A typical project for a Scout to do as he works to obtain his Eagle rank is to paint fire hydrants.
But that can be difficult if you don’t know where the hydrants are located, as Nathaniel Benham of Boy Scout Troop 443 knows.
Eagle Scout is the highest rank obtainable in the Boy Scouts of America program. The requirements include earning at least 21 merit badges, demonstrating Scout Spirit and demonstrating leadership in the troop. A Scout must plan, develop and lead a service project that benefits a non-profit organization and/or the community.
As Nathaniel sought ideas for his Eagle project he asked the St. Maries Fire Protection District if he could paint hydrants.
The St. Maries Fire Department honored Scout Nathaniel Benham at its training Jan. 15. Nathaniel mapped locations of fire hydrants for the department.
“They weren’t sure how many fire hydrants they had,” Nathaniel said. “And there wasn’t a map that showed where each hydrant was physically located.”
Realizing the fire hydrants would need to be located before they could ever be painted, Nathaniel decided his Eagle project would be one of cartography.
“I went out and mapped where all the fire hydrants were located,” he said. “We gave the physical description, GPS coordinates and took pictures of where they were located.”
Nathaniel created an electronic map that compiled the data he collected into one document for the fire department. He located 132 hydrants throughout St. Maries. During the project, Nathaniel was in charge of a crew of about 20 people who helped him with his project.
“We ended up connecting every picture to the fire hydrant’s location on the electronic map,” he said. “It was interesting where we located some of them. Unless you know they are there the odds are you wouldn’t see them. Some were behind a bush and two we found buried halfway into the ground.”
Working with Dave Canning from the Forest Service, Nathaniel was able to print a full-size map for the department to have at the station.
Nathaniel is the son of Yvette and Curtis Benham. He is a senior at St. Maries High School and has been a Scout for 10 years, beginning his scouting career overseas in Japan. He is the second in his family to obtain the Eagle rank.
Nathaniel is a member of the Order of the Arrow, a special group for Boy Scouts and participates in the St. Maries High School drama club and St. Maries High School choir. He has also been named to the National Honor Society.
The Shoshone County Commissioners voted unanimously to approve a special use permit for the second annual Race the Joe! Tuesday. The decision came after they listened to public testimony for and against the race Jan. 16 during a pubic hearing in Calder.
The commissioners agreed that they would consider the impact the event, scheduled for Memorial Day weekend, will have on the area. There was concern whether the event would cause problems on an already congested weekend. Twenty-five people attended the public hearing Jan. 16 to share their thoughts on the race. The St. Maries Chamber of Commerce and Epic Motorsports are organizing the second annual Race the Joe! Residents who continue to oppose a jet boat race on the St. Joe River expressed the same concerns as pervious years.
Boat 399 kicks up a rooster tail as the front end lifts up out of the water and the boat picks up speed for a straight stretch during the 2013 Race the Joe! event.
They are worried two days of racing will have negative impacts on the river. Opponents of the race were also upset with the organizers decision to have the races on Memorial Day weekend, which is the first camping weekend of summer.
Sharon Boyd, who did not attend the meeting, submitted a letter stating her opposition to the race.
“I want to say that I am and will always be against having them,” she wrote. “The same reasons I’ve stated for the past two years still apply: endangering the environment, the habitat, the health of the river and the disturbance of wildlife and migratory birds.”
Mrs. Boyd wrote by having the race on Memorial Day weekend organizers will not only exclude all of the local residents from enjoying the river, but those who travel to the area to spend the three-day weekend camping.
“There are only a couple of three day weekends in the summer for people to enjoy a longer stay in the St. Joe. And Epic Motorsports is denying them the enjoyment of being on the river for one of those weekends,” Mrs. Boyd wrote.
Rayna Farrell, who was not in attendance, submitted a letter to the Shoshone County Commissioners voicing her opposition to the races. She stated that the county needs to be diligent and protect the St. Joe River.
“If we are short-sighted and degrade the river for a weekend of fun and profit we will pay for it in the future,” she wrote.
She cited concerns that included erosion along the banks of the river as well as the spread of invasive species.
“The effects of erosion is cumulative. When the quality of the clarity of the water is degraded, algae and weeds increase. Shoshone County, especially, has a lot to lose. Your part of the St. Joe River is known internationally as a world class fly fishing destination, with added kayaking, camping, hunting, etc.,” she wrote. “Any degradation of this gem of a river will certainly negatively effect the river’s reputation for these sports and affect future tourists dollars.”
