March 29, 2005 in City

Fire destroys business on Tonasket main street

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Tonasket, Wash. The Lee Frank Mercantile building on Tonasket’s main street has been destroyed by a fire.

About 50 firefighters from four departments contained the Sunday evening blaze, said Tonasket Fire Chief Don Johnson. He estimated damage at $2 million and said the cause is still undetermined.

Johnson called in crews from Omak, Loomis and Oroville to prevent the fire from burning the whole block. “This has been a big fear of mine since I’ve been involved with the fire department. Everything’s so interconnected, and they’ve all got basements,” he said of the downtown buildings.

Dave Kester, who bought the business from the Frank family in 1996, said he will rebuild. The store sold hardware, farming appliances and sporting goods.

He said he believes the 10,000-square-foot building was built in the 1940s, a couple of decades after Lee Frank first opened a store in 1920.

“It hurts, but I’m not ready to retire, so we’ll do it again,” he said. “It was a very successful business, and I’m not giving it up.”

Hospice to hold pair of events exploring end-of-life issues

Hospice of Spokane will host two events surrounding end-of-life decisions.

On April 20, the organization will show “Living with grief: Ethical dilemmas at the end of life,” a live national teleconference with the Hospice Foundation of America. It will start at 10:15 a.m. at the Spokane Civic Theater, 1020 N. Howard Ave.

After the broadcast, a panel of local doctors, clergy and other experts will discuss issues raised. Registration is $20 and includes a textbook and lunch.

Separately, Hospice of Spokane also will hold a lunch seminar about writing advance directives at noon Thursday at its offices, 121 S. Arthur St.

For more information on the two events, call (509) 456-0438 or visit www.hospiceofspokane.org.

Woman accused of making threats against governor

Bellingham A Whatcom County woman has been charged with sending a series of increasingly threatening e-mails to Gov. Christine Gregoire.

Lee Ann Linville, 44, of Birch Bay, wrote that the governor was “dead meat to God” and that “There is going to be a murder attempt on your life, your childrens lives and your husband,” charging papers filed in Whatcom County Superior Court said.

Linville also claimed to have foreknowledge of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, prosecutors said. She claimed the government had stolen her money and that Gregoire should pay her $2.5 million.

From January to March, she sent 10 e-mails to the governor’s office. On March 11, prosecutors said, she wrote, “Steal from meagain Chris and you could end up like Safira,” a biblical character who dropped dead after lying to God.

In another message that day, she allegedly wrote, “Ms. Greggoire I have decided to kick you in your nonexistent nuts.”

Gregoire said Monday she did not know of the threats, but added: “I am not going to be deterred by anybody who is going to launch a death threat to me.”

Linville was arrested Saturday on the felony count and ordered held on $100,000 bail after a court appearance Monday.

Plastic Easter eggs with racist literature inside found on lawns

Longview, Wash. Police are on the lookout for whoever scattered plastic eggs filled with racist literature in yards where they would be found on Easter morning.

The eggs were found Sunday morning at homes on Hillcrest Drive, Cascade Way and Cedar Place. The message stuffed inside had a strong racist tone and was critical of churches and government in general, police said in a statement.

While the writings had racist overtones, they do not rise to the level of malicious harassment as defined by state law, Police Chief Alex Perez said. At most, the parties would be guilty of littering.

“This nefarious act carried out on one of the holiest of holidays, under the cover of darkness and hidden in the toys of children, speaks to the cowardly nature of the perpetrators and their cause,” Perez said in a statement. “Racism and intolerance have no place in Longview.”

The eggs were set out either late Saturday night or early Sunday morning, police said.

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