The deliciously familiar smells of bacon and syrup escaped from The Cozy Kitchen into its crowded parking lot on its first day of business in the Lewiston Orchards dozens of customers sat at tables at what the owners of the restaurant in the former The Bait Shop Grill location described as a “soft opening.” “I thought it would be busy because people have definitely been waiting for this spot to open back up,” said Betsy Rowden who owns and manages The Cozy Kitchen with her husband “When we’ve been here remodeling and redecorating The menu features favorites from The Bait Shop’s menu such as its thin lacy pancakes ($8.99 for three jumbo size) and its cinnamon rolls ($7.49 for one) The Rowdens have introduced new items like Cozy Taters a mix of seasoned gold and red potatoes with crisp exteriors and soft centers Right now Cozy Taters are an ingredient in “The Cozy Kitchen Sink” and are a choice for sides with some entrees They will be offered as a standalone dish when the restaurant moves from its soft opening menu to its full menu The Cozy Kitchen Sink ($14.99) has scrambled eggs bacon and cheddar cheese topped with country gravy and bacon bits served with toast or an English muffin Lunch options include a Mississippi Dip ($13.99) gouda cheese and pepperoncinis on a toasted French bun that comes with steak fries and dipping sauce The food isn’t the only thing that will be familiar to Bait Shop regulars Five Bait Shop wait staff employees work at The Cozy Kitchen and the furniture is the same was changed to reflect the eatery’s new theme The reenvisioning of the restaurant was handled by the Rowdens who are owning a restaurant for the first time they will have a large presence at the restaurant continuing to create the menu and complete day-to-day tasks such as ordering food and hiring staff Both will continue to work full time in other jobs She is a banking support specialist at U.S He is a route sales representative for Franz Bakery Wednesday through Friday and all day on Saturdays and Sundays Items from the lunch menu are available 11:30 a.m LEWISTON, IDAHO (KLEW) — A GoFundMe page has been set up for the Clarkston woman who lost her life in a shooting incident on Tuesday in Lewiston Orchards The family of Jessica Dalton says they would like to give their sister Any donation made will go toward her funeral expenses and the rest will go to her children Donations can also be made in person at P1FCU locations is 97683 the account is in the name of Christopher and Katie Gustafson her Brother and sister-in-law Donation jars will also be available at Clarkston & Lewiston locations Clarkston locations include: Hazels Good Eats The family states that anyone willing to donate, or offer a kind word and shoulder to lean on during this difficult time will be appreciated. You can access the page here LEWISTON – After decades in the Lewiston Orchards though the popular breakfast spot may soon reopen under new ownership Known for its homestyle breakfasts and signature "Bait Shop Special," the restaurant served its final customers on October 27 The owner originally cited health and quality-of-life reasons for the closure but a new update on November 10th has revealed plans for a fresh start under new ownership Former employees even returned to help serve and support the transition Staff expressed gratitude for the community's support and this is my favorite job ever… because you guys are the best.” Stay tuned to Big Country News Connection for Updates on this story Middle age hispanic woman doctor working stressed at the clinic Would you like to receive our daily news? Signup today there are no recent results for popular commented articles Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: IDAHO (KLEW) — A woman is dead and a man is in the hospital with life-threatening injuries following a reported shooting incident in Lewiston Orchards Lewiston Police and medical crews arrived at the area of 4th St Officers discovered a 36-year-old female dead at the scene A 38-year-old male was also located with life-threatening injuries and was transported to a hospital for medical treatment remains closed as officers continue their investigation Lewiston Police acknowledges this was an isolated incident and there is no threat to the community This is a developing story and KLEW News will provide more details once we learn more LEWISTON - A crash involving three vehicles at the intersection of 5th Street and Bryden Avenue on Tuesday morning resulted in two drivers being transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries prompting a response from both the Lewiston Police and Lewiston Fire Departments the crash happened when a white 2009 Chevrolet Colorado driven by 44-year-old Robert Shadduck of Lewiston was heading northbound on 5th Street with a green light 69-year-old Raydean Shaw of Lewiston was driving a black 2019 Ford Escape westbound on Bryden Avenue Shaw reportedly failed to stop at the red light causing her vehicle to collide with Shadduck's Chevrolet The force of the collision spun Shaw’s vehicle 90 degrees leading to a secondary collision with a 2004 Ford Taurus driven by 54-year-old William Moore of Lewiston who was traveling southbound on 5th Street The collision caused significant damage to all three vehicles necessitating the use of tow trucks and resulting in a one-hour road closure as the scene was cleared Joseph Regional Medical Center for treatment of their injuries Police confirmed that all drivers were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash Shaw will be cited for failing to stop at the red traffic signal The restaurant closed at the end of October.August Frank/Lewiston Tribune fileElaine Williams Lewiston has lost one of its most popular breakfast spots The Bait Shop Grill near the Goodwill in the Lewiston Orchards served its last customers on Oct “It is not a financial decision as much as a health and quality of life decision,” according to the post And hopefully exciting things are on the horizon.” The restaurant had a more than two-decade run The weekend The Bait Shop closed was emotional Many customers who dined there hadn’t heard The Bait Shop Grill was closing “Some just ran in for a hug or to drop off a card and offer support,” according to the post “Past employees showed up to eat and were bussing (sic) tables and filling drinks without the blink of an eye.” The response “was beautiful and made everything worth it,” according to the post More than 150 people reacted to the news the restaurant was closing on social media “Thank you for consistently delivering an amazing breakfast 2016Kiosk honors Emerich familyABOVE: Pat Emerich of Clarkston talks about the former Emerich homesite that is now home to Castle Park The playground was recently rebuilt at McGhee Elementary School at Lewiston the 29th in a wide-ranging series produced by historian Steven Branting was unveiled Friday.RIGHT: Esther Emerich.FAR RIGHT: The Emerich home around 1930 where McGhee Elementary now stands in the Lewiston Orchards.Tribune/Barry KoughDaily headlines straight to your inboxRead it online first and stay up-to-date delivered daily at 7 AMSign UpTribune/Barry Kough ABOVE: Pat Emerich of Clarkston talks about the former Emerich homesite that is now home to Castle Park where McGhee Elementary now stands in the Lewiston Orchards IDAHO (KLEW) — The woman killed in Tuesday's shooting incident in the 400 block of Park Ave The 36-year-old woman has been identified as Clarkston resident Jessica Dalton The injured man has been identified as 38-year-old Lewiston resident Joseph S There has been no update from the hospital on Nesbitt's condition he was transported with life-threatening injuries from the scene Lewiston Police arrived at the home in Lewiston Orchards following the incident on Tuesday and discovered Dalton's body remained closed for much of the day as officers continued their investigation Lewiston Police says this continues to be an active homicide investigation and will release more information as it becomes available There are no other subjects believed to be involved in this case Based on her descriptions of what she was seeking she easily picked the one that’s the base of every Backwoods Brew espresso drink “The blend we use is a medium roast,” Woods said It blends well with anything you add to it.” Her customers have consistently confirmed her decision The volume of business at Backwoods Brew exceeded what she anticipated when it opened in April 2022 and has steadily climbed so much that Woods added a second location in November The new Backwoods Brew is at 636 Thain Road Its hours are the same as her first location at 1101 Snake River Ave The brick-and-mortar location along Thain Road has one drive-through lane the trailer on Snake River Avenue will be replaced with a brick-and-mortar structure it will have a walk-up window and a drive-through lane The walk-up window is particularly popular in the summer when people are outside with family and friends on the nearby levees and Kiwanis Park The expansion and upgrades follow the blueprint she made for the business when she started Those plans draw on what she learned in eight years as a barista and later a manager at an espresso business After she earned her bachelor’s degree in exercise science at Lewis-Clark State she worked as an exercise physiologist in the cardiac rehabilitation department at Pullman Regional Hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic she realized that she missed the espresso business She loves witnessing the emotions customers feel surrounding coffee – the joy it brings when people are headed out early in the morning on a road trip or the comfort it provides as they start a stressful work day she strives to have an experience where customers have short waits and consistency in everything they purchase “The science behind the drinks is a big thing for us,” Woods said the owner of the eatery that closed in October The two were customers of The Bait Shop Grill and enjoyed its food “We felt like it was a great opportunity,” she said “We felt like if we didn’t jump on it someone else would.” They’re giving away the decor and developing a new concept for the restaurant which The goal is to be up and running no later than the spring of 2025 after completing tasks such as creating a menu and hiring cooks They expect to continue their full-time jobs after the restaurant opens She is a business banking support specialist at U.S a 38-year-old man accused of killing his ex-girlfriend pleading not guilty to charges of first-degree murder and kidnapping The charges stem from the death of Jessica Dalton who was found deceased in Nesbitt's residence in the Lewiston Orchards last month Judge Mark Monson ordered Nesbitt to be held without bond The hearing had been delayed several times due to Nesbitt's unavailability for medical reasons and public defender Lawerence Moran has been assigned to represent him Judge Monson granted Moran's request to extend deadlines allowing time for discovery requests and review Nesbitt was arrested on February 4 after