Briefly

Pend Oreille teachers to get 3 percent raise

Sandpoint The Lake Pend Oreille School District announced Tuesday that teachers at the top of the district pay scale will get a 3 percent raise.

The news came after the school board ratified a contract Monday with the Lake Pend Oreille Education Association. According to the district, the pay increase will be retroactive to the beginning of the school year.

All teachers will get at least a 1 percent raise under the agreement, according to a press release. Teachers at the top of the pay scale will get an additional 2 percent increase.

The agreement addresses substitute teacher pay and pay for teachers who also coach or advise extracurricular activities.

Negotiations between teachers and the district began in the fall. The contract ratified this week is only for the current school year. The next round of negotiations begin in just a couple of months.

Inaugural banquet scheduled

The Post Falls Chamber of Commerce is having its annual inaugural banquet Jan. 21 at Red Lion Templin’s Hotel.

The chamber’s “Rollin’ on the River” celebration will honor the business group’s new leadership and include a ceremony naming Post Falls Citizen of the Year, Business of the Year and Volunteer of the Year.

Kootenai County Sheriff Rocky Watson will act as emcee along with Jeff Conroy of the United Way of Kootenai County.

The public is invited to attend. Tickets are $40. For more information, call 773-5016.

Murder-suicide victims named

Blackfoot, Idaho The Bingham County Sheriff’s Department has released the names of the four bodies found in what is being called an open-and-shut murder-suicide.

Donald Booth, 43, apparently shot and killed his wife, Michelle, 38, and two children, Salor, 4, and Wesley, 2.

They were found in their Moreland home by an officer doing a welfare check Tuesday. The officer kicked in the door of the house after seeing the body of a young child through the window.

Officials said Wednesday there was no suicide note or witnesses.

Investigators said the house looked as if there was an argument in the kitchen. They believe Booth shot all family members with a .410 caliber shotgun.

Blackfoot Police Detective Lt. Paul Newbold said an autopsy report will show how many times the victims were shot.

The couple moved to the rural community west of Blackfoot about three months ago. They had lived in California and New York. Both states report a history of domestic problems. Booth had a record of drug problems.

A toxicology report should be completed in six weeks, Newbold said. No drugs were found at the home.

Sheriff Dave Johnson, whose first full day on the job was Tuesday, said officers who worked the case are receiving counseling.