In brief: Police chief’s bicycle stolen from garage

Spokane police Chief Frank Straub’s home was burglarized and a bicycle was stolen, a police spokeswoman said Friday.

Spokeswoman Monique Cotton said the bicycle was in Straub’s garage.

There was no significant damage to the garage or Straub’s house.

Police do not have any suspects, Cotton said.

The police chief’s address is not being disclosed for safety reasons, she said.

Fairchild airmen’s memorial set for May 28

A memorial for the three Fairchild airmen who died when their KC-135 crashed in Kyrgyzstan will be May 28 at the INB Performing Arts Center.

An air refueling tanker crashed May 3 with three Fairchild Air Force Base personnel aboard: Capt. Mark Tyler Voss, Capt. Victoria Pinckney and Tech. Sgt. Herman “Tre” Mackey III.

The public memorial will take place at 1 p.m. The INB Performing Arts Center is at 334 W. Spokane Falls Blvd.

“Team Fairchild is a strong family,” said Col. Brian Newberry, wing commander of the 92nd Air Refueling Wing. “We remain resilient together during this unexpected and difficult tragedy that resulted in the loss of three airmen’s lives.”

Serial killer Yates appeals death penalty federally

SEATTLE – Serial killer Robert Yates, whose death sentence has been upheld by the state Supreme Court, is seeking an appeal through the federal court system.

The Seattle Times reported that Yates filed a petition Wednesday in Seattle claiming his lawyers failed to present evidence of mental illness during his 2002 trial in Pierce County. He was convicted of killing two women in 1997 and 1998 and got the death penalty.

The 60-year-old former Air National Guard pilot from Spokane pleaded guilty in 2000 to 13 other murders in Spokane, Skagit and Walla Walla counties. He was given a sentence of more than 400 years in prison in a plea deal.

NIC set for open house at home up for auction

North Idaho College will hold an open house Sunday, noon to 4 p.m., at the $250,000 home it will give away July 10 in its annual Really BIG Raffle fundraiser.

The two-story, three-bedroom, three-bath house is at 6995 Cornwall Drive in Greenstone’s Coeur d’Alene Place neighborhood.

Other prizes include a $20,000 car, $10,000 boat, $3,500 travel package and $2,000 shopping spree.

Tickets cost $100 apiece, with a limit of 5,000 sold. Proceeds benefit student and program needs at NIC.

Idaho residents can order by phone – (208) 769-3271 – or online at www.nic.edu/rbr. Out-of-state residents can buy tickets at North Idaho outlets such as Super 1 Foods, Stein’s Family Foods, Lake City Ford, Trading Company Stores and Sunday’s open house.

Information: NIC Foundation Office at (208) 769-3271 or www.nic.edu/rbr.

Three held for tampering without probable cause

Three men who were held on $1 million bonds and kept in jail for about a month have been released after a Spokane County judge ruled that prosecutors did not have probable cause to charge them with witness tampering.

Barry J. Gardner, 34, Tvar L. Jackson, 33, and Israel L. Jones, 34, were arrested after Spokane County Deputy Prosecutor Kyle Treece said he saw them making hang gestures during testimony in the trial last month that convicted John “Lil Danger” Castro of second-degree murder.

Spokane County District Court Judge Debra Hayes ordered the three men held on $1 million bonds April 17. But Superior Court Judge James Triplet dismissed the charges Friday after he found no probable cause to justify the case, according to court records.