Stories for December 13, 2006

• Board secrecy called illegal

  In City on Page A1 Spokane County’s air pollution board violated state law when it decided to hire its new director behind closed doors, the state auditor’s office said in a report expected to be …

• Charges dropped in drug death

  In Idaho on Page A1 Prosecutors have dismissed involuntary manslaughter charges against a former North Idaho College student who was set to be tried this week for the 2004 overdose death of a classmate. Cameron …

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  Helping after hardship

  In City on Page A1 Poverty missed Colleen Stevens by two generations, but it left an unmistakable mark on her grandparents. Her grandmother Charlotte Sullivan saved Saran Wrap as if it cost $50 a roll …

• As community gives, those in need receive

  In City on Page A1 Dozens of companies as well as individuals continue to make generous donations to the Christmas Fund, while at the same time thousands of needy families are getting Christmas fixings from …

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  Beam kills construction worker

  In City on Page A1 A construction worker crushed by a falling beam Tuesday at Spokane’s wastewater treatment plant was helping rebuild equipment that killed a city worker about 2 ½ years ago. The 26-year-old …

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  Spacewalking astronauts add truss to space station

  In Nation/World on Page A2 Discovery astronauts completed the first major task of their mission Tuesday, successfully installing the 2-ton P5 truss on the International Space Station’s main backbone during a six-hour spacewalk. While veteran …

• Democrats put earmarks on hold

  In Nation/World on Page A3 WASHINGTON – Democratic leaders declared a temporary moratorium on special-interest provisions known as earmarks as they attempt to cope with a budget crisis left by the outgoing Republican-led 109th Congress. …

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  Hundreds charged with identity theft in plant raids

  In Nation/World on Page A3 WASHINGTON – Federal agents targeting illegal immigrants raided meatpacking plants in six states Tuesday, arresting hundreds of workers on the uncommon charge of identity theft and shutting down the world’s …

• Bush postpones Iraq strategy speech

  In Nation/World on Page A3 WASHINGTON – Faced with a growing list of recommendations and a range of contradictory policy options from key advisers, President Bush on Tuesday delayed a planned announcement about a new …

• Buildup in Iraq gaining support

  In Nation/World on Page A3 WASHINGTON – As President Bush weighs new policy options for Iraq, strong support has coalesced in the Pentagon behind a military plan to “double down” in the country with a …

• Olmert backtracks on atomic weapons

  In Nation/World on Page A4 Israel’s prime minister spent Tuesday trying to put the nuclear genie back in the bottle, after a slip of the tongue in an interview was interpreted as confirming Israel has …

• No impact statements in forest plans

  In Nation/World on Page A5 GRANTS PASS, Ore. – Long-term management plans for national forests will no longer go through a formal environmental impact statement, the U.S. Forest Service announced Tuesday. The Forest Service said …

• Currency redesign for blind appealed

  In Nation/World on Page A5 The Bush administration on Tuesday asked an appeals court to overturn a ruling that could require a redesign of the nation’s currency to help the blind. Justice Department lawyers filed …

• Islamic militants surround Somali government

  In Nation/World on Page A6 BAIDOA, Somalia – Thousands of Islamic militants have surrounded the only town Somalia’s internationally recognized government controls, the prime minister said Tuesday as a top Islamic official promised to attack …

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  Holocaust deniers’ meeting in Iran sparks outrage

  In Nation/World on Page A6 VIENNA, Austria – A gathering of Holocaust deniers in Iran touched off a firestorm of indignation Tuesday across Europe, where many countries have made it a crime to publicly disavow …

• Killings in England raise ‘Ripper’ fears

  In Nation/World on Page A6 LONDON – Dread mounted that the peaceful east coast of England had given birth to a new “Ripper” as police hunted Tuesday for the killer of five women whose bodies …

• Texas runoff goes to Democrat

  In Nation/World on Page A7 SAN ANTONIO – Former Congressman Ciro Rodriguez defeated seven-term Republican Henry Bonilla in a runoff election Tuesday, adding another Democrat to Congress. With nearly all precincts reporting in the state’s …

