Explosive detonated outside Latah County Courthouse Saturday
A homemade explosive found Saturday was safely detonated by the Spokane Bomb Squad in the Latah County Courthouse parking lot around 8:20 p.m that evening.
Lt. Brannon Jordan of the Latah County Sherriff’s Office said the device found along Paradise Ridge Road was constructed with cardboard 1 inch in diameter and 6 inches long.
Jordan said the squad attached a small explosive to the device and blew it in half to render it safe. He said the remains are being analyzed for fingerprints and to determine what brand of gunpowder was used.
Jordan said the person who found the device originally took it to the Moscow Police Department. The individual picked up the phone outside the office that is generally used to contact a dispatcher when the office is closed, and was instructed to take the device to the Latah County Sherriff’s Office.
“It is my understanding he never talked to an officer,” Jordan said.
He said he is working with Paul Kwiatkowski of the Moscow Police Department, who assisted the sheriff’s office during the event. They are determining why the individual was instructed to continue transportation of the device instead of remaining at the police department until authorities arrived.
Ice rink outside Commons as part of UI Winter Carnival
Thursday through Saturday the space outside Einstein’s Bagels and the University of Idaho Commons will be transformed into a 30 by 40 foot ice rink.
Callie Ward, ASUI Recreation Board chair, said the idea stemmed from a conversation with Colleen Quinn, director of student involvement.
“I always want to incorporate one new thing with each office I have,” Ward said. “Colleen mentioned offhand the ice rink at her college was really fun and I decided to run with it. Now it has turned into a big event.”
The rink is a part of what Ward is calling the first annual Winter Carnival. The rink is free for students and provides skates for those who need them.
“They just have to sign a waiver then they can skate their little hearts out,” she said.
The rink is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, 1 to 7 p.m. Friday, and technically open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, although Ward said Saturday is open to groups and clubs to reserve within 30 minutes windows.
But she said to participate Saturday, everyone needs to bring one can of food to benefit the UI Food Pantry. Thursday and Friday donations will also be accepted with each can equaling a raffle ticket for a lift ticket at the end of the day.
Ward said they are not sure where the ticket will be for yet because they are trying to get
the best deal, but said they will have them for raffle winners.
“It’s cool because I think it’s the responsibility of ASUI to coordinate new events on campus,” Ward said.
She said they are also trying to coordinate other events to go along with the ice rink, but do not have anything set in stone.