The County Lines

Tue., Oct. 17, 2000

WASHINGTON

Adams County

Othello

A recent survey showed 20 percent of 10th- and 12th-graders had used cocaine or crack, and 4 percent of those used the drugs in the month prior to the survey. School Superintendent George Juarez says the survey is of great concern to him. The school qualifies for several grants to fight drug abuse and, along with community groups, has fought long and hard against drugs.

Ferry County

Republic

Local law enforcement is issuing a warning about drugs stolen from the All Creatures Veterinary Clinic recently. Over 30 vials of Ketamine, an animal sedative, were stolen. Police Chief Nick Merritt fears the drug could be used as a date rape drug. All are urged to use extra caution at parties or on dates, and anyone with information as to the drug’s whereabouts should call the RPD at (509)775-2812.

Grant County

Ephrata

Hulkomania is sweeping Grant County. The county Sheriff’s Department and Building Department teamed up to get rid of 513 junk cars from the county landscape. The original goal for the hulk vehicle removal project was 100 cars. The county offered free disposal to anyone who could get their car to the crushing site. It took over four days to crush all the vehicles, which were loaded on semi-trucks and shipped to Tacoma to be shredded.

Lincoln County

Wilbur

Kids at the local school district have 10 new computers at their disposal. The computers were donated by Farm Credit Services. Superintendent Marcia Moon gave the company a call after she learned it had a program to donate used computers whenever an old one was replaced. The 10 computers are stripped of programming and ready for the school district to format however it sees fit.

Pend Oreille County

Newport

The Pend Oreille Valley Habitat for Humanity chapter recently discovered it has more money than it thought. The charity helps needy families build affordable and safe housing. Four building lots have just been cleared and are ready for homes. Habitat is looking for qualified families to build for.

Stevens County

Colville

The Colville School Board has finally filled the position vacated by Kate Szurek earlier this year. Doug Wollan was chosen for the position after a 12-question interview process. Questions required insight and opinion on interpersonal dynamics and relationships, communication, ethics, goals and board involvement in schools. Wollan will be sworn in at the next meeting. He will be up for election in fall of 2001.

IDAHO

Benewah County

Plummer

Lakeside Middle School was selected, along with two other Idaho schools, to test educational material from Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory. The school will work with the laboratory to improve classroom assessment, school structure, family and community participation, instruction and student literacy. A total of 15 Northwest schools will be chosen to participate in the laboratory program.

Bonner County

Priest River

A Priest River library district will be on the Nov. 7 ballot. If the proposal passes a library tax will be charged to residents living within the district. As it stands now, the library is supported by the the cities general fund and anyone living outside city limits pays a $20 yearly fee, according to a release from the library. A public forum will be held to discuss the proposal at 6:30 tonight at the junior high school library by the Parent Teacher Student Association.

Boundary County

Bonners Ferry

The Boundary County School District trustee meeting set for Oct. 24 has been reset for 6:30 p.m. Oct. 30 at the high school library.

Kootenai County

Coeur d’Alene

A history program on Mullan Trail and Chief Andrew Seltice will be presented by local historian Kimberly Rice Brown at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Coeur d’Alene Public Library. The program is the second in a series to be presented every Thursday through Nov. 2 by the library.

Latah County

Moscow

Denise Davis is the First Steps volunteer of the month at Gritman Medical Center. In July, Davis joined the organization dedicated to helping new mothers and coordinates weekend visits by volunteers. She will soon be training new volunteers also.

Shoshone County

Kellogg

Silver Valley’s unemployment rate dropped from 9.5 percent in August to 8.9 percent in September, according to the Idaho Department of Labor. The rate is down from 1999’s September rate of 10.1 percent. Idaho’s overall rate was 4.6 percent and the national unemployment rate was 3.9 percent.

MONTANA

Lincoln County

Libby

Tiger muskies and a proposed ban on alternative-livestock farms in Montana will be discussed at the Libby Rod and Gun Club meeting set for 7 p.m. tonight at the First National Bank community room. The muskies, a non-native fish in Horseshoe Lake, have been known to bite people. For more information, call (406) 293-7205.

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