In brief: School counselor accused of abuse
COLVILLE – A Colville School District psychologist will be arraigned in Stevens County Superior Court on Monday for alleged molestation of an 11-year-old Colville resident.
Craig L. Figley, 58, was arrested Thursday and made a first appearance in court Friday, Colville police officials said.
Figley is being held in Stevens County Jail on $250,000 bail.
Chief Deputy Prosecutor Scot Stuart said the arrest followed the service of a warrant to search Figley’s home, at 1000 N. Elm in Colville.
Stuart said the alleged molestation did not occur on school property. He said he could not say whether the student had been counseled by Figley in the Colville schools.
Water district gets upgrade loan
The Kingston Water District in Shoshone County received a $600,000 interest-free construction loan to upgrade its system.
The loan was made with federal stimulus money, channeled through the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality.
The money will be used to replace the system’s lines, which lose about 30 million gallons of water each year. In addition to conserving water, the new lines will decrease the district’s operating costs.
Officer tracks hit-run suspect
An officer who heard the sound of a traffic accident early Friday tracked down an accused hit-and-run driver and arrested him.
Daniel R. Savino, 34, was booked into Spokane County Jail for hit-and-run and attempting to elude Officer Paul Buchman.
Buchman reported that he was near Second Avenue and Crestline Street about 2 a.m. when he heard the accident and investigated. The hit-and-run victim gave a description of a fleeing pickup, which the officer found a short distance away.
Savino was behind the wheel and tried to get away. Buchman pursued the fleeing driver to Mission Avenue and Columbus Street, where the driver stopped and was arrested. Two passengers fled on foot, and a K-9 was unable to track them.
Amtrak service waits on weather
Harsh winter weather across the Midwest disrupted Amtrak’s Empire Builder service, canceling the westbound train due in early this morning. The Amtrak Web site said it’s possible the disruption could continue through the weekend.
Passengers traveling west from Whitefish, Mont., to Seattle or Portland were offered alternate transportation, the site also said.
Normally the Empire Builder arrives from Montana in Spokane around 1:40 a.m., and continues to Seattle and Portland.
Updates on when Amtrak can resume service will be posted at Amtrak.com.