Service today for pair killed in crash
A memorial service for a couple killed in a car crash last week will be held today at 6 p.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 411 W. Regina Ave., in north Spokane.
Jessica L. Richards, 18, and Michael A. Green, 20, died when their 1988 Volkswagen Fox was struck by a Dodge Ram pickup driven by Mark W. Robinson, 39, of Valley, Wash., according to the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.
Donations to help cover funeral costs can be made at US Bank under an account in the couple’s names, said Lorie Fowler, whose daughter lived near the couple near Deer Park.
Robinson is charged with two county of vehicular homicide and remains in the Spokane County Jail on $300,000 bail.
Olympia
Capitol decision vexes O’Reilly
Washington state has no choice but to allow an atheist display in the state Capitol because it has allowed a Christian group’s Nativity scene, Gov. Chris Gregoire and Attorney General Rob McKenna said Wednesday.
Television and radio commentator Bill O’Reilly criticized Gregoire Tuesday and Wednesday for allowing the display. He asked readers and listeners to call the governor to urge her to remove the atheists’ display and vowed to mention it on his radio show every day until it comes down.
But Gregoire, a Democrat, and McKenna, a Republican, issued a joint statement Wednesday that the state has a policy of allowing displays regardless of a group or individual’s views. Under the First Amendment, “once government admits one religious display or viewpoint onto public property, it may not discriminate against the content of other displays, including the viewpoints of nonbelievers,” they said.
Spokane County
Recount finds each down one vote
Spokane County elections workers have recounted some 58,500 ballots in the 6th Legislative District’s close House of Representatives race, and each candidate is currently down one vote.
Elections Manager Mike McLaughlin said tabulations of the 75 precincts counted thus far have Democratic challenger John Driscoll one vote short in one precinct, and Republican incumbent John Ahern down a vote in two precincts, but up a vote in another precinct. All other precincts have reported in with the same tallies recorded by vote-counting machines.
Driscoll leads Ahern by 74 votes. The recount should be finished sometime today, McLaughlin said.
Zero adoption fee for adult cats
The Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service, 2521 N. Flora Road, is offering a deal on adoption of adult cats in December.
The agency has received nearly 3,000 cats since January.
Fees for cat adoption will be waived, including first-year vaccinations, health check, sterilization and microchip implant. Prospective owners would only need to pay for a license, the agency said.
District Court bench has vacancy
Lawyers interested in applying for a vacancy on the Spokane County District Court bench must apply by Jan. 9.
The pending vacancy was created when District Court Judge Annette Plese was elected this fall to replace retiring Superior Court Judge Robert D. Austin. Plese’s Position 8 job on the district court will become vacant on Jan. 12.
All applications for the judgeship must be received by the clerk of the county commissioners before Friday, Jan. 9 at 5 p.m. Late applications will be rejected.
The job pays $141,710 a year, a salary set annually each fall by a state salary commission.
According to Washington state law, the Spokane County Commissioners choose a new district court judge when a vacancy is created, said county spokeswoman Martha Lou Wheatley-Billeter.
Bonner County
Crash kills one, injures others
A two-car crash on Highway 95 near Sagle killed at least one person and injured several others, according to the Idaho State Police.
The crash occurred about 5:30 p.m. at milepost 456.
No other information was available at press time.