The Spokesman-Review from Spokane, Washington • 7

Spokane, Wash Coeur d'Alene, Idaho Thursday, January 27, 2000 Page B3 Kiivest Sacagawea coins go to Blackfoot first Ths County Lines Lewis and Clark 's guide was from area, so was model used for the coin people just want to have the first ones. The Federal Reserve Bank is set to start shipping the coins this week. At least 4.5 million are expected to be in circulation by March 1. Sacagawea was a 17-year-old Lemhi-Shoshone girl who helped guide the Lewis and Clark Expedition to the Pacific Ocean between 1804 and 1806. She had been kidnapped by another tribe and taken from her home in what is now Salmon.

After guiding the explorers west, she was allowed to stay with her people there. Several of her ancestors live in this area. Associated Press BLACKFOOT, Idaho The Federal Reserve Bank has declared the city the official Sacagawea Dollar Coin City, meaning the town will be the first nationwide to distribute the coins. Blackfoot seemed natural since Sacagawea was from near here and the coins model (RandyL Teton) was from Fort Hall, said Blackfoot Mayor R. Scott Reese.

Reese said that Patsy Hays, the director of Blackfoots Chamber of Commerce, contacted the mint. They sent us a sample proclamation and said we could flavor it however we wanted, Reese said. We read it, signed it, sent it back and here we are. Zions Bank will distribute the first 2000 coins. Were not sure exactly when they will arrive, said Kay Ritchie, the banks customer service manager.

We only know it will be sometime soon. The first shipment of 2,000 Sacagawea coins already has been spoken for. As soon as people found out this morning about them coming here, they were all reserved by about noon, Ritchie said. We have about 200 more people on the waiting list. I think we will get regular shipments of that coin just like we do other currency after it is released.

I think Snow flurries frustrate commuters Collision sends two STA drivers and two passengers to hospital From staff reports SPOKANE A snowstorm that flustered rush-hour drivers Wednesday morning sent a Spokane Transit Authority van skidding into the back of an STA bus. The accident was among dozens reported during the storm, which left as much as 4 inches of new snow around Spokane. More snow was expected overnight, according to the National Weather Service. The two STA vehicles were leaving Interstate 90 westbound on Lincoln Street at 8:45 a.m. when the end of the articulated bus one with an accordian-like joint in the middle began to slide.

The bus driver slowed, and a trailing car swerved to avoid a wreck. But the STA paratransit van behind the car couldnt stop in time and rammed the back of the bus. Two riders on the van were taken to a hospital, along with both STA drivers. The Washington State Patrol said troopers responded to 25 accidents between 4:45 a.m. and 10:45 a.m.

Wednesday. Most of the accidents were not serious. Spokane police dispatchers said more than a dozen collisions were reported between 9:30 and 10:30 Wednesday morning many of them on the South Hill. When snow flurries let up about 11:30 a.m., some places reported snow depths of Liz KishimotoThe Spokesman Review Rick Clutter and Duane Hanna of the Kootenai County Fire District clean up diesel fuel that spilled from a truck that jackknifed on Interstate 90 Wednesday. The truck was hauling maple trees and the driver, Andrew Holt, was not injured.

4 inches though most spots saw 2-3 inches. In Coeur dAlene, snowfall continued into the afternoon. The storm pushed Januarys snowfall even further past the monthly average. So far, Spokane has seen about 20 inches of snow this month, well above the monthly average of 15.4 inches, according to John Livingston, a forecaster at the weather services Spokane office. So far this winter, 32 inches of snow has fallen in Spokane.

The annual average is 48 inches. Livingston said dry and mild weather early in the season has given way to a more typical snowy pattern for, the Inland Northwest. Its more of a normal winter like we were expecting, Livingston said. IN COEUR DALENE With all the recent snow, city plows are creating snow berms around cars that are parked on the streets. Coeur d'Alene police are asking residents to move the vehicles or nsk having them towed.

A city ordinance requires car owners to move their cars every 24 hours if city crews are plowing the streets. Gxaftsxs. linujuz IDAHO Benewah County Plummer The Plummer city water system showed the presence of total cohform bacteria in two of five tests taken Jan. 5 and Jan, 11. Total cohform bacteria is always present in soil and is not considered dangerous but a sign there could be other problems.

