Stories for December 11, 2012

• Suspect in case of missing NYC boy due in court

  In Nation/World NEW YORK (AP) — The man charged with killing a 6-year-old New York boy in 1979 is expected to plead not guilty to murder despite police saying he confessed to …

• Family of LA man killed in NYC release statement

  In Nation/World NEW YORK (AP) — Family members of a man who was gunned down in a brazen ambush in midtown Manhattan are urging anyone with information on the killing to contact …

• NKorea springs surprise with rocket launch

  In Nation/World WASHINGTON (AP) — North Korea’s successful launch of a long-range rocket caught the world by surprise after the secretive regime in Pyongyang claimed technical issues had caused a delay. It …

• Gunman opens fire in Portland mall; 3 dead

  In Nation/World PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A masked gunman wearing camouflage opened fire Tuesday in a busy Portland mall, leaving the gunman and two others dead and forcing the mall’s Santa Claus …

• Balanced Bearkats have Eastern’s attention

  In Sports Sam Houston State knows how to keep its options open. The Bearkats’ offense is hard to define, much less contain, employing a variety of formations that capitalize on team speed, …

• Epic comeback hardly an issue for EWU players

  In Sports Remember 2004? You know, the big comeback that year by Sam Houston State to beat Eastern Washington in the playoffs?

• NKorea springs surpise with rocket launch

  In Nation/World WASHINGTON (AP) — North Korea’s launch of a long-range rocket caught the world by surprise after the secretive regime in Pyongyang claimed technical issues had caused a delay. North Korea …

• Charlston found perfect match at Idaho

  In Sports Alyssa Charlston could easily detail her year-by-year improvement with Idaho’s women’s basketball team.

• 3 dead, including gunman, in Oregon mall shooting

  In Nation/World PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Police says three people are dead, including the gunman, after a shooting at a shopping mall in the Portland, Ore., area. Clackamas County sheriff’s Lt. James …

• Gunman opens fire at Portland-area mall

  In Region PORTLAND — A gunman opened fire in a suburban Portland shopping mall today, killing two people and wounding another as people were doing their Christmas shopping, authorities said. 10

• At least 1 dead in Portland-area mall shooting

  In Nation/World PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Police say at least one person is dead and multiple people are wounded after someone opened fire in a Portland, Ore., area mall filled with holiday …

• SD mother of 1st surviving US quintuplets dies

  In Nation/World SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Mary Ann Darling Fischer, who gave birth to the U.S.’s first known surviving quintuplets in 1963 in an event that brought intense media interest in …

• ‘Cliff’ movement? Obama, Boehner trade proposals

  In Nation/World WASHINGTON (AP) — In a test of divided government, President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner sought an elusive compromise Tuesday to prevent economy-damaging tax increases on the middle … 2

• NY, 6 other states suing EPA over drilling methane

  In Nation/World PITTSBURGH (AP) — Seven Northeastern and mid-Atlantic states announced plans Tuesday to sue the Environmental Protection Agency, saying it is violating the Clean Air Act by failing to address methane …

• US institute: NKorea launch likely delayed 10 days

  In Nation/World WASHINGTON (AP) — North Korea’s planned launch of a long-range rocket could be delayed for 10 days or more after it reported technical delays, a U.S. academic institute said Tuesday. …

• King County districts win Race to the Top grant

  In Region SEATTLE — Seven school districts in King County have won a $40 million federal grant, the U.S. Department of Education announced today. 2

• Otter opts for state-based exchange in Idaho

  In Idaho Idaho Gov. Butch Otter announced today that he’s notifying the federal government that Idaho will opt for a state-based health insurance exchange, subject to legislative approval. 7

• Homicide suspect spotted in Ellensburg

  Authorities say the man suspected in the strangling death of a Spokane woman was spotted today in Ellensburg.

• Deputies bust large pot-growing operation in Elk, Wash.

