Four men arrested in store’s robbery
Coeur d’Alene police arrested four men Wednesday in connection with the violent robbery of a Coeur d’Alene discount store.
Police say an anonymous tip led to the arrests of Jeddy Allen Peko, 30; Dechaun Y. Dyson, 22; Skyler V. Frenick, 21; and Kevin C. Searls, 24.
Peko and Frenick are former employees of the Coeur d’Alene Big Lots store that was robbed Friday night, according to police.
During the robbery, a store employee was badly beaten, and three others were forced into the manager’s office at gunpoint.
Searls, Peko and Dyson were arrested at Peko’s apartment at 1201 Lincoln Way, according to police, while Frenick was arrested at his residence at 2602 Honeysuckle Ave.
In addition to the robbery charge, Peko is being held in the Kootenai County Jail for allegedly failing to register as a sex offender in Idaho. Police say he was last registered in Washington as a Level I sex offender but did not register when he moved to Idaho.
The men may have their first appearance in court today.
– Taryn Brodwater
Art Spirit owner picked for award
Steve Gibbs, owner of the Art Spirit Gallery of Fine Art in Coeur d’Alene, has been selected to receive the 2006 Idaho Governor’s Award for Support of the Arts.
Gibbs is being recognized for putting in countless volunteer hours promoting the arts in Coeur d’Alene.
The biennial awards were established in 1970 by the Idaho Commission on the Arts. Idaho was among the first states to start such a program.
A panel of out-of-state jurors reviewed the nominations and offered its recommendations to the commissioners, who then forwarded their selections to the governor for his decision.
“This year’s recipients are outstanding in their respective fields and reflect the quality talent and deep commitment to the arts that we find throughout this great state,” Gov. Jim Risch said in a news release.
Gibbs will receive his award from Risch Oct. 7 in Boise.
Coeur, The Precious Metals Company of Coeur d’Alene, also will receive a Support of the Arts award.
– Staff reports
Boise
Candidates tout ‘Contract for Kids’
Democratic candidates Jerry Brady, who is running for governor, and Jana Jones, who is running for state superintendent of schools, have signed a “Contract for Kids” committing to seven principles and three solutions for education in Idaho.
“Parents, working in concert with their locally elected trustees, must be empowered to shape the schools their children attend,” the two candidates declared in the contract.
The principles cover everything from involving parents to the importance of character education to every child deserving “a highly skilled and caring teacher.” The three solutions are: returning control to parents, in part by creating three new regional parental advisory boards; promoting character development; and supporting sustainable funding for public schools.
To launch the contract, the two taught a character education class at a Boise elementary school on Tuesday, and Brady held a press conference Wednesday in Coeur d’Alene. The contract is posted on Brady’s Web site at www.bradyforidaho.org.
– Betsy Z. Russell