Priest River named 'Capital for a Day'

PRIEST RIVER - If you're looking to bend Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter's ear, don't worry about heading down to Boise.

On May 20, you can just head over to Priest River. The Bonner County community was selected as Idaho's “Capital for a Day” for the month.

The first-come, first-served open opportunity to meet with the governor, First Lady Lori Otter, selected members of the governor's cabinet and other senior state officials is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the second floor of the historic Beardmore Building, 119 Main St.

The governor and first lady also will join Priest River Mayor Jim Martin and other state and local leaders for a no-host luncheon at the Ranch Club Golf Course and Pizza House, U.S. Highway 2, one mile west of Priest River.  

“The number and variety of critical issues and concerns to folks in the Panhandle right now makes this the ideal time to visit Priest River,” Otter said. “I look forward to a well-attended and productive Capital for a Day in an area where the legitimate roles of state government - from transportation infrastructure and flood control to economic development and management of endowment lands - play a big part of people's everyday lives.”

Among the state officials joining Otter will be Dan Dietrich, Idaho Department of Commerce director; Pam Lowe, Idaho Transportation Department director; Damon Allen, ITD's District 1 engineer; Bob Haynes, North Idaho regional manager of the Idaho Department of Water Resources northern Idaho region manager; Dan Redline, regional administrator for the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality and David White, northern region manager for the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation.

Also joining Otter will Chip Corsi, Panhandle Region supervisor for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game; Idaho Fish and Game Commissioner Tony McDermott; Karen Cotton, regional administrator for the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare; Idaho Health and Welfare Board member Darrell Kerby; Jay Baker, area field officer for the Idaho Bureau of Homeland Security; Roger Jansson, northern Idaho operations chief for the Idaho Department of  Lands; Bridgette Bradshaw-Fleer, manager of the Idaho Department of Labor's Sandpoint office; and Jeanne Bock, director of the Panhandle Health District.