In brief: RHM Auto Sales computer stolen
Police are warning customers of RHM Auto Sales that burglars have information that could be used for identity theft.
The burglars stole a computer Tuesday night that contained customers’ names, dates of birth and other personal information. The company doesn’t have records of the customers so is unable to contact them to warn about the theft.
Anyone who has purchased anything from RHM Auto Sales at 2623 E. Sprague Ave. should monitor all accounts and credit reports to ensure their identity has not been compromised.
Reward offered for DUI suspect
Secret Witness is offering a reward for information leading to the capture of a 30-year-old man wanted on charges of DUI, robbery and resisting arrest. Tracy Matthew Bear has multiple convictions for other crimes.
Bear is described as a 30-year-old, 5-foot-9, 200-pound Native American man with brown eyes and hair. His last known addresses were on South Magnolia Street and the 3500 block of East Fifth Avenue.
Bear has previous convictions for possessing stolen property, theft, malicious mischief and other charges.
Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to call (509) 327-5111.
Pullman
No one injured in fire near stadium
The cause of a fire that flared up Wednesday night in new construction at Washington State University’s Martin Stadium is under investigation.
No one was hurt, and the blaze was confined to a small area in the stadium’s new restrooms, said Pullman Fire Lt. Don Foster.
Firefighters responded about 5:30 p.m. after someone noticed flames shooting out of the new restrooms, Foster said. Crews could hear popping noises that they later determined were coming from the pressure relief valves on several large propane tanks used with heaters.
The fire was quickly extinguished. A damage estimate will be made by the construction contractor, Foster said.
SEATTLE
I-90 rest stops closed for overhaul
It’s a long way between public restrooms along the western stretch of Interstate 90 in Washington state this week.
The Indian John Hill rest areas for eastbound and westbound traffic have been closed since Monday for a plumbing overhaul.
According to the state Transportation Department, those are the two most popular potty stops along the roughly 300-mile freeway between Seattle and the Idaho border.
The shutdown leaves a 130-mile stretch without public restrooms between the Ryegrass Summit rest area, west of Vantage, and Seattle.
The water and sewer renovation follows a series of shorter closures for temporary repairs. Transportation officials expect to complete the work in time to reopen the Indian John restrooms on Monday.
HELENA
Circuit court hears Libby appeal
A federal appeals court heard arguments Wednesday on an appeal of a pretrial ruling in the government’s asbestos case against W.R. Grace & Co. and some of its former executives.
Earlier this year, Grace asked for the full 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to review a decision by a three-judge panel that allowed certain government witnesses to testify against the chemical manufacturer.
The 9th Circuit granted the request and heard arguments on the issue Wednesday afternoon; it was unclear when a decision would be issued.
The government had appealed a decision by U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy of Missoula that could have limited its witness list. The three-judge panel said the lower court had “exceeded its authority,” and Grace appealed that ruling.