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

In brief: Sterk new schools security director

Spokane Public Schools has hired former Spokane County sheriff Mark Sterk as the new safety, security and transportation director.

He replaces Jason Conley, who left in November to take a position as executive officer of Spokane’s Parks and Recreation department.

Sterk was a Spokane police officer for 24 years and a state representative for four years before he was elected Spokane County sheriff in 1998. He stepped down in March 2005 to become a Nazarene minister and executive director of the denomination’s Pinelow Park campground at Deer Lake.

Most recently, he held a position working with security at the Thomas S. Foley United States Courthouse.

Sterk starts at Spokane Public Schools on Jan. 5.

Thief steals iPad from disabled man

A developmentally disabled man’s specialty iPad was stolen in the parking lot of Walgreens at 2800 S. Grand Blvd. around 10:15 a.m. Tuesday, according to Spokane police.

The iPad contained special software that allowed the man to communicate. The man was sitting in a car in the parking lot that was approached by the thief.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Check at (509) 456-2233.

Dish subscribers lose Fox channels

Fox News and Fox Business Channel remain blacked out for Dish network subscribers as the two companies continue contract negotiations.

Both channels went dark Saturday night, with Fox claiming Dish took its channels off the air around 11:50 p.m. Dish said Fox removed the channels.

“Fox blacked out two of its news channels, using them as leverage to triple rates on sports and entertainment channels that are not in this contract,” said Warren Schlichting, Dish senior vice president of programming in a statement. “It’s like we’re about to close on a house and the Realtor is trying to make us buy a new car as well.”

Dish has more than 14 million subscribers nationwide.

“Fox News Channel did not disconnect Dish, rather, Dish prematurely ceased distribution of Fox News in an attempt to intimidate and sway our negotiations. It is unfortunate that the millions of Fox News viewers on Dish were used as pawns by their provider,” Tim Carry, executive vice president of distribution at Fox News Channel, said in a statement.

Ice cream recall hits Snoqualmie

SNOHOMISH, Wash. – Snoqualmie Gourmet Ice Cream said it is voluntarily recalling nearly a year’s worth of ice cream and related products because of possible listeria contamination.

The recall announced Tuesday covers products made from Jan. 1 until Dec. 15. Products include all flavors and sizes of ice cream, gelato, custard and sorbet, as well as Emerald & Spruce Ice Cream and Top Pot Hand Forged Ice Cream.

The Snohomish, Washington, company said listeria was found in samples from its production facility that were analyzed by state Agriculture Department.