Sorted by date Results 1 - 6 of 6
SPOKANE – Chaos erupted on Memorial Day as a stolen van careened into another vehicle, leaving a trail of injuries in its wake. The reckless teenage driver, accompanied by three passengers, collided with a Kia Soul at a breakneck speed of approximately 50 mph on a residential street with a posted speed limit of 25 mph. Witnesses described the driver as a 17-year-old white male with long brown hair and a beard, clad in Chuck Taylor shoes and a black T-shirt adorned with doberman pinchers. Following the collision, the j...
LIBERTY LAKE – A local man was sentenced to federal prison in connection with child pornography charges. Rick Lynn Johnson, 69, of Liberty Lake, was sentenced to federal prison and ordered to pay $60,000 in victim restitution after pleading guilty to receipt of child pornography before U.S. District Judge Thomas O. Rice Between May 30, 2021, and June 16, 2022, federal law enforcement discovered numerous instances of child pornography being downloaded by Johnson, court records show. In November 2022, federal agents executed a...
SPOKANE VALLEY – In a letter following the May 21 city council meeting, City Councilman Al Merkel expressed his deep concern and disappointment with the RFP process. “As a contract city, we should be fully capable of conducting a fair and transparent competition that clearly outlines an actionable scope of work and specific evaluation criteria,” Merkel wrote. “Unfortunately, this was not the case with our recent RFP process.” Merkel criticized the use of undisclosed criteria and personal relationships in the selection...
SPOKANE VALLEY – The Spokane Valley City Council approved a contract for a new homelessness outreach program amid concerns over the selection process. The council voted five to one to award the contract to Frontier Behavioral Health, with Councilman Al Merkel dissenting due to transparency issues in the RFP process. During the May 28th meeting, Gloria Mantz, Sarah Farr, and Eric Robison provided an overview of the RFP process. Mantz explained that the RFP was posted on the city website in March and advertised in local n...
SPOKANE VALLEY — MultiCare and Premera Blue Cross have successfully negotiated a new agreement, ensuring that all MultiCare hospitals, facilities, and providers will remain in-network for patients with Premera commercial, Individual Exchange Plan, and Medicare Advantage products. In a statement provided by Kevin Maloney, Media Relations Manager of MultiCare, the update confirms the new agreement is effective immediately. “This agreement ensures that all MultiCare hospitals, facilities, and providers will remain in-...
SPOKANE – A local man has been arrested following a May 22 standoff. Jae W. Lee, 36, is facing charges of second-degree burglary, second-degree theft and obstructing law enforcement. His arrest stems from a Spokane County Investigative Unit detectives’ attempt to serve a warrant at his residence. Lee barricaded himself inside despite repeated announcements from law enforcement, records show. The situation escalated, necessitating the intervention of the SWAT Team due to Lee’s behavior and the cluttered, hazardous condi...
