Woman held on abuse inquiry
A Coeur d’Alene foster mother is in jail and her children are in state custody after doctors at the Kootenai Medical Center on Friday evening noticed injuries to a 6-year-old boy that they said didn’t match the explanation given.
Joyce D. Hibshman, 36, was arrested Friday evening for felony injury to a child and remained in the Kootenai County Jail Saturday.
She and her husband brought their 6-year-old foster son to the hospital Friday at about 5 p.m. with a head injury and numerous large bruises on his body and said he had fallen down, according to a news release from the Coeur d’Alene Police Department.
The boy was transferred to Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane and is expected to recover from his injuries. A 12-year-old girl – Hibshman’s biological daughter – and three other foster children living with the woman at 1410 E. McFarland Ave. were taken into custody by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, according to the police.
Her arraignment is scheduled for 2 p.m. Monday.
– Meghann M. Cuniff
Spokane
Night Out set for Tuesday
Look for a block party in your area Tuesday night as National Night Out takes over neighborhoods across Spokane.
The annual event encourages neighbors to organize casual gatherings to meet law enforcement officials and build relationships with one another to help deter crime.
More than 100 parties are already scheduled in neighborhoods across Spokane County. Latecomers can register their party at the National Night Out Kickoff Rally Monday in Riverfront Park from 11 a.m until 2 p.m.
The first 200 registered parties receive a free first aid kit from the Spokane Community Oriented Policing Service.
– Meghann M. Cuniff
Advisory board members sought
The Spokesman-Review is launching a new journalism initiative for ninth- to 12th-graders in Spokane County. To help shape this initiative, we’re seeking students to serve on an advisory board that will help develop new print and online publications to be written and published by student journalists.
Advisory board members may be, but don’t have to be, interested in journalism. More important at this stage are ideas about content and design of publications aimed at the high school population.
Students interested in serving on such an advisory board should contact Erin Daniels, coordinator of the initiative, at erind@spokesman.com or (509) 459-5489.
Tips sought in arson string
A series of arsons in the Logan neighborhood has prompted Secret Witness to offer a $500 reward for information leading to the arrest of the arsonist.
Four fires on detached garages have occurred there in the past two weeks, two on July 14 and one each on July 19 and on Tuesday.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the nonprofit organization at (509) 327-5111.
Tipsters don’t need to give their name, but they should use a code name or number.
– Jared Paben