Congress candidates to debate tonight
Candidates in one of Idaho’s hottest political races this year – for an open seat in Congress representing North Idaho – will face off tonight in a live debate on Idaho Public Television.
The debate, co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Idaho and the Idaho Press Club, is scheduled to include Republican Bill Sali and Democrat Larry Grant, along with United Party candidate Andy Hedden-Nicely and independent Dave Olson.
The four, along with Constitution Party candidate Paul Smith, are seeking the 1st District congressional seat that current Rep. Butch Otter is giving up to run for governor.
The debate will air at 7 p.m. in North Idaho and will include the candidates questioning one another as well as responding to questions from a panel of reporters. It also will be broadcast on the Internet at www.idahoptv.org.
– Betsy Z. Russell
Metaline Falls, Wash.
Missing Spokane hunter found dead
A hunter missing near Metaline Falls was found dead over the weekend, but officials said they’ll have to wait for an autopsy to determine the Spokane man’s cause of death.
Officials speculated Monday that 49-year-old Nate Swagel was a victim of near-freezing temperatures. There were no obvious signs of injury, said Pend Oreille County sheriff’s Sgt. Alan Botzheim.
Swagel was spotted in a remote area on Monumental Mountain at 4:50 p.m. Sunday by a helicopter pilot, Botzheim said.
His body was about seven miles from his truck, which was parked at milepost 13 on Forest Service Road 1935.
The experienced hunter was reported missing a week ago.
Searchers from Pend Oreille County and surrounding areas scoured the mountainous terrain looking for Swagel for five days. At one point, there were as many as 125 volunteers looking for him.
– Jody Lawrence-Turner
Portland
Man indicted in trying to fake his death
A Silver Valley man has been indicted in a scheme to fake his own death in a surfing accident.
Jesse Murphy, 25, of Osburn, Idaho, is charged with conspiracy and causing a false distress message to be sent to the U.S. Coast Guard.
Federal agents say Murphy, a transient facing criminal charges in California, apparently planned to stage a nighttime surfing incident at Ecola State Park near Cannon Beach in April 2004 in an attempt to have himself declared dead.
They say he left his clothing, his wallet, a surfboard, and his girlfriend at the beach and returned to the Portland area with two friends.
His girlfriend then called 911 and reported him missing.
The Coast Guard, Cannon Beach fire and police departments, and the Oregon State Police searched for more than eight hours and declared him missing.
He was arrested later in Bellingham on a California warrant but released. His whereabouts are unknown.
– Associated Press