The County Lines

WASHINGTON

Adams County

Ritzville

The city is eager to complete its water comprehensive plan. To complete the task quickly, the town has hired Balfour consulting Inc. of Portland to help complete the model of the hydraulic system. Once this is done, the town can get the plans to the Department of Health for approval. The plan includes evaluating the current system and needs, looking at flow velocity, and finding deficiencies.

Ferry County

Republic

A host of local women received medical attention recently, thanks to the women’s health services coach from Sacred Heart Medical Center and Inland Imaging. The coach was the guest of Ferry County Memorial Hospital last week. Local women received mammograms. Women participating did not need doctor referrals for insurance for the checkups, which in some cases were free if the patient could not pay.

Grant County

Royal City

Jenks Brothers Orchards took first and second place in the local largest apple contest. Both top apples were of the Sakaichi variety. The winner weighed in at 2 pounds, 2.1 ounces, while the second-place apple tipped the scale at 2 pounds, 1.9 ounces. Chris Kersey of Able Building Supply entered his 7-pound “Texas Gala” apple, but the judges found the fruit to be, well … fruitless. The fraud was spotted right away, though Kersey did get his picture in the local newspaper for trying.

Lincoln County

Harrington

The school board is putting its money where its mouth is. The Harrington board members put up $5,000 from their own pockets for a local learning improvement grant. Each year, teachers can apply for the money to improve student learning. Already, teachers Niels Peterson and Kathy Countryman have made a presentation asking for funds to establish a writing program for all grades.

Pend Oreille County

Pend Oreille County Superior Court will now have a digital recording system. The county commissioners agreed to spend the money on a digital system instead of paying a court reporter $250 per day. The decision was made under a certain amount of duress. Superior Court judges threatened to invoke their judicial powers to hire a reporter as a protest against the ailing analog recording system formerly in use.

Whitman County

Colfax

The county may have to wait to hire a county extension agent now that John Burns has left for a job at Washington State University. Michael Tate, director of WSU’s Cooperative Extension program, said there isn’t enough money in the budget to fund the position.

IDAHO

Benewah County

St. Maries

St. Maries residents Sam and Diana Badgett and their Belgian horses won several awards at the North Idaho Draft Horse Show held in Sandpoint recently. About 50 teams participated. They took first in Four Abreast and Four Up competition, third in Heavy Draft and fourth in Ladies Cart, Unicorn, Tandem and Six Up classes.

Bonner County

Sandpoint

The Planning and Zoning Commission will hold public hearings on several issues starting at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 2 in Bonner County Courthouse room four. Floyd McGhee is requesting a permit to operate an animal clinic. Douglas and Lorraine Evans want to keep a deck, overhangs, a walkway and a stairway on their boathouse. And Fred and Ron Harris are asking to keep their boat house in its current location.

Boundary County

Bonners Ferry

The school board agreed Oct. 10 to supply the $1,795 needed to take the boys soccer team to the state finals. The finals are today through Saturday in Buhl. The team is the only A-2 soccer team in Region One.

Kootenai County

Coeur d’Alene

A candlelight vigil will be held at 5:30 p.m. Friday at Independence Point in recognition of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The vigil will honor victims, both living and dead. Pastor Mike Bullard of the First Presbyterian Church will lead with a prayer, followed by community members and law enforcement officials remembering victims and discussing the issue. The vigil is presented by the Women’s Center.

Latah County

Troy

Fred Loaiza was done hunting elk for the day near Spring Valley Reservoir when he turned to leave and spotted a 134-pound mountain lion staring at him from 30 feet away. Loaiza said he didn’t think twice before shooting the lion. He sold parts of the lion and is keeping the skull.

Shoshone County

Osburn

The 19th annual Silver Valley Arts and Crafts Fall Fair is set for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 18 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 19 at Silver Hills Middle School. Booths are still available. Demonstrations, lunch, music and raffles will be included. For information, call Jan Tilton at (208) 682-2608 after 9 a.m.

MONTANA

Lincoln County

Libby

During the recent school board meeting, trustees approved a pay increase for Al Randall, the district grant writer, Julie Waters Barcomb as a part-time second-grade teacher at Asa Wood Elementary School, Kyle Crawford as a volleyball assistant coach for the high school and granted maternity leave to Kristine Gallagher, the fifth-grade teacher at McGrade Elementary School.