In brief: Food for Fines at area libraries

Patrons with overdue fines on their library cards can wipe the slate clean and help the food bank during the “Love Your Library Food For Fines” drive this month at the Coeur d’Alene Public Library, 702 E. Front Ave.

Beginning Sunday and continuing through Feb. 23, the donation of nonperishable food items – either for people or pets – will result in the removal of late fees on a patron’s record.

The Food For Fines amnesty does not apply to charges on a library card due to lost or damaged items.

Food collected during the two-week drive will be given to the Community Action Partnership Food Bank in Coeur d’Alene. Donations should be unopened, commercially packaged foods and not home-preserved items. Pet foods collected by the drive will be given to the Humane Society.

Library patrons who do not have outstanding fines are also encouraged to donate food to this drive.

For more news and information about the library visit www.cdalibrary.org on or call 208/769-2315.

Food bank donations sought

Baskets have been placed in the lobbies of bankcda in Coeur d’Alene and Hayden branches to collect donations for area food banks. For the past three years, bankcda has held a Dollar Drive during the holidays to benefit area food banks. During this year’s drive, a customer asked bankcda to consider collecting donations year-round to help fill the shortages food banks often feel the remaining months of the year.

In 2007, the bank’s annual Dollar Drive netted $1,072.12, resulting in a donation of $536.06 to the Coeur d’Alene and Post Falls food banks. Jim Walsh, Hayden Branch Manager, spearheaded a friendly competition between the bank’s branches and loan department to see who could collect the most contributions.

The $90 million asset bankcda will celebrate its seventh year of operation in May 2008. Two branches meet the commercial and individual banking needs of the area. One is at 1052 W. Mill Ave. in Coeur d’Alene; the other is at 200 W Honeysuckle Ave., just off Highway 95 in Hayden.

Snocross race next weekend

Mountain West Racing is sanctioning a snocross race in Coeur d’Alene at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds next Saturday and Feb. 17.

A full weekend of racing starts at 10 a.m. next Saturday with a full card of amateur and Pro racing. The action Feb. 17 starts at 10 a.m., and features Pro Classes as well as some great amateur racing.

Mountain West Racing is the West’s leading snowmobile racing circuit.

For more information, visit mountainwestracing.com.

Plan commission workshop scheduled

The Planning Commission will be conducting a workshop concerning proposed amendments to the Downtown East Infill Regulations and Design Guidelines on Tuesday at noon at Coeur d’Alene City Hall Council Chambers. There also will be a public hearing on the proposed expanded role of the Design Review Commission for Projects in the Downtown Core and the East, North, and Midtown Infill Overlay Districts, and proposed amendments to the existing Downtown Design Regulations Feb. 12 at 6 p.m., in the Coeur d’Alene City Library Community Room, 702 Front Ave..

UI horticultural workshops begin

The first session in the Horticultural Workshop Series will start Monday and will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Dan Barney, Superintendent at the Sandpoint Research and Extension Station, will conduct Tree Fruits in the Home Orchard.

Also Monday, from 6 to 8 p.m. , Chris Schnepf, University of Idaho Extension Educator – Forestry, will present Managing Backyard Forests. Idaho Pro-Loggers credits available.

Both programs will be held at the UI Extension Kootenai County Office, 1808 N. Third St., Coeur d’Alene. Cost for each workshop is $5. For more information on the Horticulture Workshop Series, call 446-1680 or go online to http://extension.ag.uidhao. edu/kootenai.

– From staff reports