LOCAL BRIEFS

Port receives $1M grant to replace marina docks

The Port of Whitman County has received a $1 million construction grant from the Washington Recreation & Conservation Office to replace three of the original 1975 docks at Boyer Park & Marina.

Construction of new aluminum and fiberglass docks is expected to take place in fall 2022, according to a news release from the port. The docks to be replaced include a fuel dock, finger dock and straight dock. They will serve transient boaters, or boaters temporarily mooring their vessels at the marina without a moorage agreement, typically for a day, night or weekend visit.

The project also includes the addition of a navigation aid light for enhanced nighttime boater safety and the placement of an accessible vault toilet in the boat launch parking area. The port will contribute $1.1 million in matching funds, bringing the total project cost to $2.1 million, according to the release.

Improvement of the Boyer Park & Marina docks has been listed in the port’s planning documents for two decades. Port staff launched the project in 2016 by applying for an RCO planning grant for the docks’ design, which the Port successfully received in 2017.

Concurrently with the grant-funded dock replacement, the port plans to rehabilitate the four remaining docks. An eighth dock that must be removed because of its poor condition will not be replaced. The port-funded project aims to extend the remaining docks’ useful life by 10 to 15 years. These docks will serve both long-term marina tenants and overflow transient boaters. The project cost has been estimated at $763,600.

Webinar series to focus on elk

The Clearwater Basin Collaborative and University of Idaho Clearwater County extension are presenting a webinar series, “Clearwater basin elk history, research and management” March 22 and 24.

For program description, complete agenda and registration go to: uidaho.edu/clearwater-events. Contact Meladi Page at mpage@uidaho.edu or call (208) 476-4434 for more information.

Library workshops target young readers

Families with pre-kindergarten children are invited to register for “Spring into Reading: An Early Literacy Kindergarten Readiness Workshop,” presented by the Latah County Library District’s youth services staff.

This three-session Zoom workshop explores early literacy practices on March 17, 26 and 31. The workshops, in order, will focus on reading and talking, singing and playing, and finally, writing.

For times and details, register at tinyurl.com/1ko5y8p1. Participants must sign up for all three sessions and will receive a reading toolkit after registration. Workshop can accommodate 20 families.

For information, contact Stacie Echanove at programming@latahlibrary.org.

Moscow forum to discuss gender gap in politics

The League of Women Voters of Moscow will host a presentation by Kylee Britzman titled “Ready to Run?: The Gender Gap in Pursuing Political Office” noon-1 p.m. Wednesday via Zoom.

Britzman is an assistant professor of political science at Lewis-Clark State College. She received her doctorate in 2018 from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her teaching and research interests include gender and politics, political psychology and environmental politics.

Login information is available on the LWV website at my.lwv.org/idaho/moscow.