Commissioners OK new jail sergeant

Spokane County commissioners agreed to dip into their reserves Tuesday to hire a new jail sergeant

The request for the new position came from Jail Commander Jerry Brady, who said he was making the request in response to a fight at the jail Monday night.

Brady said a male inmate’s jaw and nose were broken in a fight with at least two other inmates in a dormitory cell. Correction officers didn’t discover that there had been a fight until they found bloody towels after it was over, Brady said.

The inmate is refusing to press charges because he fears being labeled as a snitch, Brady said.The hire will mean that there always will be two sergeants on duty at the jail, Brady said. At the time of the fight Monday night, there was only one.

Brady requested that commissioners allow him to promote a corrections officer to a new sergeant’s position and hire a new officer. Commissioners Phil Harris and Mark Richard agreed.

“This is an emergency situation,” Harris said. “We have to look after the safety of our employees and our citizens.”

Commissioner Todd Mielke voted against the new position because the money is coming from the county’s reserve fund.

“We are using one-time money to fund ongoing programs,” Mielke said.

Wrench used to open hydrants sought

Fire investigators are looking for a pipe wrench used to open multiple fire hydrants in Spokane Valley.

It is a key piece of evidence in the vandalism that caused hundreds of dollars in damage, Spokane Valley Fire Department spokesman Bill Clifford said.

The 18- to 20-inch-long pipe wrench, a common plumbing tool, was thrown from a vehicle in the Ponderosa area between 44th and 48th avenues, between Bates and Woodruff roads, sometime last week, Clifford said. “It could be in your yard, in a ditch or along side the road.”

At least eight fire hydrants were opened on Feb. 18 and 19, including one that flooded the basement of a home in the 3400 block of South Sundown Drive, police said.

Michael R. Girven and Brandon T. Lopes, both 18, were arrested in connection with the vandalism, Clifford said. A 17-year-old boy was questioned and released to his parents.

Reward offered in hunt for drug suspect

Secret Witness is offering a cash reward for information leading to the arrest of a Spokane Valley woman wanted for distributing drugs.

Dominique Fried, 28, is wanted by the U.S. Marshals Office for distributing cocaine, Spokane police spokesman Cpl. Tom Lee said. Her last known address was in the 12400 block of East Mission.

She is described as 5 feet 6 inches and 165 pounds with brown hair and hazel eyes. She has tattoos on her neck, left arm and left ankle.

Anyone with information regarding Fried’s whereabouts is asked to call (509) 327-5111. Tipsters don’t have to give their name to collect the cash reward, but should leave a code name or number.

Seattle

Smoking ban extended to bus shelters

A voter-passed initiative to ban smoking in public places also applies to bus shelters, King County officials say.

Initiative 901, passed in November, bans smoking within 25 feet of doors, windows and vents of public places as well as inside them.

County authorities said Monday that the ban applies to bus shelters, which are mostly covered, open-air structures.

Smokers who light up in the shelters will be subject to a $100 fine.

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Governors call for immigration reform

The Western Governors Association called on Congress on Tuesday to pass comprehensive immigration reform, including a temporary guest worker program.

The group that represents 18 Western states passed the policy resolution unanimously while meeting at the National Governors Association annual conference.

“When you think about issues that impact the West, this immigration issue is really the top issue right now,” said Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, a Democrat, who chairs the group.

The Western Governors Association’s resolution did not offer details on how the temporary guest worker program would work. It also did not offer ideas on what to do about the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants now in the country.

– Compiled from staff and wire reports