Drifting snow shuts down highway travel
10 Years Ago — 2009
Mitchell’s supports schools
New signage went up at the new Mitchell’s Express last week. Dave and Ken from Mitchell’s put up the bright sandwich sign to let the community know they are open 24/7 and a penny from each gallon of gas sold will go to local schools.
20 Years Ago — 1999
Manufacturing their destiny
A Priest River communications company will introduce their own voice mail product into the market in an effort to gain more control of their destiny. After 12 years of refurbishing electronic equipment, Hartford Communications will manufacture Criterion, a one-of-a-kind voice messaging situation that will be unparalleled in the industry, according to Greg Thurman, Hartford president.
30 Years Ago — 1989
School unheated
Although school life at Priest River Elementary School may resemble normalcy by Thursday, for principal Charles Maines last Wednesday was the start of an unpleasant work week. High winds had smashed trees into power lines, robbing the school of all electricity.
40 Years Ago — 1979
McCracken nominated
Six years ago at the age of 14, Jeff McCracken of Laclede got his start in boxing in the basement gym of the Sandpoint Elks Club.
He has gone on to greater success in the world of amateur boxing, but he has not forgotten the start he got at the Elks Club and they have not forgotten him. The Elks (B.P.O.E. No. 1376) have nominated Jeff for the Idaho Amateur Athlete of the Year Award.
The winner will be announced at the Idaho Sports Banquet in Coeur d’ Alene on March 17.
50 Years Ago — 1969
Kondo named Outstanding Citizen
Fred Kondo’s name will be engraved on a plaque to hang on the wall of the elementary school lunchroom, and he received a smaller engraved plaque for himself for being named the PTA’s choice as Outstanding Citizen of the Year by a panel of judges. Mr. Kondo has been active in many PTA and civic causes.
60 Years Ago — 1959
Road building halted
The Priest River Lumber Company brought their bulldozer down Tuesday from Gleason Ridge where Wallace Doolittle, dozer operator, and a five-man crew have been building access road connecting the Bear Paw with the West Branch highway. The Priest Lake Timber Protective Association supplied the lowboy used to transport the bulldozer.
70 Years Ago — 1949
Mauro wins boxing berth
Ralph Mauro, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Mauro of Priest River, recently won a boxing berth on the Gonzaga boxing squad. He is a junior at the university and was a member of the Priest River high school team several years ago. He will represent Gonzaga in the 135-pound class.
80 Years Ago — 1939
Highway blocked by snow
During the past few days the thermometer has been hovering around zero. Light snow has caused considerable drifting in many places. Tuesday the highway between here and Sandpoint was blocked until the snow plows were able to get through. At this time highways in this section are open.
80 Years Ago — 1929
Hardest winter cited
Mr. and Mrs. C. I. Mears were in town from their ranch on East River. Mr. Mears says this was his first trip to town in two months, work on the ranch keeping him busy. He said he has lived here 29 years and that this winter is the hardest he has seen.
100 Years Ago — 1919
Hamshar house burns
Fire early Friday morning totally destroyed the house and contents on the Ted Hamshar place, seven miles north of town, occupied by Ernest M. Brown. Mr. Brown had just started a fire in the stove and gone out to do his chores when he was alerted by his wife’s screams. He returned to the house barely in time to assist her and the baby out of the burning structure. The flames were so advanced Mrs. Brown and the children did not even have time to put on their shoes. Their savings of the past two years were consumed and there was no insurance on either the house or the furniture.