Former WPPSS director dies in Grant County house fire
A woman prominent in Northwest utility circles was killed in a fire Tuesday morning at her Grant County home.
Vera Claussen, 78, was found dead near her bedroom door after Grant County firefighters were able to go inside the house at 19528 Braeburn Drive NW, south of Soap Lake.
Grant County sheriff’s deputies and firefighters went to the home about 12:31 a.m. on Tuesday, and found it engulfed in flames, officials said. The blaze was fueled by wind.
Neighbors told firefighters an elderly woman lived there alone, said Grant County Fire District No. 7 Chief Kirk Sheppard. Firefighters didn’t find Claussen until after the blaze was doused.
Estimated damage to the home was $125,000, Sheppard said.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the county’s fire marshal and a sheriff’s office investigator.
Claussen, a former commissioner of the Grant County Public Utility District, was the first woman elected to a policy-making position with American Public Power Association and president of the APPA in 1996, according to previous news reports. The association represents public utility interests before legislative and regulatory agencies in Washington, D.C.
Claussen also was a former director of the Washington Public Power Supply System, which defaulted on $2.25 billion in bonds when it failed to build four of five proposed nuclear plants. Two of the plants were mothballed after $4.5 billion was spent. Construction of two more plants was terminated when WPPSS defaulted.
Kootenai County
I-90 repairs will cause delays
Westbound drivers on Interstate 90 near Coeur d’Alene should expect delays today and Thursday as road crews repair the bridge at the Highway 41 interchange, according to the Idaho Transportation Department.
Westbound traffic will be reduced to one lane starting at 9 a.m., and the speed limit will drop to 45 mph from 70 mph. Flaggers will be on Highway 41 to assist drivers, who should expect delays at the westbound off-ramp to the highway, according to the ITD.
Road crews will be removing asphalt from the bridge to smooth the large potholes and other surface problems caused by winter weather.
Drivers are encouraged to use an alternative route.
Twin Lakes
Two escape house fire
A Twin Lakes family lost their home to a fire Tuesday afternoon.
Firefighters haven’t determined what caused the fire at the Village Boulevard house near the Twin Lakes Golf Course, but John Hunt, emergency medical services division chief for the Northern Lakes Fire District, said the home was fully engulfed when crews arrived about 2:15 p.m.
“I can tell you it was heavily damaged,” Hunt said.
Two people were in the home when the blaze started but escaped without injuries.
Spokane County
River cleanup gets more staff
The effort to decrease pollution in the Spokane River just increased by $1 million.
A legislative appropriation will pay for additional staff to find and stop sources of river pollution, Washington’s Department of Ecology announced Tuesday.
Some of the funding through the state’s Urban Waterways Initiative will be used to hire a specialist to work with businesses and industries. The specialist will do site visits to look for sources of pollution, provide education on pollution prevention and help interpret regulations and permits businesses need, according to a press release.
Two new positions are being created at the Department of Ecology’s Spokane office to work with the specialist, as well.
Sheriff to get federal training
Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich will be out of town until March 24 as he receives training at the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Va.
The training is for law enforcement leaders. According to the FBI Web site, the course “serves to improve the administration of justice in police departments and agencies at home and abroad and to raise law enforcement standards, knowledge and cooperation worldwide.”
The federal government will pay for accommodations.