The Idaho Division of Environmental Quality recommends boiling tap water for one minute before drinking. If test results are negative from Tuesdays and Thursdays tests, the recommendation will be removed. Bonner County Sandpoint Three registered nurses who cover Lake Pend Oreille School Districts 13 schools will be recognized today during National School Nurse Day. Dana Williams, Barb Benson and Jolene Stewart give immunizations, determine reasons for absences, provide prescribed care for special needs students, screen students for hearing, vision and scoliosis and educate students on health issues. Boundary County Bonners Ferry Local resident Keith Snider has been chosen to be the featured artist for February at Art Works Gallery in Sandpoint.

Snider began collecting rocks from the area 30 years ago. His earliest creations were bookends, trivets and coasters. Some of Sniders newest creations include rocks cut thin as a piece of glass, which allows light to shine through for ornaments, nightlights and pedestals to set collectibles on. Kootenai County Coeur dAlene Twenty bottles of nasal decongestant tablets were stolen from Taj Grocery, 1003 N. 15th by a white male about 5-feet-5 inches and 170 pounds, according to a Coeur dAlene Police report.

The suspect asked the price of the tablets and said, That is awful expensive. He then grabbed the display and ran out of the store. The tablets are used in the manufacturing process to make mcthamphetamine, according to Idaho State Police trooper Charles Greear. Latah County Moscow The CASI Foundation for Children, a nonprofit, private adoption agency, will have an open house 6-8 p.m. Feb.

4 at LOGOS School, 110 Baker Moscow. The foundation hopes to clear up many misconceptions about the domestic and international adoption processes, answer questions and resolve concerns for those considering adoption. In Coeur dAlene, an open house will be held 1-3 p.m. Feb. 5 at Kootenai Medical Centers Health Resource Center, 2003 Lincoln Way.

Shoshone County Kellogg The Sunnyside Elementary ParentTeacher Organization recently donated more than 30 foursquare balls, five soccer balls, eight basketballs, more than 35 jump ropes and a dozen hula hoops for the school's playground. WASHINGTON Pend Oreille County Newport The publisher of the Newport Miner has an idea how to deal with state taxation. Fred Willenbrock says he thinks residents should donate the difference between their 1999 car tabs and 2000s $30 stickers to the government. Willenbrock says people dont mind paying taxes if the money is spent correctly, and donating to worthy government agencies and projects would show Olympia where we want our tax dollars to go- Spokane County Spokane Spokane Falls Community College will hold an information session from tonight for those interested in the colleges aviation program. The program is offering its first summer session beginning in June, enabling students ages 17 or older to get a private pilots license.

Whitman County Pullman The Washington State University police department is sponsoring a free citizens police academy starting feb. 17. The 10-week program is designed to educate the public about police operations at WSU, but not to serve as an accredited law enforcement course. The academy allows participants to interact with law enforcement officers to achieve solutions to Community problems pertaining to crime and other livability issues. The group will meet twice weekly from j7-10 p.m.

on Monday and Thursday for various criminal justice courses. Preference is given to applicants with WSU affiliations. For more Information on the program content check the departments website at www.wsu edupoliceor Contact Chief William Mercier or Capt. Mike Kenny at (509)335-8548. I MONTANA Lincoln County Libby Kristine Whipple Ferderer was approved by the Libby school board as a temporary seventh-grade math and language-arts teacher at the middle school.

Ferderer vill replace Maria Marozzo, who died Christmas Day. Ferderer has been attending Eastern Washington University to obtain a master of fine arts degree in creative writing. I i Some of the information in County Lines comes from readers' tips and from community newspapers. Send your tips by fax to County Lines at (208) 765-7149, by mail to County Lines, The Idaho Spokesman-Review, 608 Northwest Suite 200, Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814, or by e-mail to newsspokesman.com. i Bout tia rrrr i U.

Expedition may have lead in hunt for missing aviatrix, Doug Clark says. Speck in ocean bright spot for seekers of Amelia Earhart United Way awards COEUR dALENE The United Way of Kootenai County has raised $515,000 in pledges in its current campaign and plans to reach its $600,000 goal by May. Robert Cotton, nominated by the Camp Fire Boys and Girls, was named Youth Volunteer of the Year at the charitys annual celebration luncheon Wednesday. Kari Rising is the Adult Volunteer of the Year. Senior Volunteer of the Year is Eula Hickam.

