In brief: Health foundation hires a leader

The Empire Health Foundation, a nonprofit set up to distribute health-related grants in Eastern Washington, has hired its first president and anticipates distributing grants during the latter half of the year.

The foundation – established in late 2008 with proceeds from the sale of Deaconess Medical Center and Valley Hospital and Medical Center – announced that Antony Chiang will lead the nonprofit’s mission to bolster the region’s health. Chiang previously was a vice president for TechSoup Global, a San Francisco organization that arranged the donation of technology products to nonprofits.

The foundation manages about $80 million, making it the largest charitable foundation in Spokane. The foundation inherited undetermined liabilities from the sale of the Deaconess and Valley hospitals to Community Health Systems Inc.

John Stucke

Cinema robber remains at large

A gunman held up two employees at the Village Centre Cinemas at Wandermere and left with an undisclosed amount of cash Monday afternoon.

Spokane sheriff’s deputies said the robber went into the office of the movie theaters about 12:35 p.m. and confronted two workers with a handgun. The gunman obtained money from a safe in the theaters at 12650 N. Division St.

No one was injured.

The gunman was described as white, in his early 30s or early 40s, 5-foot-10 or 5-foot-11 with short dark hair and possibly blue eyes. He had a short goatee. He was wearing a dark cap, probably a baseball cap, a dark-gray sweatshirt and gray or khaki-colored pants.

Spokane County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Sgt. Dave Reagan asked that anyone with information about the suspect call Crime Check at 456-2233.

Mike Prager

Man accused of rape after church event

A 20-year-old Spokane man is accused of drugging a woman, then raping her, after a church function. Adric T. Watson is in jail on $10,000 bond after appearing in Spokane County Superior Court Monday on one count of second-degree rape.

Watson turned himself in to police over the weekend in connection with the alleged Nov. 14 sexual assault.

Watson reportedly told detectives he’d given the 19-year-old woman sleeping pills before he had sex with her, Deputy Prosecutor Sharon Hedlund said.

Watson and the alleged victim met at an event through Lighthouse Ministries before they went to a friend’s home, where the woman said Watson raped her as she slept. The woman underwent a sexual assault examination at a local hospital, where she also was interviewed by detectives.

Meghann M. Cuniff

Jogger fends off attack in Riverfront

A high school student who was jogging in Riverfront Park was attacked early Monday, but a nearby witness helped run off the attacker, Spokane police said.

The attack occurred at 7:15 a.m. while the young woman was jogging alone near the Clocktower.

The suspect ran when approached by the witness, said Officer Tim Moses.

The suspect was described as white, 25 to 35 years old, 5-foot-8 and 170 pounds. He had blond or light-colored hair and a goatee. He was wearing a purple hooded sweatshirt with white lettering. He ran north.

Police are asking anyone with information about the suspect to call Crime Check at (509) 456-2233 or 911.

Mike Prager