January 13, 2008 in City

In brief: Third WSU student dies after Highway 95 crash

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A two-car crash along Highway 95 near Cougar Gulch Road that killed two people Friday evening claimed a third victim Saturday morning, when 21-year-old Tyler Pearson, of Kennewick, died at Kootenai Medical Center.

Pearson lost control of his 1999 Isuzu Rodeo on the icy road and hit an oncoming 2004 Chevrolet Suburban driven by 35-year-old Lea Barnes, of Lakewood, Wash., according to the Idaho State Police.

Barnes and Pearson were transported to Kootenai Medical Center, where Barnes remained in fair condition Saturday.

Of the three passengers in Pearson’s car, 20-year-old Benjamin Lockard, of Kennewick, and 19-year-old Ann Barney, of Steamboat Springs, Co., died at the scene. The third passenger, 19-year-old Brooke Smith, also of Kennewick, was in critical condition at KMC on Saturday.

Pearson, Lockard and Barney were all students at Washington State University. They were headed to Schweitzer Mountain Resort near Sandpoint to go snowboarding, authorities said. The cause of the collision remained under investigation Saturday, but troopers suspected icy conditions.

– Pia K. Hansen

Spokane

Salvation Army nearly hits goal

The Salvation Army’s Christmas fundraising efforts almost hit its 2007 goal.

“We are very thankful to our community for helping us pull within 96 percent of our overall holiday revenue goals,” said Elaine Baldwin, development director for services in the Spokane region.

Immediately before Christmas, $274,000 had been donated; the goal was $470,000. And the Red Kettle Campaign had netted just 36 percent of what was anticipated. “The last five days of the Kettle campaign saw a tremendous surge,” Baldwin said.

But by the campaign’s end, $235,936 had been dropped into the kettles – 93 percent of the projected $255,000. The Salvation Army raised $214,340 through its direct mail campaign.

“Combined, that’s a total of $450,276,” Baldwin said.

The Salvation Army serves more than 60,000 people a year in the Spokane region and anticipates an increase in need. The Salvation Army runs Camp Gifford, Sally’s House, transitional housing for homeless people and a sports and aquatics center, among other programs.

– Pia K. Hansen

Bonner County

River cleanup plans available

Plans to clean up an underground petroleum leak in Priest River are available for public review.

The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality is seeking comments on a plan to clean up petroleum that leaked from an underground storage tank at the former Dock-N-Shop site on the bank of the Pend Oreille River.

The plan includes details on how the site’s current owner, JLZ Enterprises, hopes to remove contaminated soil and dispose of it off-site. The property is planned for residential and commercial development, according to a DEQ press release.

Copies of the draft plan are available at the Priest River City Office, 209 High St.; the West Bonner Library District Office, 219 Main St. in Priest River; or online at www.deq.idaho.gov/public/comment.cfm.

– Taryn Hecker

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