The County Lines

WASHINGTON

Adams County

Othello

Avista is changing the way it does business in Othello. The company is closing its local office. Although two customer-service jobs will be lost, the company says bill-paying should be more convenient. Power bills can now be paid at Akins Grocery; and other locations are being planned. The four-member power service crew will remain at the Avista building.

Ferry County

Republic

Jobs are scarce in Ferry County, with the Employment Security Department reporting 10.9 percent unemployment here for December 1998. Out of an insured work force of 3,020, 330 people were looking for work. This number is 2 percent higher than in December 1997.

Grant County

Grand Coulee

Local businessman Nick Caramandi hopes to get rollerbladers and skateboarders off local sidewalks. He is proposing a skate rink at North Dam Park in Grand Coulee Dam.

Lincoln County

Creston

The recent community variety show brought out the true colors of local citizens. Zany acts such as “The Old Spice Girls” and the “Elvisettes,” kept a packed house at Deb’s Cafe rolling in the aisles. Four locals, including Wilbur-Creston Wildcat quarterback Josh Cairns, shook their booties to spoof the Village People, and Wilbur Mayor Bonnie Jensen left her gavel at home as she dressed as a mule skinner to sing an uproarious version of “Mule Train.”

Pend Oreille County

Newport

A recent economic summit of public entities in Pend Oreille County brought a better understanding of area needs. County Commissioners met with officials of the public utilities district and port districts to discuss the future. The group vowed to work together on upcoming projects.

Spokane County

Chattaroy

Navy Chief Petty Officer John Hensley, son of Edward Hensley of Chattaroy, recently re-enlisted for four years while serving with Strike Fighter Squadron 147, Naval Air Station, Lemoore, Calif.

Stevens County

Chewelah

Laser pointers are history in at least three Stevens County Schools. Students at Colville High had their lasers confiscated after pointing them at classmates’ eyes. Kettle Falls had similar trouble but banned the devices at the start of the school year. Now, Chewelah School District is banning them from buses and school property.

Whitman County

Colfax

Palouse Economic Development Council telecommunications specialist Leslie Wolff taught a Web page design course recently in Colfax that was offered by the Northwest Economic Development Network. Whitman County managers were also trained on Web design so they can efficiently maintain and update their pages. The NWEDN is a partnership that provides economic development organizations, primarily in rural areas in Alaska, Montana and Washington, with the telecommunications resources to bring small business and developers into the electronic world.

IDAHO

Bonner County

Sandpoint

A forum will address local Y2K issues Thursday at the Sandpoint Community Center. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m., with speakers including representatives of city and county government, Avista, Northern Lights and Pacific Gas and Bonner General Hospital.

Boundary County

Bonners Ferry

The Idaho Transportation Department’s winter road report hotline is 1-888-IDAROAD. Road conditions are available for all regions of the state and are updated four times daily.

Kootenai County

Coeur d’Alene

The First Judicial District County Appointed Special Advocates Program will be conducting a 30-hour volunteer guardian ad litem training for Bonner and Boundary counties in March. Classes will be scheduled according to the needs of students. CASA volunteers must be at least 21 years of age, have no criminal history and be willing to commit 10 or more hours per week. For information, call Rhonda Naylor at (208) 667-9165.

Latah County

Moscow

University of Idaho graduate student David E. Cummings won top honors in the student Physical Sciences competition during the recent annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Anaheim, Calif. Cummings’ poster summarized results from his master’s thesis research conducted under the supervision of UI assistant zoology professor Frank Rosenzweig. Cummings’ research may help scientists explain why arsenic is concentrated in the upper regions of mining-impacted sediments in Lake Coeur d’Alene.

Shoshone County

Wallace

Sixth Street Melodrama will present “Sixth Street Canteen” beginning Feb. 25. A cast of 27 will perform a revue of popular World War II-era music. Also shows Feb. 27 and March 4-7. Tickets are $8-$10 and are available by calling (877) 749-8478.