In brief: CdA Thanksgiving Day dinner still needs pies, cash
Organizers of a free Thanksgiving Day meal at the Lake City Center in Coeur d’Alene are in need of a few more pies and about $1,000 to pull off Thursday’s dinner.
This is the 17th year of the feast – a traditional sit-down meal with live music, candles and a wait staff. It’s from noon to 2 p.m. at the center, 1916 Lakewood Drive.
A special effort is made to reach the homeless, the disabled, seniors and the homebound. Anyone who needs a ride to the meal can arrange one, or meals can be delivered to those unable to attend.
Last year 50 turkeys and 80 pies were donated for the meal, and organizers expect that more are needed this year. Call (509) 226-3208 or email freethanksgivingdaymeal@aol.com.
Stay is granted in wedding chapel suit
A federal judge on Monday issued a 60-day stay in a wedding chapel’s civil rights lawsuit against the city of Coeur d’Alene concerning same-sex marriage and a discrimination law.
Attorneys for Donald and Everlynn Knapp, owners of Hitching Post Weddings LLC, and for the city both had asked for the break in the case in order to discuss a potential settlement. U.S. Magistrate Judge Ronald E. Bush granted the stay, which gives the city until Jan. 9 to respond to the suit if a settlement is not reached by then.
The Oct. 17 suit claims the city is unconstitutionally forcing the Knapps to violate their religious beliefs by performing same-sex marriages.
Jitterz Java stand is robbed again
Workers at the Jitterz Java coffee stand in northwest Spokane are understandably nervous.
It was robbed Sunday night for the fourth time in the past year.
Owner Sara Chapel told KXLY a man waited for an employee to get supplies from an outside storage room, followed her back inside and grabbed money from the register. He said, “Don’t worry, it’s not your money.”
Chapel said it’s frustrating because she’s taken steps to improve security, such as having security cameras and windows that automatically lock.
Cosby appearance in Yakima canceled
YAKIMA – An appearance by embattled comedian Bill Cosby in Yakima has been canceled amid numerous allegations of sexual assault.
Cosby was scheduled to appear at the Capitol Theatre on Saturday. But the theater announced the cancellation in a news release Monday morning. The release did not say whether the theater or the performer had canceled.
Those with tickets for the Yakima show will receive refunds.
Cosby has issued a statement discrediting the decades-old sexual assault accusations and his attorney has denied four of the allegations. But several of his shows have been canceled in recent days.
Everett-based ship decommissioned
EVERETT – The Navy recently decommissioned the guided missile frigate USS Ingraham at Everett. It will be towed to Bremerton and scrapped.
The Daily Herald reported the Navy also plans to decommission another ship at the Everett homeport and also one stationed in Bremerton.
Naval Station Everett spokeswoman Kristin Ching said the frigate USS Rodney Davis will likely be decommissioned in the spring and sold to a foreign military. That will leave three warships at Everett: the aircraft carrier Nimitz and two destroyers, the Shoup and Momsen.
Among other Navy ships being decommissioned by next November is the support vessel Rainier, stationed in Bremerton.
Copter contractor enters guilty plea
GRANTS PASS, Ore. – A former executive of a southern Oregon company has pleaded guilty to providing false aircraft weights to the U.S. Forest Service to win a firefighting contract. A helicopter the company provided crashed, killing nine people fighting a wildfire.
Steven Metheny, of Medford, entered guilty pleas in federal court Monday to two of the 22 counts against him.
Metheny was vice president of Carson Helicopters outside Grants Pass when one of the company’s helicopters crashed on takeoff in 2008 while carrying a firefighting crew near Weaverville, California. It was the deadliest helicopter crash involving working firefighters in U.S. history.
Defense lawyer Steve Myers noted that prosecutors never alleged that the false helicopter weights contributed to the crash in any way.
Fawn kept as pet is back in the wild
PORT ANGELES, Wash. – A fawn that was once treated as a pet with a rhinestone collar is back in the wild after being rehabbed at Center Valley Animal Rescue in Quilcene, Washington.
It was one of four orphaned fawns taken to the center in May. They were released last month at Fort Flagler State Park, where hunting is not allowed.
The Peninsula Daily News reported the rhinestone fawn was brought in by state wildlife officers on a leash and wearing an imitation leopard skin coat.
Another fawn had been injured by coyotes. Another had been hit by a car. Another was orphaned after its mother was hit by a car.
Center Valley Animal Rescue director Sara Penhallegon said the fawns were released in a protected area because they “don’t have street smarts.”