Looking back at a busy year
The following is a quick look back at the top stories in each issue of the Bonners Ferry Herald during the year 2018.
JAN. 4
Yoder’s Market is moving
Yoder’s Market plans to move up near 3 Mile mid JAN. and will gain an extra 1000 square feet as well as more parking.
JAN. 11
Dante pleads guilty
Eric Dante pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the shooting death of Jesseka Musson.
JAN. 18
New year, healthy habits
Idaho Drug Free Youth and i2i brought an interactive event to the students at Bonners Ferry High School, helping them break out of their social circles.
JAN. 25
Landslide possible on Black Mountain
Boundary County Sheriff’s Office reported cracks on Black Mountain that could potentially turn into a landslide.
FEB. 1
Stop the silence
The family of murder victim, Jesseka Musson, arranges a rally and letter writing campaign in protest of the plea deal offered to Eric Dante.
FEB. 8
Yoder’s celebrates grand opening
Yoder’s Market opened in its new location with a ribbon cutting ceremony.
FEB. 15
Meet Boundary County’s own ‘Batgirl’
Off-roader Teresa Lummus, who got her start at the Moyie Mud Bogs will appear on History Channel’s ‘Truck Night in America.’
FEB. 22
Friends raise money to help local animal shelter
Four friends held a Valentine’s Day Charity Bake Sale and raised more than $1,000 for the Second Chance Animal Adoption.
MARCH 1
Two fires break out in South Boundary Fire District
Snow made it difficult to reach one of the fires on 20 Mile Road and the trailer was a loss. The house on Hickory Hill was able to be saved.
MARCH 8
Learning First Aid in the wilderness
Longleaf Wilderness Medicine came to the Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge to teach first responders a hands on class about rescue in adverse weather conditions.
MARCH 15
Community comes together after fire levels barn
Boundary County citizens rally together to provide hay and other essentials after a fire destroyed a large barn in Montana, just outside of Idaho.
MARCH 22
Bringing Boise to Boundary County
Moyie Springs became the 100th ‘Capitol for a Day’ during a visit from Idaho Gov. Butch Otter.
MARCH 29
A manly competition
Jesse Sandelin wins the Mr. BFHS competition.
APRIL 5
Snowy start to April
Spring snows hit Boundary County, with more than nine inches reported near the Moyie River.
APRIL 12
Bonners Ferry Robotics team going to world championship
Our local robotics team becomes one of four Idaho teams that qualified for the World Championship in Houston, Texas.
APRIL 19
New police chief for Bonners Ferry
Brian Zimmerman was sworn in as the new Bonners Ferry Chief of Police by Mayor David Sims after the resignation of the former Police Chief Vic Watson.
APRIL 26
Students create new Fire Chief Association Logo
The Fire Chief’s Association held a contest to create their logo and combined the top three winning designs.
MAY 3
DYW: Under the Big Top
Shawna Siver wins the title of 2018 Distinguished Young Woman.
MAY 10
Chili cook off brings heat, raises funds
A chili cook off was held at the Bonners Ferry Fire Department to raise money for uniforms for the Boundary County Fire Chief’s Association Honor Guard.
MAY 17
Library Director speaks at National Conference
Boundary County Library Director Craig Anderson spoke at the Maryland Library Association Annual Conference and spoke about winning the ‘Best Small Library in America.’
MAY 24
Badgers bring home state baseball title!
The Badgers claimed their first 3A Baseball State Championship in their 25-year history.
MAY 31
Live burn helps to save lives
Firefighters from around Boundary County had the opportunity to train in a live burn situation in a donated house.
JUNE 7
An upbeat afternoon after a rough year
The Bonners Ferry Rod Benders held their 19th annual Border 3 Jamboree car show, put on by first time Show Chairman Richard Cowell.
JUNE 14
Havoc hits the mountains
The North American Off Road Championship drew top competitors from the U.S and Canada.
JUNE 21
Blackmore joins city police department
Bonners Ferry Police Officer Brandon Blackmore is joins the Bonners Ferry Police Department.
JUNE 28
Lightning ignites blaze on Round Mountain
Strong thunderstorms brought a lightning strike that started a fire in a large dead snag, and firefighters had to navigate steep terrain to reach the blaze.
