The County Lines

WASHINGTON

Adams County

Othello

One of the top wrestlers in Washington state has recently proved he’s also one of the best in the nation. Ross Kondo, a recent OHS grad and Husky grappler, took fourth place at the National High School Coaches Association National Open Wrestling Tournament. Kondo manhandled the majority of the 41 wrestlers in the 130-pound weight class.

Ferry County

Republic

Does Ferry County need a port district? Economic development specialist Dave Keeley wants to find out. Keeley is applying for a $30,000 grant to research the feasibility of a port district for the county. If the grant is approved, the county will ante up $20,000 in staff support and volunteer work.

Grant County

Soap Lake

A group of residents is upset about plans to build a boat launch at publicly held East Beach on Soap Lake.

Currently, the only boat launches are privately owned. Opponents to the launch claim the lake will become too crowded.

Lincoln County

Creston

The local housing rehabilitation program is wrapping up. The City Council says 22 houses have been fixed up and 14 have been painted.

Pend Oreille County

Newport

If you’re looking for something to do tomorrow, grab the bull by the horns and head to Newport. The Newport Rodeo Association’s annual Bull-A-Rama will be the main attraction in town. The purse is worth $3,000. Festivities get under way at 7:30 p.m. at the rodeo grounds.

Spokane County

Spokane

Spokane’s Health Improvement Partnership is sponsoring the Neighborhood Council Discovery Contest, a citywide contest to promote community health through innovative projects. Applications are due Sept. 10. Two winners will be announced this fall, with each receiving $5,000 toward their project. For more information, call 625-6733.

Stevens County

Colville

Local canners had better write this on the calendar. The annual WSU Cooperative Extension pressure-canning testing is under way in Colville and Chewelah. Canner lids only are needed for the test. Colville test dates include July 21, Aug. 4 and Aug. 18, 12:30-2:30 p.m., at the extension office. In Chewelah, the dates are July 28 and Aug. 25, 12:30-4:30 p.m., at the Free Methodist Church.

Whitman County

Colfax

How do you pay off a $4,000 court fine? In Whitman County, you get out your circular saw. Robert VanTine, 35, of Pullman earned $1,435 in credit toward a fine for malicious mischief to county property when he performed carpentry tasks for the county. VanTine put in 287 hours of work at $5 per hour toward his bill.

IDAHO

Benewah County

St. Maries

Several acts of vandalism were reported at the state Highway 3 construction site July 8. When crews returned to the site July 9, about 20 reflective candles, which warn motorists of the edge of a 6-foot trench, had been flattened by a vehicle. Two barricades blocking rough roads near the high school were thrown in a ditch.

Bonner County

Sandpoint

The City of Sandpoint is implementing a program to help elderly residents with physical disabilities. Under the program, Waste Management employees will gather garbage cans from disabled elderly residents’ porches for $2.50 a month.

Boundary County

Bonners Ferry

Help is available through the Boundary County Youth Crisis and Domestic Violence hotline. Volunteers are trained to help end the cycle of abuse and all information is kept strictly confidential. For help, call (208) 267-5211.

Kootenai County

Post Falls

American Legion Post #143 is sponsoring a “North Idaho Vet Down” day Saturday at 640 N. Highway 41 in Post Falls. Assistance for veterans will be given by the Social Security office, Veteran Service officers, Health and Welfare, spiritual leaders, counselors for homeless veterans, various VA service providers and employment representatives.

Latah County

Moscow

The Palouse Habitat for Humanity recently received a $2,000 donation from U.S. Bank. The money will be used to support the purchase of land on Garfield Street in Moscow.

Shoshone County

Kellogg

A new program called SL Start and Associates Inc. will help train, retrain and provide transitional support for public aid recipients to assist them getting into the labor force. For more information on the program, contact Gordon Cuthbert at (208) 783-0107.

MONTANA

Lincoln County

Troy

The U.S. Forest Service and Crown Pacific are working on a land exchange in the Bull Lake area. The Forest Service is proposing to trade two tracts of land behind Three Rivers Ranger Station and on the state line near Old Highway 2 for Crown Pacific property on Bull Lake and at Stevens Creek in the Clark Fork area. The Forest Service is seeking public comment on the proposal. For more information, call Paul Kaiser at (406) 293-6211 or Mark Natale at (406) 295-4693.