Stories from this compilation are excerpted from weekly newspapers from around the region. This is the second of a two-part Regional News Roundup; the first part was published Saturday.
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LAMONT, Wash. - Lamont Grain Growers will officially become part of Ritzville Warehouse Co. on July 1. The merger follows approximately five years of consideration.
"We were one of the smallest grain companies left in the state," said Jim Fuhrman, general manager since 2001.
Members of Lamont Grain Growers returned a vote of 93 percent in favor of the merger in early February.
Lamont once had 30 producers, but is now down to 18. They have 130 members, including landowners who are spread all over the nation and the world.
As farms have grown bigger, membership in the company has declined. Although small, Lamont Grain Growers remained profitable.
"It's not like we had to merge," Fuhrman said.
Fuhrman said it is a good way to get into a bigger company that will provide better marketing opportunities for the farmers. In return, Ritzville Warehouse gets a solid, financially sound company with facilities in good condition and 1 million bushels per year.
According to Fuhrman, there should not be much change as the employees will remain. He plans to remain manager until he retires in a few years.
Ritzville Warehouse will create a Lamont district board position.
Lamont Grain Growers has facilities at Lamont and Revere. It was founded Jan. 4, 1930, with E.A. Shields as the first manager, earning $75 a month.
The facility at Revere originally was purchased in 1932, jointly with Sprague Grain Growers. In 1947, Lamont bought out Sprague's half-interest.
Ritzville Warehouse Co. was formed in 1893, making it one of the oldest farmer-owned grain cooperatives in Washington. It has merged with Benge Elevator Co., Washtucna Grain Growers, LaCrosse Grain Growers and Odessa Trading Co., the last two in 2000.
It also bought a number of grain facilities from United Grain Growers. Its current grain operations include 22 operating facilities in five counties.
- Jana Mathia, Whitman County Gazette, (Colfax), Thursday
Regional shelter one step closer with draft design
GRANGEVILLE - A regional animal shelter is one step closer to reality - yet only a small step on its complete journey.
The ARF (Animal Rescue Foundation) held a public meeting at Grangeville High School on April 3. More than 40 people attended the informational session where architect Larry Korn, of Castella Korn Architects of Lewiston, presented draft building plans.
"ARF was started in 2014 and is run by a nine-member volunteer board," president Sara Espeland said. "Our dream is for a regional animal shelter and we have steadily been working toward that goal with a presence in the community, a website and social media." Grants for $5,000 from Clearwater Economic Development Association (CEDA) and $10,000 from USDA have gone toward strategic planning and concept design, respectively, Espeland explained.
"We have a letter of support from the city of Grangeville and (about a half-acre of) donated land on Airport Road," she said.
Kom explained he had to account for the slope of the property, the space allowed, easements, rights of way, access, stormwater and mechanical aspects for airflow, heat and cooling. The main facility is 130 feet by 150 feet, while the space next to it is available for dog runs and parking, but not actual building.
The draft plans for the facility include separate areas for cats and dogs, including well and ill animals, meet-and-greet and play areas, examination and procedure rooms, and a quiet area for recovering or expectant/nursing animals.
In addition, there is reception space, animal washing and grooming areas, staff bathroom and shower, and a meeting/break room. A separate area built to less expensive standards is planned for storage.
In all, the plans include a 4,700-foot facility and a 1,000-foot storage building. Cost per square foot is estimated at approximately $200; however, this depends on the materials used (such as sound barrier for certain rooms) and what the market is like when building actually takes place.
- Lorie Palmer, Idaho County Free Press (Grangeville), Wednesday
McCall Fire District chief to leave in June
MCCALL - McCall Rural Fire District Chief Mark Billmire has been relieved of his duties and will leave the fire district when his current contract expires in June.
Billmire, 62, who has been fire chief since 2012, was informed of the action by fire district commissioners March 20.
Last week, the commissioners passed a resolution not to renew his three-year contract when it expires June 17.
"I was informed by the board of commissioners that my contract would not be renewed; no reason was provided," Billmire said in a response to questions from The Star-News. "At this point that is all I know."
Fire district commission chairman Tom Binder declined to comment other than to provide The Star-News with a copy of the resolution.
The other two fire commissioners, Bob Hill and Sadie Noah, did not respond to requests for comment from The Star-News. No interim chief has been named.
The resolution, passed April 3, says that "neither the Board of Commissioners of the district nor Billmire seek to renew" Billmire's contract.
He was given a three-year contract in 2012 and that contract was extended for three years in 2015, the resolution said.
As of March 20, Billmire was relieved of "any active duty other than to provide consultation" to the commissioners.
Billmire will continue to receive his full salary, which totals $90,000 per year, and the district will continue to pay for his health insurance and retirement benefits until the contract expires.
The resolution says Billmire performed "faithfully, industriously and to the best of his abilities."
Billmire retired from the Park City (Utah) Fire District in 2012, specifically so he could seek a job as a fire chief, according to a profile in The Star-News when he was hired.
A native of Layton, Utah, he played football for Weber State University from 1974 to 1978.
At the time of his hire, he had more than 24 years of experience in fire and ambulance services, starting in Ogden, Utah, and then at Park City, where he was hired as a captain and promoted to battalion chief.
The McCall Rural Fire District provides fire protection and ambulance services to the city of McCall and surrounding areas between Payette Lake on the north and Lake Fork on the south.
The district responded to a total of 1,065 fire and ambulance calls in 2016.
- Tom Grote, Star-News, (McCall), Thursday