officers responded to reports of gunshots on Park Avenue in the Lewiston Orchards a caller alleged that Nesbitt had killed Dalton and intended to kill himself officers found Nesbitt with a gunshot wound to the head and Dalton deceased Nesbitt was detained and transported to St Court documents also reveal that a forensic analysis of Nesbitt's cell phone indicated he lured Dalton to his residence by asking her to bring her dog This case is not the first instance of suspected domestic violence ending in murder in the area this year Pullman man Jacob Spray was convicted for the rape and murder of his estranged wife Nesbitt is scheduled to appear in court again on April 11 for a status conference the maximum punishment for first-degree murder and kidnapping is life in prison or the death penalty 2022Lewiston teens charged with attempted murderTwo 14-year-olds facing first-degree charges for allegedly shooting the stepfather and stepsister of one of them Sunday evening in the Lewiston OrchardsEric Barker and Matt Baney For the Daily NewsChloe A appears at the Nez Perce County Courthouse on Monday for her arrangement hearing on a charge of attempted first-degree murder.Austin Johnson/TribuneTriston M appears at the Nez Perce County Courthouse on Monday for his arrangement hearing on a charge of attempted first-degree murder.Austin Johnson/TribuneTriston M Arnzen appears at the Nez Perce County Courthouse on Monday for his arrangement hearing on a charge of attempted first-degree murder.Austin Johnson/TribuneChloe A Arnzen is charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder while Chloe A They have been charged as adults and face up to 15 years in prison if convicted Officers responding to a report of shots fired around 5:30 p.m Sunday found two people with gunshot wounds outside apartments on the 600 block of Bryden Drive in the Lewiston Orchards Marks’ relationship to the family or to Arnzen were not specified in court records Arnzen and Marks were located and detained by officers a few blocks from the apartments After being informed of their rights to the contrary each agreed to be interviewed by detectives without an attorney or parent present allegedly told a detective that he and Marks had planned the shooting about two hours earlier after George Hamblin didn’t allow them to go to the park Arnzen allegedly grabbed his mother’s pistol from the top of a refrigerator while she and George Hamblin were outside and while Marks distracted Macayla Hamblin who turned 14 less than two weeks ago and has a bleached wave of blond in her otherwise reddish hair then allegedly used the pistol to shoot George Hamblin while he sat on a bed who allegedly shot his stepfather “two or three more times,” according to court records Arnzen then allegedly fired at Macayla Hamblin Arnzen followed her and allegedly shot at her twice more He told a detective he stopped shooting at her only because he believed the gun was out of ammunition Arnzen allegedly told a detective that he and Marks were going to kill George Hamblin because he was verbally abusive and were going to kill Macayla Hamblin because she “was always getting him in trouble and blaming him for stealing things that she had stole and placed in his room,” according to court records He also told police his stepsister stresses his mother out and his stepfather makes his mother cry The police report said George Hamblin was shot in the neck and Macayla Hamblin had two bullet wounds in her legs The police report said both were being treated at St A nursing supervisor at the Lewiston hospital wasn’t able to provide an update A pink and black 9mm Ruger LC9 was found by officers at the scene Arnzen allegedly said he threw the pistol at Macayla Hamblin after shooting her because he was still angry Arnzen told a detective that Marks allegedly commented that the iron sights on the pistol must be off because she aimed for George Hamblin’s head Arnzen expressed regret that he shot at his stepfather because he believed the shot fired by Marks was likely fatal and if he would have spent more time aiming at his stepsister “they could have both got ‘confirmed kills.’ ” Arnzen said he didn’t regret shooting his stepsister but regretted not killing her Marks told a detective they planned the shooting because George Hamblin “is kind of a D.” Both were somber but unemotional during their separate hearings Monday afternoon A few sobs could be heard from family members who attended the proceedings at the Nez Perce County Courthouse the seriousness of the charges and the lack of expressed regret Judge Karin Seubert set bond at $500,000 for each of the children and appointed Lewiston attorney Rick Cuddihy to represent Marks and Magyar Rauch & Associates of Lewiston to represent Arnzen Even though Arnzen and Marks were charged as adults Seubert granted the state’s request to have them housed at the Lewiston Juvenile Correction Center because they would have to be placed in solitary confinement if housed at the Nez Perce County Jail and would not have access to schooling or be able to interact with peers A preliminary hearing for each of them is scheduled for March 9 Barker may be contacted at ebarker@lmtribune.com or at (208) 848-2273 Baney may be contacted at mbaney@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2262 2016Future of Lewiston High School: Old vs newPacked house hears architects outline alternative plans for high schoolMARY STONE of the TribuneA packed room greeted Lewiston School Board members looking for cost estimates for a side-by-side comparison of a new vs The crowd converged Monday on Lewis-Clark State College for the meeting.Tribune/Steve hanksRobert UhrichAmber Van OckerBrad RiceDale YochumTribune/Barry KoughIt would cost $94.6 million require the demolition of 52 homes and take about eight years to make Lewiston High School's campus equivalent to a new one architects told the Lewiston School Board Monday night Close to 250 community members squeezed into a standing-room-only meeting at Lewis-Clark State College's Williams Conference Center to hear the results of an "apples to apples" comparison of remodeling vs outlined by lead architect Amber Van Ocker came in at a much lower price - $59.8 million while Lewiston architect Robert Uhrich laid out the renovation option The two Lewiston School District architects prepared the designs to the same specifications: a modern school of about 232,000 square feet meant to serve about 1,500 students Lewiston voters rejected $52 million construction bond proposals in 2010 and 2011 that called for $6 million from other funding sources to build a professional-technical building Monday's estimate included a professional-technical building "I was more surprised at the new cost," board member Brad Cuddy said "I didn't know what inflation was going to do." Van Ocker estimated the construction time - on the same Lewiston Orchards property as was proposed when the district last floated a bond in 2011 - at three years whose group Taxpayers Against Unfair Taxation opposed the previous bonds has called for renovating the current campus arguing it could be done for far less than any estimate the district claims Estes did not seem swayed by Monday's numbers "Good luck," he said after the presentation why would a new building cost less than just renovating an old building?" The renovation proposal would nearly double the Normal Hill campus adding 9.5 acres now occupied by private homes to the 10.5 acres now in use by the school The campus' six permanent buildings and four portable structures would be replaced by four buildings The number of parking spaces would grow from 421 to 650 Monday's proposal is not the first to suggest expanding into the Normal Hill neighborhood Board member Dale Yochum suggested a plan two years ago that included acquiring and tearing down 19 homes Construction management contractors Reece Hewett and Jeramie Keeble of Kenaston Corp and Leone and Keeble worked together to come up with the cost estimates for both designs The land acquisition alone accounts for $18 million of the renovation estimate "It really puts it in perspective about how deficient the campus is size-wise," board President Brad Rice said after the presentation The renovation estimate stretches out to seven years because of the time it would take for land acquisition rezoning and relocation of utilities before construction could begin during which high school students would be relocated to nearby Jenifer Junior High and Jenifer seventh- and eighth-graders would attend Sacajawea Junior High in the Lewiston Orchards "It was overwhelming to look at how it would impact kids," Jenifer Junior High Principal JoAnne Greear said afterward "I have to think through what that would look like." As is typical at the board's meetings the only time for public comment came at the beginning of the agenda No one rose to speak after Rice asked the audience to hold off on comments about the presentation until the board's next meeting The board tentatively scheduled for Van Ocker to return to Lewiston or answer questions via conference call at its work session March 28 The next regular board meeting is set for April 11 Stone may be contacted at mstone@lmtribune.com or at (208) 848-2244 aligns and rotates tires for domestic and foreign sport utility vehicles It has a maintenance and repair department equipped to handle work on air conditioning belts and hoses for those types of vehicles It also has a mobile service that supplies tires for semitrucks as well as heavy equipment for construction brings 15 years of experience to the venture he oversees the tire sale and installation side of the business as well as its vehicle maintenance department They worked at American Tire & Auto Service in the Boise area before relocating to Lewiston They have also held jobs at Les Schwab Tire Center The owner of Jackman Tire is Jason Jackman who founded American Tire & Auto Service in the Boise area 12 years ago who has 30 years of experience in the industry She and her husband are excited and thankful for the opportunity to build a business in north central Idaho following Jackman’s principles “(Jackman) built a successful brand and a prosperous company from the ground up with American Tire,” she said “He put his heart and soul into providing the best service possible for his customers and into his business.” the pool welcomed more than 125 people to cool off in the water " It's always an exciting time when we open up the pools," Recreations Supervisor Raymond Pedrina said staff made sure the pool and area was ready for the community " The pool been filled we've had staff come in and out just doing those smaller maintenance tasks so it wasn't right before the pool season opened general swim and family swim are just a few events on this year's pool schedule open to the public You can see the whole schedule on the City of Lewiston's website Swim lessons and season passes are also available The pool is available to rent for private parties Orchards pool will be open until August 9th the city will host their