The County Lines

WASHINGTON

ADAMS COUNTY

Ritzville

Local students recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Ritzville Grade School building. As part of the festivities, Associated Grade School Student Body president Colin Eng met one of his predecessors. Gordon Gering, the first student body president at the grade school, was on hand to help cut and serve the ceremonial cake.

FERRY COUNTY

Republic

After 42 years in business, Dave and Liz Brown are hanging up their headphones. Owners of Republic Appliance and Radio Shack, the Browns have decided to retire. The pair, who has been in business longer than any other family-owned firm in Republic, started the appliance business in 1957 and has been associated with Radio Shack for the past 20 years.

GRANT COUNTY

Moses Lake

Struggling Pacific Northwest Sugar Co. has named a new chief operating officer. After supervising similar sugar operations in California, John Kolberg will be overseeing the local sugar refinery. The plant, which was unable to keep up with the sugar beet harvest and is swimming in debt, will process molasses throughout the summer before reverting to sugar with the fall sugar beet harvest.

LINCOLN COUNTY

Wilbur

Dorothy Hopkins Crow is as happy as a high school graduate. The Wilbur woman, who lost her Creston High School class ring in 1961, has it back on her finger again. Mel Novotney, a Wilbur merchant, found the ring in his father’s jewelry box after his death. Crow speculates the ring was lost in Novotney’s brother’s car or at the Novotneys’ house as she and then-boyfriend - now husband - Bill often were running with Novotney’s brother.

PEND OREILLE COUNTY

Diamond Lake

While most people are spraying dandelions in their yards, residents of Diamond Lake are spraying Eurasian milfoil in the lake. This noxious water weed can quickly choke a waterway, and residents have vowed not to let that happen in Diamond Lake. Weeds in areas not being sprayed with aquatic herbicide will be hand-pulled. The entire project is being funded with $12,000 in state Department of Ecology grants.

SPOKANE COUNTY

Kelly Stengel of Deer Park and Megan Cole of Colbert were among 1,689 students to earn bachelor’s degrees from Montana State University recently.

STEVENS COUNTY

Colville

The new Curiosity Family Fun Center is helping keep kids off the streets in Colville. Pizza, espresso, video games, pool, air hockey and similar diversions are available.

Owner Debbie Doppenburg says she had wanted to open a family fun center for several years to give back to the community. She also says she soon will add a hands-on activity area and a Sunday morning street ministry for children under age 12 to do crafts, hear stories and have a snack.

WHITMAN COUNTY

Pullman

Pullman residents interested in serving on the Environmental Quality Commission are being invited to submit applications. The group meets on the second Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. in the City Council chambers and advises the council on matters related to Pullman’s environment.

Citizens become familiar with local issues including garbage disposal, beautification, historic buildings, flood control and conservation and then advise, coordinate hearings and propose policies.

IDAHO

BENEWAH COUNTY

St. Maries

A Y2K seminar for small-business owners will be held Thursday at 1:30 p.m. at the St. Maries Federal Building. The seminar, sponsored by the Benewah County extension office, is intended to assist small businesses and agribusinesses in preparing their computers for the next millennium. For more information, call (208) 245-2422.

BONNER COUNTY

Sandpoint

The Sandpoint Recreation Department’s Summer Adventure Camp will begin June 15. Fees for the camp, which will run Mondays through Fridays from 7:45 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. at the Sandpoint West Athletic Club, are $50 per week or $500 for all 11 weeks. For more information, call the Sandpoint West Athletic Club at (208) 263-6633 or the city Recreation Department at (208) 263-3613.

BOUNDARY COUNTY

Bonners Ferry

Second Chance Animal Adoption volunteers are seeking foster families to take in puppies and older dogs with special needs until permanent homes can be found. Dog food and veterinary care will be provided. For more information, call Alice Miller at (208) 267-2023.

KOOTENAI COUNTY

Coeur d’Alene

The Panhandle Chapter of the American Red Cross is sponsoring a fly-fishing and sportsmen’s raffle. Grand prize is a guided fly-fishing trip for two on the Clark Fork River. First prize is a global positioning system; second prize is a sportsman’s accessory package. The drawing will be held June 22. Tickets, which are $2 each or six for $10, may be purchased at First Security Bank, at Global Credit Union or from American Red Cross volunteers.

LATAH COUNTY

Moscow

Artist Linda Stevens Moyer will be featured at an Idaho Watercolor Society workshop June 14-17 at the Latah County Fairgrounds. Moyer will give a demonstration and lecture on June 16 at 7 p.m. To register, see Linda Wallace at her Eastside Marketplace studio.

SHOSHONE COUNTY

Wallace

The Wallace Heritage/Huckleberry Festival on Aug. 21-22 will include a peddlers’ fair, old West entertainment, a fun run, a huckleberry bake-off and treat sale and a huckleberry pancake breakfast. For more information, contact Shauna Hillman at (208) 752-9401.

MONTANA

LINCOLN COUNTY

Libby

The Libby YMCA’s afterschool program will run June 21 through Aug. 20. Activities will include swimming, fishing, hiking, painting, gold panning and going on field trips. Cost of the program, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, is $50 per week. For more information, call (406) 293-3951.