In brief: ER project aided by $3 million gift

The Rypien Foundation is giving $3 million to help establish a children’s emergency room within Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center’s emergency department expansion.

The $18.6 million project will add 24,000 square feet of space to the ER. It serves about 80,000 people a year.

Sacred Heart officials held a groundbreaking ceremony Monday, formally beginning the construction phase, which is scheduled to last about 18 months.

The Rypien Foundation was created by Spokane’s Mark Rypien, a former National Football League quarterback who achieved star status by leading the Washington Redskins to a Super Bowl victory in 1992. He began the foundation after losing a 3-year-old son to cancer.

Staff reports

Deliberations will resume this morning

YAKIMA – The jury deciding the excessive force trial of Spokane police Officer Karl F. Thompson Jr. deliberated about seven hours Tuesday without rendering a verdict.

Jurors asked to re-hear the audio tape of Thompson’s March 22, 2006, statement he gave now-retired Detective Terry Ferguson. Several jurors took notes as Thompson described his justifications for using force during the confrontation with Otto Zehm, who was mistakenly identified as a theft suspect and died after being beaten with police batons, shocked with Tasers and left hog-tied on a convenience store floor.

Thompson faces the felony charges of using unreasonable force and lying to investigators following the fatal March 18, 2006, encounter.

Jurors will resume deliberations at 9 a.m. today. 

Thomas Clouse

Program doubles CdA recycling

In its first year, the city of Coeur d’Alene’s single-stream recycling program has experienced 62 percent participation among residents.

That’s up from 27 percent participation before the single-stream system was introduced, a city news release said.

The city’s contractor, Waste Management has picked up more than 4 million pounds of recyclable materials, the release said.

For information, visit www.wmnorthwest.com/ coeurdalene or call (208) 765-4968.

Staff reports