annual Dive and Drive event It was one of six made for Lewiston’s schools in 1931.Tribune/Steve HanksJerry Gipson poses with his football about 1943 in front of the fountain at the old Orchards Elementary School On the left side of the fountain is the profile of a lion’s head.Beverly Palmer collectionLook closely below the bushy trees just right of center and you will see a drinking fountain at the old Orchards Elementary School in Lewiston just after World War II.Beverly Palmer collectionIt seemed like a long chance when Lewiston historian Steven Branting asked earlier this month if anyone had information on the outdoor drinking fountains installed 81 years ago at each Lewiston school by the Lewiston Lions Club But from Bonnie Dickamore of Lewiston came her clear memories of the lions' head-shaped fountain and legendary principal Lillian McSorley at the old Lewiston Orchards Elementary she attended from 1932 to 1939 Beverly Palmer of Clarkston found two photographs at the same school one clearly showing the lions' head pedestal was the school janitor during World War II and later Lewiston Orchards fire chief And from Hazel Christiansen of Lewiston came the final word There was a hole in the middle of each ball "Water bubbled up and we put our mouths over that hole and got a drink of water," she said If that isn't enough to upset today's germaphobic parents "it was Orchards water," Dickamore said No one has come forward to say why the fountains were removed but there is speculation that the metal parts were donated to the World War II effort heard about someone having an old school fountain for sale when he was 6 and a first-grader at Garfield Elementary in East Lewiston He grew up with a picture of three lions in his house and when they bought a custom van many years ago and the original picture still hangs on her wall in the Lewiston Orchards the base was painted white and the massive bowl was blue The pipes were still sticking out the bottom but it might have to be replaced or refinished with something because the concrete is starting to crack She saw one other like it after Don brought theirs home no one has come forward to say they know what happened to the lions one of them of McSorley standing at the entrance to the school as the children lined up in two rows "She was a strict disciplinarian," she said But she also taught them something that has been valuable throughout her life "Times were tough and most of us didn't have a whole lot if she taught us one thing it was respect for each other and respect for property one of the fountains still survives by Christiansen's front doorstep Branting still would like to know about it or about the history of the six fountains Lee may be contacted at slee@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2266 El Sombrero Mexican Restaurant has opened at its new location at 405 Thain Road in the Lewiston Orchards.Tribune/Steve HanksEl Sombrero owners Yolanda and Alfonso Pimienta (center) are flanked by their children (far left) and Kathy Pimienta.Tribune/Steve HanksMany restaurants in Mexico are set up outside under awnings The design wouldn't work in the colder climate of Lewiston So the owners of El Sombrero did what they believe is the next best thing at their recently opened location at 405 Thain Road They installed a dozen windows with arched tops that are about 8 feet tall octagonal skylight the focal point of the main dining area "We like high ceilings and light," said Yolanda Pimienta Bright colors infuse almost every corner of the building chairs and booths feature paintings or photographs of Mexican haciendas and cathedrals green and rust patterns accent interior arches and the skylight The food at El Sombrero is the same as when it was at 629 Bryden Ave "People love what we have on the menu," said Alfonso Pimienta Yolanda's husband and another owner in the business chicken served with a chocolate-based sauce "This is Mexican food for American people," Yolanda Pimienta said all of El Sombrero's dishes are cooked with mild flavors Customers can request heat when they order or add it by spooning salsa onto their entrees The completion of the restaurant culminates two decades of growth for El Sombrero in Lewiston "(It's) our dream that took us 20 years with the support of the community." The Pimientas came to Lewiston from Seattle he had worked his way up from dishwasher to assistant to the head chef in a chain with more than 30 locations They decided to go out on their own when the chain was being sold gave them a chance in spite of their lack of experience She was six months pregnant when they opened and they lived in one of the houses at the edge of Southgate Plaza They only had one employee and she took no days off when their second child was born The business gradually grew and the Pimientas added a second location near the Red Lion about a decade ago after a competitor left Their payroll now has close to 40 employees who joined the world on the heels of their arrival in Lewiston El Sombrero closed the Bryden Avenue location and continues to operate the one near the Red Lion Some of the Pimientas' business partners have three other El Sombreros in the Walla Walla area The hours of El Sombrero along Thain Road are 11 a.m Williams may be contacted at ewilliam@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2261 senior pastor of Orchards Community Church remembers a time several years ago when he was feeling discouraged about his job who will retire Sunday from the position he has held for 30 years said it's not uncommon for pastors to have their ups and downs in the ministry But he recalls this as a particularly low point - and its resolution as an epiphany "I remember after a service a guy in the church came up to me," Brewster said "He wasn't trying to be prophetic He had no idea how what he said to me meant to me He just came up and he said: 'I just want you to know that what you're doing here is significant.' " The sentiment "blew me away," he said "I needed to hear those words right at that point And I've often thought that some of these pastors they slug away and try to deal with things," he said "I think sometimes they just need to have somebody to let them know 'what you're doing here is really significant.' " That conviction has led Brewster and his wife After they leave the 400-plus-member congregation in the Lewiston Orchards the couple plan to open a new ministry in a home they recently purchased in the Mayfair addition of Lewiston The Brewsters will provide a retreat home through Life Impact Ministries International for other members of the clergy and their spouses to get away for a time to read relate to others in the ministry and - it is hoped - be rejuvenated Although such centers are located around the world Brewster said each location is run like a local franchise The Brewsters have been completing spiritual direction and counseling courses to prepare for the new venture And Mark Brewster points to his years in pastoral counseling while heading the Lewiston church Changing his focus from laypeople to clergy is urgent because of what is expected to be a critical loss of people going into and staying in the ministry in the next few years 50 percent of people who start out in church ministry leave the profession within five years and 70 percent are out by the end of 10 years "There are 1,500 clergy leaving the ministry (in the U.S.) a month - and that crosses every denomination," Brewster said "In the next five to seven years all these pastors who are baby boomers will be retiring And we're talking about thousands of them And the number of younger ones coming up through the ranks is not enough to make up for that Brewster believes two factors contributing to this decline have to do with a clash of values in modern culture where church-goers shop around to find a congregation to their liking Pastors try to figure out how to "run a good store" that will attract business and worry about why some people are leaving their "store" and going to one down the street Another component is the expectation by some that churches need to be as entertaining as a movie "Pastors get trapped by that and most pastors are not businesspeople," Brewster said "There's this huge challenge that pastors face of trying to figure out when you combine that entertainment value with the consumer culture it's like we can get sucked up into that and we forget what we've been called to be doing in the first place." Often what follows is a neglect of a pastor's inner life "Because they're so caught up by what's going on outwardly around them they can often neglect to understand what's going on inside them," he said "And we see the consequences of that many times with what happens to so many." Brewster's own interior life was jolted a few years ago when he took a summer sabbatical and was exposed to the teachings of Richard Rohr "I realized that who we are and who we are becoming is more important than what we do," Brewster said "I just discovered that I didn't need to perform for God - to try to impress him in any way I didn't need to keep up an image just because I was a pastor I discovered a new insight into a real rest and not this drivenness that had characterized my life for so long." they have agreed with the church council that they will no longer attend services at Orchards Brewster said he believes it would make it difficult for a new pastor to take over and people long used to coming to him for pastoral care might have trouble relating to a new leader Mark Walden will serve as the interim pastor while the church council searches for a replacement saying goodbye to the people he has come to know and love as family "I'm pretty emotional right now," he said "It's just been an amazing journey the church has a parsonage and they had fixed up the parsonage and did some remodeling work for us I just remember we drove up in our U-Haul truck and a whole bunch of people were here to meet us and help us unload "And I think that it was a love affair It doesn't mean that we didn't have our rocky points but it was a good marriage and everything else just kind of faded away." Hedberg may be contacted at kathyhedberg@gmail.com (208) 983-2326 Even the foyer of the CrossPoint Alliance Church captures the spirit of what the congregation is all about A broad Welcome Center sign presides over an entrance area filled with tables chairs and a coffee bar that has the casual feel of a college commons or a lounge A large video screen is perched on the wall for people to view the religious services from a distance and a short walk away dark leather couches and chairs line the walls "We designed this so people could come and meet with God and talk with each other," Smith said "We wanted to be a biblically functioning community that reaches the valley and the world for Jesus." The new 32,000-square-foot church at 1330 Powers Ave in the Lewiston Orchards held its first full service last Sunday with more than 800 people attending Smith said the usual number is around 500 per Sunday but the congregation has been