In brief: Curbside pickup offered for fresh Christmas trees

The city of Spokane is offering free curbside pickup of fresh Christmas trees Dec. 27 through Jan. 20.

Once decorations are removed, residents can put their trees at least three feet away from the garbage and recycling bins on their regularly scheduled garbage pickup days. The city will accept trees up to six feet tall. If taller, they should be cut in half.

Trees collected in the curbside pickup are composted. For more information, call Solid Waste Management at (509) 625-7878.

City and county residents can also take their undecorated trees to the Waste-to-Energy facility, 2900 S. Geiger Blvd.; Spokane Valley Transfer Station, 3941 N. Sullivan Road; and North Side Transfer Station, 22123 Elk-Chattaroy Road.

Trees taken to those facilities are subject to a minimum $5 charge. Trees or branches taller than six feet must be cut in half.

For information, call the Recycling Hotline at (509) 625-6800.

Garbage pickup in the city will be a day late due to the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. Pickup will occur Tuesday-Saturday through Jan. 8.

Oregon plans to sell state’s supply of execution drugs

SALEM – The state of Oregon is looking to sell $18,000 worth of lethal drugs now that Gov. John Kitzhaber has declared a moratorium on the death penalty during his time in office.

The drugs expire within the next three years. Some states have struggled to buy execution drugs because of supply shortages, regulations on importation and resistance among manufacturers to being associated with executions.

Oregon is working with a federally licensed reverse wholesaler to find a buyer. Department of Corrections officials say they hope to recover at least some of the money spent to buy the drugs.

Snowmobiling, skiing trails open Tuesday near Chelan

CHELAN, Wash. – Several roads on the Chelan Ranger District are scheduled to close to wheeled vehicles and open to snowmobiling and skiing beginning Tuesday.

Most of the roads connect more than 200 miles of snowmobile trails in the Entiat, Chelan and Methow Valley ranger districts.

For more information, call the Chelan Ranger District at 682-4900.