Time to move vehicles for Browne’s plowing

Snowplows are coming to Browne’s Addition, so cars must go.

City crews planned to plow north-south streets today and east-west streets Wednesday. Cars parked on streets scheduled for clearing will be towed starting at 9 a.m.

“This is going to cost you a couple hundred bucks probably if you don’t move your car out of the way,” said Jennifer DeRuwe, spokeswoman for the Spokane Police Department. “Apparently we had a big snowstorm in 1998 and we towed over 80 vehicles.”

Cars can stay on the east-west streets today and the north-south streets Wednesday.

– Meghann M. Cuniff

Mayor hopes to add to street crews

Mayor Mary Verner told City Council members Monday that she hopes to increase the number of street department employees for next year.

Verner made the comments during a presentation about the city’s response to last week’s snowstorms.

The mayor and several administrators will meet today to review actions taken to clear city streets.

Last week, Verner said she wouldn’t support increasing staff to deal with large storms that are often years apart. In an interview after her presentation Monday, she stressed that investing more in the street department would improve street maintenance for more than wintertime needs. She said the department is under-budgeted by several million dollars.

“I don’t want to beef up staff for a snow event,” Verner said. “I want to come back to the City Council to make sure that year after year we have adequate staff and an adequate budget.”

– Jonathan Brunt

Whitman County

Snowmobiler stable after fall into cistern

A Rosalia man remained hospitalized two days after he and his daughter fell into an empty water cistern while snowmobiling.

Kelley D. Messinger, 60, and his daughter, Kelley Ann Messinger, were trapped in a cistern about 10 to 15 feet deep near 2231 Trestle Creek Road, the Whitman County Sheriff’s Office reported. The pair called 911 from a cell phone about 2:30 p.m. Saturday, and rescue crews found them about 45 minutes later.

Crews used a ladder to get into the well and, using borrowed snowmobiles, took the Messingers to emergency vehicles on backboards, according to the sheriff’s office.

Kelley Ann Messinger reportedly was taken to Whitman Hospital and Medical Center by ambulance, but a hospital representative said Monday that she was never admitted. Her father was flown by helicopter to Deaconess Medical Center, where he was listed in stable condition Monday.

– Meghann M. Cuniff

Idaho

Democrat caucus sites

Democrats can attend caucuses tonight to show support for a presidential candidate. In North Idaho counties, the meetings start at 7 p.m.

Caucus locations are:

•Benewah County: County Fairgrounds, St. Maries

•Bonner County: Panida Theater, Sandpoint

•Boundary County: Memorial Hall, County Fairgrounds, Bonners Ferry

•Kootenai County: North Idaho College gymnasium, Coeur d’Alene

•Latah County: County Fairgrounds, Moscow

•Shoshone County: Broken Wheel Restaurant, Kellogg

– Jim Camden