Two elementary schools locked down after phone threats

Threats phoned in put two area elementary schools on lockdown as police swept buildings and parking lots before releasing students Tuesday afternoon. One threat was made to Jefferson Elementary School on Spokane’s South Hill. Spokane Police responded and helped Spokane Public Schools officials evacuate students, Cpl. Jordan Ferguson said. He declined to offer specifics about the threat as police continued to search the building at 123 E. 37th Ave. The other threat involved Betz Elementary in Cheney. A woman called and said she was driving with a bomb and threatened to set it off at the school, said Cheney Police Chief John Hensley. Children were moved to the adjacent high school building as police searched the school and parking lots. Nothing was found. It was the first bomb threat involving a Cheney school in three years. The students have been released from school and police will review the recorded phone threat.