WSU receives record donations
Washington State University received a record $143.6 million in private donations in fiscal 2008, a 56 percent increase over the previous fiscal year.
It was more than $50 million above the previous highest year, $92 million in 2007.
The biggest gift was a $25 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation toward the construction of the School for Global Animal Health, which will focus on ways to control infectious diseases that affect both animals and humans.
Spokane
Third accused in murder on trial
A jury trial began Monday for a man accused in an execution-style killing during a botched drug deal in 2005.
Robert A. Brown, 43, faces charges of aggravated first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping, first-degree assault and conspiracy to commit first-degree kidnapping in the killing of 25-year-old Sebastian L. Esquibel, of Spokane.
A family cutting firewood in a slash pile near Fairfield in January 2006 found Esquibel’s body under the woodpile. His feet were bound with jumper cables.
A jury convicted Theodore M. Kosewicz for his role in the homicide in January. A judge sentenced him to life in prison without parole. Another man, Levoy G. Burnham, is serving 291 months after pleading guilty to first-degree murder with kidnapping last year. Police say the men beat and shot Esquibel for stealing money from them.
Superior Court Judge Sam Cozza is overseeing Brown’s trial.
Two-year tryout for Photo Red
Spokane’s red light camera enforcement program will have two years to prove itself.
The Spokane City Council approved a two-year sunset clause Monday night that will force an evaluation of the program before being reauthorized.
The law the council approved allowing police to set up red light cameras was approved in 2007. The rules had a 15-month sunset – meaning they expired late last month before any tickets had been sent out. Officials expected the program to be in place last year, but selection of a company to help run the program took longer than expected as did final installation of cameras.
The police department plans to start sending tickets for red light violators caught on tape, starting next month.
The council voted 5-2 for the two-year sunset clause. Council member Mike Allen and Bob Apple, who also voted against awarding a contract for the program, were the lone votes against the proposal.
Spokane valley
Home peppered with bullets
A drive-by shooter pumped at least 10 bullets into a Spokane Valley home early Friday, and the home’s residents say they don’t know who might have targeted them.
Crime Stoppers is offering a reward for information.
One bullet nearly hit a 19-year-old man sleeping on a couch on the main floor, according to police. He awoke to bullets shattering a sliding glass door about 2:25 a.m. Friday at the home in the 4900 block of East 14th Avenue. The man ran upstairs to alert his parents.
Police found 10 9mm bullet casings along 50 feet of Carnahan Road, where they believe the shooter fired.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (509) 327-5111. Tips can also be submitted to www.crimestoppers inlandnorthwest.org.
Tipsters do not have to give their names but should leave code names or numbers.
From staff and wire reports