The County Lines
WASHINGTON
ADAMS COUNTY
Ritzville
This rural farm town has a tradition of building prize-winning floats, and this year is no exception.
“Flamenco,” a Spanish-themed float made of petal paper, has been dancing it’s way through the parade circuit. The float won first place in its division and also won for Best Overall Lighting at Moses Lake’s Spring Festival. In Richland, the float snagged the Grand Sweepstakes award June 5.
FERRY COUNTY
Republic
Brett Cromwell was named mayor of Republic at a recent council meeting. Cromwell has been on the city council for three years and will finish out the remaining five months of William Barnett’s term.
Cromwell’s council position will be filled by Shirley Couse.
GRANT COUNTY
Soap Lake
A Soap Lake woman died after falling out of her car. Sanh Peunemany Valline, 28, died when the passenger door to her Ford Bronco opened en route to an irrigation canal. Valline tumbled onto the pavement. Her husband, Patrick Valline, six of her children and two other children were in the car when the door opened. The death has been ruled accidental.
LINCOLN COUNTY
Harrington
Eighth-graders Jerrod Warner and Carrie Teel were recognized recently for winning top honors in the Washington State Law Enforcement Association’s essay contest. Teel wrote about how she was choosing the “road less traveled” to build lasting character, while Warner cited consequences of substance abuse.
PEND OREILLE COUNTY
Usk
The Kalispel Tribe has announced the name of its soon to be constructed casino in Airway Heights. The name, Northern Quest, was chosen from a list of ideas submitted by tribal members in a contest sponsored by the tribe’s advertising agency.
SPOKANE COUNTY
Spokane
A kick off grudge match before the official start of Hoopfest is being planned for Friday at 5 p.m. in Riverfront Park. Members of the local television and print media will tip off against a team of elected leaders from Spokane.
STEVENS COUNTY
Chewelah
Two familiar faces will be missing from the halls of Jenkins High School next fall. Minda McClain, long-time school secretary, and Maryanne Gwynn, the school counselor, are retiring. Both say they will miss the students, but hope to keep active with young people, whom they’ve loved working with.
WHITMAN COUNTY
Colton
Registration for children over age 3 is now open for Reading is a Picnic. The Colton Library summer reading program is Mondays at 10:30 a.m. For more information, call (509) 229-3887
IDAHO
BENEWAH COUNTY
St. Maries
Jack Buell and Bud McCall are the first St. Maries High School graduates to be honored for their contributions to the community of St. Maries. An engraved plaque for each of the men will be placed on the St. Maries High School Wall of Fame. Both men graduated from St. Maries in 1954 and have served as Benewah County commissioners for more than 20 years. The inductees were chosen by the class of 1999.
BONNER COUNTY
Sandpoint
Bonner General Hospital will sponsor a blood drive June 25 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on behalf of the Inland Northwest Blood Center. Residents can sign up by calling Needie Kennedy at (208) 263-1441. If the donor sign-up goal of 50 people is reached, all eligible donors will receive a T-shirt.
BOUNDARY COUNTY
Bonners Ferry
The Boundary County Community Action Agency is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The agency is a nonprofit organization dedicated to fulfilling immediate needs and helping individuals become self-sufficient. For more information, call (208) 267-3663.
KOOTENAI COUNTY
Coeur d’Alene
The Lake City Playhouse and Sleepy Hollow Children’s Theatre Summer Workshops will continue June 28 with the Mystery Radio Hour. The program runs through July 9 for children ages 13-18. The first session, which begins Monday, is already filled. The National Bandstand workshop will run July 5-17, and the Aladdin program will be July 19-30 and August 2-13 for children ages 7-14. For more information, call Lake City Playhouse at (208) 667-1323.
LATAH COUNTY
Moscow
During the Fourth of July weekend, the Latah County Sheriff’s Office, the Idaho State Police and the U.S. Forest Service will be conducting an emphasis patrol in the Laird Park area. The patrol will focus on drunken driving, drug violations and enforcement of vehicle equipment and registration requirements. The goal is to educate the public and help ensure all forest users have a safe and enjoyable holiday experience.
SHOSHONE COUNTY
Kellogg
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is planning to begin dismantling the temporary flood-control system in Kellogg. The cement barriers and temporary pipe system in Kellogg and Wardner were constructed to help prevent potential flooding of Milo Creek. The $250,000 project was funded by the Corps.
MONTANA
LINCOLN COUNTY
Yaak
The Clay Beaver area in the Yaak River Valley is one of nine areas chosen in the Forest Service’s Northern Region to be treated through land stewardship contracts. The Stewardship End-Result Demonstration Projects are a different way of logging, with less emphasis on the dollar value of the timber cut and more on the condition of the land being logged. Goals of the Clay Beaver proposal include reducing hazardous fire fuels by removing certain trees near private property, improving habitat for deer, elk and bear, increasing local employment and enhancing local job skills, improving streams for fish and water quality, involving the community, and restoring tree and plant diversity while providing wood products.