The St. Maries Public Library is celebrating 100 years of sharing books, knowledge and so much more.
Our library is a hub of the community, serving individuals, families and visitors.
Some of the community’s earliest settlers saw the need for the library in order to enrich the lives of those who called this home. Orland Scott, one of community leaders who worked to help form the library, thought books would bring “morality and culture” to the logging community.
Changes in the library’s 100 years have been astronomical. There are so many services offered compared to its first years as a lending. In addition to bound books, the library now offers music CD’s, magazines, E-books, CD Books, DVDs and computers with internet access.
Several events are planned to commemorate the anniversary. The display case in the library will features historical library memorabilia throughout October.
Other events include an author visit by Carol Crigger, of Spokane, Oct. 11 with her book “Three Seconds to Thunder,” a musical event is planed for mid-October and the annual Harvest Night is Oct. 31.
Story time for preschool children continues Tuesdays at 10 a.m. nd includes snacks and crafts for children. All ages are welcome to participate.
Also this month the library will offer an after school program for first through fifth graders, Thursdays from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
The library will commemorate the anniversary with an open house celebration Oct. 26.
For additional information call the library at (208) 245-3732.
If this year’s rifle season is anything like our bow season St. Joe Valley area hunters are in for a treat come Oct. 10.
While cow season is limited to special controlled permits, and only in certain areas, bull elk seem to be plentiful in much of the Panhandle Region, which includes the St. Joe Valley. General deer rifle season opens in several units in the Panhandle. Last year’s mild winter made for healthy deer population.
Yes, any hunters will tell you, the one of the best things about living in St. Maries is October.
So we can’t deny it; summer is over. The nightly frosts, colored foliage, yep fall is definitely here.
Heck it’s October already.
And the best thing about fall, other than hunting season, is Oktoberfest.
Celebrate the turning of the season with Harrison’s fifth annual Oktoberfest.
The event is from 1 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6 at Harrison’s beautiful City Park near the shores of Coeur d’Alene Lake. Last year, more than 800 people attended and this year, organizer Teri Riberich says they are expecting close to 1,000.
Oktoberfest is not just about sampling the beer and wine offered by the more than a half-dozen breweries and wineries. The event includes music and food, with children’s activities that will include bounce houses, gyro, penny scramble, painting station, bingo and face painting.
Riverboat Dave and Harmonica Jess will perform from 1 to 4 p.m. The Jam Band will play from 4 to 7 p.m.
Admission and music is free for all ages. Those wishing to drink will be required to obtain a wristband in order to buy beer. Souvenir glasses will be available for $10 and that also includes four tickets.
The event will go on regardless of weather. However, there will be an event tent set up with heaters.
So don’t miss out. Join us in Harrison Saturday for Oktoberfest.
Just another great reason to call St. Maries home.
There are some great people in St. Maries and the St. Joe Valley, and 18- year-old Chace Maughan is one of them.
With the help of the community, Chace was able to revamp the rest area at the Santa Y.
Chace Maughan started the project in May, 2011 as part of his Eagle Scout project and finished the project in August. He organized the project, the sought, and received, support from the community.
Chase leveled the ground around the restrooms and poured concrete around them, added a colored concrete walkway, railings and signs including an area map. He also put in new garbage cans and painted the restroom facilities inside and out. Picnic tables were placed in front, and log barriers were placed in front of the concrete to prevent vehicles from driving on top of it.
Chace figures there was more $10,000 worth of work put into the project including materials, labor and time, much of it donated by area individuals and businesses.
Maughan is attending Brigham Young University where he is taking general studies. He is the son of Paul and Jerrie Maughan.
Yep, Chace Maughan, and his family, are a couple of the things that make St. Maries a great place to live.
Do you have a young hunter in the household? Perhaps it’s time to get them out for the Idaho Department of Fish Game’s youth waterfowl hunt tomorrow, Sept. 29. Young hunters will need to secure a youth or small game license, $7.25, with a federal migratory bird permit, $1.75, prior to the free hunt day.
There may still be time to enroll in tomorrow’s free clinic at Heyburn State Park. The Idaho Department of Fish Game is soliciting young sportsmen and women interested in learning to hunt waterfowl and will sponsor a clinic at Heyburn State Park, northwest of St. Maries at the south end of Lake Coeur d’Alene.
