Abused 3-year-old girl released from hospital

A 3-year-old St. Maries’ girl has been released from Sacred Heart Medical Center nearly three months after being hospitalized for severe abuse.

Kyra Wine was found in her mother’s home with dead flesh on her hands and feet, extensive bruising and most of her hair missing. Doctors were forced to remove parts of her feet and one finger.

The girl’s mother, 26-year-old Christina Haynes, and her mother’s boyfriend, 29-year-old Charles William Smith, are charged with felony injury to a child and aggravated battery. Smith’s lawyer, William Butler, plans to ask a judge to drop the aggravated battery charge.

A court hearing set for last Friday – the day the girl was discharged – was delayed until Sept. 22, Benewah County officials said.

Smith remains in Benewah County Jail on $250,000 bail. Haynes was released July 30 after her bail was reduced to $75,000.

Spokane

School locked down during search for burglar

A 21-year-old narrowly escaped injury and a Spokane elementary school was locked down for several minutes Monday after a burglary suspect was caught inside a home and fled.

The son of a homeowner in the 8500 block of North Standard Street called 911 just before 2 p.m. and said he’d spotted a burglar in the home’s stairway and had to duck to avoid being struck in the head with a hammer, according to Spokane police.

The burglar fled, and Shiloh Hills Elementary School was placed on lockdown while police, deputies and a police dog scoured the neighborhood.

Twelve minutes after the burglary was reported, Spokane police Cpl. Mike Carr spotted the suspect and three other males running from the Lilac Lanes bowling alley. Police arrested two of them, including the burglary suspect, at a nearby apartment complex. The two, both 16, were booked into the Spokane County Juvenile Detention Center on outstanding warrants.

Red-light cameras going up at three intersections

Cameras to catch red-light runners should be in place by Oct. 1, police said Monday.

For 30 days drivers will be given warnings if the camera snaps a picture of the traffic violation. After that, drivers will receive $124 tickets in the mail.

Construction began last week at three intersections, said Spokane police Officer Teresa Fuller.

North Hamilton Street at East Mission Avenue and North Division Street at Francis Avenue are progressing well, but a conduit under South Browne Street and Sprague Avenue has posed some engineering difficulties, Fuller said.

If an alternate is needed, possibilities include two intersections along Third Avenue, Maple Street at Wellesley Avenue and Second Avenue at Thor Street.

Listen to a discussion of red-light cameras at www.spokesmanreview.com.

City council delays vote on pay raise for workers

Spokane City Council members decided Monday they wanted more information before approving 5 percent annual raises for members of the city’s largest employee union.

More than 1,000 workers would get 5 percent raises each year from 2008 through 2010 under the proposed four-year contract for Local 270 of the Washington State Council of County and City Employees. Wages would increase in 2011 based on inflation.

City administrators, who signed off on the deal, say concessions from the union on medical and retirement benefits will help keep costs in check.

Even so, officials estimate the total cost of wages and benefits for the union will increase 5.2 percent annually under the four-year contract. That would mean adding $2.2 million to 2008 expenses and $4.3 million in 2009.

Councilman Mike Allen said he wants more proof that the employee medical and retirement concessions will help the city’s bottom line in the long term.

“Five percent is a generous amount in my world, and I just want to see the analysis,” he said.

Upon Allen’s recommendation, the council voted unanimously to delay action on the contract for one week.

Medical Lake

Officials urge caution after sexual assault reports

After two alleged sexual assaults were reported within three days, Medical Lake officials are reminding residents to be cautious around strangers.

The first incident involved a minor in a public restroom at Shepard Field last Tuesday. The second reportedly occurred Friday at a home in the Fox Ridge neighborhood after a woman responded to a knock on her door.

In both cases, the perpetrators were strangers to the victims, said City Administrator Doug Ross.

The assaults don’t appear related, he said.

“Be aware of your surroundings, always,” Ross said. “Be cautious and impart that in your children as well.”

RICHLAND

Feds plan to fine contractor at Hanford after firing

The federal government plans to issue a $41,250 fine to a contractor at the nation’s most contaminated nuclear site for laying off an employee who raised safety concerns, the U.S. Department of Energy said Monday.

Bechtel National Inc. is building a vitrification plant that will convert highly radioactive waste at south-central Washington’s Hanford Nuclear Reservation into glasslike logs for permanent disposal underground. In recent years, the project has been mired in cost overruns and construction problems.

The employee, who worked in Bechtel’s engineering department, raised concerns about software related to the plant’s future operations. The employee alleged that Bechtel retaliated by laying him off in 2005, the Energy Department said in a statement.

The proposed penalty takes into account Bechtel’s efforts to employ safety-conscious workplace programs and to train managers to encourage safety-related inquiries by employees, the statement said.

Bechtel has 30 days to appeal or provide documents to show additional steps the company has taken in order to potentially reduce the penalty. A Bechtel spokesman did not immediately return a telephone message seeking comment Monday.

CHEYENNE, Wyo.

Federal judge tosses plan on Yellowstone snowmobilers

A federal judge in Washington, D.C., on Monday threw out plans to allow more than 500 snowmobiles a day into Yellowstone National Park, drawing sharp criticism from Wyoming’s congressional delegation and snowmobiling advocates.

The National Park Service’s Winter Use Plan would have allowed 540 snowmobiles in Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks and the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway every day, starting this winter.

But U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan said in an order that the plan would increase air pollution, disturb wildlife and cause too much noise in the nation’s first national park.

Wyoming Republican Sens. Mike Enzi and John Barrasso denounced the ruling.

“National parks are ‘for the benefit and enjoyment of the people’ and judges and lawyers seem to forget or purposely discount that sometimes. That’s sad,” Enzi said. “I am disappointed the judge did not recognize the incredible work of the residents in the area and the Park Service who agreed on a plan that works for conservation and public access.”

KETTLE FALLS, Wash.

State fines company for air-quality violation

Boise Building Solution was recently fined $15,126 for violating air quality standards last year at its plywood plant in Kettle Falls.

The plant released twice the amount of carbon monoxide allowed by its permit during an October 2007 test, in addition to higher-than-permitted amounts of other pollutants.

The Washington Department of Environmental Quality levied the fine, which the firm can appeal to the State Pollution Control Hearings Board.