In brief: Prosecutor’s son jailed for break-ins

The son of a North Idaho federal prosecutor is in the Bonner County Jail for a drunken vehicle prowling spree in December.

Christopher Alan Cook, 22, was ordered this week to serve 30 days in jail for misdemeanor theft after a felony burglary charge was dismissed. He’ll be credited for 10 days already served.

Cook was arrested March 20 for a series of car break-ins in Sandpoint between Dec. 17 and Dec. 20.

He pleaded guilty on Wednesday and was sentenced to 365 days in jail with 335 suspended. He also was fined $1,000 with $700 suspended and will be on unsupervised probation for two years.

Alcohol was a factor in the crime, said Bonner County Deputy Prosecutor Shane Greenbank.

Cook, of Dalton Gardens, is the son of Assistant U.S. Attorney Nancy Cook. He is being housed away from federal inmates at the Bonner County Jail, according to court documents. Jailers told him he can be placed in a single cell if problems arise, but only as a last resort.

Candle-making goes awry, starts fire

A Spokane woman was melting wax to make candles Friday when the wax caught fire and spread to her kitchen cabinets and throughout her kitchen.

The Spokane Fire Department responded about 2:10 p.m. First crews on the scene saw smoke coming from the two-story house on the corner of Hartson Avenue and A Street, said Battalion Chief Clive Jones. The fire was contained to the kitchen.

No injuries were reported in the fire, but there is smoke damage to both stories of the home, Jones said. Damage was estimated to be about $4,000.

Initially, fire investigators thought the home’s two tenants would be able to return. However, the tenants had to break a window to escape and officials with the American Red Cross decided to provide temporary housing for security reasons while the window is repaired.

“We just wanted to make sure they were more comfortable that way,” said Megan Snow, Red Cross director of communications and marketing.