Dangerous river pilings on way out

Boaters slicing through the Spokane River will soon have one less thing to worry about.

Smacking into a log piling.

The Kootenai County commissioners unanimously approved a Memorandum of Understanding this week with the Idaho Department of Lands to remove hazardous pilings and booms from the Spokane River and Lake Coeur d'Alene.

"This has been a long time coming," said Commissioner Currie said on Tuesday at the commisisoners' weekly meeting in the Kootenai County Administration Building. "There are some (pilings) in dangerous locations."

Commissioner Tondee added that the removals will make the river more safe.

"Some areas we'll have to be carefaul. In some areas is we remove thm, it will create a false sen soe f secuirty to go too close to shore," Tondee said. "There are some dead heads there."

The Department of Lands spokesperson could not be reached Thursday morning about when the removal would start. - Alecia Warren