Jet boat river races will return to the St. Joe River.
Last year, the St. Joe River provided the first leg of the 2012 World Cup Jet Boat Races. The event was deemed an astounding success; racers and fans enjoyed the event enough to encourage organizers to bring back the boats. And here they come!
Make plans now to attend the 1st Annual Race the Joe! in St. Maries May 17-19, 2013.
The race events begin Friday, May 17 with the Community Show & Shine. It’s a free event beside the Cormana Building in the lower City Park. Spectators and race fans will be able to view the race boats close up and talk with race teams starting at 6 p.m.. As with last year’s World Jet Boat Races on the St. Joe River, there will be a fantastic fireworks display after the sun sets.
Friday night’s fun will be followed by two days of racing on the St. Joe River from the Idaho Forest Industries Landing, located just a mile from St. Maries on The St. Joe River Road, to the Calder Bridge and back with several race legs along the approximate 25-mile course each day. Spectators may watch the action for free along any riverbank with public access. Both sides of the river will give spectators fantastic views up and down the river as the boats come screaming through the rapids at speeds reaching 140 MPH.
Racing begins at 10 a.m. both days and continues through the late afternoon.
Don’t miss it!
Plans are set for the First Annual Race the Joe jet boat race according to organizers.
The course will follow the St. Joe River for 25 miles from St. Maries to Calder. Approximately 5,000 fans lined the St. Joe riverbank to watch the first two days of the 2012 U.S. World Jet Boat River Marathon Championship in April last year (2012). The event is sponsored by the St. Maries Chamber of Commerce, St. Maries – St. Joe River Jet Boat Committee and Epic Motorsports Consulting Group, L.L.C.
The event schedule has been set for the May 17-19 weekend, including a community dinner and boat show Friday evening at the Cormana Building. Music and fireworks will follow dinner at dusk.
Races begin at 10 a.m. Saturday morning and will run through Sunday.
A special demonstration of jet sprint boats will follow Saturday’s races at the Idaho Forest Industries landing.
The boats will be similar to those used in the Jet Sprint Races run in Webb’s Slough in St. John, Wash. each year.
“The sprint boats can run in even more shallow water, over wetlands with grass with only the littlest bit of water,” Shirley Ackerman of the Chamber of Commerse said.
An awards banquet for the racers will conclude the event Sunday.
Event apparel will be available soon. Hoodies ($32), long-sleeved ($22) and short-sleeved T-shirts ($15) and tank tops ($15) in purple, gray or royal blue are now available for preorder.
This year’s logo incorporates the mountains, the river, the trees and a jet boat. To make an order call the chamber at 245-3563.
The St. Maries Ministerial Association has organized special services for Easter celebration this year.
A community Good Friday Service will be 6:30 p.m. Friday at the St. Maries Assembly of God Church. The keynote speaker will be the Rev. Shane Royal, pastor of the Foursquare Gospel Church in St. Maries. The Assembly church choir will lead worship.
The community is also invited to a short sunrise service Sunday at 6:30 a.m. at city park. There will be music and the keynote speaker will be the Rev. Lynn Peters from the Assembly of God Church. Hot chocolate will be provided.
The public is invited to both services.
Other area church services include:
St. Maries
College Avenue Baptist
» Participating in community Good Friday and Sunrise Services
» 11 a.m. Sunday Worship Service
First Baptist Church
» Participating in community Good Friday and Sunrise Services
Sunday, March 31
» 9 a.m. Sunday School
» 10 a.m. Worship
Foursquare Gospel Church
» Participating in community Good Friday and Sunrise Services
Saturday, March 30
» 6 p.m. The Champion, an Easter production (free of charge)
Sunday, March 31
» 9:30 a.m. Sunday School
» 10:30 Sunday Worship which includes another presentation of The Champion.