growing slowly and steadily over the past 12 years ever since Smith became the pastor The previous church building at 514 Warner Ave was beginning to be too small for such a group So eight years ago planning began to build a new church Smith said the congregation looked at existing church buildings that have been vacated in the valley But none of them met the specific goals of CrossPoint which views itself as a social catalyst between the community and the Lord "We needed to design a building that would allow us to fulfill our ministry vision in the context of what we could afford," Smith said "A lot of prayer and a lot of good conversation went into it." A series of fortunate events occurred that seemed to affirm to Smith and others that God intended them to move forward with a new building and find a new location A woman who had belonged to the church left the congregation 270-acres of land near Kendrick in her will which they sold to raise capital for the new construction When Smith located the land on Powers Avenue the owner asked $1.3 million but finally agreed to $475,000 because he also believed in the project the church held a fundraiser that netted $300,000 and allowed it to pay off a three-year financial obligation in 10 months Smith said people dug deep in their pockets "We knew from there it was a God thing," Smith said Castellaw Kom Architects designed the $3.2 million project Smith said the church tried to hire as many local workers as possible to give a shot in the arm to the economy meeting rooms and offices that surround the sanctuary A huge fellowship hall - also set up to broadcast services for an overflow crowd - will allow the church to hold weddings Smith said it is hoped people will come to the church at least five days a week for various reasons and it's intended to be available to the community at large The sanctuary is simple but elegant as chairs circle an altar flanked by a large video screen and a plain wood cross the room is adorned by scores of red poinsettias and white Christmas lights Smith said the congregation serves all age groups and has more than 160 children involved in its youth programs Although the church building is impressive Smith insists it's not the main point and people won't support growth unless they believe it is the will of God for them they're generous with their donations But the main concept is in the name CrossPoint - "We point everybody to the cross of Jesus," Smith said "People want to know their creator - that's what church is all about and people want to take time for one another When you know the love of Jesus personally "The target is to change lives for Jesus." Regular Sunday services are at 9 and 10:45 a.m. with accompanying children's services Today (Christmas Day) the service will be held at 10:45 a.m Hedberg may be contacted at kathyhedberg@gmail.com or (208) 983-2326 The old Catholic church will be closing its doors after Sunday’s service to make way for the new All Saints Catholic Parish opening in the Lewiston Orchards.Tribune/Kyle MillsThe St Stanislaus Catholic Church will conduct Mass for the final time Sunday before the opening of All Saints Catholic Parish next week.Tribune/Kyle MillsWhen the last candle is snuffed and the final bit of holy water dipped and made into the sign of the cross Sunday the doors will close on nearly 150 years of history at St James Catholic Church in the Lewiston Orchards the doors will open on the nearly $10 million All Saints Catholic Parish on the corner of Warner Avenue and 14th Street in the Lewiston Orchards welcoming more than 1,000 people from both parishes and the former Lady of Lourdes church The parishes have been working for six years to join as one congregation The new church will be consecrated beginning at 4 p.m. Driscoll of the Boise Diocese celebrating Mass Although all three churches have been functioning as a single parish since 2009 the decision to combine has not been without controversy Nowhere has the resistance to the move been more bitter than among many St Stanislaus parishioners - some of whom have decided not to move to the new church but to transfer to Holy Family Church in Clarkston "I think it's about one of the dumbest things that they've done for the Catholic community," said Mike Mitchell served as an altar boy and remains a strong supporter But you have to point to the bishop," Mitchell said that are looking at Clarkston before they look at the Orchards Stan's is open but once it's closed - the original parish at St "We don't approve of that (closing the church) at all," said Mary Ellen Black Gordon and Shirley Hall have similar connections to St having attended for most of their adult lives and seen their family grow up in the parish said he doubts the parishes had to combine because of financial reasons "I don't think it was necessary," Hall said "Economically I don't think it was necessary." whose family connections to the parish date to her grandparents said she knows many people are upset with the move "I love that church," Hogan said That's the reason they've given - to have a priest at one location and serving the whole community rather than three "I feel strange because my whole life revolves around St "I find it hard that I'm not resentful or angry I guess I respect the hierarchy of the church and that's what I'm going to do." In an email message from the Boise Diocese said combining the parishes came about after a 1997 vitality study conducted by then-Bishop Tod D It was tied to concerns about a decreasing number of priests serving the three parishes "The merging of three parishes into one best utilizes the limited personnel resources and enables more effective use of them to meet the multifaceted mission" of the churches The diocese also acknowledged the pain the merger has caused for many parishioners "I know this has been a difficult process for the Catholic faithful of Lewiston," Bishop Driscoll said in the email message "Yet I believe each parish community will bring unique gifts ministries and charisms to the new parish that will no doubt enrich all parishioners." ministries and talents of the three churches will increase the parish's ministerial capacity and better serve parishioners one of the oldest continuing congregations in Idaho a Jesuit missionary who was born in Palermo According to a history of the church compiled in 1992 by the late Esther Thorpe Cataldo first came to the area in about 1865 hoping to work with the Nez Perce Indians but he was not allowed to do so because of some unstated political reasons Cataldo moved on to Lewiston and built the first church at Fifth and D streets which served the congregation for 19 years a pius young Polish nobleman who became a Jesuit and died at the age of 18 The church moved twice and has been in its present location since 1905 The existing building cost about $8,000 to build LEWISTON - Firefighters responded to a structure fire at 3314 9th Street in Lewiston on Saturday evening a caller reported to dispatchers that the fire was in the kitchen and all occupants were out of the building First arriving crews found heavy fire coming from the carport area Initial actions were taken to knockdown the fire and protect the structure next door Crews then entered the structure and attacked the seat of the fire on the main floor The fire was knocked down quickly and crews remained on scene for overhaul operations for approximately one hour The cause of the fire is under investigation Damage to the home is estimated at approximately $200,000 The department responded with three structural engines four chief officers and one fire investigator for a total of 14 personnel Wheatland Fire Department responded as part of the Valley Auto Aid Agreement LEWISTON - Detectives with the Idaho State Police's Officer-Involved Critical Incident Task Force are investigating a non-fatal officer-involved shooting that occurred after a traffic stop in Lewiston Orchards early Thursday morning a Lewiston Police officer attempted to stop a vehicle for a traffic violation The vehicle refused to stop and fled towards Powers Ave the driver discharged a firearm at the officer and continued eastbound on Powers The incident resulted in an officer involved shooting that included Lewiston Police officers and Nez Perce County deputies emergency medical aid until the Lewiston Fire Department arrived and assumed treatment Joseph Regional Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries Police have not yet released his identity the roadways in the area remained closed for the investigation An ISP release says the roads should reopen this afternoon Closure signs have been placed at the intersection of the first block leading up to the traffic circle on each intersecting street The task force is investigating the incident with the Idaho State Police taking the lead The task force is a team of investigators and staff from local law enforcement agencies who provide investigative and other assistance to law enforcement agencies involved in police use of force and other critical incidents LEWISTON - Police in Lewiston were called to the scene after receiving a report of shots fired on Tuesday evening Lewiston Police responded to the call in the 3200 block of 9th Street just after 8:00 p.m information given at the time of the incident indicated that a female was outside firing shots from a pistol towards an occupied house officers set up a perimeter and shut down streets in the area Police located a female in the backyard of the house who had what appeared to be a self inflicted gunshot wound to her head Officers attempted life saving measures and called for medics Joseph's Regional Medical Center in critical condition There were no other individuals injured and the only property damage received from the gunshots was to the house where the female was found Lewiston Police Detectives were called to investigate and process the scene This case is still under investigation and no names or other information had been released as of early Wednesday morning The 3200 block of 9th Street was closed for approximately 3 hours during the investigation a significant power outage struck the Lewiston Orchards area affecting a substantial number of residents The affected area spanned from the Airport to 10th Street and south to Stewart Avenue a total of 1,208 households were without power Many power pole lights and traffic signals were also out Lewiston Police responded to a report of a suspicious person in the area of 400 Vista Avenue in Lewiston A caller said a male that came up to the driveway and tried to get into their backyard The complainant noticed the male was coming in and out of yards and heading westbound on Vista Avenue the description given matched Brian Tidwell who had allegedly recently eluded Lewiston Police vehicle stops several times Tidwell also had reportedly eluded Clarkston Police and the Asotin County Sheriff’s Office Tidwell also allegedly had recently fled from deputies with the Whitman County Sheriff's Office when Lewiston Police responded to the July 15 call Tidwell