Local woman picked for STA post

Local connections and customer service expertise trumped transit know-how in the selection of Spokane Transit Authority’s CEO finalist.

The STA Board authorized two of its members Thursday to enter into contract negotiations with E. Susan Meyer, a former vice president at Telect Inc.

Meyer most recently operated her own business planning and communications consulting company, Meyer Consulting. Previously, she was Telect’s vice president of human resources and corporate relations, community relations director at Pacific Gas Transmission and executive director of Momentum, the now-defunct Spokane economic development organization.

She earned both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s in business administration from Eastern Washington University.

“When you have good local talent, you need to take advantage of it,” said Spokane City Councilman Al French, an STA board member.

Former CEO Kim Zentz left STA earlier this year to become interim CEO at the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute.

STA board members seeking Zentz’s replacement decided to look for local candidates who understand the community and STA’s place in it. Meyer had the customer service background they were looking for, said Spokane Valley City Councilman Dick Denenny, STA’s board chairman.

Meyer said she is looking forward to “a tremendous opportunity to lead an organization that plays such a pivotal role in the community’s success.”

Inmate escapes from work crew, prison says

An inmate at Airway Heights Corrections Center escaped Friday while he was with a supervised work crew, the prison reported.

LeRoy Charles, 48, walked away from the Spokane Food Bank, where he had been working most of the day, at about 2 p.m., said Risa Klemme, the center’s spokesman.

He was imprisoned in late 2003 after being convicted of third-degree assault and unlawful imprisonment, Klemme said. He was transferred to Airway Heights in February 2004.

Klemme said that Charles was considered a minimum security inmate and had done work release projects several times without incident. He was at the food bank with about nine other inmates and one corrections officer.

The escape could add up to five years to Charles’ time in prison, Klemme said.

Charles is 5-foot-5 and weighs 150 pounds. He has brown eyes, black hair and a brown complexion. He may be headed to Kitsap County where he last resided.

Klemme said anyone with informa- tion about Charles’ whereabouts should call the prison at (509) 244-6896. The line is staffed 24 hours.

Authorities say girl admits bomb threats

Bremerton, Wash. A 12-year-old girl arrested in connection with five bomb threats at Fairview Junior High School has admitted making the threats, a Kitsap County sheriff’s deputy said.

After her arrest this week, the girl told deputies the threats were hoaxes intended to disrupt class, Deputy Scott Wilson said.

The threats began in March. Each was found written on a girls’ restroom stall, Wilson said.

The latest threat was discovered Wednesday. Students were evacuated to a football field, then sent to the gymnasium after it had been cleared by authorities, said Julie Goldsmith, a Central Kitsap School District official.

The student was booked into juvenile detention for investigation of five counts of threats to bomb.