Features

Before pickleball, racquetball bounced to the heights of popularity in sports. The fast-paced game boomed in the 1980s and into the 1990s, but then faded from the limelight. That doesn't mean racquetball has vanished in the Spokane area, said longtime player Rich Carver. Carver expects 100 enthusiasts will join a May 17-19 racquetball tournament at the Spokane Club. He estimates about 150 people in the area play regularly.

LAS VEGAS – Aura, a humanoid robot that works inside the Sphere, wants visitors to the immersive entertainment venue to know her kind comes in peace.

When one thinks of spring, what colors come to mind? Perhaps pink, yellow and of course blue. Blue is not only one of the most popular colors, it can also be an ideal color for spring. Looking for ways to utilize blue into your spring décor? Here are some tips. Use tints tints, tones and shades of blue. It is OK to mix -- for example, to pair light blue and indigo. Integrate blue accents ...

Federal officials are warning health care providers to be on the lookout for invasive meningococcal disease, a rare but potentially deadly illness that has increased in prevalence in recent years and requires prompt treatment with antibiotics to prevent long-term disability or death.

When some kids were outside at recess without coats or gloves on chilly days, Jefferson Elementary fifth-grader Bennet Robertson took notice. She recruited her friend Frida Sanchez to help her create a Coat Cart to provide warm clothing that students could borrow to go outside and play.

As pickleball's popularity has exploded the past five years – especially in the 50 and older crowd – the number of pickleball-related injuries also is rising. Problems include sprains, fractures and overuse issues such as elbow tendinitis.

While driving through downtown this week, you may have noticed something strange about the sign on Sacred Heart hospital. As part of a rebrand that includes updating the sign, varying letters may have been missing from Spokane’s flagship hospital, depending on the day.

Providence Health Care’s comprehensive sleep clinic is moving and expanding in an effort to relieve a backlog of patients.

Washington State University

I sometimes refer to my dog’s crate as his apartment. It’s large enough that I can fit in there with him (sized for “extra large” dogs, while he is “medium” sized) and it’s outfitted with a memory foam dog bed, two pillows, and a sherpa blanket. He likes to hang out in there with the door open during the day, and if I need to leave him home alone, he races in at the mention of “crate,” knowing that once he gets there he’ll get a treat. Still, whenever I close the door and lock him inside, I’m met with a wave of guilt. Is it OK to keep a sentient being cooped up like that, even if only for a few hours?

CHICAGO — The last time we saw James Bond he was being blown to bits. Sorry, but “No Time to Die” is three years old now and the spoiler statute of limitations has expired. Chris Corbould blew him up. He’d been trying to blow up 007 since 1977, beginning with “The Spy Who Loved Me.” We met the other day at the Museum of Science and Industry in Hyde Park, which has a new exhibit of Bond gadgets ...

Mid-March is the perfect time to start warm season vegetables indoors. Plants like tomato, eggplant and peppers started now will be ready to plant out at the end of May when we are less likely to get a frost. There is still time to start cool season vegetables like cabbage, onions, cauliflower and broccoli but don’t wait too long as these crops need cooler spring weather to grow properly.

Support staff at MultiCare Deaconess and Valley hospitals are prepared to strike as soon as next month should their contract demands not be met.

Two days before writing this column, I saved an Ohio homeowner $30,000. He had stumbled across my website, and he saw that I consult with readers on the phone. Water was ponding against his house foundation, and he was considering signing a contract with a waterproofing company for the above amount.

Don Duffy is leaving the Panhandle Health District, which covers five North Idaho counties, after a decade and three years at the helm during COVID-19. Panhandle Health has broad services: Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer water quality protection, nutrition services and operation of primary care clinics – one each of its counties. Duffy was the district's incident commander during the pandemic. Duffy said he didn’t choose a briefly-held masking mandate its board of health implemented that was largely ignored by the public. In hindsight, he thinks more focus should have gone toward vulnerable seniors in health care facilities. Leaving May 24, Duffy plans to run a medical consulting practice.

Like a nest housing an egg, Ravi Waran’s cupped hand cradled a white ping-pong ball. After a couple of deliberate bounces on the corner of the table in front of him, his face inches from the ball, he tossed it into the air. Eyes locked, his paddle made contact and shot it toward opponent Nick Dotson.

Washington State University