Region in brief: Schweitzer to open its first runs Friday

Schweitzer Mountain Resort in Sandpoint will open for the 2009-’10 ski and snowboard season Friday, with some help from its new snowmaking system.

“The opening is possible in part due to Schweitzer’s snowmaking system installed in 2008 and completed in 2009 which has aided the ideal weather conditions,” a resort news release said Tuesday.

The snowmaking system is capable of creating 18 inches of snow from the top of the Basin Express chairlift to the bottom on the Midway run.

That chairlift and the Musical Chairs lift will operate from 9 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.

More lifts and runs will open as conditions allow, the release said.

Alison Boggs

Holiday will affect offices, services

The following offices and services will be affected by the Thanksgiving holiday this week:

Schools: Closed Thursday and Friday.

Mail: Post offices be closed and no pickup or deliveries made Thursday.

Buses: Will operate on holiday schedule Thursday.

Banks: Closed Thursday.

Government: City, state, federal and county offices closed Thursday.

Garbage: No service in the city or county Thursday. Pickup will be one day late for the rest of the week.

Liquor stores: Closed Thursday.

Parking meters: Don’t need to be fed Thursday.

Libraries: Spokane, Coeur d’Alene and Post Falls public libraries closed Thursday and open Friday. Spokane County Library District branches will be closed Thursday and Friday.

Staff reports

Furloughed inmate’s brother arrested

The brother of a man granted a five-hour furlough from jail for Thanksgiving was arrested Tuesday on a drug charge.

Steven Kinard, 50, was booked just before 4:30 p.m., according to Spokane County Jail records.

Kinard is the brother of Terrence A. “T-Baby” Kinard, 52.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Cynthia Imbrogno last week granted Terrence Kinard, who has failed to show up for court 75 times, a five-hour furlough to join his family for Thanksgiving dinner.

Kinard’s lawyer had asked for five days, saying the family feared for his 80-year-old mother’s health as well as the health of Steven Kinard.

The family will be required to pay two law enforcement officers who will accompany Terrence Kinard.

Terrence Kinard will be sentenced Dec. 8 on a federal cocaine conviction. He faces about six years in prison.

The brothers remained in jail Tuesday.

Meghann M. Cuniff