Family

In 1918, Lucy Gooch received a wondrous gift from her parents – a new player piano from Montelius Music House in Seattle.

An available electrical outlet spawned a collection of pinball games that offers Mike Hogue an ongoing entertainment outlet.

Directing cars to their Thanksgiving dinner pickup, Tom’s Turkey Drive volunteer Trevor Holcomb was cold but very happy.

Imagine living in a war torn, politically unstable country where there is so much violence that you are afraid for your safety. Imagine having to make the hard decision to flee your country at the first opportunity without any of your belongings or money. This is the life of a refugee.

Known for her spunk and unapologetic “alpha female” energy, University High School junior Bella Jackson-Fleming died unexpectedly on Nov. 11 in her Spokane Valley home. She was 16.

Before the DNA revolution of the early 2000s, genealogy was a study dependent on records. Tracing a line of heritage could hit a dead end if documentation had gone missing or been destroyed. But as DNA science progressed rapidly through the ’80s, ’90s and 2000s, genetic testing became an affordable, accessible tool to confirm existing genealogical records, or fill in the gaps entirely.

For more than 2,000 years, the Kyrgyz people enjoyed a nomadic lifestyle in Central Asia.

Dear Dr. Universe: Why do some humans like to do bad things? Is it the thrill or were they always born bad? – Leonel, 14, Texas

On Aug. 21, Frank and Carolyn Payne celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary.

Dr. Universe: Why do we age? – Ines, 17, Tunisia

Triple toil, trouble and crushed popcorn ball rubble, it was nearly Halloween night. With Green Bluff cider in hand, three Spokane musketeers scanned wicked costume websites with devilish grins of delight. Faceless beasts brandished sinister beaks. Morbid clowns clutched menacing hatchets and scythes. Tapping and swiping, the trio howled along to a cryptic brew of monstrous tunes devouring each blood-curdling sight.

When Stevey Seymour, executive director of the Inchelium Language and Culture Association, began planning what would become Kwu Kcnwixw: An Evening of Story, Song and Community, she knew exactly who to call: author Sherman Alexie and musician Tony Louie.

Dr. Universe: How does epinephrine work? – Annabelle, 15, Missouri

Katrina Doty heard about Lion’s Heart because her children’s therapist gave her a flyer, suggesting she check them out. Doty’s husband died in a car accident in 2023, and her three sons, ages 7, 8 and 10, were struggling with their grief. Lion’s Heart was then a new organization established to provide grief support for children, founded by president Krista Reeder and clinical committee member Maggie Rowe, who noticed the need while working in pediatric oncology at Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital.

Dr. Universe: Why can we sometimes see the moon during the day? – Eli, 7, Texas

When it comes to her kids’ Halloween costumes, Devon Weaver has learned to take a laid-back approach.

Dr. Universe: What is the life cycle of a ladybug? – Rachel, 6, Virginia

The runner had trained for months to attempt a world record, enduring calluses, rolled ankles and questions from friends who couldn’t understand why she pushed herself so hard.