In brief: Park Board approves Rimrock Road closure

A gravel road that overlooks the Spokane River from Palisades Park will close to motorized traffic beginning July 4.

The Spokane Park Board on Thursday unanimously approved the closure of Rimrock Drive through the park at the request of the Palisades Park Neighborhood organization.

The group helps clean and maintain the park and has reported an increase in gang activity and illegal dumping.

Robbi Castleberry, who lives in the neighborhood, said residents hope the change will allow them to refocus cleaning efforts on improving the park for nature and pedestrian access.

“We want it to be a park that’s used,” she said after the meeting.

The southern end of Rimrock Drive will remain open to cars for a short distance north of Greenwood Drive to give motorists access to a viewpoint overlooking the city. The rest of Rimrock will remain open to pedestrian, equestrian and bike users.

Palisades is owned by the city even though it lies west of Spokane city limits.

– Jonathan Brunt

Cocolalla Lake, Idaho

No holiday parties at boat launch site

The party’s over at the Cocolalla Lake fishing access site.

From June 28 to July 5, the area will be closed to all activities except boat launching as part of an effort to curb the rowdiness of an impromptu annual Independence Day celebration, said Phil Cooper, spokesman for the Idaho Fish and Game Department.

“The problem has gotten out of hand,” Cooper said. “It’s just a situation that precludes the site from being used by the people who have paid for it: sportsmen.”

Cocolalla Lake is about 25 miles north of Coeur d’Alene along U.S. Highway 95. Each year over the July 4 holiday, a resident on the lake conducts a large fireworks display, which in turn has sparked a viewing party at the boat launch site, Cooper said.

Upward of 150 people have crowded the launch in recent years, leaving behind graffiti, broken bottles, nail-studded burnt embers and other unwanted post-party detritus.

The site is funded through licensing dollars, but boaters and anglers avoid the area because of the party, Cooper said.

The boat ramp will remain open during the closure. The facility will reopen to the public July 6.

– James Hagengruber

Spokane County

Reward offered for help finding suspect

Secret Witness is offering a reward for information leading to an arrest.

Christopher M. Comer, 19, is wanted on suspicion of second-degree theft. He is described as white, 6 feet tall and 190 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes, said Spokane County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Sgt. Dave Reagan. “Comer’s contacts with police spans a decade.”

Anyone with information regarding Comer’s whereabouts is asked to call (509) 327-5111. Callers do not have to give their name to collect the reward but should leave a code name or number.

– Jody Lawrence-Turner