The County Lines

WASHINGTON

ADAMS COUNTY Ritzville

Developers and local people are looking to expand the Ritzville City Golf Course by 10 holes and provide a number of home and RV sites near it. The 150-acre site east of Wellsandt Road is being considered for the additions. Three multi-family retirement complexes, 32 single-family dwellings and a development for 12 manufactured homes and 47 RV sites are being discussed.

FERRY COUNTY Republic

The Republic-based Kettle Range Conservation Group has joined the fight against cheap Canadian lumber imports. The group wants stricter limits because it feels the Canadians are logging “too much too quickly.” Endangered species as well as U.S. mills are being harmed, the group says. The United States imports enough Canadian lumber annually to build 2.5 million homes.

GRANT COUNTY

Grand Coulee During the Christmas season, Grand Coulee and neighboring Grand Coulee Dam become the “City of Lights.” All are invited to see the giant holiday display, complete with toy trains, leaping deer and a jack-in-the-box. The dam is also decorated. Grand Coulee is 86 miles west of Spokane. For more information, call (800) COULEE2.

LINCOLN COUNTY Creston

With another failed water quality test, the City of Creston has been forced to permanently chlorinate drinking water. The town is investigating the south well as the source of coliform bacteria. That well is shut down, to be used only for fire emergencies. The north well is providing 200-plus residents with potable water.

PEND OREILLE COUNTY Metaline Falls

Holocaust survivor Thomas Blatt will give a lecture on his experiences at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 9 at the Cutter Theater. Titled “Escape from Sobibor: Racism, Genocide and Resistance in the Holocaust,” Blatt tells of his involvement in the inmate revolt at Sobibor, the most successful prisoner revolt at a WWII death camp. He is one of seven known surviving participants in that revolt.

SPOKANE COUNTY Cheney

Spokane County students are invited to submit essays for this year’s Black History Month Essay Contest, sponsored by Eastern Washington University’s African American Education Program. The four divisions are elementary, junior high, high school and college/university students; the deadline is Jan. 29. For more information, call (509) 359-2205.

STEVENS COUNTY

Onion Creek Capping off their health unit on food safety, 13 Onion Creek seventh- and eighth-graders passed the test to receive a food handler’s permit. School cook Linda Keller suggested the students work toward their permits. The kids now help with the hot-lunch program each day.

WHITMAN COUNTY Pullman

Pullman Memorial Hospital’s board of commissioners received a letter of resignation from Commissioner Randy Geller, effective Dec. 31. Geller said an increase in responsibilities at the University of Idaho’s office of university counsel prompted his resignation. The search for a new board member will begin in January.

IDAHO

BENEWAH COUNTY St. Maries

Idaho Energy Assistance is available to low-income households through the Community Action Agency at the St. Maries Food Bank. Applications are accepted by appointment only, which can be made by calling the agency at (208) 245-9090.

BONNER COUNTY Sandpoint

Coldwater Creek announced its annual reduction in staff. A total of 230 seasonal employees in North Idaho will be let go. This affects about 60 Coeur d’Alene call center agents, 10 call center agents in Sandpoint, and about 160 seasonal employees in the Sandpoint distribution center. During this period last year, the company reduced its staff by about 240 people.

BOUNDARY COUNTY Bonners Ferry

The Knights of Pythias annual hoop shoot will begin at 8:30 a.m. Jan. 9 in the Bonners Ferry High School gym. The contest is open to boys and girls in grades three through nine. Awards include two basketballs and 18 trophies. The winners will be announced at the high school basketball game that night, as will the winner of the Knights of Pythias raffle.

KOOTENAI COUNTY Coeur d’Alene

The Panhandle Chapter of the American Red Cross is offering a workshop in grant writing Jan. 28 at Kootenai Electric Cooperative. The workshop will be taught by Maxine Lammers of Non-Profit Development Services and Kathie Allen of Allen Consulting. The class will begin at 8:30 a.m. Registration, limited to 30, is $45 until Jan. 5 and $50 after Jan. 5. For more information, call (208) 664-5414.

LATAH COUNTY Moscow

The Gritman Medical Center board of directors has approved purchase of new “C-arm” imaging technology for surgical procedures. The C-arm, a device used in orthopedic and general surgery, provides real-time X-ray images to assist surgeons during procedures. The board also purchased a Mammotome, which is used to take a biopsy of breast tissue. The equipment should be in place by mid-January.

SHOSHONE COUNTY Mullan

Mullan High School seniors and recent graduates can access scholarships on the Internet. The school’s Web site allows students to complete applications on a computer, then download and print out the forms and mail them to the Mullan School District. The district’s home page is at www.sk392.k12.id.us.

MONTANA

LINCOLN COUNTY Eureka

The Lincoln County Health Board ruled Dec. 16 that Larry and Laurie Homen can continue using an open-pit outhouse and disposing of waste water by dumping it in a mulch pit despite state regulations. The waiver is for 60 days, during which time the board will draw up a written decision allowing permanent variance with restrictions to ensure continued protection of ground and surface water. The Homen family lives on 40 acres with no running water or electricity.