Liz Codoni submitted written testimony at the meeting. She cited concerns that included erosion along the river bank and harmful effects of the races on wildlife including fish and migratory birds. Again, she asked the commissioners to deny a special use permit to the race organizers.
“Last year, I pointed out that the Shoshone County portion of the Joe already draws recreational users who come to camp, fish, float and hunt, and that these multiple uses are not compatible with jet boats,” she wrote.
Ms. Codoni said the organizers are “monopolizing” the river on one of the “busiest weekends of the year.”
“And if these folks go somewhere else to camp in peace this year, who’s to say they’ll be back,” she wrote.
She added the area does not need “generated business” because their portion of the Joe is already world famous.
“And if the migratory songbirds have really found other, less noisy grounds.that issue will not close with this hearing, and we may have to live for years with your previous years’ errors in allowing the races,” Ms. Codoni wrote. “There is no need or reason to let these boats in and every reason to say no.”
Supporters of the boat race disagreed.
Darren Arave, of Kellogg, who used to race jet boats, said the jet boats have little to no wake.
“It doesn’t erode the banks,” he said, adding there have been no long-term effects on other rivers that have held events for decades. “It doesn’t’ hurt the environment whatsoever.”
Mr. Arave added it is a great sport. He said he does not believe it will take anything away from people on Memorial Day weekend.
“It will just give them something else to do,” he said. “There will be more people and I hope there is to watch the races.”
John Walters also spoke in favor of bringing the races back to the St. Joe River. He said the races are an opportunity to bring some business to the area.
“There’s no money up here in hunting anymore. The wolves have pretty much ruined that,” he said. There’s not enough money up here. Don’t care how you cut it. The Forest Service has failed us. Fish and Game has failed us. This is an opportunity to bring some money into the area. We need it and we got to have it.”
Mr. Walters said many people who come from Washington never spend money at the local businesses.
“They head home as soon as they are done fishing. They drive over on Washington gas and head home on Washington gas. They don’t spend a dime,” he said.
He added the boat races give residents in the area something to look forward to. He said there are few events up the river. He said the races are also an opportunity to show off the St. Joe River.
“I don’t get money in my pockets from them, but I do get a lot of enjoyment out of them,” he said. “It’s a beautiful place here and the boat races give us the opportunity to show it off. I think it’s selfish of people to not be willing to share the river for one weekend for a few days.”
Kyla Sawyer, with Epic Motorsports, who is helping the St. Maries Chamber organize the race, spoke to the concerns raised by individuals at the hearing. She said organizers are simply asking for a special use permit for two days of racing similar to what spectators saw last year. She said while they could go round and round on the issue of erosion, the fact is that jet boats are allowed to be on the river.
She added organizers watch water levels and try to pick a time of year when it is high water so the shoreline is underneath the water during the races. Ms. Sawyer admitted that while she was not an expert on bull trout or eagles, the agencies that were contacted did not have additional requirements to be followed. Also, she added that the biologists who were hired to watch the eagles during last year’s race reported there was no harm or take to the eagles. The eagles did not abandon their nests. She added the two entities have also applied for a take permit from U.S. Fish and Wildlife, which is not required of them.
Ms. Sawyer said the boats are inspected for invasive species and 90 percent of each boat can be visually inspected. While residents raised questions about the 10 percent that cannot be visually inspected, Ms. Sawyer said they would need to discuss that with the Department of Agriculture, which sets the policy.
Ms. Sawyer said the races would not exclude locals and visitors on Memorial Day weekend. She said it is a free event and they want to include as many people as possible. People are able to watch from any public shore. She said this will be the first year the race has been on Memorial Day weekend and organizers would have to evaluate the success of the race afterwards. One of the reasons Memorial Day weekend was selected, she said, was because racers asked if the race could be pushed back so they would have time to travel up to St. Maries following the World Jet Boat Race, which is being held in Mexico.
Ms. Sawyer reminded the commissioners and the audience that organizers carry a $5 million aggregate insurance policy and the event follows all rules set forth by the American Power Boat Association, which sanctions the event.
