In brief: Spokane resident wins $4.2 million lottery

A Spokane resident claimed his or her lottery prize this week after winning a $4.2 million Washington Lottery jackpot earlier this month.

The winning ticket was sold at Yoke’s Fresh Markets on West Indian Trail Road for the Nov. 3 drawing, said Arlen Harris, Washington Lottery communications director.

The winner chose the lump-sum option. On Monday, that person received a check for nearly $1.6 million.

The winner asked to remain anonymous.

The state lottery office refused to release the winner’s identity on Thursday per state policy.

A formal public disclosure request has been filed by The Spokesman-Review.

A Yakima judge ruled in 2008 that lottery winners’ identities must be disclosed.

Jody Lawrence-Turner

Halfway house inmate’s death investigated

Coeur d’Alene police are investigating the death last week of a federal inmate who was completing his sentence at a private halfway house.

Joseph Newlyn Papse, 27, died Nov. 21 in his room at the Port of Hope, a nonprofit that provides transitional housing in Coeur d’Alene for early release federal inmates.

Papse, from Fort Hall, Idaho, was scheduled to be released Jan. 1, according to the federal Bureau of Prisons.

His death was ruled accidental and was caused by respiratory failure related to an acute level of alcohol in his system, Kootenai County Coroner Deb Wilkey said Thursday.

Papse was completing a 24-month sentence for a probation violation. He was sentenced in 2006 to 27 months in prison for sexual abuse of a minor in Indian country.

Papse was a member of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes headquartered near Pocatello, Idaho. He was buried Monday at Cedars Cemetery on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation.

The investigation is continuing, said Sgt. Christie Wood, spokeswoman for the police.

Tamara Chamberlain, residential supervisor at the Port of Hope, did not return a call Thursday seeking comment.

Scott Maben

Woman gives birth in back of Subaru

Elizabeth Mary Dawn Wells is only 2 days old, but the baby girl’s birth is already part of the family’s lore – she was delivered by her father in the family’s garage.

Rebecca Wells started having contractions Monday night, said her husband, Justin Wells, a Spokane firefighter. The contractions were 8 to 12 minutes apart; the hospital told the woman to wait until the contractions were 3 to 5 minutes apart.

Elizabeth is the Wellses’ second child.

About 5:45 a.m. Tuesday, Rebecca Wells told her husband she was in pain and wanted to go to the hospital. But before pulling the Subaru wagon out of the garage, the baby was already making her imminent arrival known.

Justin Wells called 911, helped his wife into the back of the car and two pushes later, the 8-pound, 7-ounce baby was born.

After a brief hospital stay, the Wells family was back home Thursday.

Jody Lawrence-Turner