  In City Abnormal electrical use on an Elk, Wash., property led to last week’s discovery of an elaborate marijuana grow operation from which authorities seized nearly 100 plants. 43

• 6th grader reports attempted luring near Midway Elementary

  In City Police are on the lookout for a man attempting to lure children into a vehicle near Midway Elementary School this morning.

• Americans finding dozens of ways to mark 12-12-12

  In Nation/World A Michigan sixth-grader will put aside her nerves and get her ears pierced on her 12th birthday. Two law-enforcement officials will exchange wedding vows at 12:12 p.m. in Pittsburgh’s federal …

• Michigan lawmakers approve right-to-work bills

  In Nation/World LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Over the chants of thousands of angry protesters, Republican lawmakers made Michigan a right-to-work state Tuesday, dealing a devastating and once-unthinkable defeat to organized labor in …

• Senator: Rock removal on Mississippi to start soon

  In Nation/World ST. LOUIS (AP) — Crews might be allowed to begin destroying two rock pinnacles impeding barge traffic on the Mississippi River as early as next week, more than a month …

• Parents fight for release of son jailed in Mexico

  In Nation/World MIAMI (AP) — A South Florida family is fighting to get their son, a Marine veteran, released from a prison in a dangerous area in Mexico while facing charges that … 1

• Somali woman gets prison for terror support

  In Nation/World SAN DIEGO (AP) — A Somali-born woman has been sentenced in San Diego to eight years in prison for routing money to a terrorist organization in her native country. U.S. …

• Fiscal cliff: Private bargaining, public wrangling

  In Nation/World WASHINGTON (AP) — In a test of divided government, the White House and congressional Republicans bargained in secret and sparred in public Tuesday over a deal to prevent year-end tax …

• 2 Ala. men arrested on federal terrorism charges

  In Nation/World MOBILE, Ala. (AP) — Two Alabama men who federal investigators say wanted to wage violent jihad overseas have been arrested in Georgia on terrorism charges, and one has close ties …

• Police suspect LA man was lured into NYC ambush

  In Nation/World NEW YORK (AP) — Someone wanted Brandon Lincoln Woodard dead — bad enough to apparently lure him to a midtown Manhattan block for what looked like a professional hit. But …

• Soldier’s case dominated by testimony on suicide

  In Nation/World FORT MEADE, Md. (AP) — In a military hearing for Pfc. Bradley Manning that has unfolded over the past two weeks, the reams of classified documents he is accused of …

• Court strikes down Illinois’ concealed carry ban

  In Nation/World CHICAGO (AP) — In a major victory for gun rights advocates, a federal appeals court on Tuesday struck down a ban on carrying concealed weapons in Illinois — the only …

• W.Va. gas line explodes, burns homes and roads

  In Nation/World SISSONVILLE, W.Va. (AP) — Four homes went up in flames and collapsed in charred heaps Tuesday after a natural gas line exploded in an inferno that raged for at least …

• Downtown Saad’s closes its doors

  In Business, City After two key employees died in the past three months, downtown Saad’s Shoe Repair has closed 7

• Appeals Court sides with pot dispensaries

  In City The drug-trafficking convictions of the man who operated Spokane’s first medical marijuana dispensary were reversed today in a ruling that also appears to clear the way for commercial dispensaries to … 28

• Chicago man gets 10 years in suicide-bomber plot

  In Nation/World CHICAGO (AP) — A Chicago man who pleaded guilty to a plot to attend a Somalia training camp with the dream of becoming a suicide bomber was sentenced Tuesday to …

• Winter weather advisory issued for Spokane, CdA

  In City, Idaho A winter weather advisory for 2 to 4 inches of snow in the Spokane and Coeur d’Alene area was issued this morning with the snowfall arriving tonight and Wednesday morning. 6

• GOP throws Obama’s old deficit stands back at him

  In Nation/World WASHINGTON (AP) — Some of the best Republican arguments against President Barack Obama’s proposals to avoid a “fiscal cliff” come from the president himself, in comments he made months or …

• Michigan Legislature sends governor right-to-work

  In Nation/World LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The Michigan Legislature gave final approval Tuesday to a bitterly contested right-to-work plan limiting the power of unions, a devastating and once unthinkable defeat for organized … 1

