In brief: Man found in trash faces drug charge
A man arrested for being inside a Dumpster outside a drugstore was booked into jail on a felony charge after police allegedly found methamphetamine in his backpack.
Darrell Leon Brunson, 47, told Deputy David Westlake he believed it was legal to be inside a store trash bin when Westlake found him hiding in the Dumpster outside Walgreens, 7905 N. Division St., at about 3:30 a.m. Sunday.
Walgreens employees requested trespassing charges be pursued against Brunson. Westlake said he found meth in a plastic bag inside Brunson’s backpack and said it tested positive for the drug.
Meeting to address Avista dam work
Avista Utilities will hold an informational meeting tonight about construction work scheduled at Post Falls Dam this summer.
The meeting takes place from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Post Falls Police Department, 1717 E. Polston Ave.
The utility plans to replace lifting hoists and wooden intake gates at the dam with new hoists and steel gates. Parts of the dam’s construction date to 1908. Post Falls Dam was the second generating facility for the Spokane-based utility, which was known as Washington Water Power at the time, Avista spokeswoman Anna Scarlett said.
The work at the units is expected to begin in mid-July when flows in the Spokane River drop.
During the work, at least two generator units will be taken out of service, which will reduce the amount of water passing through the dam’s power house. That means a later opening for the Q’emiln Park boat launch, since the dam’s spill gates will close later than usual.
Some areas of Falls Park may be temporarily fenced off, with alternative viewpoints designated to see the river and the falls.
Commission to consider game rules
Idaho’s Fish and Game Commission will meet Wednesday and Thursday in Bonners Ferry.
Residents can air their opinions during a public hearing at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Kootenai River Inn.
Thursday’s meeting begins at 8 a.m. at the Kootenai Wildlife Refuge, 287 Westside Road. Commissioners will consider rules for all game animals, nonresident deer and elk tag quotas, and release of bighorn sheep tags for auction and lottery. They also will consider a mentor hunt rule and rules to implement new state laws. On Friday, the commissioners will tour the Moyie River.
Man with warrant arrested in burglary
Police arrested a man who allegedly escaped a burglary scene on a riding lawnmower.
Robert G. Morey, 22, is accused of stealing firearms and valuable coins from a home in the 5500 block of South Conklin Road in Greenacres. The homeowners called police Thursday evening and said they’d returned from the lake to find their home burglarized.
Earlier, at about 9 a.m., Spokane County Sheriff’s Office deputies had responded to a report of a man armed with a rifle or shotgun riding a lawnmower in the area of Linke and White roads.
Deputies found the lawnmower about seven miles away in the 19200 block of East Belmont Road. Then at about 1:30 p.m., deputies heard reports of a suspicious person walking in the area where the lawnmower was recovered.
Deputies located Morey sitting on an embankment and confirmed he had a Department of Corrections escape warrant.
Women sought in man’s stabbing
Spokane police are searching for two women following a stabbing at 4:50 p.m. Sunday near Browne’s Addition.
Cpl. Lydia Prichard said a homeless man believed to be 50 years old got into an argument with two women. One of the women stabbed the man in the side, he told police.
The man was taken to a local hospital.
Officers are searching for two women described as Native American and in their 40s, Prichard said.
The stabbing occurred near Second Avenue and Maple Street in a grassy median.
Felon indicted for handgun possession
A federal grand jury indicted a Moses Lake woman for illegal possession of a firearm after her friend was shot in what Spokane police say was a drug-related assault.
Alicia Marie Favro, 42, faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted of possessing a .380-caliber handgun that was found in her purse as she tried to go through security at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center in April.
Favro was at the hospital to see Arthur Frank Cardenas, 33, who was shot in the stomach April 26 by an unidentified gunman near 1800 W. Sixth Ave. Favro drove Cardenas from the scene and flagged down a police officer near 13th Avenue and Cedar Street.
Favro has felony convictions for assault and forgery. Cardenas’ gunshot wound was not life-threatening.
Woman hospitalized after minivan flips
A Spokane Valley woman was taken to the hospital after falling asleep while driving her Dodge Caravan and it flipped on Interstate 90 near Liberty Lake on Monday morning, the Washington State Patrol said.
Donna R. Carmon, 74, was taken to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center following the accident.
Carmon was driving west when her minivan entered the median and rolled, coming to rest on its top on the eastbound inside shoulder, the WSP reported.
The Caravan was totaled.
Carmon was wearing a seat belt.
Charity kicks off school supply drive
The Salvation Army of Spokane kicked off its annual Back to School Supply drive Monday.
Donations can be taken to collection bins at all area Fred Meyer, Rite Aid and Shopko stores and credit unions. Cenex Zip Trip, the supply drive’s largest financial contributor, will offer a free drink coupon for every cash donation.
Organizers hope to raise $20,000 this year.
The Salvation Army of Spokane acknowledged the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office and Public Safety Building staff Monday for volunteerism and their contributions to the program. Donations from the staff account for 30 percent of all donations gathered, according to Sheila Geraghty, business administrator for The Salvation Army.