WSU veterinarians: Keep pets inside
Until the smoke clears, Washington State University veterinarians advise pet owners to keep their animals indoors as much as possible.
According to an air quality alert issued by the Washington State Department of Ecology, widespread smoke and haze is expected to cause unhealthy air quality for the duration of the week.
Heavy breathing is worse for animals in smoky conditions and any strenuous exercise should be avoided. Pet owners are also advised to monitor elderly pets and pets with respiratory conditions when smoke is lingering.
If animals are showing signs of discomfort, it is best to consult your regular veterinarian.
Free suicide prevention training offered for Idaho residents
September is Suicide Prevention Month, and the Idaho State Department of Education is encouraging Idahoans to sign up for a free online training program designed to prevent youth suicide.
The department has secured licenses to train 10,000 people in QPR (question, persuade and refer) Gatekeeper Training. The training takes between one and two hours to complete.
Interested individuals can apply for the training online at bit.ly/35VENRF.
Latah County DMV will close Sept. 24 for training
The Latah County Department of Motor Vehicles, located at the Latah County Annex, 200 S. Almon St., Moscow, will be closed Sept. 24 for training with the Idaho Transportation Department’s new GEM vehicle system, which is scheduled to launch online Oct. 13, according to a Latah County Assessor news release.
GEM, which is a reference to the Gem State, is an upgrade from ITD’s 1980s mainframe and will integrate DMV data for driver’s licenses and vehicle registrations/titles into one system, be more efficient to maintain and give ITD the ability to eventually provide more online services to Idaho drivers, ITD Public Information Officer Jillian Garrigues wrote in an email.
LCHS book club meeting postponed
The Latah County Historical Society has postponed the first meeting of its new book club, Lula’s Library, because of air quality concerns.
The meeting is now scheduled to take place from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday on the McConnell Mansion lawn, 110 S. Adams St., Moscow.
Social distancing protocols will be necessary and masks are encouraged. Attendees are also asked to bring their own chair or blanket and a beverage, if desired.
The group will discuss the club’s first selection, “Four Girls on a Homestead,” by Carol Ryrie Brink, learn how the Homestead Act benefited westward settlement and decide how to proceed in future meetings.
For more information about the book club, call (208) 882-1004 or email lchslibrary@latah.id.us.
New photography exhibit opens at the Libey Gallery
The Libey Gallery and the Colfax Chamber of Commerce recently installed an exhibit featuring more than 60 photography contest entries depicting nature, people and small towns on the Palouse. The exhibit will be up through the end of October.
The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 2-6 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 1-5 p.m. on Saturday. Visitors are encouraged to cast their votes for the “Peoples’ Choice Award” photo contest winner at the gallery.
Official prizes for the contest will be announced Nov. 10.
For additional information, visit the Whitman County library events calendar at whitco.lib.wa.us or the Colfax Chamber of Commerce at explorecolfax.com.
Festival Dance celebrates ‘Try a Dance Week’
Moscow’s Festival Dance Academy on the University of Idaho Campus will celebrate Try a Dance Week Monday through Saturday.
During the week, new dancers will be able to try a dance class for the special rate of $5, and enrolled students can try a class they are not taking for the same fee. No registration fees will be charged.
Class lists, schedules and sign-up information can be found at festivaldance.org. Questions can be emailed to dance@festivaldance.org. Class sizes will be limited.
