Flooding a common theme over the years
10 Years Ago — 2008
WBCSD levy passes
West Bonner County voters showed their support of West Bonner County School District by passing the maintenance and operations replacement levy by an overwhelming two-thirds. Out of 1,028 votes cast, 691 were yes votes to 337 no. For the board trustee positions, incumbent Peggy Smith retained her seat with 117 votes to Brian Macklin’s 89. New challenger Wade Coldiron defeated incumbent Leonard Parenteau 182 votes to 131.
20 Years Ago — 1998
City hall floods
May 27 will go down as the wettest day on that date since records have been kept, after a downpour drenched this area Tuesday night. The 2.95 inches eclipsed the old May 27 record of.58 inches set in 1911. In Priest River, a plugged drain on the roof of city hall caused leaks in the council chambers and library. The basement, under remodeling for police department use, was flooded by water that poured through the old coal chute, City Clerk Doug Hooper said.
30 Years Ago — 1988
Youth crashes on way to graduation
A Priest River Lamanna High School senior was fatally injured in a one-car automobile accident Friday evening on Highway 2, just east of Priest River. Idaho State Police said David Zaunmiller, 17, Laclede was traveling westbound at 6:15 p.m. Police said his vehicle crossed the center line, moved into the oncoming traffic lane and struck the guardrail and bridge abutment at milepost 6.9, where the highway crosses the Priest River. ISP officer Chris Yount said Zaunmiller was on his way to his high school graduation ceremonies.
40 Years Ago — 1978
Logging by helicopter comes to area
A helicopter and crew of pilots, mechanics and families have come to Priest River and Priest Lake to work until snow halts operations this winter. Rocky Mountain Helicopters has a contract to haul logs out of rough terrain north of Priest Lake for four local lumber companies.
50 Years Ago — 1968
Not for females, apparently
Brian Lobdell, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ken Lobdell of Priest River, was initiated into Sigma Delta Chi, professional Journalism honor society. Sigma Delta Chi is a professional society for men engaged in journalism and with above average scholastic rating in colleges and universities where chapters are located.
60 Years Ago — 1958
Priest Lake fishing news
Gus Ribail of Phil’s Cocktail Lounge caught a 40-pound mackinaw trout off Kalispell Island and weighed it in at Linger Longer Lodge. Dennis Row took honors for the largest mackinaw caught this year at Priest Lake with a 49-pounder, also reported by Linger Longer. The big fish, caught May 24, measured 45 inches in length and 29 inches in girth and was caught with a Blue Flat Fish lure.
70 Years Ago — 1948
Flooding reported
Floods generally were subsiding Wednesday in the Inland Empire. The Columbia and Pend Oreille rivers are the exception. The Pend Oreille was up .4 of a foot at Priest River in 24 hours. Cusick reported that water stood 7-8 feet deep in the business district.
80 Years Ago — 1938
New school approved
The WPA project for a new school building in Priest River (current junior high) was approved by federal authorities, in the amount of $30,759.
90 Years Ago — 1928
At the peak of the high water in the Pend Oreille River, the pile driver belonging to C. W. Beardmore filled with water, tipped and partially sank, the engine rolling off and to the bottom of the river. The driver’s tower tipping against the piling of the bridge undoubtedly was all the kept the boat up. As it is, one end of the boat is seen above the water.
100 Years Ago — 1918
Crowd attends picnic
A fine day and a picnic under the auspices of the Settlement school teachers proved an irresistible attraction for Priest River folks and a large number from here attended.
—Compiled by MARYLYN CORK