The County Lines

WASHINGTON

Adams County Ritzville

The first day of class at Ritzville School is Aug. 29, with kindergarten through fourth grades starting at 8:30 a.m. and all others beginning at 8:20 a.m. Registration begins today for elementary classes. Parents are urged to get their kids immunized against childhood diseases before the first day of school.

Ferry County Republic

Locals and travelers alike are warned of two road projects in the area that drivers should be prepared for. Granite Creek Bridge, located three miles south of Republic on SR21, will be replaced at long last. Work begins Aug. 21 and drivers are warned of the detour, which will be in place for about one month. The Lambert Creek bridge replacement project, also on SR21, will begin Sept. 5. It, too, will last one month.

Grant County Moses Lake

The Babe Ruth World Series is under way. Teams from Texas, California, Oregon, Indiana, Missouri, North Carolina, New Jersey, Connecticut and Washington are slugging it out for the crown this week. The Columbia Basin Riverdogs are again in the thick of the battle, having defeated their first two opponents. Players from across the country are staying with local families who have opened their homes for this event. The World Series lasts through the week.

Lincoln County Creston

The Wilbur and Creston School Districts may not be combined, but they know a good partnership when they’re in one. The two schools will cooperate on band, chorus and driver’s education classes. Kids from Wilbur will be bused to Creston for driving classes, while Creston students will take music classes in Wilbur. The schools have cooperated in the past on other classes which are hard to find a teacher for, or are very expensive for the districts to offer alone.

Pend Oreille County Newport The City Council is considering extending water and sewer services to land outside the city limits. County Commissioner Joel Jacobsen, acting as a private citizen, asked the city to consider hooking up the one dwelling on Quail Avenue to city services. He says he plans to develop the property there and add more homes. Jacobsen says he plans to pay all engineering and line extension costs. The council will consider it when it sees plans on paper for Jacobsen’s planned development.

Spokane County Spokane

County commissioners voted to ban truck traffic along the narrow stretch of Upriver Drive near Plantes Ferry Park. The ban, which prohibits all trucks weighing more than 10,000 pounds, will go into effect as soon as signs can be posted.

Stevens County Kettle Falls

Opened in June, the Columbia River Library has seen 2,300 books and tapes checked out. The library was opened by the Stevens County Rural Library District. The district says 200 locals now have library cards, though some of them already had cards issued through the Colville or Kettle Falls city libraries, or through county library stations in Onion Creek or Northport.

Whitman County Colfax

While repairs are under way to the fire station that caught fire in late June, the town’s fire trucks and ambulances will be moved to the Glenn Myers storage buildings downtown. The city would like to start repairs to the fire station’s garage within a month.

IDAHO

Benewah County

The Benewah Area Swim Team recently took third place at two meets. First-place winners in the competition against Endicott and Tekoa, Wash., are Kris Arthur in the 25/50 butterfly, 100 IM, 25/50 breast stroke and the 25/50 backstroke; and Mary Skwanqhqn in the 25/50 freestyle, 25/50 breaststroke, and the 25/50 backstroke. First-place winners in the competition against Colfax and Dayton, Wash., are Arthur, in the 25/50 freestyle, 25/50 butterfly, 25/50 breast stroke and the 25/50 backstroke; and Skwanqhqn, in the 25/50 backstroke.

Bonner County Priest Lake

Manny Aguilar, Spokane, scored a hole-in-one at the Priest Lake Golf Course July 22. The perfect 90-yard shot was at hole six, according to Lois Hill, president of the Priest Lake Golf Club. Hole six has been temporarily shortened to a par three from a par four during construction to convert the course from nine holes to 18. The expansion should complete by next summer.

Boundary County Bonners Ferry

The Boundary County Ministerial Association will have a Service of Christian Unity. The church members in the association come together to demonstrate that the bond of believing in Christ brings them together as a family and the family bond is stronger than the differences in the churches. The special service begins at 11 a.m. Aug. 20 at the high school gym. Pastor of the First Baptist Church, Tim Crownover, will present the message.

Kootenai County Coeur d’Alene

The Kootenai Humane Society has several fund-raisers in the works. At the Kootenai County Fair and Rodeo, a watercolor print by Lorraine E’drie and a queen-size quilt made by Sandra Porter will be raffled. Tickets are $1 each or six for $5. Another fund-raiser is the “Share A Little Love Program,” in which a donor of $25 or more receives a VIP (Very Important Pet) card, which entitles the bearer to discounts at veterinary clinics, grooming facilities, kennels and more. The fund-raisers will help provide care for the homeless animals the society takes in and tries to connect with homes. They want to encourage pet owners to have their animals spayed or neutered. In the last eight years, the annual homeless pet population growth rate in the county has been about 7 percent, according to a society newsletter.

Latah County Moscow

Latah County Libraries received 12 new Gateway computers thanks to a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The computers, complete with Internet connections, will be distributed to all seven library branch computer labs. To celebrate, the branches will have an open house which will include trainers demonstrating how to use the computers. All open houses will be an hour long and start at 4:30 p.m. The Moscow library’s open house is set for Thursday, Troy and Juliaetta’s are on Aug. 28, Genesee’s is Aug. 29, Deary and Potlatch’s are Sept. 7 and Bovill’s will be Sept. 8. For details call the library district at (208) 882-3925.

Shoshone County Pinehurst

The city council unanimously voted to require skateboarders and in-line skaters to wear helmets while using the city’s skateboard park. While promoting safety, the ordinance will help protect the city from lawsuits filed by injured skaters. Helmets worn while using the park must meet ANSI or USCPSC safety standards. The board also decided not allow bicyclists to use the park to avoid potential conflict between the two groups. Penalties will be $5 for the first offense and double for each additional penalty. The fourth offense will result a criminal complaint being filed against the offender. A sign with park rules will soon be installed.

MONTANA

Lincoln County Libby

New backstops at the J. Neils Memorial County Park ball fields are up and available for use thanks to a matching grant supplied by Flathead Electric Cooperative’s “Round Up For Safety” program. Backstops contributions made by Latah County and Libby Parks District were each $2,300 and Flathead Electric Cooperative contributed $4,600.