The County Lines

Sat., March 27, 1999

WASHINGTON

ADAMS COUNTY Ritzville

The town doesn’t plan to enter the 21st century quietly. The community is hoping to throw a millennium party to remember. A committee has been formed to plan the shindig, which could be a single celebration or several small parties throughout the coming months. The next millennium party committee meeting is April 9.

FERRY COUNTY Republic

The Nob Hill Mine is officially closed. The last employee, Gary Jensen, punched the clock for the last time in late February. Hecla Mining, which owns the facility, will continue to water-test the area.

GRANT COUNTY Moses Lake

You can’t see the Oscar-winning “Shakespeare in Love” or any other movie in Moses Lake. With the local multi-plex shut down due to financial trouble, local residents must drive to Ephrata or farther to see a show. Construction on a new movie theater for Moses Lake is in the early stages. The first roof supports were hoisted into place recently, with the deadline for occupation being in late May.

LINCOLN COUNTY Harrington

Harrington students will take a 10-day educational trip this June to the Eastern Seaboard, visiting Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and colonial Williamsburg. Any interested Bi-County student in grades 8-12 is invited. For information, call Clay Henry at (509) 253-4331.

PEND OREILLE COUNTY Newport

Interim principal Pat Stahl recently got the nod to keep the position permanently. Stahl has his administrative work cut out for himself. The district is continuing to expect financial setbacks due to declines in student enrollment. For the first time in several years, student body numbers have dropped below 1,400.

SPOKANE COUNTY Spokane

Jim Weaver, director of community relations and development at The Heart Institute, will talk about the causes of heart attacks and how to stay out of the operating room at a noon luncheon at the Southside Senior Activities Center on April 6.

STEVENS COUNTY Colville

A local fifth-grader recently took top honors in the state Veterans of Foreign Wars essay contest. Katy Gillaspy wrote her winning 200-word essay on the theme “What Freedom Means to Me.” Gillaspy won $70.

WHITMAN COUNTY Pullman

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray announced this week that the U.S. Department of Transportation is providing $562,215 in federal funds to make improvements to the Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport. The funds are part of a Federal Aviation Administration grant to improve local airports throughout Washington state. The money will be used to update the storm-water drainage plan, improve runway safety and acquire land for approaches.

IDAHO

BENEWAH COUNTY St. Maries

The Army Corps of Engineers has formed plans to strengthen the levee at the St. Maries Complex. The cost of the project could exceed $100,000 and would include fastening portions of the structure to pilings driven on the landward side of the wall. The structure was built in 1941. Work should begin next month.

BONNER COUNTY Ponderay

Road repairs at and around Bonner Mall will be discussed by community and business leaders at 7 p.m. Monday at Ponderay City Hall. Eastgate Drive and part of Bonner Mall Way need repairs, and the meeting will focus on how the roads will be maintained.

BOUNDARY COUNTY Bonners Ferry

Boundary County 4-H members will be at the Boundary County Fairgrounds today . The members will participate in demonstrations at Memorial Hall, a Natural Resources Identification contest open to youth and adults in the indoor arena, and a Home Economics Judging contest open to all youth. For information, call (208) 267-3235.

KOOTENAI COUNTY Coeur d’Alene

Fernan Elementary is one of 15 Idaho schools selected for the Teaching with Technology professional development project of the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation. The schools will receive more than $100,000 in technology equipment to train teachers and students. The Fernan site is expected to be ready June 14.

LATAH COUNTY Moscow

Four finalists have been named in the search for a new dean for the University of Idaho College of Engineering. The candidates are Lex Akers from the University of Texas at San Antonio, William Gregory from the University of West Virginia and Steven Shelton and David Thompson, both at the University of New Mexico. The candidates will be interviewed in April in Moscow.

SHOSHONE COUNTY Wallace

Wallace School District officials have decided to move Osburn Elementary fourth and fifth grade students to Silver Hills Middle School. The school’s name will change to Silver Hills Intermediate Middle School. The board hopes the move will solve overcrowding problems at Osburn Elementary and better use the Silver Hills school. The plan will reduce personnel, leaving an estimated $225,000 budget for libraries, textbooks and maintenance. The change will be in place for the 1999-2000 school year.

MONTANA

LINCOLN COUNTY Troy

The Troy City Council approved a $3 water rate increase Wednesday. Five people commented on the increase at a public hearing, with one opposed to the change. Residential, commercial and car and wash/laundry business rates will be increased. Residential rates will be $14 a month, still below the state average of $18 to $22 a month. The increase will cover water system facility repairs and a reserve fund for emergencies.

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