The County Lines

WASHINGTON

Adams County Othello

Adams County Fire District No. 5 has champagne taste and a beer budget when it comes to trucks. The district recently bought a $100,000 firetruck for a mere $48,000.

Fire Chief Clyde Fought has spent the majority of his life as a mechanic. He purchased the truck and did all the mechanical work himself. His elbow grease saved the taxpayers from voting on a special bond to purchase new trucks.

Ferry County Republic

Two Republic High School students made it through the entire school year without so much as being late for class. Juniors Jeremiah Adams and Robert Spofford had perfect, even spotless, attendance for the school year. The boys earned gift certificates from Sportsmen Roast and Showhouse Videos. All are eager to see if they can repeat the feat their senior year.

Grant County Moses Lake

The Department of Ecology says Rocky Ford Creek is a hazard to Moses Lake. The creek dumps between 22 and 28 percent of the total load of phosphorus and the bulk of nitrogen into Moses Lake.

A 1998 Ecology Department study found the creek violates dissolved oxygen and hydrogen levels. Officials met with area residents last week to look at options, one of them being complete cleanup.

Lincoln County Wilbur

The city has washed its hands of delinquent homeowners. The city council has decided it will not waste taxpayer money to clean up junky residential lots.

In the past, when properties got out of hand with weeds and junk, the city asked the residents to clean it up. If they didn’t comply, the city cleaned up the property and filed a lien to recover the cost. Because most situations involved a bankruptcy, the city rarely recouped costs, thus the decision to change the policy on land-use complaints.

Pend Oreille County Ione

Third-grade teacher Kathy Milliren didn’t think she was special. But with the help of several glowing letters and a heavy wooden plaque, she now knows she’s the Selkirk School District’s first-ever Educator of the Year.

Milliren was nominated by several students, parents and fellow educators, who praised her for her efforts to learn through activity. She also finds a way to get every parent to help in the classroom at least once a year to bridge the gap between school and home.

Spokane County Spokane

The Spokane County Bar Association recently adopted a new procedure for evaluating judicial candidates in contested elections. The traditional bar poll will continue, but an 11-member panel will now evaluate candidates and issue ratings based on those set by the American Bar Association.

Stevens County Northport

Kids and parents will have plenty to keep them busy all summer here as the Northport Family Center has opened its doors.

Located in the school building, the center will feature activities such as art, music, dance, drama, hiking, sports camps, field trips and fishing.

Local parents will share their interests with the kids, as well as their time. The program, or an offshoot, may run through the school year.

Whitman County Pullman

Pullman Transit will offer free bus service to Sunnyside Park during the Fourth of July celebration. Service will be provided on the north side of Pullman by the A-Route and on the south side of Pullman by the D-Route. Two buses will run on each route providing 15-minute service to each stop. Service starts at 4:20 p.m., with the last buses leaving at 9:05 p.m. For more information, contact Pullman Transit at (509) 332-6535.

IDAHO

Benewah County St. Maries

Cherry Bend Boat Park bathrooms recently received some improvements. Volunteers George Pfeiffer and Al Townsend installed new stalls, sinks and hand dryers. Potlatch Corp. donated the lumber for the project and the Benewah County waterways committee sponsored it. Other improvements planned for the park include construction of a fire pit and sidewalks. The St. Joe River Boat Club donated $2,000 toward the improvements.

Bonner County Sandpoint

The Bonner County 4-H Dog leaders will hold a Dog Fun Match for 4-H members, nonmembers, youth and adults July 8 at the Bonner County Fairgrounds. Registration forms are available at the Bonner County Extension Office, local pet shops and veterinary offices and must be in by July 5. Proceeds will benefit the 4-H Dog program. For details, call (208) 263-8511.

Boundary County Bonners Ferry

With the threat of Y2K problems, many homeowners bought generators as a backup power source. The Bonners Ferry utility department is encouraging generator owners to check them for a transfer switch and to have a qualified electrician connect it to their home if they haven’t already. If improperly installed, a generator may back-feed voltage into lines and seriously injure or kill crew members.

Kootenai County Post Falls

The Herborn Big Band will perform in Post Falls, the sister city of Herborn, Germany. The band will give a free performance Aug. 3 at 7 p.m., directly after the dedication of the new pavilion at Q’emlin River Park at 6:30 p.m. This will be the only concert the band will perform in the Northwest. Host families are needed Aug. 1 through Aug. 4 for the 42 people traveling from Herborn. Host families mainly need to offer sleeping quarters, provide rides to and from Cavanaugh’s Templin’s Resort and provide a meal here and there. To host a band member call Debra or Kit at Post Falls City Hall at (208) 773-3511.

Latah County Potlatch

The new principal at Potlatch High School, Ron Withers, will begin his duties Aug. 17. Withers has been a foreign language and speech teacher at Wendell school for the last seven years. He’ll replace Bob Richards, who became the district’s athletic director.

Shoshone County Kellogg

A Legal Aid Service lawyer will be in Kellogg July 10 to meet with lowincome Shoshone residents who have legal problems or questions. The legal service provides free help with the following problems or government service: welfare (TAFI), food stamps, Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security and county assistance, tenant problems with landlords, foreclosure of subsidized mortgages, and problems with utility companies and creditors. To make an appointment, call the Food Bank at (208) 783-4901.

MONTANA Lincoln County Libby

The Knights of Columbus and the Libby Chamber of Commerce recently awarded plaques and provided a dinner to members of volunteer organizations. Chief Tom Wood of the Libby Volunteer Fire Department, Penny Kyes of the Libby Volunteer Ambulance and Rod Brossman of the David Thompson Search and Rescue received the plaques for their organizations.