The County Lines

WASHINGTON

Adams County Othello

Mayor E.R. Kelly is looking for additional financial help to clean up Othello’s trashy alleys. Adams County commissioners have agreed to provide $8,250 to help fund the cleanup, which will focus on old appliances and nonburnable items. Abandoned vehicles will be towed by a local towing company.

Ferry County Curlew

Jennifer M. Bonwell has been chosen by Eastern Washington University for a $2,000 Presidential Scholarship based on her academic record. Bonwell, a freshman at EWU, is the daughter of Mary Johnson of Curlew and Terry Bonwell of Malo. Bonwell plans to major in business and accounting.

Grant County Ephrata

The Grant County Sheriff’s Department has identified a suspect in a string of recent haystack fires. A warrant for the arrest of 32-year-old John F. Warren has been issued. Warren is white, 6 feet 4 inches tall, weighs 220 pounds and has blond hair and blue eyes. He is believed to be driving a 1967 18-foot Lifetime motor home with Washington license number 152 DRS. A $2,500 reward is being offered for Warren’s capture or for information on other participants in a string of 11 fires believed to have been caused by arson.

Lincoln County Davenport

The annual Sharing Hearts benefit luncheon netted $7,000 for the Lincoln Hospital foundation’s current project and $2,000 for its permanent endowment fund. The current project, the Eden Alternative Program, is intended to bring a more homey atmosphere to the nursing home, including plants, birds and dogs.

Pend Oreille County Newport

Bingo anyone? The City Council has listed its bingo equipment as surplus and hopes to sell it to the highest bidder. The city ran a bingo parlor to raise money for a community center, but the business closed last year due to low patronage. The equipment includes a blower and flash board.

Spokane County Deer Park

The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3067 and its Ladies Auxiliary offer an annual scholarship contest for area students. For 10th- to 12th-graders, the contest is called “Voice of Democracy.” For third- through ninth-graders, the essay theme is “What Freedom Means to Me.” The contest deadline is Nov. 1. Call (509) 276-5761 for more information or check with your school.

Stevens County Colville

A permit to cut firewood on state lands is needed before revving up that chain saw. The permit, which can be obtained from the state Department of Natural Resources, is good for six cords of wood, which must be for personal use, not for resale. People cutting wood in Stevens, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Ferry, Lincoln or Okanogan counties need a permit.

Whitman County Pullman

Community Congregational United Church of Christ will hold an open-faith service Thursday in memory of a gay college student who recently was killed in Wyoming. The service in memory of Matthew Shepard and others who have suffered from crimes of hatred will be at 7 p.m. at the church at 525 N.E. Campus Ave. For more information, contact the Rev. Kristine Zakarison at (509) 332-6411.

IDAHO

Benewah County St. Maries

United Way of Benewah County donated $3,300 to several local organizations at its distribution meeting earlier this month. The money is collected through individual donations and payroll deductions. Employers participating in United Way’s automatic payroll deduction program include GTE, St. Maries River Railroad, Potlatch Corp., L.A. Wellock and Co., Plum Creek Timber and U.S. Bank.

Bonner County Sandpoint

The exiting standards committee will meet Friday at 6:30 p.m. at Sandpoint High School. The committee will present a second draft of exiting standards for high school students from the state Board of Education and the Department of Education. The first draft addressed five core areas - math, science, language arts, social studies and health. The second draft includes more core areas along with suggestions on implementation once the plan has been approved by the state board. After reviewing public comments, the exiting standards committee is expected to present a recommendation to the Board of Education in December.

Boundary County Bonners Ferry

The Veterans Affairs mobile medical clinic and Idaho state Veterans Service officer Ken Pitcher will be in Bonners Ferry on Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Kootenai County Coeur d’Alene

Parent Project, a nationally recognized parent education and support group program, will be offered by Anchor House/Idaho Youth Ranch beginning Nov. 3. Classes will be at 6 p.m. Tuesday evenings for 12 weeks in the school building on the Anchor House campus at 209 Lacrosse in Coeur d’Alene. Parent Project is specifically for parents with strong-willed and out-of-control children. While the classes, taught by trained Anchor House staff members, are free, the parent manual costs $20. Parents interested in attending classes should contact Paula Neils or Bonnie Cooper at Anchor House at (208) 667-3340.

Latah County Moscow

Latah County commissioners recently joined a new Idaho capital crimes defense program. Commissioners unanimously decided to sign a joint powers agreement with other Idaho counties to establish the program and a $500,000 fund. The money will provide counties with a self-insurance plan to help cover indigent defense costs in cases in which the death penalty is being sought. A seven-member board representing counties will govern the program, and Latah County Commissioner Tom Spangler is a member of the board.

Shoshone County Wardner

Installation of a 54-inch pipeline along Main Street will begin Thursday in Wardner. The Bureau of Disaster Services will notify residents 24 hours before the contractor begins burying pipe in front of their homes. Residents on the east side of Main will be unable to drive to their homes at that time. A designated parking area will be south of 208 Main on the west side of the street, and a 6-foot-wide walkway to homes will be provided by the contractor. Residents on the west side of Main will be able to reach their homes via an alternative route directly behind their property. They also may use the designated parking area and walk to their homes. It is expected to take seven days to bury the pipeline from the Corduroy Hill structure to Page Street.

MONTANA

Lincoln County Libby

The Libby-Troy Catholic youth program finished second in the international service program for youth activities for 1997-1998. The award recognized volunteer work the group did in the Seattle area and its fund-raising efforts for the trip. The group was named No. 1 in Montana for its work after the local Knights of Columbus submitted a report on the youth activities to the state program director. The report then was submitted to international youth officials for judging. The contest emphasizes church, community, family and youth.