The County Lines

WASHINGTON

Adams County

Ritzville

The annual Ritzville Quilt Show is May 1. The nonjuried show features quilts, clothing, wall hangings and other hand-crafted pieces. There will also be booths featuring quilting-related items and advice. The show is sponsored by the Peace by Piece Quilt Guild. For information, call (509) 659-0761.

Ferry County

Republic

Ferry County Commissioners voted unanimously to continue the nonexempt status for county food stamp beneficiaries. The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996 says able-bodied food stamp recipients aged 18-50 without dependents should work 20 hours each week or participate in other programs. The state gives counties the right to waive the work requirement.

Grant County

Ephrata

Sheriff Bill Wiester says his department’s crime-awareness campaign has tallied 100 arrests since February 1998. Grant County newspapers publish pictures of wanted people, along with a description of their crimes. Wiester says 9,000 warrants, averaging $5,000 in bail each, are collecting dust in 10 county file cabinets. Many times, when photos run, wanted people turn themselves in.

Lincoln County

Davenport

The family of Robin Shepard will be hard at work building a float. Shepard was recently chosen Davenport’s Junior Miss. She and princesses Kristi Buchanan and Dena Cowdrey will assist their parents and community volunteers in constructing the float “Angels are Among Us,” for regional parades this summer.

Pend Oreille County

Metaline Falls

The local history project is still under way. Friends of the Metalines Community Library is still collecting, categorizing and displaying pictures, descriptions and artifacts from local jobs throughout the century. Material will be displayed the second Saturday of every month, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., in the library activities room. Refreshments are served.

Spokane County

Elk

Senior Chief Petty Officer Darwin M. Triplett, son of Jo Ann Smith of Elk, recently took part in a seven-day exercise while assigned to the frigate USS Vandergrift based in Yokosuka, Japan. Triplett joined the Navy in 1980.

Stevens County

Colville

Longtime attorney Bob Skidmore is retiring. His office on Main Street, in the historic Douglas Building, has been sold. The 40-year barrister, who calls himself a Colville “homeboy,” says he’ll keep his license to do “selective legal work at home.”

Whitman County

Pullman

Washington State University veterinary professor Robert C. Speth was honored Wednesday as the recipient of the 1999 Faculty Library Award. Speth has been a member of the Veterinary Medical Pharmacy Library Committee since 1984 and served as chair from 1987-1991. He has also been a member of the WSU Faculty Senate Library Committee since 1992.

IDAHO

Benewah County

St. Maries

The St. Maries water plan has been delayed because of a dispute over funding. The federal government wants the city to use a $1.95 million bond as matching funds for a $4.75 million appropriation the city was promised last year. The city wants the bond to pay for prescribed improvements to the water system. Because the city hasn’t received the appropriation, it will continue using the Riverdale wells for the summer months.

Bonner County

Sandpoint

Beginning Monday, Sandpoint Independent Highway District employees will pick up and chip any tree limbs from spring pruning or winter cleanup. Property owners should pile tree limbs at the curb or edge of the street with the large end of branches facing the street. To have limbs chipped, residents should call the Highway District at (208) 263-8131 with names and addresses before Wednesday.

Boundary County

Bonners Ferry

The Community Kitchen is in need of a cook and a group of volunteers interested in continuing the service. The kitchen serves meals to 25-30 seniors every Thursday. The kitchen is a service of the Boundary County Community Action Agency. For information, call Christine at (208) 267-3663.

Kootenai County

Coeur d’Alene

The Bureau of Land Management is accepting nominations for people to serve on its Resource Advisory Council. Ten positions are open on the 15-member council. Nominees will be evaluated based on education, training, experience and knowledge of the area the RAC serves. New members are appointed by the Secretary of the Interior and will serve a three-year term beginning Aug. 20. Nomination forms are available at the BLM office in Coeur d’Alene. Completed forms and letters of recommendation must be submitted to the BLM Idaho State Office by May 7. For information, call Ted Graf at (208) 769-5004.

Latah County

Moscow

The University of Idaho Women’s Center is sponsoring a Spring Forward 5K Fun Run April 24. The run begins and ends at the UI Administration Building. Fee is $17 with a shirt and $8 without. For information or to register, call the center at (208) 885-6616.

Shoshone County

Wallace

The Department of Motor Vehicles will be closed Tuesday in order for staff to attend a seminar in Coeur d’Alene. The office will resume regular hours Wednesday.

MONTANA

Lincoln County

Libby

A public meeting on spring flow operations at Libby Dam will be held April 27 at the Libby Dam Visitor Center. Representatives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, Bonneville Power Administration and National Marine Fisheries will present information on the project’s discharge and refill plans, how the project fits into the Columbia River System and how the salmon/ sturgeon recovery effort affects the project operation.