The County Lines

Tue., Nov. 28, 2000

WASHINGTON

Adams County Ritzville

The county Public Works Department says the road department should focus on keeping roads passable this winter. Todd O’Brien says county parking lots, especially the one for the new recycling center in Othello, should be plowed by a local company, not the county. He feels the smaller equipment is more compatible to the job. The lot is shared with a movie theater and needs plowing even on weekends. The county will be seeking bids.

Ferry County Republic

Unemployment in the county is up from 1999. October statistics from the Employment Security Department show 230 of an insured workforce of 2,479 people were seeking benefits in October 2000. This is a jobless rate of 9.4 percent. In October 1999, the rate was 8 percent.

Grant County Ephrata

The local food bank needs a new home. The number of people using the charity has skyrocketed, and the food bank has outgrown its quarters in the basement of the city’s ERC building. Supporters hope to raise $70,000 to build a larger facility with adequate refrigeration and freezer space all on one level. Clients and donors have access problems with the cramped basement location.

Lincoln County Wilbur

City Hall is not the best place to call with cable TV complaints. City clerk Carla Shirley told the City Council of several reception and outage calls received as of late. Shirley called the contracted carrier, USA Cable, to tell of the outages, and was told the company had received few complaints and those were promptly fixed. The city feels people should call the cable company first and has publicized the number in the local paper and on utility bills. All are encouraged to call the city after contacting the cable company so the city can keep a backup record.

Pend Oreille County Newport

Police Chief Bill Clark says that due to rising jail costs and dispatch fees, his department will need an additional $50,000 to operate in 2001. Clark says home monitoring may ease some of the jail costs, if inmates qualify. Daily county jail rates have gone up from $40 to $45, and a $25 flat booking fee has been added.

Stevens County Springdale

The Camas Valley Grange has had to ban Santa because it’s afraid for his safety. The floor joists under the great hall need to be replaced and, until work is done, the grange is limiting use. Santa will instead appear at Geronimo’s Food & Spirits in Springdale on Dec. 9.

Whitman County Colfax

The fire that damaged the fire station here this summer also destroyed the station’s inventory of toys used in the annual Christmas Toy Box drive. The firefighters are asking for new community donations for the holidays. The toys are distributed at the Department of Social and Health Services building on Main Street in Colfax.

IDAHO

Benewah County St. Maries

The City Council has given Potlatch Sawmill permission to dump 50 gallons of waste water into the city sewer system every day. Waste water samples sent to the Department of Environmental Quality showed the water would not harm the system. The mill has been dumping the water on the ground but, upon final approval by the Environmental Protection Agency, the water will be redirected into the sewer.

Bonner County Sandpoint

The county Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a hearing at 6:45 p.m. Dec. 7 at the courthouse to discuss a permit for a 160-foot cell phone tower proposed by Phillip and Texana Keyser and AT&T. The tower would be 1.5 miles east of the city of Priest River on the north side of U.S. Highway 2.

Boundary County Bonners Ferry

School closures due to winter conditions will be announced on radio stations KBFI (1450 AM), KPBX (91.9 FM), KPND (95.3 FM), KDRK (94 FM), and on TV stations KREM (channel 2), KHQ (6) and KXLY (4). Call the school at (208) 267-8934 for more information.

Kootenai County Coeur d’Alene

The county commissioners will hold a public hearing at 6 p.m. Wednesday to discuss a subdivision proposed by Edgewood L.L.C. It would create 40 lots on about 97 acres in the Hauser Lake Village Zone, just north of Hauser. Call (208) 666-8268.

Latah County Moscow

Junior high students collected about 1,500 pounds of food during the fourth annual Thanksgiving food drive. The school usually collects between 1,100 and 1,200 pounds. Susan Hodgin’s firstperiod class collected the most food and will receive a light brunch as a reward.

Shoshone County Kellogg

The Victorian Dickens Festival on Dec. 8-9 includes Queen Victoria’s Royal Feast, hot wassail, roasted chestnuts, a high tea with four courses, a candlelight character parade and town caroling. Call (208) 784-0821.

MONTANA

Lincoln County Libby

Stinson Lumber Co. donated materials and labor to install two horseshoe pits at the J. Neils County Memorial Park. The labor was done by Vince Parker and Glen Doubek. The company plans to use the pits during its annual employee picnic.

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