News briefs

Fairways group’s annual food drive a success

The Fairways Ladies Club received $1,339 in monetary donations to go with boxes of food during their seventh annual Food Drive at the Fairways Golf Course in West Terrace.

Club member Ceci Richardson said they undertook several initiatives to generate donations. The club sent letters to area golf organizations challenging them to meet or beat the club’s donation of $100. Those donations along with checks from individuals enabled the Fairways Ladies Club to forward $661 to the Cheney Food Bank and $678 to 2nd Harvest.

During the drive time period Sept. 14 – 28, individuals bringing four items of non-perishable food to the Fairways course received a 50 percent discount on greens fees. That, and flyers Richardson said they distributed to residences in West Terrace led to the group filling five large barrels full of canned vegetables and fruit and other boxes of foods.

County warns of jury duty scam 

Spokane County Superior Court is warning the public about a scam in which victims are accused of failing to report for jury duty. 

The court has fielded numerous inquiries from people saying they received a call from someone claiming to be an officer or sheriff’s deputy representing the court. The caller claimed an arrest warrant was issued for failing to appear then tells the potential victims to pay up to $1,500 with a cashier’s check to cover the warrant. 

In a news release, Spokane Superior Court Administrator Ronald Miles said the court does not call people or issue warrants in these matters, and court officers will never ask for a payment or personal information.

The jury duty scam is common. According to the FBI, victims are caught off-guard by the threat of arrest and are willing to give personal information to defuse the situation. The scammers then use that information to steal a person’s identity or empty a bank account, for example. 

Anyone who receives such a call is urged to hang up and contact the Sheriff’s Department at (509) 477-2240.

Woman dies after I-90 accident

A Lakewood, Wash. woman succumbed to injuries she sustained in a single-car rollover accident that took place Sept. 25 on Interstate 90 seven miles west of Cheney.

Kathy R. Tuttle, 61, was a passenger in a 1990 Mitsubishi pickup driven by Thomas J. Tuttle, 64, of Auburn, Wash. that was eastbound when Thomas Tuttle fell asleep near milepost 262. The vehicle, which was towing a trailer, left the roadway to the left, overcorrected and went off the roadway to the right where it rolled.

Both Tuttles were transported to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane where Kathy Tuttle eventually died of her injuries on Sept. 28. Washington State Patrol has charged Thomas Tuttle with second-degree negligent driving.

Construction to begin on Salnave Glen Apartments

City of Cheney officials have said the Department of Natural Resources has granted a forest practices application to a developer seeking to build a 72-unit apartment complex on First Street near Presley Drive.

In an August determination of mitigated non-significance on the $7 million project, city officials determined there would be no “probable significant adverse impact on the environment” as long as certain mitigation procedures are followed. One of those carried the requirement of obtaining a forest practices application from the state Department of Natural Resources in order remove a stand of trees that covers almost all of the parcel considered for development.

In an Oct. 1 email, city planner Brett Lucas said DNR had granted the developer, Salnave Glen, LLC, the forest practices application, and that construction could begin soon on the site. Salnave Glen’s Jeff Johnson said they hope the project is completed and opened by August 2016

Medical Lake man injured in I-90 collision

A Medical Lake man was one of two people injured when he was caught up in a five-vehicle collision Tuesday morning, Oct. 6, on Interstate 90 in Spokane.

About 5:46 a.m. a Toyota Camry driven by Carrah C. Goble of Wenatchee was westbound in the I-90 eastbound lanes near the Division Street off ramp when she struck a 2009 GMC SUV driven by Jon D. Hartman of Spokane head on. Hartman’s vehicle was forced into a 1974 Volkswagen two-door driven by Ronald L. Morrison, 39, of Medical Lake, which in turn rolled and ejected Morrison.

A fourth vehicle was damaged when it struck the debris from the first three vehicles, and a fifth vehicle, a 1997 Freightliner tractor and trailer, was damaged when it struck Hartman’s SUV.

Hartman and the driver of the fourth vehicle, Toby L. Parker, 45, of Spokane, were both transported by ambulance to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center.