• Avista sells stock to raise cash

  In Business on Page A8 Avista Corp. is selling shares of common stock out of the corporate treasury for the first time in 23 years as part of a financing plan that raised about $220 …

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  Bargains await at pawnshops

  In Business on Page A8 Christmas is a hectic season for retail managers. Ken Craudell’s job is no different. For nearly 10 years, he’s managed a pawnshop on East Sprague. During the first two weeks …

• North Idaho unemployment up

  In Business on Page A8 Timber industry troubles and a weather-related slowdown in construction triggered higher unemployment rates in all five North Idaho counties during November. The region’s unemployment rate rose to 4.4 percent last …

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  McMansions move closer to city core

  In Business on Page A8 DENVER — Four summers ago at 7 a.m., the earth started moving and the ground shook, cracking the plaster in Jim Skelton’s small brick home. The house next door was …

• F&M Bank to be sold to Banner

  In Business on Page A8 F&M Bank, a Spokane institution that celebrated its 100th year in business this year, will be sold to Banner Bank in a cash and stock deal valued at $98.8 million. …

• Warning to boomers: more work ahead

  In Business on Page A8 NEW YORK — One in four of the nation’s baby boomers probably won’t have the financial resources to retire on time and likely will have to work at least two …

• Company News: HP plans more cuts in work force

  In Business on Page A9 Computer maker Hewlett-Packard Co. still has more cost-cutting ahead, even after a massive restructuring that has sliced the work force by 10 percent, Chief Executive Mark Hurd told analysts Tuesday. …

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  Sale pricing hurts Best Buy profits, but outlook is strong

  In Business on Page A9 MINNEAPOLIS — For Best Buy, Wal-Mart may be the Grinch who steals Christmas. On Thursday, Best Buy said fierce competition forced it to cut prices in the third quarter more …

• SEC charges hedge fund with naked short-selling

  In Business on Page A9 WASHINGTON (Dow Jones/AP) — Federal regulators sued a Dallas-based hedge-fund manager Tuesday, alleging he pulled in more than $6.5 million of gains through illegal trading involving “naked” short sales of …

• Stocks lower after Fed keeps rates steady

  In Business on Page A9 Wall Street pulled back Tuesday, finishing slightly lower as investors grappled with an economic assessment by the Federal Reserve that warned yet again of inflation risks and reported a substantial …

• Ethanol to get boost in next farm bill

  In Business on Page A9 WASHINGTON — Demand for ethanol for cars will attract enough support to lead to passage of a major farm bill next year, despite disagreement on subsidy payments for farmers, a …

• Exercising smokers may face lower risk

  In Nation/World on Page A12 PHILADELPHIA – Everyone knows smoking is a bad idea, but those who can’t give it up may get a little protection from exercise, a study suggests. In a study of …

• Prostate cancer study questions nontreatment

  In Nation/World on Page A12 WASHINGTON – A large new study is challenging the common practice of recommending that elderly men forgo treatment for early prostate cancer and instead wait to see whether the malignancy …

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  Preserving past boosts economy

  In City on Page B1 Historic restoration in Spokane has long been championed as preserving the character of the city. But a new statewide study shows that preservation has also become a matter of dollars …

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  State rainy-day fund proposed

  In City on Page B1 Gov. Chris Gregoire told students at Central Valley High School on Tuesday that she is proposing a state constitutional amendment that would deposit hundreds of millions of dollars into a …

• Bloem upbeat on CdA’s successes

  In Idaho on Page B1 Coeur d’Alene Mayor Sandi Bloem doesn’t think the city could have had a better year: snagging the $60 million Kroc Community Center, a new library under construction and resolution to …

• Little League treasurer enters guilty plea

  In Idaho on Page B1 A former Post Falls Little League treasurer pleaded guilty and will be sentenced Jan. 9 for stealing thousands of dollars from the organization. James A. Harris, 38, entered an Alford …

• Accusations fly over city expansion

  In City on Page B1 Liberty Lake city planners tonight will recommend about 1,200 acres be added to the city’s Urban Growth Area, down from the 2,300 acres originally studied for inclusion. But members of …

