Volunteers needed for Tubbs Hill cleanup

Coeur d’Alene’s Tubbs Hill is getting a large-scale fall cleanup Saturday and volunteers are needed.

Starbucks Coffee is sponsoring the cleanup with the Tubbs Hill Foundation and the city Parks Department. Starbucks will donate $10 for every person who shows up. The donations will go to the foundation for long-term care and preservation of the waterfront city park.

Starbucks also will provide bags, gloves and, of course, free coffee.

The 9 a.m. cleanup starts at the Third Street entrance.

For more information, call the Parks Department, 769-2252.

– Erica Curless

Spokane

Pawn shop to take sellers’ photos, prints

The only pawn shop outside city limits in Spokane County will have to take pictures or thumbprints of each customer pawning merchandise.

Spokane County commissioners made the decision Tuesday.

The action affects only Mead Pawn, 12112 N. Market St. But a similar law recently went on the books in the city of Spokane Valley, and Spokane is expected to follow.

Larry Karlson Jr., co-owner of Axel’s Pawn Shop, testified that the regulation is an unnecessary burden.

“The industry is doing a very good job of keeping the criminal element out of the pawn industry,” Karlson said.

Detective Mark Stewart said the new rules are important because of the proliferation of identity theft. Similar regulations soon will be considered for secondhand stores and antique shops.

Commissioners Todd Mielke and Mark Richard voted for the measure. Commissioner Phil Harris was absent.

– Jonathan Brunt

Complaint against official investigated

The Washington State Patrol confirmed Tuesday that it is investigating a citizen complaint against Spokane Deputy Mayor Jack Lynch.

Rita Amunrud filed an e-mail complaint to the Spokane Police Department that Lynch threatened her Oct. 2 as she signed up to testify at a City Council meeting.

A story about the complaint initially aired Tuesday on KREM-2 television news. The Washington State Patrol and Spokane Mayor Dennis Hession confirmed that Amunrud’s complaint is being investigated.

Spokane Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick’s decision to turn the investigation over to the state patrol “was not done with the intention of elevating it to any degree of importance, but just to ensure there was a degree of objectivity and independence,” Hession said.

Amunrud said state police interviewed her for about three hours Monday. Lynch said Tuesday he was unaware of the investigation.

– Amy Cannata