Kevin Keating

The death of 16-yearold Robert Parker, who died from a head injury at a drinking party, will likely remain a mystery. Bonner County Prosecutor Tevis Hull was investigating the teen's death as a homicide. Autopsy results show the teenager was killed by a blow to his head, possibly during a fight at the March party.

Bonner County Treasurer Karen Weldon, who is suspected of embezzling nearly $18,000 of taxpayer money, resigned her post this week. Weldon, 44, submitted a one sentence letter of resignation to commissioners, ending her six-year career as an elected official. The Republican treasurer, who may now face criminal charges, came under scrutiny in February. County officials noted some irregularities in her expenses and county credit card use. An internal audit later showed several thousand dollars missing from Weldon's office.

Bonner County authorities have nipped a budding mail-order drug operation, arresting three people accused of mailing live marijuana plants to New York City. The three were renting a home in Hope, about 16 miles east of Sandpoint.

To avoid cutting sports programs, staff and freezing salaries, Boundary County school trustees will rerun a levy that has failed twice already. "It was a big debate on whether to go ahead and do this a third time, but we need the money," said school board chairman Leonard Kucera.

A plan to add 900 feet of runway and land larger planes at the Sandpoint Airport has turned into a major flap for Bonner County commissioners. The county, which operates the airport, landed a $630,000 federal grant for the project and wants to start construction next month.

Markers and a clearcut provide behavioral boundaries. Photo by Craig Buck/The Spokesman-Review

The Panhandle Health District is investigating a case of E. coli contracted by a Sandpoint woman this week. The woman has been hospitalized and health officials are trying to trace where she picked up the deadly bacteria.

The Kootenai River, raging with spring runoff, pushes its way into fields in the valley near the Canadian border. Photo by Craig Buck/The Spokesman-Review

L-P mill at Sandpoint should be open this month. Photo by Craig Buck/The Spokesman-Review

A huge mountain lion with a taste for llamas killed five of the woolly critters last week before it was tracked and shot near Jewel Lake. The male lion, which had a belly full of llama hair, measured nearly seven feet long and weighed about 170 pounds. It was one of the largest cats Idaho Fish and Game officials have ever seen. "He was big. I was sad to put a cat like that down," said Larry Miller, a Fish and Game officer who shot the animal. "Why he decided to do these llamas I haven't a clue, but he found something he liked about them and was no doubt a problem."

For nearly four years, Boundary County Prosecutor Randall Day has headed the county's Ruby Ridge investigation. Several weeks ago, just before he faced re-election, Day announced a breakthrough in the case - the recovery of a bullet that could prove who shot 14-yearold Sam Weaver in the back.

An early morning fire damaged a classroom at Priest River Lamanna High School Wednesday, forcing the school to cancel classes for its 520 students. The fire, possibly caused by electrical wiring, was reported at 6:45 a.m. No students or teachers were in the building at the time.

