From plea deals to levies, 2025 had big news

The year had no shortage of headlines, with the second quarter of the year seeing everything from plea deals in high-profile cases to an update on what's going on at the Albeni Falls Dam.

Below are a few of the stories that captured the headlines in the second quarter of the year. Additional stories will be featured in later editions of the paper.

APRIL

USFS proposes wildfire mitigation project

The U.S. Forest Service is aiming to address local wildfire risk through "Sandpoint South" — a proposed 2026 initiative to thin approximately 8,334 acres of public forest within a 174,000-acre project area in southern Bonner County. 

The suggested project would also include about 100 miles of road maintenance, construction and reconstruction in areas near the southwest shore of Lake Pend Oreille. 

Agencies like the USFS periodically remove hazardous fuels including deadfall and dense vegetation from forests so that if a wildfire occurs, it’s less severe and easier to manage. For Sandpoint South, staff would cut down trees and other vegetation in areas near Garfield Bay, Talache Landing, Bayview and Cocolalla and either burn or harvest the material.

Forest, shoreline work approaches at Two Rivers Park

After years of remediation and preparation, a coalition of government and resident organizers are readying the property that will soon become Two Rivers Park for public access as soon as this summer. 

A former industrial site, the 38.4-acre wooded parcel southeast of downtown Priest River was rehabilitated by the landowner in 2018 and gifted to the city in 2021. 

Project organizers have spent the past three years laying the foundation for a park that could one day include a swimming beach, a dog park, athletic fields and other amenities. Once foresters remove hazard trees and cut footpaths on the property this spring, community members will be able to safely access the area for the first time in a century.

Meyer pleads guilty to amended arson charge

The woman charged in connection to a July 4 fire that burned down the Army Surplus 1 store pled guilty Tuesday to an amended charge of second-degree arson.

Jennifer Suzanne Meyer, 50, pled guilty to starting the fire that destroyed the downtown Sandpoint business. As part of a pretrial settlement agreement, Meyer’s charges were amended to reflect her admission of second-degree arson, which was reduced from the original charge of first-degree arson.   

Meyer seemed calm and attentive during the hearing, answering questions using monosyllabic words.  

Jennifer Suzanne Meyer, 51, was sentenced in mid-June guilty to 15 years in prison — seven years determinate and eight years indeterminate. Meyer will receive credit for 336 days of time served and will not have to pay any fines. She is required to pay restitution for damages to the Army Surplus 1 store.  

EMS fees increase, non-resident rate approved

At an April 9 hearing on a proposed Bonner County EMS fee increase, county commissioners voted to raise the price for public services by 15% and to institute a non-resident fee per service. 

The last time fees were increased was in 2020. Since that last increase, EMS call volume has increased by 20% and operating costs have grown significantly due to inflation. As billing revenue accounts for almost 40% of the EMS budget, it was agreed by the district’s board that a fee increase needed to occur.  

When a customer is billed, 55% of the bill is given back to BCEMS. The increase in fees is projected to increase billing revenue by at least 10%. 

To help raise expenses, the district also proposed an increased non-resident rate that would bill non-residents an extra $2 per mile and an additional $200 per service.  

MAY

U.S. Army Corps shares Albeni Falls Dam updates

In a May 1 public meeting, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers personnel shared that Albeni Falls Dam’s No. 3 spillway gate — which was discovered to have defective steel in April 2024 — will return to the dam for repairs in early May and reenter service in July. 

The 10 other gates at the site are assumed to have similar defects and are slated to be replaced over the course of several years beginning in 2027. Until all of the gates are replaced, operations at the dam will be restricted, which offers staff less flexibility when controlling outflow and the level of Lake Pend Oreille. 

When the No. 3 gate is operable this summer, Albeni Falls Dam will once again have a spare spillway gate that can be implemented in an emergency. USACE Seattle District Commander Col. Kathryn Sanborn told attendees of Thursday’s meeting that even with a set of defective gates and no spare, the risk of a flood event or any threat to public safety is “very, very minimal.” 

