March 11, 2009 in City

In brief: YWCA director resigns for medical reasons

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Monica Walters, executive director of the YWCA Spokane since 1996, has stepped down.

Deborah Booth, president of the YWCA board, said Walters resigned citing medical reasons, and that the board accepted her resignation. “Everybody loves Monica, but it’s time for her to get out of the hectic crossfire of all this and get some time for herself,” Booth said.

During her tenure, Walters oversaw a YWCA that aggressively championed the rights of abused women and children and served homeless families and others on society’s margins. The agency’s annual Women of Achievement event attracted nationally known speakers. Walters also was heavily involved in a joint YMCA and YWCA building project. Two new Y buildings will open this spring and summer.

Trish McFarland, who has served as development director and in other positions at the YWCA, was named interim executive director.

SNAP phone lines open this Saturday

Phone lines will be open this Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Spokane Neighborhood Action Programs for low-income households in Spokane County in need of heating and energy assistance. SNAP has already distributed more than $5 million of federal funds to 11,000 households in Spokane.

The SNAP energy assistance appointment phone line is normally open on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday’s time was added to reach those unable to call during the week. The Tuesday and Thursday schedule will continue until all funds are spent, most likely by the end of May. The phone number is (509) 242-2376.

Post Falls

Plow crash victim in critical condition

A Post Falls driver remains in critical condition after hitting a snowplow head on while rounding a curve on Highway 95 Sunday near Tensed.

Diana Houston, 43, was in the intensive care unit at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane after her 1990 two-door Plymouth Laser struck an Idaho Transportation Department snowplow driven by David L. Duncan, 51, of Worley, about 4:15 p.m. at milepost 381, according to Idaho State Police.

Houston’s passenger, Gary L. Waters, 51, was in stable condition at Kootenai Medical Center. Duncan was uninjured.

Houston and Waters own Ancient Answers, which specializes in custom jewelry, minerals, crystals and natural healing seminars. The business moved from Wallace to Post Falls in November.

Pullman

Alaska man convicted for October 2007 rape

A Pullman jury recently convicted an Alaska man of raping a woman after a Washington State University football game in October 2007.

Fousseyni Kone, 22, was convicted of first-degree rape and felony harassment March 5 in connection with the rape of a 30-year-old woman Oct. 7, 2007.

The woman was in town for the homecoming football game and was looking for a specific parking lot when Kone offered to help her, but instead persuaded her to stop at his apartment to pick something up, where he raped her, according to the Whitman County Prosecutor’s Office.

The woman ran, and Kone was arrested in Alaska in August. The prosecutor’s office praised the woman for her courage during the investigation and four-day trial.

Kone will be sentenced next month.

From staff reports

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