Lewiston Must Expand Cemetery to Cope with Projected Deaths

LEWISTON, Idaho (AP) — People in Lewiston are dying more than 50 percent faster than Idaho's state average, and Erik Lees says that's good for business.

The Lewiston Tribune reports (http://bit.ly/1NPQJms) that the city hired cemetery consulting and planning firm Lees and Associates several months ago to create a plan for the future of Normal Hill Cemetery.

Lees' draft plan highlighted a few statistics, including Lewiston's high death rate. He told the City Council on Monday that the difference can be attributed to Lewiston's aging population.

He says that has allowed the town to maintain "three healthy cemeteries."

Lees says Normal Hill will need to develop about 2.2 acres to accommodate the expected 11,500 deaths over the next 25 years. If not, he says the in-ground casket lots will sell out in 10 years.