The County Lines

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ADAMS COUNTY Ritzville

The City Council has been comparing its utility rates with those in other area towns. Ritzville residents pay $88.66 per month for water, sewer, garbage and utility taxes. Residents of neighboring Sprague pay $83 monthly, while people in Cheney pay $85.27 per month. Othello does not charge a utilities tax; residents there pay $37.90 per month for all city services.

FERRY COUNTY Republic

Echo Bay Minerals Co. has been recognized for its contributions to the community. The mining company was given the Good Neighbor Award by the state Department of Natural Resources. Despite a severe drop in gold prices, the company has made generous donations to the Republic and Curlew schools and the local library and has supported a host of community events.

GRANT COUNTY Moses Lake

With only 60 days until Christmas, local Wal-Mart officials are worried about empty shelves. Wal-Mart has petitioned the City Council to allow placement of 15 temporary storage containers, filled with holiday inventory, behind the store. The city now allows only three containers. Wal-Mart wants the city to approve an ordinance allowing a once-a-year, 90-day temporary storage permit.

LINCOLN COUNTY Creston

A local mail carrier accused of threatening harm to Superior Court Judge Phil Borst has been jailed. Ken Side, charged with intimidating a judge, allegedly made threats to an intern counselor at Lincoln County Counseling Center. Side had been remanded there by Borst for anger-management counseling during a recent harassment suit. Side also was jailed for contempt of court during that suit. Side, once a candidate for District Court judge, also allegedly threatened to “take out” his postal supervisors and any deputy who tried to arrest him, authorities said. Bail for Side was set at $100,000.

PEND OREILLE COUNTY Newport

Police Chief Bill Clark honored five local residents for good citizenship at a recent City Council meeting. The five, he said, have helped the community through acts of kindness and bravery. Bonnie Brumley and Sandy Mumford, employees of Safeway, aided a disoriented senior citizen; Rebecca Carey and Frank Schmidt reported a drunken driver, while John Canon helped catch a petty theft suspect.

SPOKANE COUNTY Spokane

The Spokane Community Gardens program recently received two grants to build backyard vegetable gardens for low-income residents. Lori Steiner, director of the organization, said Foundation Northwest gave $1,000 and Women Helping Women donated $2,500. For the past several years, Spokane Community Gardens has built dozens of raised-bed vegetable plots to help low-income families supplement their diets with nutritious vegetables.

STEVENS COUNTY Colville

Are you prepared for a winter power outage? The public is invited to an emergency generator safety seminar Nov. 10 at Jerry’s Saw and Tool in Colville. Homeowners will learn about the correct installation and use of a generator. For reservations, call (509) 684-3979.

WHITMAN COUNTY Pullman

Pullman Memorial Hospital will present its sixth-annual Women and Wellness Forum on Nov. 7 at the University Inn Best Western. The keynote address, “Dance Naked in Your Living Room: Handling Stress and Finding Joy,” will be given by Rebecca Ruggles Radcliffe, author and consultant on women’s issues and personal growth. Purpose of the daylong forum is to provide women access to health and wellness information and education at affordable prices. The $30 fee for the forum includes lunch, and women under age 21 may attend for $20. For more information, call (509) 336-0387.

IDAHO

BENEWAH COUNTY St. Maries

Francie Walters was honored recently at Benewah Community Hospital. She retired in September after more than 40 years as a registered nurse and 25 years at St. Maries Family Medicine. Walters also worked at Fernwood’s monthly well-child clinics and served as UpRiver’s community nurse.

BONNER COUNTY Sandpoint

The Idaho Public Utilities Commission will hold a hearing Wednesday on whether Washington Water Power Co.’s request to terminate the power cost adjustment should be approved. Petitions for reconsideration of the commission’s order will be accepted until Nov. 9.

BOUNDARY COUNTY Bonners Ferry

Sims Implement, a 48-year-old business, changed hands in September. The John Deere dealer now is called North Columbia Equipment. Ed and Jon Broemmeling bought the business from Harold, John and Dave Sims. Dave Sims will continue as manager, and employees also will remain on the payroll.

KOOTENAI COUNTY Coeur d’Alene

The Panhandle Chapter of the American Red Cross will offer a free class, “Pets in Disaster,” Thursday at 1 p.m. at the chapter office at 212 S. 11th, Suite 3. Topics will include basic preparedness, problems specific to different types of disasters, an overview of first aid for pets and how to evacuate with your pet. To register, contact the Panhandle Chapter at (208) 664-5414.

LATAH COUNTY Moscow

The board of directors of Gritman Medical Center has announced that Joe Ferguson of Ohio will become interim chief executive officer effective Sunday. The job is being vacated by Dan Smigelski, who is pursuing international hospital management with Quorum Health Group.

SHOSHONE COUNTY Smelterville

Upon completion of Superfund site cleanup work, MK Contractors is expected to pull out of the Silver Valley by Thanksgiving. With the company and other contractors leaving, the Silver Valley will see a loss of jobs and revenue. This summer, 180 workers were employed at various sites in the cleanup area, and about 165 of those workers were from the Silver Valley. Almost $19 million was brought in to the local economy by MK Contractors.