In Brief: Holidays hot time for thieves

Two cases over the weekend demonstrated how thieves use the holiday season to their advantage, Spokane County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Sgt. Dave Reagan said Monday.

A woman reported her outgoing Christmas cards were stolen from her mailbox, Reagan said. Thieves know that holiday cards often contain checks or cash, and thefts of mail increase during this season.

In another incident, a local man was selling his lawn tractor on craigslist.org, Reagan said. He received two offers from people who said they had sent checks for more money than he had requested, and for him to cash them and return the overage.

“He wisely did not,” Reagan said. Authorities say to be wary anytime someone offers a check for more than the item they are paying for and asks for the difference. The check is usually counterfeit or will be drawn on an identity theft victim’s account.

Officials offer tips on holiday travel

Travel patterns tend to be spread over more days during the Christmas holiday than Thanksgiving, but state officials are still warning drivers that some times are better than others to cross Snoqualmie Pass.

Historical Christmas weekend traffic counts show that westbound trips on Interstate 90 are likely to be heaviest over the pass midday on Friday and Saturday, then reduce on Christmas Eve and Christmas before skyrocketing from 2-5 p.m. Dec. 26.

Eastbound traffic, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation statistics, is expected to be the most congested Saturday afternoon and the afternoon of Dec. 26.

Heavy snowfall over the weekend could change travel patterns, however. Be prepared for snow and ice with traction tires and chains.

For more information about holiday traffic over Snoqualmie Pass, visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/holiday/ I90. Updated information is available all weekend by calling 511 or visiting www.wsdot.wa. gov/traffic/passes.

Road work topic of open house

The city of Spokane will host an open house Wednesday to discuss an upcoming project to fix Maple and Ash streets between Northwest Boulevard and Wellesley Avenue.

The open house Wednesday will run from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Shadle Park branch of the Spokane Public Library, 2111 W. Wellesley Ave.

Project engineers will make a presentation and answer questions. Detours, project start and stop dates and traffic are all on the agenda.

The project will be paid for with the city’s 10-year street bond program.

Medical Lake

Sex offender living in Medical Lake

A convicted child molester has moved from Spokane to Medical Lake.

Ryan S. Hager, 24, is described as 5 feet 10 inches tall and 175 pounds with hazel eyes and brown hair, said Spokane County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Sgt. Dave Reagan.

Hager was convicted of first-degree child rape in 1997 and first-degree child molestation in 1996, Reagan said. Both incidents occurred in Spokane County and involved the same female, who was 2 and 4 years old at the time.

Hager also admitted to molesting eight other children between the ages of 6 and 13 prior to being convicted, Reagan said. He was released from Naselle Youth Camp in 1999 and lived in Spokane until recently.

Hager’s new address is on North Rambo Road in Medical Lake, Reagan said.

Compiled from staff reports