Palouse Highway crash victim ID’d
A man who died last weekend in a Palouse Highway car crash has been identified as 54-year-old Randy C. Prouty, of Valleyford.
Prouty’s car failed to negotiate a right-hand curve, left the road and rolled an estimated five times.
Sheriff’s investigators say Prouty was alone at the time of the one-car crash on the Palouse Highway near Sands Road, south of Spokane.
The accident happened between midnight and 6 a.m. Saturday, when sheriff’s deputies responded to the scene.
Speed and alcohol appeared to be factors in the accident, said Sgt. Dave Reagan, of the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.
Grant County
Sunnyside man held in killing
A Yakima County man was being held on $200,000 bail Monday in the shooting death of 23-year-old Manuel Antonio Arousa in Central Washington.
Israel Morfin, 27, of Sunnyside, Wash., was charged with second-degree murder and second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm. He is being held in Grant County Jail and is scheduled to be arraigned Monday.
Arousa died of a single gunshot wound to his head during an incident that began about 10:35 a.m. Saturday in Warden, Wash., police said.
Arousa, of Warden, and a friend were parked in front of a residence when Morfin and another man approached, police said. An argument ensued, and Morfin began to remove stereo equipment from Arousa’s car.
At that point, Turley said, “Arousa apparently said something to Morfin that stirred him enough to assault Arousa with a handgun.”
Spokane
Housing task force issues report
Governments and nonprofit agencies must better coordinate efforts to provide more low-income housing, according to the final report of the Regional Affordable Housing Task Force.
The report, which was approved 6-0 Monday by the Spokane City Council, also recommends the creation of incentives to housing developers to encourage them to build residences for people with low incomes.
Possible incentives include waivers of building fees, tax exemptions and the creation of more flexible development rules, the report says.
The regional group was formed last year upon the recommendation of an earlier affordable housing task force formed by former Mayor Dennis Hession as the city dealt with the closure of several large low-income apartment buildings.
Arlene Patton, chairwoman of the regional task force, said government leaders and nonprofit agencies must work to educate the public about the importance of having an adequate availability of housing.
“If we’re going to promote Spokane as a place with new jobs we must have affordable housing for everybody,” said Patton, who retired as director of the Eastern Washington field office of the Department of Housing and Urban Development in 2007.
Mayor Mary Verner said once the report is adopted by Spokane County and Spokane Valley, the next step will be to create an implementation plan for the recommendations.
Listen to Verner talk about the report by clicking the “audio” tab above.
Kootenai County
Rathdrum group holding fundraiser
The Friends of Rathdrum Mountain will hold a fundraiser and membership drive Sunday to support the nonprofit’s activities in raising public awareness and promoting planning, recreation, habitat restoration and landowner partnerships on Rathdrum Mountain, according to a news release.
The event begins at 5:30 p.m. in the Westwood Saloon, on Rathdrum’s Main Street. Tickets cost $10 each. They’re on sale at RathdrumMountain.org, or in Rathdrum at Stein’s IGA and the Westwood Saloon. The fundraiser includes live music, door prizes and hors d’oeuvres. Sponsorship levels range from $25 “good friend” to “Summit Club” sponsorships for businesses at $1,000.
For more information on the fundraiser or the group’s activities or goals, visit RathdrumMountain.org.
OLYMPIA
Gun bill broadens ban for mentally ill
The Washington Legislature wants to prohibit gun ownership for mentally ill people who have been involuntarily committed for two weeks or more.
The bill, which unanimously passed the House last month, passed the Senate Monday on a 39-1 vote. It now goes to Gov. Chris Gregoire for final approval.
Under current law, the firearm prohibition only applies to people who receive a 90-day or 180-day involuntary treatment for mental health.
The new bill broadens the prohibition to people with 14-day commitments and makes it apply to both adults and youths.
When a person is committed, their information would be sent to the Department of Licensing and to a national database. Those people could apply to have their gun rights restored once they satisfy several requirements.
BOISE
Risch finishes visit with troops in Iraq
U.S. Sen. Jim Risch has left Iraq after visiting with American troops and commanders and touring the capital city of Baghdad.
Risch was part of a congressional entourage that visited the country last weekend. He is now in an undisclosed location.
It was the first visit to Iraq for Risch since being elected senator last fall and appointed to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Risch said it was important to see firsthand the progress being made in Iraq, and said he left confident knowing that American forces are moving in the right direction to make the country safer.
During his tour, Risch dined with troops from Idaho and met with Gen. Raymond Odierno, commander of the multinational forces in Iraq.