Top stories of 2021

2021 was a busy year filled with local and regional news. From construction projects to missing persons and moose incidents. To larger and wide topics such as COVID-19, population increase, housing issues and crime. At this time of the year, we at the Bonners Ferry Herald look back at the year and the top stories.

Local News

Boundary County Library closure

The board closed the library’s doors in April after former director Craig Anderson retired. The library released a statement that its doors would be closed temporarily to address concerns over clutter, safety and cybersecurity concerns.

Concerns and frustrations spread rapidly across social media, with residents expressing outrage about the closure, saying a lack of transparency left them without answers of the closure or future re-opening.

On April 26, the board met in an executive session to discuss potential litigation stated in the agenda. In July, the library hired former Bonners Ferry Mayor David Sims as library director.

An effort to recall the library board was made, but was suspended in August due to not collecting enough signatures. “Our community-wide supported recall was an effort of the citizens to open the library and promote good government by holding the board responsible for failing to properly operate the library and keeping it open. Soon after we started this petition, the library thankfully resumed operation under a proven manager,” said Steve Tanner, Recall chairman.

In October, Kimber Glidden was hired as the new director.

School district and city work together to complete Garden Lane project

Bonners Ferry and BCSD joined together to make a dead end into a through street. The remaining funds needed for the project came from Safe and Drug Free Schools grant and general fund dollars. The grant is designed to create safe walking and driving routes for local students as part of a continuous plan to increase safety. The funds went to construct a 6-foot wide pedestrian sidewalk.

According to City Administrator Lisa Ailport, the lack of through streets in Bonners Ferry creates heavy traffic on U.S. 95, particularly around the middle and high schools during peak times of the school day. The city and the school district hope that turning Garden Lane into a through street will help reduce traffic and relieve some of the pressure on the highway.

Plane flips over, Montana man walks away safe

On July 7, around 7 a.m., Boundary County Sheriff’s Office personnel received a report of a plane upside down at the Boundary airport with the pilot still trapped inside.

Multiple agencies responded to the dispatch, and upon arrival, they found that the pilot Patrick Hanley, 70, from Troy, Mont., was helped out of the plane and only had what appeared to be minor injuries.

However, Hanley was still taken to Boundary Community Hospital to be examined.

Hanley was the only occupant in the experimental Mustang Aeronautics Midget Mustang MM-2 plane. He said that he was not airborne and was testing the plane on the runway when he lost control and the plane flipped over.

Moose involved car accident, passengers survive

On Saturday, July 17, around 11 p.m., Dixie Stephens struck a Moose on Highway 95 at milepost 525. Stephens was driving southbound in her Jeep Patriot on the highway, and according to the collision report, a moose entered the highway. She was unable to avoid the moose safely and struck it with her vehicle.

The moose came to rest in the northbound lane on the highway and shortly after was struck by Justin Tanner, who was heading north in his Toyota Celica. Tanner struck the moose causing his vehicle to flip five times and resting hundreds of feet away from the initial impact.

Both drivers managed to avoid any significant injuries, walking away from the crash with minor bruises and scratches. The Jeep and Toyota vehicles are reported as totaled and the moose very dead.

Rescue crews locate teen, father

A 16-year-old and her father are back home safe after becoming separated in the Cabinet Mountains in Montana thanks to search and rescue volunteers from the Sandpoint and Bonners Ferry area.

Ed and Kelly Moellmer were on a father-daughter ski trip in the mountains in early February at Engle Peak, a roughly 90-mile drive from Bonners Ferry. Ed Moellmer ended up falling from a cornice and Kelly Moellmer became lost after calling 911, prompting a massive response from volunteers in both Bonner and Boundary counties. After a massive response with more than 100 rescuers, the pair were rescued and taken in for medical care.

Bill Blumenauer, 46, on July 21, was sentenced on five counts of lewd conduct with a minor. Each count required a minimum sentence of seven years; First District Judicial Officer Barbara Buchanan presided over the case. The five counts against Blumenauer will be served consecutively, adding up to a minimum of 35 years in jail, and he will receive a credit of 191 days for time served which will be subtracted from the first count. Blumenauer pleaded guilty to five counts of lewd conduct with a child under 16 in a plea deal that dismissed six other identical charges in April.

Bonner County midwife sentenced in infant's death

Denice E. Midstokke, 64, was sentenced to 30 days in jail in early December as part of a plea deal on a charge of practicing medicine without a license in connection to the death of a newborn baby in January.

Originally facing charges of involuntary manslaughter and destruction of evidence, Midstokke will spend five years on supervised probation upon release from the Bonner County Jail.

