EWU cancels classes Monday, citing snow

Winter break will be extended a day at Eastern Washington University because of snow.

Classes were supposed to start Monday. The plan now is to start Tuesday “if snow conditions allow,” university spokesman Dave Meany wrote in a press statement.

Meany noted that another storm is due Sunday.

“The city of Cheney is currently under a state of emergency and on-street parking within the neighborhood around the EWU campus is not available,” Meany said. Parking is limited at the campus, where at least 20 percent of students commute from out of town.

Two Spokane Transit Authority routes run from downtown Spokane to Cheney. EWU students, staff and faculty can ride STA buses free with their university ID card, according to STA’s Web site.

Dining halls will be open Monday for students who arrive early, Meany said.

Dan Hansen

Spokane Valley

Woman faces charges in Medicaid case

A Spokane Valley woman faces six felony charges after the Washington attorney general’s office says she forged the signatures of Medicaid clients and stole about $1,000 from the program.

Ella M. Mertens, 41, was charged with second-degree theft, making a false Medicaid statement and four counts of forgery in Spokane County Superior Court on Wednesday.

Between June 29, 2005, and Dec. 20, 2006, Mertens forged three clients’ signatures on time sheets and submitted claims for services that were never provided, according to a news release from the attorney general’s office. Her arraignment is scheduled for Jan. 14.

Meghann M. Cuniff

Spokane

Burglar’s photo posted in Sonnenberg’s theft

Spokane police are asking for help identifying the person who burglarized Sonnenberg’s Market & Deli, 1528 E. Sprague Ave., on Nov. 29.

The burglar stole several thousand dollars’ worth of merchandise, police said.

Surveillance photos show an unidentified person with long dark hair, a red shirt and dark pants. The photos are posted at spokesman.com.

Anyone with information is asked to call (509) 242-TIPS.

Meghann M. Cuniff

Information sought on missing woman, boy

Spokane police are asking for help finding two missing people.

•Robin McMurtrey, 31, hasn’t been seen since early December. She’s described as 4 foot 11, 190 pounds, blue eyes and brown hair.

•Doug Sawyer, 11, has the mental capacity of an 8-year-old and walked away from his in-home care facility in the 1200 block of East 34th Avenue at 5:20 p.m. Thursday. Police were concerned about him walking in the cold weather and said he has no friends or family in the area and nowhere to go, according to police. Sawyer was described as 5-foot-3 and 73 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes. He was last seen wearing a black, gray and blue coat, red shirt and jeans. Anyone with information is asked to call 911.

Meghann M. Cuniff