From new arbor to exhibit, February has focus on community

While some may be hoping to forget the past year as soon as possible, there might still be some stories worth remembering. Yesterday, the Bee gave you a review for what was happening in January of this past year. For today, here’s a list of some of February's top headlines.

On the first, an article detailed the plans for and then-ongoing construction of a new arbor frame at the Lakeview Park arboretum. The spot had previously been a favorite for weddings, proposals and special occasions, but had since fallen into disrepair. To fix the problem, local craftsman Collin Beggs was called in.

“It’s very important to keep the traditional crafts alive,” Beggs said at the time. “When you build for permanence, you can really change how people interact with each other, themselves and their community.”

On Feb. 4, a story about the Pend Oreille Arts Council’s three separate exhibits for student artwork, which ran on Feb. 7, and included art from Sandpoint High School students, Pend Oreille High School students, Forrest M. Bird Charter School students and Clark Fork High School students.

On Feb. 5, an article ran about the Clark Fork girls basketball team’s “walloping” of the Kootenai’s team in a 50-14 win.

“We got in the locker room at halftime and I gave every girl one thing to work on, and we got out there in the third quarter and they executed the rest of the game,” said head coach Jordan Adams.

Meanwhile, the Clark Fork boys basketball team won its first North Star League victory this season as the Wampus Cats 50-28, and the Priest River boys basketball team got their first league win the Saturday before.

On feb. 7, a front page article featured the Boy Scouts of America Troop 308’s participation in the “Klondike Derby,” where different troops from the area completed loading their own sleds with everything they would need for things like starting fires, lashing and first aid.

Scouts were even judged for their lunches, which were expected to be hot, healthy and made in the field. Troop 308 consisted of nine boys ranging from 11 to 15 years old, but despite their age, managed to place second.

“With such a young inexperienced troop, hopes were high for fun but not necessarily for winning,” said the troop’s Gail Bryan.

On the eighth, an article featured local high school students including Timberlake High/ Kootenai Technical Education Campus senior Cory Stacy Sandpoint High School senior Gordon McPherson who competed in welding at the SkillsUSA competition hosted by North Idaho College.

Students competed in multiple skill areas including oxy-fuel cutting, shielded metal arc welding and flux-cored arc welding.

"They walk in, they’ve never seen the blueprints. They’re handed instructions and we say, 'Here you go,'" said NIC welding technology professor Tim Straw, who oversees the competition.

On the ninth, a story recounting the life of local photographer Kirk Miller, who passed on Feb. 4 was published. Miller was famous for his sunrise photography and known by friends for his love of fiction and mystery books, politics, and jazz and blues music.

“He put his heart into everything he did,” said his daughter, Chauncey Miller Hartman. “From writing his daily sayings, birthday cards, or getting you the perfect gift. He was very thoughtful.”

On the eleventh, an article featured three Sandpoint High School wrestlers who placed first in an invitational at Bonners Ferry, including then-junior Tag Benefield, who returned following a season-ending knee injury in September, and pinned all of his opponents in 1:15 or less. It also included freshman Jacob Albany, and senior Heather Wallace won the girls title.

On Feb. 12 and Feb. 13, a local knitting group’s “yarn bomb” art display was removed by an unknown vandal, and then returned the following day. Many members of the public had speculated as to political messaging behind the artwork, but the knitters said they were just trying to add some color.

“If whomever turned it in is the same person who took it down, then a double-thank-you to you,” wrote local knitter Trisha Miller. “That takes great courage, you can color me impressed.”

On Feb. 16, a feature on the Sandpoint Teen Center, which offers local teenagers companionship, activities and food was published.

“I like the environment here,” said Peyton Cessna, an 8th grader at Sandpoint Middle School. ““I like to come here sometimes because I can relax. My mom’s a teacher at the high school and I have to wait for her until she’s ready to go home.”

On the nineteenth, Clark Fork High School’s Lady Cats basketball senior Ellie Kiebert was named league MVP, and both she and senior Sara Hathaway were named made the all-league team.

On the twentieth, the knitting group that had created the “yarn bombs” reinstalled them, fixing up cuts left by the vandal who had removed them earlier in the month with black yarn.

““We decided to use black yarn and let the battle scars show,” Miller said.

On Feb. 21, a feature on Distinguished Young Women previewed their fashion show fundraiser, and an article outlined the Sandpoint planning and zoning commission’s consideration to include more access points in neighborhoods blocked off by train tracks.

On Feb. 25, an article outlining First District Judge Lansing Haynes’ denial of a 45-day stay request by the county in its lawsuit against the city of Sandpoint concerning a firearm ban at the Festival at Sandpoint. A preview also ran for the Selkirk Fire’s pancake fundraiser, as well as a feature on expansions to the Priest River Library.

A story on Sandpoint High School seniors Dawson Driggs, Maddie Morgan, and junior Hattie Larson, who received league honors ran on Feb. 27. Driggs was named the league MVP, and Morgan and Larson each earned a spot on the all-league team.

“A lot of times you would see [Driggs] out there after we gave up a run, encouraging the girls to play a little better,” head coach Will Love said. “She was a huge coordinator between myself and the rest of the program really. She took it on herself to let kids know when open gyms were, what time buses were leaving and if stuff needed to be turned in.”

On Feb. 28, an article announced the Sandpoint Bulldogs’ trip to state, which included Forest

Ambridge (98), Jacob Albany (98), Trevan Adam (138), Brady Nelsen (145), Blake Sherrill 145), Isaiah Caralis (152), Jake Suhr (195), Tag Benefield (220) and Matt Thurlow (220).

The following day, a follow-up article reported that junior Tag Benefield at 220 pounds was the lone Sandpoint wrestler left of the nine who came in the team’s second day at the state tournament.