Brian Coddington

Valley firefighters spent $900 buying as many gifts as they could for the Tree of Sharing in University Mall. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

Property crime in the Spokane Valley continued its roller coaster ride last month, falling slightly in November after rising in October. Overall, 100 burglaries were reported during November, down 14 from October. However, burglaries at apartments and businesses rose considerably. Eight burglaries were reported at Valley apartment complexes during November, double the amount in October. Meanwhile, 31 businesses were burglarized, seven more than the previous month.

A man roughed up a woman while stealing her purse Saturday in a Spokane Valley parking lot. The 41-year-old woman was walking to her car at the U.S. Bank, 15426 E. Sprague, about 2 a.m. when the man attacked her from behind, Sheriff's Lt. David Wiyrick said. The woman, who works at Wickerbill Tavern on East Trent, had just deposited money at the bank. The tavern's money bag was in her purse when the thief grabbed it.

A rancher is suing The Spokesman-Review and one of its reporters for a headline that said the man had a criminal record. In a lawsuit, A. Lamont Nibarger states he has no criminal history. The suit, against the newspaper and reporter J. Todd Foster does not specify damages. It seeks reimbursement for harm done to Nibarger's reputation and business.

Colin Greene, Greg Yonemura and Nicholas Aldendorf tried to find pilot. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

Three teenage girls forced their way into a house Friday, tried to drag a 14-year-old girl outside and then beat her when she resisted. The victim was alone at a home in the 1700 block of South Evergreen when the teens burst in. When she threatened to call police, they smashed the phone, deputies said. The assailants tried to pull the victim out of the house. When she resisted, the girls punched and kicked her.

When Sylvia Myhre awoke to a rustling in her front yard early Sunday, she thought it was the neighbors having a noisy party. Instead, she peered out her window about 2:20 a.m. and discovered she was the victim of the second reported Santa-napping in as many weeks in the Spokane Valley. Gone was her 3-foot Santa, his sleigh and two strings of lights. A team of five reindeer, which the thieves apparently discarded, was found on Myhre's lawn at 16th and Evergreen, next to footprints in the new-fallen snow.

1. Schoolchildren board a bus across the street from the house where Bruce J. Johnson is living pending his sentencing for rape of a young girl. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review 2. Bruce J. Johnson is living at home until his sentencing, which is scheduled for Dec. 28.

Packages said to contain bombs were left inside a Spokane Valley department store Thursday, causing dozens of customers and employees to be evacuated and the store to close early. After hours of suspense, authorities ruled it a hoax. A man called ShopKo, 13414 E. Sprague, just before 4 p.m. and told an employee there were five bombs inside the store set to go off at 5 p.m., said Sheriff's Lt. David Wiyrick.

1. Melanie Stevenson loves Bailey, her beagle puppy, but his barking leaves a neighbor less than enamored. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review 2. Bailey the beagle is a friend to Brad, Melanie and Robbie Stevenson. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

Murial Liere with her latest creations, Mary and Joseph. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

After years of planning to build a fire station at Liberty Lake to cut response times to the lake community, the Spokane Valley Fire District is now considering another option. The new proposal would put plans to build an eighth station on hold, move an existing station and still improve service to Liberty Lake. It would also save the district as much as $800,000 annually, said Valley Fire Chief Pat Humphries.

The ordinance would regulate exotic animals like Charlie, who caused a ruckus earlier this month. File photo

Dozens of wooden ducks and geese flew above the crowd of bargain hunters at the 19th annual Christmas Arts and Crafts sale. One here, two there - almost everyone had a backyard weather station, or so it seemed. "It's all you can see in the aisles, bobbing up and down because you can't hide them in bags," said Buffy Nichols. She and her husband, Mark, of Sandpoint, were responsible for the flocks of wooden fowl.

Tammi Young didn't know what to do when she discovered that she was locked out of her home. Young and her 7-year-old daughter walked all around the house, looking for an open window or unlocked door. When they couldn't find one, Young sent her daughter to a neighbor's house to warm up, while she hunted for a big rock.

Firefighters Wayner McLaughlin and Steve Hatcher have the equipment for fires or medical emergencies. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

After falling in September, property crime in the Spokane Valley increased sharply during October. Look for it to get even worse during the months to come, Sheriff's Department investigators say.

Sled dog driver Pam Flowers, of Wasilla, Alaska, shows a slide of her dogs digging in ice in futile pursuit of a seal. Flowers drove her dog team 2,500 miles across the frozen Arctic Ocean. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

An armed man robbed another man at a Spokane Valley cash machine early Monday while the victim's wife waited in the car. The couple had driven to Washington Trust Bank at 100 N. Pines to use the cash machine about 1 a.m. When the husband went to the cash machine to withdraw money, a tall man dressed in black approached him, pulled a chrome-plated handgun and demanded money. The 25-year-old victim gave the robber an undisclosed amount of cash. The robber then ordered the man to withdraw more money from the cash machine.

Spokane Valley community policing volunteers are frustrated by their program's position atop the Sheriff's Department list of endangered programs. Concerned about the message criminals are being sent by the county commissioners' plan to trim the Sheriff's Department's 1996 budget, they have vowed to fight back. Volunteers are circulating petitions and asking other Valley residents to join the fight by speaking out against the cuts, which includes funding for SCOPE (Sheriff's Community Oriented-Policing Effort).

The Schliebe boys, clockwise from the top left: Loren, Derek, Justin and Steven.

Rescue personnel work to free an accident victim on Bigelow Gulch Road after his car collided with a tanker truck. Photo by Dan McComb/The Spokesman-Review

Thieves smashed windows and kicked in doors to snatch expensive electronic equipment and tools at three Spokane Valley churches this week. Spokane Valley Baptist Church, Opportunity Christian Church and Christ Lutheran Church were all hit. The string of burglaries began over the weekend. Spokane County Sheriff's Detective Cal Walker, who is investigating the burglaries, said the break-ins are probably related.