In brief: One shot deputy leaves Sacred Heart
A Spokane sheriff’s deputy who was shot in the leg last week checked out of Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center on Saturday morning.
Matt Spink, 45, was wounded Tuesday afternoon when he and Deputy Mike Northway stopped a vehicle carrying Charles R. Wallace at Newport Highway and East Elm Road.
Wallace exited the vehicle and shot the deputies, hitting Spink in the leg and leaving Northway with four arm and leg wounds. Wallace then led police on a chaotic chase on Highway 395 through Deer Park, where he fatally shot himself.
Northway suffered major blood loss, but a passer-by who came to his aid may have saved his life by controlling the bleeding in a severed artery in Northway’s left arm. He remains in the hospital.
The Inland Northwest Blood Center is taking donations for Northway under account number 8675. The Law Enforcement Credit Union on West Sinto Avenue has also set up an account for the injured officers and their families.
Swimmers rescued in Spokane River
Swift-water rescuers pulled two swimmers stranded on a rock in the Spokane River back to safety Saturday afternoon near Plante’s Ferry Park.
Teams from Spokane Valley and the Spokane Fire Department responded to the report at about 2:40 p.m. Upon arrival, they found a mother and her teenage daughter surrounded by cold, rushing water while the pair clung to a rock about 50 yards from shore.
The Spokane Valley team reached the swimmers by kayak within five minutes. The mother and daughter decided to swim out to the rock but felt too cold to swim back to shore through the strong current, according to Fire Marshal Kevin Miller.
A passer-by on the Centennial Trail called 911 to get the pair some help. They escaped the water without injuries.
Miller urged swimmers to wait until temperatures heat up and the current slows down before getting into the river.
Meetings set for parks program cuts
Spokane Parks and Recreation Department officials have set two public meetings this week to help form priorities for the program cuts that will need to be made under proposed budget cuts.
The department is facing a budget reduction in 2013 of about 5.5 percent totaling around $1 million.
The public meetings are set for 6 to 8 p.m. as follows:
• Tuesday, Southside Community Center, 3151 E. 27th Ave.
• Thursday, Northeast Community Center, 4001 N. Cook St.
Free barbecue Tuesday afternoon
Women & Children’s Free Restaurant & Community Kitchen is holding its annual Free Summer BBQ on Tuesday.
Everyone is welcome to attend the barbecue, which takes place 3 to 6 p.m. at 1620 N. Monroe St.
The menu includes hamburgers, hotdogs, baked beans, corn on the cob, potato salad, watermelon and apple pie.
The Sammy Eubanks Band will play from 3:30 to 6 p.m. There will be crafts, games and informational booths.