The County Lines

Sat., Dec. 26, 1998

WASHINGTON

ADAMS COUNTY

Ritzville

The Adams County Commissioners are hoping to run a leaner, meaner government in 1999. More than $180,000 has been trimmed from the 1998 budget for the final 1999 figure of $22,559,184. The commissioners are expected to approve the budget at their next meeting.

FERRY COUNTY

Republic

In the quest for an alternate public defender to cover conflict-of-interest cases, the Ferry County Commissioners were given poor information. The commissioners put the contract out for bids. Judge Lynda Eaton told the commissioners that the bid process was not the county’s custom. Instead, the court will continue to use a pool of attorneys to cover such cases.

GRANT COUNTY

Moses Lake

Developmentally disabled students at Moses Lake High School are becoming savvy business folks. The students run the school store “Snack Shack.” Chips, cookies and popcorn are all 50 cents. Thirty-six special needs students rotate through different roles, each of which gives them much-needed job experience. The program hopes to expand, adding table service to the menu.

LINCOLN COUNTY

Reardan

Bi-County League opponents missing the fierce competition of the Reardan Indians may soon see the Tribe back on the sports schedule. The Indians, who jumped to the 1-A leagues last year, will likely be dropping back to class-B standing in 1999. “Certainly the numbers look like we’ll be a B school,” says Superintendent Rob Clark. Head count for grades 10-12 is 140 students, ten below the 1-A mark.

PEND OREILLE COUNTY

Newport

A fixture in the Pend Oreille County Treasurer’s office, Betty Verbrugge is looking for a change of scenery. Having finished her sixth term as treasurer, Verbrugge will retire at the end of this year. She was appointed treasurer in 1973, and has been elected to the post every election since then.

SPOKANE COUNTY

Spokane Valley

Volunteers from SCOPE West Valley contributed $1,000 to buy shade trees for Orchard Avenue Park. Spokane County Parks and Recreation Department will purchase about a dozen trees and plant them in the spring.

STEVENS COUNTY

Colville

The Colville Pregnancy Center is experiencing a severe financial crunch. Run mostly by volunteers, the center gives free pregnancy testing and counseling against abortion. Director Mary Thomas says funds are “urgently needed” to keep doors open. The center has a group of teens spreading the abstinence message.

IDAHO

BENEWAH COUNTY

St. Maries

Members of the St. Maries High School cheerleaders recently received the Idaho High School Distinguished Team Scholastic Award for the fall sports season. The squad had a combined grade point average of 3.43. To qualify for the award, they needed a GPA of at least 3.25. Cheerleaders Shaney Bell, Jodi Coulter and Marissa Turner received individual awards for GPAs above 3.75.

BONNER COUNTY

Sandpoint

With the Bonner County Sheriff’s Office giving up dispatch duties in October, it has been difficult for law officers to respond to on-water emergencies. Space was not available to install the radio or the antenna necessary to monitor Channel 16, the emergency frequency. The department hopes to begin monitoring Channel 16 by the week of Jan. 11.

BOUNDARY COUNTY

Bonners Ferry

The Idaho Transportation Department’s winter road report hotline is 1-888-IDA-ROAD. A menu will give options for conditions in North Idaho, southwestern Idaho, eastern Idaho and interstates and U.S. 95. Conditions are updated four times daily, including weekends and holidays, and are available 24 hours a day.

KOOTENAI COUNTY

Coeur d’Alene

The Lake City Playhouse will present classics and comedies this winter and spring. “Nunsense Jamboree” will be the first play of the season, opening March 5. The second play will be “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” by William Shakespeare, which will open April 15.

LATAH COUNTY

Moscow

Moscow Police Chief Dan Weaver received the Peace Officer Standards and Training Council executive certification Dec. 21. Weaver completed 100 hours of executive training to become the 56th recipient of the award. He has been with the Moscow Police Department since 1973.

SHOSHONE COUNTY

Silverton

Portions of the closed Silver Valley Medical Center’s ceiling collapsed from Monday due to a frozen sprinkler system. Shoshone County No. 1 responded after an alarm went off at the facility just after 5 a.m. Water weight from a the failure of a sprinkler system water supply line caused the ceiling to collapse. Crews poked holes in the ceiling to allow accumulated water to drain.

MONTANA

LINCOLN COUNTY

Libby

Lincoln County businesses can apply for disaster loan assistance from the Small Business Administration if they suffered substantial loss of income as a result of the Idaho landslide Oct. 17. The loans are not intended to cover physical damages resulting from the storms. Businesses must be small by SBA standards. For an application, call 1-800-366-6303. Application deadline is Aug. 27, 1999.

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