Local News

Nez Perce County Commissioner Michael Grow was arrested today on charges of battery and sexual assault.  Valley County Sheriff's Lt. Dan Smith said that Grow was vacationing with friends at the Tamarack Resort in Donnelly, Idaho at the beginning of April, when he allegedly assaulted a woman. The victim is an adult female who, according to Smith, knew Grow. After a two week investigation, Valley County deputies issued a warrant for Grow and drove to Nez Perce County to place him under arrest.  He is currently being held at the Nez Perce County jail on a $50,000 bond.

You've heard about studies that show women who give birth after 40 are at greater risk of miscarriage and complications like Down syndrome.  But why?  Researchers from WSU will soon publish a report that sheds new light on the issue.  A news release from WSU explains:Washington State University researchers have confirmed a critical step in cell division that results in age-related miscarriages and birth defects, including Down syndrome. Writing in the upcoming issue of the journal "Current Biology," the researchers say they recreated the conditions in which an egg cell will continue to undergo cell division without properly arranging its chromosomes, creating offspring with aneuploidy, or an abnormal number of chromosomes. Sperm cells and those from elsewhere in the body will stop dividing until chromosomes are properly lined up.

A boutique opens in Liberty Lake called Lollipop Lemondrop.  On the shoppe website they write: As moms of young children and wanting to look a little stylish ourselves, we created our business to cater to the environmentally and price-conscious families that wish to see quality clothing recycled.

Idaho State Police Detectives now believe that missing Kamiah woman, Lavina Hietala, may have drowned in the Clearwater River, but are not sure if foul play was involved.  Detectives served a search warrant on Hietala's home on April 7th and, according to a press release, recovered "numerous items which will be further analyzed to determine their relevance".  They're not releasing details of what they found, saying only that evidence didn't immediately indicate foul play.   Hietala's grandson, Justin Hietala, was interviewed in connection with his grandmothers disappearance, but is not considered a suspect.  He is currently in jail on unrelated charges.  However, because the two shared a home, police are asking anyone with information about Justin Hietala's activities during the week of March 28, 2011 -April 1, 2011 to contact Idaho State Police Lt. Charlie Spencer at 208-799-5020.

Spokane sheriff's deputy Brian Hirzel is trying to recover more than six thousand dollars worth of property stolen from a home at 111 N. Adams in Spokane Valley.   In September, landlord Tyler Vinson rented the property to a tennant and took pictures to document the inventory of the partially furnished residence as a safety precaution. In February, vinson evicted the tennant for non-payment and when he inspected to home to see if he should return the cleaning deposit, Tyler learned he had literally been cleaned out.

It's time once again for the Annual Spring Clean Up Day in Liberty Lake.This year's spring clean up day is coming up on Saturday April 30, and will be held from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. You can bring your yard waste for free disposal to the corner of Mission Avenue and Meadowwood Lane in Liberty Lake, behind Barlow's Restaurant.Bring your yard waste but leave your appliances and hazardous waste at home please.

Do you know when to hold 'em and when to hold 'em? If you do, plan on heading down to the Elks Club this Friday at 7 p.m. for the Panorama Volleyball Club Fundraiser Texas Hold 'Em Tournament.For the Texas Hold 'Em there's a $20 buy-in and an 80 player limit. People can buy in up to two more times.There's also going to be a Silent Auction for a wide variety of items, including a basketball signed by John Stockton and baseballs signed by Felix Hernandex and Frank Gutierrez.

The City of Moscow has provided a description of events for Earth Week which starts... today! Through out the week you can learn how to become more sustainable and help Moscow become a more sustainable community. You can catch the first event this evening concerning these topics this evening.  Information provided by the City of Moscow: 

The City of Moscow has just announced their 7th annual, Moscow Artwalk. They're looking forward to another year of many arts and cultural activities that help make Moscow a vibrant communities.It's a self-guided tour featuring the work of dozens of local and regional artists displayed in over 30 participating businesses. The Artwalk opens on June 17th and runs through September. 

The City of Spokane Valley is now accepting applications to fill a position open on their Spokane Valley Planning Commission. It was recently vacated when former Planning Commissioner, Arne Woodard, was appointed to the interim seat on the City Council. 

Lewis-Clark State College has hired LaToya Harris as their new head coach for the women's volleyball team.  Harris was a standout volleyball player at Washington State from 1999-2002 and was a teammate of the former L-C State volleyball coach, Jen Greeny.  Greeny resigned last month to become the volleyball coach at WSU. Harris comes to L-C State from Sam Barlow High in Gresham, Oregon.  At Sam Barlow High, she compiled a 55-28 record in conference play and her teams advanced to the Oregon State Tournament twice. Harris will begin her new duties on April 25 and takes over a program that has won four straight Frontier Conference titles.

Robert M. Gates, the United States Secretary of Defense, headlines the list of speakers at Washington State University's Spring Commencement Ceremony on May 7, 2011.  The event will be held at the Beasley Performing Arts Coliseum.   He will be joined by Admiral John Scott Redd and R. James Cook, WSU Dean and Professor Emeritus. Gates will address the graduates from the College of Liberal Arts and The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication. 

If you're are looking for something fun to do with the family this Saturday, check out the Wishing Star Foundation's Carnival and Petting Zoo at A to Z Rental, located at 10903 E. Sprague in Spokane Valley. 

News release from Northern Quest Resort & Casino:Toby Keith to Perform at Northern Quest Resort & Casino

What was historically alfalfa fields, is now going to transform into City of Spokane Valley's newest park: Greenacres Park. The park will be located on the northwest corner of Boone Ave and Long Road and will cover 8.3 acres. Construction will begin between mid-May and the beginning of June. They plan to have the first phase of construction finished by this fall. That first phase will include turf and irrigation of the site to be the foundation for a sand and water play area. Other features of the park will include an amphitheater, a large picnic shelter, a multi-use playground with a splash pad and a concrete walking path tracing the perimeter of the park. 

One reader emailed KXLY to spread awareness of car prowlers in one particular area of Spokane Valley. Early one morning, Sarah H. left her apartment complex on Pines Rd. to walk to her car. She  described her vehicle as, "decent looking". That's when she found her back passenger window broken and the dashboard ripped out. Multiple items had been stolen totaling up to $600. After making a report to the police, she starting asking, "Why did this happen?" She didn't think she was in a questionable neighborhood or that she had any enemies. Why would someone want to viciously attack her car?

Lewiston Police hope someone will recognize a man who vandalized a pain clinic Saturday night. Surveillance video shows a man in a white tank top and jeans repeatedly smashing and throwing things at the Interventional Pain Consultant Clinic on Juniper Drive. He left behind more than $5,000 worth of damage. To see the video and see how you can report a crime tip by email or by phone, click here for the.

A new vaccine for wild bighorn sheep shows early signs of promise but still faces several obstacles, a researcher at Washington State University says. WSU professor Sri Srikumaran began testing a vaccine for pneumonia in bighorn sheep earlier this year at his research facility in Pullman. In February, Srikumaran inoculated four bighorn sheep with an inactive form of the leading pneumonia-causing pathogen in the sheep. All four survived the exposure, but sheep that did not receive the vaccine died within two days, Srikumaran said.