The County Lines

Thu., Dec. 10, 1998

WASHINGTON

Adams County

Othello

Ground has been broken on the still-unnamed park near Edson Tracts. Farmer P.J. Taggares, who donated the land and the labor to construct the 20-acre park, started work as soon as harvest was over. Three soccer fields and two softball/ baseball fields will be irrigated and planted this spring.

Ferry County

Curlew

Students in Curlew Elementary’s second-third-grade combination class are great readers. To reward them for their progress, teachers threw them a reading slumber party in the school library recently. The students stayed after school for a party, pizza and what else - a good book to read before rolling out the sleeping bags at 9:30 p.m.

Grant County

Ephrata

Through reroofing a World War II-vintage airplane hangar, the Port of Ephrata was able to save at least 25 jobs. Rented by Ephrata Steel, the hangar was plagued by leaks so severe the company considered relocation. The Port District received a low-interest loan of $44,000 from the Community Economic Revitalization Board, and the local industrial development tax.

Lincoln County

Fort Spokane

Nearly 1.5 million people visited National Park Service facilities along Lake Roosevelt this past summer. That number, a record, includes campers, day users, boaters and fishermen. Surveys of users showed 96 percent are from Washington state, with 25 percent from Spokane County and 10 percent from the Seattle area.

Pend Oreille County

Newport

The county Public Works Department hopes to have all county-maintained roads plowed 48 hours after any 6-inch-plus snowfall. The county employs 25 full-time workers to care for 480 miles of road. Major collectors, minor collectors and school bus routes are a priority and should be free of snow 24 hours after a storm.

Spokane County

Medical Lake

Air Force Airman First Class Scott Meyers has graduated from basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. Meyers is the son of Dudley and Gayle Meyers of Medical Lake, and a graduate of Medical Lake High School.

Stevens County

Colville

Those wishing to try their hand at organic farming are invited to a Dec. 17 workshop. Presented by Maria Cornwoman, the class will discuss the rules of Washington State University’s Organic Certification program. For information, call (509) 684-2588.

Whitman County

Colfax

Funding for the Palouse Empire Fair may be in jeopardy due to cuts in state funding. Although Gov. Gary Locke is looking for ways to reinstate funding, local fair enthusiasts are keeping an eye on the issue. The Palouse Empire Fair received $34,226 in state funds in 1998. The St. John Community Fair received $4,778, and the Colton Jr. Livestock Show garnered $2,500 in state funds this year.

IDAHO

Benewah County

St. Maries

City crews will be using magnesium chloride solution as a supplement for sand in the winter months. The solution is sprayed on streets to loosen snow pack and keep ice from bonding to the asphalt.

Bonner County

Sandpoint

The Sandpoint Airport advisory committee voted Monday to keep the airport’s courtesy car program. Whitetail Transportation asked the county to eliminate the state-run program because Sandpoint now has public and private transportation firms to shuttle people to and from the airport.

Boundary County

Bonners Ferry

Boundary County school free Christmas concerts will begin tonightwith the Boundary County Junior High Choral and Band performing at 7 p.m. in Fry Auditorium.

Kootenai County

Coeur d’Alene

Volunteers are needed to help older people with their tax returns in the Tax-Aide program sponsored by American Association of Retired Persons and the IRS. Volunteers help taxpayers who cannot afford professional tax help, and are trained under IRS supervision. For more information, call Ben Davis at (208) 667-6914.

Latah County

Moscow

The Humane Society of the Palouse is holding its annual Animals’ Christmas Party and Open House Saturday from 1-4 p.m. at the shelter, 2019 White Ave., in Moscow. The animals’ “wish list” includes 6-foot leashes, rope pull toys, baby kitten powdered milk, and a variety of toys.

Shoshone County

Kellogg

Applications for energy assistance for residents age 60 and older will be taken 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. today at the WWP auditorium. The maximum monthly income to be eligible is $892 for a one-person household, $1,023 for two-person, $1,513 for three-person and $1,823 for four-person.

MONTANA

Lincoln County

Libby

Public comment on the Bull Trout Restoration Plan will be accepted through Jan. 22. The plan targets the Kootenai and Clark Fork river drainages and aims to conserve the best remaining bull trout populations before directing efforts to the more diminished populations.

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