Local Briefs June 4, 2012
Burglary thwarted at Beehive Homes
COEUR d'ALENE - A man initially believed to be removing "junk" from an assisted living home in Coeur d'Alene was actually a thief stealing computer equipment, said Coeur d'Alene police.
According to a police report, a Beehive Homes employee saw a man carrying items from the south end of the building at 2100 Sherman Avenue around 3 a.m. Wednesday and place them into a dark four-door believed to be a Chevy Chevrolet. He assumed the man belonged at the location and the employee went back inside to check on patients, then went outside again.
"At this point, he noticed the male loading a computer monitor into the above described vehicle and slowly drive away," the report said. The employee then noticed a screen had been removed from the office window in a building. After a quick search, police were called. Three computers, monitors and a scanner were missing.
Police said the suspect was able to slide an unlocked window open and climb through to the reception area. Once there, the suspect walked to the back portion of the building. "The suspect had removed the hub panel for the telephones and computers which caused all of the computers and telephones to 'crash,'" police said.
No cause of death yet in Plummer death
Benewah County Coroner Ron Hodge said Wednesday an official cause of death has not been determined for a 39-year-old Worley man found dead in a Plummer trailer home May 18.
Hodge said the Spokane County Medical Examiner's Office is performing the autopsy of Thomas R. Schoolcraft. Hodge said he spoke with the medical examiner Wednesday but they had not reached a conclusion yet.
The FBI investigated the death, but officials for the bureau have declined to provide details on what they are calling a "suspicious death."
Joseph L. James, 28, of Plummer, has been arrested in connection with Schoolcraft's death. James is reportedly a cousin of Schoolcraft.
James is facing multiple charges, including criminal homicide, under Coeur d'Alene Tribal code and remains in custody at the Kootenai County jail.
The winning word was 'scurrilous'
Pinkerton Retirement Specialists' team of ace spellers clinched the 2012 Kootenai County Adult Spelling Bee Thursday when they correctly spelled the word. To Bee or Not to Bee, runners-up from the University of Idaho/Coeur d'Alene, went out earlier in round 13 when they missed "leukocyte," spelling the word with a 'c' rather than the 'k.' The Bumble Bees then spelled "leukocyte" correctly and were given the opportunity to spell "scurrilous" to clinch the title.
The spelling bee was sponsored by the Coeur d'Alene area branch of American Association of University Women to raise funds for scholarships at North Idaho College. President Tina Gospodnetich estimated the bee earned about $2,000.
The Pinkerton team was led by Dan Pinkerton, who has two daughters that have competed in previous Scripps National Spelling Bees in Washington, D.C. Two employees, Debbie Dewitz and Emily Hill, completed the team.