The County Lines

WASHINGTON

Adams County

Othello

The third annual Sandhill Crane Festival held recently included tours of the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge/Potholes area, complete with crane viewing. All enjoyed the lecture by crane expert Felipe Chavez-Ramirez of the World Wide Wildlife Fund. During peak migration, up to 5,000 birds visit the Othello area.

Ferry County

Republic

Ferry County is sponsoring a metal and yard-waste disposal day at the Torboy Transfer Station. A standard pickup full of scrap metal can be dumped for $10, with refrigerators costing $8 to unload. Yard waste will be accepted free. No trees or branches of 3 inches in diameter or lumber will be accepted. The dump rates change at 4 p.m.

Grant County

Moses Lake

Lydig Construction of Spokane won the bid for the $14.9 million expansion and remodeling of Samaritan Hospital. Project manager Richard Brumenschengel says the company has done work here before. “We are tickled to death they bid on the project,” he says.

Lincoln County

Davenport

Shoplifting losses cut deeply in this community of small, family-owned businesses. To combat the problem, Lincoln County Juvenile Court Services makes all juvenile shoplifters go through a class focusing on victim issues. They see who and how they hurt, and are given a chance to examine their behavior.

Pend Oreille County

Cusick

The bond project to renovate the middle school building and the high school gym is scheduled to finish $228,000 under budget. ALSC Architects say they have a tidy little sum left over on the projected $2.4 million project. Final touches are still being done to the building and school officials are looking at using the leftover funds to put a drainage system on campus to alleviate annual flooding problems.

Spokane County

West Plains

Gov. Gary Locke has proclaimed the week of April 9-15 Friends of the Library Week. He urged people to recognize and applaud Friends of the Library (FOL) volunteers for the valuable services they provide. Locally, all three West Plains area Spokane County Library District branches have active FOL groups.

Stevens County

Chewelah

Katie Kinyon was chosen Chewelah’s Junior Miss at a recent pageant. She and alternates Barbara Hilzinger and Alicia Pickins will ride the community float this summer. Riding the Colville float will be newly crowned Junior Miss Stephanie Oswin with alternates Jessica Matsuyama and Sara Nelson.

Whitman County

Pullman

The Washington State University Mortar Board honor society honored three professors at its recent spring Freshman Recognition Dessert. The group recognized Lawrence D. Meinert, a professor of geology, Lance LeLoup, chair of the Political Science Department, and Carol Maloney, an instructor for English as a second language and bilingual courses at WSU.

IDAHO

Benewah County

Plummer

The Plummer Worley Joint School District’s Safe School Hotline is now up and running. Anyone who’d like to report acts of violence, theft, drug or alcohol abuse, weapons, suicidal people or sexual harassment may do so without fear of the call being traced or without giving their name. School authorities will respond to every call. For more information, call any school in the district.

Bonner County

Sandpoint

The Bonner County Public Works and Road Department has lifted many road weight restrictions in its three districts. EastShore Road, River Run and Rapid Lightning Road are the only roads closed to hauling. Upper and Lower Pack River, Gold and Upper Gold Creek roads still have posted restrictions. For more information, call (208) 265-1497.

Boundary County

Bonners Ferry

Mark Hubbard was recently named manager of the First Security Bank. He is a graduate of Bonners Ferry High School and the University of Idaho. He will be responsible for small business lending, training and developing staff, managing branch operations and community activities.

Kootenai County

Coeur d’Alene

Every local library has a Questionnaire Assistance Center to help people fill out Census forms. They also have “Be Counted” forms available through Tuesday for anyone who did not receive a form or who misplaced theirs.

Latah County

Moscow

The University of Idaho Information Technology Services will host “TechFair 2000: Computers-TechnologiesEducation” Thursday through Saturday at the Idaho Commons in the center of campus. The fair brings together education, hospital, library, government, business and private communities for presentations and demonstrations featuring state-of-the-art computer equipment, software applications and audiovisual materials. Admission is free.

Shoshone County

Kellogg

Ron Arnold, an author and investigative critic, will visit the Kellogg Rotary Club at 5:45 p.m. Thursday at the Broken Wheel Restaurant. Arnold’s recent book, “Undo Influence,” exposes what he calls “an extraordinarily incestuous iron triangle of wealthy foundations, grant-driven green organizations and zealous bureaucrats.” Arnold also wrote “EcoTerror: The Violent Agenda to Save Nature.”

MONTANA

Lincoln County

Libby

Nancy Keenan, Democratic candidate for Congress, will be the featured guest at the Lincoln County Jefferson-Jackson dinner at 6 tonight at the Elks Lodge. Keenan is superintendent of public instruction. Many other Democratic candidates will also attend. Tickets are $15.