Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

The County Lines

Add Spokesman-Review on Google

WASHINGTON

ADAMS COUNTY

Ritzville

Stating he will run on his record of fighting crime, Adams County Prosecutor David Sandhaus has announced he will seek re-election. Sandhaus will face Gary Brueher of Othello in the primary. Brueher has been an attorney, public defender and District Court judge in Adams County.

FERRY COUNTY

Republic

The Republic Catholic Church is seeking items of value for a fund-raising auction to preserve a local landmark. Attempting to save the bell tower atop the church, parishioners are asking the entire community to pitch in. The tower, built in 1913, is visible for miles and is so tall, professionals will need to be called in to do the reconstruction work. To donate an item, contact Helen Laird at 775-3460.

GRANT COUNTY

Grand Coulee

Good volunteers can be hard to find, and even harder to replace. Jess and Karrie Utz, longstanding members of the Grand Coulee Volunteer Fire Department, resigned their posts last week because the family is moving out of the district to Elmer City, just a few miles down the road. “Family comes first,” said Karrie Utz. Also affected by the moving van is the City Council. Jess Utz has held a seat, now vacant, since November.

LINCOLN COUNTY

Reardan

Children from all four community churches finished up “Space Mission Bible Camp” recently. As part of the camp, students in sixth grade and older held a community food drive. In addition to the drive, students were charged with spending $500 in grant money from the Aid Association of Lutherans to purchase other needed items for the local food bank. Younger children also learned lessons on giving by collecting school supplies for needy local kids, as well as Spokane’s homeless children.

PEND OREILLE COUNTY

Newport

Construction on a bridge for LeClerc Creek Road is under way, however it’s not being done in Pend Oreille County. At a cost of $200,000, the pre-stressed concrete structure is being built in Portland by Con-Span. Once complete, the bridge should take only a few days to install. The cost of the bridge is being picked up by federal and state funds. Currently, an old railroad flatcar is being used as a bridge where the series of culvert pipes that once spanned the creek was washed away in late May.

SPOKANE COUNTY

Spokane Valley

School supplies in July? Lower-income families who want to sign up for free supplies can do so through the Spokane Valley Center’s Smart Start project. Sign-up will run through Aug. 19. Distribution at the Valley Center will take place Aug. 26. For more information, call the center at 927-1153. The Inland Empire Council of the Campfire Boys and Girls collects donated supplies, both in the Valley and elsewhere around Spokane.

STEVENS COUNTY

Kettle Falls

Helping the blind, Alex Guier of Kettle Falls presented a trained guide dog to a Florida man recently. A member of the Yuppie Puppies 4-H Club, Guier raised Matt, a black Labrador, and gave him to “Guide Dogs for the Blind” of Boring, Ore., for training. Having completed his schooling, Matt is on his way to Lauderhill, Fla., with Ansel Davis, 33. Davis, a one-time chef, is the receptionist for the City of Lauderhill. With parents in Florida, Guier hopes to visit Matt annually.

WHITMAN COUNTY

Palouse

Aaron Flansburg of Palouse has been awarded a Dean’s Merit Scholarship from the WSU College of Agriculture and Home Economics. A 1998 graduate of Garfield-Palouse High School, Flansburg was a student leader and athlete. He plans to study agricultural technology and management.

IDAHO

BENEWAH COUNTY

St. Maries

The school district has added two new high school courses to increase student exposure to the arts. Jazz band was added as an elective and drama will be offered as an extracurricular activity. The school district will begin accepting applications soon for a drama coach, according to Kendell Henderson.

BONNER COUNTY

Sandpoint

Lunch prices in Bonner County schools will increase by 5 cents for the 1998-99 school year. Breakfast prices will remain the same. For students in grades kindergarten through six, lunch will cost $1.55. Lunch for grades seven through 12 will run $1.90, while adults will cost $2.50. Reduced price lunches will be 40 cents.

BOUNDARY COUNTY

Bonners Ferry

The Boundary County Planning and Zoning Commission has released the first draft of a proposed zoning and subdivision ordinance. The proposal is intended to replace an interim ordinance that has been in effect since 1994. A public hearing has been scheduled for 5 p.m.

Thursday, at the Boundary County Courthouse. Copies of the proposal are available at the planning and zoning office and at the Boundary County Library. Written comments should be addressed to Planning and Zoning, PO Box 419, Bonners Ferry, ID 83805. For more information, call Mike Weland at 267-7212.

KOOTENAI COUNTY

Coeur d’Alene

Entries for the Coeur d’Alene Triathlon, scheduled for Aug. 9, must be postmarked by July 31. A pre-race meeting will be held at 4 p.m. on Aug. 8, at North Idaho College. Cost for the event is $41 for individuals, $93 for teams, and $118 for corporate cups. For more information, call Carol Travis at 665-9393.

Post Falls

Seattle-Northwest Securities Corp. made the winning bid for bonds that will pay for the new high school. The bonds are worth $17.97 million, and sold at 4.835 percent. According to Sid Armstrong, district business manager, seven bids were received with interest rates ranging up to 4.911 percent.

LATAH COUNTY

Genesee

Residents are being advised to boil drinking water because of coliform bacteria contamination in a city well. The contamination showed up in recent samples. Residents should boil water for five minutes or add two drops of bleach per quart of water and allow it to stand for 30 minutes. City officials are adding chlorine to the water system. Residents should let their water run periodically so the bleach can disinfect water lines.

SHOSHONE COUNTY

Kellogg

Police officials are encouraging cyclists to read up on local bicycle rules because of three traffic-related bicycle accidents in two weeks in Kellogg. Police Chief John Crawford said cyclists need to remember to follow traffic rules when riding on a street or roadway as well as to always wear a helmet.

MONTANA

LINCOLN COUNTY

Libby

A hazardous corner at the intersection of U.S. Highway 2 and California Avenue will have to wait for repairs until next year after a bid came in too high. Montana Lines Inc. of Great Falls bid in late May at $115,335, said Mark Wissinger of the Montana State Department of Transportation. The department plans to open bidding again Dec. 3.