The County Lines

WASHINGTON

Adams County

Benge

The Benge bridge project is taking more time and money than expected. County Engineer Steve Lijek recently told county commissioners that “unexpected conditions” have drawn out the project. An old river channel was found under the area after years of dirt had been blasted away. At a cost of $60,000, the county must construct an additional bridge support.

Ferry County

Curlew

The Curlew Cougarettes high school dance and drill team is celebrating its 30th year. The girls and their coaches, Sally Kaatz and Kerri Miller, will be going to the state dance and drill team conference this weekend, where they will be rated on their dance, enthusiasm and overall performance. It has been 11 years since the Cougarettes attended the state competition.

Grant County

Warden

Seminis Vegetable Seeds plans to more than double the size of its plant here, adding 23 jobs. The 110,000-square-foot plant will be expanded to 260,000 square feet by spring 2001. The California-based company is consolidating operations in other states, so workers in those areas will have first chance at jobs at the Warden plant. Local laborers will be recruited to fill any remaining openings.

Lincoln County

Reardan

Residents looking for the county-owned recycling bins near the school may be scratching their heads. The bins have been moved to the west side of BWB Mini-Storage on Lake Street. County recycling coordinator Maria Bircher says the county has only relocated the bins - nothing else has changed. Glass, aluminum cans, tin cans, plastic milk jugs and mixed paper are accepted. Cardboard is taken only at the Davenport site.

Pend Oreille County

Newport

The city still is looking into starting a drug dog program. The City Council has talked to officials from the Pend Oreille County and Bonner County sheriff’s departments, both of which have K-9 officers. Council members say they are not convinced of the need, but Police Chief Bill Clark says the escalating number of drug arrests and fleeing felons warrants the program. The city says donations would be used to pay for the program if it is approved.

Spokane County

Chattaroy

Sarah Davenport, daughter of Brian and Sandra Davenport of Chattaroy, has earned a pair of academic awards at Western Washington University in Bellingham. Davenport, Riverside High School salutatorian in 1998, was named to the President’s List and the WWU honor roll.

Stevens County

Colville

The city is attempting to meet federal and state requirements on wastewater. The City Council recently decided to move ahead with plans for a plant to aerate and treat sewer sludge. Several alternatives were explored before the council approved the treatment plant. Sewage now is treated in lagoons on the south side of town, and they often are beyond capacity.

Whitman County

Pullman

A hunter safety education class is scheduled to begin in Pullman on Monday. First-time hunters born after Jan. 1, 1972, are required to pass a safety certification course before they can purchase a Washington hunting license. The class will meet at the Whelan Grange Hall, one mile north of Pullman on the Palouse Highway, from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for two weeks. A field test in firearms handling is planned on March 25, and the final written exam will be given March 31. Class fee is $5. To enroll, please arrive 15 minutes early for the first class on Monday. Parents should attend with children younger than 14. For more information, contact volunteer instructor Joe Ford at (509) 334-7665.

IDAHO

Benewah County

St.Maries

The U.S. Census Bureau has opened a questionnaire assistance center to help residents fill out their census forms at Community Presbyterian Church, 1100 College Ave. It will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays through April 14.

Bonner County

Sandpoint

Mythweaver Inc. recently received $3,500 from the Idaho Humanities Council. The funds will be used to help Mythweaver discover and share Salish Indian traditions, including historic and spiritual connections to the land and water, in the Lake Pend Oreille area.

Boundary County

Bonners Ferry

A new license plate promoting Idaho youths and youth programs is available at the Boundary County Courthouse and at all other auto-licensing offices statewide. “Celebrate IDAHO Youth” and “America’s Promise” are on the plate, which is red, white and blue and features a boy waving and a girl standing next to a red wagon on a grassy mound. The plate costs $35 the first year, and the renewal fee will be $25. Ten dollars of the fee will go to the sheriffs’ youth fund for early prevention programs for at-risk youths.

Kootenai County

Worley

The general construction contract for the Worley senior center and new City Hall recently was awarded to PBI Construction Inc. of Spokane, according to Gayle Dyer, co-project coordinator and city clerk. Construction is expected to begin later this month or in early April, and completion is planned in 100 days, according to Joe Hensley, project architect at Phoenix International, also of Spokane.

Latah County

Moscow

County commissioners have voted to discontinue spending tax dollars for drinking water for county employees. In the wake of that decision, Latah County Prosecuting Attorney Bill Thompson decided to furnish drinking water for his staff at his own expense. Thompson said he would prefer that the board reverse its decision, but he said he sees no sense in “beating a dead horse” and decided to pay approximately $30 a month for the water.

Shoshone County

Wallace

School district trustees recently decided to begin a search to replace Superintendent Nancy Vandeventer. They also will begin looking soon for replacements for Wallace High School Principal Ron McCracken and Silver Hills Middle School Principal John Cuthbert. A request by Dick Lilienkamp to hire an additional varsity football coach was set aside until budget and levy requests are addressed later this spring.

MONTANA

Lincoln County

Libby/Troy

The Area VI Agency on Aging is sponsoring a foster grandparent program, under which people age 60 and older and living on fixed incomes may supplement their income by serving as mentors, tutors and caregivers for children and youths with a wide variety of special needs. Participants will serve 20 hours per week and will receive $204 every month, a daily hot lunch, transportation or mileage reimbursement, a free yearly physical, supplemental insurance and monthly training. To join in the Libby and Troy areas, call (800) 551-3191 toll-free.