all, not bad for free entertainment all day long, eh?

Oh and don't forget, for you folks that don't want to fix breakfast Saturday morning. Timberlake Fire district is holding a pancake breakfast from 8:00 am to 10:00 am, at which time you'll be watching the parade.

Dog Days of Summer

With temperatures hovering in the mid to high 90's, It is very uncomfortable. Midweek has been quiet, well except for my family emergency. My eldest daughter was involved in a near fatal accident three days ago. She suffered a broken rib, arm, and collar bone along with three cervical vertebrae. The only serious injury is the broken neck, but even that is coming along nicely with the neurosurgeon suggesting that surgery will not be necessary. She will, however, have to wear a neck brace for quite a while. I want to thank all of you that have expresses prayers and best wishes. I truly believe they helped. The doctors are amazed that no apparent permanent damage was detected considering she had to be resuscitated at the accident scene.

Don't forget that Athol Daze will take place Saturday, August 8 with the parade starting at 10:00 am, M/C by yours truly. There will be some unusual events. Camel rides, and contests for the kids in the park following the parade. Starting at 4:00 pm is the annual American Legion jam session behind the Athol Legion. This year is special, since it is being hosted by Larry James and the Hwy 54 re-union. The Bell's will be there and a ton of talented musicians from around the area. This jam is open to the public.

In other local news, Chief Krill of the Timberlake Fire District tells us that J.D's and The Buttonhook are now in compliance with all fire codes, excepting the flame suppressant hood in the Buttonhook, which has until re-opening in the spring to replace. The fire district also warns against any outdoor burning, as fire danger is extreme.

Summer Thunder

If there was any doubt as to the severity of last night's storm, the picture above depicts the lightning strikes as the storm passed through. Bayview didn't get any, but just north and south as most local weather patterns are, got heavy strikes all the way across the Chilco area and up the north fork of the Coeur d'Alene River. Fortunately, it was a wet storm with much rainfall, which not only squelched most lightning caused fires, but watered my tomatoes, too.

On a more personal note, my daughter, Debbie Gibson, was involved in a serious rollover accident last night. She is in critical condition, but is stable and expected to survive. Broken ribs, collar bone and several other unnamed injuries. We are all praying for her complete recovery.

July 29: Debbie passed the crisis during the night and appears to be on the mend. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers.

Terry's Cafe Doomed?

We learned that recently, adding to the problem of Terry's Cafe shutdown by the fire district, that the Panhandle Health district piled on, too. This does not bode well for the reopening and is likely to be the straw that broke the camel's back, so to speak.

We wish Terry well in her other venture in spirit Lake. We suspected she was going to close at the end of her lease in Bayview, so it was just accelerated some by the aforementioned inspections.

Athol Daze

If you thought the parades and celebrations were over for the year, you were wrong. This year in Athol is special. Special because the city has been incorporated for 100 years. The first settler homesteaded in 1892, followed by a section gang and whistle stop on the Northern Pacific Railroad. A sawmill was built in 1902, which coincided with much of the old downtown.

The first church, an Episcopal-Methodist was built in 1900 followed by the Baptist church in 1901, which is still in use today as the Gates of Praise Assembly, just across from city park. Athol has a storybook past and is being revisited this, their centennial year.

The picture above, courtesy of the city of Athol, shows Main Street in 1907, just two years prior to incorporation. Main Street is now Old Hwy 95. The town's buildings were on the east side of the street with the railroad on the west. Catch my story with other pictures in the Spokesman-Review, Sunday, August 2. Oh, and don't forget the parade, Saturday, August 8 at 10:00 am. After the parade there will be a fair in city park including camel rides.

Following the day in the park, the American Legion Post 149, Athol will host a jam session to beat all jam sessions. The reunion of the band Hwy 54, organized by lead singer, Larry James is hosting under the gazebo in back. The Bells will be there, along with a ton of talent from all over North Idaho. It starts at 4:00 pm. Be there or be square.

High Fire Danger

Timberlake Fire Chief, Jack Krill announced this morning, a ban on all outdoor burning. He also suspended all existing burn permits. Hot dry weather has settled in and more is expected as temperatures climb close to 100 degrees as the week progresses. The danger index is expected to go from high to very high, then extreme between now and the week-end.

The haze that was over us yesterday was due to a large forest fire burning in British Columbia. The wind has shifted, but there is still a light haze over North Idaho.

As an aside, paving is going on in the Garwood to Hayden corridor and traffic is backed up for miles. It might pay to go west to Hwy 41 to avoid the miles long parking lot.

A little late

I'm not very timely with this story, given that it is a couple weeks or so old. A retirement party was held June 27 for long time city clerk of Athol, Charlotte Hooper. After 24 years, Charlotte is hanging it up. A retirement party was held Saturday, June 27 with several dignitaries present. Sheriff Rocky Watson, Mayor Lanny Spurlock, along with former mayors, Jean Hill and Jorene Bohn.

A contingency from the Timberlake Fire District dropped in and of course, Charlotte's replacement,Sally Hansen and numerous family members and friends. Above, a few pictures of the event.

Pictured from top and left to right are: Charlotte Hooper and Rocky Watson; Lanny spurlock, Jean Hill and Jorene Bohn; Charlotte & Sally, the departing and arriving city clerks.

