June 24, 2011 in Nation/World New York lawmakers narrowly voted to legalize same-sex marriage, handing activists a breakthrough victory in the state where the gay rights movement was born. New York will become the sixth … 17

June 24, 2011 in Sports Instead of opening this season in his native Australia, Craig Alexander, a two-time Ironman world champion, was forced to take four weeks off and start his season with his first …

June 24, 2011 in Idaho, Region Alfalfa sprouts grown in North Idaho may be to blame for an outbreak of salmonella in the Inland Northwest, according to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. Idaho public …

June 24, 2011 in Nation/World A federal judge blocked the parts of Indiana’s tough new abortion law that cut off most of Planned Parenthood’s public funding in the state because the organization provides abortions. U.S. … 2

June 24, 2011 in Nation/World Authorities say they’ve that one of the participants in a mock Old West gun battle in South Dakota fired live ammunition instead of using blanks, wounding three tourists. More than … 8

June 24, 2011 in Business A summer road trip may not be such a bad idea after all. Gasoline prices are falling fast. In the past 7 weeks, the average U.S. retail prices has dropped … 35

June 24, 2011 in Sports When Kyle Rowley sprained the AC joint in his right (throwing) shoulder six weeks ago, some thought it could be a season-ending injury. Best-case scenarios had him returning late in …

June 24, 2011 in Features, Nation/World Peter Falk, the stage and movie actor who became identified as the squinty, rumpled detective in “Columbo,” which spanned 30 years in primetime television and established one of the most … 3

June 24, 2011 in Nation/World Forget mice. A Swiss cat named Speedy has an eye for finer things.

June 24, 2011 in City, Idaho Below-normal June temperatures will continue through the weekend, but skies will be mostly sunny over the next three days, forecasters said.

June 24, 2011 in City on Page A1 The Caterpillar heavy equipment company announced Thursday that it will open a half-million-square-foot distribution center in Spokane County that will employ 100 to 150. The center is expected to open … 16

June 24, 2011 in City on Page A1 Local law enforcement is preparing for this weekend’s Hoopfest, one of Spokane’s largest events. Spokane police Officer Jennifer DeRuwe said she can’t comment on specific safety measures being taken, but …

June 24, 2011 in Nation/World on Page A1 WASHINGTON – Oil prices dropped sharply Thursday on news that the United States and Europe will sell 60 million barrels of oil from their strategic reserves over the next 30 … 60

June 24, 2011 in City on Page A2 For 06-24-2011

June 24, 2011 in Nation/World on Page A2 LOS ANGELES – NASA’s pioneering Dawn spacecraft, a year late in being launched and 20 percent over budget, is slowly creeping up on the protoplanet Vesta and is expected to … 4

June 24, 2011 in Nation/World on Page A3 BAGHDAD – Four bombs ripped through Shiite neighborhoods in Baghdad Thursday evening, killing at least 40 people in the worst violence the capital has seen in months, Iraqi officials said. … 1

June 24, 2011 in Nation/World on Page A3 WASHINGTON – A food pyramid just for the under-2 set? Contrary to popular belief, children don’t usually outgrow their baby fat – and a new report urges steps to help … 3