In brief: Sunday rain sets mark, ends monthlong dry spell
Spokane set a daily record Sunday with 1.33 inches of rainfall that was strong enough to back up catch basins and wash dirt and debris onto sidewalks and streets.
The previous daily record was 1.18 inches in 2012, a year that turned out to be especially wet in March.
The two-day rainfall total at Spokane International Airport was 1.51 inches.
The storm ended a dry spell that dates to Feb. 11, with the exception of a very weak storm March 2 that brought 0.04 inches of rain.
Across the Inland Northwest, the two-day storm brought upward of 2 inches of rain to mountains in North Idaho and northwest Montana.
Police arrest suspect in attempted carjackings
Spokane police arrested a carjacking suspect Monday after he allegedly assaulted three people while attempting to steal their vehicles, then fled from police in a stolen hotel shuttle van.
Police said David A. Ellis, 26, attempted to steal cars from three people in downtown Spokane between 8:40 and 9 a.m. Monday.
In each case, Ellis is suspected of assaulting the car owners and fleeing on foot after he was unable to take the vehicle, police said in a news release.
After his failed attempts, police said Ellis stole a shuttle van from the DoubleTree Hotel near the Spokane Convention Center. Officers located him driving erratically near the intersection of West Mallon Avenue and North Elm Street.
Police arrested him after a foot chase.
Whitman’s Bridges to lead Evergreen State
OLYMPIA – The Evergreen State College on Monday picked the president of Whitman College in Walla Walla as its new leader.
George Bridges, who is also a former vice provost at the University of Washington, will replace Thomas “Les” Purce, who is retiring this summer after serving as president since July 2000.
Bridges has been president of the small liberal arts college in Walla Walla for 10 years.
Bridges earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington and master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Pennsylvania.
His official start date at Evergreen is Oct. 1. The school announced his annual salary will be $300,000.
West Side mudslides stop passenger train service
SEATTLE – Heavy weekend rain has caused mudslides around Western Washington, including a handful that have stopped passenger train service between Seattle and the city of Everett.
Sound Transit is providing bus service for commuters who usually take the Sounder train to work.
Passenger train traffic is on hold until Wednesday afternoon.
BNSF spokesman Gus Melonas said the latest slide hit Monday afternoon, but the debris has been removed and freight trains are moving again.
I-405 express lanes may require 3-person carpools
SEATTLE – Drivers may need additional riders if they want to use the new Interstate 405 express toll lanes set to open this fall.
The Seattle Times reported the Washington state Transportation Commission is considering requiring carpools of at least three people at peak hours, plus an annual pass, to use the express lanes for free. Others would have to pay between 75 cents and $10 – in cases of extreme congestion – to travel one way between Bellevue and Lynnwood.
The seven-member Transportation Commission already has held two public meetings on the new toll lanes. Members are expected to vote on rates and carpool size Wednesday in Kirkland.
CdA woman files claim over shootout in yard
A woman whose backyard became the scene of a deadly police shooting has filed a claim against her Idaho hometown.
The Coeur d’Alene Press reported Sarah Shields filed a tort claim against Coeur d’Alene this fall. She’s seeking $18,000 for emotional distress and damage to her property from bullets.
A tort claim is a legal complaint against a governmental body that gives it a chance to settle without going to court.
Police say that on June 6, officers responded to a domestic disturbance call that ended in Shields’ yard when 28-year-old Thomas White exchanged gunfire with police.
No officers were injured, but White died at the scene.
Shields said officers used excessive force resulting in the loss of a sense of security. She also said insurance won’t cover damage to the house.
The city said it sent Shields a letter seeking more information but hasn’t heard back.
Packing pachyderms to Oklahoma costs $111,000
SEATTLE – No bargain-price travel for Seattle’s two zoo elephants.
Woodland Park Zoo estimates it will cost $111,000 to ship its two Asian elephants to a new home at the Oklahoma City Zoo.
Activists have sued to block the move, and the zoo has agreed not to move the elephants before an April 3 court hearing. Activists want the elephants to go to a wildlife sanctuary.
The Seattle Times reported that an agreement detailing the planned move shows the cost is to be split between the two zoos, with Woodland Park responsible for any cost overruns.
Zoo general curator Nancy Hawkes said the transport bill is so high because moving such large animals is a specialized skill.
Chai and Bamboo will travel in climate-controlled containers and be accompanied by two veterinarians, two alternate drivers and three members of the zoo’s elephant care staff.