Officials decrease water release
The amount of water federal officials are releasing down the Kootenai River from Libby Dam is decreasing, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Tuesday.
The corps sent water through the powerhouse, sluices and spillway at a rate of 55,000 cubic feet per second until noon Tuesday to compensate for massive inflows into the Lake Koocanusa reservoir. The flows will drop to 45,000 cfs by early Thursday.
The large spill from the dam left Bonners Ferry and Boundary County officials battling waters 2 feet over the flood mark of 1,764 feet above sea level for about half a week.
Bonners Ferry Mayor Darrell Kerby said the corps estimates about $54 million worth of dike damage and perhaps more than $8 million in agricultural losses due to the high water.
– Sam Taylor
Post Falls
Man sentenced on prescription charges
The 50-year-old husband of a missing Post Falls woman was sentenced to four years’ probation Tuesday for filling her prescriptions for pain medicine.
William L. Tolson had pleaded guilty to filling his wife’s prescriptions for his own use. Roxann Tolson went missing last August, her husband told police, but she wasn’t reported missing until months later.
Post Falls police said this week that they still have no leads in the case. Police were investigating her disappearance when they discovered William Tolson and the couple’s son, 23-year-old Lawrence Tolson, allegedly cashing in her prescriptions.
Lawrence Tolson has pleaded not guilty and is set to go on trial next month.
– Taryn Brodwater
Coeur d’Alene
Bach to Beatles benefits Big Easy
Last year, the faculty of the Northwest Academy of Music helped the local food bank. This year, they’re reaching a bit farther to support victims of Hurricane Katrina.
At 7 p.m. Friday, faculty members will perform in the second annual “Beatles to Bach” benefit concert. The performance will be at the Songbird Performing Arts Center, 315 N. Fourth St.
Faculty member Keith Milligan said the academy chose to donate the proceeds of the concert, in conjunction with the Salvation Army, to Gulf Coast hurricane survivors because he is a native of New Orleans.
“It all hit home for me personally,” Milligan said. His sister lost her home, most of her belongings and job because of the natural disaster.
Milligan said he helped relocate her to Spokane in October 2005.
Tickets cost $25 per person, or two tickets for $40 or four tickets for $60.
At any one time between four and 12 performers will be on stage banging out jazz tunes, rocking Beatles favorites or serenading the crowd with classical pieces.
For more information, contact the Northwest Academy of Music at (208) 667-6200 or the Songbird Performing Arts Center at (208) 664-3672.
– Sam Taylor