Feds ask to shield witnesses in Uzbek man's terrorism trial
BOISE - Prosecutors are asking a federal judge in Idaho to shield the identities of two witnesses in the trial of an Uzbek man charged with helping a terrorist organization.
The Idaho Statesman reported that prosecutors argue the measure is needed because the witnesses are informants in ongoing cases.
If their request is denied, prosecutors want the courtroom to be closed to the public during the witnesses' testimony.
Fazliddin Kurbanov, an Uzbek refugee who lives in Boise, is accused of helping teach people to build bombs to target public transportation.
The 32-year-old Kurbanov is scheduled to go to trial July 13.
According to court documents, officials are also asking permission to allow four FBI linguists to testify under pseudonyms because of fears over reprisal against family members living in other countries.
Questions raised about Spokane NAACP head
SPOKANE - Controversy is swirling around one of the Spokane region's most prominent civil rights activists, with family members saying the local leader of the NAACP has falsely portrayed herself as black for years.
Rachel Dolezal is president of the Spokane chapter of the NAACP, chairwoman of the city's Office of Police Ombudsman Commission, and an adjunct professor at Eastern Washington University.
The Spokesman-Review reported Thursday that questions have arisen about her background and her numerous complaints to police of harassment. The story was first reported by the Coeur d'Alene Press.
Dolezal's mother, Ruthanne, said the family's ancestry is Czech, Swedish and German, with a touch of Native American heritage.
Dolezal has identified herself in application materials as white, black and American Indian.
Police said they have found little evidence of racial harassment.
Man in custody in connection with 2-alarm fire in Spokane
SPOKANE - A man suspected of starting a 2-alarm fire at an appliance store has been arrested.
KXLY-TV reported the fire at Almar Appliance broke out early Thursday morning.
Firefighters were eventually able to put out the flames that had been shooting from the roof.
Five people who lived in apartment unit located on the west side of the building have been displaced.
A man was questioned as a witness, but police found that his story didn't make sense. He was questioned again and police said he confessed to the crime.
The man has been charged with first-degree arson.
Federal firefighter dies after training in southwest Idaho
BOISE - Federal officials said a wildland firefighter has died after a physical training exercise.
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management said 33-year-old Terry Sonner of Hammett, Idaho, died Wednesday morning after collapsing.
Agency spokeswoman Jessica Gardetto said attempts by crewmembers to revive Sonner failed. The cause of death hasn't been determined.
Sonner began firefighting in 2001 and advanced to become the fire operations supervisor of the Hammett Guard Station Engine Crew in Hammett, about 60 miles southeast of Boise.
Gardetto declined to release the type of training the crew was doing when Sonner collapsed.
She said the BLM has appointed a team to look into the circumstances of Sonner's death.
Walla Walla prison employees to protest outside penitentiary
WALLA WALLA - Employees of the State Penitentiary at Walla Walla said there are alternatives to prison overcrowding that would be better than shipping inmates out of state.
KONA Radio reported a Thursday protest outside the prison was planned to bring attention to safety and money issues in the state prison system.
The state's 12 prisons are at capacity and some worry about associated safety issues.
John Scearcy with Teamsters local 117 said there are other solutions to avoid the cost of shipping inmates out of state.
Drowning man in Lake Coeur d'Alene punches off-duty deputy
SPOKANE - An off-duty Shoshone County deputy received an unconventional thank you for saving a man from drowning on Lake Coeur d'Alene.
KREM-TV reported that a report filed with the Kootenai County Sheriff's Office said the drowning man punched Deputy Jacob Allen in the face after he was pulled from the water. Deputies wrote that the man was intoxicated at the time.
Allen said he dove off a dock near Harrison, Idaho, to try to save the man. He said the man went under the water a few times. When Allen got the man to safety, he became belligerent and punched Allen in the face.
Allen did not press charges.
Authorities said the man became combative during the ride to the hospital, but nobody else was injured.
Bicyclist gets broken arm in collision with mama moose
BOZEMAN, Mont. - A bicyclist is recovering from a broken arm after colliding with a mother moose.
The Bozeman Daily Chronicle reported Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks spokeswoman Andrea Jones said signage has been posted warning people about the moose, but she has likely moved on.
The moose and 30-year-old Brian Steddum collided helmet to nose Sunday night after Steddum said he came around a corner on the Bozeman Creek Trail and saw the animal with her calf.
Steddum said he fell, took a kick to the hip, then got back on his bike and fled.
An X-ray taken at the hospital shows the ulna bone in his forearm snapped in half. Steddum said he feels lucky it wasn't worse.