• From Denmark to chronicler of Spokane life

  In City on Page B2 I just wanted a hamburger and some fries, and what’s it called? Pop? Cola? No, wait, no one calls it cola over here, it’s Coke. Petrified, I stared at the …

• Pair convicted of perjury

  In City on Page B2 A U.S. District Court jury in Spokane has convicted a husband and wife from Cashmere, Wash., of perjury charges. The convictions of Frederic and Vera Yurisich late Friday stemmed from …

• Better nursing home care tied to patients’ wealth

  In City on Page B2 Patients in Washington nursing homes that care primarily for the poor suffer from a lower quality of life than those with more affluent clients, according to a study released by …

• Sewer treatment plant gets celebration

  In Idaho on Page B3 Coeur d’Alene will celebrate the opening of its $12 million sewage treatment expansion today – a project to not only upgrade the system but blend it in with the ritziest …

• Idaho Records

  In Idaho on Page B3 For 12-13-2006

• Valley plans to sue county

  In City on Page B3 Frustrated with stalled negotiations over a strip of land that would extend Appleway Boulevard several miles to the east, the Spokane Valley City Council authorized the city’s first lawsuit against …

• Boise judge’s nomination may be doomed, insiders say

  In Idaho on Page B4 BOISE – If President George W. Bush renominates a controversial Republican Idaho lawyer for a seat on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, he’s going to have a tough …

• STA meeting likely to settle light rail issue

  In City on Page B4 Light rail backers are determined to keep pushing for a commuter train system between Spokane and Liberty Lake even though voters turned down two advisory measures on the issue last …

• Man held after party broken up with gunfire

  In City on Page B4 A 50-year-old Spokane man was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of celebrating his birthday with too much gunfire. Raymond Lee Thompson, 1927 E. Marshall Ave., was booked on a warrant charging …

• Idaho home cost growth leads nation

  In Idaho on Page B4 POCATELLO, Idaho – Home prices in Idaho rose at a faster rate than in any other state in the latest 12-month reporting period, according to a recently released federal report. …

• Search to continue for Mount Hood climbers

  In City on Page B5 COOPER SPUR, Ore. – Expert rescue teams equipped with ice axes, ropes and other high-altitude gear on Tuesday were once again frustrated in their efforts to locate three climbers missing …

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  FBI team searches river for evidence

  In City on Page B5 The FBI’s specially trained underwater evidence recovery team began searching a section of the Spokane River on Tuesday, apparently looking for a firearm. The 12-member Underwater Search and Evidence Recovery …

• Official Records

  In City on Page B5 Spokane County Marriage licenses

• Tax break

  In Opinion on Page B6 The following editorial appeared Tuesday in the Vancouver (Wash.) Columbian. Congratulations to Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., and U.S. Rep. Brian Baird, D-Vancouver, for shepherding through Congress last Friday night and …

• Prager’s concern isn’t bigotry

  In Opinion on Page B6 In multi-culti America, there’s no worse offense than being a “racist,” and no word has suffered more abuse. We’ve had a taste of that recently as Muslim and Jew have …

• Iraq report reaction may cost Bush

  In Opinion on Page B6 In politics, you can win by losing – and lose by winning. The Bush administration is winning the battle to beat back the Baker-Hamilton commission. But what does that bode …

• Our View: It’s a wonderful town

  In Opinion on Page B6 A couple of weeks ago, EWU journalism professor Bill Stimson began to panic. Ticket sales for the Wing Ding at The Bing were lagging. What if he threw a big …

• Cows are nature’s way of saying, ‘Chill’

  In Opinion on Page B7 In another display of pitch-perfect priorities, the U.N. has released its findings on cow flatulence. There’s quite a lot of it. The 400-page study, $27 million of which probably went …

• Wounded Knee still pains massacred tribe’s descendants

  In Opinion on Page B7 While Americans agonize over the contents of the Iraq Study Group and weigh the options of extricating its soldiers from the middle of a civil war, the people of the …

• Man returned to jail on child abuse charge

  In City on Page B8 A Spokane man who had been free on bail was returned to jail this week to await trial on a charge of breaking a 3-month-old baby’s leg on Sept. 27. …