• NYPD releases security photo in shooting of LA man

  In Nation/World NEW YORK (AP) — Someone wanted Brandon Lincoln Woodard dead — bad enough to track him down on a midtown Manhattan block in what looked like a professional hit. But …

• Air Force sends mystery mini-shuttle back to space

  In Nation/World CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — The military’s small, top-secret version of the space shuttle rocketed into orbit Tuesday for a repeat mystery mission, two years after making the first flight …

• GOP’s Boehner says Obama slow-walking cliff talks

  In Nation/World WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker John Boehner accused President Barack Obama on Tuesday of slow-walking negotiations to avoid the “fiscal cliff” and urged him to name specific cuts in government …

• Idaho basketball player makes 3/4-court shot to win

  In Idaho GARDEN VALLEY, Idaho — A high school basketball player from Idaho heaved a three-quarter-court, last-second shot to help her team beat a rival.

• Head of $3B Texas cancer effort asks to resign

  In Nation/World AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The executive director of a troubled $3 billion cancer-fighting effort in Texas has submitted his resignation letter amid escalating scrutiny over the management of the nation’s …

• Trayvon Martin shooter to stay on 24-hour monitor

  In Nation/World SANFORD, Fla. (AP) — George Zimmerman must remain under 24-hour GPS monitoring while awaiting trial in the fatal shooting of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin and must stay in the county …

• CEOs step up pressure on Obama, Congress for deal

  In Nation/World WASHINGTON (AP) — The nation’s top corporate executives are stepping up pressure on Congress and on President Barack Obama to negotiate a deal to avoid a fiscal cliff, warning that …

• Court strikes down Illinois concealed carry law

  In Nation/World CHICAGO (AP) — In a big victory for gun rights advocates, a federal appeals court on Tuesday struck down a ban on carrying concealed weapons in Illinois — the only … 1

• Democrats: Don’t cut Medicaid in fiscal cliff deal

  In Nation/World WASHINGTON (AP) — Liberal Democratic members of Congress are warning President Barack Obama to not cut the Medicaid health care program as part of negotiations with Republicans over avoiding the …

• There arose such a clatter over pipe-free Santa

  In Health Santa has kicked the habit in time for Christmas. No, not the sugar plum habit, or his fur-wearing habit, or his penchant for romping recklessly around open flame. 1

• NTSB: Use ignition locks for all drunken drivers

  In Nation/World WASHINGTON (AP) — Every state should require convicted drunken drivers, including first-time offenders, to use devices that prevent them from starting a car’s engine if their breath tests positive for …

• With students gone, EWU needs guest musicians

  In City CHENEY — With students gone for Christmas break, Eastern Washington University is looking for guest musicians to play at this Saturday’s football playoff game. 2

• NY’s top court: NYC gang member not a terrorist

  In Nation/World ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Street gangsters who commit assaults and killings are not terrorists under the statute enacted after hijackers crashed jets into the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, …

• New tests could hamper food outbreak detection

  In Nation/World WASHINGTON (AP) — New tests that promise to speed up diagnosis of food poisoning pose an unexpected problem: They could make it more difficult to identify dangerous outbreaks like the …

• Marijuana legalization low-key by design in Colorado

  In Nation/World DENVER — Colorado gave a lonely reception to marijuana when it became the second state to legalize the drug. Just as state leaders planned. Gov. John Hickenlooper on Monday quietly … 7

• APNewsBreak: Explo faced scrutiny before La. scare

  In Nation/World DOYLINE, La. (AP) — The explosives recycling company that caused the evacuation of a Louisiana town has come under scrutiny for explosions and its handling of dangerous materials before, and …

• Senate GOP leader calls on Dems to spell out cuts

  In Nation/World WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker John Boehner accused President Barack Obama on Tuesday of slow-walking negotiations to avoid the “fiscal cliff,” and urged him to name specific cuts in government …

