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

In brief: Boat strikes shoreline wall

From Staff And Wire Reports

A Moses Lake man was critically injured in a boating accident Saturday on Moses Lake.

The operator of the boat, Michael Hoffstot, 52, suffered critical injuries when his boat struck a concrete wall along the shoreline near 2424 W. Marina Drive, around 9:20 p.m. He was flown to Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane and admitted into intensive care.

The passengers of the boat, Gloria Martinez, 54, and Wesley Hoffstot, 24, both of Moses Lake, declined treatment at the scene. Martinez, however, was later driven to Samaritan Hospital for treatment of unspecified injuries, authorities said.

Grant County sheriff’s marine deputies believe alcohol was a factor in the crash.

Boat gets stuck in lake bed

Six people were stranded on a boat for more than three hours Sunday when the craft ran aground on Moses Lake southeast of Cascade Park.

Dispatchers in Grant County received a call from boat operator Brad Hoffman, of Bonney Lake, Wash., around 6:20 a.m. The boat had run aground about three hours before and neither Hoffman nor his five passengers were injured in the incident.

The Grant County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit launched a boat to tow Hoffman’s boat back to safety.

He was cited for negligent operation of a boat.

It was unclear why the stranded boaters waited three hours to call for help.

Panel delays vote on online courses

BOISE – The state Board of Education is expected to call a special meeting Friday to vote on a proposed rule requiring Idaho high school students to take online courses.

A subcommittee of the board has already recommended trustees pass the rule, despite heavy opposition at public hearings across the state this summer. The rule requires students starting with the class of 2016 to take two credits online to graduate.

The board previously had a Sept. 1 deadline from the state Department of Administration to vote on the proposed rule for the measure to go before the Idaho Legislature during the 2012 session, which starts in January.

Board spokesman Mark Browning said the deadline was extended to Friday.

Crews recover body of climber

SNOQUALMIE PASS, Wash. – Rescue crews have recovered the body of a climber who fell Monday on Kalateen Peak near Snoqualmie Pass.

King County sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. John Urquhart said the climber was in his 20s.

Authorities received a call around 10 a.m. Monday that a male climber had fallen at least 100 feet and was seriously injured.

Urquhart said Monday afternoon the man’s body was flown to Bandera State Airport, and would be turned over to the medical examiner’s office.

Man detained for rush to jet’s exit

SEATTLE – A 39-year-old man is in custody after he tried to rush the exit door of an Alaska Airlines jet as it was taxiing to a gate at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Airport spokesman Perry Cooper said passengers and crew members subdued the man Monday, who was apparently anxious to get off the plane. One crew member was bitten in the arm during the scuffle and was taken to Highline Medical Center in Burien, Wash., for treatment of minor injuries.

The man was taken to Highline for a mental health evaluation, before being transferred to King County Jail. He was expected to be booked on investigation of felony assault.

Flight 108 from Anchorage, Alaska, landed in Seattle about 4:30 a.m. Monday.