Week of November 10-16

Last week a scammer hit my debit card for under two dollars. Just a guess that a fraud-detecting algorithm flagged the purchase as suspicious and the card was suddenly useless. Some time on the phone and a trip to the bank, unnecessarily increasing my carbon footprint, the card was replaced. Remember, local law enforcement won’t fly detectives to investigate a $2.00 fraudulent purchase in the Southwest. If this happens to you, notify the Federal Trade Commision at www.ftc.gov.

During the week of November 10th – 16th the Chewelah PD handled approximately 55 calls. Officers responded to an intrusion alarm; assisted other agencies; took a burglary report; and received six dog complaints. If you own a dog, please be sure and obtain a tag for it & keep it either on a leash or contained in your house or yard. Also, if you own a building or a car, remember to lock the doors to deter theft. Officers responded to a domestic disturbance; an incomplete 911 call; a couple info reports; a protection order violation; and a building was found unsecured by a nightshift officer who was rattling doors. A suspicious person was contacted; a theft report; a fraud complaint; and someone reported illegal burning. Threats; an unwanted person report; three welfare check requests; thirty traffic stops….and a pursuit. The pursuit resulted after an officer attempted to make a traffic stop just before 0200 hrs. The driver of the vehicle zigged and zagged northbound through town, passing the east side of the City Park at 50mph. The driver of the stolen car headed for the hills and eventually, doing a real life ‘Dukes of Hazard’, descended a steep embankment where it came to rest against a large stump. The next morning two males were seen hitchhiking north of Chewelah. Officers contacted them and they confessed to being the operator and passenger of the vehicle.

(STAFF REPORTS/Chewelah Independent)

HOLIDAY JOY: Stevens County Law Enforcement Association Christmas Miracle program brings the holidays to families in need, and officers need your help in finding families…

The Stevens County Law Enforcement Association is bringing holiday cheer to area families in need with their Christmas Miracle program. After getting information from the community, law enforcement officers deliver a Christmas for those who would have otherwise not have one.

Last year, law enforcement officers filled the Stevens County Fire District No. 1 conference room with presents for six Christmas Miracle families. This year they can make Christmas happen for even more families, but they need the community’s help.

SCLEA is asking for submissions for families to be completed by November 28. If you would like to submit a family, please provide the following information and email it to stevenscountylea@gmail.com with the subject line “Christmas Miracle Program.” More

(BRANDON HANSEN/Chewelah Independent)

The Chewelah Fire Department responded to a mid-day fire in downtown Chewelah at an apartment above Kathy’s Attic. (Jared Arnold photo)

FRIDAY FIRE: Family loses belongings in downtown apartment fire, Chewelah Fire Department prevents blaze from spreading to businesses…

A fundraiser has been set up for a family of five after a Friday fire hit their downtown Chewelah apartment above Kathy’s Attic.

The Chewelah Fire Department arrived on the scene after midday on Friday, having to completely shut down Main Ave. in the process so that traffic was not an issue.
One room was fully involved when firefighters arrived. An attack line was taken upstairs and used to extinguish the fire.

“We were lucky it hadn’t spread to the building structure,” Chewelah Fire Chief Dave DeVeau said. “Our awesome crews limited damage to the original fire room.”

The department’s new ladder track was put into position and set up in case firefighters had to switch from an offensive attack to a defensive attack and contain the blaze to just one section of the block.

K.S. Brooks photo

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