The County Lines

WASHINGTON

Adams County

Ritzville

If you’ve always dreamed of being in a parade, here’s the ticket for you. The Ritzville Community Parade is looking for interested shovel owners to serve as official pooper-scoopers at the Sept. 5 event. The first 12 to register will be accepted and receive a $5 stipend for their expertise. Interested shovelers can call Shirley Roth at (509) 659-0893.

Ferry County

Inchelium

Following the June general election, the Colville Confederated Tribe’s Business Council recently had a reorganization meeting. New and re-elected members were sworn in, including local resident Joe Pakootas. Pakootas, a veteran of Colville tribal government, was retained as the chairman of the business council.

Grant County

Quincy

A chemical spill several years ago at the local Cenex plant has not increased the occurrence of cancer in the Quincy area, the State Department of Health reported at a public meeting last week. Health officials, who have been researching cancer rates since the spill of fumigant 1,2 dichloropropane, say there was no evidence of an increase in brain, breast, lymph, throat, kidney, lung or thyroid cancers in the area. Residents questioned the state’s findings as the data used was from Quincy zip codes through 1995. The concern was that people working in Quincy, but not residing within the zip codes studied, were not counted.

Lincoln County

Davenport

People attending the Lincoln County Fair today are asked to stop and say hello to Lois Mecklenberg. Crazy about the fair, Mecklenberg has served as the superintendent of the junior department for 40 years. On display in Mecklenberg’s area are crafts, baking, art and canning by the 14-and-under set. Mecklenberg keeps track of hundreds of items, more than 300 in arts and crafts alone. The Lincoln County Fair is on the west side of Davenport on Highway 2 and runs through Sunday.

Pend Oreille County

Cusick

Rural residents looking to keep their riverbank from eroding are invited to a free workshop today. “Riverbank Protection Using Vegetation” will be presented by the Pend Oreille Conservation District. River and creek landowners will benefit from the class on how to use native plants to keep soil intact. The program starts at the Cusick Community Center at 10 a.m.

Spokane County

Cheney

Bethany Schoeff, a 1997 Cheney High School graduate, recently performed at the San Juan Islands Chamber Music Festival in Anacortes. Schoeff plays oboe in the Spokane quintet Fou de Musique, and is a sophomore oboe performance major at the HARID Conservatory in Florida.

Stevens County

Chewelah

The Go West Book Store is trying to organize a reading club in Chewelah. “If Republic can sustain a reading group, surely Chewelah may have the potential for several,” said Go West’s Mary Ann West. Those interested in starting a club should meet at the bookstore Monday at 7 p.m. West asks that you consider whether genre-specific or general fare would be best.

Whitman County

Colfax

Changepoint, a program of classes assisting women in transition, will be in Colfax Sept. 14 through Oct. 8. The program, presented by the Whitman County Community Action Center and Spokane Institute for Higher Learning, offers financial, career and lifestyle advice. The free classes run every Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Public Service Building in Colfax. Assistance may be available for child care and transportation costs. Contact Gail Webster at (509) 397-2205 or (800) 482-3992 for more information.

IDAHO

Benewah County

Fernwood

The Fernwood Fire District on Sept. 15 will ask residents to approve a $100,000 bond. The district wants to purchase a used truck and also needs safety equipment for personnel. The district also needs rescue equipment and a communication system.

Bonner County

Sandpoint

The U.S. Forest Service is asking for the public’s help after vandalism occurred in several small campgrounds and parks. Vandalism includes a hole burned in the Brush Lake dock and a damaged toilet. Anyone with information or willing to help with repairs can call the local ranger station.

Boundary County

Bonners Ferry

The North Bench Volunteer Fire Department is looking for firefighters. No experience is necessary and the department will provide training. For more information, call (208) 267-6182 or (208) 267-5362.

Kootenai County

Post Falls

A Thursday workshop is being planned by the Post Falls Urban Renewal Agency to discuss current projects, goals and priorities for future city development. The meeting is at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall and is open to the public.

Latah County

Moscow

The Moscow School District school board voted unanimously this week to sell the historic Whitworth building to the city of Moscow. The city will pay $150,000 for the building, which will need more than $3 million in renovations. An anonymous donor gave $2 million toward the renovation effort earlier this summer.

Shoshone County

Kellogg

The Coeur d’Alene Basin Commission has asked the Silver Valley Natural Resource Trustees to head the project to control severe erosion along the lower Coeur d’Alene River. The project is scheduled to begin this fall and will be funded by the state and Silver Valley mining companies. Additional funding will be sought for 1999 and 2000.

MONTANA

Lincoln County

Libby

The second annual Poker Run benefit for David Thompson Search and Rescue, sponsored by Dream Marine, was Aug. 16 at Lake Koocanusa. Boaters started at Yarnell Island and finished at 10 Mile. Merlyn Mohr won first place and received $75.