News Briefs

Lisa Brown to appear at Cheney forum

Former Washington State University-Spokane chancellor and current 5th District congressional candidate Lisa Brown (D-Spokane) is slated to appear at a community forum at Cheney’s Wren Pierson Community Center this Sunday evening, Feb. 11. The town-hall style meeting runs from 6 – 7:30 p.m.

Brown declared her candidacy this past summer and running against current 5th District incumbent Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Spokane). McMorris Rodgers has served as 5th District representative since 2004.

Brown represented Spokane’s 3rd legislative district in Olympia from 1992–2013, serving in the House of Representatives from 1993–1997 and the state Senate from 1997–2012 where she was majority leader from 2005–2013. Brown was also an associate professor of economics at Eastern Washington University from 1981–2001.

Accident claims life of Spokane woman

A Spokane woman was killed in a one-car accident last Friday evening on State Route 904.

According to a Washington State Patrol press release, a 2002 Dodge Durango driven by Melissa A. Smith, 33, of Spokane was eastbound on SR 904 as it merges with Interstate 90 at approximately 6:30 p.m. when it suddenly left the roadway. The vehicle struck a number of trees in the intersection’s gore point before coming to a stop.

Smith was injured and transported to Deaconess Medical Center. Her passenger, 33-year-old Toshia L. Haveron, also of Spokane, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The cause of the accident is under investigation, with possible charges pending.

Washington state boater education classes  

Despite the groundhog’s prediction of six more weeks of winter, the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit would like to invite area boat owners and operators to one of their scheduled free Washington state boater education classes. 

Effective Jan. 1, 2014, every person born after Jan. 1, 1955, is required to have the Boater Education Card to operate any vessel with 15 or more horsepower. This applies to Washington state residents operating vessels on Washington waterways.

Upcoming classes are March 24, April 21 and May 19. Classes are held at the Sheriff’s Office’s training center at Newman Lake, and pre-registration is required.

Registration can be done online at http://www.eventbrite.com/spokane-county-sheriffs-office-marine-unit-1981789091.

State recovery helpline offers chat services

Washington Recovery Helpline has announced that it is providing chat services as another way to ask questions about treatment options and obtain resource and referral information. Individuals can connect with a recovery specialist Monday – Wednesday between noon – 5 p.m. or on Thursdays and Friday from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. by calling (866) 789-1511.

Outside of these chat hours, a specialist can reached 24/7 at (866) 789-1511.

Chat is intended to provide information about accessing recovery support and treatment resources related to substance use disorder, mental health and problem gambling. Records of chat conversations are not made public or disclosed to third parties.

Washington Recovery Help Line offers 24-hour telephone support to anyone struggling with substance abuse, mental health, or problem gambling. Specialists provide emotional support, crisis intervention, and information/referral to local treatment options. Some of the main substances that individuals have recently called about have been related to alcohol, heroin, prescription drugs (including methadone and Suboxone, which are used to treat heroin addiction) and methamphetamine.