St. Mary’s Immaculate Catholic Church
Thursday, March 28
» 6:30 p.m. Mass of Last Supper
Friday, March 29
» 2:30 p.m. Good Friday Service
Saturday, March 30
» 7:30 p.m. Easter Vigil Mass
Sunday, March 31
» 11 a.m. Easter Mass
Assembly of God
Friday, March 29
» 6:30 p.m. Good Friday Service
Sunday, March 31
» 6:30 a.m. Participating in sunrise service.
» 10 a.m. Easter Service
Church of the Nazarene
Sunday, March 31
» 8:30 and 10 a.m. Services
St. Maries Community Presbyterian Church
Thursday, March 28
» 7 p.m. Maundy Thursday Service/Easter Cantata
Sunday, March 31
» 10 a.m. Easter Sunday Service
Harrison
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church
Sunday, March 31
» 8 a.m. Easter Mass
Harrison Community Baptist Church
Friday, March 29
» 7 p.m. Good Friday Service
Sunday, March 31
» 8 a.m. Early Service in city park
» 8:30 a.m. Easter breakfast at the church
» 11 a.m. Easter Worship Service
Medimont
River of Life Church
8:30 a.m. Breakfast at the Medicine Mountain Grange
10 a.m. Easter Service at the grange
Plummer
Christian Life Fellowship
» 10 a.m. Service
Emida
Sunday, March 31
7 a.m. Sunrise Services at the McAninch’s house
11 a.m. Easter Service at the Emida Community Center with potluck to follow.
Worley
Worley Community Church
Friday, March 29
» 7 p.m. – Good Friday Service
Sunday, March 31
» 7:30 a.m. Sunrise Service at the Rozema residence off Minaloosa Valley Road. Signs or balloons will be posted. Call church at 686-1441 for directions.
» 9 a.m. Continental breakfast
» 10 a.m. Sunday school
» 11 a.m. Easter morning worship
Tensed
Tensed Community Church
Friday, March 29
» 7 p.m. Good Friday Service
Sunday, March 31
» 10 a.m. Easter Breakfast
» 11 a.m. Easter Service
In just two months the jet boats hit the St. Joe River as the Canada and USA Race Series visits St. Maries for the inaugural running of Race the Joe! The event is May 17-19, 2013.
The speedy high-powered boats will travel the 25 miles from St. Maries to Calder in a series of timed runs. It’s the one weekend of the year when the speed restrictions are lifted from the river, allowing for the jet boats to fly over the water and bounce across the rapids.
During last year’s World Cup Series, spectators lined both sides of the river to watch the races, some pitching tents and making camp to ensure prime seating when race day arrived. But don’t worry, there is plenty of great access points along the course to see all the action.
Make plans now to spend the weekend here in the beautiful St. Joe River valley – You won’t want to miss it.
It wouldn’t be St. Patrick’s Day in St. Maries without the Hughes House annual baked potato luncheon.
For 25 years the volunteers of the historic have sponsored the fundraiser for the local museum. The money raised helps maintain the old log home on Main Avenue that serves as a museum and visitors center, paying for heat, electricity, lawn maintenance and upkeep.
This year’s luncheon is March 15 and will be served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Eagles Lodge. The menu includes green salad roll and baked potato packed with a choice of toppings including broccoli, cheese, taco meat, onions, bacon bits, butter and sour cream. Dessert is also included. The cost for lunch is just $5.
Delivery is available for those who place their orders before 10:30 a.m. Friday. The number to call is 245-2421.
The St. Joe Cycle Club’s 2013 schedule is set!
The local motorcycle club organizes several rides and races each year at Xmas Hills, in the long-established recreation area two miles from of St. Maries.
The season starts out with the Muddy Butt races May 5. Mud will be flying and bikers sliding in this early-season race.
By the time the Chuck Compton Memorial June 9 the course should a bit dryer, but no one is making any promises. Rain or shine it does promise to be a great day at the races.
The Jimmy Hansen Memorial Mini is June 16 for Auto, Mini 4-stroke and 85 Beginner and the Stix and Stones Last Chance Fall Dash is Oct. 6.