JULY 5
Keeping the waters safe for recreation
The Boundary County Sheriff’s Marine Program takes to the waters even though the cooler weather has left the Kootenai River very low in boat activity.
JULY 12
Fire destroys home on U.S. 2
A home on Highway 2 was totally involved when firefighters from multiple agencies arrived on scene.
JULY 19
Man drowns in Kootenai River
Local man, Adrian Wages, was lost in a tragic accident on the Kootenai River.
JULY 26
Wildfire in Boundary County
A wildfire burned approximately 15 acres north of Bonners Ferry, before being contained, avoiding any evacuations.
AUG. 2
Man rescued from Snow Lake area
Boundary County Search and Dive Rescue was called to rescue a man near Snow Lake and enlisted the aid of Two Bear Air.
AUG. 9
Couple rescued from storage tank
Two people fell into a sewage tank and needed to be rescued after being overwhelmed by the fumes due to lack of oxygen.
AUG. 16
Riverside Road plans debated
Concerned community members were given the opportunity to learn about the upcoming Riverside Road Project and give their input.
AUG. 23
Dedication, royal introductions part of fair opening
The 2018 Boundary County Fair kicked off and Caleb Petersen and Katelyn Hutchinson were named as the king and queen.
AUG. 30
Fleming Creek Fire is contained
The wildfire located nine miles north of Bonners Ferry required multiple agencies and heavy air support.
SEPT. 6
Waterline needed for Grandview Cemetery
A fundraiser is put into place to replace the waterline in the old section of the cemetery.
SEPT. 13
Demolition Derby is a hit with fans, drivers
The 2018 Smash & Bash thrilled the fans and Kyle Wiebe became the overall winner.
SEPT. 20
Carry the Fallen: A ruck-march for veterans
Carry the Fallen event was held to bring awareness to the community about the burdens carried by veterans and family members, and raised more than $12,000.
SEPT. 27
Mural boosts Badger pride
Josh and Sara Knaggs painted a large mural featuring local landscapes and the Badger, in the Bonners Ferry High School gym.
OCT. 4
Man dies in fatal crash
An accident in a field off of Highway 1 claimed the life of 29-year-old Steven Dean Price.
OCT. 11
Wild Horse Mercantile devastated by fire
The Wild Horse Mercantile caught fire and firefighters worked through the night to save a portion of the building.
OCT. 18
A tool that saves lives
Boundary County Sheriff’s Office received a grant from BNSF that enabled AEDs to be assigned to all the patrol vehicles.
OCT. 25
Charges filed in high-speed chase
Anne Solt faced multiple charged after she led law enforcement in a car chase from Bonners Ferry to Moyie Springs that ended when her vehicle struck two patrol vehicles.
NOV. 1
Sheriff Kramer graduates from national program
Boundary County Sheriff Dave Kramer participated and graduated from the National Sheriffs’ Institute (NSI) held in Aurora, Colo.
NOV. 8
Lost hunter rescued
Boundary Search and Dive Rescue Team rescued a 29-year-old hunter from the Dodge Peak area.
NOV. 15
Person rescued from burning house
First responders rescued a person from a house fire on Atlanta Street through a window.
NOV. 22
Electrical fire contained on Sandy Ridge Road
An electrical fire traveled through the insulation of a shop before being contained by firefighters.
NOV. 29
High Five funding to help pool, skate rink
An update on the $250,000 High Five! Community Transformation Grant and what it is being used for, including fixing the City Pool.
DEC. 6
Officer-involved shooting reported
Law enforcement fired on a suspect when he allegedly reached for gun while he was in his truck, and he suffered a non life threatening injury to his finger.
DEC. 13
Dante sentenced in murder case
Eric Allen Dante was sentenced for the May 1, 2017, murder of Jesseka Musson and received a 20-year sentence, with 10 years determinant and 10 years indeterminate.
DEC. 20
Putting out the fire of stress
Boundary County Chaplain’s Corp has Angel 1, a support vehicle that used to be an old ambulance, almost ready to roll.
DEC. 27
Helping the public for 25 years
Cathy Wells was honored with a retirement party after service the Boundary County Prosecutor’s Office for 25 years.