Seventh-grader collapses, dies

Crisis counselors will be at River City Middle School today, helping students cope with the loss of a seventh-grade classmate who collapsed and died a few minutes after school let out Tuesday.

The boy, who school officials said had no known medical conditions, was reportedly tossing snowballs with a friend when he took cover behind his mother’s car, which was parked just south of school grounds. When he rose to throw a snowball, he collapsed on the car’s hood, said Jerry Keane, Post Falls School District superintendent.

The mother called 911. But paramedics said the boy was dead before he reached the hospital, Keane said.

“It’s very, very tragic,” Keane said. “It’s just unbelievable. How does that happen to a young guy?”

– Meghann Cuniff

Spokane Valley

Munson elected mayor by council

Richard Munson was named Spokane Valley mayor Tuesday in a unanimous vote of his City Council colleagues.

He replaces Diana Wilhite, who nominated him for the largely ceremonial job. Under the city’s council-manager government, the mayor conducts council meetings and represents the city at public events but City Manager David Mercier is responsible for day-to-day management.

Munson said he plans to rely on Wilhite to “help me walk the straight road.”

Deputy Mayor Steve Taylor nominated Councilman Dick Denenny as his replacement. Taylor said he considers himself one of the more conservative members of the council and Denenny one of the most liberal, but “Dick and I have worked so well over the past several years as seatmates.”

Denenny also was elected unanimously.

– John Craig

Spokane

19 days after release, Hall back in jail

Notorious criminal Eddie Ray Hall is back in jail after just 19 days of freedom.

He was booked into Spokane County Jail on a probation violation Tuesday before lunch, according to jail records. Hall was picked up by his parole officer, officials said.

Hall, 43, was released Dec. 19 from Airway Heights Correctional Center. He had been sentenced to prison on charges of bail jumping, methamphetamine possession and possession of stolen property.

Hall, a career criminal, has more than 40 arrests and 10 felony convictions. Authorities estimated in 1998 that Hall had cost society about $1 million, including money spent on incarceration, surgeries and public defenders.

Hall’s brothers, Freddie Joe and Teddy Lee, also have several convictions each in Spokane County. However, both are currently out of jail, according to prison records.

– Jody Lawrence-Turner