In brief: Town will add chlorine to water
Springdale officials will add chlorine to the town’s public water system to help stop contamination that forced users to boil their water for a week.
The state Department of Health on Friday lifted an advisory urging about 260 residents to boil water before consuming it. But officials in the town about 40 miles north of Spokane agreed to add chlorine to the water system at a rate of 0.3 parts per million to ensure that the supply stays safe, said Scott Torpie, director of the state Office of Drinking Water.
“It’s recognized as a pretty effective way to keep the water safe,” said Torpie, who noted that Spokane’s public water supply is chlorinated at about the same level.
Routine tests detected the presence of E. coli bacteria in the water supply on Aug. 8. Investigators couldn’t discover a direct source of the contamination, Torpie said. No illnesses were reported in connection with the incident.
– JoNel Aleccia
St. Maries
Banderob wants to withdraw plea
A St. Maries man sentenced to serve at least 35 years in prison for killing a 76-year-old woman is appealing his conviction.
Lawrence E. Banderob, sentenced in June for the murder of Miriam “Mickey” Waltch, says in court papers that he wants to withdraw his guilty plea.
He claims he pled guilty to a murder “for unsaid reasons” which he never committed.
The appeal appears to have been prepared by Banderob’s mother, Wilma Banderob, who also signed it on his behalf.
The appeal mentions rape charges with which Banderob was neither charged nor pleaded to.
“It is my desire to appeal the district courts judgment and sentencing to any murder charge and aleged and unproven sexual abuse to the said victim,” the appeal states.
When he was sentenced, Banderob testified that he had been drinking and didn’t recall committing the crime.
“I don’t remember killing her at home, but I guess I did,” he said at the time. “I sit in jail every day and think about her and her family.”
– Taryn Brodwater
Spokane
GU, Whitworth highly ranked
Gonzaga and Whitworth universities made strong showings in the Western regional categories of the annual U.S. News & World Report college rankings.
Both ranked in the top 5 for best value and best master’s-level universities in the 17-state region of the West.
GU was ranked third in the best university category, and was the No. 2 best value.
Whitworth ranked ninth in the best university category, and third as a best value.
In the same regional category, Eastern Washington University ranked 43rd.
Washington State University ranked 118th on the list of national, doctorate-level institutions, and the University of Idaho was ranked in the third tier of those schools.
– Shawn Vestal