Pizzerias to battle for top(ping) prize
Who makes the best pizza in North Idaho? Visitors to the North Idaho Fair in Coeur d’Alene can help decide Wednesday as 10 pizzerias put their best pies forward in a head-to-head competition.
A panel of judges will pick the best pizza in “Battle of the Pies 2006,” hosted by The Red Hot Mamas musical-comedy group and sponsored by The Spokesman-Review. Spectators will get a chance to taste and select a people’s choice award and a showmanship award.
The contest will be from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the East Midway Tent.
Contestants are the Old Ice House Pizzeria and Bakery in Hope; Sahara Pizza and Big Cheese Pizza, both in Post Falls; 4th and Main Pizza in Spirit Lake; and Capone’s Pub & Grill, Tomato Street, Angelo’s Ristorante, Mangiamo Pizza, Valentino’s, and Papa John’s, all of Coeur d’Alene.
North Idaho
Sen. Craig plans town hall meetings
U.S. Sen. Larry Craig will make five stops in North Idaho this week to answer questions from constituents and provide a congressional update.
Craig, a Republican, will host three town hall meetings today and two Wednesday. Here’s the schedule:
“Today, noon to 1 p.m., Bonners Ferry City Hall, 7232 Main St.
“Today, 2 to 3 p.m., Transportation Information Office, 202 N. Second St., Sandpoint.
“Today, 7 to 8 p.m., Human Rights Education Institute, 414 W. Mullan, Coeur d’Alene.
“Wednesday, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., Idaho Commerce and Labor, 35 Wildcat Way, Kellogg.
“Wednesday, 1 to 2 p.m., Grub Box Restaurant, 201 North 8th St., St. Maries.
Information: (208) 667-6130.
Spokane
Grass fire burns four structures
A grass fire set four structures and a tree ablaze Monday morning on the South Hill.
No one was hurt, but the blaze destroyed one garage and damaged a second garage and two houses, said Spokane Fire Battalion Chief Dan Brown. “Hard and quick work by firefighters prevented a much worse outcome,” he said.
Fire crews initially responded to 1835 E. Eighth Ave. about 10:05 a.m. on a report of a grass fire, Brown said. They found the garage at that address engulfed in flames.
The blaze quickly spread to a house at 1836 E. Seventh Ave. and a house and two garages at 1837 E. Seventh Ave., Brown said.
The fire was knocked down in about 20 minutes.
The estimated damage was $30,000, Brown said.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Woman faces fraud charges
Just as she was about to complete a four-month jail sentence, a 32-year-old Spokane woman has been charged with more than 50 fraud-related felonies.
Sheriff’s Sgt. Steve Barbieri arrested Christine Dalihla Morlan, 1506 E. Clover Ave., Sunday on suspicion of one count of first-degree identity theft to keep her in jail until Monday.
Morlan was booked on 50 additional felonies Monday, based on a four-month investigation led by Deputy Jeff Jenkins.
The additional charges include 23 counts of forgery, 15 counts of unlawful possession of payment instruments, one count of possession of fictitious identification, one count of first-degree identity theft, three counts of second-degree theft, one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver, one count of unlawful possession of a personal identification device, one count of unlawful possession of instruments of financial fraud, two counts of second-degree identity theft, two counts of first-degree possession of stolen property, and two counts of second-degree possession of stolen property.
Morlan was also was cited on two counts of criminal impersonation, a gross misdemeanor.
Barbieri said more arrests were anticipated.
He said Morlan and unnamed accomplices stole checks, credit cards and other financial information from mailboxes and cars. They allegedly used stolen and forged checks to pay rent and to buy pizza and drugs, Barbieri said.
Compiled from staff
and wire reports