S-R Web sites win awards
Two Spokesman-Review Web sites were named the best among medium-size news sites by the Newspaper Association of America on Sunday.
The paper’s main Web site, www.spokesmanreview.com, received the Digital Edge Award for the best overall site for papers with circulation from 100,000 to 249,999. Judges cited the newspaper’s commitment to opening the process of journalism to the community. The panel was impressed by the site’s multimedia efforts, inclusion of community voices, and the way The Spokesman-Review applies its full news operation to online journalism.
Other finalists in the category were the Knoxville (Tenn.) News-Sentinel and the Providence (R.I.) Journal.
Spokane7.com won the entertainment Web site category for its coverage of the local music, food and cultural scenes. Judges praised 7’s blogs, restaurant database and collection of mp3s from local artists. Other finalists in the category were the (Norfolk) Virginian-Pilot and the Hartford (Conn.) Courant.
Judges for the Digital Edge Awards included ad executives, educators, industry analysts, and newspaper- and broadcast-affiliated Web site directors.
– Ryan Pitts
Offices, schools closed for holiday
The following services will be affected by today’s Presidents Day holiday:
“Most city, county, state and federal offices will be closed, including the Spokane Regional Health District. The offices of the city of Spokane will be open.
“Garbage pickup will run on schedule for the city of Spokane and for customers of Waste Management.
“Parking meters in Spokane will not be enforced. Parking meters will not be enforced at Eastern Washington University, except in Lot 10.
“U.S. Postal Service offices will be closed, and it will not provide mail delivery. Mail will be collected from blue postal service boxes on schedule.
“Gonzaga University, EWU, Spokane Falls Community College and Spokane Community College will be closed. Whitworth College will be open.
“Spokane Transit buses will run on schedule.
“All public school districts will be closed.
“All city and county libraries will be closed.
“All state liquor stores will be closed.
– From staff reports
Car salesmen guilty of theft
A father-son car sales team in Ponderay has been convicted of swindling customers.
Arnold Dreier Sr., 66, and his son Cody Dreier, 33, were convicted for selling warranties and titles they never delivered, reported the Bonner County Daily News in Sandpoint. When customers tried to get their titles, they were lied to and the two men threatened to have their vehicles repossessed, prosecutor Phil Robinson said.
A Bonner County jury found the two men guilty of grand theft and failing to deliver certificates of title. Arnold Dreier was also convicted in 1st District Court on charges of racketeering for falsifying books at the business they owned. He was sentenced to at least one year in prison, with a possible maximum of four. Cody Dreier was sentenced to a year and a half.
– Associated Press