In brief: Car runs off road into the Columbia
A car ran off Highway 25 and was partially submerged in the Columbia River on Saturday afternoon, according to the Washington State Patrol.
MedStar was called to the scene, and a woman was airlifted to Deaconess Medical Center.
The accident occurred in Stevens County near Bissel, north of Hunters on the winding state highway that extends from Davenport to Northport.
LEWISTON
Hate-crime case ends in mistrial
A Nez Perce County judge declared a mistrial in a case of an alleged hate crime in northern Idaho.
Nez Perce County prosecutors accused 25-year-old Steven Shane Leas with felony malicious harassment, saying he confronted a black man and shoved him while using racial slurs outside a convenience store in August.
Leas pleaded not guilty to breaking an Idaho law that makes racial harassment or intimidation a crime.
Defense attorney Robert Van Idour argued that alcohol, not race, motivated Leas to confront the man.
A jury deliberated for two days earlier this week and announced they could not reach a verdict.
Leas is scheduled to appear back in court June 19.
NAMPA, Idaho
City to consider electric cars
City officials in southwestern Idaho may consider taking electric cars out for a test drive.
Nampa officials were among those who viewed the battery-run vehicles a Montana company brought to the region while touring Idaho and Wyoming.
The Miles Electric Vehicle company says electric cars are better for the environment and more economical to operate than average vehicles that run on fuel.
The electric cars sell for up to $20,000 and cost about a penny a mile to drive.
Nampa officials say they’ll compare costs for operating the electric cars to average vehicles and also determine whether the cars will fit their budget.
MISSOULA
School considers simulators’ fate
School officials are trying to decide what do with 40-year-old equipment that is used to simulate operation of a vehicle during high school driver education courses.
“Whenever we have class reunions, we always bring them through here,” Sentinel High School Principal Rob Watson said in the room housing the simulators, which have seats, steering wheels, controls and rectangular speedometers. “It brings back memories for folks.”
Keeping the equipment in operating condition costs about $3,000 a year, and even with that level of maintenance school officials figure the simulators won’t work much longer. Replacement would cost far more. Getting rid of the equipment would require redesigning driver education and increase its cost.
Missoula has Montana’s highest driver-education tuition, at $340 a class. Students pay about $180 in Billings and about $230 in Helena.
Watson said the Missoula rate is higher because the school district has the distinction of offering driver education during the school day. Teachers are paid at the full rate, instead of the lower rate for instructing students after the school day or during the summer.