Regional news
Sales tax revenues exceed estimates
Kootenai County has collected $223,794 more in sales taxes during the last two months than expected, meaning it could pay off the jail expansion quicker. The half-cent sales tax that went into effect April 1, has generated 21 percent more cash than the county anticipated, Treasurer Tom Malzahn said Wednesday. The county collected $587,092 in April and $708,126 in May. Voters agreed in November to reinstate a half-cent sales tax, bringing the total sales tax to 6.5 percent, until the jail is paid off. Initially the county estimated that could happen by December 2006. But if the extra cash keeps coming in, Malzahan said it could happen as soon as June 2006. The county needs to raise $16 million in additional sales tax in the next 30 months so it can make the annual $1.4 million payments and administrative costs on the jail. The other half goes toward property tax reduction. The county had been paying off bonds on the new jail this way until 2002 when the Idaho Supreme Court overturned the 1996 law that allowed the local tax. In a hard-fought battle in 2003, the Idaho Legislature gave the county another chance to ask voters to reinstate the half-cent local-option sales tax. Malzahn thinks part of the reason the county is collecting more sales tax than expected is because this time the state is administering the collections. That means when a new business opens in Kootenai County, the state Tax Commission informs them about the additional half-cent sales tax it must collect. Before, the county had difficulty ensuring that new businesses knew to collect the additional half-cent. Another reason may be because the employment rate has increased 5 percent since the first time when the county collected the additional half-cent sales tax in 2001 and 2002.
Woman injured after her own vehicle pins her
A woman picking up her children from a northwest Spokane daycare Wednesday evening was pinned against a building by her own car, the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office reported. The woman, whose name and age were not released, was at A Bright Beginning child-care center, 6415 N. Wall, about 5 p.m. when the incident occurred. Because of a mechanical problem, the woman’s mini-van had to be started by opening the engine hood and manually starting it, said Deputy Larry Humphreys. After securing her children in the car, the woman started the van while standing in front of it. The van was apparently not in park and lurched forward when started, drove up over the curb, and pinned the woman against the building, Humphreys said. An employee inside the day care ran out and put the van in reverse to release the woman, who suffered minor leg injuries. She was transported to Holy Family Hospital by ambulance, Humphreys said. The children were placed with a relative.
Girl injured in fall still in critical condition
A 14-year-old Spokane Valley girl injured last week when she fell off a moving car remains in critical condition at Deaconess Medical Center. Amaryssa Byers was riding on the back of a Geo hatchback driven by a 16-year-old friend, and fell off when the car turned a corner. Byers and another 14-year-old girl had been lying flat on the glass of the hatchback and facing backwards. An investigation into the accident is ongoing. Co-workers of Byers’ mother, Becky Byers, have set up an account to collect donations to help pay the girl’s medical expenses. “Becky is the sole provider for the family,” said Doni Crawford, who works as the dining room manager at Percy’s Café Americana at the U-City Mall. Becky Byers has worked at the restaurant for the past 23 years, Crawford said. Becky Byers and her husband, John Byers, have five children. Donations to the Amaryssa Byers fund may be made at any Wells Fargo branch.
Computer chip leads owner to long-lost dog
Boise At first, Thomas Gaide thought the voice on the phone must be confused. An animal shelter in California couldn’t possibly have his dog, Chevy. After all, the animal was right in front of him at his Boise home. But when the man insisted and mentioned a computer chip in the dog’s neck, Gaide realized that after seven years, Chevy’s predecessor had finally been found. The older dog disappeared from Gaide’s Hayward, Calif., back yard in 1996. Calls were made to the pound, hours were spent searching the neighborhood and countless flyers were posted to no avail. It was six years before he could bring himself to buy another black lab, one he also named Chevy. Gaide moved to Boise last year, bringing the younger dog along. The call about the original Chevy came about three weeks ago. “I got this phone call, ‘Well, I’m calling you from the animal shelter, we have your dog here and can you come pick him up,”’ he said. “The guy says it’s a little black lab and his name is Chevy, and I’m white as a ghost because I don’t know what’s going on.” Now, he said, the older Chevy is living happily with Gaide’s other three dogs, including Chevy the younger. “He’s doing fine, well adjusted,” Gaide said. “He acts like he remembers me, responds to me and the bond is still there.”