Father reportedly backs over 2-year-old
A 2-year-old Princeton, Idaho, boy died Friday afternoon when his father unknowingly backed a pickup over him, the Idaho State Police reported.
Cliff Heilman-Mueller, 26, also of Princeton, was backing the Ford pickup toward a camp trailer on private property off McKinneyville Road when the accident occurred in the northern Latah County town, the ISP said.
Troopers responded about 2 p.m. The boy, whom the ISP did not identify, died at the scene.
Gregoire signs ‘California’ car-emissions bill
Kirkland, Wash. Gov. Christine Gregoire has signed a bill that will bring strict California car-emissions standards to Washington state.
“It’s a day of hope and positive change for the entire nation,” said national Sierra Club President Larry Fahn, who attended the bill-signing Friday.
The new emissions standards will start taking effect in 2009, and by 2016 all new cars, SUVs and light trucks sold in Washington will have to comply with the tougher standards. California estimates that the new regulations will cut emissions in cars and light trucks by 25 percent and in larger trucks and SUVs by 18 percent.
“The technology is there, and if it’s not there we just need to give it a little nudge,” Gregoire said. “This is one of the single most important pieces of environmental legislation we’ve had in a long time … It’s going to have direct benefits to the health of our children and our elderly.”
Opponents in the auto industry argued that the measure is unnecessary and too costly.
“It’s all pocketbook pain and no environmental gain,” said Eron Shosteck, a spokesman for the Washington, D.C.-based Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers. He said experience in other states has shown that consumers will end up paying thousands of dollars more for cars, without any apparent benefits.
Rep. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, who sponsored the bill, said the combined buying power of Washington, California and seven other states will force automakers to offer cars that meet the new standards, at reasonable prices.
“People will have choice, and they’ll have cleaner cars,” Murray said.
Airport to use alternate runway during work
Starting Monday and for two weeks, takeoffs and landings at Spokane International Airport will use its alternate runway. Workers during that time will be pouring concrete for a new taxiway connected to the main runway.
The main runway will reopen May 21 barring any weather delays, said an airport press release.
The change will be most visible to Spokane South Hill residents and some Airway Heights residents.
Flight patterns will now be aligned with 40th Avenue instead of parallel to Interstate 90.
Schools locked down while warrant executed
Adams Elementary and Ferris High School were locked down briefly Friday morning while police executed a search warrant nearby, Spokane police reported.
Police informed the schools about their plans about 9 a.m., just prior to their entry to the home at 2822 E. 35th Ave., police spokesman Dick Cottam said in a press release.
Officers arrested Sandra L. Tolbert, 37, and Janice L. Lockridge, 44. Detectives had made four drug purchases from the house, Cottam said.
Police encountered no problems and the schools were locked down for about 10 minutes, Cottam said.
Tolbert and Lockridge were booked into jail on one count each of delivery of a controlled substance.
Idaho Guard to send 12 more to Iraq
The Idaho Army National Guard will deploy a dozen more soldiers to Iraq after a month of training, which begins next Tuesday at Fort Carson, Colo.
The troops, who come from towns all across Idaho, will join the 116th Brigade Combat Team, the bulk of which is stationed near Kirkuk in north central Iraq, according to the Guard’s public information office in Boise. Similar troop movements also occurred in February, March and April.
With the latest deployments, the total number of Idaho Army National Guardsmen taking part in Operation Iraqi Freedom will increase to 1,800, leaving more than 2,500 Guard members available to deal with emergencies in Idaho. The 116th Brigade is made up of about 4,300 troops from 20 states.
Clouds spoil St. Helens observatory reopening
Mount St. Helens National Monument, Wash. Johnston Ridge Observatory reopened to the public Friday, seven months after it was closed because of new activity at Mount St. Helens.
From the observatory, visitors can look five miles into the crater of Mount St. Helens where a steaming lava dome has been growing since October. On Friday, however, clouds obscured the view.
It may be a couple of days before the weather clears enough for visitors at the observatory to get a better view of the volcano.
The observatory was closed in October when the volcano began its dome-building eruption.
Visitors to Johnston Ridge are advised to bring a dust mask in case of another ash-spewing eruption.