Jonathan Brunt

A Vietnam veteran who served with John Kerry told area veterans and other Democratic faithful not to worry much about some polls that show President Bush in the lead. Wade Sanders, who like Kerry skippered a river boat in Vietnam, was the headlining speaker for a Kerry campaign organizing meeting Saturday at the Carpenters Local 98 hall in North Spokane.

A 16-year-old boy who lives at a Spokane Valley home for children with mental disabilities was arrested this week on a charge of raping another boy at the residence. The victim, who was 11 years old at the time of the incident, told a Spokane County Sheriff's deputy that in mid-August the teen promised to give him a trading card if the younger boy would agree to anal sex and also perform oral sex on the teen, according to court documents. The victim also told the deputy that he asked the 16-year-old to stop having anal sex with him because it hurt, but the teen continued.

An 18-year-old woman allegedly tried to kill her ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend by trying to run them over with her car Wednesday afternoon near Sullivan Park. The man was not hit, but his 16-year-old girlfriend suffered bruises on her ankle.

A transient accused of killing a Spokane man last summer under the Monroe Street Bridge pleaded guilty this week to manslaughter. Richard Humphreys, 36, was sentenced Tuesday to 78 months in prison for the July 2003 death of Larry D. Pritchett. Humphreys was given credit for 14 months already served.

People often donate cans of metal to the Habitat-Spokane Builders Surplus Store. It's not often, however, that the metal is precious. On Sept. 2, a woman donated two boxes of building material to the store, 850 E. Trent Ave. Her gift included a lime-green Tang can filled with nails that covered a cloth bag stuffed with 13 pounds of coins, mostly silver.

Spokane Valley fire investigators believe a man set fire to his home after assaulting his girlfriend Wednesday evening. William C. Szabrowicz, 33, was arrested at the fire scene on suspicion of choking his girlfriend. A charge of first-degree arson was added Thursday afternoon.