Regional news

Sandpoint inches toward public art

Sandpoint The Sandpoint Arts Commission is inching its way to having enough money to buy public art.

The commission recently launched its “Art by the Inch” campaign that encourages residents to pledge money for the city to buy sculptures and benches that are part of Pend Oreille Arts Council’s Artwalk 2004.

The commission encourages residents to pledge cash at the rate of $10 per inch for the purchase of public art. Inch by inch the donations will help the commission increase the number of public art pieces in the city’s collection, said Pend Oreille Arts Council Executive Director Lizzy Hughes. Currently, there are no city funds reserved for the purchase of public art.

The “Art by the Inch” money will go toward the Sandpoint Public Art Fund and be used to purchase art in public places. Pledge forms are available at City Hall or any of the Artwalk locations. Payments will be collected in September. Donations to the fund are tax deductible.

The Sandpoint City Council will make final decisions on which art is purchased and where it’s placed.

The opening receptions for Artwalk are Friday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. More than 20 local galleries and businesses will feature art by local and national artists.

Brochures with Artwalk locations are available at participating businesses, City Hall or the Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce.

For more information, call

(208) 263-6139.

Some offices close for day of mourning

President Bush has declared today a national day of mourning, and some government offices around the region will be affected.

Most private businesses, including banks, will remain open.

Federal offices will shut down, and there will be no mail service. Spokane Valley city offices and the Spokane Regional Health District will also be closed.

Spokane, Spokane County and Washington state offices will remain open, as will Idaho offices, including state, Kootenai County and Coeur d’Alene governmental buildings. Services provided by those governments will continue on schedule.

All public schools and state offices will be open for regular business. However, as today is the last day of school for Spokane Public Schools, dismissal times will be altered, as is tradition. High schools will be dismissed at 11 a.m., middle schools at 11:45 a.m. and elementary schools at 11:15 a.m. Morning kindergarten will be from 9-10 a.m. and afternoon kindergarten will be from 10:15-11:15 a.m. There will be no preschool sessions.

All three Valley school districts will also be dismissing students early.

Teen driver killed in head-on collision

A 17-year-old Fernwood, Idaho, boy was killed in a head-on collision on State Route 3 near Santa, the Idaho State Police reported.

Cody L. Johnson died Thursday morning from injuries he received in the crash, which occurred about 5 p.m. Wednesday, ISP said.

Johnson was northbound on the highway when he lost control of his 1983 Honda Civic. He overcorrected and the car slid sideways, ISP said.

The car crossed the centerline and entered the southbound lane, colliding head-on with a 2001 GMC Yukon driven by Leslie C. Rogers, 29, of Santa. Rogers was not injured, ISP said.

Johnson was transported by ambulance to Benewah Community Hospital and airlifted by MedStar to Kootenai Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Both Rogers and Johnson were wearing seat belts, ISP said.

Buy fair tickets early to save money

Coeur d’Alene Fair handbooks and early tickets are now available for the 2004 North Idaho Fair and Rodeo, held Aug. 25-29 at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds.

Advance tickets for fairgoers ages 13 and older will be $4.50 and ages 6 to 12 will be $2.50 until August 20. Admission for children 5 and younger is free.

Parking is $2 a day and a five-day pass is $5.

For more information and handbook distribution sites, see www.northidahofair.com or call (208) 765-4969.

Deputies arrest two for growing marijuana

Spokane County Sheriff’s deputies arrested two people and recovered more than 50 marijuana plants during a raid Thursday afternoon at a north Spokane home.

Investigators with the sheriff’s Investigative Support Unit raided the home at 1602 W. Cleveland about 1:30 p.m., and found mature marijuana plants growing in two different areas in the basement and in a second-floor bedroom, said Cpl. Dave Reagan, sheriff’s spokesman.

The residents, Robert Fernand Mote, 39, and Carole Lee Thorne, 42, were both arrested.

Mote was booked into the Spokane County Jail for manufacturing marijuana and possession of marijuana with intent to deliver. Thorne was booked for conspiracy to manufacture marijuana, Reagan said.

The home is less than 1,000 feet from Northwest Christian Academy, and because of the close proximity of the school both Mote and Thorne could face a two-year sentencing enhancement if convicted of the felony crimes, Reagan said.

Clearwater chinook season extended

Lewiston Fishing for spring chinook salmon on the Clearwater River will not end Sunday as expected.

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game expects the season will remain open at least through June 20.

The agency said the run is 99 percent complete. But because of recent recalculations, the share of surplus hatchery chinook available to anglers will likely increase by 1,000.

Sportsmen also caught fewer salmon than was expected during the past week.

“We will stay open to at least the 20th and we will be evaluating the status on at least a weekly basis,” said Ed Schriever, regional fisheries manager.

Last week, Fish and Game announced the state was nearing its quota of hatchery chinook and the season could end Sunday. Sportsmen and the Nez Perce Tribe evenly split the number of surplus salmon.

The season for hatchery spring chinook on the Salmon River near Riggins remains open until June 20. A season on summer chinook above Riggins is expected to open June 21. The Little Salmon River should stay open until Aug. 1.