• Govt outlines HSBC ties to drug money laundering

  In Nation/World WASHINGTON (AP) — British bank HSBC violated the Bank Secrecy Act in connection with the laundering of money from narcotics drug traffickers in Mexico and intentionally allowed prohibited transactions with …

• NTSB: Require ignition locks for all drunk drivers

  In Nation/World WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal safety board is recommending that all states require ignition interlock devices for convicted drunk drivers, including first-time offenders. The five-member National Transportation Safety Board said …

• US set to boost ties with Syrian opposition

  In Nation/World WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration is getting ready to tighten its ties to Syria’s main opposition group, a step in the intensifying diplomacy that officials hope will craft an …

• Penn students give out $100K in philanthropy class

  In Nation/World PHILADELPHIA (AP) — University of Pennsylvania student Sharree Walls didn’t realize when she signed up for a course on philanthropy that she’d actually become a philanthropist at the end of …

• Wrong-way driving crashes claim hundreds of lives

  In Nation/World WASHINGTON (AP) — Hundreds of people are killed each a year when drivers turn the wrong-way into the face of oncoming traffic on high-speed highways, and a majority of the …

• APNewsBreak: Texas judge halts oil pipeline work

  In Nation/World HOUSTON (AP) — A Texas judge has ordered TransCanada to temporarily halt work on a private property where it is building part of an oil pipeline designed to carry tar …

• Panetta says Syria chemical threat has slowed

  In Nation/World KUWAIT CITY (AP) — The Syrian government seems to have slowed preparations for the possible use of chemical weapons against rebel targets, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Tuesday. Last …

• Fla. ex-cop set for execution in 1986 killing of 9

  In Nation/World STARKE, Fla. (AP) — A former Florida police officer ate his last meal and visited with family members and friends ahead of his scheduled execution Tuesday for killing nine people …

• Former Fla. police officer scheduled for execution

  In Nation/World STARKE, Fla. (AP) — A former Florida police officer is scheduled to be executed for the murder of nine people 26 years ago. The execution by lethal injection of 56-year-old …

• Explosives co. faced scrutiny before La evacuation

  In Nation/World DOYLINE, La. (AP) — The explosives recycling company that caused the evacuation of a Louisiana town has come under scrutiny for explosions and its handling of dangerous materials before, and …

• Global study of student scores a mixed bag for US

  In Nation/World WASHINGTON (AP) — Students in the U.S. perform better than the global average, but still lag behind many of their peers in Asia and Europe, an international study found. Fourth-graders …

• Peppermint pigs a smashing tradition in NY

  In Nation/World SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (AP) — A holiday tradition in this upstate New York resort town has a peppermint twist: pig-shaped hard candies are sold with little metal hammers to smash …

• HSBC to pay $1.9B to settle money-laundering case

  In Nation/World LONDON (AP) — HSBC avoided a legal battle that could further savage its reputation and undermine confidence in the global banking system by agreeing Tuesday to pay $1.9 billion to …

• Right-to-work debate heats up ahead of Mich. vote

  In Nation/World LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Even with the outcome considered a foregone conclusion, the heated battle over right-to-work legislation in the traditional union bastion of Michigan showed no sign of cooling … 7

• Alan Alda asks scientists to explain: What’s time?

  In Nation/World MINEOLA, N.Y. (AP) — Professor Alan Alda has a homework assignment for scientists. Yes, that Alan Alda. The actor known for portraying Capt. Benjamin Franklin “Hawkeye” Pierce on the TV … 1

• Strauss-Kahn, NYC hotel maid settle her lawsuit

  In Nation/World NEW YORK (AP) — When a settlement ended the last legal fallout from the sexual assault allegation that sank his political career, Dominique Strauss-Kahn kept his distance. The former International …

• Divided Spokane council approves budget

  In City on Page A1 Spokane’s city government is shedding 92 jobs. The Spokane City Council on Monday voted 4-3 to freeze the city general fund budget, largely accepting the recommendations of Mayor David Condon. 36

