Briefly

Airline to offer flights between Sandpoint, Boise and Seattle starting next month

Sandpoint An Idaho airline will begin round-trip flights from here to Boise and Seattle next month.

Bonner County officials expect the McCall Air flights, to be offered four days a week, to help economic development by making the region more attractive to businesses.

The McCall-based airline was scheduled to begin the flights two weeks ago using a nine-passenger Cessna Caravan, but the flights were delayed while local businesspeople finished putting together the promised $270,000 cash incentive package.

The daily service will be offered Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays beginning June 7.

Chief of police receives state award

Spirit Lake, Idaho Spirit Lake police Chief Doug Camster recently received a high honor from the state’s police training academy.

Peace Officer Standards and Training Director Michael Becar traveled to Spirit Lake on Tuesday to award Camster with the academy’s Executive Certificate.

The academy is based in Meridian and certifies all Idaho law enforcement officers. Forty-seven other law enforcement officers in Idaho have received the award.

City Council votes to raise water rates

Spirit Lake, Idaho The town is raising its water rates in June.

The Spirit Lake City Council voted Tuesday to charge residents $15 a month for as much as 12,000 gallons of water.

People who use more water will pay $1.60 for every additional 1,000 gallons.

Previously residents paid $15 for 10,000 gallons and $1.50 for every additional 1,000 gallons.

Mayor Roxy Martin said the increase is needed because the city’s water department is losing money and unable to save for emergencies or maintenance.

The City Council plans to review the increase in six months to see if it’s adequate. Three residents attended Tuesday’s meeting to speak against the rate increase.

For more information, call 623-2131.

More families eligible for WIC, state says

More Idaho families will be eligible for the Women, Infants and Children nutritional program under new guidelines released this month, according to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.

Qualifying families receive federally funded nutritious foods through the program, including milk, eggs, cheese, cereal, juice, beans and peanut butter. The program also includes health screenings and nutrition counseling. Eligibility is determined on the basis of income — an applicant’s gross income must fall at or below 185 percent of the U.S. poverty level.

As of May 1, this level is $2,907 a month or $34,873 a year for a family of four, with a pregnant woman counting as two household members.

For a family of two, the level is $1,926 a month; for a family of three it’s $2,416.

For more information, contact the Idaho Care Line at (800) 926-2588 or visit www.state.id.us/dhw/wic.