Stories for October 13, 2009

• 38 kilos of cocaine seized in E. Washington drug bust

  In News A tip from airport police in Spokane leads to a major drug bust — more than 80 pounds of cocaine confiscated from a rented SUV by federal agents who spent … 3

• Judges reconsider decision tossed after racial comments

  In City Three state appellate judges were asked Tuesday to reinstate a verdict in favor of a local doctor after five jurors in the original malpractice trial reportedly made derogatory comments about … 1

• Sacred Heart noted for hiring people with disabilities

  In Business Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center Tuesday was awarded the Spokane County Community Services Employer of the Year award for outstanding commitment to incorporating the disabled into the workplace. 2

• Idaho may short students on Promise Scholarship

  In Idaho Thousands of Idaho college students who were scheduled to receive $500 “Promise Scholarships” this year will get just $400 instead, under a plan that’s up for final approval Thursday by … 2

• Wash. jobless rate up slightly; Spokane County steady

  In City Washington’s unemployment rate inched up slightly to 9.3 percent in September, compared with the revised August rate of 9 percent. 1

• Gonzaga professor nominated to become federal judge

  In News, City If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Gonzaga University law professor Rosanna Peterson would become the first woman to serve on Eastern Washington’s U.S. District Court bench. 1

• Fall enrollment up at Wash. public universities

  In City Fall enrollment is up at Washington’s public universities this fall. Most of the increase comes from students who decided to stay in school rather than seeking their fortunes elsewhere in …

• Ford adds 4.5M vehicles to defective switch recall

  In Nation/World Ford Motor Co. said Tuesday it will add 4.5 million older-model vehicles to the long list of those recalled because a defective cruise control switch could cause a fire.

• 3 pit bulls maul mini horse in Pend Oreille County

  In City Three pit bulls mauled a miniature horse last week before being shot to death in Elk, Wash., the Pend Oreille County Sheriff’s Office announced today.

• Kennewick men accused of illegal fishing on Snake

  In City Three Kennewick men are accused of stealing 22 fish, including three wild steelhead and two wild Chinook salmon, from a state fish hatchery collection site on the Snake River, officials … 2

• Idaho veterinarian, hunting partner face poaching charges

  In Outdoors, Idaho A Bonners Ferry veterinarian and his hunting partner have been charged with illegally taking two bull elk on the day before archery season opened. 2

• Senate committee approves health overhaul bill

  In Nation/World With support from a lone Republican, a key Senate committee today approved a middle-of-the-road health care plan that moves President Barack Obama’s goal of wider and affordable coverage a giant …

• Bonner County police logs, Oct. 9-12

    In Idaho Read the Bonner County law enforcement log for Oct. 9 to Oct. 12, 2009.

• Naches landslide puzzles investigators

    In Region The landslide that smothered a stretch of Highway 410 Sunday could be among the largest ever to hit a state roadway, but its cause remains a mystery.

• Overnight Liberty Lake blaze hit timber, destroyed shed

  In City A fire in timber and brush in an older section of Liberty Lake threatened to cause an evacuation of residents early today, but firefighters brought the blaze under control quickly …

• Rain slowly moving this way

  In City, Idaho The cold northerly flow that’s whipped up dust, set records for cold and damaged fruit crops is being replaced tonight by a more typical kind of fall weather – rain.

• A look at health care plans in Congress

  In Nation/World Health care legislation is taking shape in both the House and Senate. Details are still being negotiated and any final bill would have to meld proposals from both houses. A …

• Callers inundate health district’s phone lines

  In City on Page A1 Thousands of people swamped the phone lines at the Spokane Regional Health District on Monday to schedule appointments for vaccinations against the H1N1 virus. The health district expected to fill … 1

• Morning blaze devastates dachshund rescue group

  In City on Page A1 Margo Mossburg and her friends from Dachshund Rescue NW and the Dachshund Club of Spokane buried seven of Mossburg’s dachshunds in a field behind her house Monday just hours after … 2

• Health measure wouldn’t cover all

  In Nation/World on Page A1 WASHINGTON – As a Senate committee prepares to vote today on a closely watched plan to overhaul health insurance, senior Democrats are squaring off against key industry groups over how …

• State closes purchase of property

  In Outdoors, City on Page A1 The Washington Fish and Wildlife Department closed a $6.2 million deal Monday to acquire 1,693 acres of wildlife-rich wetlands and uplands from Horseshoe Lake south to Fan Lake. The land …

• Accuracy watch

  In City on Page A2 For 10-13-2009

• Taliban waging ‘real kind of war’

  In Nation/World on Page A3 ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – At summer’s end, there were hints of optimism in the battle against Pakistan’s Islamist insurgents. The military said it had routed the Taliban from the verdant Swat …

• King heirs settle dispute

  In Nation/World on Page A3 ATLANTA – After more than 14 hours of discussion, the heirs of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. reached a settlement late Monday that will keep the family from a …

