In brief: Vigil planned for victims of Colville apartment fire

A community candlelight vigil is planned this evening for the two young boys who died in a Colville apartment fire early Friday.

The Community Bereavement support group is hosting the event from 7-8 p.m. at the Colville Ag Trade Center, 317 W. Astor Ave.

The fire at 473 N. Cedar St. was reported just after 1:30 a.m. Friday. Neighbors reported hearing several explosions and firefighters were unable to enter the burning building when they arrived on the scene. A woman and a 7-year-old girl were able to escape the blaze and were treated for fire-related injuries.

Nina Culver

Cape Horn wildfire completely contained

The Cape Horn fire near Bayview is now 100 percent contained, and the number of firefighters in the area has been dropping.

Today a new team from the Arizona Central West zone is expected to take over management of what remains of the fire, according to a news release from the outgoing Northern Rockies Incident Management team.

Flight restrictions within a 5-mile radius around Cape Horn also have been lifted. The restrictions were put in place to allow tanker planes and helicopters continuous access to drop fire retardant and water on the flames. One helicopter is expected to remain on standby.

Residents with questions about the fire can call (208) 683-1024.

Nina Culver

Donors help grow WSU med school fund

A fund created to bolster Washington State University’s new medical school has received a major boost.

Pullman-based Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories contributed $100,000, while its president and founder, Edmund O. Schweitzer III, gave another $100,000 on behalf of his family. It pushed total contributions to the newly formed Dr. Elson S. Floyd Medical Education Founders Fund to about $425,000.

“This donation is my family’s way of honoring him and his family’s wish to continue the work he was so passionate about,” Schweitzer said of Floyd, who died June 20 of complications from colon cancer and used his final months to win bipartisan legislative support to allow WSU to establish its own medical school.

The fund was created by the WSU Foundation to support the accreditation, implementation and operation of the university’s new medical school.

David Wasson