The County Lines
WASHINGTON
Adams County
Ritzville
The SmileMobile, a rolling dental clinic for low-income kids, is parked in Ritzville through Friday. It is sponsored by the Washington Dental Service and has been traveling the state for six years. Local dentists and assistants donate their time in each community. Last year, 70 kids were treated here. For an appointment, call (509) 659-3316.
Ferry County
Curlew
State B basketball Player of the Year Jeremy Groth has signed a letter of intent to play for Big Bend Community College in Moses Lake. Groth, who averaged 33 points per game for the Cougars, tallied 2,447 points in his four-year starting position. This makes him the state’s all-time leading scorer.
Grant County
Moses Lake
The state bar association is investigating local public defender Guillermo Romero. Local attorney Luke McKean has accused Romero of asking clients for drugs and money in exchange for his legal services. Romero says the charges are ludicrous. McKean contends one of his clients, previously represented by Romero, was asked for money and/or drugs. Public defenders are paid by the government, not the client.
Lincoln County
Odessa
The 19 students of the OHS class of 2000 brought in $167,682 in scholarships. Most will be heading to universities or trade colleges, with a handful going straight to work or the armed forces. Twenty-nine grads in neighboring Davenport brought in $203,000 in scholarships, while Reardan students earned 23 scholarships, with no dollar amount disclosed.
Pend Oreille County
Sullivan Lake
The annual Kids’ Fishing Festival at Big Meadow Lake is Saturday. Kids 14 and younger are invited to attend. Casting gets under way at 8 a.m. Big Meadow Lake is eight miles west of Ione on a graveled road. For information, call (509) 446-7500.
Spokane County
Spokane
The Emerson-Garfield Steering Committee and Neighborhood Council will meet at 6 tonight at the Corbin Senior Center, 827 W. Cleveland. The council and steering committee has a vacancy for chairperson. Anyone interested should contact the committee and council at emergar@runway.net.
Stevens County
Chewelah
Police say at least five buildings have been marked with “gang-style” graffiti. Police are working their leads, but need help. Folks are asked for any information and to watch for people hanging around, cruising or parked in unlikely locations.
Whitman County
Pullman
“True Blues,” a new weekly three-hour blues program, premieres at 7 p.m. July 1 on Northwest Public Radio’s NPR and Classical Music network. “True Blues” originated on affiliate station KZAZ-FM in Bellingham in October 1999. Ron Gordon, a longtime blues enthusiast and guitarist, hosts the show, which will feature a wide variety of blues.
IDAHO
Benewah County
St. Maries
A cougar has been sighted in the evenings here several times since the beginning of June. Three consecutive days a cougar was seen at the 1640 Washington Ave. apartments. The Idaho Fish and Game Department requests anyone who sees the cat to immediately notify them and to keep children, pets and pet food inside in the evenings.
Bonner County
Priest River
At a recent meeting the city council approved the hiring of Yvonne Doolittle as city treasurer. She was originally hired on a temporary basis following the resignation of Mitze Thompson.
Boundary County
Bonners Ferry
Jason Rigney is the new owner of the Pizza Factory on South Main St. Rigney, a former police officer, has lived in Naples for 10 years. He plans to give a free small pizza and a pop to any student who reads 20 books.
Kootenai County
Coeur d’Alene
Local chainsaw artists Scott Campbell and Jerry Bebee have turned pine stumps in the Coeur d’Alene Park into an eagle, a bear and a family of raccoons. A dedication ceremony “Coeur d’Arbor Art” will be at 11 a.m. Saturday in the park. The celebration will also include a scavenger hunt, lunch, live entertainment, chainsaw carving demonstrations and an exhibition of logging equipment.
Latah County
Moscow
Moscow High School seniors raised about $1,600 to memorialize four of their classmates, Fred Woolf, Brent Reynolds, Kelly McAleer and Katie Button, who died last year. The money was used to buy four flaming maple trees, memorial plaques and flowers. The trees were planted recently along a pathway being developed as part of the city park system and a memorial service was held.
Shoshone County
Kellogg
The Shoshone County Fire Prevention Cooperative presented the annual fire prevention program at area Silver Valley elementary schools. As part of the program about 250 children wrote safety public-service announcements for radio. Winners from Osburn Elementary are Katie Jenkins, Brittini Haak, Molly McGee, Emily Vester, Kayla Brown, Ashley Longley and Jordan Garitone. Winners from Sunnyside Elementary are Nick Frisbie, LeeAnn Fink, Katherine Kilbourne and Donovan Newell. Winners from Pinehurst Elementary are Kiara Loyd-Thomas, Jonny Bywaters and Dustin Jerome. Their messages will be heard on KWAL this summer.
MONTANA
Lincoln County
Libby
The city police commission recommends the City Council approve a request from Police Chief Clay Coker for a one-year leave of absence to participate in a United Nations project to train police in Kosovo.