The County Lines

Thu., Nov. 18, 1999

WASHINGTON

Adams County

Othello

Beleaguered Rodeo Lake residents have agreed to a government buyout if the price is right. Bill Riley of the Big Bend Economic Development Council said he would pursue grant money for a buyout if the homeowners would commit to sell. An aging pump causes Rodeo Lake levels to fluctuate. Residents have individual septic systems, which are in danger if flooding occurs.

Ferry County

Curlew

The Stage in the Sticks is proud to present “The Odd Couple” Friday night. Performed by the Kettle Valley Theater Group, the play is based on the movie and TV show of the same name. The comedy gets under way at 7 p.m. at the Curlew Civic Hall.

Performances run through Nov. 29.

Grant County

Moses Lake

Dawn DeHart is the city’s first full-time female firefighter. DeHart is in uniform as Moses Lake’s new fire inspector. She was hired in July after a year of volunteering. Other women have served on the local force as volunteers, but DeHart is the first to call the position a paid job.

Lincoln County

Odessa

Odessa Lions Club is hosting its 58th annual Turkey Carnival Saturday. The fun and frolic will again be at the community center starting at noon. Children’s games, refreshments and a truckload of turkeys are available as prizes.

Pend Oreille County

Newport

CREATE is breaking tradition with its upcoming performance of The Messiah by Handel. This traditional Christmas choir music will be performed as a sing-along on Sunday, Dec. 12. All area singers, nonsingers, instrumentalists and music lovers are welcome to pick up the sheet music at CREATE Place. There will be a rehearsal at CREATE Place on Nov. 28 at 4 p.m. For more information, call (509) 447-9277.

Stevens County

Colville

A 500 percent increase on fees is not enough for the Stevens County Planning Department. The department recently announced higher fees to make services self-sustaining by covering real costs of services. Divisions within the planning department are debating the amount of increase needed. No action has actually been taken as of today.

Spokane County

Spokane

Public health educator Christopher P. Zilar will discuss “AIDS: the Issues and Legalities” Monday from 9:30-11:30 a.m. at Spokane Community College’s Lair-Student Center auditorium, Building 6, 1810 N. Greene St. It is free and open to the public. For more information, call (509) 533-7398.

Whitman County

Pullman

Carol Sheppard, Washington State University assistant professor of entomology, will receive the university’s major teaching honor, the Marian E. Smith Achievement Award, later this month. She will receive a $5,000 award and a plaque presented by WSU President Sam Smith. Sheppard’s nominators lauded her creativity and innovation in course development, teaching and making science interesting to majors and nonmajors alike.

IDAHO

Benewah County

The unemployment rate dropped from 11 percent in September to 10.6 percent in October, according to the Idaho department of Labor. Benewah County still has the highest rate in the five northern counties.

Bonner County

Sandpoint

The Clark Fork-Pend Oreille Wetland Trust received word Nov. 15 that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has approved a $58,200 project that includes 90 acres of nesting habitat and wetlands on Priest River and 45 acres of wetlands near Gamlin Lake.

Boundary County

Bonners Ferry

The Boundary Head Start Program is recruiting community volunteers to help 4-year-olds. Volunteers will be asked to play and read with the children. For more information, contact Christi Kramer at (208) 267-5756.

Kootenai County

Coeur d’Alene

Carrie Stuart Parks, a Cataldo artist, visited Coeur d’Alene High School Tuesday to share her creative secrets with about 100 students.

Latah County

Moscow

University of Idaho computer scientists will use a $483,000 Defense Department grant to help defeat cyber intruders and boost software dependability. The UI has won more than $2 million from sources such as the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health and National Security Agency for projects that could contribute to computer security and dependability.

Shoshone County

Cataldo

The log home of Wyatt and Linda Watson caught fire Monday night and was destroyed. Three fire engines and 18 firefighters responded at about 11:30 p.m. Monday and extinguished the fire at about 4 a.m. Tuesday. The Watsons and their two daughters escaped safely. Donations - including clothing and household items - are being collected by neighbors. To make a donation, call Allison Carney at 682-9515.

MONTANA

Lincoln County

Questions are being raised by county commissioners and school officials about state maintenance instead of county maintenance on paved secondary roads in Lincoln County. On Jan. 1, the state Department of Transportation is to assume maintenance of several roads.

Some of the information in The County Lines comes from readers’ tips and from community newspapers. For items outside Spokane County, send your tips by fax to The County Lines, (509) 459-5482, by mail to The County Lines, The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210-2160, or by e-mail to news@spokesman.com. For items in Spokane County, send tips to Voices, The Spokesman-Review, same fax number and mail or e-mail addresses.

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.