The Spokesman-Review from Spokane, Washington • 24

rr wwww p1 0 Page B8 Friday, February 6, 1998 The Spokesman-Review The Region Tribal housing agency knocked New counties dealt major blow Unanimous Supreme Court says Legislature cannot be forced to divide, create counties I- By Hal Spencer i Associated Press failed to ensure proper maintenance of the homes, one of which was found to have raw sewage flowing beneath it. The housing authority manages 70 homes on the Upper Skagit and Sauk-Suiattle reservations, near Sedro-Woolley and Darrington. HUD also is concerned that the authoritys six-member board, charged with looking out for its best interests, did not report concerns about Benallys performance. Be-nallys father, Harlan Sam, was board chairman during her tenure. It is not clear what action HUD will take.

The 650-member Upper Skagit tribe is working to fix problems outlined in the HUD inspector generals report, tribal officials said. Benally, who was fired in July, partly because she had no experience as a manager or director, could not be reached for comment. Associated Press SEDRO-WOOLLEY, Wash. A low-income housing program at two Skagit Valley Indian reservations is rife with favoritism and failed to adequately maintain homes, federal investigators have found. Laura Benally, former head of the Cascade Inter-Tribal Housing Authority, has been under investigation since last fall by the Seattle staff of the U.S.

Department of Housing and Urban Developments inspector general. HUD provides most of the authoritys funding $663,000 in grants in 1996. Investigators found that Benally allowed a family member to jump ahead of others on a housing waiting list, overlooked income requirements for another relative and accepted incomplete income reports. The investigation also found that Once the Legislature is confronted with a valid petition, it is compelled by the constitution to create a county. A new-county petition is valid if it contains signatures of a majority of people living in the area who voted in the last general election.

The court agreed unanimously the secretary of state in this case, Republican Ralph Munro has no legal authority to determine the sufficiency of formation petitions for new counties. Furthermore, the court said, the Legislature cannot be compelled to form a new county. Even presentation of a sufficiently signed petition would not impose upon the Legislature a duty to create the new county. King County Executive Ron Sims called the ruling appropriate but was quick to add that King County has taken notice of citizen discontent. He said the county is working hard to improve communication and government services to rural King County.

ments as well. They include the proposed Pioneer County in part of Whatcom County; Freedom County in the northern part of Snohomish County; and Skykomish County in a southeastern portion of Snohomish County and a northeastern section of King County. Ted E. Cowan, a leader in the Cedar County movement, was bitter. We got a political decision rather than a legal decision, he said, adding that the decision is a serious blow.

The new-county movement stems from frustration with county governments particularly land-use controls and environmental regulations. The last Washington county was formed in 1911, when Pend Oreille County was separated from Stevens County in northeastern Washington. Basically, the high court rejected three contentions from the Cedar County Committee and seven individuals. They had argued that: Once the secretary of state receives a valid petition to create a county, he is compelled by law and the constitution to certify it. OLYMPIA The angry movement to carve out acw counties in Western Washington suffered a k-tfous blow Thursday when the state Supreme Court ruled that the Legislature cannot be forced to create a county.

The court, voting unanimously, also said the secretary of state has no legal duty to certify citizen petitions to create counties, in this case the proposed Cedar County in eastern King County. It also said backers of the proposed county had failed to submit signatures of a majority of voters living in the proposed county as required by the constitution. 'The decision, written by Justice James Dolliver, is a major setback to leaders not only of the Cedar County movement but three other similar move I I Meehan: Offered counsel he said said. Meehan, who had been a patrol officer for four years, was fired in late September. Several weeks later, prosecutors charged Meehan in connection with a visit he and other officers made to Adams house last April.

Meehan said nothing about knowing Adams while two other officers questioned her April 9, prosecutors say. who youre talking about, Estes said. But then he admitted hed known Adams and had visited or called her regularly for about two weeks, Estes said. Later in the three-hour interview with police investigators, Meehan acknowledged he would go to Adams house and counsel her for promiscuity and drug use, Estes Continued from B1 J. Spokane police Detective Ben Estes testified Thursday that Meehan at first denied he had any knowledge of Laice Peterson.

Estes told jurors he formally questioned Meehan on Sept. 4 about the allegations. Meehan first said I dont know Treat yourself to a New Years jft fashionable new eyewear Vista Optical. You certainly have plenty of choices. Over 400 stylish frames for the everyday low price of just $64 each, including single vision, plastic lenses.

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Two men in the audience expressed concern for kids who may not get much help at home. If the tests are tough for kids with attentive parents, what about the others? Thats where the whole community comes in, said Cooper, a classroom volunteer. Find out where there are needs in children besides your own, Cooper said. Were there to help all the children because all the children are the future. schools.

The tests are different from most assessments because they ask children to explain how they arrived at solutions. No more simply checking answer boxes. When parents are checking over kids homework, Bergeson said they can help by asking, How did you get that answer? Explaining it verbally is great practice for explaining it in fcontinued from B1 own, too, educators said. They can initiate meetings with teachers, request lists of what their children will be expected to know, even ask schools for sample tests. Take it yourself.

Its very enlightening, said Glenus Cooper, whose children attend Central Valley Thor: Became U.S. citizen in 96 Spokane Spokane Valley Mall, 922-2746 Northtown Shopping Center, 489-6275 COEUR DALENE Silver Lake Mall, 208-765-5888 SANDPOINT Bonner Mall, 3295 Highway 95 208-265-4633 Same prescription, same visit We recommend ALCON products for your eyecare needs Funeral Home in Spokane. They all take turns. As animists people who believe that everything has a soul they want to help Thors spirit travel through Spokane and Thailand and eventually to his native Laos before going to heaven, Xiong said. Before his burial, which will start at 7 a.m.

Monday, his relatives will stay up all night to talk about his life. He was very outgoing and loud, Xiong said. Fie was a very respected elder in Spokane. formal military graveside honors, will last a week, Xiong said. Thousands of dollars have been spent to pay homage to Thor and to ensure that his spirit returns to heaven.

Hmong families usually have a hard time finding a funeral home to accommodate their needs, Xiong said. So far, Thors friends and family have spent days drumming and chanting by his body at Heritage Continued from B1 When he wasnt working, he enjoyed hunting in the Blue Mountains near Walla Walla. He also learned to ice-fish. Thor became a U.S. citizen in 1996.

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90 Days, No Interest No Payments Ends 22898 Subject to credit approval Interest charges accrue during the promotional period and will he credited If your account Is paid In Hill wllhin the 90 day period Now available at this convenient NordicTrack locationl Northtown Mall (509)483-6145 Harry S. Dent, Jr. President. Dent foundation Questions? For more information, call 509 459-5QQ5 Km IK Presented by. The Spokesman-Review VL, Co-sponsored by, V.

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