Denise Woodbury pulled off an upset victory in the Boundary County prosecutor race, defeating longtime incumbent Randall Day by 75 votes. Woodbury, who serves as Day's deputy prosecutor, landed 518 votes while Day had 443 votes. Woodbury is assured the job since there are no Democratic contenders to challenge her in November. Day and Woodbury, both Republicans, are the only practicing attorneys in the county. Day has been prosecutor for 12 years. He hoped to retain his post to wrap up the county's investigation of Ruby Ridge. Boundary County Commissioner In the Republican race for the District 1 Boundary County commissioner seat, Murleen Skeen easily outpaced Robert Vickaryous. Skeen, who served five years as executive secretary to the commissioners, had 596 votes while Vickaryous managed 351 votes. Skeen will face incumbent commissioner Bob Graham, an Independent, in November. Bonner County Sheriff The fiercest and most watched race in Bonner County was between two Republican sheriff candidates - incumbent Chip Roos and attorney Mark Jones. Roos, who hopes to win an unprecedented third term, was building an early lead. With 10 of the 30 precincts reporting, Roos had 890 votes to Jones' 620. On the Democratic ticket, Pete Robinson and Dave Morgan were running a close race. Robinson led early with 275 votes to Morgan's 204. Senate (District 1) Longtime state legislator Tim Tucker, D-Porthill, was having little trouble with challenger Ed Worzala in the race for the District 1 legislative seat. With 17 of the 37 precincts reporting, Tucker had a commanding lead with 633 votes to Worzala's 173. On the Republican side, Shawn Keough was rolling over Gene Brown, a former Bonner County commissioner, 1,312 votes to 892. Bonner County Commissioners Bud Mueller led a trio of Republicans vying for the District 1 Bonner County commissioner seat. With 10 of the 30 precincts reporting, Mueller, a semiretired contractor, had 779 votes, Doreen Anders followed with 312 votes and Gary Carlson trailed with 216 votes. In District 2, incumbent Democrat Wayne Newcomb was in a tight race with Oldtown Mayor Brian Orr. Orr had a slight edge with 343 votes with Necomb right behind at 301 votes. Republicans Paul Votava and Larry Allen seesawed back and forth, but Allen was ahead with 639 votes to Votava's 500 votes.

The man who helps ensure new development doesn't pollute Bonner County's lakes and streams is under fire for building a subdivision that's sent mud into Priest Lake. A complaint was lodged with water quality officials this week against Jim Anderson, chairman of Bonner County's planning commission.

Woolnough

Property taxes, planning and zoning and Bonner County's notoriously bad roads are the targets for a bevy of commissioner candidates. Seven residents, with similar views, have piled into next week's primary for two commissioner seats. The survivors will face voters again in November for a chance at the $32,500-a-year jobs.

Attorneys Randall Day and Denise Woodbury are co-workers, friends and Republicans. They are also the only practicing attorneys left who live in Boundary County. Day is part-time prosecutor, a job he's held for 12 years. Woodbury has filled the deputy prosecutor slot for more than eight years. Now Woodbury wants the top job and will wrestle her boss for the $35,487 post in next week's primary election. Since both candidates are Republicans, it's a winner-take-all race.

For too long, southern Idaho legislators have thumbed their noses at problems in the less populated Panhandle. Candidates for the District 1 state Senate seat say it's time that stopped and North Idaho gets its fair share of tax dollars for education and roads.

Kuehl

With his signature, Robert Nesbitt ensured Friday the shores of Lake Pend Oreille won't be wall-to-wall development. The 76-year-old Bonner County man donated his 85 acres of prime lakefront property to the state of Idaho for a public park. The land, with 1,700 feet of shoreline near Bottle Bay, is valued at more than $1.5 million. "This is a lot of work to just give something away," Nesbitt joked as he signed a stack of legal papers with officials from the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation.

Lettermen's jackets, poodle skirts and hot rods will fill the city's downtown this weekend as Sandpoint gets "Lost in the '50s." The annual event kicks off the tourist season, raises money for the Festival At Sandpoint and lets some people relive the good old days.

Taj Hull and his parents, Kurtis and Betsy, had to wait 20 months to savor his first archery kill. Photo by Jesse Tinsley/The Spokesman-Review

The Festival at Sandpoint will mellow out its music this summer with a less raucous lineup that features Neil Sedaka and deep-voiced blues singer Lou Rawls. "The lineup is probably a little more low-key than it has been in the past few years, but that was somewhat by design," said festival Executive Director Ron Wasson. Festival organizers announced its main stage acts Thursday and will kick off its Memorial Field concerts with Rawls on Aug. 2.

Attorney Mark Jones holds up a portable phone. The bottom line, he says, is when residents call the sheriff's department they want to know someone on the other end will come help. The spiel is part of a tough television ad campaign Jones is waging to try to unseat Bonner County Sheriff Chip Roos.