Inventor receives presidential medal
President Bush presented a Sandpoint inventor and scientist with one of the country’s highest civilian honors Wednesday.
Forrest M. Bird, who developed the world’s first reliable, mass-produced medical respirator, received the 2008 Presidential Citizens Medal in the Oval Office in Washington, D.C.
“Through his innovation, he has helped transform and enhance the quality of life for people around the globe,” the White House said in a news release. “The United States honors Forrest Bird for his groundbreaking contributions and for his work to keep America at the forefront of discovery.”
Bird also invented a respirator that is credited with reducing the mortality rate among infants with breathing problems from 70 percent to less than 10 percent worldwide.
Both inventions resulted from Bird’s work as a pilot in World War II to develop breathing apparatus to keep pilots functioning normally at high altitudes, according to news reports.
The Presidential Citizens Medal was established in 1969 to recognize U.S. citizens who have performed exemplary deeds, the release said. It is one of the highest honors the president can confer upon a civilian, second only to the Presidential Medal of Freedom. About 100 people have received the award since its inception.
Spokane County
Panel taking input on garbage rates
Spokane County residents served by Waste Management of Spokane have until Dec. 19 to comment on a proposed 9.8 percent average increase for garbage-hauling rates set to start Jan. 1.
Washington’s Utilities and Transportation Commission will review public comments during its meeting in Olympia today. Final action on the rate changes is scheduled at the commission’s next meeting, Dec. 23.
The adjustments – increases in some cases and decreases in others – would affect about 48,000 homes and 3,000 county businesses. Those customers are in Spokane Valley, Millwood, Liberty Lake, Mead and unincorporated areas.
Waste Management customers can comment during today’s meeting by calling the commission at (360) 664-1234; by sending written comments to the WUTC, P.O. Box 47250, Olympia, WA 98504; or by sending e-mail to comments@utc.wa.gov.
Ken Gimpel, Waste Management of Spokane’s manager, said rates will go up for some and down for others as the company standardizes its rate system across the service area. The last Waste Management rate increase was nearly six years ago, he said.
Shooting suspect, target arrested
The suspect and potential victim in a drive-by shooting in Millwood last month were both arrested Wednesday.
Jeffrey S. Schroeder, 32, was arrested in connection with the shooting after detectives found a 9 mm pistol at his home in the 18300 block of East Boone Avenue that matched empty bullet casings found after the Nov. 29 shooting, according to the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office. The shots didn’t hit the victim, Danny M. Woodbury, 53, and the casings were found outside his home at 2900 N. Woodruff.
Woodbury, a felon, was arrested the day of the shooting after detectives found a rifle in his home, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
He was re-arrested Wednesday on a fugitive warrant in Kootenai County. Detectives believe Schroeder targeted Woodbury because Woodbury had beaten him over the head with a piece of wood the night before, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
COEUR D’ALENE
Meeting will focus on proposed burn
A proposed 55-acre burn on the south side of Mineral Ridge, near Lake Coeur d’Alene’s Wolf Lodge Bay, will be discussed at a meeting next Thursday.
The meeting starts at 6 p.m. at the Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service office at 3815 Schreiber Way in Coeur d’Alene. BLM representatives will talk about ponderosa pine ecology, discuss the project’s objectives and outline protection measures for adjacent landowners.
According to BLM project lead Kurt Pindel, the purpose of the project is to reintroduce fire to a ponderosa pine ecosystem. The exclusion of fire in recent decades led to a buildup of dead wood and pine needles on the ground, he said.
“We’d like to do a controlled burn and reduce the probability of a stand-replacing fire that could move onto private land,” Pindel said.
People who can’t attend the meeting may submit comments to: Kurt Pindel, Mineral Ridge Project, 3815 Schreiber Way, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83815; by e-mail to Kurt_Pindel@blm.gov; or by calling (208) 769-5015. Comments should be sent by Jan. 31.
Spokane
Municipal Court seeks judges
The city of Spokane is looking for a few good lawyers for its new Municipal Court, formed in response to a legal challenge.
Applications for three judge positions are due Monday; applicants for two court commissioner slots must apply by Dec. 19. The deadline is soon because the court must be established by Jan. 2.
Judges will be paid from $98,219 to $120,394; court commissioners will earn from $85,628 to $105,256.
The judges, who will face election by city voters in November 2009, will choose the court commissioners, said city spokeswoman Marlene Feist.
The city has contracted since January 2006 with Spokane County District Court for municipal court services. But a legal challenge by the Center for Justice – based on the premise that city voters weren’t electing their own judges – threatened to void many misdemeanor rulings.
The redesigned court approved Dec. 1 by the City Council “will remove all ambiguities” about the court’s authority, the city said this week.