August 21, 2009 in News, Region Lightning-sparked wildfires burned around the region on Friday, including one that consumed some 2,500 acres in northwest Whitman County and another that forced a temporary evacuation of a campground near …

August 21, 2009 in City Three laptops and two computers containing irreplaceable data belonging to a small nonprofit agency were stolen overnight Thursday just as the group prepared for its largest annual fundraiser. 1

August 21, 2009 in Idaho BOISE— The latest act in a nine-year battle between Tom Hanks, his wife Rita Wilson and the high-end contractor Storey Construction played out before the Idaho Supreme Court on Friday. 1

August 21, 2009 in Region EPHRATA — Firefighters from across Washington have arrived in central Washington’s Grant County and a complex of four wildfires there no longer threatens homes.

August 21, 2009 in City Two maintenance workers were testing and reprogramming garage door openers at a Spokane Valley apartment complex Thursday when they heard a muffled meowing in one of the garages. 2

August 21, 2009 in City Tire-flattening strips deployed by Spokane County sheriff’s deputies disabled the vehicle of two suspected burglars and allowed the arrest of two men with the stolen goods stuffed in back. 2

August 21, 2009 in City A woman leaving a convenience store in Spokane Valley was punched by a robber, who knocked her unconscious and fled with her purse, officers said.

August 21, 2009 in City A faulty portable air conditioner was blamed for a fire this morning that damaged a home in northeast Spokane.

August 21, 2009 in City, Idaho A round of rain and thunderstorms overnight is bringing some relief from Thursday’s heat and haze, but there’s still plenty of summer left in today’s forecast. One home in the …

August 21, 2009 in Nation/World on Page A1 WASHINGTON – If you’re planning a garage sale or organizing a church bazaar, beware: You could be breaking a new federal law. As part of a campaign called Resale Roundup, …

August 21, 2009 in Nation/World on Page A1 MEXICO CITY – Mexico enacted a controversial law Thursday decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana, cocaine, heroin and other drugs while encouraging free government treatment for drug dependency. The …

August 21, 2009 in Nation/World on Page A3 WASHINGTON – In one brief letter, Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts underscored both the fragility of his own health and the Democratic consensus on health care. On Tuesday, the ailing …

August 21, 2009 in Nation/World on Page A3 WASHINGTON – Public confidence in President Barack Obama’s leadership has declined sharply over the summer, amid intensifying opposition to health care reform that threatens to undercut his attempt to enact … 1

August 21, 2009 in Nation/World on Page A3 COLUMBIA, S.C. – Someone who bought a Powerball ticket in South Carolina is a whole lot richer. The single winning ticket for Wednesday’s $259.9 million drawing was sold at a …

August 21, 2009 in Nation/World on Page A3 SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The California Senate, after a highly charged debate, approved a plan Thursday to trim the state’s prison population by 27,000 inmates, acting over the objections of Republican …