Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Welcome spring with classes, sports

Mary Jane Honegger The Spokesman-Review

While many are still busy cleaning up and assessing the damage from one of our worst winters in history, longer days, warmer temperatures and melting snow are sure signs that a new season is on its way. Another sure sign is the arrival of the Rathdrum Parks and Recreation spring and summer activity guide and the Workforce Training and Community Education Guide from North Idaho College. Chock-full of great activities, both guides offer classes, programs and events to help us end the winter blues – and take our thoughts off spring flooding worries.

Whether you are interested in cooking Thai food, understanding the fundamentals of investing, learning more about your computer or becoming skilled at being a blackjack dealer, there is a class for you included in the Winter 2008 Course Catalog from NIC. Classes in business and enterprise, career development, personal enrichment and short-term online courses are offered. There is a wide selection of courses with experienced instructors, convenient class times and even a few certificate programs. Classes run through April. Enroll online at workforcetraining.nic.edu or call 769-3333 for more information.

For the kids, registration has already begun for Rathdrum’s highly regarded soccer program. This year the program includes five divisions of play in the micro-soccer program. All games will take place on Saturday mornings at various locations around town. Divisions include Mini-Mites: ages 3-4; Mighty-Mites: ages 5-6; Mega-Mites: ages 7-8; U-10: ages 9-10 and U-12: ages 11-12. Registration ends March 7.

There will be a mandatory pre-season meeting for parents and coaches at John Brown Elementary School on March 15. No registrations will be taken at the pre-season meeting. Contact Rathdrum Parks and Recreation at 687-2399, or stop by the office at 7851 Main St., to pick up registration forms.

To help adults rid themselves of the end of winter blahs, registration has begun for Rathdrum Area Adult Dodgeball. According to Rathdrum Parks and Recreation information, “R.A.A.D. will take those of us who are now middle-aged back to memories of the 80s, bad hair, worse clothes and cheesy TV shows.” The co-ed games are billed as giving adults the chance to be a kid again and play one of the best games out there – dodge ball. Teams are made up of those “kids at heart” from age 16 and up.

Registration runs through March 3. Games will take place on Tuesday nights from March 11 through April 1 at a location yet to be announced. Registration fee is $75 per team (6 to 10 players) and each member of the team will receive a R.A.A.D. shirt.

Contact Rathdrum Parks and Recreation at 687-2399, or stop by the office at 7851 Main St. next to the Skate Park, to pick up registration forms.

Passport changes

For those who are looking forward to traveling a little farther than the local soccer fields this year, there is good news. As of Dec. 21, 2007, the mandatory requirement of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative to require passports for Americans traveling to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean, has been postponed until at least summer 2009. Documents that have been used in the past, such as a driver’s license and proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate, will continue to be acceptable documents for travel between these countries. Copies of these documents must be notarized. Children under 15 must have a birth certificate.

If you prefer, you could purchase one of the new, wallet-size Passport Cards that went on sale Feb. 1. The cards will be valid for land and sea travel between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda. The cards will expire in 10 years for adults and in five years for children. The first-time cost is $45 for adults and $35 for children.

Official word of the postponement of a required passport contains the suggestion that residents go ahead and get a passport, even if they are not planning on leaving the country anytime soon. The official document will eventually be required and they warn there will be a substantial wait for those without the proper document once the requirement goes into effect.