In brief: Spokane Arts names executive director
Laura Becker has been named the new executive director of Spokane Arts, the third leader of the fledgling organization after Shannon Halberstadt unexpectedly announced her departure earlier this year before serving a full year.
Becker has worked for the “1% for Art” projects for the Seattle Department of Transportation as a consulting artist, designer and project manager.
“Laura brings a wealth of knowledge, strong leadership skills and a deep passion for the arts,” said Brooke Kiener, chair of the Spokane Arts board, in a statement. Spokane Arts was created two years ago after Mayor David Condon dismantled the city’s art department, turned it over to the Arts Fund and promised it increasingly smaller shares of the city budget.
The city gave the fund $100,000 in 2013, $80,000 this year and committed $60,000 for 2015. Other organizations such as the Spokane Public Facilities District, Downtown Spokane Partnership and Visit Spokane have chipped in.
Ex-broker pleads guilty in fraud scheme
A former Coeur d’Alene stockbroker pleaded guilty Thursday to swindling an investor and close friend out of more than $800,000 over nearly two decades, funneling the money through accounts that belonged to her daughter.
JoAnn Jackson, 63, faces a potential 20-year federal prison sentence after pleading guilty to 21 counts of wire fraud. Jackson, who has been licensed as a stockbroker in Idaho since 1994, siphoned money from the victim for years, according to court documents. She continued to steal money from accounts as the member of a Coeur d’Alene securities firm where she was hired a decade ago, according to court documents.
Jackson was fired from the firm in October 2013 when the allegations came to light. She was indicted on the wire fraud charges in August and sentencing has been tentatively scheduled for February. As part of the plea deal, Jackson agreed to repay the victim $811,084.
City tests parking meter payment app
The city of Spokane is testing its latest phase of parking meter technology with a smartphone app that can be used to pay for parking or “plug” an expiring meter.
A test period for the meters began Friday with 41 meters near City Hall and Riverfront Park, but the city plans to extend the technology to all of the city’s 3,000 meters.
To use the technology, drivers must have the QuickPay app on their smartphones.
Any amount of time can be purchased, but if the maximum is purchased, the app allows a one-time extension of 15 minutes. Efforts at further extending the time will result in a message that they have exceeded the allowed time on the meter. The program lets users choose to receive notice of payment and time expiration by text or email.
Winter Glow display to kick off Friday
The city of Spokane will kick off its Winter Glow Spectacular with a lighting ceremony at 6:30 p.m. Friday by the Rotary Fountain in Riverfront Park along Spokane Falls Boulevard.
The south side of the park will include about 30 lighted displays and trees. There also will be an animal light zoo near the IMAX Theatre.
The displays will be lit nightly from 5 to 9 p.m. through Jan. 1. There is no admission charge. Visit spokanewinterglow.com for more information.
WSU regents board reappoints Baseler
Ted Baseler, chief executive at Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, has been reappointed to the Washington State University Board of Regents.
The appointment, which runs through Sept. 30, 2020, was announced Friday by Gov. Jay Inslee. It will be Baseler’s second full term on the board.
A WSU graduate, Baseler also served on the university’s Foundation Board of Trustees and led efforts to establish an oenology and viticulture program at his alma mater, WSU said in a news release. He also spearheaded efforts to raise more than $2 million for diversity scholarships.
Baseler has served as chairman of the Washington Wine Commission and of the Napa, California-based Wine Market Council and director of the Washington Wine Institute.
K-9 gets suspected burglar out of store
A police K-9 persuaded a suspected burglar to come out of his hiding spot inside a liquor store Friday evening at 1201 Sherman Ave. in Coeur d’Alene.
The alarm at the store sounded around 6 p.m. and police arrived to find the front glass door smashed in, according to a Coeur d’Alene Police Department news release. Officers, including a K-9, surrounded the building after a witness said the burglar still was inside. The man eventually came out after asking police not to release the dog.
Kyle E. Moore, 23, was booked into the Kootenai County Jail on a charge of burglary.
Gunshot seriously injures 3-year-old
LAKE STEVENS, Wash. – The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office said a 3-year-old boy is in serious condition after being shot in the mouth – reportedly as he and a 4-year-old neighbor were playing with a gun.
Lt. Susy Johnson said the 911 call came late Friday night after the boy’s father heard a loud noise from the bedroom of their home in Lake Stevens. He told authorities he found the door locked, forced it open and discovered the boy with a mouth injury. But he said he initially thought it was caused by the door striking the child.
When the child was examined at Providence Medical Center, doctors determined it to be a gunshot wound. The boy was flown to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.
Detectives said the 4-year-old may have accidentally shot the 3-year-old, but that remains under investigation. Johnson said in a news release Saturday she didn’t have any information about the gun or where the children got it.
Authorities said both families are cooperating with investigators.