Search called off for man in river
Police and water rescue teams spent much of Sunday morning unsuccessfully searching for a man who jumped into the Spokane River while eluding police.
Police spotted the man standing in the middle of traffic on the Maple Street Bridge around 9:30 a.m., Spokane police spokesman Sgt. Dave McCabe said.
As police approached, he ran to the south end of the bridge, down the staircase and into the river.
The search was called off around 11:30 a.m. after a Fire Department helicopter and water rescue boats weren’t able to locate the man, police said.
He is described as a white male, between 45 and 50, balding with a mustache, wearing a blue Adidas jogging suit and white gloves.
“With the temperature of the water, he’s presumed to be dead, but it is possible that he made it out somewhere down the riverbank,” McCabe said.
Anyone with information about the man is asked to call 242-TIPS.
– Kandis Carper
Locally trained dogs go to show
A Chihuahua and a Boston terrier trained in Deer Park, Wash., may get some “hair time” during tonight’s telecast of the 130th annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show (USA, 8 p.m.). First, they’ll have to win their breed categories.
The dogs will be shown by Chris Wheeler, who has been training dogs for 34 years.
Wheeler said this will be her fourth trip to the Westminster show, which features about 2,500 dogs.
Willy, a 2-year-old Chihuahua, lives in Japan but is trained in Deer Park.
He will compete against 17 other Chihuahuas, which weigh less than 6 pounds.
Marty, Wheeler’s 11/2-year-old terrier, will compete against 24 others.
–Hilary Kraus
WSU graduation speakers named
A Texas university president and Washington State University alumnus will speak at the school’s commencement this spring, along with the head of a Pullman company, WSU has announced.
Jon Whitmore, president of Texas Tech University, will address liberal arts graduates May 6.
He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in speech from WSU in 1967 and 1968.
WSU graduate Edmund O. Schweitzer, founder and president of Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories in Pullman, will speak to graduates in agriculture, science, engineering and other disciplines.
WSU Regent Joe King, a former state legislator, will address business and education graduates.
The school estimates that 2,200 students will participate in the spring commencement.
– Shawn Vestal
KENNEWICK
Man gets prison for girl’s hit-run
A man accused in the hit-and-run death of his girlfriend’s 2-year-old daughter has been sentenced to a year and eight months in prison.
Ronald Ray White of Kennewick will receive credit for the six months he’s already spent in jail since the July 16 death of Josie Cassano.
He entered a modified guilty plea in Benton County Superior Court to a reduced charge of hit-and-run injury accident.
The Alford plea means White admits no wrongdoing but concedes he would likely be convicted at trial.
– Associated Press