In exchange for the withheld judgment, Midstokke will not be able to appeal the sentence. She was ordered to divest from Pend Oreille Midwifery. Further, she will not be able to provide medical services or advice of any kind.

Midstokke surrendered her midwifery license on Oct. 6, and will not be able to apply for licensure in the future. Midstokke will also have to pay restitution to the child’s family, although the exact amount remains undisclosed.

Claus to stand trial for murder

Victor A. Claus, of Bonners Ferry, will stand trial for murder in April 2022, a little more than a year after he allegedly shot his girlfriend in the head while she was driving. Claus pled not guilty in June to a first-degree murder charge following a multi-vehicle crash on U.S. 95 near Athol.

Police said Melyssa L. Schloe, 45, was traveling northbound in a Toyota Tundra when she crossed the center line and sideswiped a motorcycle and another vehicle. Before the crash, another motorist called 911 to report a possible “rolling” domestic dispute between Claus, a passenger in the car, and Schloe. Schloe was pronounced dead at the scene, while Claus was transported to the hospital.

Moore charges dismissed

A second-degree murder case against Daniel Lee Moore was dismissed in mid-May after First District Court Judge Barbara Buchanan upheld suppression of the Bonners Ferry chiropractor's confession that he fatally shot fellow chiropractor Brian Drake. Moore, 63, was initially charged on Thursday, Aug. 27, with second-degree murder and the use of a deadly weapon in the commission of a felony in connection with Drake's fatal shooting on March 12, 2020. However, the court ruled Moore's confession was coerced, setting the stage for dismissal of the charges. Moore is involved in civil lawsuits connected to the case.

Boundary County Planning and Zoning issues formal complaint against Benjamin

Boundary County Planning and Zoning issued a formal complaint against Owen Benjamin in early June, detailing potential land use violations for his Moyie River property.

The June 3 letter warned that construction on the property known to Owen and his followers as Ursa Rio violates county ordinances, in part because no applications submitted to the planning department or permits issued for work on the site. The warning follows complaints by nearby residents who claimed Owen Benjamin and Struggle Bear Corporation have violated applicable zoning provisions for the neighborhood.

On the Great Bear Trail website, Benjamin details his vision for the site as part of a request for donations to his compound he called BearTaria.

Routine traffic stop, becomes drug bust

Boundary County Detective Caleb Watts made a routine traffic stop which led to the arrest of suspects with warrants and a drug seizure.

According to Boundary County Sheriff Dave Kramer, the narcotics seized have a street value of $16,800. Jason Rick Sands faced three counts, which included trafficking in methamphetamine, unlawful possession of a firearm and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Regional News

Pandemic continues to dominate headlines

As during 2020, the pandemic continued to be a major story, from the region to the state to the world.

From anti-mandate resolutions and protests to the implementation of crisis standards of care, both in North Idaho and the state as a whole, the pandemic has again dominated the news.

After several delays and controversy, Bonner County commissioners approved an anti-mandate resolution warning that the county will do everything in its legal power to reject any kind of mandate.

The resolution, which only has effect over areas under county jurisdiction, was necessary to take a stand against overreach by federal or state officials, commissioners said in approving the resolution.

COVID-related restrictions by Gov. Brad Little prompted a backlash among legislators who criticized them as a power grab and eventually led to efforts to attempt to unwind the emergency declaration and subsequent restrictions. Little would go on to veto two bills proposed by the Legislature earlier in the session that would have limited a governor’s ability to guide Idaho through emergencies.

In addition, mask mandates by local health and library districts prompted protests at local council, school board and library meetings.

Federal vaccination and testing rules would prompt lawsuits by several states, including Idaho, which contended that the federal government had no say over what officials insist is a state issue.

The measures resulted in a special session by the Idaho Legislature in mid-November on vaccination mandates to combat an executive order made by the Biden administration on Sept. 9. The order caused Gov. Brad Little, Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden, and other state officials to send a letter to Biden threatening legal action if he did not rescind the order.

A mid-October ranking by WalletHub rated Idaho as being the worst in the nation for COVID safety, giving the state just 5.34 points in the survey, far lower than West Virginia, next lowest in 50th place, with 12.2 points. In comparison, Connecticut was first with 92 points and Massachusetts was second with 89.

WalletHub’s results were based on the rates of COVID-19 transmission, positive testing, hospitalizations and deaths, and the share of the eligible population getting vaccinated.

As the year approached its end, COVID case numbers were again on the decline; however, the omicron variant was beginning to make its presence felt in the country.

Growth, workforce housing emerge as critical issues

Like COVID, growth and a host of associated issues, dominated the headlines in 2021.