• VA center clarifies services

  In City on Page B8 Officials at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Spokane have sent new letters to 23,000 local veterans warning that the hospital does not offer emergency care. The letters, the second …

• Kidnap, robbery trial begins

  In City on Page B8 Attorneys gave opening statements Tuesday in the trial of a Spokane man charged with kidnapping and robbing his neighbor earlier this year. Donald T. Phillips, 33, faces trial for first-degree …

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  GU seeks to avoid travel travails

  In Sports on Page C1 After taking a couple of the much-needed days off to rest their bodies and clear their minds for Finals Week, the Gonzaga Bulldogs reconvened for practice Tuesday afternoon and started …

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  Touchdown trifecta

  In Sports on Page C1 NEW ORLEANS – Mike Karney had no dances prepared and he obviously hadn’t practiced his spike, which bounced sideways instead of up. Having never scored an NFL touchdown, the third-year …

• Smith out at Idaho

  In Sports on Page C1 Idaho’s list of coaching candidates grew and shrunk Tuesday. Former Vandals football coach John L. Smith said he is no longer in the running for the job.

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  Too much Gore causes shudders

  In Sports on Page C1 KIRKLAND, Wash. – The last time Frank Gore faced the Seattle Seahawks, the San Francisco running back broke a 49ers record for rushing yards (221) and gave his team its …

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  Saxons slam Shadle

  In Sports on Page C1 Teams defending against Ferris in Greater Spokane League boys basketball must pick their poison. The Saxons have myriad ways to win, as host Shadle Park discovered during Tuesday’s 57-49 setback. …

• First-place Everett brings along new look

  In Sports on Page C1 The Everett Silvertips visit the Spokane Chiefs tonight, one day after completing a trade with the Moose Jaw Warriors. Spokane (16-11-3-1, 36 points) enters the game tied for second in …

• Rookie slump hits Morrison

  In Sports on Page C1 It’s been a rough month for Charlotte Bobcats rookie Adam Morrison, the former Gonzaga star. In his last four games, all at home, Morrison has shot just 4 for 34 …

• Fast Break

  In Sports on Page C1 For 12-13-2006

• Pronger leads surging Ducks past Panthers

  In Sports on Page C2 Chris Pronger snapped a third-period tie with his second goal of the game and the Anaheim Ducks improved the best start in franchise history by beating the Florida Panthers 5-4 …

• Los Angeles loses Odom, holds off Rockets

  In Sports on Page C2 Kobe Bryant had 23 points and the Los Angeles Lakers overcame the loss of Lamar Odom to beat the Houston Rockets 102-94 Tuesday in Houston. Luke Walton added 18 points …

• Woods wins eighth player of year award

  In Sports on Page C2 Tiger Woods won PGA Tour player of the year Tuesday for the eighth time, and the numbers looked familiar. He won multiple majors for the fourth time, and more tournaments …

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  Bucks embrace luck

  In Sports on Page C2 MILWAUKEE – Andrew Bogut knows the outcome could have been different, and he’ll take it. Bogut had 16 points, nine rebounds and six assists and hit what proved to be …

• Mariners decide Pineiro is expendable

  In Sports on Page C2 The Seattle Mariners cut ties with former starting pitcher Joel Pineiro, choosing not to offer the right-hander a contract for 2007 before Tuesday’s deadline, general manager Bill Bavasi said. Pineiro …

• On the Air

  In Sports on Page C2 For 12-13-2006

• Fazekas hits milestone in Nevada win

  In Sports on Page C3 Nick Fazekas scored 19 points to become the first player in Nevada history to top 2,000 career points and the 25th-ranked Wolf Pack beat Saint Mary’s 76-58 Tuesday night in …

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  Renewed receiver

  In Sports on Page C3 KIRKLAND, Wash. – The Oct. 1 game against the Chicago Bears was strange, what with the unfamiliar exhaustion that had rarely affected Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Bobby Engram in the …

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  Hunt’s condition worsens

  In Sports on Page C3 Kansas City Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt was fighting for his life in a Dallas hospital Tuesday, and friends and family of the 74-year-old pioneer of the modern NFL were hoping …

