PDO County gets wildlife officer
A wildlife enforcement officer has been assigned to Pend Oreille County, which has been without local coverage since October.
Severin Erickson, who’s been working enforcement out of Anacortes for about a year, will be settled in Pend Oreille County the first week of January, said Madonna Luers, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife spokeswoman.
Before training for enforcement, Erickson worked in the Fisheries Division at the Lyons Ferry Hatchery, she said.
Rich Landers
FISHING
No salmon pact
Oregon and Washington fish and wildlife commissions can’t agree on how to allocate the catch from the spring Columbia River chinook salmon run.
Last week the Oregon commission voted to allow commercial fisheries more than recommended by a working group.
Washington’s panel delayed its vote.
Nearly 300,000 spring chinook are expected to return to the Columbia in 2009, the third-highest return on record.
The working group recommended 65 percent for the sport fishery, 35 percent for commercial. The Oregon board agreed on a 55-45 split.
Associated Press
ALPINE SKIING
Free ski school
The annual Lookout Pass Free Ski School for kids ages 6-17 will begin Jan. 10 and run on Saturdays through March 14. A clinic for potential first-time instructors will start at 9 a.m. on Jan. 5.
Students provide their own equipment. Rentals are available.
Bus transportation is free from the Silver Valley or $12 from Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, Post Falls and Coeur d’Alene.
Preregister online, www.skilookout.com, or at Lookout’s lodge during the first three sessions.
Volunteer instructors also are needed. Contact: Ric Clarke, (208)744-1301, ext. 15, e-mail Ric@skilookout.com.
Rich Landers
SNOWMOBILING
Snow safety class
Free avalanche training:
Jan. 17, Starting at Idaho Parks and Recreation in Coeur d’Alene with field session at Fourth of July Pass.
Jan. 24, starting at Forest Service Building in Sandpoint with field session in Cabinets.
Preregister: Marc Hildesheim, (208) 769-1511.
Rich Landers