The County Lines
WASHINGTON
Adams County
Ritzville
The Ritzville School Board is concerned over the amount of class time lost to sports and other clubs such as FFA, FBLA and Knowledge Bowl, but will not limit the number of activities students can be involved in. Two early start days proved successful. Although students initially complained of the early hour, the 2:10 p.m. dismissal time “wasn’t so bad.
Ferry County
Republic
Local sharpshooter Derek Gianukakis is only 9 years old, but he’s already a state basketball champion. Gianukakis took top honors at the Elks Hoop Shoot in Seattle recently, canning 23 of 25 free throws to grab the title. He advances to the regional competition in Portland on March 8. Inchelium’s Destiny Christianson won the girls 8-9 division for a trip to regionals as well.
Grant County
Grand Coulee
John Nelson has earned his reward. Problem is, the U.S. Postal Service isn’t paying. Nelson reported kids stealing mail from local post office boxes, a federal offense. The reward poster in the facility promises “up to $10,000” for information leading to conviction on mail theft. The kids have been convicted, but no reward is in Nelson’s mail box because the poster’s fine print states a federal postal inspector must perform the investigation. Local authorities handled this case.
Lincoln County
Davenport
With Highway 2 repair work on the calendar for April 5, the City of Davenport is under pressure to replace aging water lines along that route. Local contracting firm Halme Construction was awarded the bid to begin work immediately. The project will be in four phases at a price of $101,500 and must be finished before Department of Transportation crews begin work on the highway.
Pend Oreille County
Cusick
Hammers should swing by June in the renovation of Bess Herian Elementary School and Adam Wike Gymnasium. The facilities will be modernized and made handicap accessible with money from a successful bond vote earlier this year. The board has pinpointed the start of the 1999-2000 school year for Sept. 13 - the date four new classrooms in the elementary school are slated for occupancy.
Spokane County
Spokane
The Boy Scouts have asked to hold a Jamboree and one-night campout in Riverfront Park for about 100 youngsters on June 4 and 5, but parks officials are reluctant to allow the campout. The event has been held at Spokane Interstate Fairgrounds in previous years.
Stevens County
Colville
Residents can expect a flurry of detours as the Third Avenue road project is on the calendar for this spring. Hoping to start in April, the $2.6 million project includes paving, gutters, sidewalks and curbs from Third Avenue at Highway 395 to near Laundry Road. The only hitch in getting construction started is groundwater levels.
Whitman County
Pullman
Washington State University assistant professor Kelly Ervin has been named the new editor of The Western Journal of Black Studies. Founded at WSU in 1977 by retired professor Talmadge Anderson, the journal is a national publication printed by WSU Press three times a year.
IDAHO
Benewah County
St. Maries
St.Joe Valley Fire District IV surveyed residences in February as part of Fire Prevention Awareness Month. The district supplied smoke alarms, fire extinguishers and chimney sticks to residences. Fire Chief Jerry Pokriots will provide prevention training this spring. The district is located from the Benewah County/Shoshone County line to Marble Creek.
Bonner County
Sandpoint
Two workshops on the early identification of autism will be held Wednesday. Discussions will include information on recognizing key behaviors and signals that a child might display and various treatment programs. The workshops will be held at 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. in the Bonner General Hospital classroom. For information, call Paul Norstag at (208) 265-4593 or Val Craig at (208) 263-1441.
Boundary County
Bonners Ferry
The Boundary County Youth Crisis and Domestic Violence Hotline is (208) 267-5211. Volunteers are available 24 hours a day and are trained to help end the cycle of abuse. All information is kept strictly confidential.
Kootenai County
Coeur d’Alene
Kootenai County students in grades 7-12 are eligible to enter the 1999 Students Poetry Contest. The contest is sponsored by the Coeur d’Alene chapter of the Idaho Writer’s League, the Bookworm and Book and Game Co. Entries are due by March 24 and can be sent to Poetry Contest, Box 516, Athol, Idaho 83801. Winners will be announced by April 30.
Latah County
Moscow
The University of Idaho’s Center for Business Development and Research is sponsoring “Mastering the Board Game,” a workshop for governing boards of nonprofit organizations. The workshop is designed for board members and senior management staff of nonprofit or public agencies working under the direction of a governing board. The workshop will be April 21 at the University Inn-Best Western in Moscow. Registration fee is $95 per person, which includes meals and materials. For information and to register, call (208) 885-6611.
Shoshone County
Kellogg
The Bunker Hill Service Clubs are planning 1999 meetings at the Kellogg Elks Lodge. The Smelter Club will meet April 10, the Mine Area Service Club plans to meet April 17 and the Zinc Plan Club will meet May 1. All meetings will begin at 6 p.m.
MONTANA
Lincoln County
Troy
Troy United Methodist Church is offering up to $2,500 toward the city park grandstand project if area residents or businesses match that amount. The grandstand is in need of a new roof and the seating needs to be resurfaced.