News briefs

Operation Christmas Child Cheney drop off opens

Beginning Monday, Nov. 16, Cheney, Medical Lake, Airway Heights and other West Plains area residents who are taking part in the annual Operation Christmas Child program will have a place to drop off gift-filled shoeboxes to children worldwide.

According to a news release, the Rutzer residence located at 12401 S. State Route 904 is serving as a collection site for the annual Samaritan’s Purse project. Participants in Operation Christmas Child such as families, churches and other groups fill shoeboxes with toys, school supplies, hygiene items and notes of encouragement.

According to the release, Operation Christmas Child officials are hoping to raise 3,650 gift-filled shoeboxes in the Cheney area. Since the program began in 1993, 124 million children in 150 countries and territories have received these shoeboxes.

Collection dates and times in Cheney are Nov. 16 – 20 from noon – 2:30 p.m., Nov. 21 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Nov. 22 noon – 3 p.m. and Nov. 23 8 – 9 a.m.

Airway Heights’ man arrested after high-speed chase

An Airway Heights man was arrested Nov. 3 after an attempted robbery led to a high-speed chase ending in a three-car collision in Spokane.

Spokane County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a robbery at the Petro station located at 10506 W. Aero Road just off Interstate-90’s Medical Lake interchange. A vehicle matching the suspect’s vehicle and license plate number was then seen by a Washington State Patrol trooper and patrol sergeant a few minutes later traveling east on the freeway towards Spokane at a high rate of speed.

The officers caught up with the vehicle, a silver 2016 Hyundai Elantra, at the Division Street exit where the suspect then turned east onto Third Street. At the red light at Altamont the vehicle’s driver drove up onto the sidewalk and into the intersection, colliding with two vehicles, a gray 2012 Subaru Impreza driven by Trevor M. Ribic of Spokane and a blue 2003 Ford Expedition driven by Todd E. Browning of Davenport.

The driver of the Elantra fled the scene on foot, but was subsequently taken into custody in the backyard of a residence at Fourth and Altamont. Police arrested Quentin G. Sinn, 31, of Airway Heights after he was transported, treated for minor injuries and released from a local hospital.

Sinn was booked into Spokane County Jail for second-degree robbery, with other charges pending. Neither Ribic nor Browning was seriously injured in the collision.

Revenue offers free after-hours tax webinar Nov. 18

OLYMPIA– Business owners in Washington state have many responsibilities, including knowing which taxes they must report. To help reach more businesses statewide, the Washington State Department of Revenue will host a free live webinar for new and small business owners on Nov. 18. This tax-focused webinar will be held after-hours from 6 – 7 p.m.

To register, send an email with your name, company name, phone number and email address to [email protected]. Contact Revenue’s Rick Stedman with any questions about the workshop at (360) 705-6624 or at [email protected].

The deadline to register is Friday, Nov. 13. 

Participants will learn about Washington excise taxes, reporting classifications, deductions, sales tax collection and record-keeping requirements. During the webinar, the facilitator will answer specific questions related to your business. Continuing education credit is also available.