Firefighter won’t face prosecution

The Spokane County Prosecuting Attorney’s office has declined to prosecute a Spokane firefighter under investigation for having sex with a 17-year-old girl at the city’s Indian Trail fire station.

Spokane police previously said they did not believe there was criminal wrongdoing in the Feb. 11 incident, but the case was referred to the prosecuting attorney’s office for review. The firefighter, whose name has not been released, is in his 30s.

City public affairs officer Marlene Feist said Tuesday that police will refer the case to the city’s Fire and Human Resources departments for an investigation into appropriate on-the-job behavior.

Mayor Dennis Hession previously said the firefighter met the teenager through the Internet. She told police that she was not assaulted. Initially, a friend of hers reported the incident to authorities.

– Mike Prager

Kendall Yards site declared cleaned up

Following the removal of more than 200,000 tons of contaminated soil, 78 acres north of downtown Spokane has been declared “ready for development” by the state Department of Ecology.

The Kendall Yards site has been cleaned up over the past year with the help of a $2.4 million loan from the Washington State Department of Community Trade and Economic Development. The loan is the largest of its kind in the country.

The developer, Marshall Chesrown, worked with local, state and federal agencies to remove petroleum and metals contamination from the former rail yard, operated by Union Pacific Railroad from 1914 to 1955.

Although the petroleum contamination, which reached a depth of 30 feet, could have been left in place, the developer chose to remove as much as possible to allow for unrestricted use of the land.

Plans for the development include up to 2,600 residential units and up to 1 million square feet of commercial space. Chesrown hopes to begin construction this spring.

– Alison Boggs

County sues DSHS over millions in fines

The Spokane County commission has decided to beat the Legislature to the punch.

On Tuesday, commissioners unanimously agreed to sue the state Department of Social and Health Services.

Commissioners said they moved ahead with the lawsuit now, in part, in case the Legislature passes a bill that commissioners believe would prevent them from suing DSHS.

Last year, Pierce County sued the department for fining the county for hospitalizing too many psychiatric patients at state institutions. Spokane County, which had been fined more than any other county in Washington, is following Pierce County’s lead, asking the state to return more than $2.6 million in fines.

– Jonathan Brunt