In brief: Early blaze ousts hotel dwellers

Residents of about 25 rooms of an Airway Heights residential hotel were moved to other lodgings after a fire broke out early Thursday morning.

The fire started in an electrical room in one wing of the Airway Express Inn, 3809 S. Geiger Blvd., said Nick Scharff, chief of Spokane County Fire District 10. About 40 firefighters responded to the call, which came in around 4:40 a.m. No one was injured.

Scharff said fire and smoke damage was limited to about 10 rooms, but the power was out in the entire wing. The hotel has several wings, and each has its own electrical room. “It could be days, if not weeks, to get the power restored there,” Scharff said.

Alison Boggs

Council to discuss city bill of rights

The proposed Spokane Bill of Rights will get a hearing Monday on whether it should go to the next phase of qualifying for the November ballot.

The Spokane City Council will hold the hearing on the charter change during its regular 6 p.m. legislative session before a vote on sending the petitions to the Spokane County auditor’s office for signature verification.

The council must send the petitions to be checked unless something about the proposal is misleading or illegal, assistant city attorney Mike Piccolo said. Council members oppose the charter change drafted by a group called Envision Spokane. “We have a history of not interfering with the initiative process regardless of our personal beliefs,” Council President Joe Shogan said. “It’s better to err on the side of going forward and letting the people decide.”

Jim Camden

Farm Chicks head to ‘Early Show’

The Palouse’s own Farm Chicks, aka Serena Thompson and Teri Edwards, will make a national TV appearance on CBS’ “The Early Show” Tuesday morning.

The duo’s success story started with barn sales in Fairfield and has expanded into a popular antiques and craft show at the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center and a new cookbook, “The Farm Chicks in the Kitchen: Live Well, Laugh Often, Cook Much.” Thompson and Edwards will do a live segment on the show; they’ve also been to New York City to tape advance footage. “The Early Show” airs from 7 to 9 a.m. on KREM.

Staff reports

Company plans solar power plant

CLE ELUM, Wash. – A Seattle-area company hopes to build one of the world’s largest solar power plants near Cle Elum.

Teanaway Solar Reserve announced plans Thursday for the 75-megawatt plant made up of 400,000 photovoltaic panels. That would be enough electricity to power 45,000 homes.

The head of Teanaway, Howard Trott, said the privately held company has to get approval from Kittitas County to build the plant.

Associated Press