In brief: Nearly 100 buy air ambulance plan

Nearly 100 people signed up in the first week of a new membership program aimed at cutting costs of emergency air ambulance trips provided by Northwest MedStar in Spokane, officials said.

Dozens of residents in Eastern Washington, North Idaho and Oregon agreed to pay $59 a year or $150 for three years to cover costs that can average more than $12,000 for a single flight.

Officials started the program this month, after passage of a new state law that exempts air ambulances from insurance regulations. The company has reciprocal agreements with other air ambulances in the West.

Under the plan, people who join pay the subscription fee. In return, MedStar bills public or private insurance for the cost of emergency air transport, and then pays the bulk of the bill that’s left. In many cases, that might be up to several thousand dollars.

For information about the program, call (866) 478-0566 or visit the Web site www.nwmedstar.org.

Chewelah

Man injured in wreck dies

An 81-year-old man involved in a crash in late November has died.

Don Klingbell was pronounced dead Tuesday at Holy Family Hospital, according to a Washington State Patrol report. The Valley resident was a passenger in a car that crashed on Nov. 28.

The driver, Clarinda Klingbell, was turning from Highway 231 onto northbound Highway 395 near Chewelah when her car collided with a southbound semi-truck, the WSP said.

Spokane

Roadshow taking ticket requests

The Antiques Roadshow may not be rolling into Spokane until Aug. 4, but it’s not too early to get in line for tickets.

As of Tuesday, applications for tickets to the 2007 Antiques Roadshow tour can be made online or by postcard.

Tickets to the event are free but are selected by drawing. Rules limit each household to one application, and if chosen two tickets. Postcard applications must be postmarked by April 21 and arrive no later than May 5.

Event organizers expect to distribute 6,800 tickets for each event city.

For more information, go to www.antiquesroadshow.com, or apply by postcard to Spokane Roadshow, Box 249, Canton, MA 02021.

Online applicants will be notified by e-mail. Those who applied for tickets by postcard can check the Web site May 22, to see if they were selected.

Spokane Valley

Memorial today for teen brothers

A memorial for two former Ferris High School students killed in a crash last week will be today in Spokane Valley.

Cody Davis, 17, and Robert Hanson, 18, died Thursday night after Hanson lost control of the vehicle he was driving and collided with a tow truck on Highway 395 near Deer Park, Washington State Patrol officials said. Davis and Hanson, brothers, were headed home after a concert at the Big Easy.

The memorial will be 2 p.m. at Opportunity Christian Church, 708 N. Pines. The public is welcome to attend.

If anyone would like to make a donation, an account has been set up under the two teenagers’ names at Washington Trust Bank.