In brief: Trader Joe’s sets opening for Oct. 28

Popular grocery chain Trader Joe’s will open its first Spokane store on Oct. 28, the company said Wednesday.

The California-based retailer of specialty foods, snack mixes, organic products and discount wine is completing construction of a 12,000- square-foot store at the Lincoln Heights Shopping Center on Spokane’s South Hill.

Area fans of Trader Joe’s have been clamoring for the store to move into Spokane. The company announced plans to build the Spokane store earlier this year.

Trader Joe’s spokeswoman Alison Mochizuki said applications for store jobs will be accepted on Monday at the store, 2975 E. 29th Ave. She declined to say how many positions the store will fill with local residents.

Applicants must present job applications in person. Job-seekers can print applications from the Trader Joe’s website, complete them and take them to the store next week, Mochizuki said.

Tom Sowa

Fire ban in effect on Colville Forest

Campfires and use of charcoal grills will be banned on the Colville National Forest starting today because of extreme fire danger.

“With the continued hot and dry conditions, this next phase of fire restrictions is necessary to help reduce the risk of a catastrophic wildfire,” said Steve Rawlings, fire management officer.

The forest also banned use of chain saws after 1 p.m. and instituted other safety measures for woodcutters.

The state Department of Natural Resources upgraded the fire danger in Spokane, Stevens and Lincoln counties to “very high.” The Pend Oreille County rating increased to “high.”

Staff reports

Record enrollment of 6,751 at NIC

A record-breaking 6,751 students enrolled in North Idaho College for the fall semester, a 6.4 percent increase over last year.

The largest growth was in the professional-technical sector, which saw a 21.2 percent increase over last year.

Also contributing heavily to the growth were enrollment by high school juniors and seniors in NIC’s dual credit program and enrollment by senior citizens, which jumped 29.7 percent from last year.

Enrollment at Lewis-Clark State College Coeur d’Alene also rose this fall, to 467 students, up 8.8 percent from last fall. This year, the largest increase was in the business division, which has grown by 30 students since last year, according to a news release.

Alison Boggs