In brief: Clear snow, ice from meters, vents
Avista is urging customers to clean snow and ice away from electric and natural gas meters and appliance vents outside their homes.
Excessive ice or snow can damage the meters. Snow blocking vents from furnaces, water heaters, gas fireplaces and clothes dryers could keep exhaust, such as carbon monoxide, from venting to the outside.
The utility asks homeowners not to hit or kick natural gas meters or pipes to clear ice and snow. If a meter is covered in solid ice, customers should call (800) 227-9187 for help removing the ice.
� Taryn Hecker
Post falls
Boy who died had heart problems
The seventh-grade boy who collapsed and died outside River City Middle School on Tuesday had heart problems, said Jerry Keane, superintendent of the Post Falls School District.
Doctors identified “serious problems” with Sean Morris’ heart but haven’t determined his exact cause of death, Keane said.
Morris died a few minutes after school let out Tuesday. The boy was tossing snowballs with a friend when he took cover behind a car. When he arose to throw a snowball, he collapsed.
Counselors were at the school Thursday to help grieving students.
A funeral is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday at the Post Falls Chapel, 1824 E. 16th Ave.
� Meghann M. Cuniff
BOISE
Keough introduces water, school bills
Sen. Shawn Keough, R-Sandpoint, introduced legislation in the Idaho Senate on Thursday to withdraw northern Bonner and Boundary counties from the upcoming North Idaho water rights adjudication.
“An overwhelming number of people in northern Bonner and Boundary counties have told us in no uncertain terms that they do not want an adjudication to proceed,” Keough said. “� The people want more information about the positives, negatives and need.”
Keough, who introduced the measure as a personal bill, has two co-sponsors, Reps. Eric Anderson, R-Priest Lake, and George Eskridge, R-Dover.
Keough also introduced a second bill calling for a comprehensive study to define what constitutes “adequate” funding for public schools, from kindergarten through 12th grade.
“Both issues are very important to the people of my legislative district,” Keough said. “I felt it imperative to get them on the table as soon as possible.”
� Betsy Z. Russell
yakima
Life sentence for killing man, girl
A 25-year-old man has been sentenced in Yakima to life in prison without parole for killing a man and his 3-year-old daughter.
Jose Luis “Junior” Sanchez was convicted last month for shooting 21-year-old Ricardo “Ricky” Causor and Causor’s three-year-old daughter Mya on Feb. 20, 2005, during an attempt to steal money and marijuana.
� Associated Press