In brief: Police start service to notify residents about safety threats

The Coeur d’Alene Police Department is launching a new service to get timely information about threats to residents in the area.

The Community Information Service, created by Nixle LLC, “delivers trustworthy and important neighborhood-level public safety and community event notifications by Web, email and cellphone,” police spokeswoman Sgt. Christie Wood said in a news release.

The Grant County Sheriff’s Office also recently switched to the service.

Nixle “is the first authenticated and secure service that connects municipal agencies and community organizations to residents in real time,” the news release said. It is partnering with the International Justice and Public Safety Network.

Visit www.nixle.com to register to receive alerts.

Monday is deadline to register to vote in February election

Monday is the deadline for Washington residents to register online or via mail to vote in the Feb. 14 special election.

There will not be mail service on Jan. 16 because it is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, so people should remember to get their mail-in registration postmarked before then.

Washington residents can register to vote or update their address at www.myvote.wa.gov through Jan. 16, even though it’s a holiday.

Feb. 6 is the deadline to register in person at the county elections department in time for the special election.

Visit www.sos.wa.gov/elections/ auditors.aspx to find a county’s elections department.

Counties are sending out military and overseas ballots by Jan. 15 for the February election.

Mick retiring as leader of state grain commission

Tom Mick is retiring from the Washington Grain Commission in June, ending a 25-year tenure marketing the state’s wheat crop around the globe.

As chief executive of the commission, Mick helped influence export policies and served as a leading agriculture advocate.

Glen Squires, vice president of the commission, will serve as interim CEO after Mick departs June 30.

“Wheat and barley farmers in Washington have been ably served by Tom’s leadership,” said Tom Zwainz, chairman of the commission. “In combination with the board he has created an organization that is the envy of other commissions around the nation.”

Mielke chosen to head board of county commissioners

Todd Mielke will serve as chairman of the Spokane County Board of Commissioners and Mark Richard will be vice-chairman for 2012, the board decided Tuesday.

Mielke also is secretary-treasurer of the board of the Washington State Association of Counties and is in line to serve as its president in 2014. Richard serves as chair of the Spokane International Airport Board.