The County Lines

Fri., Dec. 18, 1998

WASHINGTON

Adams County Othello

A $3,000 reward is being offered for information on a string of cattle shootings in the Seeps Lake area. Rancher Buddy Hampton has reported 16 head of cattle riddled with .22 shells and left to wander and die since July. His neighbor, Jay Buehler says seven of his herd have been killed, another three injured. The animals are being shot from the road.

FERRY COUNTY Republic

It’s never too early to mark your calendar for Republic’s Winterfest celebration. Set for Jan. 16 and 17, festivities include an ice fishing contest on Curlew Lake, ice skating at the city rink, snowshoe walks and snow sculpture contests. Visitors can also cross-country ski and enjoy snowmobile races and snowshoe softball. For information, call (509) 775-3305.

GRANT COUNTY Moses Lake

The Moses Lake Chiefs will join the 4A ranks for high school athletic activities. The upward move comes after the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association included students at Columbia Basin Alternative High School in the latest enrollment counts. The district appealed the move because CBAHS offers its own sports programs and competes in the Central Washington B ranks. The appeal was denied.

LINCOLN COUNTY Wilbur

With snow expected soon, local snowmobilers are getting a refresher course on the rules of the road. Snowmobiles are allowed on Wilbur city streets to enter or leave the city only - no tooling around is allowed. Drivers must travel single file, 15 mph, on the right side of the street. Operators must have a driver’s license, stop at all intersections and cannot tow sleds or skiers.

PEND OREILLE COUNTY Newport

With 150 students crammed into a temporary facility, the Community Colleges of Spokane has announced the completion of its 10,000-squarefoot Newport College Center. The new building, one block to the east of the temporary facility, will be filled with students for winter quarter classes Jan. 4.

SPOKANE COUNTY Medical Lake

The Medical Lake Community Center needs volunteer cooks once a month to prepare lunch for senior citizens at City Hall. If you can help, please call 299-7870 for more information.

STEVENS COUNTY Colville

Animals at the Colville Pet Shoppe have a new friend. Allison Meyers, a student from the Kettle Falls Resource Room Employment Skills class, is gaining job skills while taking care of the pets. Meyers cleans cages, feeds, and most importantly, socializes with them. Store owners say Meyers’ talking and playing with the pets helps them be less afraid and ready for a new home.

WHITMAN COUNTY Uniontown

St. Boniface Church in Uniontown will hold a Country Christmas Home Tour on Sunday from 3 to 7 p.m. The historic St. Boniface Church, The Churchyard Inn and several older Whitman County homes in the Colton-Uniontown area will be on display. Tickets are $10 per person and include a map. Proceeds will be used to repair the church. For more information call (509) 229-3489.

IDAHO

BENEWAH COUNTY St. Maries

Mercia Anderson was recently hired as the Benewah County Welfare Clerk. She graduated from St. Maries High School in 1985 and was employed by Potlatch Corp.’s St. Maries Complex for the past 10 years. Anderson and her family live in Fernwood.

BONNER COUNTY Sandpoint

The Sandpoint Christmas Bird Counters will be among 50,000 volunteers participating in the annual National Audubon Society Bird Count Saturday. Volunteers will count and record every individual bird and bird species encountered during the day. Data collected is sent to the National Audubon Society headquarters in New York and published annually by the society. For information about the count, call Earl Chapin at (208) 263-2800.

BOUNDARY COUNTY Bonners Ferry

The community is invited to attend the Bonners Ferry Community Choir Christmas Concert tonight at Trinity Lutheran Church at 7:30 p.m. The 56-member group will also perform at 3 p.m. Sunday at the church. The choir is directed by Vicki Blake.

KOOTENAI COUNTY Coeur d’Alene

The 22nd annual Hangover Handicap Fun Run will be New Year’s Day in Coeur d’Alene. The 5-mile run/walk will begin at 9:30 a.m. near the corner of Coeur d’Alene Lake Drive at the east end of Sherman Avenue. Early registration of $12 will be Dec. 28-30 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at TESH, 3803 Industrial Ave. Proceeds benefit TESH, a community rehabilitation program providing a variety of services to people with disabilities in North Idaho.

LATAH COUNTY Moscow

University of Idaho students who borrowed money for their college educations may be able to reduce their loan interest rate. The new reauthorization of the Higher Education Act recently signed into law will allow some borrowers to benefit by consolidating student loans received while in college and reduce their current monthly payments. Some restrictions do apply. The opportunity to consolidate at the lower rates is very limited and borrowers are required to apply by Jan. 31, 1999. Information is available at the Direct Loan Origination Center at 800-557-7392 or at the UI Student Financial Aid Services Office at (208) 885-6312.

SHOSHONE COUNTY Wallace

Shoshone County will receive $11,604 from the Federal Emergency Management Administration to supplement emergency food and shelter programs in the area. The local board including the county commissioners, will determine how the funds will be distributed. The deadline for applying for the funds is 11 a.m. Dec. 29. For information, contact Marcia Wingfield or Carletta Neubauer at (208) 752-1264.

MONTANA

LINCOLN COUNTY Libby

The Kootenai National Forest fire season ended with 203 fires, above the 10-year average of 150. The final tally includes the Dome Mountain Fire late this summer. Lightning caused 140 of this year’s fires. A total of 4,498 acres were burned at a cost of $3.18 million. The average acres burned is 1,800. The official Forest Service fire seasons lasts from May 1 to Sept. 30.

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