• World in brief: N. Korea missile firings reported

  In Nation/World on Page A3 SEOUL, South Korea – North Korea reportedly test-launched five short-range missiles Monday – and may fire more – in what analysts said is an attempt to improve its bargaining position …

• Americans share economics Nobel

  In Nation/World on Page A4 WASHINGTON – Two Americans won the Nobel Prize in economic sciences Monday for their research in the way economic decisions and transactions are made outside of the market. Elinor Ostrom, …

• Region near wildfires braces for slides, floods

  In Nation/World on Page A4 LOS ANGELES – Southern California communities below wildfire-scorched mountains made preparations Monday for the possibility of fast-moving floods laden with mud and rocks as a Pacific storm headed for the …

• Nation in brief: Lodge where pair died lacked permit

  In Nation/World on Page A4 FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Authorities say a sweat lodge outside Sedona, Ariz., where two people were overcome and later died lacked the necessary building permit. Yavapai County’s building safety manager said …

• Verner foresees police cuts

    In City on Page A5 Spokane Mayor Mary Verner’s annual state of the city address Monday made a dire prediction about the likelihood of winning police concessions to prevent job losses next year. “We will … 4

• Apple growers eye harvest

  In City on Page A5 Green Bluff apple growers are holding their breath, hoping that record cold nights over the weekend didn’t do too much damage to the fruit still on the trees. Some apple …

• New chance for sex offender treatment

  In City on Page A5 A new treatment program for sex offenders is taking shape at Airway Heights Corrections Center. The 200-person program aims to reduce the number of inmates who reoffend by offering individual … 2

• Doug Clark: Police chief is suddenly America’s most wanted

  In City on Page A5 I’m weighing the merits of chocolate vs. white cake in a South Hill Safeway store Sunday when a stranger walks up and tells me he’s a big fan, so right … 4

• Green Bluff growers’ festival continues

  In City on Page A5 The unseasonable cold came just as the Green Bluff growers kicked off their annual Apple Festival last weekend. The festival runs weekends this month, through Oct. 25. Individual farms are …

• Lawmaker urges piecemeal reform

  In City on Page A6 The federal government should reform health care in steps, rather than through one major overhaul that would be as hard to change as it’s going to be to pass, U.S. … 2

• Region in brief: Court in session some Saturdays

  In City on Page A6 Spokane Municipal Court will begin hearing cases on two Saturdays a month starting in December. The sessions, which will begin at 1:30 p.m. on the first and third Saturdays of …

• Symphony rolls with Beethoven

  In City on Page A7 The Spokane Symphony staged a Beethoven mini-festival over the weekend with two excellent concerts at the Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox. Conductor Eckart Preu took the highly appreciative audience …

• Economists hopeful expansion has begun

  In Business on Page A8 NEW YORK – More than 80 percent of economists believe the recession is over and an expansion has begun, but they expect the recovery will be slow as worries over …

• Tribe hopes to cast a wider Web

  In Business on Page A8 WASHINGTON – The federal government will soon start handing out the first $4 billion from a pot of stimulus funds intended to spread high-speed Internet connections to more rural communities, … 2

• Early preparation will ease worries over retirement income

  In Business on Page A8 Retirement may seem like a long way off, but as the decades pass time seems to move faster and faster. Planning for retirement can seem overwhelming as we deal with …

• Business in brief: Mining stocks lead local index

  In City on Page A8 The 15 stocks tracked in the Hart Capital Inland Northwest Index appreciated 26.4 percent during the third quarter of 2009, and a composite index rose almost 35 percent, according to …

• Stimulus jobs being counted

  In Nation/World on Page A10 WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama’s stimulus plan spared tens of thousands of teachers from losing their jobs, state officials said Monday amid a nationwide effort to calculate the effect of …

• Cal Thomas: Peace prize is biased, hollow

  In Opinion on Page A11 “War will continue until the end …” (Daniel 9:26) Like the Pulitzer Prize for journalism, along with the Oscar and Emmy for film and television, the Nobel Peace Prize is … 1

• Endorsement: Waldref has grasp of complex challenges

  In Opinion on Page A11 Northeast Spokane District 1 will have a new representative on the City Council, with term limits forcing the departure of Al French. Both candidates are opposed to Proposition 4 and … 7

• Washington records

  In City on Page A12 Spokane County Marriage licenses

• Long road took Gonzaga Prep player to Cusick

  In Sports on Page B1 For someone who didn’t exactly plan out his life, Mike Keogh was feeling pretty fortunate last week as he sat on the tailgate of his pickup in Cusick, directing the …

• Phillies rally their way into the NLCS

  In Sports on Page B1 DENVER – Chase Utley ducked near second base. The rest of the Philadelphia Phillies never flinched. Ryan Howard hit a two-run double with two outs in the ninth inning and …

