The Spokesman-Review from Spokane, Washington • 14

A B2 ThiSpOKISMAN-RfVIEW March 27, 1990, Spokane, Wash. regional digest 1 County tries to stop defecting prosecutors FROM STAFF AND WWfc Rt PORTS By Julie Sullivan SmIT writer A substantial number" of Spokane County prosecutors are trying to jump to private law firms ana other government jobs because morale and salaries are so low, officials said Monday. In a $150,000 emergency effort to prevent more defections and attract recruits, county commissioners agreed to raise the salaries of almost half the county attorneys. The increase would immediately boost salaries for more than 20 prosecutors from $23,000 to $25,000 for first-year attorneys, and from $28,800 to $31,000 to more seasoned lawyers. The increase also would apply to public defenders.

Commissioners Pat Mummey and Hasson argued that the county should be frugal now, to avoid lay offs in the future. I have a hard time turning victims down, Steve," Brackett retorted. Commissioners said they would consider raising the salaries for all 70 prosecutors and public defenders when a personnel department completes a job reclassification study next week. Hasson did not join in. He said the commissioners have approved a dozen new positions in the last two weeks.

And, the county has hired 100 new people already this year, or as many as were hired in the first six months of 1 989. Tm starting to say no," Hasson said. "I just don't see the brakes anymore. I hate laying people off, thats the bottom line. John McBride agreed the countys Cy was too low to attract and keep vyers.

But Commissioner Steve Hasson said the county is on a hiring and spending spree that will come to a halt if sales tax revenues drop. The county will hit its property tax limit this year, and could wind up laying people off. At some point theres no more money. Do you want to make more money and make sure your friends and brethren do as well?" Hasson said. Ive got to be realistic," said Prosecutor Don Brackett.

A substantial number of my attorneys have applied for jobs with the United States Attorney." Brackett said two veterans recently left for the U.S. Attorneys office, where pay it at least $3,000 more a year. Another veteran trial lawyer went into private practice, where starting salaries are $7,000 higher. I've been here 17 years and Ive never seen anything like it, said Chief Criminal Deputy Clark Colwell. Brackett said that, in three rounds of interviews this winter, the county's top choices consistently turned down the jobs because of the salary.

Although public law salaries couldn't and shouldnt begin to match the private law firms, the county should at least be able to compete with other government agencies, Brackett he said. If we are too far apart, we risk top attorneys not applying. Thus making the public the loser," he said. CONTINUEDl FROM B1 AWOL Rangers court-martialed Hanford Craig said Jordan, who was court-martialed March 8, also was charged with misappropriation of a private motor vehicle. He was sentenced to 18 months in the stockade, forfeiture of ail pay and allowances, reduction in rank to private and a bad conduct discharge.

Griffin, court-martialed March 1, faced an additional charge of storing ammunition against regulations. He was ordered confined four months and to forfeit $480 in pay and also was reduced to private and given a bad-conduct discharge. Associated Press FORT LEWIS. Wash. Two Fort Lewis Rangers have been court-martialed for being absent without leave and missing the U.S.

invasion of Panama, the Army says. Pfc. William Jordan 2nd and Spec. Tommie Griffin 3rd both were charged with being AWOL and missing a troop movement, said Lt. Col.

Jay Craig. Ages and hometowns of the two men were not immediately available. Both were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. open manner, compared with the secretiveness of the past. This produces a greater sense of urgency among the public to solve problems, he said.

People have lots of questions and they are not willing to wait (for answers), he said. The danger came to light in a study performed by the Westinghouse Hanford main contractor at Hanford for DOE. The study was prompted by concerns raised by Congress late last year about the possibility of ferrocyanide exploding in the tanks. The ferrocyanide threat was ultimately ruled Jo be very low. Radioactive wastes are generated at Hanford during the production of nuclear weapons materials.

Morgan on Monday downplayed the explosion danger, calling it the cold fusion of disasters. His reference was to the recent stir over a supposedly successful experiment in creating energy through cold fusion. It will be June before the DOE decides how to deal with the hydrogen problem, he said. The tanks have been there for 40-plus years," Morgan said. We put in potentially explosive things all along.

Controlling the conditions is important." Morgan said the difference now is that DOE was operating in a more I WANT A SOLID RATE. CONTINUED: FROM B1 want LIQUID ASSETS. Deadly blaze in Seattle similar to Spokane fire A lire that killed a Seattle firefighter last September is similar to a 1982 Spokane fire that claimed the life of firefighter Paul Hcidcnre-ich, according to arson investigators. Experts ignited a batch of chemicals in a vacant store Sunday in Puyallup to learn more about Seattles Blackstock Lumber Co. fire that investigators believe was set by a professional arsonist.

