The County Lines

Wed., Feb. 23, 2000

WASHINGTON

Adams County

Othello

Local Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops traveled to Kennewick to help a woman in need. Girl Scout Troop Leader Elizabeth Keele has a homebound friend in the Tri-Cities whose porch was falling apart. Keele asked the local Boy Scout troop to help, and Othello Lumberman’s Supply donated $400 in materials. The scouts earned badges for their efforts.

Ferry County

Republic

Ferry County is scrambling to put together a water conservancy board that could make decisions and recommendations on water rights, including helping expedite the proposed Curlew Water System.

Additional water rights may be needed for the project, and the Department of Ecology could take up to four years to decide on them. A water conservancy board could speed things up.

Grant County

Moses Lake

A theft ring at the local Wal-Mart has been broken up. The loss prevention officer at the store recently contacted local police to discuss stolen merchandise worth thousands of dollars. The four suspects allegedly defrauded the store’s gift card program. Police recovered televisions, Nintendo and PlayStation machines, video games, stereo speakers and all kinds of electronics. The suspects are all 18 or 19 years of age, and one was an employee.

Lincoln County

Sprague

Mary Palmer’s stuffed animal collection will be her legacy. Though the Sprague woman died Jan. 4, her beloved teddy bears will help children who need a friend. Palmer’s husband, Gale, donated her animals to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department so the toys could be used to comfort children shaken up in accidents, or at domestic dispute calls.

Pend Oreille County

Usk

The Port of Pend Oreille is scrambling to secure a lease with Ponderay Valley Fibre for the proposed chip loader project. Port officials fear if a formal agreement isn’t in place soon, the state will pull funding. The port is banking on $665,000 in grants and loans but needs to cement the lease, land transfer and other paperwork by mid-March or funding could be lost. The plan is to build a chip loading facility at Usk so PVF can ship wood chips nationwide, using the port trains and tracks.

Spokane County

Cheney

Hunter education courses are now being offered by the Cheney Hunter Education Instructors Group. Call 235-4061 for more information.

Stevens County

Colville

Finishing touches are in the works at the new $7.9 million Aladdin Hearth plant. The project should be complete April 1. Aladdin is building 96,000 square feet of manufacturing space, plus nearly 25,000 square feet for management and offices. Loading docks will take up another 5,200 square feet. Located on Highway 395 just within the city limits, the facility has 263 parking spaces, plus room to expand.

Whitman County

Colfax

The Washington State Sheep Producers will hold a Sheep Shearing School April 4-8. An advanced “tuneup class” is scheduled April 3. Students will learn how to shear sheep and package wool for optimum market value. Classes will be held at the Perry and Terry Parker Ranch west of Moses Lake. For cost and enrollment information, call Washington State Cooperative Extension Agent Randy Baldree at (509) 397-6290.

IDAHO

Benewah County

St. Maries

Hospice, the Art Council and middle school students will benefit from a dinner theater presentation of “Shakespeare in St. Maries” set for 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the Eagles Lodge. The menu includes imperial chicken, fettuccine with alfredo sauce, fruit salad, homemade pies and a no-host bar, and middle school students will perform a variety of Shakespearean comedy scenes. Tickets, $18 single, $35 for couples, may be purchased at the St. Maries Art Gallery or Hospice of Benewah County. For more information, call (208) 245-5734.

Bonner County

Sandpoint

Tina Friedman, a substitute teacher who hopes to open an African cultural center in Sandpoint, has traditional African artifacts and photographs of her travels through Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa and Botswana on display at the East Bonner County Library. Her photos have been published in several magazines and a book. Friedman is preparing for a touring exhibit and is raising money to start a secondary school for the Siachilaba tribe of Zimbabwe, whose nearest school is 10 miles away.

Boundary County

Bonners Ferry

Sandy Short, a high school senior, was recently chosen as Idaho’s top high school volunteer of the year and was honored in The 2000 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. Short will receive a $1,000 award, a medallion, and a trip to Washington, D.C., for a series of national recognition events. Bonners Ferry Mayor Darrell Kerby proclaimed today Sandy Short/Prudential Spirit of Community Recognition Day.

Kootenai County

Coeur d’Alene

March is Red Cross Awareness Month. The Panhandle Chapter will be displaying interactive exhibits from 4 to 7 p.m. March 2 throughout downtown, including exhibits on emergency rescue, choking response and an automated external defibrillator. Safe Family Weekend will be held March 9 at the Silver Lake Mall as the second of four events planned in observance. For more information, call (208) 664-5414.

Latah County

Moscow

Juan Barco is an award-winning songwriter who plays a 12-string bass guitar used in Texas-Mexican music. The Juan Barco Trio performed recently at Lincoln Middle School and Neill Public Library. The concerts were presented by the Latah County Human Rights Task Force.

Shoshone County

Pinehurst

Dr. Allan Seely and Dr. Karen Harries will move their practices from the Kellogg Clinic to the Pinehurst Clinic, both of which are operated by the Shoshone Medical Center. The West Shoshone Hospital District decided on the move as part of an effort to reduce expenses and consolidate services.

MONTANA

Lincoln County

Troy

The Bonneville Power Administration is conducting a test on a new transformer, and power will be interrupted for a short time between 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. Thursday. The test will affect Northern Lights and Troy city electrical customers between the Sanders County Line and the Yaak River. For more information, call (800) 326-9694.

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