Stories in this Regional News Roundup are excerpted from weekly newspapers from around the region. This is part one, with part two set to appear in Sunday’s Tribune.
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GRANGEVILLE — The Idaho County Board of Commissioners answered questions about the new airport layout plan at their April 18 meeting. They also discussed forming a county recreational advisory committee.
The bulk of the meeting included updates on Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest projects and discussing opportunities for the county’s participation with the Good Neighbor Authority (GNA).
Airport tenant Mike Hauger questioned commissioners about how the new airport layout plan will affect his hangar.
“The new plan shows my hangar being relocated,” he said. Hauger said he had heard no other hangar lots are available at the airport. He wanted to make sure he continues to have a place.
County airport manager Mike Cook addressed Hauger’s concerns. “I haven’t contacted anyone about moving anything,” he said.
Cook said to Hauger that despite his hangar’s location in a zone that won’t allow new construction, existing buildings remain. Commissioner Ted Lindsley asked about Hauger’s options if the building burned down or was otherwise destroyed. If that happened, he could replace his building in an area roughly 50 feet further south, according to Cook’s explanation of the layout plan..
— Norma Staaf, Idaho County Free Press (Grangeville)
Tekoa finds new superintendent in Palouse
TEKOA, Wash. — On its website, the Tekoa School Board announced that the district’s new superintendent is Mike Jones.
Jones will begin the half-time position on July 1, and will succeed John Cordell.
Jones is excited to work with Tekoa and to be able to continue to work in Palouse.
“It provides an opportunity for both of us to grow, and I look forward to it,” he said.
“The district was grateful and fortunate to have two outstanding and highly qualified, equity-focused superintendent candidates to choose from,” said the Tekoa school board in its letter to the community.
Jones has been the superintendent and principal at Garfield-Palouse High School and Palouse Elementary School since 2021. Before that he was the principal of the Palouse School District beginning in 2015. An educator since 1998, Jones started his academic career in the LaCrosse School District in 1988.
Jones looks forward to the opportunities Tekoa provides for its staff and students and the role he may play in further developing community relationships and academics for the district.
The ability to impact students with new opportunities and experiences is a passion of Jones, as well as continuing alignment of curriculum and a focus on student achievement.
Through course development, the opportunities to grow current programs and new programs is something Jones hopes to bring to the district.
“Both Palouse and Tekoa have their board meetings Thursday night,” Jones said, noting that it’s still time to work on things, and it’s all pending approval at the board meetings.
“This is all very new right now,” Jones said, “so it’s going to be a matter of meeting with Mr. Cordell, who has done a great job, continuing the things he’s doing.”
— Teresa Simpson, Whitman County Gazette (Colfax)