Andrea Carter of the American Red Cross was named Community Volunteer of the Year. Jlast SJlnah USayi! Dont miss out on the "uat tSavbitji" up to 50 off Homemade crafts! up to 75 off fixtures supplies! Yarn 25tf each Sewinu Notions: 50 off 509 b. Seltice Way, Host Falls ID 773-4965 Hours' Mon -Sat. 10 00 to 5 10 i i-r-ti di i lEJTrrtrF WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2000 r-V-ju; Py LJ 18 25 30 43 46' POWERBAU NUMBER 18 WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2000 Congratulations to Rhenda Simon of Idaho Falls who won the last 1999 Ford Mustang Convertible on the Idaho Lotterys Mustang Madness Game! www.idaholottery.com 02 12 15 23 31 WILD CARD; ACE OF WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2000 is) 02 15 18 20 23 LOTTERY UPDATE IS PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY THURSDAY SATURDAY AND SUNDAY THE EVENT OF A 0 SfREPANCV BFTWFFN THE NUMBERS SHOWN HFR6 AND THE IDAHO LOTTFRYS OFF QIAt LIST QF WNNINC NUMBERS THE LATTER SHALL PRfVAl FOP MORf IWORMAT ON CALL 298 J34 7600 The Spokesman-Review removes a sheet of plastic-covered paper from a file folder and slides it across the desk. On the paper is a dark, quarter-inch speck attached to a faint, S-shaped tail.

It could be a squished mosquito larvae, but it is not. This is Target 20 a sonar image of an unidentified object resting 18,000 feet below the surface of the Pacific Ocean. Only a few people in the world have seen this, adds Guy Zajonc (pronounced Zience), who leans forward in his chair for a closer look. Its hard to imagine that something so unimpressive could represent the solution to one of the worlds great mysteries. The nondescript smudge may be the remains of Amelia Earharts missing Lockheed Electra airplane.

He smiles. Eveiybodys pretty excited. Weve all decided its worth going back and finding out. We last left Spokanes answer to Jacques Cousteau in early December. Fie was floating near the equator aboard a seagoing tug named the June T.

The attorney-turned-adventurer was part of a scientific expedition aimed at answering a question that has nagged history buffs for more than 60 years: What happened to Amelia Earhart? The famed aviatrix and navigator Fred Noonan were on the last leg of an ambitious attempt to circle the globe when they disappeared halfway between New Guinea and Hawaii. Gas is running low, Earhart reported the morning of July 2, 1937. The radio transmission was picked up by a U.S. Coast Guard ship waiting by her refueling target, tiny Howland Island. They never made it.

Despite search attempts, the remoteness of the location and impossibly deep water has kept the Earhart secret well. But todays high-tech gadgetry makes it possible to find virtually anything lost at sea. All it takes is patience. And a treasure chest full of loot. Zajonc figures $1 million was spent exploring about 40 percent of a area where Earhart and Noonan probably went down.

This is a good deal more than guesswork. The University of Washington prepared a probability study giving the June the most likely place to search. Target 20, says Zajonc, was by far the best hit. The dark speck fits the general dimensions of a plane. The tail attached could be a 400-meter skid mark left as the Lockheed Electra settled before stopping.

Zajonc heard about the Earhart project through his involvement in another quest. Earlier last year, he was part of a team that located a Japanese submarine sunk during World War II. That venture was turned into a National Geographic documentary that will air again in late February on NBC. For the Earhart project, the Seattle deepwater survey firm Williamson Associates supplied $3 million in equipment and a crew to operate it. The company is best known for locating the S.S.

Central America, which led to the recovery of $400 million in gold coins. Zajonc raised half of the money for this trip and went along to help film the voyage. He returned to Spokane around Christmas after 35 days at sea. The journey, he says, was a mixture of grueling work and tedium. Hundreds of hours were spent staring into two computer screens as image after image of sea bottom scrolled by.

Theres so little going on, he says. You enter a different zone. After awhile you start looking for mermaids. Unlike pirate ships bloated with gold, the value in Earharts plane is more abstract. Recouping the costs must come from film and book rights.

But the Earhart saga has always captivated the public. Whoever writes the ending will have a story potentially worth millions. All they have to do now is find the plane. Zajonc says they may go back in April and lower a robot camera to check out Target 20. If the site is a bust, well, theres a lot more ocean waiting.

Id love to give another generation a chance to be inspired by Amelia Earharts story, says Zajonc. This is our chance to add a few new pages to the history books." rUltra Support Queen Set 14" Pillow Top King Set yj RopouNmafM 9)228027.