Couple face forgery charges

Spokane police arrested a husband and wife Wednesday for allegedly defrauding the man’s mother and stealing her house.

Michael J. Halligan, 43, was booked into jail on suspicion of first-degree theft and conspiracy to commit forgery.

His wife, 50-year-old Daphne L. Halligan, was arrested on charges of first-degree theft and forgery, according to police.

Police allege the couple lied to Halligan’s mother and persuaded her to sign her property over to them. Detective Kirk Kimberly said the couple stole several thousand dollars in cash and forged checks in the 79-year-old woman’s name.

Police said they also found evidence the couple planned to evict the disabled woman.

Post Falls

Road work begins on Mullan

One lane of Mullan Avenue will be closed today and Monday in Post Falls, just east of Highway 41.

Flaggers will direct traffic around the road construction, which is scheduled from 6 a.m. until 4 p.m. both days.

Crews are installing curbs and gutters.

Coeur d’Alene

NIC alumni pick president

The vice president of the North Idaho College Alumni Association has been elected president of the organization.

A 1980 graduate of NIC, Tom Daugherty has been involved in the organization for eight years.

After completing his associate’s degree at NIC, he earned a bachelor’s degree in management from Lewis-Clark State College and went on to open a chain of video stores in North Idaho, which he owned for 14 years, according to an NIC news release.

A failed state Senate candidate in 1996, Daugherty has served as president of the Chateaux Water Association and serves as president of Blue Water Technologies, a Coeur d’Alene water treatment company.

Daugherty will lead a board of 16 members during his one-year term.

Hayden Lake

Barge fire adds to fireworks

A fireworks barge floating on Hayden Lake caught fire during Tuesday night’s Independence Day celebration.

No one was injured when the barge flared up near the end of a fireworks show in front of the Hayden Lake Country Club, said Northern Lakes Fire District Chief Marion Blackwell.

Northern Lakes Fire District keeps a specially equipped fire boat on the lake. The vessel was staffed at the time and just a short float away when flames were spotted, Blackwell said.

“The guys saw it when it caught on fire. They were right on top of it,” he said. “They just hit it with the deck gun.”

Flames from the barge could be seen from far across the lake. As they grew taller, several rockets appeared to explode from the barge, casting showers of colorful sparks onto the lake and prompting shouts and whoops from the armada of nearby pleasure boaters.

Blackwell said a cause has not yet been determined.

“It probably had to do with the pyrotechnics,” he said.

The district’s fire marshal will inspect the charred barge today.