The County Lines

Sun., April 2, 2000

WASHINGTON

Adams County Ritzville

The Ritzville Lions Club has officially taken over the legion hall. The Lions and the American Legion branch have been discussing the move for about a year. The title will be transferred after the ceremonial dollar bill changes hands. The Legion and auxiliary will still have priority use of the facility, along with the Lions.

Ferry County Republic

The Ferry County Technical Center’s final day of operation was March 30. The grant to staff and operate the computer center has run out, and a new grant is not yet in place. In the interim, volunteers are needed to staff the facility, as well as to help write grants.

Grant County Moses Lake

Farmers are delaying planting sugar beets until Pacific Northwest Sugar finds a way to pay for the crop. A market glut has depressed sugar prices and the company needs a windfall to pay for the 2000 harvest. Farmers say they haven’t been paid what they’d hoped for the 1999 crop.

Lincoln County Davenport

Authorities squelched a counterfeiting scheme in rural Lincoln County recently by arresting four men at a Hawk Creek Ranch Road rental home. U.S. marshals and county sheriff’s deputies confiscated counterfeit checks, Social Security cards, computers, stolen checks and tools used to make fake IDs. There was no evidence of counterfeit currency. The men, who authorities said were all parole violators from the Seattle area, had been living in the county for less than a week.

Pend Oreille County Newport

A working meth lab was found in a Dumpster last week at the Riverbend Apartments complex. Five people were arrested after police discovered the still-active lab and searched an apartment, where more equipment and paraphernalia were found.

Spokane County Spokane

Last winter was warmer and snowier than normal. The National Weather Service reported an average low temperature for December, January and February of 25.9 degrees - 3.2 degrees warmer than normal. The 36.5 inches of snow that fell during the same three months was one inch above normal.

Stevens County Kettle Falls

All citizens are invited to turn out for the annual spring cleanup. The city will pick up yard waste free of charge through April 14. Branches must be cut and tied in bundles and leaves must be bagged. People interested in helping with this service should sign up with the city.

Whitman Pullman

Services at Pullman Memorial Hospital will be reduced and some staff restructured in the face of a $500,000 budget shortfall, officials announced Thursday. Critical care services such as the emergency room, respiratory care and intensive care are not expected to change. Personnel changes are occurring in physician services, quality resources, diabetes education services, nutrition services and hospital food services. The cuts come as Whitman and Latah County commissioners call for a community health care summit to promote collaboration between the competing hospitals in Moscow and Pullman.

IDAHO

Benewah County Plummer

The annual citywide yard sale is 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 10. Interested residents may have their location listed on a map by calling (208) 686-1403 through June 4. The cost is $5.

Bonner County Priest River

Local business advertising history will be displayed through Memorial Day at the Priest River Museum and Timber Education Center. Residents with collectable or antique advertising posters, mirrors, figures, wall hangings or other items depicting advertising products, who are interested in having them displayed, may call the Chamber of Commerce at (208) 448-2721.

Boundary County Bonners Ferry

Mayor Darrell Kerby proclaimed April Child Abuse Prevention Month and encouraged community agencies, religious organizations, medical facilities, businesses and all Idahoans to increase their participation in preventing child abuse.

Kootenai County Post Falls

Applications for the 2000 Post Falls Festival Days Parade, set for 11 a.m. June 3, are available at the Chamber of Commerce office. The application deadline is May 27. For more information, call the Chamber of Commerce at 773-5016.

Latah County Moscow

The CBS Professor of International Journalism at Columbia University will present a public lecture at the University of Idaho on April 6. James W. Carey will speak at 7:30 p.m. in the Idaho Commons Clearwater Room on “The Ambiguous Fate of Nations in an Age of Communications.” The lecture is sponsored by the UI Honors Program.

Shoshone County Wallace

A $5,000 reverse drawing will be held at 6 p.m. May 12 at the Wallace Elk’s Lodge to benefit the Wallace Chamber of Commerce. The 300 tickets, sold for $50 each, are put in a hopper and drawn one at a time. The last ticket drawn wins the $5,000. The last 10 tickets are winners also. During the event, 10 previously drawn tickets are auctioned off and the purchasers get a second chance at winning. To buy a ticket, call (208) 753-7151.

MONTANA

Lincoln County Libby

After four years, Marcy Williams-Mack has resigned as Lincoln County Weed District supervisor to take a similar position in Lake County. The weed board is searcing for a replacement. Lincoln County is the only county in the state with a cooperative weed management project actively involving 28 entities and agencies, Williams-Mack said.

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