Stories in this Regional News Roundup are excerpted from weekly newspapers from around the region. This is part two, with part one having appeared in Saturday’s Tribune.
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KAMIAH — Our world is full of unsung heroes — EMTs, police, helpful neighbors, soldiers, medical professionals, firemen and teachers, to name but a few.
One such unsung hero, Kamiah High School science teacher Janna Privette, was acknowledged as the Top Performing Educator at the Northern Idaho Science and Engineering Fair held recently in Coeur d’Alene.
Privette was honored with the award because she had two students exhibiting at the fair — more than any other teacher.
Her two students, Mya Barger and Cecily Puckett, both won the top award at the competition, which qualified them to compete in the International Competition this coming May. Both students have given credit to the mentoring by Privette as they worked on their respective projects.
As for Privette, the teacher said that she wasn’t truly aware that the certificate she was given was an award. She assumed that it was just a certificate saying she was an educator of a finalist.
“It wasn’t until I got home and looked at that I realized it was something more important,” Privette said. “I don’t know exactly what the criteria was, but I think it was because both of my students were chosen for ISEF.”
— Peter DuPre, The Clearwater Progress (Kamiah), Thursday
McCall residents marshal forces to produce cloth face masks to fight COVID-19
MCCALL — Instead of filing taxes Wednesday, Matt Ganz and well more than 100 Valley County residents plan to deliver 3,000 homemade face masks to help in the fight against the COVID-19 virus.
“The ultimate goal is to have everyone in the county who does not have masks get two cloth masks: one to wash and one to wear,” said Ganz, a McCall resident who is helping lead the “Wear a Mask Valley County” working group.
The “Valley County Mask Force,” as dubbed by member Colby Rampton, was started by Ganz in response to reports of mask shortages in Boise and elsewhere.
The effort ramped up following health officials last week recommending that everyone wear masks in public to help protect from COVID-19.
Ganz’s first move was to compile a list of avid home tailors and locals with sewing machines who are willing to help.
After signing up 65 sewers and counting, Ganz sought advice from St. Luke’s McCall and first responders before linking with other local sewing efforts to coordinate their work.
Each mask made by the group uses the highest thread count cotton available and includes cloth ties rather than elastic bands, which are in short supply nationwide.
Once completed, the masks are washed before being bagged and dropped at local distribution sites, where they are washed again before being given out, Ganz said.
“These cloth masks are not currently approved for nurses and doctors at St. Luke’s, or first responders, but have shown to be effective for slowing the spread and keeping citizens safer while shopping for essential supplies,” he said.
The group is also working to source materials used to make masks that are approved by health officials for frontline medical workers.
“If we can get those supplies, we have an amazing collection of local professional tailors with commercial machines ready to roll,” Ganz said.
Ganz urged patience to anyone unable to find masks at local distribution sites, noting that demand remains high since most residents do not yet have masks.
A Facebook page created by McCall resident Sarah Erekson, who has teamed up with Ganz, serves as a hub for dialogue between people who want to sew and those in need of masks.
“Everybody has a big heart right now and has good intentions, so my goal is to line up how people should do it,” said Erekson, 33.
— Drew Dodson, The Star-News (McCall), Thursday
