Precaution spurs jail lockdown
A Spokane County Jail staffer sent the jail into a lockdown for about three hours Friday afternoon after she said she found a powdery substance in a piece of inmate mail and became ill, but experts said they found nothing suspicious in the envelope.
The lockdown began about 3:30 p.m., a half an hour after the woman opened the letter, according to the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.
She was treated and released at a Spokane hospital. A hazardous materials crew from the Spokane Fire Department and U.S Postal Service experts found nothing suspicious in the piece of mail, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Science center plan extended
The Mobius board of directors and the Spokane Park Board agreed to revise Mobius’ lease on its Riverfront Park property, Mobius announced Friday.
The decision came after Mobius presented a scaled-down plan for its proposed science center.
In May, Mobius missed a deadline of reaching the $14 million mark in fundraising, which caused Park Board members to express concerns about the project and the continuation of a $1-a-year lease for a parcel north of Riverfront Park. Friday’s announcement means Mobius won’t need to find new property.
A news release Friday said the project will take longer than was anticipated in 2006.
Fire captain’s pay suspended
The Spokane fire captain accused of running from the police will not be paid while he waits to be tried in court, city officials said Friday.
“That decision was made after careful consideration of the charges faced by Mr. Clinger, Mr. Clinger’s service record and the pertinent civil service rules and administrative policies,” said Marlene Feist, spokeswoman for the city of Spokane. City administrator Ted Danek made the final decision.
On Nov. 4, police say 53-year-old Clinger sped away from police lights and sirens after one of his sons allegedly stabbed a man during an altercation at the Prime Tyme Restaurant and Lounge in Chattaroy.
Clinger is charged with felony attempt to elude police, plus misdemeanor charges of drunken driving and rendering criminal assistance. He pleaded not guilty on all counts.
The 27-year Fire Department employee has been on paid administrative leave since the incident. His annual salary is $102,737.
Clinger will be on unpaid leave beginning Sunday.
Bank gift aids Salvation Army
Washington Trust Bank gave $50,000 to The Salvation Army in Spokane to help the nonprofit agency feed and shelter people.
“At this time of year, we feel a great sense of satisfaction by helping our community through supporting organizations like The Salvation Army,” said Peter Stanton, the bank’s chairman and CEO.
Washington Trust helped The Salvation Army initiative to build a campus of services 10 years ago, and the donation announced Friday will help complete that project, the bank said.
The gift also comes at a time when social service agencies are seeing a growing population seeking help.
Colbert
Adult family home shut down
Nadine’s Adult Family Home, 2719 E. Colbert Road in Colbert, was closed by the State Department of Social and Health Services because of domestic violence between caregivers in the home.
According to the DSHS investigation report, the home’s provider, Nadine Sharpe, was involved in a fight with her boyfriend, who was also a caregiver at the home. Police were called and “the provider was arrested and taken into custody … incarcerated with pending assault charges and restricted by law from returning to the home.” One resident told investigators that “the fighting’s been horrible for the last year.”
The six adults who lived in the home had diagnoses of “mental health, developmental disabilities and dementia,” according to DSHS. They have all been moved to other care facilities.
Stevens County
No charges in arrow death
No charges will be filed against a 14-year-old Deer Park boy who accidentally shot and killed Alex Niskanen with an arrow on Thanksgiving.
Niskanen, 12, died after a broad head arrow often used by bow hunters severed an artery in his left armpit while his family visited friends south of Chewelah.
The 14-year-old, whose name is being withheld by the newspaper, accidentally released the arrow when his bow was partially drawn, Stevens County Prosecutor Tim Rasmussen said.
“The lessons that are learned in this type of situation go far beyond the imposition of any sanctions that could be imposed by the court system,” Rasmussen wrote in an e-mail Friday.
Man held in copper wire theft
An early-morning stakeout led Kellogg police to a 30-year-old Spirit Lake man suspected of stealing about 1,400 pounds of copper wire from a utility company.
Wade M. Herbert was booked into the Shoshone County Jail on three counts of burglary and one count of malicious injury to property after police spotted him breaking into the Avista Utilities yard on Hill Street in Kellogg early Friday, according to the Kellogg Police Department.
Copper wire is a popular theft target that can fetch a high price when sold as scrap.
From staff reports