In brief: Boy, 6, dies after falling into pool
Out of school for a snow day Monday, a 6-year-old boy was found unconscious in the swimming pool at his Thornton home north of Colfax. He died Tuesday morning at Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane.
Hayden Klaveano’s family hadn’t seen him for about 30 minutes, and the father called 911 after seeing a tear in one corner of the pool cover, Whitman County Sheriff Brett Myers said. Thick ice and murky water had prevented the family from determining whether Hayden had fallen into the pool, Myers said.
Emergency crews responded about 2 p.m. Monday to the house on Klaveano Road, and a crew member dove into the pool and found the boy, Myers said in a statement.
CPR was administered in a helicopter on the way to the hospital. The boy initially was listed in critical condition. He died at 9:45 a.m., hospital spokeswoman Maureen Goins said.
Hayden Klaveano attended Steptoe School.
– From staff reports
Paul schedules Thursday visit
Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul, who arguably has the most support in Spokane if the number of yard signs is an indicator, is making a stop in the city Thursday evening.
Local campaign organizers said the Texas con- gressman will come to Spokane after a stop in Seattle.
The visit, being held at the DoubleTree hotel in downtown Spokane, is timed to help build support for the Feb. 9 GOP precinct caucuses and the Feb. 19 presidential primary.
The free event will include a speech and rally. Doors will open at 5 p.m.
– Jim Camden
Obama office opens Friday
Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama is coming to Boise on Saturday for a public appearance, campaign officials said.
The Obama campaign also is opening an Eastern Washington office in downtown Spokane, organizers said Tuesday.
The office will be in the Hutton building at 5 S. Washington St. and be dedicated Friday by Democratic U.S. Rep. Adam Smith, of Tacoma.
The opening comes as Washington voters prepare for the Feb. 9 caucuses and the Feb. 19 presidential primary.
The Boise visit is three days before Super Tuesday, when 24 states including Idaho hold some form of presidential preference contest, mainly primaries or caucuses.
– Staff and wire reports
BOISE
Sexual predator bill advances
All designated “violent sexual predators” would have to be electronically monitored while on probation or parole in Idaho under legislation that unanimously cleared the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.
“I think the worst of the worst have to be that closely watched, and GPS is the best way to do it,” said committee Chairman Jim Clark, R-Hayden Lake, the bill’s sponsor.
However, just five of Idaho’s designated predators are on probation or parole. Thirty-four others have served their time and are living unsupervised. Thirty other violent sexual predators are incarcerated.
Those who are on parole or probation already are electronically monitored by the state Department of Correction, Clark said, but his bill makes that a legal requirement. The bill, HB 381, moves to the full House.
– Betsy Z. Russell
Deal expands grocery tax credit
Idaho lawmakers may have reached a compromise with Gov. Butch Otter on expanding the grocery tax credit.
The House Revenue and Taxation Committee is scheduled to consider a new bill this morning, co-sponsored by Rep. Cliff Bayer, R-Boise, and Sen. Russ Fulcher, R-Meridian, that incorporates elements of both Otter’s proposal to provide relief to the needy, and of the bill lawmakers passed last year – but which Otter vetoed – to grant across-the-board grocery tax relief to everyone.
“We have reached a good compromise with the governor’s office and we think it makes a lot of sense,” said House GOP Caucus Chairman Ken Roberts, R-Donnelly.
Both parties in both houses held caucuses Tuesday to discuss that and other issues before the compromise bill showed up on today’s agenda.
– Betsy Z. Russell