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

In Brief: Seattle venture capitalist to speak at WSU, the Fox

From Staff And Wire Reports

Seattle venture capitalist Nick Hanauer will give two talks Oct. 2 about how growing economic disparity threatens U.S. society, as part of Washington State University’s Thomas S. Foley Distinguished Lecture series.

Hanauer will speak and take questions from the audience at 2 p.m. in the Compton Union Building on the WSU Pullman campus and at 7:30 p.m. in the Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox in Spokane.

A proclaimed member of the richest 1 percent of the U.S. population, Hanauer’s message to his “fellow filthy rich” is “wake up – it won’t last,” the Foley Institute says.

St. Maries man dies from fall in Glacier park

An 18-year-old Idaho man died after he fell in a steep area east of Logan Pass in Glacier National Park.

The National Park Service was notified Friday morning that Brandon Luis Avalos, of St. Maries, had fallen in an area along Going-to-the-Sun Road.

Avalos and three friends were in the park at about 10 p.m. Thursday when they stopped on the road in the Big Drift area near Logan Pass. Avalos left their vehicle but did not return, and his friends told park officials they thought maybe he was hiking back to Logan Pass.

They stayed in the area overnight and began looking for Avalos Friday morning. They contacted park employees when they found his body.

Officials believe Avalos climbed over guard rails and fell about 100 feet in a steep, rocky area with cliffs. Park rangers rappelled to the scene and recovered his body Friday afternoon.

The Glacier County Sheriff’s Office has determined his death was caused by an accidental fall.

Eight sheep killed, two dogs injured by wolves

SALEM – The state Department of Fish and Wildlife said wolves killed eight sheep and injured two flock protection dogs in northeast Oregon.

It’s the first time protection dogs have been hurt by wolves, the Capital Press reported.

The attacks occurred Monday night and Tuesday night on public land. The wolves were from the Mount Emily pack, one of eight documented packs in Oregon.

The sheep producer has not been identified.

Idaho man gets life in prison for baby’s death

MOUNTAIN HOME, Idaho – A Mountain Home airman has been sentenced to life in prison for the March 2013 death of his 22-month-old stepson.

KBOI-TV reported 20-year-old Richard Laubach was sentenced Friday to life in prison for the first-degree murder of Joseph Graham III.

Prosecutors say Laubach and the boy were home alone on March 12, 2013, when the boy suffered traumatic head injuries along with broken legs and bruises. The boy died at a Boise hospital the next day from his injuries.

Court records show Laubach had been charged in September 2012 with misdemeanor domestic battery and injury to a child for an assault on his wife and the boy. Prosecutors dropped the charges after Laubach agreed to complete an anger management program and other counseling.

House GOP settles wrongful firing lawsuit

OLYMPIA – A wrongful termination lawsuit brought by three former House Republican staffers has been settled for a total of $120,000.

House Republican Caucus chief of staff Lisa Fenton told the Olympian Friday the settlement was reached Wednesday, closing a three-year battle between House Republican leadership and three former staffers, John S. Archer, John Charba and William Engelhardt.

The claims from the men included age discrimination and allegations that staffers were pressured to work on members’ campaigns and attend fundraisers. A judge last month dismissed all but the age claims.

Fenton says the agreement bars further legal proceedings and the Republican House leaders admit to no wrongdoing.

House Clerk Barbara Bailey described the firing of Archer, who had worked in the Legislature for 17 years, as “not particularly humane.”

Geoduck poacher gets four-month sentence

OLYMPIA – A Port Orchard man was sentenced to four months in prison after illegally harvesting 300 pounds of geoduck from the Olympia area and dumping them near Port Orchard.

The Olympian reported the conviction of 27-year-old Matthew R. Petersen on first-degree unlawful shellfish trafficking is a rare win for authorities.

State Department of Fish and Wildlife Police Deputy Chief Mike Cenci said geoduck poaching happens often, but it’s hard to catch because the clams can be harvested at any time of the day, no matter the tide.

Petersen’s case began in July 2012 when officers responded to a report of thousands of the clams dumped on a boat ramp. The clams had Petersen’s tags on them, but he claimed his tags had been stolen.

Investigators eventually found out that Petersen’s license had been suspended, but that he had been calling companies offering geoducks at a discount.