In brief: Drug bust nets three arrests
Six children were taken into protective custody in Bonner County on Thursday as detectives arrested three people on suspicion of manufacturing methamphetamine.
Priest River residents Leuis Mark Blood, 44; Brandon N. Crump, 33; and Shauna L. Crump, 32, also face charges of injury to a child, according to the Bonner County Sheriff’s Department
They were arrested Thursday after investigators searched two homes at 352 and 358 Bandy Road in southern Bonner County, east of Hoodoo Lake and Spirit Lake Cutoff Road.
The children are in the care of the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.
Elderly woman conned out of $1,475
An elderly Spokane Valley woman lost nearly $1,500 this year to a con man who claimed she’d won a new car.
The Spokane Valley Police Department is reminding people to talk with their elderly parents about phone, mail and email scams after the 84-year-old woman’s daughter reported the fraud to Crime Check and said the thief calls her mother daily seeking more money.
The victim sent $1,475 to an address in Jamaica in March after a caller claiming to represent Morgan Stanley International told her she had won a new car and only had to pay them sales tax to collect it, Sgt. Dave Reagan said Thursday.
In a news release, Reagan said such swindles “are nearly impossible to investigate and prosecute” because the culprits typically live outside the country.
He said people with elderly relatives “should insist that elders discuss with them any contest, lottery or other prize offers before sending any money for ‘taxes,’ ‘border fees’ or other claims of money owed.”
Farragut park project will be topic
The Idaho Department of Fish and Game has scheduled a Wednesday open house to discuss a thinning project at Farragut State Park.
The department wants to restore views of Lake Pend Oreille from the Jokulhlaup lookout point. Shade-tolerant trees and dense brush would be removed from about eight acres of Ponderosa pine forests. Officials said the thinning would improve wildlife habitat in addition to views, and better reflect historic vegetation conditions on the land.
The open house runs from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Fish and Game’s regional office, 2885 W. Kathleen Ave., Coeur d’Alene.
Free car seat safety checks on Tuesday
Safe Kids Kootenai County will conduct free car seat safety inspections from noon to 3 p.m. Tuesday outside Panhandle Health District, 8500 N. Atlas Road, Hayden.
Certified car seat technicians will help make sure your child’s seat is safely secured and installed in accordance with national standards.
Safe Kids aims to prevent accidental childhood injury, a leading killer of children 14 and younger. Volunteer technicians inform parents and families about ways to prevent injuries.
Kootenai Health is the lead agency of Safe Kids Kootenai County, a volunteer effort dedicated to child safety. To learn more, visit www.kootenaihealth.org.
Two reports of man exposing himself
A man exposed himself to several women near a University of Idaho sorority Wednesday evening, the university said Thursday.
The university said the man drove a 1992 gold Ford Explorer with Oregon license plates and exposed himself around 7:30 p.m. near the Alpha Gamma Delta house on the 700 block of Nez Perce Drive in Moscow, Idaho. A similar incident was reported at the Spring Valley Reservoir about 20 miles east of Moscow. In both cases, the man was described as white, approximately 30 years old, between 5-feet-8-inches and 5-feet-11-inches tall with a muscular build, fair complexion and a bald head. On Wednesday, he was wearing a dark colored shirt.
In a press release Thursday, the university encouraged people to report suspicious behavior to the police and to walk with other people whenever possible.
A “safe walk” program is available for University of Idaho employees and students as an alternative to walking alone on campus. For more information, call (208) 874-7550.
Biotoxin found in Washington shellfish
OLYMPIA – High levels of a foreign biotoxin has been discovered in some Washington state shellfish.
The Washington State Department of Health said Thursday that this is the first time that unacceptable levels of the toxin has been found in U.S. food. It’s typically found in European countries and was recently found in British Columbia waters.
State officials have been concerned that the biotoxin may become an issue in Washington waters and have started environmental monitoring. They say people should not eat shellfish from the area of Sequim Bay until further notice. Shellfish product from the area has been recalled, and none of it is currently on the market. The toxin is not killed by cooking and can cause flulike symptoms.