The County Lines

WASHINGTON

Adams County

Ritzville

Two candidate forums are scheduled, the first one Thursday in the Ritzville Grade School gym at 7 p.m. The event is sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce. In Washtucna, candidates will speak Saturday at the Rimrock Grange Hall at 7:30 p.m.

Ferry County

Republic

The Forget-Me-Not animal shelter has a large selection of dogs needing homes. The $35 adoption fee includes a health check, spay/neuter, worming and shots. For information, call (509) 486-4506.

Grant County

Moses Lake

A taste of Europe, with a Japanese name in the Columbia Basin - that’s a good description of Yonezawa Boulevard. The street, named after Moses Lake’s long-standing sister city, sports three European-style roundabouts. The first of the roundabouts will be open this week for traffic. City Engineer Gerry McFaul says he is worried about safety. He likes the fact the roundabout forces traffic to slow down, but isn’t sure folks will obey the yield signs and posted regulations.

Lincoln County

Davenport

The Chamber of Commerce is hosting school superintendent Jim Howard to discuss the Sept. 19 bond election proposal. The district wants to remodel and update the high school, including the shop and tennis courts, and purchase land to build a bus garage and plan for future expansion. The proposal was nixed by voters last spring. Thursday’s question-and-answer meeting will be at Berry Bowl. A chicken Caesar salad lunch is planned.

Spokane County

Spokane

Fund raising for construction of a new Southside Senior Activity Center has reached $1.2 million out of a goal of $2 million. Major contributors so far include the Comstock Foundation and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Stevens County

Colville

The new intersection at Third Avenue and Main Street is not what it seems. Although the road has been widened and there are two traffic lights, there is no right-turn lane. Local police are camping near the spot to educate local residents and travelers alike that the road is still a single, though wider, lane going each direction.

Whitman County

Colfax

Eight volunteers for the Whitman County Sheriff’s Reserve Program donated more than 3,000 hours. They worked as deputies, supplementing the duties of the full-time paid deputies. In doing so they saved the county $45,000.

IDAHO

Benewah County

St. Maries

Jessie Mercado was recently hired to teach freshman English and Japanese at St. Maries High School. Mercado will also coach the cross country teams at St. Maries and Kootenai high schools, though the teams will compete against each other at meets. Mercado is a North Idaho native and graduated from Lewis-Clark State College.

Bonner County

Priest River

A well-child developmental checkup for children from birth to age 21 will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. today at the Priest River Early Childhood Center at the Priest River Elementary School. Vision, hearing, speech, language, gross and fine motor skills and other developmental areas will be checked. To make an appointment, call (208) 448-1181.

Boundary County

Bonners Ferry

The Bonners Ferry Breast Cancer Support Group has changed its name to Women’s Cancer Awareness and Support Group. The change reflects the group’s stronger emphasis on early detection and awareness of all forms of cancer, which greatly increases survival. Meetings are held the fourth Monday of each month at noon at the Panhandle Health Building.

Kootenai County

Coeur d’Alene

Eagle Scout Troy Anderson, 17, built a display for a map of Tubbs Hill trails as his community service project. The display, called a kiosk, will be at the East Tubbs Hill Park. Jerry and Becky Anderson of Coeur d’Alene are Troy’s parents.

Latah County

Moscow

The University of Idaho Prichard Art Gallery will host “Ross Coates: About Ten Years,” and “For Mariana with Love…” through Oct. 2. Coates teaches at Washington State University and lives on the Palouse with his wife and artist Marilyn Lyshohir. A reception for the artists will be 5-8 p.m. Friday at the gallery. Admission is free and light refreshments will be served.

Shoshone County

Kingston

Dick Rifkind, owner of Bumble Bee Nursery, received the firstplace award in the landscaping/ exterior appeal category during the Coeur d’Alene Parade of Homes. Rifkind said this is the first award he’s received of this caliber. The nursery is about five miles up Coeur d’Alene River Road.

MONTANA

Lincoln County

Libby

The Libby Senior Citizen’s Center serves low-cost dinners at 5 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. The center also serves lunches at 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesdays. In addition to their regular schedule, a Nordicfest breakfast will be served Saturday and a birthday dinner will be served Sept. 12. For home delivery call (406) 293-7222.