In brief: Work closes City Hall entry

Getting to Post Falls City Hall just got a little trickier.

Beginning today, the Spokane Street entrance will be closed permanently, because of construction of the new City Hall, city officials said.

The current City Hall will remain open during the year-long construction project and can be reached from William Street and Fifth Avenue, or Idaho Street and Fifth Avenue.

The utility payment drop box has been moved to the east side of the building.

When the new City Hall opens, the entrance will be at Fourth and Fifth avenues, according to the city. Construction began this week on the $7.1 million, 41,000-square-foot building.

– Hope Brumbach

Discount on spaying available

The Kootenai Humane Society is passing out a limited number of vouchers for low-cost pet spaying and neutering this weekend at the organization’s thrift store.

Vouchers for the Community Stop Pet Overpopulation Today program will be available to low-income residents of Kootenai County from noon to 1 p.m. Saturday.

The program is a joint effort with area veterinarians who have offered to accept the vouchers and is funded by community donations, Holly Stetson of the Kootenai Humane Society said in a press release.

Only 10 vouchers will be distributed during Saturday’s event, Stetson said. Those who don’t receive a voucher may be able to get one the following month, she said.

– Taryn Brodwater\

Second bridge part arrives

The second of two Tacoma Narrows Bridge expansion joints arrived at the Washington/Idaho border Thursday afternoon, where its trailer was inspected in preparation to move it 12 miles into Washington state.

The 100-ton joint is being stored at the Washington State Department of Transportation’s Pines Road maintenance facility before being shipped to Tacoma on Monday.

The first joint was stuck at the state line for almost a month because it weighed too much under Washington law to be transported on its trailer. A new trailer was brought in last week to facilitate the cross-state trip.

Thanks to GPS technology, interested motorists and bridge fans can observe the joint’s progress at www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/sr16narrowsbridge /track/.

– Amy Cannata