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

In brief: City agrees to Albi land swap

From Staff Reports

The Spokane City Council on Monday unanimously approved a land swap with Spokane Public Schools, giving up almost 20 acres of land near Joe Albi Stadium for two acres near the intersection of Palouse Highway and Regal Street. The two parcels had similar appraised values.

The deal, which still has to be approved by the school district, was said to be a “win-win” by Greg Brown, a school representative, as the district could potentially build a new school on the land, and the city will use the two acres for “traffic mitigation.”

Not everyone was happy.

“I’d rather it be a park,” said Beverly Vanwey, who lives near the stadium. She said any new development on the land would add to the already-congested area, which also has a cemetery, a funeral home, the Spokane VA Medical Center and the Dwight Merkel Sports Complex.

Horse cruelty case unfolding

The Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service continues to investigate a west Spokane County animal cruelty case involving 26 emaciated horses.

Jan Hickerson, the property owner, faces charges of first-degree animal cruelty after SCRAPS removed the horses from her property Saturday. SCRAPS Director Nancy Hill said the horses are at the Spokane County Fairgrounds for treatment, and are “still eating.”

Hickerson has a prior case of animal cruelty in Spokane County that is still in District Court, Hill said.

SCRAPS has received several requests to adopt the horses, but they aren’t up for sale or adoption, Hill said.

Woman’s bond set at $10,000

Bond was set at $10,000 for a Spokane woman charged with breaking into a fire station and smashing windows with an ax.

Lillian Sowa, 27, faces charges of first-degree burglary and second-degree assault after allegedly burglarizing Fire Station 3 at 1713 W. Indiana Ave. at about 3:30 a.m. Sunday.

A sergeant with the Spokane Police Department responded to the area of Boone Avenue and Ash Street, where police received reports that a woman had smashed the windows of a Department of Corrections vehicle, according to an affidavit.

Police searched for the woman and found Sowa at the fire station wielding an ax, according to the affidavit. She had allegedly smashed out several windows and was standing inside. When she saw the officer, Sowa ran toward him, brandishing the ax.

Officers subdued Sowa using a Taser and she was taken into custody, according to the affidavit.