Citizens panel reviews North Side fracas

The first meeting of Spokane’s Citizens Review Commission in more than a decade was largely a closed-door affair as members reviewed in executive session how a neighborhood fracas in North Spokane was handled.

Acting on a complaint forwarded by Spokane Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick last week, the six-member commission is reviewing the police handling of a late-night incident on June 4 when homeowner Danny Joe Roske pointed an unloaded gun at several teenagers he thought were vandals, including two children of police Lt. Judi Carl.

Bob DeMotte, the resident who complained, said Roske’s case was handled unfairly because of Carl’s involvement as an off-duty officer. Carl was recently disciplined for “conduct unbecoming” a police officer because she used foul language that night. She was suspended for one day.

The Rev. Lonnie Mitchell, commission chairman, said the group will resume its discussions next Tuesday at 3 p.m. at Monroe Court near the Public Safety Building. The commission will rule on whether the police investigation into the incident was “complete, thorough and fair.”

– Karen Dorn Steele

Spokane Valley

Firm hired to finish repairs of streets

Spokane Valley has hired a construction company to finish about $200,000 in uncompleted street repairs originally outlined in a contract with Spokane County.

The council was recently told that almost half of the work in a $423,397contract for pavement repair would go unfinished in Spokane Valley, which does not have the equipment or employees to do it.

At Tuesday’s meeting, the council awarded a contract to Poe Asphalt Paving to finish the repairs for about $182,000.

The same company did similar work for Spokane Valley this year as part of the city’s effort to bid out more of its public-works duties to private companies.

City leaders were happy with the quality and savings over the county contract, and the council indicated Tuesday that it likely will move forward with a plan to shift more work from the county to the private sector next summer.

Early this year, the county and city agreed to a plan that could privatize up to half of the work in the street contract over the next three years or move it to city departments.

– Peter Barnes

Sandpoint

Climate change effects on area to be discussed

The prospects of earlier springs, increased flooding and more powerful wildfires will be discussed during a conference focused on how North Idaho might feel the effects of a changing global climate.

Hosted by the Idaho Conservation League, the Wild Idaho North conference will be held Oct. 14 in Sandpoint and feature a variety of climate change experts, including an atmospheric scientist from the University of Washington and a research ecologist from the U.S. Forest Service.

The all-day event costs $25. For more information or to register, call (208) 265-9565.

– James Hagengruber