MAC reduces staff after funding decrease
The Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture announced layoffs of about 28 percent of its work force Wednesday.
The layoffs affect about 15 people, or the equivalent of about 11 ½ full-time positions, said Ron Rector, the museum’s interim CEO.
Layoffs have loomed for months because of a 22 percent downturn in state funding and a 24 percent downturn in overall revenue. The layoff total includes a few positions that were eliminated earlier this year.
Rector said the board is attempting to reduce the museum’s overhead while retaining its core educational and curatorial functions.
Jim Kershner
Pipe bomb found at Greenacres trailer
A Greenacres landlord found a pipe bomb Wednesday while cleaning out a former tenant’s property, Spokane Valley police reported.
The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office Explosive Disposal Unit was called to the trailer at 18500 E. Cowley Ave. about 10:30 a.m., after the landlord found a metal pipe with end caps and wires protruding from it.
The man carried the device – later deemed explosive – to the roadway before calling police, said Sgt. Dave Reagan, police spokesman.
The area was blocked off while the bomb unit dismantled the device, Reagan said. An investigation was ongoing.
Sara Leaming
Burglary suspect turns himself in
A Coeur d’Alene teenager allegedly involved in an attempted burglary in which his accomplice was shot turned himself in Tuesday night, police said.
Jake S. Smith, 18, walked into the Coeur d’Alene Police Department about 7:45 p.m. and was being held in the Kootenai County Jail.
Smith, Eli C. Skalak, 29, and Shae A. Crump, 24, were at a home in the 1100 block of Margaret Avenue in Coeur d’Alene Monday night. The 74-year-old homeowner saw two of the men standing in his yard and fired his gun, striking Crump in the arm, police said. Crump remained at Kootenai Medical Center and was expected to survive.
Skalak was still at large. Anyone who knows his whereabouts is asked to call the Police Department at (208) 769-2323.
Meghann M. Cuniff