• Health care fee could add up

  In Nation/World on Page A1 WASHINGTON – Your medical plan is facing an unexpected expense, so you probably are, too. It’s a new, $63-per-head fee to cushion the cost of covering people with pre-existing conditions … 41

• FTC eyes cellphone apps made for children

  In Business on Page A1 WASHINGTON – The government is investigating whether software companies that make cellphone apps violated the privacy rights of children by quietly collecting personal information from mobile devices and sharing it …

• Volunteers help set Christmas Bureau stage

  In City on Page A1 It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in the Ag building at the fairgrounds. With the Christmas Bureau opening Wednesday, volunteers are working hard to transform the warehouse into …

• Accuracy watch

  In City on Page A2 For 12-11-2012

• Arizona Powerball winner identified

  In Nation/World on Page A2 PHOENIX – The second winner of the $587.5 million Powerball jackpot is a 37-year-old electronics industry professional who grew up in a modest home in Pennsylvania and moved to an …

• Apple Maps sends drivers dangerously astray

  In Nation/World on Page A2 SYDNEY – Australian police are warning the public that errors in Apple’s much-maligned mapping application are leading drivers headed to the southern city of Mildura to take a potentially “life-threatening” …

• Singer’s death in crash verified

  In Nation/World on Page A2 MONTERREY, Mexico – U.S. authorities confirmed Monday that Jenni Rivera, a U.S.-born singer whose soulful voice and openness about her personal troubles made her a Mexican-American superstar, was killed in …

• Mexico tackling education ills

  In Nation/World on Page A3 MEXICO CITY – President Enrique Pena Nieto on Monday announced a broad reform aimed at improving Mexico’s sclerotic educational system, a plan that also seems aimed at weakening the enormously … 1

• Egypt military role expands

  In Nation/World on Page A3 CAIRO – Egypt’s military assumed responsibility Monday for protecting state institutions and maintaining security ahead of a constitutional referendum Saturday, as the country braced for another round of mass demonstrations …

• EU leaders receive Nobel Peace Prize

  In Nation/World on Page A3 OSLO, Norway – The EU received the Nobel Peace Prize on Monday for promoting peace and human rights in Europe following the devastation of World War II, and the bloc …

• N. Korea extends launch window

  In Nation/World on Page A3 SEOUL, South Korea – North Korea is pressing ahead with preparation for a long-range rocket launch after extending its liftoff window by another week until Dec. 29 because of technical …

• In brief: Mali’s premier quits after arrest

  In Nation/World on Page A3 BAMAKO, Mali – Mali’s prime minister presented his resignation on state television in a broadcast at 4 a.m. local time today, hours after soldiers who led Mali’s recent coup arrested …

• Dutch builder’s dream sets sail

  In Nation/World on Page A3 DORDRECHT, Netherlands – Just as the first storms of winter roll in, Dutchman Johan Huibers has finished his 20-year quest to build a full-scale, functioning model of Noah’s Ark – … 2

• In brief: Ill Clinton cancels trip to Arab world

  In Nation/World on Page A4 WASHINGTON – Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton pulled out of a weeklong trip to the Arab world because of a stomach virus, officials said Monday, as the Obama administration …

• DJs apologize for fake royal phone call

  In Nation/World on Page A4 They say they expected a hang-up and a few laughs. Instead, the Australian DJs behind a hoax phone call to the London hospital where the pregnant Duchess of Cambridge was …

• Strauss-Kahn settles hotel maid’s lawsuit

  In Nation/World on Page A4 NEW YORK – Former International Monetary Fund leader Dominique Strauss-Kahn and a hotel maid settled her lawsuit Monday over sexual assault allegations that sank his political career and spurred scrutiny …

• Man gets life for girl’s ’57 murder

  In Nation/World on Page A4 SYCAMORE, Ill. – Friends and family who had all but given up on seeing anyone brought to justice for the murder of a young Illinois girl more than 50 years …

• Officials identify West Central homicide victim

  In City on Page A5 The woman found strangled Friday afternoon in a West Central apartment has been identified as 48-year-old Michelle Koenen. Police continue to hunt for her suspected killer, Tony T. Callihan. 5

• Republicans to lead Washington Senate

  In City on Page A5 OLYMPIA – In a move variously described as an exciting opportunity for bipartisanship or a political coup, a pair of Democrats announced Monday they are joining forces with the Senate’s … 28

• Photo: On a cold streak

  In City on Page A5 Recreational agenda: “We’re out for a fun run,” said Jeff Mitchell, of Post Falls, as he ran with his dog Chewy along Centennial Trail in Coeur d’Alene on Monday.

