The County Lines

Sat., April 15, 2000

WASHINGTON

Adams County

Ritzville

Area farmers and ranchers are less than thrilled to find two new species of noxious weeds in the county. The county’s Noxious Weed Control Board has identified Salt Cedar and Spiny Cocklebur. The Salt Cedar, which is sold in nurseries, has been found in former wastewater ponds. The Spiny Cocklebur has been spotted in pasturelands here. The weed board hopes to control these new species before they destroy native plants or reduce crop yields.

Ferry County

Curlew

Parents of children who will be 5 years old on or before Aug. 31 are invited to preregister them for kindergarten. The school district is hoping for many to register early so it knows better how many children to expect. Paperwork is available by calling the school through April 24.

Birth certificates and immunization records will be needed. The district will give information on other immunizations needed before the school year begins.

Grant County

Royal City

The annual maintenance and operations levy passed by a single vote. However, the district had hoped to be able to add on to the middle school building this year. Superintendent David James says the school board will wait until next spring to start construction of the additional classrooms. Until a new room can be added, programs and teachers will continue to jockey for position in existing space.

Lincoln County

Davenport

Due to scheduling conflicts, the Lincoln County Fair Board has changed the date of the Rodeo Queen competition. The Rodeo Queen pageant will be held April 29 at the Spring Fair. The selection was originally on the calendar for the Wheatland Open Horse Show, one week later. Girls interested in being Lincoln County Fair Rodeo Royalty can still enter. Applications are being taken through April 24.

Pend Oreille County

Newport

The county’s jobless rate has hit nearly 12 percent. The Washington State Employment Security Department says 11.8 percent of the county’s 4,230 insurable workers were out of work in February. This translates into 500 unemployed persons. January numbers showed 430 unemployed folks - roughly 10.2 percent of the county’s workers.

Spokane County

Spokane

Matt Lockard, a senior at Whitworth College, has been named a recipient of the Andrew W. Mellon Fellowships in Humanistic Studies. The award includes a $14,750 stipend plus tuition and fees for one year of work in a highly ranked doctoral program. Lockard, a math and philosophy major from Yucaipa, Calif., plans to pursue a doctorate in philosophy at UCLA. Earlier this year, Lockard also received a $26,000 graduate fellowship from the Pew Younger Scholars Program.

Stevens County

Chewelah

Looking for ways to enrich the community as well as draw visitors, the Community Celebrations group is looking for comment. The group is spearheading an effort for the future King Street Center for the Performing Arts. The center will double as a meeting facility for local groups. Community Celebrations President Sharon Ludwig is hoping these community groups will come forward with ideas of how the facility could best suit them. To comment, call Ludwig at (509)935-8832.

Whitman County

Colfax

A steel sculpture of Steptoe Butte and the rolling hills of the Palouse was recently donated to the Whitman County Library in memory of Dan Codd. Codd worked at the library and post office for 30 years before dying of cancer a year ago. More than 50 friends, family and dignitaries paid tribute to Codd at an April 9 dedication ceremony. The 15-foot sculpture was commissioned by Codd’s sons and produced by Portland artist Jim Montgomery.

IDAHO

Benewah County

St. Maries

Eight used white vans will be given away by Mountain States Glass to people who need a car but don’t have the money to buy one. The only requirements to get a van are the candidate must live in Benewah County and a third party must write a letter recommending the candidate for the van. Address letters to Employees of Mountain States, P.O. Box 341, St. Maries, ID 83861. A committee will review the letters and choose recipients. This isn’t the first time the owner of Mountain States Glass, Kirk Hill, has given away used vehicles, but it will be the first time he has given away the entire fleet.

Bonner County

Priest Lake

Members of the Sundancers and Priest Lake Ridge Runners will merge into a single organization to provide two main services: look for lost people and recover wrecked or stuck snowmobiles. The group also will maintain trails in the Priest Lake area. About half of the trails have been removed from maps because they lack maintenance. The group plans to re-establish the trails and get them back on the maps.

Boundary County

Bonners Ferry

The District 1A of the Old Time Fiddlers will hold its final jam session for the season from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at Memorial Hall, Bonners Ferry Fairground.

Everyone is welcome to play or attend.

Kootenai County

Athol

More than $5,000 was raised at a benefit yard sale for Debbie Sanders, who was critically injured in a snowmobile accident on Bunco Road Feb. 25. Sanders is talking and eating now and undergoing therapy at St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Institute in Spokane.

Latah County

Genesee

High school student Ari Neumann placed first in spreadsheet applications and analysis during the Business Professionals of America’s state competition recently in Boise. Neumann will attend the national competition in Minneapolis.

Shoshone County

Mullan

The school district received 20 multimedia computers for elementary and junior/senior high students. The computers were purchased with $135,000 of a $250,000 Albertson’s Foundation grant to be used for technology upgrades. Students will have access to the Internet through the $15,000 server, according to technology coordinator Vaughn Dosko.

MONTANA

Lincoln County

Troy

Volunteers and donations are needed for the 21st annual Troy Easter Egg Hunt, according to organizer Fran Stanton. The hunt is set for Easter Sunday in Troy Park. Thirty volunteers are needed to hand out prizes and organize children. Chocolate and/or stuffed bunnies and other prizes are needed. For details, call Stanton at (406) 295-1032.

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