Stories in this Regional News Roundup are excerpted from weekly newspapers from around the region. This is part one, with part two set to appear in Sunday’s Tribune.
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COUNCIL, Idaho — A New Meadows man has been charged with fatally shooting his son May 22 in the home they lived in together, according to the Adams County Sheriff’s Office.
Steven Walker, 74, was charged with second-degree murder after Troy Walker, 50, died from a single gunshot wound through the sternum, the sheriff’s office said.
Steven Walker surrendered without incident and was booked into the Adams County Jail in Council, where he remained Wednesday.
The elder Walker told investigators that he shot his son, but said he did so in self-defense, according to court documents.
Walker was scheduled to appear Wednesday before Adams County Magistrate Judge John Meienhofer at the Adams County Courthouse in Council. Results of that hearing were not available.
The alleged incident happened about 8:50 p.m. May 22 at the home at 206 S. Commercial Ave., after a dispute over disciplining the three children living in the house, ages 9, 8 and 8, court documents said.
The children belong to a woman who also was living in the house at the time and reported the shooting to police.
The woman and the children had been living at the house for about a month after she and Troy Walker “had recently come back into contact with each other” following a previous relationship, the court document said.
Steve Walker came outside with his hands in the air and peacefully surrendered at 9:17 p.m. when Adams County deputies arrived at the scene, court documents said.
The woman told investigators that Walker and his son had been drinking beer all day when the dispute began over how to properly discipline the children, a topic that also came up days earlier, on May 20.
— Drew Dodson, The Star-News (McCall), Thursday
Idaho County Airport set to close June 15 for rehabilitation project
GRANGEVILLE — The Idaho County Airport will be closed to all fixed-wing traffic starting June 15 for a pavement rehabilitation project.
The approximate $330,000 project will provide asphalt coats to the runway, taxiway and three west-end taxi lanes, comprising a total 90,500 square feet. Work will run for nine consecutive days, and the project will be conducted by C.R. Contracting of Bend, Ore.
Only helicopter traffic will be allowed during the work. Approximately 30 days following the work, the facility will be closed for one day to apply new aviation markings.
Ninety percent of the project cost will be covered by a U.S. Department of Transportation grant, with the remainder split between the state of Idaho and Idaho County.
— Idaho County Free Press (Grangeville), Wednesday
