In brief: Council settles suit for struck van

The Spokane City Council agreed on Monday to pay $62,500 to settle a lawsuit with a man who was driving a delivery van hit by a Spokane police car.

Officer Nicholas Lundgren hit the van while responding to multiple crashes on Walnut Street near Sixth Avenue as a result of icy conditions on Dec. 18, 2010, according to a police report.

Lundgren told another officer that he lost control of his patrol car and was traveling about 5 mph when he struck the van driven by Brook C. Lyon, 38. Lyon was driving a delivery van owned by Luna Inc., the South Hill restaurant, and was stopped waiting for traffic to clear, according to the report. A third driver also lost control and struck Lundgren’s police car.

Lundgren reported in the police report that Lyon told him at the scene that he had a sore neck. Lyon filed a claim with the city four days later and stated he was suffering neck and back pain. He filed another in April 2012, claiming damages of $1 million, including more than $13,000 in medical bills.

Jonathan Brunt

CdA church ends Boy Scouts tie

Candlelight Christian Fellowship in Coeur d’Alene has decided to end its charter of Boy Scouts Troop 291 because of the recent decision by the Boy Scouts of America to end the organization’s membership ban on gay youth.

In a statement released Monday by Associate Pastor Buck Storm, the church said: “BSA’s vote to mandate the acceptance of the homosexual agenda has unfortunately put many charter organizations in a difficult position. Candlelight Christian Fellowship is a Bible-believing Christian church, and as such we obviously can’t link arms with the Scouts on this path they’ve chosen to follow.”

The church said it loves everyone in the community without bias and welcomes all. “That being said, it’s important that we retain the freedom to follow God’s word as it’s written, and without a differing moral base being dictated to us,” the statement reads.

A pastor at Coeur d’Alene Bible Church, which charters Troop 211, said last week that the leaders of that troop are leaning toward not renewing their charter, “and we stand behind that decision.”

Scott Maben

South Hill house fire claims dog

A dog died of smoke inhalation in a fire Sunday on Spokane’s South Hill.

The fire broke out around 6 p.m. in a home on the 2400 block of East 49th Avenue. The fire appears to have originated in the basement, and was knocked down quickly, a news release from the Spokane Fire Department said.

The Red Cross was called in to help the residents with lodging, clothing and food. Staff reports