One week after announcing he would not run for sheriff as he had recently planned, North Idaho businessman Adam M. Johnson was behind bars in Kootenai County. Johnson, 28, of Coeur d'Alene, was arrested Wednesday for technical violations of his probation, said Jeff Ray, a spokesman for the Idaho Department of Correction in Boise. Johnson was ordered to serve seven days discretionary jail time, Ray said. He said the violation wasn't significant enough for Johnson to go before a judge. Johnson was instructed to turn himself in to the jail, and he complied, Ray said/David Cole, Coeur d'Alene Press. More here.

Question: What advice would you give Adam Johnson?

Inmates at Kootenai County Jail have been on their best behavior in order to keep their television privileges to watch the Super Bowl this Sunday. Last week, KREM 2 crews discovered the inmates at the jail were on their best behavior so they could watch the Super Bowl this year.  When KREM 2’s Cole Heath checked in with inmates Friday, they remained on their best behavior. It won’t be a typical football watch party, but the inmates say they are ready for the big game. Inmates say the televisions are turned off if anyone misbehaves, and they say that has happened in the past/KREM. More here.

Question: What are your Super Bowl plans?

Maybe it's a case of high for the holidays. Maybe it's a case of the smelly “sweaters.” A Dec. 22 traffic stop for erratic driving on Interstate 90 turned into a marijuana bust in which Kootenai County sheriff's deputies found 3.3 pounds of the pungent drug plant packaged in Christmas presents. Arrested was Jason D. Palmer, 36, of Springdale, Wash., which is northwest of Spokane. Palmer has been charged with felony trafficking in marijuana. Also charged were two of Palmer's four kids, age 12 and 14, who were in the vehicle with him when he was pulled over and the pot was discovered. The boys were charged with frequenting/David Cole, Coeur d'Alene Press. More here. (AP file photo of marijuana for illustrative purposes)

Thoughts?

Item: Pay it to say it: Kiosk system allows Kootenai County inmates more visits, for a cost/Alecia Warren, CdA Press

More Info: For the first time, the Kootenai County jail is allowing more than two visits a week per inmate, though for a cost. To access more than the standard two free half-hour sessions in one week, a visitor or inmate must pay 25 cents per minute for extra visits, or $7.50 per half hour. “For those who can afford to have more visits, they can pay for those,” said Capt. Kim Edmondson.

Sam Crawford: This is just wrong.  It's medieval to have to pay to visit someone in prison or jail.  It reminds me that one has to bribe the guard to get in.

Question: What do you think of the new Kootenai County Jail policy of permitting additional jail visits for a fee of 25 cents per minute or $7.50 per half hour?

A suspect in a series of bank robberies pulled off by someone wearing a variety of wigs confessed to the crimes after her arrest, according to court documents. Cynthia Lynn Van Holland, 47, a former nurse at the Kootenai County Jail who’s accused of being the “Bad Hair Bandit,” remains in custody at the Placer County Jail near Sacramento, Calif. She has not yet been indicted by a grand jury but is charged via complaint with three counts of robbery for heists in California. According to an affidavit filed in federal court in Sacramento, Van Holland confessed to the 20-robbery, four-state spree and described each incident – including a May 9 robbery in Spokane – in an interview with an FBI agent at the Placer County Jail the day of her arrest on Aug. 15/Meghann M. Cuniff, SR. More here.

Question: If you were a bandit, what nickname would you want for yourself?

A former nurse at the Kootenai County Jail suspected in a series of bank robberies while wearing a variety of wigs confessed to the crimes after her arrest, according to court documents. Cynthia Van Holland, 47, accused of being the “Bad Hair Bandit,” remains in custody at the Placer County Jail near Sacramento, Calif., where a federal hold was recently implemented that prohibits her from leaving jail on bond. Meghann Cuniff's Sirens & Gavels story here.

• Idaho Records/Sherry Adkins, SR
• Monday Scanner Traffic/DFO, HucksOnline
• Rain moving over Spokane, Coeur d'Alene/Mike Prager, SR
• Impact of closed Bank of Whitman swirling/John Stucke, SR
• Ellington may be released from custody/David Cole, Press
• Women use own time, money to fight feral cats/Bill Buley, Press
• Kroc Center replacing gymnasium floor/Tom Hasslinger, Press
• Prosecutor reviewing case of man who died in custody/David Cole, Press

2nd part of Nicole's up-close look at Coeur d'Alene Police Department: Welcome to Kootenai County Public Safety Building. Before entering the building, Officer Petersen removed all the weapons from his person. I never knew they kept weapons there. We then waited outside the metal gate with the cuffed prisoner. The door rolled up and Officer Petersen brought him inside. From here on out, no video or pictures exist due to the nature of the building. No visual documentation is allowed inside the jail. A group of sheriff deputies were waiting for us at the jail entrance. “Spread your feet and put your head on the pad. Have you ever been to jail before?” asked one deputy. The prisoner responded, “Twice. Once in 2007 and again a month ago”/Nicole Hensley, Blush Response. More here. And: You can see Part 1 of feature here.

Question: Have you ever toured the jail?