Briefs March 8, 2011
Art Currents goes to Cd'A council
COEUR d'ALENE - No borrowed time here.
The General Services Committee recommended Monday the city adopt a new art-on-loan program to help bring more public art to downtown.
Called Art Currents, the idea is from the Coeur d'Alene Arts Commission and could land 10 more public art pieces on Sherman Avenue, Lakeside Avenue and City Park by June.
The commission would spend $25,000 to start the program, which allows selected sculptures to be up for sale in public space. If the piece sells, the city collects 25 percent as commission to help repay the costs.
It has been a successful model in other cities that have received donated art pieces since implementing the program.
The idea will go before the City Council March 15.
Drilling to cause Idaho 41 closures
RATHDRUM - A drilling crew from the Idaho Transportation Department will perform investigative work on Highway 41 in Rathdrum today and Wednesday as part of a project that will eventually replace the bridge connecting Highway 41 with Highway 53 in Rathdrum.
The work will cause intermittent lane closures between milepost 7.2 and 7.9 near the Rathdrum Bridge intersection with Idaho 53.
Weather permitting, work will be done between 9 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. to avoid interfering with school traffic. The elementary, junior and senior high schools are on Idaho 41 in Rathdrum.
The highway will be reduced to one lane for 15 to 45 minutes at a time. Flaggers and signing will guide motorists through the work zone area.
Equipment failure causes outage
COEUR d'ALENE - About 2,700 Kootenai Electric Cooperative members lost power at their homes and businesses when substation equipment failed Monday.
The outage started at about 5 a.m. and was restored at 8:35 a.m. Areas affected included south of the Spokane River, the west side of Lake Coeur d'Alene, and east and west of Highway 41.
Call 1-877-744-1055 to report power outages.
Idaho prisons get funding increase
BOISE (AP) - Lawmakers approved a 4.1 percent increase in total funding for Idaho's Department of Correction on Monday, listing public safety among the state's top priorities as they work to balance a cash-strapped budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee approved a $175.6 million budget Monday for the agency's prisons and programs. The spending plan includes a 5.3 percent increase in the state's general fund, which is by far the biggest part of the prisons budget at $155.6 million.
"I think we're seeing some positive things happening in the Department of Corrections," Rep. Darrell Bolz, R-Caldwell said. "We still have a long ways to go."