Region in brief: Fire damages historic farmhouse

POTLATCH, Idaho – A 92-year-old rural farmhouse in North Idaho that was being restored to its original appearance has been significantly damaged by a fire.

The Saturday fire broke through the roof of the house owned by Jay and Elizabeth Lusby, who escaped uninjured.

Fire crews with air tanks entered the home and stopped the flames from spreading, but smoke filled both levels of the house.

The house was built in 1918 and is located on Walker Road a few hundred yards east of U.S. Highway 95.

U.S. 2 reopens after boulder falls

LEAVENWORTH, Wash. – U.S. Highway 2 is open again near Leavenworth.

The road was closed between Leavenworth and Coles Corner on Friday afternoon after a massive boulder crashed onto the highway. Department of Transportation crews spent Saturday blowing up the rock and hauling away 12 dump truck loads of debris.

The road was reopened Sunday afternoon, with lowered speed limits where the damage was repaired with gravel.

College to open new building

TWIN FALLS, Idaho – The College of Southern Idaho opens its $21 million Health Sciences and Human Services building on Tuesday when students begin classes in the new facility.

The 72,270-square- foot building north of the main campus has some of the most advanced technology available for students in the health care industry.

The Times-News reports that the school has about 700 students enrolled in health care programs.

Former Idaho governor and current U.S. Sen. Jim Risch proposed the building nearly four years ago as a way to help Idaho meet an increasing demand for health care professionals.

Salvage logging work set to begin

GREAT FALLS, Mont. – An official with the Bureau of Land Management said a timber salvage logging contract will be awarded in the next few months to clear downed trees on 570 acres of BLM land and 267 acres of state land.

Craig Flentie says the work will begin this spring and continue for about three years in the Limekiln Canyon northeast of Lewistown, Mont. He says federal stimulus money is paying for the work.