While a massive influx of new residents helped boost the economy with Idaho ranking near the top of the nation in terms of job recovery and employment, the flip side of growth lead to a higher cost of living, higher rents and housing costs, a struggle to attract employees and businesses limiting hours and days of operation as a result.

BCSD struggled to maintain a subbing pool and with funds from the governor were able to provide bonuses for subs in November.

Also helping lead the state's economic recovery was the tourism industry, which was helped in part by Idaho's looser COVID-related restrictions. In resort towns like Sandpoint, that tourism brought both increased revenue and higher expenses and prompted the city to form a workforce housing task force aimed at identifying and vetting new ideas to solve the area’s workforce housing issues. In Bonners Ferry and Moyie Springs, hotels and motels were booked for months out with travelers and new residents waiting to move into their next home.

The city of Bonners Ferry explored making amendments to city zoning codes to allow for “accessory dwelling units” (ADUs), the result of a recent Fair Housing Assessment.

ADUs are smaller detached or attached housing units placed on the same lot or parcel as the primary dwelling without counting against density standards. They would only be allowed in residential zones and the proposed ordinances would apply to the city of Bonners Ferry only.

The discussion addressed standards for the possible new ADU ordinances. Another option considered was raising the detached unit size to 50% of the primary home.

City Engineer Mike Klaus also discussed the impact this would have on city water and sewer, whether these ADUs would be on a separate water meter and sewer systems.

Fire season proves long, devastating

From the Lee Fire in Coolin in early May to the Trestle Creek Complex near Hope, the 2021 fire season was long and devastating.

By June, officials were bracing for what would prove to be a challenging wildfire season when meteorologists told the Idaho Land Board that the state had its second driest spring in the last 126 years and one of its hottest previous 12 months.

With temperatures hovering near record levels, firework bans were instituted by local governmental agencies and fire districts.

A lightning storm in early July would prove catastrophic, causing dozens of fires in North Idaho and just over the border in western Montana.

The hot weather and the location of fires in challenging terrain hampered firefighters' effort and resulted in Gov. Brad Little's calling up of the National Guard to assist firefighting efforts.

Some like the Trestle Creek Fire near Hope and the Pioneer Fire near Priest River resulted in evacuation orders for area residents.

Type 3 fire crews were brought in to help fight the fires, several more than once, as crews worked to keep the fires from spreading and protect residences and private lands.

It wouldn't be until late August that fire restrictions in North Idaho would be lifted as recent rainfalls and cooler temperatures lowered fire dangers.

By the time fall rains and winter snows ended the fire season, the Stateline, Trestle Creek and Character complex fires in North Idaho would burn tens of thousands of acres and cause the evacuations of hundreds of the region's residents.

Redistricting maps prompt lawsuits

Since approved by the state's bipartisan redistricting commission, several legal challenges have been filed over proposed new legislative and congressional maps. The lawsuits contend the maps are unconstitutional because it splits up more counties than necessary.

The bipartisan Idaho Commission for Reapportionment was tasked with redrawing the legislative and congressional maps to create districts roughly equal in population, with just over 52,000 residents each. The commission is required to map new legislative districts that do not have more than a 10% population variance and they are supposed to avoid dividing counties into multiple districts as much as possible.

Commissioners voted unanimously in early November to approve the new legislative map, which is titled L03. Commissioners then voted 4-2 to approve the new congressional map, which is called C03.

Redistricting lawsuits are common, with at least 10 cases filed over the last four redistricting attempts dating back to 1981.

If approved, all of Boundary County and most of Bonner County would remain in District 1. A southwestern portion of Bonner County — encompassing the Spirit Lake and Blanchard areas — would be moved into the new District 2. Areas on the southeastern portion of the county, including Sagle, would be moved from District 7 into District 1.

Under the map, current District 1 Sen. Jim Woodward and Sage Dixon, representative for current District 1B seat, would remain in the newly configured District 1. Heather Scott, representative for the current District 1A seat, would be in the newly configured District 2.

'Big Lie' turns out to be big bust

Following a partial manual recount of Bonner County votes on Oct. 2 as well as full recounts in Butte and Camas counties, the Idaho Secretary of State said allegations challenging the accuracy of Idaho's November 2020 election were a big bust.

The findings: As expected, the election was executed with both integrity and accuracy, with the office finding only a roughly 0.1% margin of error across the three counties, according to state officials.

In the end, the vote count showed a 0.116% margin of error — a total of nine ballots with eight attributed to Trump and one to Biden. If the faint markings are taken into consideration, state officials said the margin of error on the ballots would drop to around 2.5 in 10,000, or 0.025%.

