Andrea Vogt

The committee that will decide which middle school children will attend as they leave Coeur d'Alene's grade schools meets for the first time today. The district-appointed committee of more than a dozen community representatives will structure how it plans to decide new school boundaries and develop a time line to submit them to the school board, said Judy Drake, district curriculum director.

1. Lewis-Clark State College President James Hottois, left, and North Idaho College interim President Ron Bell share ribbon-cutting duties Monday at the opening of an LCSC building on the NIC campus. Photo by Liz Kishimoto/The Spokesman-Review 2. This is the new Lewis-Clark State College building on the North Idaho College campus.

Aaron Eckhart and Stacy Edwards get close in the controversial new movie, "In the Company of Men," the debut film of former Spokane resident Neil LaBute.

Culver Kuhens keeps an eye on traffic as school children cross the street. Photo by Craig Buck/The Spokesman-Review

John Steinbeck isn't paying his dues. Works of the classic author are among the little-read books that have been tossed from the Post Falls library collection in recent years to make way for newer titles.

Jacklin Properties started construction this week on a 35,600-square-foot building at its commerce park in Post Falls. "The Jacklins' three other buildings there are full," said project manager Pat Leffel on Tuesday. "We've had this building planned for some time."

The Coeur d'Alene School Board wants the state of Idaho to clarify its code of conduct for teachers. At Monday's board meeting, Superintendent David Rawls unveiled a resolution calling for the state's professional code of conduct to be overhauled.

The Spokesman-Review is joining with Post Falls and Lakeland high schools in an effort to support their struggling school newspapers. Spokesman-Review representatives announced a Newspaper Association of America Foundation grant at the two districts' school board meetings Monday.

Tanden Launder, 6, works on a project at Classical Christian Academy Friday, one of the area's many new private schools - a trend affecting rural districts. Photo by Jesse Tinsley/The Spokesman-Review

Nearly half of the Plummer-Worley School District's enrollment decline is due to families taking their children to a nearby Latah County school. This year, 18 Plummer-Worley school district students petitioned the state to attend school in the neighboring Potlatch School District.

Concerned North Idaho residents asked legislators Wednesday night to proceed with caution in creating public charter schools. School administrators, teachers and parents largely supported the concept of charter schools but asked a special House-Senate committee studying the issue some tough questions. Such as: How will the small, autonomous schools be paid for?

Though the halls of Post Falls Middle School were full as school started this week, they weren't as packed as they were before double-shifting began this year. Photo by Liz Kishimoto/The Spokesman-Review

1. Prof Express. Though the commute is longer than most, Wayne Schmidt enjoys the scenery along U.S. Highway 95. Photos by Craig Buck/The Spokesman-Review 2. Wayne Schmidt is one of many professors who makes the two-hour drive from Moscow to Coeur d'Alene to answer a growing demand for college instruction.

1. Donna Messenger, a high school coach and triathlete, has competed in the Ironman Triathlon in Hawaii. Photo by Jesse Tinsley/The Spokesman-Review 2. Layla McCarty builds a feeling of self-improvement through boxing, karate and kickboxing. Photo by Christopher Anderson/The Spokesman-Review 3. College student Robyn Scarth would rather spend her time hiking, camping and snowshoeing than going to a frat party. Photo by Craig Buck/The Spokesman-Review 4. Lois Melina's job takes her all over the world, but she finds happiness in being able to exercise regardless of where she is and, for a while, leave work behind. Photo by Craig Buck/The Spokesman-Review

Allegations raised by a North Idaho College faculty member are credible enough to warrant an internal investigation, Interim President Ron Bell told trustees Wednesday. English professor Fran Bahr wrote a letter in July calling for reforms addressing a perceived boom in part-time faculty, mushrooming administrative costs and gender discrimination and harassment.

Students wait in line at the temporary bookstore on the first day of classes Monday at NIC. Photo by Jesse Tinsley/The Spokesman-Review

Don Barrington tells students to leave their packs outside the temporary bookstore. Photo by Jesse Tinsley/The Spokesman-Review

More retiring teachers coupled with an exodus of Idaho's young educators has state officials sounding the alarm for a potential teacher shortage. "There is a potential crunch that we see down the road," said Roger Hanshew, Idaho's teacher certification supervisor. The number of Idaho teachers age 26 to 30 grew slightly last year from 9.1 percent to 9.6 percent. Since 1991, the number of teachers age 31-35 dropped from 11 percent to 9.5 percent while the 36-40 age group dropped from 16 percent to 12 percent.

Talk raced around the Internet on Thursday in the wake of Boundary County's decision to file new charges over the Ruby Ridge shootout five years ago. Boundary County Prosecutor Denise Woodbury charged FBI sniper Lon Horiuchi with involuntary manslaughter for killing Vicki Weaver. Kevin Harris is charged with first-degree murder for the death of U.S. Marshal William Degan. Among the rumors, comments and opinions from Internet discussion groups nationwide are:

Getting the word out. Renee Scott, center, Associated Students of North Idaho College president, explains the recall petitions to Gordon and Reta Mae Tate at the North Idaho Fair on Wednesday. Sophomore representative Elizabeth Beechler looks on. Photo by Jesse Tinsley/The Spokesman-Review

Firefighters from Coeur d'Alene, Kootenai County and the state Department of Lands swarmed a brush fire at the base of Canfield Mountain Wednesday. Photo by Jesse Tinsley/The Spokesman-Review

Paul Mather has withdrawn his application to teach in Arizona. The former Coeur d'Alene middle school teacher accused of sexually molesting five Canfield Middle School girls is still awaiting results of an Idaho Professional Standards Commission investigation. He was acquitted on criminal sexual abuse charges in January.

King for a day. Don Rodgers sings Elvis tunes Saturday at the Festival of the Falls in honor of the 20th anniversary of Presley's death. Photo by Craig Buck/The Spokesman-Review

A North Idaho College faculty member is blowing the whistle on "questionable management practices" and calling for campus reforms in light of the recent forced departure of Robert Bennett as president. In a well-documented letter to NIC's board of trustees, English professor Fran Bahr blasted the administration for allowing part-time faculty and nonteaching positions to balloon, while ignoring lagging salaries, widespread discrimination and harassment of female employees.