was observed running west across a field A chase ensued – Tidwell jumped the fence and continued running westbound through another field He was continually asked to stop running by officers Police caught up to Tidwell in the driveway of 325 Preston Avenue and he was taken into custody When asked why Tidwell wouldn’t stop running he told police that his house was on fire and had nowhere to go Tidwell was placed under arrest for resisting and obstructing officers and could be facing charges for the eluding incidents in other counties He was booked into the Nez Perce County Jail along with mutual aid from neighboring fire departments are on the scene of a house fire in the 3300 block of 6th Street in the Lewiston Orchards The initial call went out just before 11:00 a.m Crews knocked the fire down within minutes but will remain on the scene until all of the hot spots are out This is a developing story and will be updated the Lewiston Fire Department was dispatched to a reported structure fire at 1209 Grelle Ave first arriving crews found heavy fire conditions coming from the one-story home with the fire spreading to the neighboring home vehicles and contents surrounding the structure Crews attacked the fire utilizing multiple handlines Getting the fire under control in approximately 45 minutes Crews remained on location for another 3 hours to overhaul the property utilizing the assistance of a city backhoe The department responded with 3 structural engines Asotin County Fire and Wheatland Fire District The cause of the fire remains under in investigation The home that was initially struck by the fire was reportedly a total loss There were no civilian or firefighter injuries the city of Lewiston announced it was moving forward with the development of a 187-acre Community Park project in the Lewiston orchards Lewiston Community Park will be located on land north of Warner Avenue adjacent to the Lewiston High School Campus which includes numerous new recreational amenities and opportunities to gather as a community has been in the planning stages for over 20 years The master design plan features a central community plaza and four courtyard areas for accommodating various community activities Main playground - A new playground featuring a large iconic climbing structure Includes innovative play equipment (zip lines tot lot separated from older children's play area with elements of all-inclusive play design and safety surfacing Splash Pad - A large splash pad with interactive river Features include various types of ground sprays - arching Shaded areas also provided for relaxing out of the sun Little League baseball fields - Four baseball fields which includes one championship field Complex includes a building for concessions synthetic turf infields and natural turf outfields and adjacent picnic pavilion and playground Softball Complex - Four softball fields (quad) which includes one championship field Also provided is shaded stadium seating and a central building for concessions RV Park - A 48-unit RV camping park for short-term guests during tournaments and special events Multi-purpose field - Large field that can accommodate full-sized or youth soccer Amphitheater/Events Center - A formal amphitheater setting with tiered fixed seating and other smaller private and public events Disc golf course - 18-hole course with large areas of open natural terrain with trees and other vegetation and areas alongside developed trails and other turf areas Bike park - Includes bike trails with ramps Sand volleyball courts - Two lighted courts Natural open space - Large tract of land forming a meadow environment with trees Informal unpaved trails provide pedestrian access for those looking for a place to relax and enjoy nature Trails - Pedestrian and bike trails wide enough for couples and families with strollers to walk around the perimeter or select shorter loops through the park Connections provided to all major park amenities Also includes unpaved trails for nature walks The approved Community Park Master Plan can be viewed below LEWISTON - A 31-year-old woman was charged with drug possession and intent to deliver fentanyl after being investigated by Lewiston Police a narcotics investigation began in the 1500 block of Hemlock Avenue in Lewiston the investigation revealed that 36-year-old Dustin Storey and 31-year-old Vanessa Rivera were living in travel trailers on the property and were suspects in alleged drug activity The documents say a confidential informant was utilized to purchase fentanyl from Rivera and Storey at the Hemlock Avenue address a search warrant was granted for the travel trailers drug paraphernalia and $1,302 in cash were allegedly found in Rivera's trailer The documents say Rivera allegedly admitted to police she was living in the trailer and selling fentanyl Rivera was not taken into custody on the day of the search The drugs were sent to the Idaho State Crime lab for analysis and tested positive Police requested that Rivera be charged with possession of fentanyl with the intent to distribute Police also requested that Rivera be charged with possession of methamphetamine due to there being a small amount found in the same area as the fentanyl but she had moved from the Hemlock Avenue residence and her whereabouts were unknown The court documents say police also continued to receive information that Rivera was still distributing fentanyl pills She was reportedly traveling in a U-Haul truck in Lewiston The documents say drug paraphernalia allegedly was in plain sight in the U-Haul two more fentanyl pills were found in her purse Rivera was booked into the Nez Perce County Jail on felony charges of possession of fentanyl with intent to deliver and possession of methamphetamine She appeared in court on Monday and bond was set at $50,000 A preliminary hearing has been set for January 31 Storey had been taken into custody one day earlier after fentanyl was allegedly found in his pocket during a traffic stop He was charged with possession of a controlled substance and booked into the Nez Perce County Jail Court records referenced in this story may not reflect the full findings involved in the case Those who are arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law LEWISTON - A Lewiston man is facing rape charges for an alleged incident on September 17 at his apartment in the 1100 block of Burrell Avenue in Lewiston a woman told police she went to 21-year-old Daniel Meisner's apartment to visit with him after they had been communicating on social media Meisner allegedly pulled down the woman's pants and began to touch her He then allegedly put on a condom and began to have intercourse with the woman the alleged victim told police Meisner continued to do so The victim told police she did not attempt to physically fight off Meisner A sexual assault exam of the victim was completed at a local hospital and the report was obtained by police as evidence Court documents says that after initially denying to police that he had invited the victim to his apartment Meisner said they did engage in intercourse at his apartment but he had stopped after the victim indicated she was in pain Meisner also later said he did not remember if he continued to have intercourse with the woman after she said "stop." Meisner told police he had been diagnosed with Schizophrenia and he said he believed he may have blacked-out during a "Schizophrenia attack."  He also said he may have taken medication that caused him to lose control Meisner was booked into the Nez Perce County Jail on a charge of Rape He appeared in court in Friday where bond was set at $30,000 LEWISTON - A Lewiston man allegedly told police he was on meth when he attempted to steal a pickup from a parking lot in the Lewiston Orchards last Friday Lewiston police responded to a report of an attempted grand theft in the parking lot of the the O'Reilly Auto Parts store on Thain Road had allegedly been found attempting to start a 2004 Dodge Ram 3500 that did not belong to him the man who owned the pickup told police he had left the keys in the pickup Johnson was not able to successfully get the vehicle started The owner told police he grabbed Johnson and pulled him out of the vehicle The pickup owner told police that after he had removed Johnson from the driver's seat the owner quickly jumped inside and locked the door Johnson then allegedly made another attempt to get in the Dodge The owner then called police and Johnson fled the scene in a red Pontiac Sunfire Police located Johnson driving eastbound on 9th Street and ordered him to stop Johnson was handcuffed and allegedly told an officer he was trying to steal the truck because he thought there was a baby "being taken." Johnson also allegedly told the officer he thought there was a baby in the pickup because was under the influence of methamphetamine He also allegedly admitted to driving while under the influence of meth The Pontiac did not belong to Jonson and was returned to the owner Johnson was arrested on a charge of attempted grand theft He refused to provide a blood sample and was charged with DUI refusal He is also being charged with a persistent violator enhancement as he has been convicted of multiple other felonies in Nez Perce County A picture posted on Helping Hands Rescue's Facebook page shows one poodle before being rescued it's hard on all of us," said Dr "It's hard on all of our hearts." Kathy Ponozo has been practicing Veterinary care for 22 years "I feel like this is one the worst [cases] as far as individual severity on dogs plus the number of dogs overall," she said Dr. Ponozo allowed KLEW's Anna Velasquez inside the hospital with her camera to see the 13 surrendered poodles the adults arrived with matted fur of filth and feces it just shows how much our staff really loves what they do." her staff remained busy treating the poodles they said the owner surrendered five more adults and four puppies brining the total surrendered to 18 adults and four puppies The new arrivals waited quietly in their kennels They were mostly still because as the clumps of fur painfully pulled at the skin with each movement "I'm going to say this hasn't been going on for the last month this has been going on for years," Dr Lewiston Police Captain Jeff Klone said the dogs came from a home in the 1000-block of Rippon Avenue in the Lewiston Orchards after a neighbor alert authorities Police believe this is more than just a hoarding case "Our understanding is that they were being bred to be sold." said Captain Klone "It's just a pretty bad situation." Helping Hands Rescue got involved and reached out to Dr Ponozo who didn't hesitate to take them in and board them with no thought about expenses it's all about taking care of the pets Ponozo said the dogs don't have anything else right now which is why they want them to have a better life than they have had she did not find any serious medical issues other than skin and dental problems However, two of them do have leg issues that are likely genetic. The condition is called Luxating Patella. sometimes referred