The County Lines

Fri., March 26, 1999

WASHINGTON

Adams County

Ritzville

If the city gives permission, a group home for Alzheimer’s patients could open. Delores Stanley has requested a conditional use permit to open the home at 507 W. 7th St. The city Planning Commission recommended approval on conditions that the building meet city codes, the parking lot be rezoned from agricultural, and the property be maintained and landscaped. The city also needs to approve a variance for a 6-foot fence.

Ferry County

Keller

The Martha S. ferry, which hauls 190 cars and trucks across Lake Roosevelt daily, turns 50 this year. It runs between Keller and Keller Ferry. According to state statistics, the Martha S., with a 12-car capacity, carries 60,000 vehicles annually. The ferry has a crew of eight, a top speed of 12 mph, and operates seven days a week, 18 hours per day.

Grant County

Grand Coulee

Anxious to get its offices away from a crumbling hillside, Grant Mental Healthcare will be taking over Hospital Park. The park was recently sold to the county by Grand Coulee officials. The county will put a pre-fabricated building on the site and keep a 30-foot strip of grass along the property, plus two small green patches on the side of the building. The city is seeking federal funds to stop the hillside from sliding or moving facilities away from the slope.

Lincoln County

Wilbur

After recent flooding of Goose Creek through downtown Wilbur, the City Council discussed ways to avoid the near-annual deluge. Councilman Jerry Metcalf suggested raising the creek’s banks, as well as fixing valves in the storm drain system that added to the flooding. In addition, debris from private property filled the channel. The city hopes to encourage private landowners upstream to remove tires, televisions and plastic jugs before another flood.

Pend Oreille County

Newport

The debate is on. The Community Colleges of Spokane, which recently christened a new branch campus here, says propane heating is cheaper than electric. The Pend Oreille Public Utility District begs to differ. The PUD says Pend Oreille County has some of the cheapest electrical rates in the nation, and challenges that propane cannot cost less. The community college had planned to heat the building with propane until natural gas becomes available.

Spokane County

Spokane

Anne Pearson, Brian Monger, Gil Hulse and Alan Foster were named as volunteers of the year for 1998 for Spokane Community Gardens. The organization builds raised-bed gardens for low-income people. The volunteers are planning to install 150 new beds around the city in April.

Stevens County

Colville

The Keller Heritage Center will have a new roof and sidewalks soon. Historical Society member Ozzy Wilkinson helped bring in a $5,500 grant from the Alcoa Foundation to fund the upgrades to the museum. Last year, Alcoa gave $6,000 to build a concrete floor in the basement of the house.

Whitman County

Pullman

More than 200 students have signed up to participate in projects for the Campus to Community 1999 event scheduled Saturday. The annual event encourages campus and community engagement through local projects such as painting, reading to elementary students, outdoor planting and cleaning at senior homes, mobile meals and Easter projects. For a list of projects, contacts, or information about a five-kilometer Campus on the Run fund-raiser, call Melanie Brown at WSU’s Community Service Learning Center.

IDAHO

Benewah County

St. Maries

The St. Maries Masonic Lodge will award two $400 scholarships to graduating seniors in Benewah County. Students must meet financial criteria, have a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher and plan to attend a junior college, university or trade school. Applications, available from high school counselors or members of the St. Maries Lodge, must be submitted before April 26.

Bonner County

Sandpoint

The Bonner County Fair will sponsor a judging class at 9:30 a.m. April 3 at the Bonner County extension office. The class will include the basics of 4-H judging and open class exhibits and instruction in the areas of food and clothing. For information or an application, call Lynnette Rembowski at (208) 263-8414.

Boundary County

Bonners Ferry

The City of Bonners Ferry will celebrate its 100th birthday April 1. The event will begin at 1 p.m. at the Georgia Mae Plaza with a parade and music by the Bonners Ferry High School concert band and honor choir. A special commemorative plaque will be presented to the city by the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho.

Kootenai County

Coeur d’Alene

Issues related to the year 2000 will be the topic of a March 30 forum at North Idaho College. The forum, which begins at 5:30 p.m., will include brief presentations about providing essential services to area residents. A question-and-answer session and reception will follow the presentation. The forum will be in NIC’s Schuler Auditorium.

Latah County

Moscow

For the eighth year running, the Moscow Junior High Technology Student Association has taken first place at the statewide Technology Student Association Conference held this year in Twin Falls. The Moscow team of 17 students, led by team president David Christiansen and adviser Bill Marineau, beat out 28 qualifying teams for the honor.

Shoshone County

Kellogg

Vandals damaged the Greenwood Cemetery in Kellogg Monday for the second time in less than a year. A Kellogg police officer discovered the damage around 9 p.m. Vandals overturned 100 headstones during the incident. About 50 headstones were overturned Sept. 29, 1998, with repairs costing $4,500.

MONTANA

Lincoln County

Libby

The Montana Grassroots Cooperative is proposing to create Montana’s 57th county. Cajun James, leader of the cooperative, is circulating a survey to gain public input on the proposal. The proposal would include drawing a line around Libby and making everything outside that area the new county. State law allows a new county through legislative action or by a petition and vote. A petition would have to be signed by a majority of the registered voters in the new county.

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