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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

In brief: Man accused of attack with knife

A man was charged with assault after allegedly holding a butcher knife to his ex-girlfriend while strangling her early this morning.

Spokane police responded to the 2500 block of East Mission Avenue at 2:09 a.m., arrested Michael J. Geske, 33, and booked him into Spokane County Jail for second-degree assault.

Geske’s ex-girlfriend allowed him to stay at her home and he became angry when she wanted him to leave, police said.

He came to the residence about 2 a.m., broke through the back door, armed himself with a butcher knife and held it at the victim while he strangled her with his other hand.

The victim told police she could not breathe for about 30 seconds, but managed to dial 911 during the assault.

Agency rejects milfoil plan

SANDPOINT – The Idaho State Department of Agriculture has rebuffed a plan by North Idaho officials battling Eurasian milfoil because the plan involves moving the invasive weed itself to transport milfoil-eating weevils to infected areas.

Department of Agriculture Director Celia Gould in an April 22 letter to the Bonner County commission says allowing the transport of the milfoil would violate the state’s noxious weed law.

The Bonner County Daily Bee reports that North Idaho groups want to collect native weevils on milfoil, produce more weevils, and then use the milfoil to put them back into milfoil infected areas.

Gould wrote that the agency views that as propagating the milfoil itself.

Milfoil grows in shallow water and can form a dense mat near the surface that entangles swimmers and hinders boats.

Off-roading park opens for season

Spokane County’s Liberty Lake Off-Road Vehicle Park will open for the season from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. today.

Activities will include the third annual Safe Rider Awareness Day and the PANTRA motorcycle group’s annual Kids Ride Fun Run.

Driving directions and more information are available at www.spokanecounty. org/news.aspx.

Lake quality workshop set

The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality and Coeur d’Alene Tribe will host a workshop on water quality in Lake Coeur d’Alene from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Coeur d’Alene Library, 720 Front Ave.

Local experts will discuss conditions in the lake, including such topics as metals pollution, oxygen, phosphorus levels and milfoil.

Registration starts for summer camps

Military families from throughout the region are invited to sign up for free or low-cost summer camps through the “Operation: Military Kids” program sponsored in part by the University of Idaho.

The camps, open to all branches of guard, reserve and active duty and their families, are part of a Department of Defense grant program to support families of deployed members of the military. Children attend free and must be accompanied by an adult. Special efforts will be made to help parents whose spouses are deployed get to and enjoy the camps.

Sessions include the North Idaho Military Family Camp at Camp Lutherhaven’s Shoshone Base Camp, near Prichard, Idaho, June 24-26. For more information, call (208) 334-2328.