to as a 'trick knee' where the knee caps won't stay in place and falls off to the side The other had the condition on both his hind legs and cannot straighten them out Ponozo said this condition usually can be corrected when detected at a young age Orchards Pet Hospital has a consult with Washington State University Veterinary Hospital on how to best help the poodle who has both his hind legs disfigured you can donate directly to the Helping Hands Rescue account Staff said as soon as word began to spread about the poodles Monday evening donations began to come in from generous residents The pet hospital is located at 207 Thain Road 17th.Jordan Opp/TribuneLaura Gehrke smiles as she talks about her life ahead of her 100th birthday on Wednesday at her home in Lewiston Orchards 17th.Jordan Opp/TribuneIf reaching 100 years of age is a rare achievement traveled around the world and is still open for another trip — will celebrate her centennial birthday today “My doctor says I’m going to live to 105,” Gehrke said seated on a soft cushion in the home she shares with her daughter She’s willing to live that long and said her secret to longevity is: “I don’t drink and I don’t smoke the eldest of six children — three brothers and two sisters knowing that I don’t have somebody to go back to,” she said Gehrke’s father was a coal miner in Moingona and the family also raised cows They moved when Gehrke was in the second grade to Berkley where her father began working on the county road crew “When I went to school I had a mile to walk,” she said there was only three of us in the school and I was the only girl during those school years and after they graduated from high school in 1942 He returned home for a short visit during the holidays and the couple were married eventually landing in China where he worked as an airplane mechanic until the war was over in 1945 Laura Gehrke attended business school and then joined a couple of friends who came to Weiser She worked a short time in a department store and then was hired as a telephone operator for Bell Telephone “I worked long distance and I was the one that took all the calls across where the boys were,” she remembered When Earl finally returned home Gehrke moved back to Iowa where her husband had planned to farm with his family and then decided to move to Idaho permanently “We had a doctor friend that lived here and we came up to see him and Earl decided that Lewiston was where we were going to live,” she said the Lewiston Tribune in production and finally at the Potlatch mill Laura Gehrke worked at the Idaho Department Store She also was active in the Eastern Star and Daughters of the Nile women’s clubs and remains a member to this day She became an avid crocheter and has crocheted more than 40 tablecloths for family members She also attends Grace Pentecostal Church in the Orchards and said she has traced her family lineage back to the first century in Germany and England Through the years the family traveled to Fiji Gehrke said it’s been a long time since she’s been back to Iowa which she still considers as “home,” but she stays in touch with the family members who remain there She said daughter Jean would like to take another trip somewhere and Gehrke is all for it She has remained in good health most of her life Gehrke has witnessed lots of changes through these past 100 years But she remains engaged with life and said the best thing about becoming 100 is: Hedberg may be contacted at khedberg@lmtribune.com LEWISTON - The man who was shot after allegedly firing a gun at police on November 2nd in the Lewiston Orchards is now being held in the Nez Perce County Jail was booked into the Nez Perce County Jail on Tuesday afternoon He had previously been held in a Spokane Jail while awaiting extradition Court documents say Chlumsky ended up in the custody of Spokane authorities after being transported to Spokane for medical treatment Detectives with the Idaho State Police's Officer-Involved Critical Incident Task Force are investigating the non-fatal officer-involved shooting that occurred after a traffic stop in Lewiston Orchards According to Idaho State Police and court documents a Lewiston Police officer attempted to stop Chlumsky's 2017 Ford Focus on Warner Avenue for a traffic violation Chlumsky allegedly refused to stop and fled towards Powers Avenue at speeds estimated as high as 70 m.p.h Chlumsky allegedly got out of the car and discharged a firearm at the officer Additional officers arrived to assist and gunfire was exchanged between officers and Chlumsky Chlumsky then returned to the vehicle and headed eastbound on Powers Avenue until he drive off the road striking a utility box and a retaining wall He was later transported to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane and no additional injuries were reported from the incident Chlumsky made an initial appearance on Wednesday in Nez Perce County Court on two counts of attempted first degree murder of a peace officer two counts of assault with intent to commit a serious felony A preliminary hearing has been set for December 20 If you are looking for Paul Sauder this time of year check Mann Lake at the crack of dawn – it’s a safe bet you’ll find him at the end of the dock fishing for crappie The 98-year-old Lewiston man often has a stringer full before most people get out of bed “I wore out three filet knives in the last five years Sauder is the second-oldest licensed angler in the state He might be the oldest hunter and hopes to mark his 99th birthday the way he always does I’ll be 99 and I love to spend my birthday – which is September the first – dove hunting He aspires to tag his 20th elk this fall and plans to pursue deer as well There’s never been a time we haven’t had venison or elk in the freezer.” Sauder caught a spring chinook salmon during an excursion with Steel Dreams Guide Service “We get on the boat and we’re out there about 15 minutes and I hit a 20-pound salmon my buddy from Wyoming hooks another one – that’s two.” Sauder headed to his rig for a nap while the rest of the party continued to fish So that’s three on that trip on the Clearwater Sauder is likely to tell a story or three from his sporting life and maybe a few war stories there’s the time in California he stirred up a hornets nest while packing out a deer “I got 16 stings before I got to the bottom of the hill and my deer was scattered all the way down the mountain I went back and was able to retrieve my deer he and a friend were nearly stranded when their boat got loose while they were on shore taking pictures of bighorn sheep ‘There’s our boat floating down the stream,’ and he takes off – and this is in the middle of winter – he takes off and he swims out there takes off more clothes and he runs down the beach until he gets below the boat and swims out again That saves us 10 miles walking back home.” Sauder grew up on a poultry farm near Fort Wayne He went to Bluffton College in Ohio to study conservation and forestry But World War II intervened and he joined the Marines after he finished his first year of college I’m gonna go with somebody who knows how to shoot He was trained as a meteorologist and given the job of forecasting weather for fighter bombers flying off of Okinawa Now I thought that was sort of patriotic.” where he sold real estate in the San Fernando Valley the couple moved to Lewiston to be close to their grandson Joel Sauder a non-game biologist with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game His son David now lives in Lewiston as well “It’s one of the greatest places I’ve ever been I just enjoy the friendliness of the people.” Sauder is looking forward to a walleye fishing trip to the lower Snake River near Little Goose Dam He also has plenty more crappie to put in the freezer and hunting plans come fall “I don’t know how long the Lord will allow me to have all this fun Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible Get the day’s top sports headlines and breaking news delivered to your inbox by subscribing here © Copyright 2025, The Spokesman-Review | Community Guidelines | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy 2019Golden anniversary of a troubled wedding50 years ago the city of Lewiston annexed the Lewiston Orchards a decision that some residents still bemoanJoel Mills of the TribuneABOVE: The corner of Thain and Burrell (bottom left corner) is shown in the days before the annexation of the Orchards.Tribune archivesleft: Sharrol St She says she’s happy the city and Orchards combined.Tribune/Pete CasterSharrol St She says she’s happy the city and Orchards combined.Tribune/Pete CasterIn this April 2 Rudd (left) accepted 1,974 petitions protesting annexation of Lewiston Orchards by the city of Lewiston Making the presentation of the petitions at City Hall at 4 p.m chairman of the Orchards Community Project; Mrs a leader in the protest movement and originator of a move to incorporate a separate city.Former Lewiston city engineer Warren Watts shown outside the Public Works building in downtown Lewiston last week backed annexation.Tribune/Pete CasterThe Orchards Community Project put up a slate of candidates who defeated all but John J Skelton on the Lewiston City Council in 1970 Dale Gordon; and Secretary Carol Davis.Ed Campbell lived in the Orchards on Cedar Drive when the annexation issue came to a head but heard many of his neighbors’ fears that the rural atmosphere would disappear if the Orchards was absorbed by the city.Tribune/Pete CasterThe Lewiston City Council unanimously annexed the Lewiston Orchards into the city limits 50 years ago today taking many of its residents kicking and screaming along the way It was a lengthy outburst that culminated with a recall election a year later that cost six members of the seven-member council their positions And even though a subsequent deannexation vote failed by a wide margin — largely because of fatigue over the issue — echoes of the animosity that dominated the disagreement still reverberate today “It was like two communities,” recalled 83-year-old Sharrol St a lifelong Lewiston resident and community volunteer whose late husband won election to the city council on the same ballot as the 1971 deannexation vote And I’m really happy that they joined together.” was one of the leaders of the anti-annexation Orchards Community Project and she remembers residents were downright furious over the prospect of being forced into the city “The city was going to come up and basically take over the Orchards and increase our property taxes significantly,” said Willows who lived on Burrell Avenue at the time and now lives in an unincorporated part of Asotin County And there were no guarantees that Orchards residents would benefit very much from joining the city noting that Nez Perce County was already doing a good job of providing services like road maintenance The only thing Lewiston could add was police protection but crime was virtually nonexistent back then and the sheriff’s office would have added patrol deputies as the Orchards grew “There’s nothing the city could