That fire last September burned far more furiously than normal. Seattle Fire Lt. Matthew Johnson died in the blaze. The Blackstock fire was similar to seven other sophisticated arson fires across Washington in the past eight years, including the one in Spokane that killed Heidenreich. lie died during a four-alarm fire on Sept.

13, 1982, at the Tri-State Distributor warehouse. In the test fire early Sunday, a huge fireball burst through the front windows of a vacated clothing store that was scheduled for demolition. Firefighters brought the flames under control within 20 minutes and then began gathering information. Investigators are trying to learn what chemicals were used in warehouse, shipyard and building fires in Spokane, Seattle, Bellingham and Yakima dating to 1982. Heidenreich died while battling the 1982 warehouse fire at SI 10 Sherman in Spokane.

The buildings brick roof collapsed, trapping him. Seven other firefighters were injured in the blaze, which caused S3 million in damages. Crack house permit law delayed SEATTLE A requirement that operators of crack" cocaine houses obtain a health permit or face fines of $10,000 a day will be' delayed at least four months, the King County Health Board decided Monday. The postponement to July I was adopted without discussion by the three-member panel at the request of Charles Klecberg, environmen-tal health chief in the Seattle-King County Health Department. The regulation had been set to take effect next Sunday.

He told the panel the delay was needed so that we could, hopefully, discuss the legal underpinnings" and make any needed changes. Klecberg, a lawyer, previously said research indicated there was no similar rule or law on the books anywhere in the country. Under the regulation, county police would inform health officials when a building was being used for making or selling potent crack cocaine. The owner then would be notified of an apparent violation of health regulations, given 10 days to present a plan for reducing the health and safety risk and directed to pay a 100 review fee. Health officials said they would never expect to get a plan but would use the fine as another way to attack crack houses.

State helps check church shelters LIVINGSTON, Mont Four state officials on Monday began helping Park County authorities inspect bomb shelters being built near here by Church Universal and Triumphant members. Two inspectors from the Food and Consumer Safety Bureau and two more from the Water Quality Bureau will be making random checks of bomb shelters this week. Park County Sanitarian Ken Anderson said Monday. Anderson checked several shelters at the church-owned subdivision of Glastonbury last week and said he found most of them to be in violation of septic system codes. Some had sewage holding tanks, which are illegal in Park County, he said.

Others had been hooked up to illegal or improper systems, and at least one had no system at all, he said. County to consider phosphate ban Commissioners will hold a public hearing today to consider bantling phosphate laundry detergents in Spokane County. Residents of Long Lake on the Spokane River are expected to -testify that phosphates in the river contribute to the severe algae blooms that diminished water quality last summer. Opponents say prohibiting phosphate laundry soap would hurt the phosphate mining industry in southern Idaho while only marginally reducing the amount of phosphates in the river. They argue better sewage treatment would be more effective at reducing phosphate, which provides a nutrient that allows algae to Zr thrive Last month, the Spokane County Wastewater Management Board T- recommended a ban by a 3-1 vote.

But the advisory board said that the ban should not apply to wholesale distributors. Bans already have been passed in Coeur dAlene, Spokane, Post Falls and Liberty Lake. Commissioners are expected to vote on the matter after the 5:30 p.m. hearing at City Hall. Man charged with child molestation jk.

A 62-year-old Spokane man was arrested Monday on a charge of first-degree child molestation, after an alleged incident involving a 6- year-old girl at Harmon Field. X' David Francis Schertzer, of E4026 Joseph, was arrested about 5 p.m. Police said Schertzer grabbed the girl, then tried to coax several other children into his car by offering them his hat. Schertzer reportedly sped from the east Spokane park in a blue Chevrolet Impala after an adult from a nearby residence showed up --at the park. Schertzer returned to the park, however, and police arrested him.

He was booked into the Spokane County Jail on charges of first-degree child molestation and a charge of communicating with a minor for immoral purposes. The man had dated Lowe for nearly 1 1 years and searched for her Saturday night when she didnt show up at the tavern, Matney said. Late Monday, a bartender at the Covered Wagon said Lowe passed through every once in a while as she worked East Sprague, but few people knew much about her. Some said the pace of East Spra gues night life seemed slower in the wake of Lowes death. A handful of prostitutes working the area chatted about moving elsewhere.

Theres somebody running around shooting people, man. reason enough to leave, said one young woman, who asked that her name not be printed. Murder Lowe was last seen about 10 p.m. Saturday, when her boyfriend dropped her off near Sprague and Al-tamont. The two planned to meet later that night at the Covered Wagon Tavern, El 709 Sprague.

But Lowe never showed, so Matney informed authorities that her daughter was missing early Sunday. Lowe and her boyfriend lived with Matney. Lowes partially disrobed body was found a few hours later. Her boyfriend could not be reached for comment Monday, but police have said he is not a suspect in the slaying. SECURITY.

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