• Manito area burglary targets holiday gifts

  In City on Page A5 The 11-month-old German shepherd paced up and down Manito Boulevard on Friday, ragged from the cold rain and wind. A neighbor wondered why Daisy was loose. 12

• Bobbing for Apple bar names, I’ve come up empty

  In City on Page A5 The South-Hillyard. End of the Roll. The Golden Gadfly … 13

• Jim Kershner’s this day in history

  In City on Page A5 From our archives, 100 years ago A capacity crowd jammed the Auditorium Theater to hear renowned photographer Edward S. Curtis lecture and display his photos of North American Indians.

• County budget cuts services

  In City on Page A6 Spokane County commissioners on Monday unanimously approved the county’s 2013 budget that cuts about 1 percent in county services but raises general property tax collections by 1 percent. The general … 3

• West Central death ruled homicide

  In City on Page A6 A man found dead in a West Central alley Friday morning was shot multiple times in the head, according to the Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office. His death was ruled …

• In brief: Winter storm to bring snow tonight

  In City on Page A6 A winter storm arriving tonight is expected to drop 3.7 inches of snow in Spokane and5.3 inches in Coeur d’Alene. The National Weather Service also predicts that the storm is … 1

• North Idaho gains clout on budget committee

  In Idaho on Page A6 BOISE – Lawmakers from Lewiston and points north will take up eight of the 20 seats on the Idaho Legislature’s powerful joint budget committee when the 2013 session convenes in …

• Killer researched mass murderers

  In City on Page A6 ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Alaska man who confessed to killing at least eight people across the country had researched Ted Bundy and other serial killers, saying he recognized himself in …

• Nike request prompts Oregon special session

  In City on Page A6 SALEM – Athletic footwear and apparel giant Nike Inc. plans to expand its operations in Oregon and hire hundreds of workers but wants the government to promise that tax rules …

• Washington records

  In City on Page A7 Spokane County Marriage licenses

• Idaho records

  In City on Page A7 For 12-11-2012

• Report scrutinizes Freddie, Fannie pay

  In Business on Page A8 WASHINGTON – A government report finds median pay for nearly 2,000 senior managers at government-controlled Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac exceeded $200,000 last year. The Federal Housing Finance Agency, which …

• HSBC to pay $1.9 billion

  In Business on Page A8 WASHINGTON – HSBC, the British banking giant, will pay $1.9 billion to settle a money-laundering probe by federal and state authorities in the United States, a law enforcement official said … 2

• N.Y., N.J. ponder how to rebuild icons

  In Business on Page A8 SEASIDE HEIGHTS, N.J. – Coastal areas of New Jersey and New York that lost their boardwalks to Superstorm Sandy’s surge are racing to rebuild them in time for tourist season …

• Treasury announces final AIG stock sale

  In Business on Page A8 WASHINGTON – The U.S. government said Monday that it is selling its remaining shares of American International Group stock, moving to close the books on the government’s biggest bailout during …

• Ford says software update will fix fire problem

  In Business on Page A8 DEARBORN, Mich. – Ford will update software on 2013 Escapes and Fusions to stop their engines from overheating, a problem that has caused a small number of fires. Reports of … 1

• Northwest wheat

  In Business on Page A9 Soft white Cash bid Change Dec 8.69-8.74 down .12 Jan 8.80-8.95 down .05 Hard red winter (ordinary percent protein) Cash bid Change Dec 9.53-9.67 down .07 Hard red winter (11.5 …

