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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Avista gas, electricity rates to rise Thursday

Natural gas and electricity rates will go up for Avista Utilities’ Washington customers, beginning Thursday.

The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission approved a settlement agreement on Monday that allows the Spokane-based utility to collect an additional $37.3 million from electricity and natural gas customers. The amount is 14 percent less than the company originally requested.

Electricity rates will increase 9.1 percent and natural gas rates will increase 2.4 percent. An average residential electricity customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours per month will pay an additional $2.90 for a monthly total of $73.72. The typical natural gas customer using 70 therms a month will see an increase of about $2.18 for a monthly bill of $87.33.

The settlement includes $4.5 million to help Avista’s low-income customers, and $1.5 million for low-income weatherization programs.

Avista asked for the higher rates to pay for rising costs for fuel, construction materials and labor, as well as environmental regulations and litigation related to the utility’s dams.

VA reviews security after attack

The Spokane Veterans Affairs Medical Center is reviewing its security policies after a patient attacked a physician in a locked examination room, a VA spokeswoman said.

Dr. Jordan Leach received minor injuries in the Dec. 18 incident, and a 35-year-old veteran was arrested and charged with assault.

The veteran, who has not been identified, arrived at the medical center’s emergency department at about 12:30 p.m. and while alone with Leach in an exam room, allegedly locked the door and began beating the physician with “a bar of soap and a can in a sock,” according to a statement released by the medical center.

Leach has returned to work after recovering from his injuries, including a cut on his forehead, the medical center said. The incident is under investigation by Spokane police.

Helena

Derailment disrupts Amtrak travel

Holiday travel for more than 3,000 Amtrak rail passengers was disrupted when 16 rail cars carrying new automobiles derailed over the weekend in northwestern Montana.

Crews were still working Monday night to rerail the cars and reopen the Burlington Northern Santa Fe main line.

The derailment caused Amtrak to cancel its eastbound Empire Builder passenger train between Seattle and Minneapolis on Sunday and the westbound train between those cities Monday, said Vernae Graham, an Amtrak spokeswoman in Oakland, Calif.

She said other Empire Builder trains along the route were delayed, including one that was 22 hours late and another that was delayed 16 hours.

“We’re talking in the ballpark between 3,000 and 4,000 passengers” who were affected by the cancellations and delays, Graham said Monday night.

Becky Kramer Kevin Graman Associated Press