Trinity Hartman

Churchgoers, keep a tight grip on those purses. An interdenominational purse thief is on the prowl in Spokane Valley.

Millwood is tightening security at its town hall. The town of 1,649 has a reputation for being a quiet oasis of tree-lined streets that borders the Spokane River.

According to the shelter, Henry is a very pleasant older gentleman. He is easygoing, sweet-tempered and cheerful. Henry will be an easy and rewarding dog to own. His coat will need regular grooming. The shelter thinks he is housetrained. He has been neutered. Henry came into the shelter on Oct. 25. Please refer to the I.D. number when you contact SpokAnimal C.A.R.E., at 534-8133, about this dog. Adoption fee for this dog is $54.50. The fee covers vaccinations, microchip, license, health exam, adoption kit, collar and slip lead.

This Labrador knows the basics. He sits and drops to the ground quickly when commanded. But he hasn't learned, "stay still so I can take your picture." The Lab was an energetic blur one morning this week, bounding around an enclosed yard at Spokane Regional Animal Care and Protection Services. A ratty red ball seemed to be his favorite toy. Couch potatoes, this Lab is not for you. To be a happy dog, he would need an owner who would enjoy throwing balls and taking him on long walks. The Lab would also need yard space to run and play. The Lab tugs on his leash when walked and is distracted by other dogs. He is large for a Labrador and likely wouldn't do well in a family with small children. He was brought to SCRAPS after being found running in the Peone Prairie area. He was wearing a collar but didn't have identification. This Labrador came up for adoption this week. Anyone interested in adopting him or other animals can visit the SCRAPS shelter at 2521 N. Flora Road, call the shelter at 477-2532 or visit the Web site at www.spokanecounty.org/animal. Dogs cost $75.01 to adopt, which includes a license, neutering, vaccinations, a microchip implant and a trip to the veterinarian.

Washington State Patrol troopers race to the scene of injury crashes nearly every day – many of them caused by drivers who speed, drink alcohol and drive aggressively. So, in recent years, troopers have focused on those problems. Data show they've been able to decrease the number of fatal crashes and injury crashes significantly on roads they patrol.

In North Idaho, Ron Rankin was famous for the outspoken manner in which he championed conservative political causes. On Saturday, he was remembered as a grandfather and church member with a "soft and gentle side."

Three buses pulled out of the Spokane Industrial Park on Friday carrying soldiers who will spend the next year paving roads and airstrips in Iraq. The 150 reserve soldiers from the 659th Engineer Company, Construction Support, headed to Fort Lewis, where they will get intense training before heading overseas early next year.

David K. Brewczynski finished serving a seven-year sentence on burglary-related charges in July. He didn't stay out of strangers' homes for long, police allege.

Eddie Ray Hall has the reputation of being a one-man crime wave. At 40, he has more than a dozen adult felony convictions, most for burglarizing Spokane Valley homes and businesses. He has been arrested at least 47 times and has also been convicted of numerous misdemeanors.

On a typical day, at least a few Spokane Valley residents clean broken glass from the inside of their cars or trucks and begin to count their losses: missing stereos, stolen purses, pilfered medication. Vehicle break-ins and the theft and forgeries linked to them are among the most common crimes that face law enforcement. During a recent weeklong stretch, 31 Spokane Valley residents reported that their cars had been broken into. There have already been 902 vehicle break-ins reported through August. That's a 30 percent increase over the same time period last year, according to a crime analysis done by the Spokane County Sheriff's Office for the Spokane Valley Police Department.

Judith Brandon decided not to take a plea agreement that would have sent her to jail for less than a year. She'll now go to prison for more than four years for a marijuana-related offense, a judge decided Tuesday.

Two longtime suspects in the 1987 killing of Tina E. Phillips have long blamed each other for the young woman's death. But police say it no longer matters who stabbed Phillips, because they have evidence to implicate both men in the robbery that led up to the murder.

Deborah Wojnicz watched, alarmed, as drivers cozied up to the railroad tracks while waiting for a red light to change. The bumpers of some cars hung over the tracks. Other drivers stopped less than a car length away, said Wojnicz, the Federal Railroad Administration manager who deals with safety at railroad crossings.

The creatures sitting motionless near the back of the Southeast Spokane County Fair exhibit building did not look fierce. A cucumber sported a helmet made of avocado.