Demolition Derby Among New Events
The last car standing wins.
This year’s Paul Bunyan Days celebration Sept. 4 to Sept. 7 will include the first-ever Crash for Cash Demolition Derby. Participants will purposely smash their cars into the other competitors. The last car moving is named the winner.
“We have always been trying to come up with different plans for something new and Les Vawter at Junction Quick Stop said have you thought about a demolition derby. We decided that it was a good idea,” Greg Bergquist said.
Mr. Bergquist and his wife, Barbara, are organizing the event, which is at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 5, at the Benewah County Fairgrounds. Those who did not preregister for the event may do at 8 a.m. at the fairgrounds. A $1,500 prize will be offered to the main heat winner.
“You run five cars at a time and you will have a winner from each of those heats,” Mrs. Bergquist said.
“Those winners will go to the main event. We will also have a hard luck heat for those who didn’t make the main heat event but are still able to run. A cash prize will also be offered for that winner.”
How long the event lasts will determine how many cars enter.
“Heats can last 20 to 40 minutes,” he said. “It’s looking like we will have a lot of competitors.”
Admission costs $10 for anyone six years and older. Children five and younger are free. The cost to enter a car is $50. Kiwanis will cook and the St. Joe Valley Car Club will offer a beer garden.
The couple gave thanks to Paul Twidt, of Page Posse Motor Sports in Smelterville, who will provide people to help run and officiate the event. For more information, call 582-0363 or email burjo@smgazette.com.
The sun sets over the carnival at the 2014 Paul Bunyan Days celebration at City Park in downtown St. Maries. Rides like the Ferris Wheel are a mainstay, year after year.
In addition to those events, the weekend promises plenty of entertainment. Community booths, the carnival, vendors, helicopter rides and the Blue Ox topless bar will be open and available throughout the weekend.
Children may dress-up their favorite stuffed animal, pet or doll and enter the pet and doll parade. Registration is at 5 p.m. Friday at the Grub Box parking lot. The parade starts at 5:30 p.m. Prizes to first, second and third place.
Learn some square dancing skills as the Shirts n’ Skirts square dance club from Post Falls will offer dances at the Jon Denny Building at the fairgrounds Friday and Saturday. Friday is the singe dance from 8 to 10 p.m. Dancing continues Saturday with the Caller/Cuer Jamboree and will honor Bob and Claudia Amsbury. Pre-rounds are at 7 p.m. and Theresa Ray is the cuer. The mainstream dance is from 8 to 10 p.m. and Don McPeak is the caller. The cost is $8 per person for Saturday and $3 per person for Friday.
Start Saturday off with the Paul Bunyan Days Karen Ebert Memorial 5K Fun run/ Walk. Registration is open at 8 a.m. and the event starts at 9 a.m. at St. Maries High School. For those who did not pre-register, the cost to participate is $21.
Children up to 12 years old are invited to participate in the Junior Olympics. Register at 9:30 a.m. at the football in city park and the games begin at 10 a.m. Awards are presented in each age group. Registration for water events for adults and teenagers (13-17) opens at 11 a.m. at the city pool and events start at noon.
Adults are invited to compete in the Tug-Of-War competition Saturday night. There is a 1,500 pound maximum and a woman must compete on each team. Register at the football field in city park at 6 p.m. with the event to start at 7 p.m. Tug-Of-War is followed by the St. Joe Valley Car Club Dance at 9 p.m. at the Cormana Building with the King Pins. Tickets are $5 at the door. Must be 21.
The Benewah County Humane Society will serve breakfast from 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Eagles Lodge Sunday. The menu includes scrambled eggs, ham, sausage, milk, juice and coffee.
Pool events for children six to 12 begin at 1 p.m. at the city pool with registration at noon. Events will include inner tube races, parent/ child raft races and more. The Paul Bunyan Days auction starts at noon in the football field in city park. There will be three truck logging loads of firewood and two dump truck loads of firewood. Potlatch donated two logging truck loads and St. Maries Logging donated the other. The auction supports the celebration and the fireworks show each year. Any profits from the auction are put back into the city park.The First Baptist Church on 2nd Street invites everyone to worship together during Joy Night at 6 p.m.
The weekend concludes Monday with the parade at 10 a.m. Registration begins at 8 a.m. at Ken’s Body Shop. Registration will only be accepted until 9:30 a.m. Logging events start at 1 p.m. Those who want to participate can register, beginning at noon at the softball fields. Also planned at noon are events for children ages two to five years old at the main stage in city park.
