In brief: Adult home loses license
The license of Amazing Grace Adult Family Home in southeast Spokane has been revoked by the state Department of Social and Health Services.
State officials Friday said they took the action, including a stop on new admissions, after finding numerous violations that they said jeopardized residents’ safety and well-being.
The violations include a finding that the care provider failed to ensure that four residents were free from verbal and physical abuse and involuntary seclusion. Residents have been moved to other locations, officials said in a news release.
State officials identified the licensee as Grace Alabideen, operating at 1617 E. 17th Ave. Alabideen can contest the state action by requesting an administrative hearing within 28 days.
FBI agents, others honored
Nearly a dozen FBI agents and other federal officials who brought killer Joseph Duncan to trial have been honored by U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder.
“It is my privilege to honor these recipients for their outstanding service and commitment to our country,” Holder said in prepared remarks announcing this year’s winners of the Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in Law Enforcement. The recipients included five employees from the U.S. attorney’s office in Boise and six FBI employees from offices in Coeur d’Alene and Boise. They were part of the team that secured a death penalty conviction against Duncan for the 2005 murder spree that left Mark McKenzie, Brenda Groene, Slade Groene and Dylan Groene dead.
Man gets prison for porn
An Airway Heights man has been ordered to serve 10 years in prison for receiving child pornography over the Internet, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.
Allan Rhea Walden, 56, pleaded guilty to viewing and downloading images of child pornography on his computer from August 2004 to May 2007, U.S. Attorney James A. McDevitt said in a prepared statement. The charges involve more than a dozen known child victims.
The federal prison sentence will be served concurrent with a March conviction on state charges of first-degree child rape and child molestation, for which Walden is serving 13 years to life in prison, McDevitt said.
The prosecution was part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse.
Two men rob Subway shop
An employee of a Subway sandwich shop at 1103 W. Northwest Blvd. was robbed at knifepoint Thursday night by two men who took cash and fled on foot.
The employee was assaulted and threatened with a knife in the 10:30 p.m. holdup, but police did not indicate any injuries.
Police launched an extensive search with a helicopter and a K-9 team.
Anyone with information about the robbery can contact Crime Check at (509) 456-2233.
SNAP taking appointments
SNAP is now accepting appointments for Spokane County residents seeking energy assistance this winter.
Last year, nearly $9 million in energy assistance was distributed to a record 17,820 households, exceeding all previous years.
A limited number of slots will be available on Wednesdays on the SNAP Web site, www.snapwa.org, where available slots are posted Wednesdays. Qualification guidelines also are posted there.
The agency is making appointments by phone at (509) 242-2376 on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
SNAP recommends using landlines because in past years mobile service providers cell-phone companies have blocked energy assistance calls because of high volume.
Callers are urged to be patient and expect to redial the number several times before making a connection.
Court rejects killer’s request
SANDPOINT – The Idaho Court of Appeals has rejected a request for post-conviction relief made by a man serving a life sentence for killing a U.S. Forest Service law officer in North Idaho two decades ago.
The court ruled earlier this month that it had previously rejected the same request by Joseph Earl Pratt and that Pratt was trying to circumvent the appeal process by reasserting the same issues.
Pratt is one of two brothers convicted of murdering U.S. Forest Service officer Brent Jacobson in 1989.