May 18, 2012 in City, News A life of crime likely ended today as a Spokane judge sentenced a man to 17 years in prison for the brutal beating, rape and slaying of a 62-year-old woman … 2

May 18, 2012 in City, News The controversial firing of the Northwest Museum of Arts and Cultures director could be headed to a legal showdown. 19

May 18, 2012 in Features The Floater concert scheduled for tonight at the Knitting Factory Concert House in downtown Spokane has been canceled. 1

May 18, 2012 in Business, Idaho Idaho employers maintained hiring at seasonal levels in April, while the state’s labor force remained unchanged, driving the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate down for the ninth straight month to 7.7 … 12

May 18, 2012 in City, Idaho Mild spring weather is going to take hold over the Inland Northwest through Sunday with highs in the middle to upper 60s across the region.

May 18, 2012 in Region Mason and Sophia were the most popular names for babies born in Washington in 2011. In Idaho, the top names for newborns were Mason and Emma, the Social Security Administration … 6

May 18, 2012 in Nation/World, Outdoors SEATTLE — The first shipment of Alaska’s Copper River salmon arrived this morning at Sea-Tac Airport aboard an Alaska Airlines cargo flight from Cordova. 9

May 18, 2012 in City, News The Washington State Patrol is handling a deadly crash in north Spokane this morning as a crime scene because the only victim in the car may not have been driving. 3

May 18, 2012 in City on Page A1 OLYMPIA – Opponents of Initiative 1183 took their last shot at keeping the state in the liquor business Thursday, telling the Washington Supreme Court the ballot measure had too many … 5

May 18, 2012 in Nation/World on Page A1 WASHINGTON – Cancer patient Kathy Watson voted Republican in 2008 and believes the government has no right telling Americans to get health insurance. Nonetheless, she says she’d be dead if … 54

May 18, 2012 in City on Page A1 The Spokane Police Department has rehired embattled Detective Jeff Harvey even though his lawsuit against the city remains unresolved. City spokeswoman Marlene Feist said Harvey’s first day back was Monday … 28

May 18, 2012 in Nation/World on Page A2 RICHMOND, Calif. – Voters in Richmond are set to decide whether to make the San Francisco Bay Area city the nation’s first municipality to tax soda and other sugary beverages … 3

May 18, 2012 in Nation/World on Page A3 Washington – The House endorsed the continued war in Afghanistan on Thursday despite acknowledgment from Republicans and Democrats that the American people are war-weary after more than a decade of …

May 18, 2012 in Nation/World on Page A3 The United States has reached a historic tipping point – with Latino, Asian, mixed-race and African-American births constituting a majority of births for the first time, the U.S. Census Bureau … 4

May 18, 2012 in Nation/World on Page A4 Havana – Cuban first daughter Mariela Castro has been granted a U.S. visa to attend events in San Francisco and New York, sparking a firestorm of criticism from Cuban-American politicians …

May 18, 2012 in City on Page A5 Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire told the state’s largest teachers union that she will work to increase taxes to help the state meet its mandate to provide quality education. “I am … 1