have given us that the county couldn’t have given us over time,” Willows said “I don’t know that belonging to Lewiston made the Orchards any different.” Some would say the Orchards grew up organically while others might attach the word “haphazardly” to its development over the years residents of the time prided themselves on the community they built and carried a sizable chip on their collective shoulders throughout their resistance to city governance Annexation had been a topic for decades before it actually happened Orchards residents actually asked to be annexed by the city in 1949 according to a statement by the late Irving “Kelly” Kalinoski in a 2005 Lewiston Tribune story Kalinoski was possibly the most cantankerous force in the Orchards Community Project and recalled that the city declined because “it didn’t want the problems.” when the Lewiston City Commission — a precursor to the city council — began to actively pursue annexation Wise appointed an annexation study group in 1966 the commission asked its legislative delegation to introduce a bill that would alter the old city charter to give it the same outright annexation powers held by other Idaho cities The charter gave Lewiston broader powers in some cases like the ability to raise property taxes above the 3 percent cap enshrined in state law But the charter also stipulated that a majority of the residents in an area facing annexation could halt the process with a petition recording their objections would allow annexation without a vote or other form of input from the residents The Legislature declined to get in the middle of what Tribune Opinion Page Editor Bill Hall called a “family fight.” So in January 1968 Wise declared the commission would do everything in its power that year to consolidate Lewiston and the Lewiston Orchards under the old charter City finances were the main motivation behind his argument “The state gasoline and liquor funds returned to cities are doled out on a per capita basis,” he said “We only get in this area about one-half of what we are entitled to He backed annexation and gave Wise credit for charging ahead “The city government thought it had to be done sooner or later,” Watts said “So they took the bull by the horns and went ahead for it.” Kalinoski proposed the formation of a separate city called “Orchards” that would incorporate the portions of the Lewiston Orchards Irrigation District east of 18th Street He specified that area because state law prohibited the incorporation of a new city within 3 miles of an existing city with a population larger than 10,000 and they got along even though they were on opposite sides of the annexation issue He recalled Kalinoski as a formidable adversary with a flair for dramatic gestures he was right there sitting at all the council meetings,” Watts said “I remember one time he came down to city hall and put a big log right there in the doorway.” Kalinoski had inscribed the 15-foot-long log with his objection to annexation and his signature as his official protest I would sit there and argue with him and other people Kalinoski’s movement to create a new city didn’t gain much traction possibly because it would have created another layer of bureaucracy in the county “As a Thain Road businessman said yesterday ‘We would end up pouring money down two rat holes instead of one,’ ” Hall wrote in a Jan “If there is one thing this community doesn’t need another taxing unit on top of taxing units not the creation of two cities where there could be one.” Then the Nez Perce County Commission dealt the final blow to the prospective city of Orchards by denying Kalinoski’s incorporation petition in March That decision emerged shortly before the end of a period given to Orchards residents to register their protests to annexation And once the city realized those protests could very well amount to a majority and halt the annexation move A second attempt in July ended even more abruptly when the Orchards Community Project filed 4,260 signed protests which appeared to be a sufficient number to invalidate annexation City officials were accused of trickery when they tried to count individual cemetery plots in the Orchards as pieces of property thereby increasing the number of protests needed for a majority lived in the Orchards on Cedar Drive at the time but heard many of his neighbors’ fears that the rural atmosphere would go down the tubes if they were absorbed by the city a lot of them simply because they had property and cows and pigs and whatever,” Campbell said so they were scared all those things were going to change.” pledging that the status quo on issues like animal rights would be maintained if annexation went through “I was always sorry that they had such an animosity toward this because I thought it would benefit them,” she said “It’s hard to tell people who have grown up in the country that they’re going to have to follow rules There were several community organizations that arose around the conundrum and one that was born in the summer of 1969 would end up playing the crucial role that led to annexation The Municipal Unity Committee supported annexation and mounted a petition drive to force an election to drop the old city charter it would put the city under the general codes of the state of Idaho And since those laws didn’t provide for a protest procedure against annexations the city would be free to annex as it pleased Voters officially repealed the charter on Oct The city commission officially became the city council and its members held the successful annexation vote just two months later Lewiston and the Lewiston Orchards were officially one city Willows said that even though killing the charter made it easier for the city council to annex the Orchards those who opposed annexation chalked it up as a victory because it meant the city’s ability to raise property taxes would be capped at 3 percent per year by state law because the charter gave them the ability to go up to even higher taxes,” she said Minutes after the council waived the usual three readings of the annexation ordinance and passed it at the same meeting the Orchards Community Project announced its recall effort One of the steadfast complaints of the anti-annexation crowd was over the procedures used to pursue unification Orchards Community Project President Howard G Jeppson again pointed that out after the council approved annexation “How many votes have ever been cast by the people of Lewiston directly on the question of annexation?” Jeppson asked “This city council has repeatedly denied its own citizens even the courtesy of an advisory ballot on this question.” Orchards Community Project members tried to get the Legislature to change the state annexation laws but their bill never made it out of committee They also pursued a court challenge of the annexation ordinance over the next months even putting up their homes as collateral for loans to cover their legal fees you know they’re taking it seriously,” she said wryly The city also went to court to challenge the legality of the recall election and the Orchards Community Project put up a slate of candidates to challenge the sitting council in the recall The wounds between the Orchards and downtown seemed to scab over after voters rejected deannexation a year later Kalinoski — ever the gadfly — again took his gripes to the city council in 1982 he said Orchards residents hadn’t gotten much out of the bargain in the intervening 13 years “The city hasn’t done a damn thing up here — except for alleys — since we were annexed,” he said in a charge that the council strenuously denied City Councilor Marlene Schaefer essentially told Kalinoski to stuff it noting the city street department had tried to grade the sides of the street berms in the Orchards “But the street superintendent told me he had so many complaints about the dirt and the inconvenience that he had to stop,” Schaefer said Watts said pouring money into the Orchards simply wasn’t an option give us new streets; give us new sidewalks,’ what have you,” he said impossible unless they pay for it themselves.” Watts added his thought that the slow growth in Lewiston over the last 50 years has spared it from frequent demands for massive infrastructure improvements bringing up the rapid growth that has emerged in other Idaho cities “We’ve still got our headaches like traffic conditions but they’re nothing like Coeur d’Alene or other larger communities.” Marie agreed that divisions between the high and low areas of Lewiston have remained She said it is partly because LOID wasn’t also incorporated into city government “I was always disappointed that they didn’t get the water system straightened around at the very beginning,” she said Mills may be contacted at jmills@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2266 2019Odd looking structure in Orchards helps pilots navigateWhat’s Up With That Elaine WilliamsThe Very High Frequency Omni Directional Range is north of the Lindsay Creek vineyards near Mann Lake east of Lewiston.Tribune/Barry KoughStructures like this one east of Lewiston help pilots find their way around the region.Art McIntosh photoElaine WilliamsThe shape of an enigmatic white structure at the edge of the Lewiston Orchards has been compared to a sombrero and the top of an old fashioned milk bottle square building with a round roof topped by a cone sits in a field near Mann Lake and is a frequent source of speculation A subscriber recently asked the Tribune to learn about how the unmarked building is used Getting the answer to that question took a quick phone call to Art McIntosh McIntosh was particularly well suited to answer questions surrounding the building The structure is a part of a navigational system for pilots known in technical language as a Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range that was likely constructed sometime in the 1950s The fixed ground radio beacon is maintained by the Federal Aviation Administration to send Morse code signals to receivers that are standard equipment in most airplanes “The receiver lets you know where you are in relation to (the beacon),” he said Similar beacons are located near Pullman and Spokane and all of them are included in official aviation charts for the region The FAA pays a certain amount of rent to use the land for the Lewiston site General aviation pilots arriving from other locations like Montana will often fly to the beacon and then alert the Lewiston air traffic control tower they are preparing to land tower personnel know precisely where the aircraft is and how long it will take it to reach the airport large cement arrows were built near large cities to direct pilots to airports Global Positioning System technology is beginning to replace the beacons but McIntosh believes commercial pilots may still use the beacon when they are landing at Lewiston in cloudy conditions Messages about the beacon left with SkyWest Lewiston’s only commercial passenger airline the beacons continue to fill an important role this would be a redundant system for that,” he said McIntosh