The County Lines

WASHINGTON

Adams County

Lind

The City Council and mayor will hold a meeting tonight at 7 in the grade school cafeteria to discuss prioritizing several public works projects. The town engineer will discuss pending projects and funding.

Ferry County

Republic

Local cartoonist Bill Hatfield targeted hunters from outside Ferry County last week. Hatfield’s weekly cartoon in the Republic News Miner complains of hunters cutting up fences on private property, and taking aim at livestock. Hatfield proposes damage deposits and sanity checks before letting hunters into the county.

Grant County

Ephrata

Voter approval this month of Initiative 695 hurts the Grant Transit Authority in two ways. First, more people can afford to drive their own cars with $30 tabs. Second, tax dollars for bus routes may be cut nearly in half. Because of this, GTA has announced a 50 percent cut in its 2000 budget. GTA operates nearly 4,000 hours weekly. After Jan. 1, buses will run 2,000 hours of routes. The GTA board will discuss which routes to cut at its Thursday meeting.

Lincoln County

Davenport

Local residents may not think they need to wear their seat belts in Lincoln County, but sheriff’s Deputy Kelly Hembach begs to differ. He says in a recent survey during an enforcement project, 27 of 100 drivers pulled over were not wearing their seat belt. Most were local residents. Hembach says the “only-going-a-couple-of-miles” mentality is dangerous and costly. Seat-belt citations cost $71.

Pend Oreille County

Newport

Local merchants are hoping for a good Christmas season. The town will be lit up, and the community Christmas tree has been strung with lights.

Spokane County

Spokane

The Spokane Regional Transportation Council will hold a public meeting tonight at the Corbin Senior Center, 827 W. Cleveland, from 6 to 9 p.m. The meeting will focus on Monroe-Lincoln corridor alternatives.

Stevens County

Colville

Police are looking for a man who tried to lure a teenage boy into his truck near the city park Nov. 4. The suspect allegedly offered the boy, 14, money to get into his red late-model, extended-cab pickup. Two youngsters reported a similar vehicle and man trying to lure them Nov. 5. The man was described as a balding redhead in his mid-30s.

Whitman County

Pullman

Kappa Sigma members from Washington State University will run the Apple Cup football more than 300 miles from WSU to the University of Washington to raise money for cancer. Accompanied by family and friends, the fraternity members will take turns running the ball for more than 48 hours starting Wednesday at 5 p.m. from Martin Stadium. Money raised will go toward cancer research at the Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center in Seattle.

IDAHO

Benewah County

St. Maries/Plummer

Property owners in Plummer and St. Maries have received an increase in 1999 property taxes. According to Donna Spier, Plummer city clerk, the increase is because of the Rayonier Mill in Plummer burning down over a year ago. Plummer property owners will pay $1.10 more and St. Maries property owners will pay $1.20 more per $1,000 of assessed valuation.

Bonner County

Sandpoint

Sandpoint High School attendance is rising due to a security guard posted at the entrance gate, according to Principal A.C. Woolnough. One guard splits the day with 80 percent at Sandpoint and 20 percent at Clark Fork high schools. The guard first was used after a bomb threat last May at Sandpoint High School and was recently brought back to encourage attendance for educational and economic reasons.

Boundary County

Bonners Ferry

Boundary Community Hospital’s mammography department passed the strict Mammography Quality Standard Act inspection required annually to continue to perform the test. Mammography X-rays a breast and detect abnormal growths in the earliest stages. Cost is $84.10 and appointments are required. Call 267-3141.

Kootenai County

Coeur d’Alene

More than 600 people attended a celebration for two community service volunteers. Charlie Nipp, received the Citizen of the Year award and Margaret Lightfoot received the Volunteer of the Year award presented by Coeur d’Alene Chamber of Commerce last Saturday night at The Coeur d’Alene Resort.

Latah County

Moscow

A booklet, “White Pine in the American West: A Vanishing Species - Can We Save It?” is free and available from the University Of Idaho Rocky Mountain Research Station. It details the rise and fall of the once-dominant white pine in the Northwest and what is being done about it. It’s also available through the University of Idaho’s College of Forestry. Information: (208) 882-3557.

Shoshone County

Murray

Thompson Pass Road is expected to be open through Thanksgiving weekend. Road conditions mandate when the pass will be closed. For the pass closure date call the Murray garage at (208) 682-3957 or the Shoshone County sheriff’s office at (208) 556-1114.

MONTANA

Lincoln County

Troy

The proposed Osprey Bend land exchange, which includes a trade of 9.25 acres to the city for 15.7 city acres, was given a preliminary OK at the Troy City Council Wednesday night. John Brown, city councilman, has expressed concerns about a proposed lodge or motel on five acres that will be annexed into the city.