So tune up your riding skills and fire up your engines, spring is coming and so are the races at Xmas Hills.
The St. Joe Cycle Club and Benewah County lease just over 1000 acres of privately owned property, called the Xmas Hills Recreation Area. It is a multiple-use area dedicated to off-road riding. The only improvements on the property are a warming hut, restrooms and an unloading dock.
There exists an expansive trail system on the property with trails to challenge all levels of riders, from old forest roads, groomed ATV trails to tight single track trails. In the field area there is a 50 course for the kids and also a super cross track for the more experienced rider.
The track is open to the public year round, and come May 5 it will be filled with riders and pit crews, race fans and the sound of four-stroke engines.
Yes race fans, spring is coming.
Whether you plan a quiet weekend in the St. Joe Valley, enjoying the great outdoors of the area, or you come to town for one of the busy, fun-filled summer weekends, start planning now to visit St. Maries.
The first of the events is the second annual Rattitude Rod Rumble June 22 along the St. Joe River at Aqua Park. In addition to the car show, featuring low-budget jalopies, organizers plan a cruise and drive-in theater.
The car show opens from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Aqua Park, followed by a cruise from 5 to 7 p.m. and then the drive-in movie at dark.
If you’re looking for sparkle and shine, perhaps you’ll want at attend the St. Joe Car Club’s annual Show and Shine July 20 at the St. Maries City Park. The weekend also includes the St. Joe Snowriders’ annual Summer Sucks Grass Drags a mile north of town.
Although it may seem like spring is a long way off, it’s not too early to make plans for summer!
It takes great people to make a great community, and St. Maries has plenty.
The most recent group to step up in an effort to improve the quality of life for our community is the organizers of the St. Joe River Marathon.
For the past two years the group has showcased St. Maries as a great community through its annual race.
Recently the committee applied for non-profit, charitable status in order to provide financial assistance to local families with members who have been diagnosed with cancer.
“I think we have the potential to really help people in town and affect families in a very positive way.” organizer Devon Barta said.
Though the intent of the race has always been to benefit the community, organizers felt it pressing to complete the process after the cancer-related death of one of the race’s founders, Dr. John Thomson, last September.
Aside from the incorporation the event will have few changes this year. The children’s fun run will be June 8 and the 5K, half-marathon and marathon will be the following day. The course will reflect last year’s in going through downtown.
Those who do not wish to participate in the race but still want to help with the cause can donate directly to the foundation or help sponsor the race.
Registration is now open and available online at www.stjoerivermarathon.com. Approximately 40 people have already registered for the race.
The recent warm weather has not affected the mountains snows in the higher region, making it a great weekend to hit the mountains surrounding the beautiful St. Joe River valley.
Snowmobile enthusiast might enjoy a venture into the high country near in the Calder and Marble Creek area.
Uncertain about where to ride? How about joining members of St. Joe Snowriders Club in Clarkia for the Annual Morry Hedlund Memorial Ride Feb. 23. Money from that ride is used for upkeep of the Round Top Cabin warming hut.
Registration is from 8 to 10 a.m. at the J & E Stop in Clarkia. The ride takes participants on approximately 60 miles of groom trails. Hamburgers and hotdogs will be available along the trail for a small donation.
For mroe4 information contact Ken Schiermeister or Blair Peet.
In spring and summer they’re seen up the St. Joe River with their flies and rods. They’re also seen lining the trestle at Benewah Lake, their lines reaching into the shallow, fish-laden waters.
This time of year, they can be seen across the ice of Benewah Lake, Turtle Lake, Porrett’s Lake and Chatcolet. Area ice fishermen live for the days subfreezing weather, waiting for the ice to thicken enough to hold them as they drill holes to set their tip ups.
There are some pike to be caught in the area lakes, and perch too.
What better way to enjoy the great outdoors than fishing on one of the area’s many lakes, in any season?
