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 online Monday at lmtribune.com.
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OROFINO — A special meeting with an executive session was called by Orofino City Council on Monday.
Following an investigation by Jerry Johnson with the Idaho County Sheriff’s Office, the City Council voted unanimously to unappoint and terminate Fire Chief Jonathon Hoyt for reported policy violation, effective immediately.
Hoyt has been with the fire department since January 2019.
Bart Jones will serve as interim fire chief for the department until a replacement is determined. The chief’s position will be posted in the near future.
— Clearwater Tribune (Orofino), Wednesday
Kamiah goes green, council approved Irish Festival parade
KAMIAH — Leprechauns, Irish music and games, contests, a street dance, vendors, Irish coffee and a parade will fill the streets of Kamiah on Saturday, March 19, in the first annual St. Patrick’s Day Irish Festival. The Kamiah City Council approved (at a Feb. 16 council meeting) a request from the Chamber of Commerce for a parade permit and street closure.
“I’ll be dressing in green, that’s for sure,” exclaimed Dona Brown, a native of Ireland and the instigator of the event.
Brown said the day will begin with the Leprechaun Run/Walk, followed by a parade. Mayor Betty Heater offered to reach out to elected officials to invite them to participate in the parade.
“We’d like to have another event to bring people into town,” said Robert Simmons, from the Chamber of Commerce.
Simmons explained that, in addition to the closure for the parade, the chamber plans to have Main Street closed for the afternoon in the block of Main Street between Fourth and Fifth streets for vendors and street games. Weather permitting, the Clearwater Classic Car show will occupy Fifth St., between Arnzen’s and Bartholomew’s chiropractor clinic. The other side of Fourth Street, between Ace Hardware and Freedom Northwest, will include music and additional vendors.
The chamber plans to wrap up the event by 4 p.m., since the Clearwater Valley Rodeo Association is holding their taco feed that night. Simmons also suspects both Roscoe’s and the Kamiah Hotel may have St. Patrick’s events that weekend and doesn’t want to interfere with those activities.
— Norma Staaf, The Clearwater Progress (Kamiah), Thursday
