In brief: Cowles on Verner’s transition team

Spokesman-Review Publisher Stacey Cowles is among the people asked to advise Mayor Mary Verner on her transition.

Cowles mentioned his invitation at a Spokesman-Review editorial board meeting with Verner after the new mayor discussed the recent controversy about her refusal to release the names of her “internal transition retreat teams.”

“I didn’t know I was on the transition team, but I’m going to a session on Saturday,” Cowles said.

Verner has said she only will release the names of people who give her permission to do so.

Besides Cowles, that list so far includes Randy Barcus, an Avista Corp. economist; Martha Lou Wheatley-Billeter, Spokane County public information and communications manager; Mickey Thompson, who is active in the Nevada-Lidgerwood Neighborhood Council; former Mayor Sheri Barnard; former Spokane City Councilman Joel Crosby; City Council President Joe Shogan; and Councilman Al French.

– Jonathan Brunt

Stark won’t be part of appointment

Councilman Brad Stark said Wednesday he will not participate in the appointment of a new member to fill the south district City Council seat vacated by Mayor Mary Verner.

The announcement likely puts an end to an effort to fill the seat before Richard Rush takes over for Stark.

The process has been one of the most divisive issues considered by the City Council in the past year. Councilman Al French had pushed for a decision this month, saying the council needed a seventh member soon to prevent a possible deadlocked vote on the city’s 2008 budget.

Others argued supporters of a December appointment were simply trying to deny a voice to Rush, who was elected in November.

“I’m not going to let the last two weeks on the council be defined by political warfare,” Stark said.

– Jonathan Brunt

Three students injured in school bus crash

A West Valley School District bus of volleyball players was involved a crash in front of Freeman High School.

Three Centennial Middle School students were taken to a hospital with minor injuries, said OfficerNicholas Hopper, a spokesman for the Washington State Patrol. The driver of a Jeep was also taken to a hospital with minor injuries.

The students had been at Freeman for a volleyball game, Hopper said. The bus was turning onto Highway 27 to go back to Centennial when the Jeep collided with it.

Investigators believe the bus pulled out in front of the Jeep, Hopper said. No citations had been issued.

– Jody Lawrence-Turner

Coeur d’Alene

No one injured in duplex fire

Coeur d’Alene firefighters responded to a duplex fire near Crown and Kathleen on Wednesday night.

Firefighters were called at 8:49 p.m. when a resident smelled smoke in one of the units at 4204 N. Crown, dispatchers said. No one was reported injured in the fire that reportedly started in an interior wall.

– Jody Lawrence-Turner