Schedule of Events
Friday, Sept. 4
Noon Community booths and Blue Ox Tavern open at city park
5 p.m. Pet and doll parade check-in at Grub Box parking lot
5:30 p.m. Pet and doll parade
6 to 10 p.m. Karaoke on stage at city park
Saturday, Sept. 5
All day Carnival, food booths, Blue Ox and shopping
8 a.m. Register for Paul Bunyan Days/ Karen Ebert Memorial 5K Run/ Walk at SMHS
8 a.m. Demolition Derby registration at Benewah County Fairgrounds
9 a.m. Fun/ Run 5K starts
9:30 a.m. Junior Olympics registration at football field in city park
10 a.m. Helicopter rides at west end of city park; Junior Olympics begin; Blue Ox opens
11 a.m. Water events registration at city pool
11 to 12 p.m. St. Maries Community Band and Choir at main stage in city park
12 p.m. Water events
1 p.m. Crash for Cash Demolition Derby at fairgrounds
1 to 5 p.m. Down South on stage at city park
6 p.m. Tug of War Weigh-In at football field in city park
6 to 10 p.m. American Bonfire at stage in city park
7 p.m. Tug Of War starts
8 to 12 a.m. DJ Kevin James at the Blue Ox
9 p.m. St. Joe Valley Car Club Dance at Cormana Building
Sunday, Sept. 6
All day Carnival, food booths, Blue Ox and shopping
7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Community breakfast at Eagles Lodge
10 a.m. Helicopter rides at west end of city park
10 a.m. Blue Ox opens
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Valley Piecemakers Quilt Show at Heyburn Elementary gym
11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Spare Parts Band on stage at city park
12 p.m. Paul Bunyan Auction at football field in city park
12 p.m. Register for children’s pool events
1 p.m. Children’s Pool Events
6 p.m. Joy Night Worship at First Baptist on 2nd Street
8 to 12 p.m. Family Dance in city park football field with Earl Wear and Haywire
8 to 12 p.m. DJ Kevin James at the Blue Ox
Monday, Sept. 7
8 to 9:30 a.m. Register for parade at Ken’s Body Shop
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Valley Piecemakers Quilt Show at Heyburn Elementary gym
10 a.m. Helicopter rides at west end of city park
10 a.m. Parade down Main Avenue
12 p.m. to close Carnival, booths, Blue Ox
12 p.m. Children’s events at main stage in city park
12 p.m. Logging events registration at softball field
1 p.m. Logging events
The fourth annual David Hanley Memorial golf tournament is this weekend, Saturday, Aug. 29, at the St. Maries Golf Course.
Mr. Hanley was a lifetime member at the local course and managed the facility for some 15 years. This is the fourth tournament named for Mr. Hanley, who died in April 2012.
Mitch Santos made and hung a sign with a photo of Dave Hanley at the St. Maries Golf Course. Teh sign denotes the patio built in memory of the longtime course manager. Chuck Chase, Millie Burk, Connie Hanley and Bryan Chase watched Mr. Santos as he mounts the photo of Mr. Hanley.
Mr. Hanley started golfing at the course when he was eight or nine years old. He always had a love for the game, Connie Hanley said.
The tournament commences at 9 a.m. Saturday with a shotgun start. Those who plan to participate should plan to register at 8 a.m. and the opening ceremony is at 8:30 a.m.
All proceeds from the tournament will be used for improvement to the course.
A potluck dinner will follow play Saturday. For more information call the clubhouse at 245-3842 or Connie Hanley at 582-0357.
Area families are invited to enjoy two days of fun-filled activities at the annual Family Fun Day. The event, organized by the St. Maries Rotary Club, is Saturday and Sunday in conjunction with the Benewah County Fair.
“We are really hoping for a lot of participation,” Carol Humphrey said. “We want to grow this event every year. It’s old fashioned family fun for all ages, so get the family together.”
Once again, the St. Maries Rotary Club’s Family Fun Day will be held in conjunction with they Benewah County Fair. Lynn Masterson, Sandee Reedee, Stacie Lamb, Carol Humphrey, Nisha Banjao and Nancy Malensky invite families to the fair and to participate in a variety of additional events planned as part of the two-day Family Fun Day event. A barbecue contest and vegetable decorating contest is planned.
The cost to attend is $35 for a family of four for a two-day pass. Additional family members are $10 and an individual pass is $13. A single event costs $2. When participants purchase a pass, they also receive a ticket for the grand prize drawing. Additional tickets for the drawings cost $1 each or six for $5.
The event begins with the St. Maries Rotary Club serving breakfast at 9 a.m. Saturday. Lunch, which includes hot dogs and brats, begins at 11 a.m. Several crafts for children including spin zone art will be from noon to 5 p.m. in the lower fairgrounds. Other activities from 1 to 5 p.m. include balloon animal art, face painting, a 16’ water slide, 38’ new millennium obstacle course, a toddler zone, bounce houses, a human gyroscope, bungee basketball and more.
On Sunday several contests, beginning at 11 a.m., are planned and include the water balloon launch, stick horse race and elk bugling.
A $100 prize is up for grabs in the vegetable decorating contest. The contest is for youth 12 years and younger. The vegetable must be grown and decorated by the contestant. The public will be encouraged to vote for their favorites. The contestant with the most votes will be the winner and receive cash, compliments of Triple X Feeds.
A $250 prize will be offered to the overall winner of the barbecue cook-off challenge. The cost to enter is $30. A participant may enter as many categories as they would like. Five categories are being offered this year and include pork, beef, chicken ribs and more.
Contestants are still needed for the event. Those who plan to participate are encouraged to register ahead of the event. Participants who pre-register may start cooking anytime Sunday morning. Judging is at 2 p.m. with winners announced at 2:30 p.m. Those who do not pre-register may register at 8:30 a.m. the day of the event and then start cooking.
