The County Lines

WASHINGTON

ADAMS COUNTY

Othello

William Shaw starts his new job today as city administrator. Shaw hails from Lewistown, Mont. He was public works director of that rural community of 6,000. He replaces Rex Mather, who was asked by Mayor E.R. Kelley to resign in March.

FERRY COUNTY

Keller

Those interested in the history of logging are invited to a free seminar 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Keller Longhouse. The workshop will discuss road building and the challenges of getting logs out of dense forests.

GRANT COUNTY

Ephrata

Beating the heat in the Columbia Basin will be costly for power consumers. With temperatures reaching 105 degrees last week, the Grant County Public Utility District reports a record in electrical use. Tallying a one-hour average of 507 megawatts on July 22, a record number of fans and air conditioning systems were obviously in use. The previous record for power usage this time of year was 470 megawatts in 1997. During the week of July 20, the district reports the megawatt gauge broke 500 every day.

LINCOLN COUNTY

Reardan

The town is experiencing a population boom. According to a special census conducted in May, there were 601 Reardan citizens. That indicates a slow but steady increase from the 1990 census tally of 490 residents. City Manager Bruce Johnson says the town decided to do its own census rather than waiting for the federal accounting in 2000. The town’s population “affects directly the amount of money we’ll receive from things like the sales tax and fuel tax,” he said.

PEND OREILLE COUNTY

Newport

The Colville National Forest is requesting public input regarding a proposal to analyze alternatives for grazing on the LeClerc Creek Grazing Allotment. Grazing was first permitted in the early 1920s, with sheep being the principal livestock. The allotment is located on the east side of the Pend Oreille River at the southern end of the Colville National Forest’s Sullivan Lake Ranger District. For more information, contact James Sippel at 446-7500.

SPOKANE COUNTY

Cheney

The Spokane County Parks and Recreation Department is offering a slate of fall softball programs for men, women and coed teams. Registration forms will be received through Aug. 10. The 10-game season will start Sept. 6. For more information, call 456-4730.

STEVENS COUNTY

Colville

As the dog days of summer begin to howl, parents are invited to send their youngsters to Junior Adventure Club Aug. 10-14. The club is for 3- and 4-year-olds. Supervised activities include crafts, games and swim lessons. Register before Tuesday by calling 684-6037.

WHITMAN COUNTY

Albion

A 21-year-old Washington state man drowned Sunday in Spring Valley Reservoir, east of Troy, Idaho.

Andrew Jack Birch, of Albion, had attempted to swim to an island in the reservoir around 9 a.m. when he started cramping, according to witnesses.

A friend and several people in the area were unable to reach Birch. The Nez Perce County Dive Team recovered his body in 18 feet of water. Alcohol is believed to have been involved in the accident, according to the Latah County Sheriff’s Office.

IDAHO

BENEWAH COUNTY

St. Maries

The Chamber of Commerce bought three new green trash receptacles and stationed them on Main Avenue. Buying the trash cans is part of the chamber’s effort to improve and promote the city. The chamber is attempting to work with St. Regis, Mont., to market St. Maries as a major access to the Upper St. Joe River and surrounding woods, said John Thomson, chamber president.

BONNER COUNTY

Sandpoint

Veteran County Clerk Marie Scott and Commissioner Dale Van Stone have received endorsements from the Businesspeople for Bonner County for the November election. This endorsement is the first for this new business group, which is venturing into its first campaign as an organized group.

BOUNDARY COUNTY

Bonners Ferry

The Boundary County Library offers reading workshops for children up to age 6. Toddler Time for 2- and 3-year-olds runs from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Aug. 12. Crocodile Smiles and Monkey Tails for children ages 4 through 6 runs from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Aug. 11. For more information, call the Boundary County Library at (208) 267-3750.

KOOTENAI COUNTY

Coeur d’Alene

The Timberlake High School Booster Club will meet 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 5 in the school’s library. Anyone interested is encouraged to attend. Raffle tickets for the Sept. 11 drawing are available from booster club members. For more information, call Kevin Miller at (208) 623-5555.

LATAH COUNTY

Moscow

Sam Froes, director of the UI Institute for Materials and Advanced Processes and a professor in the Metallurgical and Mining Engineering Department, has won an international award recognizing his teaching. Froes won the 1998 Materials Engineering Institute Instructor of Merit Award from the ASM International Society.

SHOSHONE COUNTY

Kellogg

A vehicle owned by Dave Smith Motors Co. was damaged when vandals poured a milkshake over it. According to the dealership, the heat baked the drink into the paint, damaging the vehicle’s finish. The dealership is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the vandalism. For more information, call Dave Smith Motors at (800) 635-8000.