In brief: Help sought giving flu shots

The Panhandle Health District is seeking volunteers to help vaccinate about 100,000 North Idaho residents against the H1N1 flu virus.

The health district is urging medical professionals and others to volunteer with the Medical Reserve Corps. People can sign up by visiting www.phd1.idaho.gov/ publichealth/mrc or by calling (208) 415-5238.

Vaccinating people in the five northern counties will require assistance from medical professionals as well as interpreters, teachers, people who can push wheelchairs and those who can prepare snacks, a district news release said.

United Way begins campaign

Spokane County United Way kicked off its annual campaign Friday morning. Campaign goal: $4.8 million.

The kickoff ceremony, held at Second Harvest Food Back of the Inland Northwest, was brief so 150 workplace leaders and employees from 10 Spokane companies could spend the day volunteering for the food bank.

The United Way campaign faces a double challenge this year. There’s an increased need for United Way agency services, and layoffs, wage reductions and furloughs at Spokane companies have diminished the pool of donors.

As an antidote, seven companies kicked off their campaigns early and raised $659,000. And six companies issued a $50,000 “challenge grant” to match all new and increased gifts to United Way.

Tribe gets grant for 10 homes

The Coeur d’Alene Tribe has received a $2 million federal grant to build 10 homes at the site of the old tribal headquarters.

The homes, which will be constructed next year, are for low- to moderate-income families. About 70 families are on the tribe’s waiting list for housing.

“I am thrilled,” said Cielo Gibson, the tribal housing authority’s executive director. “It’s been a lot of hard work to get this far and I can’t wait for the homes to be built.”

The Coeur d’Alene Tribal Housing Authority and the University of Idaho’s Bioregional Planning department designed a sustainable and environmentally friendly project called The Gathering Place last year.

The new subdivision is being built in conjunction with a $500,000 upgrade to an existing sewer lagoon system and a $1 million reconstruction of Agency Road, which is the main access to the old tribal headquarters.

Demolition derby at the fair

Today’s highlights at the Spokane County Interstate Fair include:

•Motorcycle flat track and lawnmower racing, 1 p.m. at the Grandstand Arena.

•Compact car demolition derby, 7 p.m. at the Grandstand Arena.

•Pumpkin carving contest for children 6 to 15, from 10 a.m. to noon, in Barn A.

•The Tooth Fairy visits the Plaza Building from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

•RainBow Fiddle Kids, 6 p.m. at the Community Stage.

Fair admission is $8 for adults at the gate; $5 for kids ages 7 to 13 and seniors 65 and older; and free for kids 6 and younger.