knows the purpose of the building but he doesn’t know any details about the equipment that’s inside it Access to the building is limited to approved FAA personnel and even though it isn’t obvious it has an exceedingly robust and sophisticated security system “We’re not allowed to go in it,” McIntosh said While the official purpose of the beacon is to help pilots keep their bearings McIntosh said it plays a small secondary role at Lindsay Creek Vineyards The beacon can be seen from Lindsay Creek’s tasting room and event venue Customers ask the employees about it three or four times a week so much that he has thought of writing an informational flier and posting copies in several places is a reader and Tribune question-generated column that runs on occasion call City Editor Mary Stone at (208) 848-2244 post to the Tribune’s Facebook page or email city@lmtribune.com with What’s up with that ID- It's the first of its kind-a student run newspaper is hitting the stands at Orchards Elementary school sparking interests in the minds of young journalist Extra-extra read all about it the February edition of Orchards Elementary Tribune is fresh off the press "A couple of students and I were just having a conversation about like they don’t get to do a lot of writing like the kind the kind of writing they want to do We have certain genres we kind of stick to," Dani Buzzuto teacher and Founder of Orchards Elementary Tribune The first copy of the newspaper came out in November and it already has the school abuzz "These students are getting the practice of editing and knowing that someone is actually going to be reading their work and it's just a lot more authentic for them," Buzzuto said Roughly 20 sixth graders are getting an opportunity be journalists in training Each of them finding their favorite topics to write about "I'm an editor and a writer,” Lauren Gibbs “I wanted to be a reporter when I was younger so when the newspaper came along I was so excited," she said Gibbs said she enjoys being in journalism because the job of a journalists is so important "When we had the Hurricane Harvey that came up that was really important to have reporters because if we didn’t we wouldn't know about this and for me we had family in that area in Texas so we were really glad that we had these reporters," Gibbs said What she's discovered to be the hardest part about the job "Making sure that you've gotten every little detail finished and edited because you can't send out a story if it has errors 'oh you need to work on this,'" Gibbs said all the way to photographers and even artists "I like writing about medical stuff like I kind of want to be a doctor when I grow up," Tessa Williams "I'm doing something called artists from around our school because I like doing art and all the little kids they do their art and it should be showed to the entire school," Rothwell said Bozutto saying it’s the paper highlights everyone's strengths and mash them together the newspaper team has made all the difference "It's changed me because I made a lot of friends over like the past three months...It's helped me a lot," Larkin said 2020Three new businesses on ThainElaine Williams of the TribuneConstruction workers from Precision Precast Erectors weld joints Wednesday morning on large 26,000-pound concrete slabs The slabs will be the walls of a new car wash that is set to go in near the intersection of Thain Road and Bryden Avenue.Pete Caster/TribuneWorkers begin the foundation work for a new Burger King in the 200 block of Thain Road last week in the Lewiston Orchards.Pete Caster/TribuneRants & Raves Brewery manager Jon Butler (left) and general manager pose for a portrait outside their new location on Thain Road in the Lewiston Orchards last week.Pete Caster/TribuneNeil Marzolf pours a beer behind the bar of his new location on the 100 block of Thain Road last week in the Lewiston Orchards.Pete Caster/TribuneBurger King customers will be able to play more than 100 family-friendly computer games for free at their tables when the restaurant opens at 223 Thain Road in Lewiston as early as January Gaming consoles will be placed at tables and booths as a way to encourage people to eat their food at the restaurant which also will air sporting events on televisions Geiger’s company is one of his family’s businesses that together own 22 Burger Kings in Idaho including the one on 21st Street in Lewiston “We’re excited to have a brand new store.” Whether the existing Lewiston Burger King will remain open or close after the new one debuts hasn’t yet been decided The construction of a new Burger King is one of several changes happening along the busy Thain Road corridor in the Lewiston Orchards A car wash is being built near El Sombrero in the 400 block of Thain Road on a lot where plans submitted to the city of Lewiston also show another commercial building and a spot for a restaurant that hasn’t yet been identified Rants & Raves Brewery recently opened at 138 Thain Road The business was founded in 2016 in Moscow and it had a second location in Riggins that closed last year introduced his beers to the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley at events like the summertime Lewiston Food Truck Night at the Nez Perce County Fairgrounds and Lewiston’s annual Earth Day celebration Some of the most popular are Dragon Hunter Red #Duck Face Blond and Frosty A-- India Pale Ale Dragon Hunter is a “red ale with a nice caramel finish,” Marzolf said Duck Face is brewed with lemongrass and tastes a little like Budwesier while Frosty A-- is an IPA that ranks right in the middle of the International Bitterness Units scale “It’s a piney IPA with a very smooth finish,” he said Rants & Raves has a food menu that features hamburgers such as its Bacon Slayer onion and Rants & Raves’ house-made chipotle mayonnaise Opening during the coronavirus pandemic has been challenging but financially was the right move for the business partly because he had leased the Lewiston building before COVID-19 began spreading in the United States Idaho limits breweries to a single external tap room but in Washington they can have as many as 20 One of the first Rants & Raves in the Evergreen State likely will be in Clarkston 2017Lewiston drug trafficking case moving to federal courtJosh Babcock of the TribuneKyle C ByersTwo men who were arrested in March on drug trafficking charges are being charged in federal court were arrested March 7 after police allegedly seized nearly half a pound of methamphetamine and more than an ounce of heroin The bust took place outside of Seidel's mobile home on the 3400 block of Eighth Street in the Lewiston Orchards where Lewiston police served a warrant as part of a drug investigation Police estimated the value of the seized heroin at $6,300 and the street value of the methamphetamine at $8,000 36 grams of heroin and 197 grams of methamphetamine were reportedly seized from the home It's unknown why the case has been moved to federal court Nez Perce County Prosecutor Justin Coleman said he will release a written statement Monday regarding the move The men appeared initially in March via closed-circuit television from the Nez Perce County Jail in Lewiston Magistrate Court Officers allegedly found 6 grams of heroin on Byers He is charged with possession of a controlled substance and was arrested on an outstanding warrant as well as two counts of delivery of a controlled substance He could serve a minimum of 15 years in prison if he is convicted on the trafficking charge The bust was a result of an ongoing investigation by Lewiston Police and the Quad Cities Drug Task Force Lewiston detectives conducted surveillance on Seidel's trailer at one point stopping a person for allegedly purchasing drugs at the trailer Using witness statements and surveillance evidence police secured a warrant to enter the trailer Police said Seidel and Byers were outside the trailer working on cars when the warrant was served small plastic bags and $1,000 cash in his pockets Babcock may be contacted at jbabcock@lmtribune.com or at (208) 848-2275 Jacob’s twin sister Josie also took on the Mini Mudder.Tribune/Kyle MillsChildren participating in the Mini Mudder didn’t mind the mud Saturday taking several trips through the course until they were covered in mud.Tribune/Kyle MillsJeffrey Yoder of Lewiston is all smiles after finishing all covered in mud Saturday Jeffrey is the son of Alicia Bramlet and Nathan Yoder.Tribune/Kyle MillsKids love mud Case in point: When adults finished the 4-mile 15-obstacle Down and Dirty Mud Run in Lewiston Saturday - often red-faced and out of breath - few expressed a desire for more punishment where requests for a second helping of sweat "I want to do it again," said 3-year-old Kash DeGroot of Kamiah immediately after climbing out of the rope swing mud pit at the finish line of the kid's course He and many others followed through on their desire for more muck and made a second or third lap around the eight-obstacle course that was a little more than a half-mile long Ava Shively of Boise only did the course one time but the 2-and-a-half-year-old couldn't get enough of the obstacles featuring mud holes "She went back on several of them; we finally had to tell her no more," said her grandmother "She is probably the youngest mini-mudder." Kash was so enthusiastic about the mud that he wasn't bothered a bit by his epic struggle to crawl up the slippery slope of the final obstacle to exit the bog It took him several minutes to gain enough footing to finally escape the pit "I tried to help him and he just refused," said his mother "He was either having fun or just determined to do it on his own." She said the kids course was both a hit and a good idea "It's great for the kids just to promote physical activity," she said described the course as "super muddy" and "super lot-of-mud." "We went up big hills and then we went through the tires and then we climbed up the wall and then we did the balance beam," he said before taking a breath and then proceeding in similar manner to describe the remaining obstacles at the Lewiston Community Park Not every youngster had the same affinity for getting dirty Several approached the first mud pit with trepidation That is how it was for 5-year-old twins Josie and Jacob Schlee of Asotin jumping in himself and wallowing in the mud to convince them doing the same was a good idea He then ran the course with them and their pals Coleson and Wyatt Ockwell of Asotin the 5- and 3-year-old sons of Kim and Andy Ockwell Schlee coached the youngsters along the way "I don't know who is having more fun," said spectator Jake Schlee of his mud-caked grandson Jason or his equally muddy great-grandchildren was the top finisher in the adult portion of the race was the top woman finisher and came in second overall The third annual event had 450 participants including about 100 children Another 100 or so people volunteered to help with the event will be distributed to two charities - the Lewiston Independent Foundation for Education and the Liberty Theater Preservation Alliance