In brief: STA hearing on planned cuts

A plan to cut bus service will be debated tonight by the Spokane Transit Authority Board of Directors.

A public hearing on the proposal will start at 5:30 p.m. in the Spokane City Council Chambers at City Hall, 808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd.

Under the plan, eight bus routes would be cut.

Routes proposed for elimination include: the No. 30 bus on Francis Avenue; the No. 31 crosstown bus on Garland Avenue; the No. 41 Latah Valley route; the No. 42 South Maple Street route; the No. 46 Altamont Boulevard route; the No. 67 to Geiger Boulevard and Medical Lake; and the No. 95 bus to Millwood.

The board is expected to vote on the plan on March 16.

Police name robbery suspects

Spokane police have identified two suspects in a November convenience store robbery in which a clerk was attacked with bear mace.

Crime Stoppers issued a reward offer Monday for tips that helps arrest Daniel A. Sweetland and Alexander J. Smith, both 21, who are wanted for first-degree robbery.

Detectives identified the men through tips obtained after a surveillance video of the Nov. 28 attack at Zip Trip, 1523 W. 10th Ave., was released to media.

They believe Smith entered the store first and asked for cigarettes to distract the clerk while Sweetland entered with the mace and stole an 18-pack of Bud Lite, according to court documents filed Friday. The clerk suffered eye pain and blurry vision for about two days after Sweetland’s attack, police said.

Anyone with information on the location of Sweetland and/or Smith is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS or submit tips online at www.crimestoppers inlandnorthwest.org.

EWU to survey youth groups

Eastern Washington University plans to conduct an online survey of approximately 200 youth organizations that interact with Spokane middle school students.

The university received a grant from Priority Spokane – a group of civic leaders who determined education is the best way to improve Spokane – to do the survey. Intervening at the middle school level is what the group has identified as the best way to improve Spokane Public Schools’ graduation rate.

“We are extremely committed to this project,” said EWU President Rodolfo Arévalo. “I have worked closely with Priority Spokane on ways to improve our high school graduation rates, and this project will have far-reaching benefits for our region, and the youth in our area.”

EWU Spokesman Dave Meany said results will be analyzed starting in mid-April.

Schweitzer blocks bison slaughter

BILLINGS – Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer blocked the impending slaughter of hundreds of Yellowstone National Park bison on Tuesday, in a surprise move intended to spark an overhaul of how the federal government deals with the iconic but disease-plagued animals.

Schweitzer signed an executive order to prohibit the importation of park bison into Montana for 90 days. That effectively blocks all potential routes out of the park to slaughter plants in Montana and neighboring states.

The Democratic governor told the Associated Press that he was worried the shipments could spread brucellosis to Montana livestock. And he said he was sending a message to federal officials in Washington, D.C., to rein in a diseased bison population that regularly spills out of the park and into Montana.

In the interim, Schweitzer suggested the park bring in loads of hay to feed 525 bison captured so far this winter after trying to migrate out of the snow-packed park in search of food at lower elevations.

Bridge gets fence

to reduce suicides

SEATTLE – Workers have completed a suicide-prevention fence on Seattle’s Aurora Bridge.

A fence nearly 9-feet tall was installed along the railing on both sides of the bridge in a Washington Transportation Department project costing $5 million.

Since the bridge opened in 1932, at least 230 people have jumped from the span. It carries an Aurora Avenue section of Highway 99 over the Lake Washington Ship Canal, 167 feet above the water.

The department says work will start this spring on a separate $9.3 million project to strengthen bridge support columns, girders and trusses.