April 15, 2010 in Region WENATCHEE, Wash. — The Transportation Department says the North Cascades Highway will reopen at noon Friday after one last sweep. 1

  April 15, 2010 in Region Thousands of smaller-government activists flocked to rallies around the state Thursday as part of national tax-day protests united under the banner of the tea party movement. 2

April 15, 2010 in Nation/World Congress is sending President Barack Obama an $18 billion bill to restore unemployment benefits for people who have been out of a job for months and resume full Medicare payments … 6

April 15, 2010 in Nation/World An attorney says Haiti has dropped kidnapping charges against nine of 10 U.S. missionaries arrested taking a busload of children out of the quake-ravaged country. 3

April 15, 2010 in Idaho SALT LAKE CITY — A magnitude 4.9 earthquake rattled parts of Utah, Wyoming and Idaho on Thursday evening. There were no immediate reports of significant damage or injuries. 1

April 15, 2010 in City The Washington state Supreme Court has ruled that a man’s undocumented immigrant status in the U.S. should not have been introduced in a trial while the man sought damages in … 7

April 15, 2010 in City The Whitworth University Board of Trustees will decide Friday whether to name a Birmingham, Ala., economist as its new president. 1

April 15, 2010 in Idaho The first TV campaign commercial of Idaho’s primary season is out, from congressional candidate Vaughn Ward, featuring him driving and leaning against a big Dodge pickup truck, talking core values. … 2

April 15, 2010 in Business, City The IRS will make you an offer, and it’s one you shouldn’t refuse. If you owe taxes, but don’t have the money to pay the bill by tomorrow’s deadline, you’ll …

April 15, 2010 in City, Idaho The National Weather Service this afternoon issued a new forecast backing off on the risk of showers this afternoon and Friday. 2

April 15, 2010 in City Gov. Chris Gregoire has directed agencies to lower flags at state buildings to half staff today in memory of a Washington soldier killed Sunday by an improvised bomb in Afghanistan. 8

April 15, 2010 in Nation/World on Page A1 WASHINGTON – The state of the economy likely will outweigh any other issue on the minds of voters in midterm congressional elections, which offer Republicans a significant opportunity to add … 4

April 15, 2010 in Nation/World on Page A2 LONDON – Climate-change researchers accused of manipulating or hiding data in last year’s “Climategate” affair were guilty of sloppy record-keeping but not bad science, an independent panel in Britain concluded … 1

April 15, 2010 in Nation/World on Page A3 LOS ANGELES – Despite the now well-known and far-reaching effects of smoking, more than one-fifth of Americans still smoke. Why? For many, it may be hard to quit because they … 2

April 15, 2010 in Nation/World on Page A3 WASHINGTON – Under fire from Republican critics, Attorney General Eric Holder said Wednesday the U.S. still aims to capture and interrogate Osama bin Laden, but expects the al-Qaida leader won’t …

April 15, 2010 in Nation/World on Page A3 WASHINGTON – You wouldn’t know it by the Tax Day rhetoric, but Americans are paying lower taxes this year, even with increases passed by many states to balance their budgets. … 3