In the event of a gate failure, the most significant problem would likely be the Corps’ loss of ability to sustain the level of Lake Pend Oreille.

SHS AcaDeca team finishes second nationals

After securing a seventh-consecutive state championship in March, Sandpoint High School’s Academic Decathlon team finished second in its division at a national competition hosted in Des Moines, Iowa, May 1-3. 

SHS entered the competition seeded No. 12 out of 15 teams in Division III, but went on to reach the podium for the second time in team history. SHS’ second-place finish was its best ever on the national level. 

In Academic Decathlon competitions, students take tests, write essays and give speeches to demonstrate knowledge in seven subject areas: art, economics, language and literature, math, music, science, and social science.

Timberline kicks off $13M expansion project

Timberline Helicopters Inc. kicked off a major expansion project in the city in mid-May with a groundbreaking ceremony.

A $13 million investment, the facility will be located on about 10 acres near the Sandpoint Airport.

Construction on the 50,000-square-foot building kicked off in mid-May and is expected to take about a year to complete. The 200-plus-foot-by-150-foot hangar will be large enough to house five Black Hawk helicopters at the same time with the blades on, giving the crew ample room to work. Construction on the project is being done by Idagon Construction.

The company offers a range of services, from helicopter logging, lifting and transport services to emergency support for firefighting and construction. The expansion will allow for an expanded repair station, helping it better serve customers and expand its clientele.

Voters approve WBCSD levy

After a close race early on, the West Bonner County School District levy pulled ahead to pass as the finish votes were counted shortly after 11 p.m. 

The measure received 2,101 yes votes, or 54.54%, to 1,751 no votes, or 45.46%. It's the district third attempt to pass a levy, and one that prevented the likely closure of two of the district's three elementary schools.

Funds from the two-year, $2.35 million-per-year maintenance and operation levy will go toward teacher and staff salaries, funds to operate the school library and for copy paper, fund the district's sports and extracurricular activities and pay for one bus during each of the levy's two years. It will also restart the district's music and arts programs, fund a nurse and school psychologists and cover utilities at the closed junior high school.

Fire districts look toward future after levy failures

After budget expansion proposals brought forth by three local fire districts were turned down by voters in Tuesday’s election, Fire Chief Jeff Armstrong described his plan for the coming months and years, which includes “tough decisions” and looking for “creative ways” to manage personnel costs. 

Sagle, Westside and Northside fire districts, which protect the areas immediately to the south, west and north of Sandpoint, each proposed a levy override that would permanently increase their budgets through annual payments made by property owners. 

All three measures failed to reach 50% support and fell well short of the two-thirds majority needed to pass. Armstrong — who heads all three districts — outlined the changes that will result in a public statement Wednesday.

JUNE

PACE's big vision

The Ponderay Aquatic Center Endowment announced in mid-June that it is spearheading a plan to create a multi-purpose community center at the Field of Dreams recreation complex. 

Originally envisioned as pools and ice rinks, the project has expanded to include a competition pool, a community pool with features like a lazy river, an NHL-sized indoor rink, seasonal outdoor rink, and a large field house for sports and events. Additional amenities include meeting rooms, a fitness area, an indoor walking track, and a community kitchen. The center would also be designed to serve as an emergency shelter during disasters. 

PACE aims to fund the project entirely through donations and grants, supplemented by an endowment for long-term sustainability. Their goal is to provide a hub for recreation, wellness, and emergency preparedness without relying on tax dollars.

Kohberger accepts plea deal

Bryan Kohberger, the suspect in the highly anticipated murder trial accused of killing four Idaho college students, accepted a plea deal in late June.

Kohberger was accused of fatally stabbing the University of Idaho students in November 2022 in their off-campus Moscow home. He faced four first-degree murder charges and, if convicted, could have been sentenced to death in a trial that was slated to start with opening statements Aug. 18.

The plea deal took the death penalty off the table, in exchange for Kohberger pleading guilty to the four first-degree murder charges. He will be sentenced to life in prison and must wave his right to an appeal.