Water line project continues

COEUR d'ALENE - The second phase of the downtown water line project will begin Monday, closing Sherman Avenue and portions of Fifth Street for up to two weeks.

It's the second phase of the water main project and involves extending the water main from the alley south of Sherman Avenue and Fifth Street, north to the water main in Sherman Avenue.

Sherman Avenue at Fifth Street will be closed during the first portion of the project.

Once the water main has been laid across Sherman and the street patched, Sherman will be reopened to traffic. Fifth Street north of the alley will remain closed during the entire phase, which will take approximately two weeks.

Signs will direct traffic to detours.

Alley access will be maintained throughout the project. Businesses directly affected by Phase II of this project will be notified prior to construction. Information: Water Department at 769-2210.

Free clinic offers orthopedic help

HAYDEN - Panhandle Health District will host a free Shriners Hospital screening clinic Saturday, April 9 from 9 a.m. to noon for children who may need treatment for orthopedic problems.

The Coeur d'Alene Shrine Club of Calam Temple is sponsoring the clinic. Two health care providers from Coeur d'Alene Pediatrics will volunteer to screen children and identify treatment needs. Panhandle Health District nurses will offer community resource referrals. Shriners will be available to help families apply for free services at the Shriners Hospital in Spokane.

All children 18 and younger are eligible. No appointments are necessary. Children will be screened on a first come, first served basis. Parents should bring to the clinic their child's birth certificate, immunization record and custody papers in cases of divorce.

Orthopedic issues are related to bones and include such problems as scoliosis, dislocated hips, club feet, cerebral palsy and more. Parents with questions can call 661-4985 or 765-5047.

Panhandle Health District is at 8500 N. Atlas Road. It has hosted the Shriners screening clinic for nearly 20 years.

Shriners International is a philanthropic organization that raises money to support 22 pediatric specialty hospitals. Treatment at Shriners hospitals is available to all children regardless of income.

Post Falls youth award nomination deadline looms

POST FALLS - The deadline for nominations for the Post Falls Mayors' Youth Awards is April 15 at 5 p.m.

The program honors youth who have done good deeds in the community.

Winners will be announced during a ceremony on May 5 at the Lions Club Pavilion at Q'emiln Park. Snacks will be served at 5:30 p.m. and the program starts at 6 p.m.

All youth nominated will be recognized. The program is open all Post Falls youth.

Nomination forms are available at www.postfallsidaho.org, the Post Falls Library and at schools.

Student injured with knife

Coeur d'Alene Police said a 13-year-old male student at Lakes Middle School allegedly pulled a knife on another student on Wednesday.

The alleged victim, also 13, suffered a cut to his hand when he tried to push the knife away, police said. He was treated at Kootenai Medical Center and released.

There was no verbal altercation or angry words exchanged before the incident unfolded in the lunchroom area in front of other students, police said.

The incident occurred at 12:20 p.m., and a Coeur d'Alene school resource officer was the first to respond. The school is at 930 N. 15th St.

The suspect was taken into custody for aggravated assault and booked into the juvenile detention facility.

The incident remains under investigation, police said.

Train collides with truck, man avoids injury

SAGLE - A Montana man managed to avoid injury after a passenger train struck the pickup truck he was driving on railroad tracks early Tuesday morning.

Idaho State Police said Lynn Schedlbauer accessed a private at-grade railroad crossing on the east side of U.S. Highway 95 and attempted to use a side road running along the tracks, but encountered 3 1/2 feet of water and drove onto the tracks headed northbound.

Along came a northbound Amtrak train, which rear-ended Schedlbauer's 1999 Ford F-350. The heavy-duty pickup was thrown from the tracks and into the flooded access road, state police said.

Schedlbauer, a 40-year-old from Libby, was wearing a seat belt and emerged from the collision uninjured, according to ISP. He was ticketed for trespassing.

State police did not indicate if any passengers or train staff were injured.

The collision was reported at 3:43 a.m. The crash occurred at the Davisville Road turnoff, according to Bonner Dispatch records.

Response team mobilizes after reported suicide

COEUR d'ALENE - Coeur d'Alene School District's crisis response team mobilized Wednesday to support Lake City High School students and teachers following reports that a student had committed suicide sometime during the previous night.

The school district alerted parents to the news Wednesday.

Neither the student's name, nor the details of the incident will be released by the school district, nor will The Press report them, out of respect for the family's privacy.

It has been confirmed that the incident did not take place at the high school.

Teachers gave a brief announcement to all students Wednesday at lunchtime.

The school district's crisis response team is made up of administrators, principals and counselors from across the district who are trained to help provide support. The team was at Lake City High School until Wednesday evening, and plans to be on campus today as well.

All after-school events were canceled Wednesday at the high school.