Week in Review

Thunderstorms send winds of more than 50 mph whipping across Eastern Washington and North Idaho Monday, knocking out power lines and sparking as many as 18 fires. Across the road from Northern Quest Casino on Hayford Road, a 100-acre fire ignites a wheat field and prompts the evacuations of homes and several road closures. North of Airway Heights, two fires combine to form a single 150-acre fire. And near the town of Davenport, a sudden windstorm whips up the Mill Canyon fire, causing it to jump its lines and expand to 1,000 acres.

Monday

Neal Fosseen, considered Spokane’s first modern mayor and a proponent of Expo ‘74, dies at age 95. Fosseen, once the nation’s youngest Eagle Scout, was a longtime patron of scouting programs in the Inland Northwest, and also helped create an international bond between Spokane and Nishinomiya, Japan, as sister cities. Current Mayor Jim West calls Fosseen “probably the greatest mayor in Spokane history and an idol of mine.”

Tuesday

The Coeur d’Alene Tribe pledges $5 million in tribal money to address water quality issues on Lake Coeur d’Alene. In return, tribal Chairman Ernie Stensgar challenges the Idaho and federal governments to match the $5 million to create a fund that will assure the lake stays healthy despite tons of toxic mining wastes.

“ The body of Catherine Louise Avis is found in a brush-filled area southwest of Valleyford. Spokane County sheriff’s officials believe Avis died of “homicidal violence,” but an investigation into the circumstances of her death continue. The woman’s mother reported her missing on June 16, but said she hadn’t seen her daughter since mid-May.

“ The city of Spokane apologizes to supporters of a measure to add fluoridation to Spokane’s drinking water after discovering that a misunderstanding caused the group to be about 5,000 signatures short of what is needed to get on the Nov. 2 ballot. The Spokane City Council could still put the issue directly on the ballot without the required signatures. A resolution to that effect is being drafted so the council can discuss the option. Supporters of Fluoridation Works thought they needed only 2,573 valid signatures, or 5 percent of the votes cast in the last general city election. But it turns out the group actually needed 7,718 valid signatures, or 15 percent of the votes, because the upcoming November election is a special election.

Wednesday

King County Superior Court Judge William L. Downing rules that gay couples in Washington can marry. Downing’s decision, which must be reviewed by the state high court, said denying same-sex couples the right to marry would violate their constitutional rights. Opponents, meanwhile, called the decision a disappointment. In the Spokane area, members of the Coalition for Authentic Marriage are meeting to craft a strategy for arguing that Washington state should uphold its definition of marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

“ Officials at Mines Management Inc. said they plan to extract silver and copper from beneath the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness Area. The proposed Montanore Mine, a $236 million project, would be a neighbor of the controversial Rock Creek Mine. The wilderness area is home to about 15 threatened grizzlies. According to projections, the Montanore would employ about 250 people and produce 8 million ounces of silver each year and 64 million pounds of copper.

Thursday

A U.S. District Court jury finds firefighter and paramedic Kenneth Southwell guilty of starting a $2.6 million fire last Labor Day that destroyed Heart Seed Co. in Fairfield in southeastern Spokane County. The jury rejected the defense argument that Southwell was suffering from a mental illness when he started the fire. He likely faces at least five years in prison when he is sentenced in the next 90 days.

“ Kootenai County sheriff’s deputies had a hard time finding the body of Peter Rowland in the murky water of Fernan Lake – because Rowland was downtown instead. Witnesses reported seeing a car careen off the road and into Fernan Lake late Wednesday night, which prompted a search for the missing driver, identified as Rowland. Unfortunately for the 38-year-old Rowland, who left the scene without reporting the accident, he’s now facing charges. Rowland, who doesn’t have a valid driver’s license, knew authorities were looking for him.

Friday

A letter posted on the Aryan Nations Web site accuses 10 prominent Washington state Democrats of being associated with a “domestic terrorism task force” set up to eliminate the leadership of the North Idaho white supremacist group. The letter – which authorities say is bogus – claims to be from an “anonymous law enforcement recruitment office.”

“ A 45-year-old Mead woman survives being struck in the head by lightning at a soccer tournament in the Spokane Valley. Monica Phillipy was standing under some power lines that were struck by a bolt of lightning and a bright flash jumped from the wires and hit her. Phillipy said she had been encouraging tournament officials to call off the soccer matches at Plantes Ferry Park. “I love soccer,” she said, “but safety comes first.”

Coming up

When two children became separated from an extended transient family recently, it brought to light an issue that typically goes unnoticed – homeless camping in national forests. Though it’s clearly a summer reality, it’s difficult to quantify. The Forest Service doesn’t keep track of homeless camps and it’s hard to distinguish between those who pitch a tent for fun and those camping as a means of basic survival. Read about the issue in Monday’s Spokesman-Review.