In brief: Teachers, district reach tentative deal
Negotiators on Monday reached a tentative agreement on a labor contract for teachers in West Valley School District, which would end 12 weeks of tense negotiations in which the union and district filed unfair labor practices complaints against each other.
Superintendent Polly Crowley and Washington Education Association UniServ representative Michael Boyer confirmed the sides had reached an agreement, but would not release details.
The parties agreed in July to most elements of the two-year contract for the 225 certificated employees. Talks stalled on the union’s request that teachers be given the choice between binding arbitration and the current hearing process when there is a dispute over termination.
Bargaining that both sides characterized as in bad faith led to the union filing an unfair labor practice complaint with the state Public Employment Relations Commission on Oct. 3, followed by the school district’s complaint the following week.
Both complaints would be dropped as part of the agreement reached Monday, Crowley said.
Boise
Man arrested in shooting of local teen
Boise police arrested a man in connection with a Sept. 3 shooting outside a college party that put a Liberty Lake teen in the hospital for two weeks.
Juan Manuel Rios, 24, is charged with three counts of aggravated battery, two counts of robbery and two felony weapons charges, Boise police announced Tuesday. Investigators believe the Boise resident shot Austin Askins, 19, and two other Northwest Lineman College students before robbing them.
The arrest followed six weeks of investigation, during which detectives got more than 60 tips after they released a composite sketch of the suspect, according to a police news release. Rios is in Ada County Jail on $2 million bail.
Askins said Tuesday that he would like to thank Boise police and news media, but he had no further comment.
The Central Valley High School graduate is back at his parents’ home in Liberty Lake after being shot in the mouth, and he faces numerous surgeries to fix his tongue and teeth. One of the other victims could be paralyzed.
Spokane County
Reward offered for wanted man
An armed career criminal with 21 probation violations is the latest target of a Secret Witness fugitive reward.
Quinton Lewis Beck, 41, is wanted on a felony warrant for escaping community custody, according to a Spokane County Sheriff’s Office news release. His criminal history includes convictions for drug possession, forgery, weapons, theft, burglary, trespassing, disorderly conduct and failure to return to work release.
Beck’s last given home address was in the 17000 block of East Coach Drive in Spokane Valley. He is white, stands 5-foot-7, weighs 200 pounds, and has brown hair and hazel eyes, according to the release.
Secret Witness is offering a reward for information that leads to Beck’s arrest. People can anonymously call (509) 327-5111.
From staff reports