The County Lines

Tue., March 14, 2000

WASHINGTON

Adams County Othello

Since the recent defeat of a proposed tax levy, the local school board has held a parents meeting to discuss when and for what amount the district should try again. Meanwhile, it is preparing for possible cuts in programs and extracurricular activities.

Ferry County Republic

There are only three days left to donate to a school book drive. The parents and staff who deal with kids needing a little more attention on reading skills have been asking the community for new and used reading materials. Books should be aimed at the kindergarten through sixth grade age levels. Not only will they be used in the classroom, but kids will take them home to practice reading skills.

Lincoln County Odessa

Although farm prices have been in the cellar for the past few years, the Grange Company of Odessa seems to be weathering the storm. The co-op has just over $1 million in working capital with a net margin of $362,721 on total sales of just over $6 million in 1999. In general, sales were up with net profit slightly lower than 1998.

Pend Oreille County Newport

County law enforcement and the judicial system are sending a clear message that manufacture and sale of methamphetamine are not to be tolerated. Last week Tracy Pirello was sentenced to 42 months in prison for operation of a meth lab on some Turner Road property.

Spokane County Airway Heights

Spokane County Sheriff Mark Sterk is scheduled to speak Wednesday at the Fire District 10 station on South Garfield. The public meeting, from 7 to 9 p.m., is one of a series Sterk is holding for citizens to talk with and ask questions of the sheriff.

Stevens County Colville

Colville schools are asking voters for a $984,000 maintenance and operations levy today. Both maintenance and operations levy proposals failed last year.

Whitman County Pullman

Registration for the spring storytime series “One to Grow On” at Neill Public Library is now open. Pre-school storytime, for 3-5-yearolds, will be on Wednesdays, March 22-April 26, at 10:30 a.m. This half-hour includes favorite classics and contemporary picture book stories and related activities. Toddler time for 3-year-olds and under, accompanied by a caregiver, will be Thursdays, March 23-April 27 at 10:30 a.m. This session includes stories, puppets, finger plays and rhymes. For more information or to pre-register, contact Neill Public Library or call Youth Services at (509) 334-4555, ext. 258 or send e-mail to youthser@neill-lib.org.

IDAHO

Benewah County St. Maries

More than a dozen cases of respiratory syncytial virus have required hospitalization in the last two months at Benewah Community Hospital. Last year only four cases of RSV required hospitalization. Many more cases have been identified but were treated at home. The virus mainly infects babies and small children and can lead to bronchitis and pneumonia.

Bonner County Priest River

The second annual Chamber May Bargain Day will be held May 6. Merchants will hold sidewalk sales, residents will have yard and garage sales and the Lioness Club will hold its spring craft fair. Residents can have their yard sales shown on a map for $2. Call Jen at the Chamber of Commerce office at (208) 448-2721.

Boundary County Bonners Ferry

Craig and Destiny Mesenbrink recently purchased the Rex Theatre from Lew and Jean Mace. The Maces will help run the theater until mid-summer. W.L. Casey built the theater in 1923 and sold it to Elmer and Miriam Afseth in 1956. The Afseths sold it to the Maces in 1963.

Kootenai County Coeur d’Alene

The U.S. Senate recently declared March 12-18 as National Safe Place Week. The designation is meant to enlighten the public about the Safe Place program in which businesses and community buildings are identified as safe places for children and youth to go when they feel threatened. The sites have Safe Place logos on the front and volunteers will provide transportation and/or shelter if needed. Coeur d’Alene’s program began last May and has 47 businesses that serve as Safe Place sites.

Latah County Moscow

The U.S. Department of Commerce Bureau of the Census has opened questionnaire assistance centers to help residents fill out their questionnaires. Here are the locations and times in Latah County: Bovill City Hall, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesdays; Palouse Mall in Moscow, 3 to 8 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays; and Potlatch City Hall, 1 to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Shoshone County Pinehurst

A 6-foot half-pipe was recently added to the Pinehurst Skateboard Park. A skateboard competition will be held as part of Pinehurst Day in June. An ordinance requiring helmets when using the half-pipe was passed by the City Council, according to Police Chief Brad Kitchen. Kitchen is working with a local business to provide low-cost helmets to skateboarders.

MONTANA

Lincoln County Libby

The City Council recently appointed Ken Sorensen to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Councilman Ed Baker. Sorensen is the owner of Kootenai Transfer and Storage, has taught industrial arts and auto mechanics at Libby High School and is a member of the Rotary Club, the Chamber of Commerce, the YMCA board and the Libby Parks District board.

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