In brief: New appeals court judge sworn in

They couldn’t find a real courtroom big enough.

Almost 200 people – including about 30 visiting judges – instead filled a Gonzaga University moot courtroom to watch Debra Stephens be sworn in as a Division III Court of Appeals judge Friday afternoon.

“I am very enthused,” Stephens said. “I really think I’ve been given an opportunity to do what I consider to be some of the most important work of our society.”

Stephens, who was appointed by Gov. Chris Gregoire to take over for retiring Judge Ken Kato, said appellate courts help maintain society’s culture.

“It’s a human institution, and it works as long as people nurture it and believe in it,” she said.

Stephens – the second woman ever named to the bench – joins Chief Judge Dennis Sweeney, Acting Chief Judge John Schultheis, Judge Stephen Brown and Judge Teresa Kulik.

Stephens starts work Monday on her six-year term and will be working on court cases for the May docket.

Coeur d’Alene

Motorcyclist OK after hitting truck

A 71-year-old Bonner County man drove his motorcycle into the side of a logging truck Friday afternoon just yards from Kootenai Medical Center.

Konrad Westphal, who lives north of Spirit Lake, was eastbound on Ironwood Drive when he struck a fully loaded truck and trailer headed south on U.S. 95, Coeur d’Alene police Capt. Ron Clark said.

Westphal, who was wearing a helmet, was up and walking after the accident. Still, he was taken across the street to the hospital for evaluation, Clark said.

A nursing supervisor said Westphal was in good condition and was expected to be released later in the day.

NIC plans free tours of raffle house

Free tours of the house being raffled off in the North Idaho College Foundation’s 14th annual Really Big Raffle will be given Sunday from noon until 4 p.m. at the home site, 1649 Umpqua Court in Post Falls.

Raffle tickets will be sold for $100 a piece, and ticket holders can register for a chance to win a free ticket.

The drawing is July 11. The grand prize is the home, a $300,000, 3,400-square-foot house under construction by NIC carpentry students in the Montrose subdivision in Post Falls.

Other winnings include first prize, a $20,000 car; second prize, a $10,000 boat; third prize, a $3,500 travel package; and fourth prize, a $2,000 shopping spree.

All proceeds go to North Idaho College.

Liberty Lake

Smoke plume was from controlled fire

A plume of smoke visible Friday evening in the hills east of Liberty Lake was a controlled blaze intentionally set, said a Spokane fire dispatcher.

The fire was only a few acres large and was under control throughout the night, she said.

On calm days with little wind, fire officials often perform controlled burns to keep undergrowth down in forests.

TACOMA

Son sentenced for disability scam

A Vancouver man was sentenced Friday to 13 months in prison for pretending to be mentally retarded to claim disability benefits.

Pete J. Costello, 28, was sentenced here by U.S. District Judge Ronald Leighton.

The man’s mother, Rosie Costello, was scheduled to be sentenced next Thursday for coaching her son and daughter to feign mental retardation. The daughter has not been located by authorities.

Pete Costello began receiving Social Security disability benefits when he was 8. He was ordered to repay the $59,226 he has received since turning 18.

In February, Rosie Costello, 46, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the government as well as Social Security fraud. Pete Costello also pleaded guilty in February.

According to the plea agreement, the woman began coaching her daughter at age 4 and later used the same ruse with her son. He continued to feign retardation into his mid-20s.

The scheme came to light last year after Pete Costello got a traffic ticket while driving in Vancouver, then was videotaped acting normally when he contested the ticket in court.

His mother collected $287,715 during a 20-year period. In her plea agreement, she agreed to repay the government.

SEATTLE

Utility workers have largest paychecks

Seattle City Light workers made so much overtime in 2006 – because of the December windstorm, a shortage of skilled workers and a boom in construction projects – that three utility workers became the highest-paid city employees, government officials say.

City Light paid $25.4 million in overtime last year, more than double the amount it paid in 2005.

“We are concerned about it,” Deputy Mayor Tim Ceis said. “It raises some issues for us about productivity and worker safety when you work that many hours. In some cases, it does seem excessive.”

Twenty-seven workers made at least $100,000 in overtime with 11 of them surpassing $200,000 in total income.

City data indicates three line workers were the highest-paid employees in city ranks, earning even more than City Light Superintendent Jorge Carrasco’s 2006 salary of $224,019. The highest-paid line worker earned $245,832 in regular pay and overtime, the Seattle Times reported.

By comparison, city of Seattle figures show Mayor Greg Nickels earned $147,971 and Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske earned $181,240.

From staff and wire reports