In brief: Vintage snowflake slideshow Wednesday night

Coeur d’Alene – The Coeur d’Alene Public Library will host a Magic Lantern Show Wednesday at 7 p.m. with a program that will feature the world of snowflake crystals.

The program – in the Community Room at 702 E. Front Ave. – will be presented by Shel Izen using his vintage lantern projector and antique slides from the Wilson A. Bentley collection of crystals. In 1885 Bentley photographed a single snow crystal, using a microscope and a camera.

It is because of Bentley’s work that the phrase “No two snowflakes are alike” became the accepted wisdom. He also photographed clouds, ice, raindrops, window frost, dew and landscapes.

This program is funded by a grant from the Friends of the Coeur d’Alene Public Library.

Anyone who needs accommodation to participate in a library program is asked to contact the staff prior to the activity by calling (208) 769-2315. More news and information about the library is available online at cdalibrary.org. News about the library and other city departments is also available on the city of Coeur d’Alene news blog: cdacity.blogspot.com.

Agencies prepare for Holidays and Heroes program

Kootenai County – This year as in years past, the Spokane County Sheriff’s Department, Post Falls Police Department, Kootenai County Sheriff’s Department, Coeur d’Alene Police Department, Coeur d’Alene Tribal Police, Kootenai County Fire and Rescue, Rathdrum Police Department, Spirit Lake Police Department, Idaho State Police, Coeur d’Alene firefighters, will participate again this year in the Holidays and Heroes program.

The agencies will be following the same format as in prior years in which several police officers and firefighters take children shopping for the day. Children’s names are provided to the organizers by school resource officers, school counselors, patrol officers, deputy sheriffs, or firefighters who have come into contact with a needy child during the past year.

The event begins on Dec. 19 with children being picked up at their home by a police officer in a patrol car. The children will shop at Walmart in the Spokane Valley or in Post Falls. Police and firefighters take the children through the store picking out Christmas gifts for the children and their families. Last year, approximately 100 police and firefighters were paired with children.

Holidays and Heroes is accepting cash donations and food items that can be dropped off at Spokane County Sheriff’s Office desk at 1100 W. Mallon Ave., and the Valley office of 12710 E. Sprague Ave., Post Falls Police Department at 1717 E. Polston Ave., Kootenai County Sheriff’s Department at 5500 N. Government Way, Rathdrum Police Department at 8178 W. Main St., the Coeur d’Alene Police Department at 3818 Schreiber Way, and Kootenai County Fire Administration Office at 5271 E. Seltice Way.

Silverwood donates train ride funds to SAFY

As part of Silverwood Theme Park’s Bungling Bandits Train Ride, guests are informed that any change given to the less than skillful train robbers will be donated to charity, and this year, Silverwood’s guests were more generous than ever giving $45,557.

Silverwood owners Gary and Jeanne Norton were approached this year for helping provide funding for Serving Adult Foster Youth or SAFY. The SAFY program is aimed at helping young adults who have spent 90 or more days in foster care, many of whom have experienced neglect and/or abuse in their lives, to gain the resources and skills to support themselves. Silverwood provides more than $45,000 from the train ride and made an additional commitment of $1,000 per month for the coming year to help sustain the program.

Coeur d’Alene – Most college campuses are not known for their fine dining, but that’s not the case at North Idaho College.

Many community members have discovered Emery’s Restaurant, the restaurant operated by students in the NIC Culinary Arts program. The restaurant on the upper level of Hedlund Building provides a practical learning laboratory for the students in both cooking and serving skills.

Lunches feature three-course meals beginning with bread and a soup of the day, a main course of dishes such as charbroiled salmon and chicken croquettes and ending with desert all for about $5.

Through Nov. 18, diners can save even more by receiving a 50 percent off discount by bringing in three food items for the Community Action Partnership Food Bank.

Emery’s is open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday during the academic year. Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling (208) 769-7763.

For more information and a complete menu, visit www.nic.edu/emerys.