For $5 members of the public will be able to sample the recipes that come off of the grill. Each person will be given a token to vote for their favorite for the people’s choice award. The winner of the people’s choice award will win half of the proceeds from what the public pays to sample the recipes.
One lucky individual will lay a smooch on Lizzy the Donkey in the Kiss-the-Donkey contest. This year’s contestants include Bryan Chase, Donny Masterson, John Cordell, Carrie Nordin, Lena Sindt and Janet Potter. Whoever raises the least amount of money will kiss Lizzy. The contestant who raises the most money will donate half of their proceeds to the charity of their choice. The rest will benefit the St. Maries Rotary Club.
Finally, Radical Rick from Channel 6 in Spokane will present the Extreme Science Show at 1:30 p.m. Winners of every contests will be announced at 2:30 p.m. During the day Sunday, there will be a drawing for prizes donated by local businesses every half hour.
There is also a firewood raffle planned and a 50/50 raffle. Tickets are a $1 each or five for $6.
The day will conclude with the grand prize drawings. Adults have a chance to win the 2 Fer, $200 worth of all the groceries you can put in a cart in two minutes at Archie’s IGA. Teens can win Silverwood tickets for two, and children up to 11 can win a tablet.
Ms. Humphrey said Visa cards will be accepted at the event. She added the St. Maries Rotary Club will have a booth near the events where passes can be purchased. It will be under a big, purple umbrella. Contest entry forms will also be available there.
For more information about the two-day event call Ms. Humphrey at 245-2457.
Lighting struck twice at the Cordell household.
Following in the footsteps of his brother Nicholas, St. Maries High School graduate Austin Cordell has been selected for the Navy’s prestigious Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate Program.
Following in the footsteps of his brother Nicholas, St. Maries High School graduate Austin Cordell has been selected for the Navy’s prestigious Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate Program.
The program pays current college students to complete their undergraduate education, and then puts them through extensive training in order to become nuclear power officers in the Navy. Many spend their careers below the waterline in submarines, while many others serve aboard aircraft carriers.
Austin, who is studying for a mechanical engineering degree at Boise State University, learned about the program from his older brother Nick, who was selected for the program last year.
After Nick told him about the program, Austin contacted the Navy recruiter in Boise. The Navy sent him to San Diego to tour naval vessels there.
The purpose of the tour was “to see if you’re fit for the Navy as a nuclear officer,” he said.
The trip paid off.
“I fell in love with the idea and it just kind of happened,” he said.
After learning that he had been accepted into the program, Austin gave his oath of enlistment and officially joined the Navy June 21.
While studying at St. Maries High School, where his father John Cordell serves as principal, Austin played basketball, track, soccer, and a little golf, he said. He also participated in Business Professionals of America and became an Eagle Scout.
Danette Cordell, proud mother of the two future naval officers, said after Nick graduates from Boise State this December, he will go to Officer Candidate School at Newport, R.I. and then go on to further training as he prepares to become an instructor in the Navy’s nuclear power program.
Austin will follow a slightly different path. After graduating college, he will go through Officer Candidate School, and then become part of the crew of a destroyer or other surface ship in order to earn his surface warfare pin. After that, he’ll be assigned to Nuclear Power School in Charleston, S.C. for six months, and then will get another six months of hands-on training on one of the Navy’s prototype reactors in either Charleston, S.C. or Ballston Spa, N.Y.
The Cordell brothers had relatives who served in the military, said Ms. Cordell, but ironically, they were all landlubbers. John’s father, brother, and grandpa were in the Army, she said.
“We don’t have anybody in the Navy in our family, so it was a bit of a shocker to see they were going this route, but it is exciting. It is very exciting. I couldn’t be prouder.”
By the time he completes his training and enters the fleet as a nuclear officer, Austin will have been on the Navy’s payroll for more than seven years, putting him near the halfway point to retirement. Because of that, he is willing to consider making the Navy a career.
That decision is still years away. For now, he’s still a college student with a degree to earn. But he’s already answered the question that all college grads face: “what am I going to do now?”
He’s going to play with nuclear power aboard one of the world’s most powerful aircraft carriers.
It doesn’t get much better than that.
Tim Turner donated a new sign to the St. Maries fire station last month.
Created by the local wood carver, the 12’ by 4’ sign was mounted adjacent to the building’s entrance mid-July.
Red and golden-yellow in color, the sign took several weeks to complete and five people to install on the side of the building.
Tim Turner donated his time and expertise to create a sign for the St. Maries fire station. It took five men, including Chief Larry Naccarato and Mr. Turner, to place the sign earlier this month.
Mr. Turner, a resident of the St. Maries River Road, has carved wooden signs since the early 1980s. He approached Chief Larry Naccarato at the fire station late last year and offered to create a sign for the station.
“He donated all his time and effort on that project,” Chief Naccarato said. “The department merely covered his materials, which costs us less than $100. But the hours of work put into the making of the sign, you can’t put a price on that.”
The station, located at the corner of Thirrd Street and Jefferson Avenue, was constructed in 2007.