• Norman Chad: NBA refs won’t prevail against Stern

  In Sports on Page B1 I like NBA referees as much as the next basketball junkie – who doesn’t delight in watching Joey Crawford tee up Jerry Sloan? – but as they sit at home …

• Sports in brief: RiverHawks to sit out 2010

  In Sports on Page B1 Baseball: The Spokane RiverHawks will suspend West Coast League play for the 2010 summer collegiate wood-bat season in preparation for moving the team to Coeur d’Alene. According to the WCL, …

• Scoreboard

  In Sports on Page B2 Baseball National League playoffs

• Today’s Best

  In Sports on Page B2 Jayson Werth Singled in the winning run in the ninth inning of Philadelphia’s comeback win over Colorado.

• Sports in brief: Hawks match best NHL comeback

  In Sports on Page B2 Hockey: Brent Seabrook scored 26 seconds into overtime and the Chicago Blackhawks matched the biggest comeback in NHL history, rallying from a five-goal deficit to beat the Calgary Flames 6-5 …

• Newsmakers

  In Sports on Page B2 Injured Starting left guard Brian Simmons will miss No. 20 Oklahoma’s game against third-ranked Texas on Saturday with a right knee injury. Simmons left in the third quarter of the …

• Wildcat claws out victory

  In Sports on Page B3 MIAMI – When the wildcat delivered a big play for the Miami Dolphins, coach Tony Sparano skipped along the sideline with glee, reached back and threw a roundhouse punch. That … 1

• Roundup: Whits sweep NWC North

  In Sports on Page B3 Whitworth University swept both the men’s and women’s divisions at the Northwest Conference North Classic golf tournaments Monday at Oakbrook Country Club in Tacoma. With Cameron Whittle (10-over 152) and …

• Prep notebook: Knight’s daughter a secret no longer

  In Sports on Page B4 It is common for high school freshmen to have immediate impact in girls cross country. This year is no exception. The intent for one, Katie Knight – daughter of North …

• On the air

  In Sports on Page B5 For 10-13-2009

• Today’s menu

  In Sports on Page B5 For 10-13-2009

• The Slice: Don’t let winter catch you with your pants down

  In Features on Page C1 I think I know why winter throws some Spokane residents for a loop. They don’t have their cold-weather coats arranged by color-coded threat levels.

• With fatigue, watch for red flags

  In Features on Page C1 A friend was recently diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer. Her only symptom was fatigue for more than six months when she decided to see her doctor. Another friend was … 2

• Some asthma sufferers say CFC-less inhalers don’t work

  In Features on Page C1 Months after a federal ban went into effect outlawing a propellant used in most rescue inhalers, some asthma sufferers insist that the replacement inhalers don’t work and might even be …

• Pee-wee postpones stage show

  In Features on Page C2 They were planning to fly to L.A. from all over the country to see one of their beloved pop-culture heroes. But now many of them are left with dashed hopes …

• Annie’s Mailbox: Handyman hubby needs backbone

  In Features on Page C2 Dear Annie: My husband seems to be the “go to” guy in his family. He used to do carpentry work, and now his three siblings call on him for all …

• Horoscope

  In Features on Page C2 For 10-13-2009

• Soy sauce soothes pain of wasp sting

  In Features on Page C3 Q. I was adjusting my sprinkler timer and did not realize my arm was bumping against a wasp nest. That’s how I got stung on the elbow by four or …

• Temperature taking can be easy, accurate and painless

  In Features on Page C3 Beyond specifically following the instructions on your thermometer, here is advice from doctors on getting accurate readings on possible fever: Use a digital thermometer. Medical associations no longer recommend glass …

• Health bulletin board

  In Features on Page C3 New listings Step Aerobics – For ages 16 and older. Participants start with the basic moves before learning challenging combinations on a step bench. Nine-week class is held Tuesdays and …

• Dr. Gott: Using antibacterial soap could cause split fingers

  In Features on Page C5 DEAR DR. GOTT: A while back, you had an article about a woman’s fingers splitting open. My mother, sister and I had the same problem. My mother went to several …

• Reid no statesman

  In Letters Statesmanship does not fit U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (“Health reform riding on Reid’s statesmanship,” Oct. 4). He is leading the charge to take the U.S. further toward bankruptcy …

• Sad day for U.S. policy

  In Letters The U.S. has thrown Israel under the bus, abstaining on a resolution requiring the Israelis to give up their nuclear weapons. This allowed the resolution to pass, signaling a betrayal …

• Tales of suffering mount

  In Letters I wonder if it really sinks into our consciousness that people are suffering and dying in unknown numbers in this land of plenty because they do not have health insurance. …

• National plan? No thanks

  In Letters Froma Harrop’s column of Oct. 3 suggests we OK national health care and later work out the kinks? Is this a harbinger of things to come? Build a bridge without …