In brief: City Hall human resources boss hired

Another of the many vacancies in leadership spots at City Hall has been filled.

The Spokane City Council on Monday voted unanimously to hire David W. Chandler as Spokane’s human resources director.

Chandler, who graduated from University High School in 1970, has held the same position for the city of Walla Walla since 1996. He will earn about $100,000 a year.

He has a master’s degree in public administration from Eastern Washington University, according to his resume.

Chandler replaces the interim leader of the department, Chris Cavanaugh. She was a finalist for the job and has been offered a position as the assistant human resources director, pending approval from the City Council, said city spokeswoman Marlene Feist.

Other administrative vacancies at City Hall include directors of public works, streets, community development and planning.

Olympia

Trooper shoots, kills driver

A state trooper shot and killed a motorist Monday evening after a chase near Olympia, a State Patrol spokeswoman said.

According to the patrol’s account, a trooper was responding, emergency lights flashing, to a report of a collision and was traveling south on U.S. Highway 101 at about 5:30 p.m. As he tried to pass one vehicle, it accelerated and took off at about 90 mph. The trooper followed.

The fleeing vehicle used the highway shoulder to pass other vehicles along Highway 101 until it came to Steamboat Island Road, where other troopers had set out spike strips to pop its tires, Trooper Brandy Kessler said.

The trooper followed the fleeing vehicle onto a gravel road, where it came to a stop.

Kessler reported that “shots were fired” and a man was killed.

The trooper was not injured.

She would not say whether the dead man had been armed.

Neither the trooper nor the man who was shot was immediately identified.

Portland

Train route partially restored

Using substitute equipment, Amtrak restored about half its Cascades route Monday between Eugene, Ore., and Vancouver, B.C., and planned to restore service fully by Thursday, a spokeswoman said.

The service was interrupted last Friday after an inspection of the railcars built by Spanish manufacturer Talgo Inc. found cracks in the suspension system of a passenger car.

“All the parties involved decided that, in an abundance of caution, it was the most prudent thing to do to take the cars out of service,” said Nora Friend, a spokeswoman for Talgo.

A spokeswoman for Amtrak in Oakland, Calif., Vernae Graham, said the rail passenger service added two trainsets on Monday, running six trips – three each way – between Portland and Seattle.

That allowed service also to be re-established to Eugene, she said. A trip between Seattle and Vancouver had continued running because its equipment was not affected.

Another train was to go into operation today between Portland and Seattle, and a fourth was to begin on Thursday, Graham said.

In the meantime, Amtrak planned to start bus service today from Bellingham and Edmonds to get passengers to Seattle, she said.

From staff and wire reports