Freeman’s Patton crowned Lilac queen

The Spokane Lilac Festival has crowned its queen for the 2007 “Here’s to the Heroes” festival.

Wylie Patton, a senior at Freeman High School, was selected during a coronation ceremony Sunday.

Sandy Brown, president of the festival, said that Patton’s court of princesses includes: Kali Clark, Central Valley; Margeaux Fox, Lewis and Clark; Rachel Hart, Shadle Park; Alyssa Henke, Gonzaga Prep; Alexandra Stierwalt, North Central; and Jasmine Williams, Medical Lake.

The girls were selected from the “Fabulous Fourteen,” candidates from high schools in Spokane County.

The princesses and queen each receive a $1,250 scholarship from Sterling Savings Bank. In addition, Patton will also receive $1,500 from the Ralph Husom Spokane Lilac Festival Past President’s fund.

– Lisa Leinberger

Council sets savings account deadline

The Spokane City Council has set the last day of 2008 as the deadline for increasing the size of the city’s savings account to 10 percent of the money it spends each year on general government services such as police and fire.

The city now has $4.6 million in the so-called “restricted reserve account,” with transfers of about $4 million pending this year. That would bring the fund to $8.6 million – 7 percent of the city’s $135 million general fund for 2007.

The council unanimously adopted an ordinance Monday committing to increase the fund to more than $13.5 million. That show of financial strength could lead to lower interest rates when the city borrows money, council members said.

Also, the council restricted how the reserve can be used – for emergencies or non-recurring expenses only. A clause was eliminated that allowed its use to settle labor contracts.

– Mike Prager

Coeur d’Alene

European-American activist quits paper

Stan Hess, who calls himself a European-American civil rights activist, won’t be writing for the North Idaho College student newspaper.

Hess, 62, said he’s dropping the class because the paper uses the phrase “illegal immigrants” to describe people who come into the country illegally. He prefers the term “illegal aliens.”

Sentinel adviser Nils Rosdahl said the newspaper follows The Associated Press Stylebook.

Hass registered for the class after garnering 12 percent of the vote in November’s five-way race for a seat on the NIC Board of Trustees. He said he hoped to write stories of interest to European-Americans.

The Southern Poverty Law Center calls Hess a white supremacist. He was formerly the California leader of the European-American Rights Organization, a group run by former Ku Klux Klansman David Duke.

– Meghann Cuniff