10 Years Ago—2009

Avalanche claims life

Following a Colbert, Wash. Snowmobiler’s death last Friday, rescuers who know the popular Trapper Peak drainage north of Priest Lake can only speculate why he ventured near a vertical slope and was killed in an avalanche.

William Robert Smith, 43, had been riding with his 16-year-old stepson when a slide buried the man.

The Spokane boy found a safe way down and went for help, said Mike Nielson, commander of the Priest Lake Search and Rescue team. The rescuers used avalanche probes to find Smith buried in 3-5 feet of snow with his ambulance on top of him.

20 Years Ago—1999

911 service

implemented

Long-awaited 911 service throughout all but a small area of Bonner County began on Monday. Only a few residents in the Lakeview area will be unable to use the system to contact the county-wide dispatch center in Sandpoint.

30 Years Ago—1989

Red Cross arrives

The Red Cross arrived in Priest River last Wednesday to work with the disaster Assessment Network to address the problems Bonner County residents incurred because of the cold storm that blasted through the area in early February.

“The key thing is emergency need,” casework supervisor Angie Williams said. “People will have to show they have no other resources available.”

40 Years Ago—1979

Error corrected

Last week’s police log reported incorrectly that a wrong shirt was returned with the police department laundry and a county sheriff’s deputy was missing a pair of pants.

The shirt was a Priest River shirt returned with a Moses Lake Fire Department patch. The pants are new ones on order, not yet arrived.

50 Years Ago—1969

Locals successful

The local competitor in the highly successful first sled dog races near Nordman was Mickey Booth and wining was his bag.

Mickey owns and trains the dogs and his son Roger does the driving, along with Joe Hawley, another localite. Roger drove his dad’s team to victory in B class on both days, and Joe, racing for the first time, won both days in C class.

60 Years Ago—1959

Naccarato files

Roland “Buddy” Naccarato has announced he will be a candidate for trustee in zone no. 1 to serve on the Board of Trustees of Bonner County Class A School District 82 in the coming election on April 28. Zone 1 includes Priest River, Priest Lake and Laclede.

70 Years Ago—1949

Village will be city

Priest River will soon be designated as a city instead of a village, as soon as the necessary resolution is prepared, published and certified to the county commissioners.

80 Years Ago—1939

Technicolor nothing new

Color never had a more ardent champion than W. S. Van Dyke, to whom fell the assignment of handling the first modern all-color film for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, the Jeanette MacDonald-Nelson Eddy musical, ”Sweethearts, starring Sunday at the Rex Theater.

90 Years Ago—1929

Another first

For the first time in the history of the United States, the inauguration of the President (Hoover) was broadcast all over the country. Priest River High School students had the privilege of listening to this wonderful event on March 4, when a radio was installed at the school building.

100 Years Ago—1919

Soldiers welcomed home

A big delegation of home folks was at the train last Friday night to welcome home Joe Gumaer and Ted Hill, both of whom are recently returned from overseas duty with the A.E.F. Both the boys looked fine and healthy.