Renee McQuade, president of St. Joe EMS, who was, neutral, said the main concern she has is the availability of EMS personnel. She said they would not be able to commit a presence at the jet boat races as they have done in the past. She said she spoke with Deanna Wine, director of St. Maries Ambulance, who also said similarly.
“I think a different weekend would be a better option,” she said.
Ms. Sawyer said EMS availability is mandated by insurance and so they would need to find a way to make sure volunteers are available even if they have to bring them in from another county.
Dan Martinsen, planning and zoning director for Shoshone County, explained that it was determined in December after a conference call that the portion of the river where the race will be run does not fall under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Coast Guard. Mr. Martinsen said several agencies were contacted about the race including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Water Resources, Department of Lands and the Idaho Fish and Game. None made any additional requirements.
He said the U.S. Fish and Wildlife does have permitting requirements or potential regulations when it comes to endangered species. He said at the time of the public hearing, the applicants had met all the standards or were willing to meet them.
Before closing the public hearing, Commissioner Larry Yergler suggested the applicants might consider another weekend for next year’s race.
You won’t hear Hank Williams.
But the classic hits of the 1970s, 80s and 90s will continue. So will the news, sports coverage and special programs.
Theresa Plank says operations will continue as normal at KOFE Radio following the deaths of the station’s two prominent personalities, her husband, Phil Plank, and employee and family friend, Bill Anderson.
Mr. Anderson, who worked for the radio station in sales and as a sports broadcaster, died from a heart attack Oct. 15, 2013. Not quite a month later, Mr. Plank, the owner of the station, died following an extended illness.
Mrs. Plank said though many people have asked her if she plans to sell the station the answer at this time is no.
“We’re going to keep on doing what we’re doing,” Mrs. Plank said.
Mrs. Plank and her husband purchased the station in 2005 after they moved to St. Maries from Calipatria, Calif. Mr. Anderson joined them the same year as did Mr. Plank’s son-in-law, Timothy Parrish.
Mrs. Plank said her husband’s goal was to provide a quality broadcast for smaller markets. It is a legacy she hopes to continue.
“My husband owned several radio stations throughout his lifetime in the smaller markets,” Mrs. Plank said. “His goal was always to provide good, quality entertainment that you could listen to with the kids and you wouldn’t have to worry about turning it off.”
The loss of Mr. Plank and Mr. Anderson has shifted many of the responsibilities to Mr. Parrish.
“He married into it,” Mrs. Parrish said.
Mr. Parrish and his wife, Sandra, moved to St. Maries from California also in 2005. He took on a small role when the Plank’s purchased KOFE Radio.
“I wasn’t involved a whole lot,” he said. “I would do some technical stuff for them and then they forced me into climbing towers and stuff.”
“It was more like tricked,” Mrs. Plank joked. “We’d tell him he couldn’t do it or it wasn’t that bad.”
Mr. Parrish handled the morning show while Mr. Anderson covered all of St. Maries sports for the station. Mr. Plank focused on the music and politics. With their deaths, many of the hats are now being worn by Mr. Parrish.
“I just come and keep him company,” Mrs. Plank said.
Her husband started up his first radio station in 1968, after he attended York Technical College for two years. He married Theresa in 1977 and she joined him.
“It’s really been the people that keep us going,” she said. “It really has been. We’ve enjoyed the people we’ve met in the towns that we have lived. And here in St. Maries, we’ve made some really good friends. My husband was raised all over the world in Paris and in London, and he always gravitated to the smaller communities. I’ve always been a small-town girl.”
While both deaths have been hard for the family, they plan to continue to stay at the helm of the radio station.
“It’s the only local broadcast media here,” Mrs. Plank said. “We really appreciate the community’s support. We hope to continue and to make it bigger and better.”
The station will continue with its coverage of Lumberjacks sports, the Seahawks, Gonzaga basketball and the Vandals. Listeners can expect regular programs to continue as well as interviews with politicians. The music will also continue, but don’t expect there to be any more country music than there has been in the past, however.
“Phil hated country music,” Mrs. Plank said. “I loved country music. We used to joke with him that when he went we were going to play nothing but country music on the station.”
“But it just didn’t feel right,” Mr. Parrish said. “We will continue to play the classic hits, and that includes some country. We want to have a little bit of each genre.”
“It won’t be the real twang-y country,” Mrs. Plank added. “And there will be absolutely no rap.”