• On taxes, GOP’s gotta give

  In Opinion on Page A11 I’m in the camp that believes Republicans have no choice but to agree to raise taxes on the top 2 percent of earners. The party has been successfully caricatured as … 57

• Editorial: Pension flaws leave others to foot bill

  In Opinion on Page A11 That soft, creamy filling in Hostess Twinkies, Ding Dongs and other semi-toxic snacks? Turns out it’s the American taxpayer. It may not happen immediately, but the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. … 17

• Lobby for deduction

  In Letters, Opinion on Page A11 Real long-term solutions to the “fiscal cliff” require shared sacrifice. 1

• Retirement exceptions needed

  In Letters, Opinion on Page A11 Being kicked around the Washington, D.C., area is a proposal to raise the retirement age. It is nice to see that consideration for governmental employees, office and Wall Street workers, … 5

• Then and now, forever

  In Letters, Opinion on Page A11 I greatly appreciate the “Then and Now” series by Jesse Tinsley. I hope the series continues, although I suspect that at some time his source of material may run dry.

• Thompson, Hart not bankrupt

  In Letters, Opinion on Page A11 Let me quote from the Dec. 1 Spokesman-Reveiw Phil Hart article: “Federal authorities have called the transfer of the home to the trust a ‘fraudulent’ transaction with a ‘sham entity.’ … 9

• Bearkats have own agenda

  In Sports on Page B1 First impressions are hard to shake. For most Eastern Washington football fans, their first look at Sam Houston State came on television Friday night, as the Bearkats scratched Montana State …

• Idaho staff taking on a Vandals look

  In Sports on Page B1 MOSCOW, Idaho – New University of Idaho football coach Paul Petrino, a onetime Vandals assistant himself, seems intent on filling his staff with coaches who know what it’s like to …

• Zags need to be well guarded

  In Sports on Page B1 Guard U is going to see a steady diet of quality guards the rest of this month and when the West Coast Conference season rolls around in January. After facing …

• Motum selected player of week

  In Sports on Page B1 Men’s college basketball: Washington State senior Brock Motum is the Pac-12 Player of the Week for his 23-point efforts against Gonzaga and Fresno State. The Brisbane, Australia, native had a …

• Growing pains doom Eastern

  In Sports on Page B1 Eastern Washington’s first home stand of the men’s basketball season ended just as it started: with a young team still aiming to improve. And if its aim had been a …

• Parker, Neal carry Spurs in overtime win

  In Sports on Page B2 NBA: Gary Neal scored 29 points and Tony Parker had a triple-double to lead the visiting San Antonio Spurs to a 134-126 overtime win against the Houston Rockets on Monday …

• Newsmakers

  In Sports on Page B2 Signed Outfielder Ryan Ludwick left the Reds to see if there was a better deal available on the free agent market. He found at least one, but turned it down …

• Today’s Best

  In Sports on Page B2 Tom Brady New England quarterback threw for 296 yards and four scores in leading the Patriots past the Texans.

• Slouch finds air hockey suitable substitute for NHL on TV

  In Sports on Page B2 These are 23 (more) facts, tried and true, about the widening world of sports television: 1. If the South had won the Civil War, I can’t even imagine how conference …

• Scoreboard

  In Sports on Page B2 Football NFL

• Ichiro, N.Y. near deal

  In Sports on Page B2 The New York Yankees and outfielder Ichiro Suzuki could be reunited by the end of the week. The two sides are nearing completion on a one-year deal, according to several …

• A 1st for WNBA draft

  In Sports on Page B2 With Brittney Griner the top prize, the WNBA draft will be televised live in prime time for the first time. The first round will air on ESPN2 at 5 p.m. …

• Bay looking for a fresh start with the Mariners

  In Sports on Page B3 SEATTLE – Jason Bay took a glance at the Seattle Mariners’ 40-man roster and suddenly realized how unique he will be. He’s one of only two players on that current …

• Patriots rout Texans in AFC showdown

  In Sports on Page B3 FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Tom Brady can’t stop smiling these days. Or winning.

