In brief: CdA Kroc Center directors promoted, going to Hawaii

The directors of the wildly popular Salvation Army Kroc Corps Community Center in Coeur d’Alene have been promoted to new positions in Hawaii.

Majors John and Lani Chamness will report to their new jobs as divisional commanders of the Hawaii and Pacific Island division of the Salvation Army in June.

The Chamnesses have been with the Kroc Center in Coeur d’Alene since its inception in 2006, a news release from the center said. They helped lead an initial bid to bring the center to Coeur d’Alene and spearheaded the planning and construction.

Today, the center has about 16,000 members with an average of 2,000 people visiting daily, news reports show.

The Chamnesses have been with the Salvation Army for 23 years.

Kroc Center Associate Officer Maj. Ben Markham will take over as executive director. He and his wife, Maj. JoAnn Markham, have been with the Salvation Army for 33 years and at the Coeur d’Alene center since March 2009.

Alison Boggs

Rivers could rise, but significant flooding unlikely

Heavy rain and high mountain snow over the next several days are expected to heighten the risks from rapid runoff in Eastern Washington, North Idaho and northeast Oregon, the National Weather Service said Wednesday.

The region is closing in on records for the soggiest March in history, and the forecast is likely to bring record amounts for the month to Spokane and other cities, forecasters said.

Spokane had received 3.59 inches of rain this month through midday Wednesday, just below the record of 3.81 inches in 1995.

Spokane could see 1.3 inches of rain today through Saturday, with 1.6 inches possible in Coeur d’Alene and Pullman and with Sandpoint getting nearly 1.8 inches.

The Little Spokane, St. Joe, Coeur d’Alene, Palouse and Grande Ronde rivers are at risk of seeing significant rises, but flooding is not forecast at this time.

Landslides and flooding in low-lying areas are possible, forecasters said.

Mike Prager

Inland Northwest YMCA hires executive from Denver

The YMCA of the Inland Northwest has hired a YMCA executive from Denver as the nonprofit’s new president and CEO.

Steve Tammaro most recently was chief operating officer and senior vice president of the YMCA of Metropolitan Denver, according to a news release. He has worked in YMCA leadership for more than 30 years, the release said.

He’s expected to start full time in Spokane in June.

The Y’s former CEO, Rig Riggins, left at the end of 2011 to take over a leadership post at the YMCA in Pittsburgh.

Addy Hatch