In brief: Spokane convenience store robbery arrest made

A standoff between Spokane police and a robbery suspect in the East Central neighborhood Thursday morning ended with the arrest of Alan D. Jenks, 31.

Jenks is suspected of robbing the Cenex Zip Trip on West Northwest Boulevard shortly after midnight Dec. 8. Witnesses told police Jenks entered the store, showed a handgun and demanded beer and cash before fleeing on foot.

The clerk told police that the robber had a tattoo on his neck, a teardrop tattoo under his right eye and a mole below his left eye.

Investigators served a search warrant at a home in the 2500 block of West Grace Avenue early Thursday morning. They retrieved evidence, including empty beer cans and clothing matching that worn by the thief, and learned that Jenks was believed to be at another address.

Police went to a home in the 2300 block of East Seventh Avenue and arrested Jenks after a brief standoff.

Police spokeswoman Monique Cotton said no force was used and Jenks surrendered peacefully.

His criminal history includes eight felony convictions, including two for robbery.

Nina Culver

State insurance exchange says 10,000 residents have signed up

SEATTLE – About 10,000 Washington residents signed up for health insurance during the first few weeks of open enrollment, the state insurance exchange reported Thursday.

Last year, nearly 50,000 people signed up for private health insurance during the first four weeks of the open enrollment period that began Oct. 1, 2013. A total of about 130,000 had signed up through the exchange when the first open enrollment closed months later.

Of those who signed up last year, nearly 46,000 residents have renewed their insurance through Washington Healthplanfinder since enrollment began Nov. 15, the exchange reported. Another 480,000 new adults have accessed free coverage through Washington’s Medicaid program, which is called Washington Apple Health.

Washington residents have until Dec. 23 to sign up and pay for insurance if they want to start their coverage Jan. 1.

Exchange officials hope to sign up an additional 85,000 people for private insurance during the enrollment period that continues until Feb. 15.

Officials also reported Thursday that 4,000 of 6,000 customer accounts that were wrongly canceled because of a computer problem Dec. 2 have been reinstated.

Associated Press