• Today’s menu

  In Sports on Page C4 For 12-13-2006

• NO HEADLINE

  In Sports on Page C4 Basketball NBA

• Ailing marathon runner returns to finish line

  In Sports on Page C4 HONOLULU – Two days after collapsing in cardiac arrest upon completing the Honolulu Marathon, Koji Takano returned to the finish line Tuesday – still wearing his hospital wrist band. “You …

• Prep basketball

  In Sports on Page C5 Bryan Peterson scored 19 points and grabbed six rebounds to lead West Valley to a 53-48 win over host Moscow in a non-league boys game Tuesday. Casey Sherrill added 13 …

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  Split decision overdue

  In Sports on Page C5 Allen Iverson’s name is off his locker, and soon his jersey will be on the discount table at most sporting goods stores in Philadelphia. It doesn’t take long to say …

• Shadle Park rallies past Ferris

  In Sports on Page C5 With its two leading scorers on the court for the first time, Shadle Park shook off a shaky start to even its Greater Spokane League basketball record Tuesday. Guard Lexi …

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  Graduating by degree

  In Sports on Page C6 Four decades after Joe Namath left the University of Alabama for what was then the richest contract in pro football, he’s still competitive. He has nothing to prove, except a …

• Fresh Sheet: Luna lands among Bon Appetit favorites

  In Food on Page D1 Luna is always among our readers’ favorite restaurants each year. Now, count them among the favorite restaurants featured in Bon Appetit magazine.

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  A new push for whole grains

  In Food on Page D1 If your notion of whole-grain baked goods lies somewhere between a hockey puck and Elmer’s glue, you need to give some new recipes a try. And now’s the time to …

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  People: Evel to Kanye: Take a flying leap

  In Features on Page D2 Legendary daredevil Evel Knievel is suing Kanye West over a music video where the rapper imitates him. In the video for “Touch the Sky,” West, as “Evel Kanyevel,” tries to …

• Horoscope

  In Features on Page D2 For 12-13-2006

• Annie’s Mailbox : Seek therapist to work it out

  In Features on Page D2 Dear Annie: I don’t know if I’m the victim or the perpetrator, but I know what I’m doing is really bad. After 33 years of a lousy marriage, I am …

• Hints from Heloise

  In Features on Page D2 Test your milk IQ: How many pounds of milk does it take to make 1 pound of cheese? 1, 5, 10 or 20? It takes 10 pounds of milk! OK, …

• Almond Roca easy in microwave or on stovetop

  In Food on Page D3 Dear Cook’s Notebook: Years ago a friend gave me an easy recipe for Almond Roca, which I have since lost in a move. All you had to do was butter …

• Jewish values have more people exploring what they eat and why

  In Food on Page D3 When Hanukkah begins at sundown Friday, many Jewish families will celebrate with traditional foods like latkes or fried potato pancakes. “We eat foods cooked in oil because the holiday is …

• Culinary Calendar

  In Food on Page D3 Christ Kitchen’s Gingerbread Build-Off – View displays by renowned local chefs teamed up with equally renowned local architects to create enormous gingerbread houses. The houses will be on display through …

• Slow Food Upper Columbia members report on Terra Madre

  In Food on Page D6 Two members of Slow Food Upper Columbia will host a meeting Monday to report on a recent trip to Turin, Italy, where they were United States delegates at an international …

• Treat guests to a rich Coconut-Cream Cake

  In Food on Page D6 Luna’s six-layer Coconut-Cream Cake will steal the show at any dinner party. You’ll need three 8-inch round cake pans for this recipe the restaurant shared in the December edition of …

• Garlic Bread Pizzas find fair share of fans

  In Food on Page D6 Crust lovers may find DiGiorno’s new Garlic Bread Pizza to be the perfect pie. Those who like a thin and crispy crust will definitely want to steer clear. It’s a …

• Calendar

  In Features on Page D9 For 12-13-2006

• Miss Manners: Consider the entire year as household employer

  In Features on Page D9 Dear Miss Manners: My partner and I recently accepted reality – that without outside intervention, the kitchen, and especially the bathroom, were never going to receive the weekly attention they …