Santa hit by pellet at mall still smiling

Boys and girls around the world can breathe sighs of relief.

Despite being shot in the face at NorthTown with a plastic pellet from an Airsoft pistol on Tuesday, Santa Claus will be making deliveries on schedule.

But probably not to the 13-year-old whom police suspect of shooting him.

Airsoft guns are used in games simulating combat. Although not likely as powerful as the Red Ryder carbine-action 200-shot range model air rifle made famous by the line, “You’ll shoot your eye out,” Airsoft guns have been known to cause eye injuries. And on Tuesday, Claus was struck just below his left eye, said Spokane Police spokesman Dick Cottam in a press release.

Claus was visiting with two good little children about 7 p.m. when he felt the pellet and mall security was called, Cottam said.

The teen was apprehended with a pistol. He told Officer Kevin Vaughn that he didn’t fire the gun but may have thrown the BB, Cottam said.

Claus continued working and didn’t require medical treatment.

The alleged shooter was booked into Juvenile Detention on a charge of reckless endangerment.

Fire at construction site blamed on space heater

An electric space heater is being blamed for a fire early Thursday in a construction trailer at Coeur d’Alene’s wastewater treatment plant. The blaze destroyed some construction drawings of the plant’s current expansion, yet Wastewater Superintendent Sid Fredrickson said it shouldn’t delay the project that includes a new building for screening sewage and a new raw sewage pump station.

The 5 a.m. fire was contained to the trailer that was used as an office for CNI Construction and didn’t affect operations at the treatment plant.

Fire Chief Kenny Gabriel urged people to use caution when using portable heating units in cold weather, especially over the holidays when wrapping paper and other combustible materials can come too close to these devices.

Food, shelter programs to receive FEMA grants

Spokane County is expected tp receive more than $270,000 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to battle hunger and homelessness in 2006.

The funding announced Thursday by FEMA is part of approximately $3.7 million allocated to Washington state and a $153 million effort nationwide through the agency’s Emergency Food and Shelter Program.

Kootenai County will receive nearly $62,700.

Allocations were decided according to unemployment and poverty rates in each county. Local boards from organizations such as the American Red Cross and United Way of America will submit requests for funding, based on expected need, to FEMA. Funding will then be distributed to local boards for final decisions on spending.

Spokane County received the fourth largest allocation in the state. King County topped the list, receiving more than $950,000 for the year.

Offices and services affected by Christmas

With Christmas falling on a Sunday this year, most holiday closures and disruptions will come on Monday.

“ Government offices – Most county offices close at 1 p.m. today. All city, county and federal offices are closed on Monday.

“ Garbage pickup – Delayed one day in Spokane; no disruption in Kootenai County.

“ U.S. Postal Service – Express mail delivered on Sunday. No service Monday.

“ Parking – Free street parking Monday in downtown Spokane.

“ Malls – NorthTown, Spokane Valley, River Park Square and Silver Lake malls close early Saturday and remain closed Sunday, but will be open Monday.

“ Buses – Spokane Transit will operate on its regular Sunday schedule on Christmas Day, and will offer weekend service on Monday.

“ Ski resorts – Will maintain regular operating schedule through holidays.

“ Libraries – Closed Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

“ Liquor stores – State-operated stores closed Sunday and Monday.

Christmas meals offered by church, missions

Spokane

St. Charles Catholic Church will serve a free Christmas dinner from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, 4515 N. Alberta. Call (509) 327-9573 on Christmas morning if transportation is needed.

The Union Gospel Mission, 1224 E. Trent, will host a Christmas Eve bluegrass concert at 5:30 p.m. Saturday followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m. Small gifts will be given to those attending dinner. The mission will serve brunch on Christmas Day from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. (509) 535-8510.

North Idaho

Bonner County Gospel Mission will be serving up free Christmas dinner, Sunday from noon to 3 p.m. at Sandpoint Community Hall, 204 S. First Ave.; call Corky at (208) 263-6698.

Get Lit! draws two Pulitzer Prize winners

Eastern Washington University announced keynote speakers Thursday for Get Lit! 2006, an annual literary event featuring authors and writing workshops.

Pulitzer Prize-winning authors Marilynne Robinson and Yusef Komunyakaa will give keynote speeches and readings at events from April 20 to 23 in Cheney and Spokane along with author Nancy Pearl and a fourth author not yet announced.

Book readings, poetry slams and writing workshops will be held featuring students and community members. Many of the events are free.

Cathy Dixon, a marketing manager with EWU’s educational outreach, said this year the event will expand a program where authors meet with area students in the classroom.

“There are a lot of fun things to do,” Dixon said.

Tickets to keynote events can be purchased through Tickets West.

The event is sponsored by the Eastern Washington University Press.

Two men arrested in stolen car incident

Grant County sheriff’s deputies have arrested two men on felony charges, including first-degree robbery, after they apparently crashed a stolen car and suffered minor injuries.

Javier T. Vasquez, 18, of Moses Lake, told investigators that he was in his vehicle parked at 9998 Maple Drive on Tuesday when two men approached and demanded he give them a ride. Vasquez refused and one of the suspects put a knife to his throat, Sheriff Frank De Trolio said in a news release.

Vasquez fled the vehicle, which was taken by the two suspects.

As deputies were interviewing Vasquez, Moses Lake police responded to a call of a crash involving Vasquez’s vehicle, De Trolio said.

At the scene, officers detained the passenger, 22-year-old Korod A. Olden, who suffered minor injuries. But the driver, identified as 22-year-old Michael H. Villegas, fled, De Trolio said.

While at a hospital, deputies learned from citizens that a suspicious male had flagged them down and requested a ride to the hospital. Deputies responded and found Villegas walking down the road. He was arrested without incident and treated for minor injuries.

Both Olden and Villegas were charged with first-degree robbery, first-degree theft, second-degree assault and first-degree possession of stolen property, De Trolio said.