The County Lines

WASHINGTON

ADAMS COUNTY Othello

The Othello Community Hospital emergency room will soon be staffed 24 hours a day.

Currently, the ER is staffed in-house at night, with local physicians providing on-call service in addition to their practice during the day.

The hospital has contracted with National Emergency Services to staff the facility.

FERRY COUNTY Republic

The Chamber of Commerce is again rewarding folks who shop in town with a chance to win several “gold certificates” worth $50 in merchandise.

For every $10 spent locally until Christmas, shoppers will get a ticket for the certificate drawing on Dec. 31.

GRANT COUNTY Moses Lake

Baseball standouts Jason Cooper and B.J. Garbe will continue their careers at Stanford University.

Members of the Columbia Basin River Dogs, the Senior Babe Ruth World Series champs, Garbe batted .636 with two homers at the recent World Series. Cooper slugged 16 homers during the River Dogs’ season.

LINCOLN COUNTY Davenport

Preparing for enhanced 911 service, county commissioners are informing county residents of their new addresses.

To help emergency crews find folks faster, numbered road addresses will replace the old mail route and box numbers.

Many road names have been changed, and signs are up on all rural roads. The signs also identify mileage east of the Grant County line and north from Adams County.

PEND OREILLE COUNTY Newport

Hoping to celebrate the city’s centennial in grand fashion, the Chamber of Commerce is looking for money for a tree-lighting celebration.

Not only will Centennial Plaza be lit, but 100 small trees along the newly refurbished downtown corridor will be illuminated as well. Festivities will also include historical displays, music, refreshments and a book signing by local history writer and former county Sheriff Tony Bamonte.

SPOKANE COUNTY Medical Lake

The Medical Lake Christmas tree lighting will be at 7 p.m. Dec. 4 at the large tree in Coney Island Park. After carols and hot cider, Santa Claus will arrive at 7:20 p.m.

STEVENS COUNTY Colville

An elderly woman was robbed of $300 cash and her credit cards last week when a teenager grabbed her wallet and ran. The woman, who along with her paralyzed husband depends on a monthly disability check, did not see her assailant’s face. She said a red or maroon Mustang was used as a getaway car to flee south on Highway 395.

WHITMAN COUNTY Pullman

The Washington State University madrigal dinners will be Dec. 4 and 5 at the Compton Union Building. Seating begins at 6 p.m. The Madrigal Singers, directed by Lori Wiest, will wear 16th century costumes.

The a capella concert begins at 7 p.m. and features vocal music from the Renaissance era.

Tickets are $30 per person with advance purchase required. For reservations, call (509) 335-9444.

IDAHO

BENEWAH COUNTY St. Maries

Christmas season in St. Maries will begin Sunday with the merchants’ annual open house from noon to 4 p.m. In addition to holiday sales, various merchants are planning special activities. The holiday carnival at the Eagles Lodge will run in conjunction with the open house.

BONNER COUNTY Sandpoint

The Bonner County Historical Society and Museum is operating under winter hours. Through March, the society is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Every Wednesday is “Special Day” and includes music and videos. The Railroad Club’s Christmas Exhibit will open Saturday and run Saturdays-only through Jan. 2.

BOUNDARY COUNTY Bonners Ferry

A new morning radio show is on KBFI-AM 1450. The Bonners Ferry Morning Show airs at 6:30 and 8:30 weekdays, and is produced and hosted by reporter Mike Weland. For more information call (208) 267-5234.

KOOTENAI COUNTY Coeur d’Alene

The Inland Northwest Blood Center at 2100 Ironwood Court, will be open 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday instead of its regular hours of 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. for Thanksgiving. This schedule also will be in effect for Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

LATAH COUNTY Moscow

Gritman Medical Center plans a series of expansions in 1999, including opening two more rural clinics in Kendrick and Genesee. The hospital is planning a $10 million remodel that will take several years. In addition, an occupational health program for local employers to include injury treatment, drug screening and physicals will be added. The hospital also will finalize a contract with the Moscow emergency physicians group to provide 24-hour coverage.

SHOSHONE COUNTY Mullan

James William Thompson, 19, was arrested Thursday in connection with the Nov. 13 narcotics theft at Tabor’s Drug Store. Thompson is charged with first-degree burglary and possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver. He allegedly took about 1,100 hydrocodone pills. He had reportedly been in the drug store earlier in the day to purchase a prescription for the same drug.

MONTANA

LINCOLN COUNTY Troy

Lincoln County was awarded a $220,000 grant Nov. 17 for disaster early warning systems in Eureka and Troy. The Community Development Block Grant program provided $138,000 of the grant, with the remainder coming from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The money will purchase stream gauges for Callahan and Lake creeks near Troy, and a siren and AM broadcast radio translator system to warn residents of danger.