Archive
May 16th, 2012
The hand recount of the Riverside School District maintenance and operations levy did not change the outcome of the $2.9 million a year measure.
The final recount ballot tally, which includes ballots from Spokane and Pend Oreille counties, showed the levy passed 2,161-2,150 votes. Those ballot counts from the same as when the levy was certified on April 27.
Five Riverside School District voters petitioned to have the ballots hand counted. Chattaroy’s Leonard Terzenbach paid $1,083 for the recount, based on a cost of 25 cents a ballot.
May 9th
A 38-year-old Spokane man was arrested in Elk last week following a high-speed chase in a stolen pickup truck.
Michael S. Wheeler, 38, who has a history of trying to elude police officers, was arrested at gunpoint on May 3 after a high-speed chase ended on Elk-Chattaroy Road near Deer Park Creek Road.
The chase began near 36900 Valley Road after Fish and Wildlife Sgt. Daniel Rahn spotted a 1986 Dodge pickup parked in his neighbor's driveway.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held on May 9 at St. Philippe Benizi Church in Ford for former area resident for Irvin W. Abrahamson, 80, who passed away on May 4 at his Plummer, Idaho, home.
Born on April 2, 1932, at Ford to Milo and Millie (Wynne) Abrahamson, he attended grade school at Ford and high school in Springdale, WA. He then enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in the Korean Conflict. Following his discharge, he returned to the Spokane Indian Reservation.
May 3rd
The Deer Park boys and girls basketball teams will have a new look next season following the resignation of head boys basketball coach Ken Ryan and the girls head coach Kevin Oglesbee.
Ryan, who coached the Stags for six seasons, compiled a 50-90 overall record (27-51 in conference play).
He was named the Great Northern League’s coach of the year for the 2009-10 season after he led Deer Park to the state Class 2A tournament. Deer Park’s 64-58 win over Wapato was the Stags’ first state tournament win in 55 years.
The Deer Park boys track team used a pair of record-setting performances to pace the Stags to their first conference track championship ever on Wednesday.
Deer Park won this year’s Great Northern League championship with an easy 91-54 win over Cheney.
Senior Dayde Collins won the 800 meters with a 1-minute, 58.7-second performance. His effort bested the school record of 1:59.6 set by Richard Chaffin in 1988.
May 2nd
Certification of the Riverside School District’s maintenance and operations levy has been placed on hold while the Spokane County Elections Office staff conducts a hand recount on the more than 4,300 ballots cast in the April 17 election.
Five school district voters submitted a petition along with the $1,000 fee on April 30 to have the ballots hand counted this week.
In the first round of ballot tabulations (done by machines), the levy, which will generate about $2.88 million from local property tax assessments, passed 2,161-2,150.
April 29th
(Updated May 2)
Stevens and Spokane County water rescue crews have found the body of the 48-year-old who drowned Saturday morning in Waitts Lake while fishing.
According to witnesses, Frederick Barker apparently lost the grip on his fishing pole while trying to reel in a catch. Barker, who was not wearing a life jacket, jumped into the water to retrieve the pole but apparently was quickly overcome the water’s frigid temperatures.
Other people in his boat, including his wife, threw him life jackets but he was unable to retrieve one of them before going under.
April 27th
Updated May 2
A 55-year-old Deer Park man, who had been missing for about a week, was reunited with his family.
Orin Storrud, a U.S. Army veteran with mental health issues, was reported missing by his sister, Mona Storrud, after she returned home from her granddaughter’s school on April 23. He was found in a homeless shelter in Spokane four days later.
Mona Storrud said she received reports that her brother had traveled to Missoula, Mon., before returning to Spokane.
Riverside and Deer Park School District officials will not have to worry about another maintenance and operations levy election for the next three years.
Both school districts M&O levy requests were approved by voters this month and certified by various county election officials on Friday.
According to final results, Riverside’s three-year request, which will generate about $2.88 million a year in local funds, passed 2,161-2,150 following a last-minute surge of “yes” ballots.
A simple majority is needed for passage of an M&O levy.
April 26th
As expected, the Riverside School District’s maintenance and operations election ballot measure surged ahead in the latest round ballot counts.
According to results released by the Spokane County Elections Office on April 26, the measure leads 2,161-2,150 (including the Pend Oreille County vote). The levy request was tied 2,135-2,135 after the previous election count on April 18.
A simple majority is needed for passage of an M&O levy.
The results, which are not expected to change, will be certified on April 27.