Participants and a guardian will have the opportunity to spend morning hunting with an experienced waterfowl hunter at the clinic. You won’t just watch, you will be part of the action.
Following a morning hunt, participants will be treated to a free barbeque and skills clinic. The idea is to expose youth to a quality hunting experience and provide their guardian with enough training to repeat the experience independently.
It’s open to hunters 15 and younger. Young hunters will need to be accompanied by an adult and bring a shotgun and ammunition.
Participation will be by advanced reservation and space is limited to 25 participants per clinic. Call JJ Teare at the Fish and Game Panhandle Region office 208-769-1414 to reserve a spot and obtain additional details. For more information about the youth waterfowl hunt visit the Idaho Fish and Game website. http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/
This is going to be a fun event and it’s free. Don’t miss out!
The leaves of the cottonwood trees are turning to the bright yellow, orange and red of the season.
Ski boats and jet skis, campers and motorhomes have been winterized and parked until next year. Autumn is here in full force.
While another summer is in the books, fishing on area lakes and rivers continues.
They’re still catching pike and kokanee, small mouth bass and salmon on Chatcolet Lake and several of the other chain lakes in and around the area. We’re told Benewah Lake has plenty of people fishing for crappie.
The cool nights and warm, bright days keep the cutthroat feeding in the waters of the St. Joe River.
Fishermen love this time of year as they have the waterways to themselves. The air is crisp, water is peaceful. What’s not to love about the St. Joe Valley?
The inaugural ride of last weekend’s White Pine Pedal Mettle in the books and organizers considers it a success.
“We put on a quality ride,” organizer Tom Miller said. “This was a totally different event for St. Maries and it was so cool people got involved to make it happen.”
It was also a unique ride for the 18 participants. Several riders left St. Maries and rode 15 miles south on State 3 to the Santa Y and returned to St. Maries. The majority went on to complete the 111 miles, through a half-dozen little towns and communities, over the Palouse Divide, and back to St. Maries.
Along the routes, riders were greeted by residents and ride volunteers, providing water, snacks and words of encouragement.
Riders came from Spokane, Coeur d’Alene, Moscow and Boise to participate, and they all had great things to say about the scenic beauty and the terrific people in and around St. Maries.
Next year will bring another ride, and likely more riders, but we’ll always have the same great scenery and the people that make St. Maries great.
Area bow hunters are reporting some success this season so you may want to head into the hills to try your luck.
Not a bow hunter?
Maybe you should take your camera. Some of the surest shots are with a camera.
Last week’s frost has brought some gorgeous fall colors to the high country. The sun is shining and there’s not a cloud in the sky.
What better way than to spend your weekend than in the hills and mountains surrounding our beautiful St. Joe Valley.
As we’ve said before, one of the many things that makes St. Maries a great place to live is the great people who live here.
Whether it’s the Rotary Club’s new playground at City Park, the Heyburn PTO’s Annual Harvest Festival or the Elks Community Christmas Basket, the people of the St. Maries community are quick to come together to make it happen.
Another great example was the Paul Bunyan Days celebration. Dozens of people worked throughout the year to provide a weekend of games, competitions and a one of the best fireworks shows in the northwest.
Volunteers from several area groups rallied to organize a fundraiser last weekend. The taco feed raised approximately $20,000 to help a local family pay for medical expenses.
Today there are several area volunteers working with the Inland Empire Blood Bank for one if its blood drives. Tomorrow is the soup and pie fundraiser for the St. Maries Senior Meal Site, and Saturday is the first annual White Pine Pedal Mettle, a 30-mile and a 111-mile bike ride to raise money to restore the Masons building on College Avenue. Both events require long hours from dedicated volunteers to make it happen.
St. Maries has some great people making it a great place to live.
Th
e cool nights and warm sunny days of September are upon us, giving the valley air a hint of fall.
As every hunter knows, with fall comes hunting season.
Archery deer, grouse, bear and wolf all opened Aug. 30. And bull elk archery season opens tomorrow in the area. For complete information of Idaho’s hunting regulations visit the Idaho Fish & Game website http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/hunt/
Local fishermen are reporting some dandy cutthroat on the lower St. Joe River. One such fisherman netted more than a dozen one afternoon late last week, each of his three largest fish reportedly measured more than 15”.
So take advantage of these amazing, late-summer days and spend it outdoors. Spend it in St. Maries!
