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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

The County Lines

WASHINGTON

Adams County

Othello

County commissioners will not continue to help fund the Othello library. The three commissioners say county money is scarce, and they hope an alternative method of funding can be found. “We want you to help us find funding,” Commissioner Bill Wills said at a recent public meeting on the library. Othello citizens are considering forming a tax district to keep the library doors open.

Ferry County

Republic

Karen Webber has been an emergency medical technician in the Republic area for a quarter-century. She estimates she has made close to 3,000 ambulance runs, with at least a quarter of those to Spokane, Omak, Brewster, Colville and Tonasket.

Grant County

Moses Lake

Moses Lake and Grant County have been chosen as one of the United States’ top 157 places to retire. Retirement research company The Searchers conducted the study and based its selections on quality of life, taxes, crime rates and housing affordability.

Lincoln County

Davenport

Enhanced 911 emergency service has been hooked up in Lincoln County. Getting the system online took years of planning and technical prowess, but success will hinge on individual citizens. House numbers and lane markers must be posted for the system to work well. J. Garber of Reardan has been supplying lane markers for $25. The enhanced 911 system automatically gives agencies responding to an emergency the directions to the site, so road and home markers are crucial.

Pend Oreille County

Newport

City finances seem to be in order for the first quarter, reports City Administrator Delphine Palmer. The only expenditures over budget were for audits of recent street projects.

Spokane County

Spokane

Spokane County Sheriff Mark Sterk will hold a town hall meeting in the Valley today from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Trent Elementary School, 3303 N. Pines Road.

Stevens County

Kettle Falls

Kettle Falls School District is seeking a $690,000 school levy again after a narrow loss at the polls earlier this year. District administrators are asking for the same amount as in 1999-2000.

Whitman County

Colfax

The clock in front of the Whitman County Courthouse does not work, and Gerald Druffel of Uniontown says citizens of Whitman County should show a bit more pride. So he has donated $150 toward a “fix the clock” fund. The clock, which was installed in 1955 when the courthouse was built, was repaired six years ago but broke down again three years later. Donations may be made at the county commissioners office.

IDAHO

Benewah County

St. Maries

Alaina Robinson was named St. Maries Junior Miss at the annual scholarship competition in Heyburn gym. Robinson received a $1,100 scholarship, a medallion and a silver platter. Jim and Karen Robinson are her parents.

Bonner County

Sandpoint

The safety and effectiveness of childhood immunizations were discussed at a recent forum. Mayor Paul Graves moderated the event, which parents and representatives of the medical community attended at Sandpoint Community Hall. They agreed that studying the issues before immunizing children is the best-case scenario.

Boundary County

Bonners Ferry

Boundary Community Hospital’s health fair, scheduled from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, will include a “teddy bear clinic” for children and their stuffed partners to get height, weight and temperature checks from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The fair also will feature a bike rodeo, free bike helmets and bike safety checks. Adults may have their height, weight, blood pressure, hearing and glucose checked. A fun run will start at 8 a.m. Donations of bike helmets still are needed and may be taken to the hospital.

Kootenai County

Spirit Lake

The second town hall meeting to discuss a five-year management plan for the city is scheduled for 7 p.m. today at the community center, 218 N. Fourth. The plan was approved by City Council members early this month. Residents may comment on plans for new streets, an updated wastewater facility, a new maintenance shop, City Hall and police station. For more information, call (208) 623-2131.

Latah County

Moscow

The Pleiades Club has announced kindergarten through 12th-grade winners of its poetry contest. They are Jason Oliveira of St. Mary’s School, Elija Wendt of Logos School, Jonathan Gaffney of Moscow Junior High School and Catherine Cronquist of Moscow High School. The winners, their families and teachers will be honored at a 10 a.m. tea Saturday at the Moscow Public Library. For details, call (208) 882-2054.

Shoshone County

Kellogg

Three students are planning to travel overseas in June to join athletic teams. Brittany Vosberg will go to Australia as a People to People sports ambassador to play soccer. Jenny Mercado and Jennifer Absec will participate in a Northwest basketball camp tour and will play in the British Isles. To help the athletes cover travel expenses, Lady Elks will hold a benefit spaghetti feed from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Friday and Smelterville Lions will hold a raffle. Tickets are $10 for a chance to win $1,000. For details, call (208) 682-3956.

MONTANA

Lincoln County

Libby

Libby High School class of 1979 has made a $4,800 donation to the school’s educational trust fund. The class raised the money through a silent auction. The donation brought the trust fund to more than $100,000. The interest earned is spent on scholarships.