December 21, 2012 in City A basement fire brought crews to the Spokane County Jail about 5:30 this evening.

December 21, 2012 in Region School and police officials in Spokane and Kootenai counties say money is scarce to place more police officers in schools, while the solutions to school violence are more complex than … 31

December 21, 2012 The Washington State Patrol is responding to a two-car injury collision that’s partially blocking Highway 395 near H Street in Deer Park, according to a WSP dispatcher. The crash occurred …

  December 21, 2012 in City The Spokane Police Department, hoping to restore public confidence and rebuild its tarnished image, will embark on a major reorganization next month that’s intended to give the agency greater crime-fighting … 49

December 21, 2012 in Business, Idaho Idaho’s unemployment rate continued to fall in November, dropping below 7 percent for the first time in 3½ years as employers maintained payrolls at a stronger pace than normal for … 7

December 21, 2012 in Nation/World WASHINGTON — The nation’s largest gun-rights lobby is calling for armed police officers to be posted in every American school to stop the next killer “waiting in the wings.” 117

December 21, 2012 in City SPOKANE — When a Spokane drugstore clerk confronted a suspected shoplifter early today he pulled out a knife and threatened her. 25

December 21, 2012 in City on Page A1 Rumors of a school shooting plot prompted three school districts to cancel classes today for about 20,000 students in Kootenai County. Although police have not verified a real threat of … 7

December 21, 2012 in Nation/World on Page A2 NEW ORLEANS – A Louisiana woman ran afoul of police when she gave her neighbors an unusual holiday greeting: hanging Christmas lights in the shape of a middle finger. Sarah … 2

December 21, 2012 in Nation/World on Page A3 New York – The brother of imprisoned financier Bernard Madoff was sentenced Thursday to 10 years in prison for crimes committed in the shadow of his notorious sibling by a …

December 21, 2012 in Nation/World on Page A3 WASHINGTON – House Speaker John Boehner rejected calls from Democrats to schedule a vote on new gun restrictions before the end of the year, saying he wants to wait for …

December 21, 2012 in Nation/World on Page A3 HARROLD, Texas – In this tiny Texas town, children and their parents don’t give much thought to safety at the community’s lone school – mostly because some of the teachers … 3

December 21, 2012 in Nation/World on Page A3 WASHINGTON – Although public support for “gun control” as a general concept remains well below the levels found in the 1990s, several polls in recent days have shown Americans favor …

December 21, 2012 in Nation/World on Page A4 UNITED NATIONS – The U.N. Security Council on Thursday authorized military action to wrest northern Mali from the control of al-Qaida-linked extremists but demanded progress first on political reconciliation, elections …

December 21, 2012 in Nation/World on Page A4 Kabul, Afghanistan – Members of Afghanistan’s warring sides gathered near Paris on Thursday to begin informal talks about the country’s future as U.S. and NATO forces pull out. It was …