In brief: Sex offender living on North Whitehouse
A level 3 sex offender has moved into the 4000 block of North Whitehouse in Spokane, police said.
Joe Louis Barton Jr., 44, was convicted of first-degree rape in Spokane County in 1986 and spent 14 years in prison, Officer Jennifer DeRuwe said. His victim was a 7-year-old girl he kidnapped and threatened with a rifle.
Barton also has been convicted of burglary, DeRuwe said.
City picks finalists for parks director
Two finalists have been selected for the city of Spokane’s open parks director job.
They are Barry Russell, assistant parks director in El Paso, Texas, and Roger Thomas, parks director in Provo, Utah, said city spokeswoman Marlene Feist. Twenty-five people applied for the job.
Mayor Mary Verner fired the last parks director, Mike Stone, in December.
She said she wanted to create an open hiring process similar to one former Mayor Dennis Hession used to pick a police chief.
Although the public has been invited to a meet-and-greet session with the finalists, interviews with the candidates will be private.
Russell and Thomas will be available from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the Chase Gallery at City Hall.
St. Gregorios plans memorial for bishop
Spokane’s St. Gregorios Syrian Orthodox Church of India will hold a memorial service on Monday for its founder, Bishop Thomas Mar Makarios.
Makarios, a native of India, was Metropolitan (Archbishop) of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Diocese of Canada and Europe. He founded St. Gregorios Parish during his first trip to Spokane in 1984, and has visited several times.
The bishop died Feb. 23 after an auto accident in England.
The St. Gregorios service Monday, which also is the day of Makarios’ funeral in India, begins at 6 p.m. at the church, 2803 N. Lincoln Road.
Coeur d’Alene
Commissioner Currie to run for re-election
The chairman of the Kootenai County Commission announced Friday he will seek another term.
Rick Currie, who took office in 2003, said a lot has been accomplished in the county since he was elected.
The county’s forgone tax balance has increased to $2 million, from $700,000; the county Administration Building was paid off early because the interest was renegotiated; and once-commonplace late charges on county accounts are “now a very rare occurrence,” he said.
Town hall meetings he organized throughout the county beginning last year have been a success, Currie added. He said he has an open-door policy, puts in long hours and makes regular visits to even the smallest towns in the county.
The Republican commissioner said the county soon will announce a joint dog park with the city of Coeur d’Alene as well as more money for senior centers.