In brief: CdA police seeking suspect in attack
Coeur d’Alene police are searching for a man they believe tried to strangle a woman Saturday.
Robert Gerald Davis, 44, is a transient who frequents areas in Coeur d’Alene and Eastern Washington, including transient camps and facilities that offer services to the homeless, Coeur d’Alene police said in a news release.
A 54-year-old woman told police that Davis attacked her Saturday night after breaking into her travel trailer parked in the 100 block of South 23rd Street. She said she tried to fight back, but Davis attempted to strangle her. She lost consciousness.
When she awoke, she was outside the trailer on the ground, and a witness reported seeing Davis run away. The woman said she and Davis are acquaintances, according to police.
Davis is described as 6 feet tall with brown hair and hazel eyes. He is missing two teeth and has scars on his upper lip and above his right eye. He also has tattoos on his chest and left wrist.
Pollutants still high in fish from river
Spokane River fish continue to have elevated levels of industrial pollutants, according to a newly released study.
The Washington Department of Ecology study tested several species of fish at various points along the river for PCBs and flame retardants in 2012. In most cases, pollutant levels remained unchanged from previous testing done in 2007, the study concluded.
One exception was near Mission Park, where about 18 percent of the largescale sucker and mountain whitefish tested showed declines in PCB levels.
State health advisories urge people to limit meals of Spokane River fish to reduce their exposure to industrial pollutants.
The river has some of the state’s highest recorded levels of flame retardants and polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs. The pollutants linger in the environment for decades, increasing in concentration as they move up the food chain. They’ve been linked to a wide range of health issues, including cancer, decrease in fertility and developmental problems.
Suspect claims rock was used in robbery
A Spokane man facing robbery charges told police he was armed with a rock when he held up a sandwich shop earlier this month, according to court records.
Investigators used fingerprint evidence found at a dental office near the Subway restaurant at 2928 S. Grand Blvd. to link David Bentley, 20, to the robbery. A store employee said a man wearing a gray baseball cap and sunglasses entered the shop about 7:30 p.m. and demanded cash, according to court documents. The clerk handed over about $200, and the man ran from the store, he told police.
The robber repeatedly threatened to shoot the clerk, according to court documents. The employee saw what he thought was a gun in the robber’s pocket, he told police.
Police located Bentley on Tuesday, and he initially denied involvement in the robbery, according to court records. He later told police he had a rock in his pocket during the incident, and said he robbed the store because he had no money or place to live. He was booked into jail on an armed robbery charge.
Idaho Falls chosen for crisis center
BOISE – State officials selected Idaho Falls on Thursday as the site of a new $1.5 million behavioral-health crisis center, a decision some lawmakers said appeared to be influenced by politics.
Idaho Gov. Butch Otter made the announcement at the Idaho Falls Regional Airport.
Boise and Coeur d’Alene also had been in the running for the center. The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare said a committee selected Idaho Falls based on outstanding community and legislative support from the city and surrounding area.
Boise and Coeur d’Alene had the most opposition from lawmakers when the center was proposed in a bill. In addition, some of those lawmakers did not support the governor during the May primary election.
“When you vote no against appropriations, when you support the governor’s opponent in a primary, well, those kinds of actions can certainly color people’s decisions,” said state Sen. John Goedde, R-Coeur d’Alene.
Pend Oreille weed workshop July 9
A workshop on aquatic weeds for the Pend Oreille River watershed takes place from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. July 9 at the Kalispel Tribe’s Camas Center for Community Wellness, just outside Usk.
The workshop is open to all waterfront property owners, river users, interested citizens and licensed weed control applicators. To RSVP, contact Loretta Nichols at (509) 447-2402 or lnichols@pendoreille.org. For more info: http://www. pendoreilleco.org/ county/weed.asp or http://popud.org/Aquatic- Weeds-Workshop.