The County Lines
WASHINGTON
Adams County
Othello
Raul Rodriguez Garcia was arrested Dec. 11 and booked into Adams County Jail on charges of felony possession of firearms and possession of cocaine with intent to deliver. A controlled drug buy was made from Garcia by drug agents before the arrest. A raid of his home found cocaine, packaging materials, a shotgun and pistol, agents said.
Ferry County
Republic
A local family is hoping the goodness of the season will help them rebuild their lives. The Don Corell family lost its home and all belongings in a Dec. 8 fire. With no insurance, the family is in dire need of clothes, food, building materials, small appliances and furniture. The Corells have found a house in Curlew to rent for now. To help, call (509)779-4288.
Grant County
Moses Lake
Bird watchers, mark Dec. 28 on your calendar. That’s the date for the local Christmas Bird Count. An annual event nationwide, volunteers comb a 15-mile area near Cascade Park to count and categorize local birds. Last year, 13 volunteers reported 123,955 birds of 64 species, including snowy owls and cattle egrets, living in the area.
Lincoln County
Creston
Substitute teachers in the Creston School District just received a raise. The local school board, which looked at substitute pay in 20 area rural schools, raised the pay scale from $65 to $75 per day. Likewise, nonunion classified substitutes will now be paid $7 an hour - a $1 per hour raise.
Pend Oreille County
Newport
Move over Furby, the “Pooping Moose” may just be the hot Christmas item in Newport. The Moose, an unusual and beautiful wooden animal, was made by Ray Harding’s wood shop class at Newport High. Priced at $35 apiece, the animals feature heads and tails that bounce up and down, hence the name. For information, call the school at (509) 447-2481.
Spokane County
Deer Park
A trio of area residents recently received bachelor’s degrees from the University of Idaho. They are Deer Park’s Craig W. Brown and Brian W. Dart and Colbert’s Travis B. Daniel.
Stevens County
Loon Lake
The Loon Lake Food Pantry and Resource Center serves 150 Deer Park, Clayton, Springdale, Valley and Jump Off Joe Lake families each week - roughly 1,200 people per month. To help the center, send a tax deductible donation to the Loon Lake Food Pantry, P.O. Box 64, Loon Lake, WA 99148, or call the pantry at (509) 233-8450.
IDAHO
Benewah County
St. Maries
Four members of the Idaho legislature, including Rep. June Judd of St. Maries, say removing four dams on the Snake River will not guarantee the return of salmon runs in Idaho. The members formed this conclusion after a year of study. In a Nov. 2 letter to Gov. Batt, the members of the legislature said there is no scientific basis for removal of the dams. They also criticized releasing Idaho water to help smolts travel to the ocean.
Bonner County
Sagle
Area residents are asking Bonner County officials to decrease the number of required whistles at railroad crossings. Residents are asking officials to work with the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad company to eliminate smaller crossings. In a letter to commissioners, Sagle resident Matt Schaffer proposed the crossing at Heath Lake Road and Davis Road be eliminated by creating access roads to Dufort or Algoma roads, which would decrease the number of warning whistles.
Boundary County
Bonners Ferry
The Boundary County Community Action Agency is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. The nonprofit organization is dedicated to fulfilling immediate needs and helping families and individuals become self-sufficient. For information, call (208) 263-3663.
Kootenai County
Post Falls
The Post Falls High School boys basketball program is seeking graduates to play in alumni boys basketball games on Monday. Those interested must have been members of the high school’s varsity team. Graduates from the 1970s and before will play at 5 p.m. followed by the 1980s at 6:30 p.m. and 1990s at 8 p.m. For information, call (208) 773-0968 or (208) 773-2172.
Latah County
Moscow
The University of Idaho’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration will be Jan. 29 from 6-9 p.m. in the Student Union Building Ballroom. This year’s theme is “Celebration of the Dream.” The planning committee is seeking students, student organizations, faculty, staff and community members to showcase their talents through dance, music theatrical or other means of performance related to the theme of the celebration. Anyone interested in performing or having an exhibit table should contact Dona Walker at the UI Office of Multicultural Affairs, (208) 885-7716 or by e-mail to donaw@uidaho.edu.
Shoshone County
Kellogg
Insulspan Idaho of Kellogg recently was awarded the grand prize for excellence in home design in the 1998 House Beautiful Home Building Design Competition. The award-winning 2,600 square foot home is in Michigan. The awards were presented at the Building Systems Council annual industry conference’s award banquet at the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina. Photographs of the winning house will be featured in the fall/winter 1999 issue of House Beautiful Home Building magazine.
MONTANA
Lincoln County
Troy
The annual visit by Santa Claus will be 5:30-6:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve by the town Christmas tree near the new post office. The tree is the largest Christmas tree in the Northwest, according to the Troy Veterans of Foreign Wars, which sponsors the event.