Voices

Yellowstone National Park winters are harsh. At 7,000 feet, there can be sub-zero temperatures, blizzards creating deep snow and bone chilling wind. It seems that only the young, hardy and (foolish?) would consider venturing into such an unforgiving climate. You might be surprised. Visitors of all ages and physical conditions are discovering that traveling in Yellowstone in the winter is awesome as well as warm and comfortable. The scenery is out of this world with huge clouds of steam rising above the hot spring and geyser basins. Noise from the steam vents and the geysers are amplified by the frigid air. The trees are covered with snow and ice becoming tall, white ghosts.

BOISE – Sen. Joyce Broadsword, R-Sagle, reported some unusual campaign expenditures during this year’s campaign – a pig, a sheep and a pen of rabbits. “I kept the pig,” the North Idaho senator said. “I paid my campaign back for the meat at market price.”

For 12-13-2008

A Spokane Valley grandmother was nearly robbed of giving her five grandchildren a happy Christmas, but thieves’ actions were foiled by authorities. Detectives arrested Amber and Nick Gardner, a brother and sister, on burglary charges Wednesday for allegedly stealing toys from the woman, said Sgt. Dave Reagan, a spokesman for Spokane Valley police and Spokane County Sheriff’s Office. The duo was apparently caught after they returned some of the stolen items to Toys ’R’ Us.

Up to now, the coldest temperature reported at the Spokane Airport has been 20 degrees, with no measurable snow during the first 12 days of this month (Coeur d’Alene had less than 1 inch). The honeymoon is over, though, and hopefully you’ve got plenty of firewood on hand and a good working snow thrower (or at least a strong arm and a sturdy shovel). The computer models have put us in the path of an Arctic blast that even the Rocky Mountains cannot shield us from. But before the cold air even arrives, snow, blowing snow and potentially lots of both are possible for many areas of the Inland Northwest including the valley locations this weekend.

For 12-11-2008

The second annual On Sacred Grounds Amateur Art Show and Sale will be Jan. 17 to 31. The art show is for amateur artists only. Items that may be submitted include: photography, watercolor, pen and ink, colored pencil, pastels, oils, acrylic, multimedia, computer generated, sculpture, fiber art, glass and jewelry.

Newman Lake Fire and Rescue has adopted a 2009 budget that makes good commissioners’ promise to establish a capital reserve fund. Next year’s $774,840 budget includes a $100,000 set-aside for future capital needs.

Post Falls Jim Taigen, 3104 N. Livorno Court, residence, valued at $89,537.

The Central Valley School District isn’t taking any chances after Gov. Chris Gregoire’s recent 3.4 percent cut of levy equalization money received by school districts. On Monday the school board tossed out the previous resolution it passed to put a replacement maintenance and operations levy on the February 2009 ballot and created a new one that assumes all the levy equalization money will go away.

Winter doesn’t officially begin until Dec. 21, but weather patterns in the Inland Northwest are finally beginning to change. Skiers and snowboarders are eagerly awaiting the arrival of big snows. Between now and the end of January, it appears we’ll be in the grips of a colder and snowier pattern for our area as well as much of the Pacific Northwest. I’m expecting about 70 percent of our season’s snowfall to blanket our region during that time. This would translate to about 35 inches at the airport and close to 50 inches in Coeur d’Alene. In the higher mountains, up to 150 inches of new snow can be expected during the next six weeks. Despite the expected increased snows, we should receive far less than what we saw last season.

A budding bar owner is giving the South Perry District a try: Jeff Nordvall would like to open a tavern at 1004 S. Perry St., where the Pop Shoppe used to be. A medical career had taken Nordvall all over the country, before he bought a house in the South Perry District together with his business and life partner, Laura Paisley.