In brief: Three arrested in coffee stand robberies
Three people are in custody after a pair of coffee stand robberies Tuesday afternoon along Division Street, Spokane police said.
The first armed robbery was reported just after noon at Hot Toddy’s, 101 W. Francis Ave., Spokane police spokeswoman Teresa Fuller said. A man showed a weapon there and left with an undisclosed amount of cash, she said.
As detectives were interviewing witnesses and reviewing evidence at the scene, a second robbery was reported 3 miles south at the Brews Brothers near Ruby Street and Sinto Avenue, Fuller said.
Within minutes, patrol officers located three people in a car matching the description provided by witnesses, Fuller said. The vehicle was stopped at Washington Street and Maxwell Avenue, just blocks from the second reported robbery.
Evidence discovered in the vehicle matched that described by witnesses at the scenes, she said. No final decision had been made on criminal charges Tuesday afternoon, she said.
Wolf pack controls to be discussed
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife will discuss the recent killing of livestock by wolves and actions taken by the agency at a Tuesday meeting in Colville.
The meeting will run 6 to 9 p.m. at the Colville Ag Trade Center at the Northeast Washington Fairgrounds, 317 W. Astor Ave.
Fish and Wildlife officials will provide information on the packs involved in those incidents: the Huckleberry Pack in Stevens County and the Profanity Peak Pack in Ferry County.
People will be able to share their views on wolf management and recovery and to ask questions of Fish and Wildlife Director Phil Anderson, Eastern Regional Director Steve Pozzanghera and other department staff.
More recently, state officials confirmed that wolves were responsible for killing a cow and calf in Ferry County, within the range of the newly discovered Profanity Peak Pack. The agency’s wildlife conflict specialists are monitoring that situation.
NIC grant to target health care training
North Idaho College will use a $6.4 million federal grant to help prepare people for jobs in health care.
The four-year grant is the largest in NIC history.
NIC will take the lead in collaboration with three other Idaho colleges – Lewis-Clark State College, Eastern Idaho Technical College and Idaho State University College of Technology – to prepare program participants for employment in high-wage, high-skill occupations.
The target population will include people who have lost jobs as a result of foreign trade, veterans, and other unemployed, underemployed or dislocated workers, Lita Burns, NIC vice president for instruction, said in a news release.
The grant is from the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training competitive grant program.
Kootenai announces early voting methods
Kootenai County is mailing absentee ballots for the Nov. 4 general election, with return postage prepaid.
Voters who want ballots mailed to them can make the request at www.kcgov.us/elections. The last day to request an absentee ballot by mail is Oct. 29.
Early voting will be available Oct. 14-31 at the county elections office, 1808 N. Third St., Coeur d’Alene. The office is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Registered voters should bring photo identification with them to cast their ballots, or they may sign an affidavit.
New registrants or those who have moved or changed names and wish to reregister must bring photo ID and proof of residency, such as a recent utility bill or auto insurance certificate with current address.
Police seek robber of ice cream shop
Spokane police are looking for a man they say robbed a South Hill ice cream shop at gunpoint Monday night.
The man, described in his early 20s with “a dark olive complexion” and wearing a gray sweatshirt and black jeans, showed a clerk a gun at the Baskin Robbins at 2727 S. Mt. Vernon St. about 9 p.m. Monday, police said in a news release. He demanded money and fled north on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash.
Anyone with information about the robbery is asked to call Crime Check at (509) 456-2233.
Police: Man dealing heroin from motel
Lewiston police arrested a man they believe was dealing heroin from a motel room, where they discovered about 85 grams of the drug in a search last month.
Matthew Tyler Winegar, who also goes by the name Delong, was booked into the Nez Perce County Jail on Sept. 20 for probation violations, according to a news release from the Lewiston Police Department. Authorities bought heroin from Winegar on five occasions since the spring, according to investigators.
Winegar’s car came back clean for drugs, but police searched a motel room in the 1000 block of Main Street and found nearly 85 grams of heroin, digital scales and $1,350 in cash, according to the news release.
Idaho court records show Winegar has been convicted previously of felony forgery.
Winegar is expected to be charged with seven felonies, including drug trafficking and racketeering charges, the Lewiston Police Department said.