Press seeks information on Easter egg hunts

The hunt is on.

If you're organizing a local Easter egg hunt that's open to the public, The Press would like to know about it.

Email the date, time and place of the hunt, what ages it's open to, a contact number and other pertinent information to bbuley@cdapress.com or call 664-8176, Ext. 2016

Here is what we have so far:

• Dalton Gardens City Park, Saturday, April 7, 10:30 a.m. Ages: Toddler through sixth-grade. Hot dogs, cookies, a free drawing for new bikes, and 10,000 eggs to find. Info: 772-0541

• 1st Presbyterian Church, 521 Lakeside Ave., Sunday, April 8, 11 a.m. to noon. Children ages 2 years to kindergarten and children grades 1-5are invited tohunt for eggs followed by games in the church gym.

• Worley City Park, by Worley Fire District, Saturday, April 7, 1 p.m. Ages 2-10. Info: (208) 686-1718.

Autism walk is April 21 at Riverstone

COEUR d'ALENE - The Panhandle Autism Society is celebrating Autism Awareness Month in April by sponsoring a walk and run on April 21 at Riverstone Park.

The event will begin at 10 a.m. Each registrant can either walk around the perimeter of the park or join a 3K run on the North Idaho Centennial Trail.

Teams and individuals are welcome to collect pledges to benefit the autism awareness in North Idaho.

Autism is developmental disability that affects a person's ability to communicate and interact with others.

There will be drawings for prizes, as well as awards to the top runners.

Registration: http://pas.eventsbot.com or download a form at

www.panhandleautismsociety.com.

'Grandparents' author to speak at St. Pius X

COEUR d'ALENE - Elaine K. Williams, author of the book, "The Sacred Works of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren," will speak April 10 at St. Pius X Catholic Church.

Williams will share her expertise and offer helpful tips for the community, and those working in the field of relative care providers.

The free presentation will begin at 11:45 a.m.

In Idaho, more than 23,000 children live in households headed by grandparents or other relatives. According the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of children being raised by a relative caregivers has doubled over the last 10 years.

Register online at www.kootenaialliance.org

Lunch is $7.

Info: Glenda Weaver, 769-7096

Rake 'n' Run event slated for May 23

COEUR d'ALENE - CareNet members will be participating in the 3rd annual Rake 'n' Run on Wednesday, May 23.

This community service is designed to help as many seniors as possible with spring yard cleanup. Team of CareNet members will engage in a friendly competition to gather the most bags of debris.

CareNet's mission is to provide community-based resources for older adults in the region through networking, philanthropy and education.

"We're hoping to outdo ourselves this year," said 2012 Rake and Run committee Chair, Tiffany Jones, "and spread our heartfelt cheer and goodwill to seniors in our community."

Community members who would like to nominate a senior in need or who would like to join one of the CareNet teams of volunteers may contact Stephanie Godinez or Tiffany Jones at Crest Home Health, 765-4343.

Manslaughter suspect to be arraigned

SANDPOINT - A Louisiana man charged with causing a deadly collision with a motorcyclist on U.S. Highway 95 in Sagle is scheduled to be arraigned in May.

Plea negotiations in Taj P. LeCompte's vehicular manslaughter case were initiated last year, although it is not clear in court documents if they bore fruit. His arraignment is set for May 4 in Bonner County Magistrate Court.

Idaho State Police said LeCompte was driving south on the highway when he turned into the path of a northbound motorcyclist. LeCompte was attempting to turn left onto Bottle Bay Road.

Lawrence "Red" Barber, a 60-year-old from Twin Falls, crashed his Suzuki Cavalcade into the full-size pickup truck LeCompte was driving. Barber died at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle 10 days after the Sept. 8, 2011, collision.

LeCompte, 33, of Elton, La., was charged with vehicular manslaughter at the misdemeanor level after an ISP investigation ruled out intoxication and reckless driving as factors in the crash.

If convicted of the offense, LeCompte faces up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine, according to Idaho Code.

Gov. Otter reaffirms support for Internet tax

BOISE (AP) - Gov. Butch Otter still finds merit in joining a national push to collect Internet sales taxes that could generate some $35 million a year for Idaho.

Otter reaffirmed support for such a measure Friday in a post-Legislature address in his office.

Anti-tax House Republicans killed the annually recurring plan in a committee midway through the 2012 legislative session.

Proponents of the idea say it will level the playing field for Idaho's brick-and-mortar businesses, which must collect sales tax when they make a sale. Idahoans are required to report online purchases and pay taxes on them each year.

But few do.

House Majority Leader Mike Moyle, who accompanied Otter as he addressed reporters on the Capitol's second floor, reiterated his opposition Friday.

Moyle said Congress should take action first.

Also on Friday, Otter aides backtracked on a claim that Idaho teachers are due 2 percent pay increases, courtesy of the 2012 Legislature.

Lawmakers did restore teacher salary funding over the next five years that had been on the chopping block, to help pay for last year's education reforms.

But unlike state workers, teachers aren't due 2 percent pay increases.

A reporter on Friday caught the mistake in Otter's statement lauding the 2012 Legislature's accomplishments.

Otter's finance chief, Wayne Hammon, apologized for the overreach, calling it his mistake.

The Republican governor is eager to tout the session's education-related advances - as he plans to spend coming months defending public schools chief Tom Luna's "Students Come First" education reforms.

They're subject to a November ballot initiative seeking to throw them out.