In brief: Isserlis joins search for city ombudsman
Spokane Mayor David Condon has selected City Attorney Nancy Isserlis to serve on the search committee for a new police ombudsman.
His spokesman, Brian Coddington, said the mayor’s choice reflected Isserlis’ involvement in the hiring of departing ombudsman Tim Burns and her work as the administrative liaison to the newly-seated police ombudsman commission.
“She brings some institutional knowledge and experience to the group,” he said.
Isserlis will join police ombudsman commissioner Adrian Dominguez, who was the City Council’s pick for the search committee. The council voted on Dec. 15 to allocate their seat to a member of the ombudsman commission.
The Spokane Police Guild and Spokane Police Lieutenants and Captains Association will each appoint a member to the search committee. A fifth member will be selected by the other four. Both groups anticipate making their selections at meetings next week.
73,000 Oregonians enroll in federal site
PORTLAND – Just over 73,000 Oregonians have enrolled in private health insurance through the federal website that replaced Cover Oregon’s failed portal.
The figures released Tuesday by the federal government show coverage that will begin on Jan. 1.
Oregon’s enrollments for the start of 2015 fall slightly short of the 77,000 people who currently have coverage through the health insurance exchange.
Because of the switch to a federally run website, Oregonians who enrolled in 2014 were not automatically re-enrolled for next year. A Cover Oregon spokeswoman said it’s not clear how many people who signed up for coverage in the new year are currently covered.
About 79 percent of people who selected plans are receiving federal subsidies.
Oregonians can continue enrolling at HealthCare.gov until Feb. 15, but coverage won’t begin immediately.
Man shot, killed by officer after chase
MISSOULA– A Missoula police officer pursuing a suspect in a domestic violence case shot and killed an intoxicated man who was harming his female passenger, according to authorities.
Missoula County sheriff’s spokeswoman Paige Pavalone said police received a 911 call about a domestic disturbance involving three people at about 2 a.m. Wednesday.
Officers tried to stop the suspect but he sped away with a woman in the car before eventually stopping on an onramp.
Pavalone said the 20-year-old Missoula man was “inflicting lethal force” on the woman when the officer shot him at 3:18 a.m.
The names of the man who was shot and the officer who shot him have not been released. The officer was placed on paid administrative leave.