Commissioners relocate meetings

County commissioners – and members of the public – will have more elbow room starting next week during their weekly morning meeting.

Starting Tuesday, commissioners will hold their morning CEO briefings at the Public Works Building’s hearing room, 1026 W. Broadway.

The briefings have been held in the commissioners’ Courthouse boardroom. Meetings there often are standing-room-only with little space to maneuver around the table and virtually no room to accommodate the public.

Commissioner Phil Harris said the briefings have been too packed and suggested the move. The rest of the commission agreed.

“One person comes in with a runny nose, and two days later, everybody’s got it,” Harris said, referring to the boardroom briefings.

Commissioners meet at 9:30 a.m. each Tuesday to discuss county business with county CEO Marshall Farnell. Although the meeting is informal, board members sometimes vote and make decisions during the briefing.

Weapons found hidden in vehicle

A large cup of soda pop wasn’t big enough to hide a Spokane man’s revolver from police.

The Spokane police officer who pulled over a driver for expired tags Wednesday noticed the cup’s lid resting on something, spokesman Sgt. Dave McCabe said. When the officer looked in the cup, he found the chrome, five-shot handgun.

Another gun was found next to the passenger side seat, McCabe said, and one of the passengers had multiple edged weapons.

The officer pulled over the car early Wednesday at Mission and Smith after noticing the expired tags, McCabe said. As he approached the car, he saw the passengers moving around inside suspiciously.

The driver, 21-year-old Jeanie K. Lee, had a suspended driver’s license and was taken into custody, McCabe said. Joseph D. Brooks, 25, and Leonard R. White, 22, were passengers in the car. Brooks was booked on suspicion of unlawful possession of a firearm and possession of a controlled substance.

White was booked on suspicion of unlawful possession of a firearm.

Man charged with impersonation

A man who claimed he was a Senske Lawn Care employee collecting money for the Multiple Sclerosis Society’s annual walkathon was arrested Wednesday, police said.

Witnesses reported the man was going to door-to-door soliciting donations, Spokane police spokesman Sgt. Dave McCabe said. Senske officials told police their employees are not soliciting money for any cause. The man also was not registered with the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Martin E. Dodson, 45, of Spokane, was charged with criminal impersonation, McCabe said.

Infant critically injured in crash

A 4-month-old suffered severe head injuries Monday morning in a three-car crash near downtown Spokane.

Spokane police are investigating the crash, as well as whether child restraints were used properly, said spokesman Sgt. Dave McCabe.

The collision occurred around 11:10 a.m. at 300 N. Freya, McCabe said. The driver of a 2001 Honda Accord rear-ended a minivan stopped in traffic, which then hit a sedan.

A woman and three small children were in the Honda, McCabe said. The infant was in a child safety seat in the front seat.

The infant was in critical condition on Wednesday at an area hospital, McCabe said. The other children in the car had minor injuries.

Compiled from staff reports