The County Lines

Fri., Dec. 4, 1998

WASHINGTON

Adams County

Ritzville

Residents are being warned that police are not raising money to send drug- and alcohol-addicted children to camp. The Ritzville Police Department was told of a telephone solicitation asking for money in the name of the “local police department.” The caller would not give his name or specify what police department he was collecting for, but promised to send information by mail.

Ferry County

Republic

The Echo Bay Mining Co. was recently granted an “interim mine expansion” at its Lamefoot Mine near Curlew Lake. The expansion gives the company an extra six months beyond its current reserves. Echo Bay mines gold at several sites in Ferry County. The company has asked the Bureau of Land Management for another six-month expansion.

Grant County

Moses Lake

Local food bank organizers are worried about the number of people needing assistance this season. In a two-day period last week, 470 families asked for help from the Moses Lake Food Bank. Staff members are working to match supply with demand. Food bank director Linda Finlay says low-paying jobs and recent layoffs are to blame for the increasing need.

Lincoln County

Reardan

Students at Reardan School will help other students during the upcoming penny drive. An annual fund-raiser for the district’s Needy Fund, the penny drive brings in close to $1,000 to help local students with supplies, clothing and other school-related needs. Students are asked to bring pennies, nickels and whatever else they can muster, to class each day. The class bringing the most money earns a prize.

Pend Oreille County

Newport

With the local school district in financial trouble from declining enrollment, the Pend Oreille Valley Soccer Association recently brought it some good news. The association requested the district modify the current soccer field layout and install permanent goal posts. Ponderay Newsprint will donate all materials needed and the soccer association will provide the labor.

Spokane County

Medical Lake

Employees in the city of Medical Lake are getting salary increases of 3.5 percent for each of the next three years. The city will save money by offering a less costly health care insurance plan. City Administrator Pete Rose said the medical plan savings should equal the amount of money going into salaries in excess of the current rate of inflation.

Stevens County

Kettle Falls

The local Haran Dancers will be reeling and jigging in their first holiday performance of traditional Irish dances. More than 60 dancers from age 5 to older than 50 will tap to the sounds of Spokane’s Traveling Lundbergs Celtic band. Shows are scheduled for tonight at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. at Colville High School. Advance tickets are available at the Book Depot in Colville or the Kettle Falls Pharmacy.

Whitman County

Pullman

Neill Public Library invites all to get to know author Eva Hoffman. Hoffman is the fourth writer in the library’s “Lives Worth Knowing” series. Those who want to attend a workshop to learn about her are encouraged to check out a copy of her work “Lost In Translation.” The book and Hoffman herself will be discussed Dec. 14 at 7 p.m. at the library.

IDAHO

Benewah County

St. Maries

The Environmental Protection Agency, which will administer $4.75 million to upgrade St. Maries’ water system, may require that water meters be installed wherever city water is used. The grant also may require matching funds from the city to pay for extensive upgrades to the system, which is required of most federal grants.

Bonner County

Priest River

Comments for a proposal to harvest beetle-infested trees are needed by Dec. 17. The proposal by the Idaho Panhandle National Forests is to harvest dead and dying trees in areas infested with the Douglas fir bark beetle. It is not a final decision, but a place to begin discussion on the matter. For information on the proposal contact Pete Zimmerman, Idaho team leader, (208) 263-5111, or Kent Dunstan at Priest Lake Ranger District, 32203 Hwy. 57, Priest River, ID 83856.

Boundary County

Bonners Ferry

The third annual Festival of Trees in Bonners Ferry will begin at 8:30 a.m. Dec. 11 with judging of festival entries. The event will open to the public from noon to 6 p.m. On Dec. 12, the festival will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with Santa Claus visiting from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Gala Auction will begin at 6 p.m. Tickets for the auction are $18 per person and available at Boundary Trading Co. or by calling (208) 267-2522.

Kootenai County

Coeur d’Alene

Authors of the North Idaho College book “A Patchwork of Praise” will have a book-signing Sunday. The 98-page book of essays written by current and former NIC students details six decades of life at the college. The authors will be at The Bookseller, 311 Sherman Ave., from noon to 4 p.m. The book also is available for sale at the college alumni office.

Latah County

Troy

Educators and legislators will be asking schools to create a list of buildings with unsafe fire escapes, old wiring or corridors without doors. The Troy Junior-Senior High School is one such building, with one of its fire escapes emptying onto a roof 10 feet above the ground and the boiler sitting in a dirt basement below the chemistry lab.

Shoshone County

Osburn

The Osburn Public Library recently received grants to help fund a circulation system. The library was awarded a $5,000 grant from the William H. Gates Foundation, a $500 grant from the Callahan-Zeller Foundation and a $250 grant from the Kingsbury Foundation. A circulation system allows patrons to access information about books and authors on a computer and lets them know if the book is available or checked out. A librarian also can check books out with the system rather than using the card files. Cost of the new system and checkout stand will be about $8,000.

MONTANA

Lincoln County

Libby

Peggy Halsey will offer an eight-week class in Childbirth Preparation beginning Tuesday. The class will cover all aspects of pregnancy, birth, newborn and postpartum care. Halsey recently completed Childbirth Educator’s Certification through the Association of Labor Assistants and Childbirth Educators. For information or registration, call Halsey at (406) 293-9707.

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