The Bonner County recount on Oct. 2 of about 7,900 ballots was the third conducted by the state over a two-week period. In total, eight precincts were included in the partial recount to get to about 7,900 votes out of the roughly 27,000 cast by Bonner County voters on Election Day. That statistical sample allowed the Secretary of State's office to extrapolate the numbers to see if the margin of error is plus or minus 0.2 percent — within the range of human error.

In counties where a full recount was done — Butte and Camas counties — both tabulated ballots by hand with no electronic counting. Camas saw a difference of 0.14% difference and Butte initially had a 0.63 difference. However, following the review in Butte County, where results initially showed 9 fewer votes counted, county officials did their own review of the poll and tally books. That review uncovered a math error that accounted for a 10-ballot overall difference.

The investigation was prompted by citizen submissions of a spreadsheet and website linked to MyPillow founder Mike Lindell.

Water adjudication process begins in county

The Idaho Department of Water Resources began notifying property owners in the county this fall that it’s time to start submitting their water rights claims. The notifications were the first step of the next phase of Idaho’s water adjudication process.

The adjudication process enables existing water users to claim the quantities and priority dates for their water rights and have them recognized by an Idaho Court decree, Saxton said. Confirming the priority date matters because, in times of water scarcity, water users who are first in time are first in right, under Idaho water law.

A YouTube video that claimed the process was an effort by the state to usurp those rights prompted Idaho Department of Water Resources officials to issue a press release denying those claims. In the release, IDWR officials assured residents that while the process is underway, there is plenty of time to file their water rights claims.

So far, the department has sent out 5,000 notices to owners of property primarily located in the northwestern portion of Bonner County and western Boundary County, including the Priest River drainage, which includes the communities of Coolin and Priest River. Later, notices of claim filing requirements will be mailed to landowners located in most of central and eastern Bonner County.

Education initiative signature drive approved

Idaho Secretary of State Lawerence Denney approved a signature drive in June for a ballot initiative that aims to increase K-12 funding by more than $200 million.

The ballot initiative, dubbed the Quality Education Act, would be paid for by a tax increase to corporations and Idahoans making more than $250,000 per year, Reclaim Idaho officials said.

For individuals, the tax would apply to income above the $250,000 mark. Married couples would pay the new tax for income over $500,000.

Luke Mayville, co-founder of Reclaim Idaho, said the ballot initiative would give children better access to qualified teachers and help them develop the skills they’ll need to make a living.

In late August, Reclaim Idaho announced plans for a statewide tour to promote the Quality Education Act, a ballot initiative to increase K-12 funding by more than $300 million annually.

The petition follows a unanimous Idaho Supreme Court ruling rejecting a new law designed to make it harder for voters to get initiatives on the ballot. In ruling to overturn the legislation, the court ruled the bill was so restrictive that it violated a fundamental right under the state's constitution.

The ruling issued Aug. 23 was a win for Reclaim Idaho, a group that successfully sponsored a Medicaid expansion initiative three years ago and that is now working to qualify an initiative for the ballot that aims to increase public education funding.

The case pitted the rights of voters to enact and repeal laws against the power of the state Legislature to shape how ballot initiative efforts are carried out. The new law, which passed earlier this year, required signature-gatherers to get 6% of registered voters in each of Idaho's 35 legislative districts within a short time span. Opponents said it made Idaho's initiative process the toughest in the nation, rendering such efforts virtually impossible to achieve. But supporters said the law would protect people with less popular political opinions from being overrun by the majority.

Bonner County residents seek governor's seat

In early November, Sandpoint Mayor Shelby Rognstad announced his bid for governor, saying he will stop the extremism and divisiveness facing the state and advocate for more funding to education. In announcing his candidacy, Rognstad said he will stand up for Idaho values, families, communities and Idaho’s future.

Rognstad would be the second county resident to seek the office after Bonner County Commissioner Steve Bradshaw announced in late July his plans to seek the office. Bradshaw said he was called to seek the seat to protect the state's sovereignty, freedoms and independence.

NIC accreditation

A complaint by four regional human rights task force boards has brought the institution's accreditation eligibility into question. The complaint, dated March 12, was sent to the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities and Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Justice Department, demanding a full investigation of the institution's leadership.

The document was signed by the Kootenai, Bonner, Boundary and Spokane County human rights task forces. It says NIC, more specifically, members of the NIC board of trustees, are violating the civil rights and liberties of employees and students.

The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities said in a December letter to the college that based on the analysis of alleged facts, “NIC’s ability to maintain compliance with the United States Department of Education’s regulations, and Accreditation Procedures is of concern.”