In brief: Second body recovered from rafting accident

The body of one of two men who drowned Saturday in the Coeur d’Alene River after a rafting accident was recovered Monday morning, according to the Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office.

Glen Brakeman was rafting with two friends Saturday when their raft capsized. His body was found Sunday evening by members of his family but recovery workers were unable to remove it from the river because of limited daylight.

The body of the other man who drowned was pulled from the river Saturday about 12 miles upstream from Enaville, Idaho. Authorities have not released the identity of that victim, or a third man who escaped and called authorities from the Kingston Shell station.

The Sheriff’s Office, Shoshone County Search and Rescue, Shoshone County Dive Team, Kellogg Ambulance, U.S. Forest Service and residents contributed to Monday’s four-hour recovery effort.

Lisa Leinberger

Spokane

Californian beats Eddy’s Everest record

Dawes Eddy, 66, of Spokane was the oldest U.S. citizen to successfully climb Mount Everest – for two days.

Bill Burke, 67, of Cost Mesa, Calif., made the summit in a group guided by Asian Trekking on Thursday, according to reports on three Web sites that track Everest climbs.

Eddy reached the summit a week ago in a group led by International Mountain Guides.

Kay LeClaire, 60, of Spokane, continues to be the oldest U.S. woman to climb the peak after her Friday ascent with Alpine Ascents International.

Monday afternoon she was still working her way down the dangerous route to base camp.

Jerry LeClaire, her husband, said Monday that he had not yet received a satellite phone call, “but from the Web (reports) it sounds like she’s safe.”

Rich Landers

WENATCHEE

Last lawsuit settled in sex investigation

The last of more than 30 lawsuits against the city of Wenatchee stemming from a 1990s sex ring investigation that resulted in numerous overturned convictions has been settled for $120,000.

The settlement, finalized in an order filed May 18 in Chelan County Superior Court, was with Marlene “Donna” Everett, her brother, Shawn Everett, and their lawyers.

Local officials admitted no wrongdoing, Mayor Dennis Johnson said.

The Everetts are two of the four children of Harold and Idella Everett, who were arrested in 1994 and pleaded guilty to child molestation. The state Court of Appeals reversed their convictions, and they were released from prison in 1998.

From April 1994 through 1995, nearly 60 people were investigated, and 43 were charged with more than 29,000 counts of sexual abuse involving some 50 children.

Of the 26 who were convicted of felonies, 18 won acquittal on appeal or pleaded guilty to reduced charges while appeals were pending.

The Everetts and many others in the case attended the Pentecostal Church of God House of Prayer in East Wenatchee, where police alleged some youngsters talked of ritualistic orgies with children and adults.

Associated Press