The County Lines

Sun., March 26, 2000

WASHINGTON

Adams County

Ritzville

JoAnna Schaeffer, 17, was chosen as Ritzville’s Junior Miss at a recent pageant. Runners-up were Amber Shaffer and Amber Rediger. The three will play official hostesses at community events and will travel the region this spring and summer promoting Ritzville.

Ferry County

Republic

The RHS math team won the team project event at the recent Regional Washington State Mathematics contest. The Tigers represented the only B school at the competition and won against all school classifications. This is the third year in a row the RHS team has dominated this event. Their project was a simulation of investing, including four-year projections on various risk-level securities, and choosing a charity to give their profits to.

Grant County

Moses Lake

Titan, the world’s fourth-largest Web-hosting provider, is moving it’s data storage and communications center to the basin. Although voice mail is not available, Micron says there’s enough technology for it to use the Titan building, constructed in the 1950s and engineered to withstand a 10-megaton nuclear blast from a quarter-mile distance. The company says the building on the former Larson Air Force Base is the safest site they found to keep secure information for customers.

Lincoln County

Davenport

Although Ryan Janke participates in traditional local athletics, his heart is in ice hockey. Janke travels from this small, farming community to Spokane several days a week to practice with his Tier II hockey team. For seven years Janke has followed this practice schedule, and traveled for tournaments throughout the Western states and Canada. Janke’s Warhorses team recently won the state championship in Spokane.

Pend Oreille County

Usk

Sheriff’s deputies raided another meth lab recently. Joined by State Patrol, Newport Police and Fish and Wildlife officers, authorities raided a home on Conklin Meadow Road. Darin Bigness, 34, was arrested and charged with manufacturing methamphetamine. Kraig Akre, 38, was charged with possession of marijuana.

Spokane

Joanne Moyer, one of Spokane’s leading historic preservationists, has been selected president of the Spokane Preservation Advocates. Lori Nicol Bingham was named vice president and Dave Shockley is treasurer.

Stevens County

Kettle Falls

Absentee ballots appear to have tipped the scale against the Kettle Falls School levy. Although about 100 absentee ballots have yet to be tallied, school offical say it’s unlikely the levy will pass.

Whitman County

Pullman

Bob Smawley, a Pullman native who has spent almost his entire professional career at Washington State University, received the WSU Alumni Achievement Award on Friday at the Alumni Association’s Board of Directors luncheon. He was recognized for “unequalled loyalty, enthusiasm and dedication to WSU and the alumni association.” Smawley, a Pullman and WSU historian, has served on dozens of WSU and community committees over the years and mentored and advised students.

IDAHO

Benewah County

St. Maries

Randie Boller’s railroad memorabilia, along with railroad videos, conductor watches and hats, and miniature locomotives mounted on railroad spikes, will be displayed through the end of this month at the St. Maries Public Library.

Bonner County

Sandpoint

The Public Works Department’s Road and Bridge division has started faxing copies of special hauling permits to county commissioners, dispatchers and the sheriff’s department to help officers identify which haulers should be stopped and ticketed.

Boundary County

Bonners Ferry

The Boundary County Farm Bureau Women will donate farm products and gifts to parents of the first baby born on or after National Agriculture Day (March 20). The day is celebrated to raise public awareness of the agriculture industry’s contributions to the country. For more information, call (208) 267-5502.

Kootenai County

Athol

A snowmobile ride in memory of Robert Armbrust is today at Roman Nose Mountain, where Armbrust was caught and killed in an avalanche while snowmobiling. Interested snowmobilers should meet at 9 a.m. at the Texaco in Athol. A memorial plaque will be dedicated at the accident site. Contributions may be made to the Robert Armbrust Memorial Fund at any Mountain West Bank branch. For more information, call 664-4612 or 687-1489.

Latah County

Troy

The high school will remain open through the June, but the building’s long-term fate is undecided. Idaho Deputy Attorney General Michael Gilmore said he may submit a written request that would force the district to vacate the 1905 school by fall. Gilmore is concerned about unsafe electrical conditions in the school’s kitchen, unsafe fire escapes, inadequate locker rooms and dead-end corridors.

Shoshone County

Smelterville

The City Council is looking for a replacement for council member Ilya Kline, who resigned recently after announcing plans to move outside city limits. Mayor Tom Benson encourages residents who are registered voters and interested in applying to stop by City Hall or call (208) 769-3351.

MONTANA

Lincoln County

Libby

Students will earn a high school letter, or a pin if they already have a letter, for achieving a 3.5 grade-point average or higher for three straight semesters, according to a new school policy. The policy awards academic achievers the same letters that are given to athletes.

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