The County Lines

Fri., Oct. 8, 1999

WASHINGTON

Adams County Ritzville

East Adams Rural Hospital plans to have a new x-ray machine installed this week. Portable machines will be used until the new machine is in working order.

Ferry County Republic

County commissioners are taking bids for snow-plowing services around the courthouse. Both rear parking lots, the front lot and the driveway between the courthouse and the Sheriff’s Department will need clearing. Sealed bids for the job will be accepted until Monday at 2 p.m.

Grant County Grand Coulee

Coulee Community Hospital has been awarded a $400,000 grant from a coalition of state and federal agencies, because of the hospital’s financial difficulties. Coulee Community carried a $450,000 loss in 1998.

Lincoln County Reardan

City Manager Bruce Johnson is betting warm weather will hold out long enough to get the Lake Street paving project finished. Bid closing is today, and Johnson says he hopes to see pavement pouring on the $100,000 project this month. Lake Street from Highway 2 to Spokane Street has been on the city wish list for several years.

Pend Oreille County Cusick

Construction and renovation of Wike Gymnasium and Bess Heridan Middle School are nearly two weeks behind schedule. However, the project is coming in well under budget. Unforeseen roof damage delayed the gym construction. Panco Construction says it still plans to hit the Nov. 30 deadline.

Stevens County Colville

Colville, Kettle Falls and Northport schools have enrollments at or near budget projections for this school year. Colville projected 2,343 and has 2,395 desks filled. Kettle Falls hoped for 840 students, and has counted 833. Northport budgeted for 204 students, and has 211. Over-projecting student numbers results in budget shortfalls.

Whitman County Colfax

A leadership training series is being offered to community leaders in Asotin, Garfield, Columbia, Whitman and neighboring counties in Idaho Oct. 27-28 in Pomeroy, Wash. The Leadership Enhancement and Development Program is coordinated by county health districts, Tri-State Memorial Hospital and Washington State University’s cooperative extension program in Whitman and Asotin counties. WSU faculty and training consultants will provide instruction on communications styles, listening, gender communication and managing conflict for the first two days of the four-day session, which will conclude next spring. The fee is $75, though partial scholarships are available. Registrations are requested by Oct. 14. For more information, contact WSU extension agent Janet Schmidt at (509) 397-6290 or via e-mail at schmidtj@wsu.edu

IDAHO

Benewah County St. Maries

Plum Creek Timber Company Inc. has signed a letter of intent to sell 91,000 acres of timberland near St. Maries to Crown Pacific Partners for $73 million. The transaction is scheduled to take place Jan. 15 and is subject to the approval of both companies’ board of directors, customary federal regulatory review and the signing of a purchase and sale agreement.

Bonner County Clark Fork

Construction of the new bridge over the Clark Fork River is expected to begin in the summer of 2001. Bonner County and Boise-based engineering firm Forsgren Associates are drafting an environmental impact statement for the project to replace the current bridge. The project could also include realigning the road.

Boundary County Bonners Ferry

Artist Jean Deubel Mace will show her latest works Saturday and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. The art, focusing on the waters of Boundary County, will be shown in her gallery at the Cedars, located on Deep Creek Road. Admission is free.

Kootenai County Post Falls

The regularly scheduled Post Falls Urban Renewal Agency meeting for Oct. 14 has been rescheduled for Oct. 28.

Urban Renewal Agency planner Jerry Basler has been called for jury duty from Oct. 11 to Oct. 22.

Latah County Potlatch

Potlatch is getting a new library. Construction on the building portion of a $490,000 project on Onaway Road began in August and is expected to be complete by December. The new library will open in January. Potlatch has been working toward a new library for at least four years. Potlatch and the Latah County Library District received $225,000 in federal matching funds through the Idaho State Library. The grant required the community to raise $29,500 in contingency funds. Friends of the Potlatch Library, the Scenic Six Community Development Council and individuals came up with $120,000 for the project.

Shoshone County Mullan

The Mullan School Board approved the addition of covered metal steps for the school district. The lighted steps will lead from the intersection on River Street to the playground at the elementary building, allowing access from the crosswalk to the schools without having to walk on the street or bridge. The steps will be covered to help defray maintenance cost and work by the custodial staff.

MONTANA

Lincoln County Libby

Libby’s water treatment plant isn’t scheduled to be back on line until Dec. 31. The filtration system at the plant has been shut down since July 19, when work began to replace defective paint. The plant was scheduled to be in full operation by Sept. 26. The city has not yet taken ownership of the plant. The defective paint was stripped off and is being redone at the contractor’s expense.

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