Skyway classrooms damaged by water

Fri., March 13, 2009

A broken sprinkler head at Skyway Elementary School in the Coeur d’Alene School District caused water damage to four classrooms early Thursday and forced the school to move classes to other parts of the building, school officials said.

The sprinkler head apparently broke after a night custodian left at 11:30 p.m. and was not discovered until accumulating water caused an alarm to go off in early Thursday.

The water caused damage to three first-grade classrooms and one kindergarten classroom as well as an adjacent hallway. Books, carpets and other furnishings were damaged at the school, at 6621 Courcelles Parkway.

Spokane

Mielke to address state of county

Spokane County Commissioner Todd Mielke, who recently took over as commission chairman, will deliver the State of the County speech this morning at the Spokane Convention Center.

Mielke was expected to talk about how the economic downturn is affecting the county’s ability to deliver regional services, and he is expected to call for another push for consolidation of local governments, county spokeswoman Martha Lou Wheatley-Billeter said in a news release.

The speech will be hosted by Greater Spokane Inc. and will begin at 7 a.m.

The speech about the county’s economic problems is open to the public for a $55 fee if tickets are available. Tickets cost $30 for members of Greater Spokane Inc.

Those who don’t want to pay may be able to stand at the back of the room, depending on space. For ticket information, call Greater Spokane Inc. at (509) 624-1393.

Moscow

Finalist for UI post withdraws his name

One of the finalists for president of the University of Idaho has withdrawn his name from consideration, leaving three candidates in contention.

Duane Nellis, Kansas State University provost and senior vice president, told the search committee that he was no longer interested in the position, said Mark Browning, communications director for the Idaho State Board of Education, which also serves as the Board of Regents for UI.

Ham Shirvani, president of California State University, Stanislaus, had already withdrawn as a finalist, Browning said. That leaves three candidates in contention for the job left vacant last year after Tim White resigned to take a job with the University of California, Riverside.

The remaining UI presidential candidates are Don Burnett, dean of the University of Idaho’s Law School; Larry Penley, former president of Colorado State University; and David Dooley, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Montana State University.

North Idaho

Stimulus to pay for tree thinning

More than $2 million in federal stimulus funding will be used to thin trees in four North Idaho counties, restoring the ecosystem and lowering the risk of large wildfires, Forest Service officials announced Thursday.

The work is expected to create about 55 local jobs.

The removal of hazardous fuels will take place on private and state lands in Kootenai, Bonner, Benewah and Boundary counties. Nearly $33 million has been set aside for fuels reduction in nine states, ranging from Alaska to Florida. The endeavor will create more than 400 jobs in rural areas, officials said.

Interested contractors should contact Nelle Coler of the Panhandle Area Council for work in Kootenai, Boundary, and Benewah counties. Her number is (208) 772-0584, ext. 3012. Bob Hatfield, the Bonner County contact, can be reached at (208) 448-4324.

From staff reports

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