Story Published: Jan 1, 2011 at 1:34 PM PST
Story Updated: Jan 1, 2011 at 1:34 PM PST
In February, following the inauguration of President Obama, tea parties emerged across the country with the stated goal of pushing back against the government and returning to traditional values. At one rally in Asotin, a remark made by local tea party activist Dianne Capps, caught on tape by KLEW News, gained national attention.
"What happened to Jake when he ran with the wrong crowd? He got hung. Well, that's what I want to do with Patty Murray," said Capps.
Capps denied making the remark at first, then insisted it was about getting people to vote Murray out of office.
In March, a newly-elected city council fired Lewiston city manager Jay Krauss, citing differences in the dynamic of the relationship between Krauss and the council. Administrative Services Director Dan Marsh was appointed interim city manager.
In April the search was on in the Valley and surrounding communities for Rachael Anderson. The 40-year-old Clarkston woman disappeared on April 16th. She was reportedly last seen in Moscow by her estranged husband, Charles Capone. He was arrested in May and later convicted in federal court for unlawful firearm possession. He was also named a person of interest in Anderson's disappearance.
In June torrential rain flooded downtown Lewiston and neighborhoods around the Valley. Federal mandates to improve stormwater drainage put the cities of Lewiston and Clarkston in a difficult situation as they tried to impose stormwater fees to pay for the updates. Lewiston's fee was overturned when it was deemed an abuse of authority, Clarkston's was challenged by a petition calling for its repeal and put on an upcoming ballot.
A llama on the loose in Lewiston created a headache for homeowners and law enforcement. The llama spent over a week on the lam before it was caught, only to escape from it's holding pen. Deputies were finally able to capture the animal and she was adopted by a local family.
Over the summer, a group of Lewiston residents tried, but were unsuccessful, recalling Mayor Kevin Poole, Mayor Pro Tem Brad Cannon and Council Members Thyra Stevenson and Dennis Ohrtman. The group behind the petition included the former mayor Doug Havens and former councilor Jim Kluss.
They said the four recall targets misused tax dollars and acted inappropriately in their positions. Concerns grew when a 3 percent property tax increase was proposed in the 2011 budget.
"And it's not correct to believe that the citizens who are being ravaged by a deep recession shelter those of the public world from the economic downturn," said Kluss.
The group came up short of the signatures needed. In the end the council approved the budget without an increase in property taxes.
In October Lewiston residents voted down a bond measure that would have built a new high school. Talks of a new school started early in the year. In the end, the measure fell just short of the 66 and 2/3 percent vote it needed to pass. The citizens group is recommending the school district try again next year.
And perhaps the biggest story of 2010, at least in terms of physical size, weight and coverage has to do with four megaloads. The ConocoPhillips loads arrived at the port of Lewiston bound for Billings, Montana back in May and right away there were strong opinions on both sides of the fence.
Opponents of the loads, citing safety and economic concerns, challenged the plan all the way to the Idaho Supreme Court, which ruled it had no jurisdiction in the matter and directed it back to ITD for a hearing.
An independent hearing officer, Boise attorney Merlyn Clark, ruled this past week that opponents had no cause to intervene.
Opponents are still awaiting the final issuance of permits by ITD Director Brian Ness. Meanwhile the first of over 200 ExxonMobil mega loads arrived and wait at the port.
And La Nina came to town in 2010, with wind storms that destroyed homes, pulled up trees with 85 mph gusts on the Palouse and Clearwater Valley and generally created havoc.
As the year ended, the weather phenomena led to the second of two major winter storm systems crashing into the region.
Strong winds whipped snow all over the Inland Northwest. Both U.S. 95 and 195 were closed Wednesday, an event that was a repeat of another severe winter three years ago.
The year ended with cold temperatures, but beautiful clear and blue skies.
