Mother, son deaths called murder-suicide

In what police are calling an apparent murder-suicide, an Orofino, Idaho, mother and her 18-year-old son were found dead in their home Saturday night.

Orofino police found Lisa Marie Hiskett, 42, and her son Justin Michael Hiskett dead with gunshot wounds about 8:05 p.m. The weapon also was found in the home.

Witnesses reported hearing multiple gunshots and seeing a woman running from the house, screaming. A press release from the police department said that a 14-year-old female left the house during the shooting.

Orofino police Chief Ron Pomerinke said the deaths remain under investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to call Pomerinke at (208) 476-5551.

– Erica Curless

Kootenai County

In-home meetings on growth encouraged

Kootenai County wants you to have a meeting in your living room.

The county is asking anyone with an interest in how the area should or shouldn’t grow to host a meeting with friends and neighbors during the next month. Living rooms, businesses, churches and coffee klatches are all possible locations for the gatherings.

The county hired a Colorado consulting firm to help get every resident possible involved in rewriting the comprehensive plan, the blueprint for how the area will grow.

Part of the firm’s method is the “meeting in a box.” Anyone interested in hosting an in-home meeting can pick up a kit from the county planning department.

Inside the packet are instructions on how to have the in-home meeting, discussion questions and a worksheet. The box even includes popcorn.

Hosts need to pick a date, time and place and then invite 12 to 15 friends, neighbors or co-workers.

The meetings should take about two hours.

Cheri Howell, the county planner overseeing the growth plan rewrite, said about 50 people have requested boxes. The county wants to ensure meetings are spread out across the county.

For more information, call Howell at (208) 446-1074 or Senior Planner Mark Mussman at (208) 446-1082.

– Erica Curless

Clerks group approves vote-by-mail option

The Idaho clerks association recently endorsed a proposed law change that would allow counties the option to create a vote-by-mail system, eliminating poll voting.

Kootenai County Clerk Dan English is pushing the measure, which is touted to increase voter participation.

Now that the Idaho Association of County Recorders and Clerks gave its approval last week, English said the secretary of state also will give support. The Idaho Association of Counties will review the proposal next month.

English hopes to introduce the legislation during the 2007 Idaho Legislature, which convenes in January.

Oregon already does all its elections by mail, and 34 counties out of the 39 counties in Washington – including Spokane County – have mail-in ballots, English said.

Already, 15 percent to 20 percent of registered voters in Kootenai County vote absentee, which is a mail-in system. That’s nearly double the statewide average, English said.

– Erica Curless