The County Lines

WASHINGTON

Adams County

Othello

Local sugar beet grower Paul Stoker is among those giving Pacific Northwest Sugar Co. the benefit of the doubt. Although its first two refining seasons have been full of glitches, Stoker says he’s in it for the long haul. “It’s a difficult and frustrating story, but it’s not disastrously bleak,” he says, noting things run more smoothly each year. If the company survives a 50-year dream of a stable sugar beet market in the basin could be realized.

Ferry County

Republic

Ferry County is $50,000 on its way to a Kettle River watershed plan. Sen. Bob Morton, R-Orient, helped the county secure the grant from the state Department of Ecology. The Kettle River watershed is located in mostly Ferry County, though Okanogan and Stevens counties are also spanned. The grant will help set up a governing board to start the planning process to keep the watershed free from contamination.

Lincoln County

Wilbur

Last week volunteer firefighters were called out on three blazes. The first torched the pump house at the Butch Rux farm south of town. A loose piece of metal roofing wearing on an electrical wire was blamed for the blaze. Next, the roof of Daniel Odenreider’s house caught on fire - likely an electrical problem as well. Finally, a controlled burn on Ron Rosman’s land south of town, crossed a fence and charred an electrical pole.

Pend Oreille County

Newport

Gary Driver says the Pend Oreille Conservation District has an image problem. “The stigma of the POCD being for farmers only is alive and well,” he said in his resignation letter from the board. Driver has been a proponent of building a destination resort proposed by Diamond Pine Co. The board recently voted to pull support of the feasibility study for that project. As a farmer and real estate man, Driver gave the board a different perspective, which board chair Jim Carney said will be missed.

Spokane County

Liberty Lake

Liberty Lake 2000, the group behind the effort to form a new city in the Spokane Valley suburban community, will host a community forum on incorporation Tuesday. The meeting, which begins at 7 p.m., will take place in the Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District building at 22510 E. Mission. Proponents will explain their proposal and answer questions. Residents will vote on the matter on Nov. 7.

Stevens County

Kettle Falls

Hoping to lend more of a citizen’s voice to police matters, the city has formed a six-member police committee. Job one for the committee is to devise a new pay scale for officers. The city hopes that by cutting the force to four officers from five, the paychecks of the remaining officers can be boosted.

Whitman County

Colfax

Someone returned a missing traffic counter to the county public works department last week. An anonymous caller offered to return the $1,000 gadget and agreed with the county department to leave the device in the back of a county truck. Three counters have disappeared since mid-summer.

IDAHO

Benewah County

St. Maries

A Timber Plus informational meeting about the St. Maries revitalization project will be held at 7 p.m. on Nov. 1 in the new multipurpose gymnasium at the middle school. Digital photos of the route being considered for revitalization will be shown and used in selecting lighting and sidewalk details.

Bonner County

Sandpoint

Valley Visa Care Center, 220 S. Division St., will have a free community barbecue during its grand opening, set for 4:30 to 7 p.m. on Friday. The nonprofit center added a wing of private rooms, a therapy gym with a pool and a special-care unit for individuals with brain injuries. Everyone is welcome to tour the center and enjoy the barbecue.

Boundary County

Bonners Ferry

Childbirth preparation classes are offered at Seven Oaks Center at 6:30 p.m. Monday evenings. A new series of classes begin every other month. Relaxation, breathing, stages of labor and birth, care of the newborn and breastfeeding are covered. Registration is $50, call (208) 267-5332.

Kootenai County

Coeur d’Alene

The Coeur d’Alene Chamber of Commerce’s legislative committee will host a state and local forum in conjunction with the Association of Realtors. Candidates for the Legislature and county commissioner in districts 2, 3, and 4 will be featured from 6 to 9 p.m. on Oct. 26 at the City Council chambers, 710 Mullan.

Latah County

Moscow

Poet Billy Collins will read some of his work at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the University of Idaho Law School courtroom. Collin’s most recent book “Picnic, Lightning” sold over 30,000 copies in its first year. He also produced a CD of his poems, called “The Best Cigarette.” The public reading is free.

Shoshone County

Kellogg

Parents of home-schoolers who wish to have their children participate in statewide achievement testing should call Kellogg High School counselor Bob Griggs, at (208) 784-1371. The test will begin today and will be conducted at Canyon, Pinehurst and Sunnyside elementary schools along with Kellogg Middle School.