In brief: Officials believe 911 call was mistake

A report of a man falling in the Spokane River prompted an hourlong search Thursday night, but police say the 911 caller probably was mistaken.

A group of people were looking for a friend who had left a residence just before 10 p.m., said Spokane police Officer Teresa Fuller.

A neighbor heard the group yelling their friend’s name repeatedly, thought she heard splashing in the river and assumed someone had fallen in.

While the report initially seemed credible, authorities called off the search when it became clear no one had fallen in the cold, swiftly flowing river, Fuller said.

The Spokane Police Department, Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, Spokane Fire Department, AMR ambulance and MedStar air ambulance reported to the area of East Upriver Drive and East Mission Avenue to assist in the search.

Chelsea Bannach

WSU-Spokane gets health clinic grant

Washington State University-Spokane has received a grant to begin planning a health care clinic for the poor on or near the Riverpoint campus.

The $28,400 grant from the Health Sciences and Services Authority of Spokane County will help fund a business plan for the clinic, which would provide medical services to underinsured people.

At the same time, the clinic would provide training and research opportunities for students and faculty, said Dennis Dyck, WSU-Spokane vice chancellor for research. The business plan is needed to make the clinic financially viable and sustainable.

A university spokesman said the clinic’s opening remains at least two years off.

Kevin Graman

Governor can claim executive privilege

OLYMPIA – A judge says that Washington’s governor can claim “executive privilege” as a reason to withhold records from the public.

Thurston County Superior Court Judge Carol Murphy said in a decision Friday that she wants to hold another hearing to determine whether Gov. Chris Gregoire properly asserted the claim in blocking the release of documents to a libertarian think tank.

The Freedom Foundation has sued Gregoire, arguing that executive privilege isn’t a legitimate exemption under state law and that the governor is using it to keep a broad range of documents secret. The governor’s office contends that executive privilege is inherent in the constitutional guarantee of separation of powers and is necessary to allow advisers to talk candidly.

Associated Press