• Bobby Petrino signs to coach at Western Kentucky

  In Sports on Page B3 Now that Bobby Petrino is back in the coaching ranks, he wants to make the most of it. Petrino was introduced Monday as Western Kentucky’s new head football coach. The …

• Cameron fired as Ravens’ OC

  In Sports on Page B3 Cam Cameron was fired Monday as offensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens, who have lost two straight and are still striving for consistency in the running and passing game. Cameron …

• Carroll says team handled blowout properly

  In Sports on Page B3 RENTON, Wash. – One thing Pete Carroll learned in his nine years at Southern California was how to handle blowouts. Once the Trojans got rolling in the middle of the …

• Today’s menu

  In Sports on Page B4 For 12-11-2012

• On the air

  In Sports on Page B4 For 12-11-2012

• G-Prep wrestlers build, raffle off cedar canoe

  In Outdoors on Page B4 Gonzaga Prep wrestlers are pinning their annual fundraising goals on a 17-foot, cedar-strip canoe they built with their own hands. “We started during summer and we’re just doing the hand-caned … 1

• Depressed seniors need to be convinced it’s OK to seek help

  In Health on Page C1 Recognizing depression in a relative or friend is one thing. Talking with them about getting treatment is another – especially, suicide prevention advocates say, when the person with depression belongs …

• Lost in old age

  In Features, Health on Page C1 The cantankerous old man in your life might actually be a man who’s contemplating suicide. The forgetful widower next door may not be suffering from early Alzheimer’s, but from major … 2

• The Slice: Dozens of reasons to smile

  In Features on Page C1 If not exactly cheaper by the dozen, perhaps it can be said that certain birthdays really strike straight-up 12. Spokane’s Sophia and Luca Paolino turn 12 on Wednesday. That’s 12 … 1

• Horoscope

  In Features on Page C2 For 12-11-2012

• Lodge complaint as a large group

  In Features on Page C2 Dear Annie: I work in the aftercare program of a highly regarded private school. It’s a part-time job at minimum wage, but the kids are great, and I am grateful …

• Some say vitamin C helps with cold

  In Features, Health on Page C2 DEAR DOCTOR K: My mom always told me to take vitamin C and not to drink milk when I had a cold. Is this true or just an old wives’ …

• Support loved ones with struggles

  In Health on Page C3 We recently visited a friend whose wife died from cancer this year. He lives in Kodiak, Alaska, where we lived before moving to Spokane. He shared with us all that …

• Health Bulletin Board www.spokesman.com/livewell

  In Features, Health on Page C5 Upcoming Coeur d’Alene High School Blood Drive – DECA students at Coeur d’Alene High School will have a community blood drive Thursday and Friday, from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. in the …

• Blood bank

  In Features on Page C5 Bloodmobile locations Today – Inland Northwest Bank, 421 W. Riverside Ave., 8-11 a.m.; Deer Park High School, 800 S. Weber Road, 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; Goodrich Corporation, 11135 W. Westbow Blvd., …

• Spokane clubs

  In Features on Page C5 Social/recreational Take Off Pounds Sensibly – Meets Mondays, 6-8 p.m., Valley Fourth Memorial Church, 2303 S. Bowdish Road, Spokane Valley. Call Linda at (509) 928-9158 or Alice at (509) 216-3752.

• Idaho clubs

  In Features on Page C5 Post Falls Booster Club – Meets the first Monday of the month, 7 p.m., at Post Falls High School cafeteria; (208) 773-9238 or (208) 773-9440. Post Falls High School Alumni …

• Vitamin D eased pain in hip, leg

  In Features, Health on Page C5 Q. About five years ago, I began to suffer severe pain in my left hip and leg. It was agonizing when I lay in bed. I had to crawl on …

• Obituary: Ritter, Catherine Dickie

  In Obituaries on Page O1 Died Nov. 20, 2012

• Obituary: Coghill, Leslie Roy

  In Obituaries on Page O1 Feb. 28, 1939 - Dec. 6, 2012