Man shoots, kills dog after being chased
After two dogs chased him into his house and attacked his neighbors, a Spokane Valley man shot one of the animals with a .357-caliber Magnum handgun outside his Edgecliff home Monday.
“I’ve never seen dogs like that,” said Jim Hammond.
About 2:45 p.m., two boxers scared his grandchildren in his yard at the 6600 block of East 10th Avenue, he said. The dogs then chased Hammond when he tried to shoo them away, he said. They then attacked his neighbors as they walked down the street, biting a woman’s leg, he said.
Hammond ran outside with a pistol and shot one of the dogs as it ran toward him, hitting it in the face, he said. Police and animal control officers found the animal dead a block away.
A longtime Edgecliff resident and SCOPE volunteer, Hammond brought the bleeding woman inside his house and gave her a bandage, said Spokane Valley police spokesman Dave Reagan.
The second boxer remains at the owner’s house while officers collect statements and decide whether the owner will be cited in the incident, said SCRAPS director Nancy Hill.
– Peter Barnes
Meetings will address space at CV schools
When several kindergarten students enrolled in the Central Valley School District two weeks ago, there were no openings in the district.
District officials had to create an additional afternoon kindergarten class at McDonald Elementary School to accommodate the new students.
Suzie Litras, who teaches a morning kindergarten class at McDonald, will also teach the new afternoon class. As more kindergartners enroll, they will probably be placed in the new class at McDonald.
“Staffing and classroom space issues are tight across the Central Valley School District. Growth is pushing the envelope,” Superintendent Mike Pearson said.
District officials will hold community meetings to address facilities options as the district nears capacity, expected by fall of 2008.
The meetings are from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Bowdish Middle School, 2109 S. Skipworth; next Tuesday at McDonald Elementary, 1512 S. McDonald Road; and April 19 at Greenacres Middle School, 17409 E. Sprague Ave. For more information call (509) 228-5400.
– Kandis Carper
Spokane
City Council grants Lynch extra payout
The Spokane City Council on Monday narrowly granted an extra payout to fired Deputy Mayor Jack Lynch.
Lynch was entitled to about $66,000 in severance and for unused sick and vacation time based on city code. The agreement approved Monday will give him an additional $24,000 as a result of a memorandum former Mayor John Powers wrote that allowed Lynch and other members of the mayor’s staff to accrue extra vacation time.
Councilwoman Nancy McLaughlin said that she disagreed with Powers’ decision but that the city had to pay it – or face a lawsuit. Council President Joe Shogan and Councilmen Rob Crow and Brad Stark joined McLaughlin in supporting the extra pay.
Council members Bob Apple, Al French and Mary Verner voted against the proposal.
– Jonathan Brunt
Public update tonight on corridor progress
The Washington State Department of Transportation will update the public tonight on progress toward construction of the North Spokane Corridor.
The high-speed corridor is planned to eventually connect Interstate 90 to U.S. Highway 395 at Wandermere.
The first segment, from Francis to U.S. Highway 2, is scheduled to open in 2009, with the portion extending to Wandermere and Highway 395 opening to traffic in 2011.
The public can learn more about the project at an open house from 5 to 8 tonight at Arlington Elementary School, 6363 N. Smith St.
– Amy Cannata