Terry's Cafe Shut Down

Terry's Cafe was ordered closed today by Timberlake Fire Chief, Jack Krill. Along with the closure of Terry's, two other premises owned or operated by Chan Karupiah received citations relating to fire and safety codes, but were allowed to continue operations.

The Buttonhook Restaurant along with JD's Bar were both inspected, then reinspected failing both times from numerous alleged code violations. JD's was given until July 30 to comply while the Buttonhook Restaurant was given until July 16. Fines have been levied against Mr. Karupiah which according to code, start at $10 per day for the first week, $50 the second week, $100 the third week and so on.

According to Chief Krill, not only were the violations not corrected, but new ones were found as well. The Buttonhook Restaurant has a large full basement which contains lawnmowers, fuel and other combustibles that will have to be removed. It is not known at this time whether those items belong to Chan or are still owned by Waterford Park Homes, LLC.

It was noted that unlike the Captain's wheel which was inspected earlier this spring, the three above mentioned properties have not moved to make corrections. Chief Krill noted that the 'Wheel spent over $5000 in order to comply and that it would be unfair to let the others have a pass when the Captain's Wheel immediately moved to correct deficiencies. We will follow this closely for further developments.

Postscript 7/20:

Further inspections after owners got after their staff for failing to cover deficiencies, both JD's and the Buttonhook were deemed far enough along for an extension. It turns out that many of the older restaurants in the Bayview/Athol area have out of date fire suppression hoods, but the five mentioned by Chief Krill, have until the spring of 2010 to replace the outmoded ones with state of the art hoods. These replacements are extremely expensive and replacing them in the middle of the tourist season was considered impractical.

Other businesses that failed their original inspections were the Pastime Tavern and White Pine Cafe, both in Athol.

More 4th Pictures

The crowds are gone, guests have departed, and peace and tranquility has descended upon Bayview. While it's great to see family that has been out of reach for quite a while, it is tiring,too. Our cool weather is about over and we'll be back in the high 80's and low 90's again by tomorrow. I was asked to write another column for this Sunday's Handle Extra describing the events that took place last week-end. That story will publish Sunday.

We had a great turnout for the parade, Saturday with some very original entries. The pirates of the Caribbean was spectacular along with many others. Bayview's own Kazoo Marching Band was a hoot as well.

ATV & PWC KILL

During this early Summer, we have seen a pandemic of ATV & Personal Water Craft deaths and serious injuries. Many of these involve people running at high speed that are too young to get a driver's license. I have counted about five serious ATV crashes and about the same number of watercraft accidents many involving death and others with serious injury.

The question here, is twofold. First, should watercraft have a lower speed limit and two, why are parents letting their children, some as young as 10 years old, drive dangerous vehicles at all. Should these parents be prosecuted for child endangerment? One such case happened near Bayview, Idaho, in a private driveway. Riding the ATV were two children, ages 10 & 11. They lost control and hit a power pole. One suffered a serious head injury and was air lifted to a hospital. The other, suffered a compound fracture of his leg.

While I'm not a fan of over regulation, it would seem that it is time to require either a license including a training class,an age restriction or both.

It's Over

Undoubtedly the biggest and best Bayview Daze celebration ever, occurred on the 4th. Further more, we are probably the only parade in Idaho that featured camels. But its wasn't just camels, we were blessed with numerous entries which included the Grand Marshalls, Lloyd & Patty Pierce and Timberlake High School Jr. Miss, Hannah Oden. Cathy Armstrong did a magnificent job singing the National Anthem. Jeanene Crist, who lives in the Athol area, is a famous camel trainer that used to train both Dromedary and Bactrian Camels in Arizona. One can imagine their probably aren't very many crowding that specialty in our country.

Many organizers worried that the competition from other 4th venues would dampen the numbers, but quite the opposite occurred. Certainly, the parade entries were almost double what we had in the past.Over 75 entries, some of them multiple vehicles joined the parade this year.Everything from a giant 19th century bicycle with a huge front wheel and a tiny rear one, Kootenai County Mounted Posse and many other great entries. I'll be posting [ictures of these events for the next few days.Right now, here's a few.

The Party Begins

The week-end kicks off with live music at the Captain's Wheel tonight, and music everywhere Saturday. A big surprise awaits those of you that come in time for the parade here in Bayview. Well, I'm not good at keeping secrets. Tomorrow's parade will have the very first camels to ever walk in a North Idaho parade, or probably anywhere short of Saudi Arabia. Jeannene Christ is bringing two camels to march with the rest, so don't miss this attraction. Don't forget the art fair at the community center, either.

Very few raffle tickets remain at the Mercantile, Ralph's and the captain's Wheel. $20 may win you a cool $1000. Don't forget to head for the Bayview Fire House, where an open house will be held right after the parade until 4:00 pm. There will be music there, too. The street fair is full of fantastic arts & crafts and is in full swing today through Sunday.Later Saturday evening, around 9:30 pm the lighted boat parade will circle the bay followed by one of the best fireworks displays ever seen in this neck of the woods.

People have come from great distances for this event. We have a dentist from Mexico, a Doctor from London, England, and others from states as far away as Indiana. I'll be on the reviewing stand, announcing the parade and the raffle winners right after the parade finishes. Stop by and say hi if you want.