KOFE Radio tunes in at 1240 on the AM dial. To contact the station, call 245-1240.
They had trouble deciding on a name, but the parents of this year’s first baby had help when it was time to spell their daughter’s name.
Sofia Lilly Rose Schnebly was born to Allen and Clarissa Schnebly of St. Maries at 7:34 a.m. Jan. 2. She weighed 6 pounds, 9 ounces.
“I came in because I wanted them to give me something for my back because it was hurting and they told me you’re in labor,” Mrs. Schnebly said. “And then my girlfriend was telling me that I would probably have the first baby of the year.”
And as such, Sofia and her family received more than $700-worth of gifts from the staff at Benewah Community Hospital. Throughout the year hospital employees raise money by hosting luncheons. They use the money to purchase baby items to give to the family who has the first baby. This year, the family received a bassinet, clothes, toys, bathtub, blankets and more.
Eula Needham, environmental services manager at Benewah Community Hospital, said the downstairs crew has organized fundraisers to purchase items for the last 14 years.
“It’s grown quite a bit,” she said. “We used to just do one basket, but now we give them several different items. It’s gotten bigger and better. This year, St. Maries Floral and Gift donated a flower arrangement and Archie’s IGA donated a fruit basket.”
“We are so appreciative,” Mrs. Schnebly said. “Because she was a little early, everything here was needed. We have an awesome community. She was the best thing of the New Year, but this was also amazing.”
Sofia was the only name Mr. and Mrs. Schnebly agreed upon, they said.
“He wanted to name her Chevy, after the truck,” Mrs. Schnebly said. “I thought no, she’ll get made fun of. We also thought about Emma, but then it
would sound like Emily.”
Once they had settled on Sofia, the couple had planned to spell her name Sophia, but the Schnebly’s two-year-old son, Eian, helped suggest the alternative spelling.
“He is so excited for his little sister and calls her ‘Fi-Fi,'” Mrs. Schnebly said, “so that’s how we decided to spell her name with an ‘f.'”
The two middle names were given in honor of Mrs. Schnebly’s aunts.
Sofia is the granddaughter of Rick and Molly Schnebly of Plummer and Ben and Danika Fergus of Silverton, Ore.
Though she’s had offers to lead other hospitals as the chief executive offer, she didn’t accept one until now.
A little more than a year after the search for a new CEO began Brenda Parnell has been hired by Benewah Community Hospital to serve as its top executive.
Brenda Parnell was recently hired as the new CEO at Benewah Community Hospital. She has more than 20 years experience in health care and enjoys working in a rural setting.
“I’m very excited to be here and to be in the Pacific Northwest and to be close to family,” Ms. Parnell said.
Ms. Parnell has a background in health care that spans 25 years. She graduated from Southern New Hampshire University with a bachelor’s of science in economics and finance and later received her master’s of business administration in health care administration from the University of Colorado.
Mike LaPlante, chairman of the hospital board, said Ms. Parnell was selected because of her “extensive health care experience” and “extensive financial background.”
“We’re excited to have her come on board,” Mr. LaPlante said. “She’s got a small town, rural background and a lot of experience in different areas.”
Ms. Parnell has primarily worked with rural hospitals serving in the capacity as chief financial officer. She’s worked in Tribune, Kan., Great Falls, Mont., Barrow, Alaska, and Homer, Alaska. She’s also worked in larger settings in Boise, Juneau, Anchorage and Moses Lake.
“I have a background in finance, but I have also been involved in administrative roles at times,” she said. “I enjoy working with smaller communities. I really love the people and becoming invested in the community.”
Ms. Parnell described herself as “strategy-minded” and felt she could work well at the helm as a CEO. She said when she looked at the position at Benewah Community Hospital it seemed like a good fit for her. She said she is interested in making the hospital sustainable as well as improving care
on all fronts.
“I understand that there has been an absence of leadership but I’m ready to work with the board, staff, doctors and the community to move things
forward.”
Ms. Parnell said she expects to be at Benewah Community Hospital long-term. She said she enjoys the area and the recreational opportunities it has to offer.
“I’m a tri athlete so I enjoy bicycling, running and swimming,” she said. “I’m also very health-minded and I just love the outdoors.”
Her other half, Keith Hertel, will be moving from Bayview with his high-school aged sons. She has one son Patrick, 25, who lives in Missoula.
