The County Lines
WASHINGTON
Adams County
Ritzville
The East Adams Rural Hospital Board has decided to sell the old clinic building in Ritzville. The building has been used for storage since the clinic was moved into the hospital in the mid-1990s. Although the board has declared the old structure surplus, a public hearing is scheduled later this month when citizens can support or oppose the sale.
Ferry County
Curlew
Not only will there be some new students at Curlew High School next fall, but there also will be three new staff members. High school Principal Steve Tedrow, art teacher Patricia West and science teacher Gary Kaatz are retiring. A special recognition night is scheduled Thursday at 6 p.m. at the school. Everyone is encouraged to write letters to be included in memory books to be given each retiree.
Grant County
Moses Lake
Students are back in Lakeview Elementary School, which was vacant for eight weeks while the school district searched high and low for the culprit behind a noxious smell permeating the building. The district spent $75,000 to research the rotten egg odor’s origin and toxicity. Small amounts of hydrogen sulfide, commonly found in sewer gas, were discovered, but levels were well below being a health risk. The children went to school in the high school building while Lakeview was vacant.
Lincoln County
Odessa
The Super Snow Bird, a 1928 Ford Model A once used by Stanley Klima to deliver mail throughout the area, is on display at the Odessa Historisches Museum. The vehicle was fitted with track-layer wheels and front-wheel runners to ensure that the mail could be delivered even in the deepest snow. Klima used the Super Snow Bird for 35 years on Rural Route 2.
Pend Oreille County
Usk
Ponderay Newsprint Co. is hoping to purchase a $6 million boiler. The state-of-the-art equipment is needed to make steam, which dries the paper as it comes out of the paper machine. The boiler would use sludge from the settling ponds, decreasing the number of trucks hauling sludge and allowing Ponderay to stop spreading sludge on farmland as fertilizer. The project also would drop propane use significantly.
Spokane County
Spokane
Spokane Falls Community College’s last art gallery exhibit of the school year, “Systematic Process vs. Spontaneous Implosion,” features two- and three-dimensional works by graduating fine arts students. The show, at 3410 W. Fort George Wright Drive in Building 6, will run today through June 16. Gallery hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, and admission is free.
Stevens County
Kettle Falls
As the City Council mulls whether to eliminate the fifth police officer position, citizens have been going over the numbers. If the council drops the fifth officer, Kettle Falls no longer would have 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week police coverage. The town of 1,505 people logged 2,697 calls for help last year - an average of about 1.8 calls per citizen. Meanwhile, Colville averages 1.1 calls per citizen. Kettle Falls averages 539 calls per officer, while Colville averages 539.
Whitman County
Pullman
A Pullman barber has been invited for the second year in a row to represent the United States in the international power lifting competition to be held Oct. 17-22 near Prague, capital of the Czech Republic. Bud Bower, 57, a barber in downtown Pullman, will be the only person 50 years or older to represent the United States. Friends of Bower are contributing to a “More Power to Bower” campaign to help him pay expenses. “Bud will be 58 in July, and he’s still beating those younger guys who just turned 50,” said Glenn Johnson, who headed up the campaign last year.
IDAHO
Benewah County
St. Maries
Ruby Fawcett, 1999 homecoming queen at St. Maries High School, recently was named Idaho Homecoming Queen at the 20th annual competition in Salt Lake City. Fawcett will compete in the national contest in Anaheim, Calif., Aug. 1-6. Her parents are Doug Fawcett and Lisa and Clay Julian, all of St. Maries.
Bonner County
Priest River
The Priest River Chamber of Commerce will hold an auction at 3 p.m. July 1 to benefit the fireworks display. Donations are needed. The chamber also is planning the second annual Priest River on Main Street event, which will include a crafts fair, music and refreshments on July 1 and 2. For more information, call (208) 448-2721.
Boundary County
Bonners Ferry
Kootenai Valley Nile Club President Cleo Mae Moline has presented Maxine Alloway, queen of the Spokane temple, a check for $1,200 for the Convalescent Relief Fund for the Shriners Hospital for Children in Spokane.
Kootenai County
Coeur d’Alene
Coeur d’Alene Police Chief David Scates has been named winner of the Law Enforcement Silver Star Award by the Idaho Council on Domestic Violence. The award recognizes outstanding service by a law enforcement agency, office or individual in aiding victims of crime.
Latah County
Moscow
The new swimming pool at F Street and Mountain View Road has lots of features that youths will love but will make parents nervous. However, pool officials assure parents it’s a safe environment and at least 11 lifeguards will be on duty at all times, with up to 15 during peak use. The city Fire Department and emergency medical technicians have toured the facility and given staff members guidelines to follow in case of an emergency.
Shoshone County
Pinehurst
A Perfect Image Day Spa will open by June 15 at the Pinehurst/Kingston Country Club, according to owner Katie Waechter. The spa will include an exercise gym, a steam capsule, tanning beds and a children’s play area and also will offer massages and hand and foot paraffin dips.
MONTANA
Lincoln County
Libby
Stimson Lumber Co.’s Libby mill was shut down for the Memorial Day weekend, plus a few other days last week, because of an excess of inventory in the slow lumber market. The mill also will be closed for four days this week and another week around the Fourth of July, according to Don Wooten, Stimson’s general manager for the inland region.