Woman dies in crash; two children critical
A Spokane Valley woman was killed and two children remained hospitalized in critical condition Saturday, after an early morning accident on Interstate 90 eight miles west of Spokane.
Amy S. Quiroz, 31, died at the scene of the 3 a.m. wreck, which occurred after the 1992 Chevrolet Blazer she was driving left the eastbound lanes of the freeway and rolled in the median. The cause of the accident is being investigated, but the Washington State Patrol said alcohol or drugs were not involved.
Two children were injured in the wreck, Abigail Quiroz, 13, and Ramone Quiroz, 5. Both were in critical condition Saturday at Sacred Heart Medical Center.
Another passenger in the SUV, Enrique Ortega, was injured in the crash, but he was not a patient at Sacred Heart or Deaconess Medical Center on Saturday. A 3-year-old, Mario Ortega, was not injured, the WSP said.
The WSP said Amy Quiroz was wearing a seat belt, as were the passengers, but she was thrown from the vehicle after it rolled several times.
Shawn Vestal
Actors Repertory board cancels rest of season
Actors Repertory Theater, a Spokane-based nonprofit professional theater company, is canceling the remainder of its 2008-2009 season.
The ARt board, which has undergone several membership changes in the last year, recently discovered a number of financial problems, said spokeswoman Beth Gillespie.
“We just have no funding to continue,” she said. “We sort of inherited some challenges we didn’t see.”
Board chairman Jim Barthelmess announced the decision at Friday night’s performance of “The Importance of Being Earnest” at Spokane Falls Community College’s Spartan Theater. The announcement came after today’s story on page D1 highlighting the upcoming theater season had already gone to press.
Gillespie said the ARt board has no plans to disband, and will begin working on a new business plan.
“Earnest,” which runs through Sept. 6, will continue as scheduled. Ticketholders for remaining productions will receive refunds, Gillespie said.
ARt’s telephone number is (509) 838-4013.
Ken Paulman
Government offices will close for Labor Day
Government offices will be closed Monday in observance of Labor Day.
Spokane City Hall will be closed along with other city facilities, including the garbage transfer stations and the waste-to-energy plant. The city’s golf courses will be open.
Parking meters in Spokane don’t have to be plugged on the holiday, and garbage pickup and curbside recycling will be a day late all week; Friday’s usual pickup will be on Saturday.
The Spokane Public Library’s Eastside, Hillyard, Indian Trail and downtown branches will be closed Monday, as usual, and Tuesday in observance of Labor Day. The Shadle and South Hill branches will be closed Monday but open Tuesday.
The Spokane City Council canceled its Monday meeting because of a lack of a quorum. The council’s next meeting will be Sept. 8, with a briefing at 3:30 p.m. and the regular meeting at 6 p.m.
Spokane County offices, including the courthouse, public safety building and veterans services office, will also be closed.
City of Coeur d’Alene offices will also be closed Monday, and the Coeur d’Alene Public Library will be closed today and Monday.
Staff reports