Bill's Trading Post opens doors to community

100 Years Ago — 1918

Local doctor sick in bed

With Priest River’s one local doctor sick in bed with pneumonia and the doctors at Newport and Sandpoint busy themselves with incipient and pronounced cases of Spanish influenza, the situation here the past week has been anything but favorable. Marian Lathrop, 8-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. V. C. Lathrop, was the first victim of the dread disease here.

90 Years Ago — 1928

Hotel under new management

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Starr have taken over management of the Linton Hotel, taking possession Oct. 9. For the past few months the hotel has been managed by Mr. and Mrs. Ed Quinn, who have moved back to their residence.

80 Years Ago — 1938

Bids let for road construction

Bids were let last week by the Bureau of Public Roads at Ogden, Utah, for a continuation of the West Branch road project now under construction. With the completion of this stretch the road will connect with the old West Branch road a short distance this side of the Zinzer place.

70 Years Ago — 1948

New store opens in town

W. H. Whitcomb is now open for business in his new building located north of the Moon Mortuary. The store will be known as Bill’s Trading Post.

60 Years Ago — 1958

Funds received to develop parks

Funds totaling $10,000 have been allocated for partial development of recreational facilities at the Albeni Falls Project on Pend Oreille River in northern Idaho, by the U. S. Army Engineers. Water system and road and parking improvements will be installed at the Albeni Cove and Priest River public-access sites.

50 Years Ago — 1968

Hot water for football showers discussed

It was pointed out before school started there was no hot water for football players’ showers at Priest River High School. At the School District 82 trustee meeting at Sandpoint Oct. 8, Mr. Holt advised the board that it would cost approximately $1,000 to install electric units in the present system, but the system can be shut off so it will not heat the entire building but only the water needed for showers.

Upon the motion of Dr. Munson, the board voted against installing the electric water heaters, but resolved to ask the custodians to see that hot water is available for future years.

40 Years Ago — 1978

Break-ins net little

Break-ins by burglars were successful at two Priest River establishments over last weekend, while an attempt at other business places fell short. The United States Post Office and the Priest River Times buildings were entered by breaking a rear window in each building.

At the post office thieves went from box to box inside the sorting area stuffing stolen mail into a mail sack. Stolen pieces were found in an open lot across from Bonner Saw Sales. At the Times, intruders left with some small change and a stapler valued at $10.

30 Years Ago — 1988

Bridge opens

How does Priest River spell relief? B-R-I-D-G-E O-P-E-N. With very little fan fair but a whole lot of smiles and waves, the Pend Oreille River Bridge at Priest River opened Thursday, three months to the day it was closed for construction of a new deck. The bridge was opened about three hours ahead of schedule to allow afternoon school buses to avoid the 28-mile detour that had become the twice daily routine.

20 Years Ago — 1998

Leen a winner

Priest River’s Junior Miss, Amy Leen, won the physical fitness award and the scholastic award at the State Finals in Coeur d’ Alene and was named as one of the “Top 10 contestants” in the state. Cheryl Cary won the ‘Best Program” Award.

10 Years Ago — 2008

Accused robber returned to Idaho

Bail is set at a quarter-million dollars for a Washington state man accused of holding up a Priest River pharmacy at gunpoint and making off with an undisclosed amount of narcotics earlier this month. Daniel Patrick Hawkins is charged with robbery. Judge Debra Heise sustained his $250,000 bail and appointed a public defender to represent him.